Childhood Friend of the Zenith - Chapter 96
< Episode 96 > Preparation. (4)
Preparation (4)
“We lost…”
Youngpoong, who was out of breath for a long time, finally spoke.
The ground around Yeongpung was all dug up and a mess, and
broken wooden swords were piled up on one side.
My energy had already run out and I didn’t even have the strength to lift a sword.
It was only natural that the dance that started during the day was repeated until sundown.
“You worked hard.”
Youngpoong looked at the owner of the voice.
‘…strong.’
Feelings are just that.
The young man’s inaction, who was said to be Muyeon or acting as an escort for Guyangcheon, was surprising
. Since the shoemaking exhibition was right in front of him
, it was nice to see a strong swordsman who
approached Youngpoong first, who was eager to dance .
I didn’t expect it to be at this level….
Young Poong immediately thought of Namgoong Biah.
I can feel my cheeks turning red right away.
It was because shameful memories came to mind.
It was the cause of the dance with Guyangcheon, and in a way,
it was a memory of enlightenment that helped him to settle his mind.
I couldn’t help but think of myself as immature.
‘It looks similar…but it feels completely different.’
I knew that Namgoongbi was a direct descendant of Namgung, the main axis of the four generations, but whether it was her
personality or family history, Namgungbia
had no hesitation in practicing her family’s martial arts even if there were spectators.
She performs a beautiful sword dance as if she wants to see it.
What is contained in the restrained sword path are various paths of goodness (1111 routes).
To put it badly,
Namgungbi had a promiscuous swordsmanship.
Nevertheless, since he has a flexible body and talent,
he thought that it was an advantage because he had many promiscuous movements.
At least in Youngpoong’s eyes, it seemed that way.
If you still fight, you will lose.
‘This person is…’
Muyeon’s case is the opposite.
Neat and skilled, in a way, the basics themselves are solid.
It was literally a sample of a typical swordsman.
Young Poong quickly analyzed the cause of his defeat.
The unleaded sword
was focused only on basic skills, not relying on a special change to a sword or excellent senses.
The cause of Yeongpung’s defeat was the simple reason that the leadless sword was faster and heavier
.
Youngpoong sighed at the exact reason he had no excuse for.
‘There is no end outside the well.’
Looking at Gu Yangchun, the arrogance of my talent was shattered, and when I saw Namgoong Biah,
I felt shame once more and felt my own shortcomings.
And looking at the smokeless, I felt the futility.
‘There’s no room for confidence.’
Young Poong felt that the name of the Sword Dragon was already attached to him.
Muyeon calmly held out her hand to Youngpoong.
“thank you. I learned a lot thanks to you.”
“…no. I am more grateful that you hung out all day.”
Holding Muyeon’s hand, Yeongpoong stood up.
The entire body was full of dirt, but it was enough to gently shake it off.
Muyeon looked at Youngpoong and said.
“I have been out for too long. I think I should stop.
Are you thinking of going to the dojang more?”
“Yes, I think I need to go a little further.”
The only way to calm his noble mind was training.
At least that was the only way Young Poong knew.
Muyeon nodded at Yeongpoong’s words.
After cleaning up, I went down the mountain road to go back to the lodging soon after.
Mu-yeon’s expression was still stiff as she walked along, feeling the cool breeze
.
I think it’s the first time I’ve been fighting all day long without focusing on escorting.
‘What did this really mean?’
Similar to Yeongpung, Muyeon also hid a stuffy heart.
It was a deviation to find something, but what Muyeon felt
was a terrible guilt for neglecting what he had seen.
“A guy named Howie doesn’t do anything right…”
Mooyeon’s words spit out in the wind contained remorse.
How many times has Guyangcheon been in crisis?
Even more so, Guyangcheon
was in danger of fighting the peak unmanned, probably because he was relieved by joining the prestigious group called the Volcano Squad.
What was he doing at that time?
I dare to think of any excuses, but nothing comes to mind.
I was careless.
An escort, not anyone else.
‘Incompetent bastard.’ Of course
, he knew that
Gu Yang-chun was good at avoiding his eyes, and that his talents were gradually rising to a level where he did not need an escort.
But that was pointless talk.
He is both a sword and a shield.
Gu Yangchun shouldn’t have been hurt except when he died. It was not a passion for the Gu family
or loyalty to Gu Yangchun.
This was a matter of responsibility and the essence of forming one’s own character.
The moment you lose yourself, unmannedness is over.
It was a quote left by one of the three respected swordsmen Muyeon respected.
Guyangcheon was getting stronger day by day.
When I first saw him, he was definitely a boy who couldn’t even be ranked second.
Today’s Guyangcheon is first-class, and in a little while it will reach the peak.
Such growth has been achieved in less than a year.
Conversely, what about you?
How many years have you been here because you couldn’t reach the peak? Muyeon
thought that he was not in a position to be impatient.
Time is still on his side, so
he thought that if he worked hard, he would be able to rise someday.
‘…So, when the hell?’
incompetent
Aren’t you terribly incompetent?
What would be the point if a person who trains a sword to protect it can’t protect it?
Where is his sword headed?
Muyeon did not know. I felt like I had lost the way I had barely found.
What did you gain from your recent dance moves?
‘I realized what a possibility is.’
I was able to get a glimpse of what the endlessly shining people, unlike themselves, had in mind
.
Even if you think of Yeongpoong right now, that is the case.
I could see it growing in just one day of rain. Yeongpung
began to
catch all the unleaded swords that he missed five times ten times at the end of the sword .
The gaps in Yeongpung that were visible to Muyeon’s eyes were reduced one by one and
became almost invisible.
Youngpoong was full of regret for himself, but on the contrary, Muyeon
had to hide his surprise when he saw Youngpoong.
One day, Young Poong will rise to his level, and he never knows if he will overtake him soon.
I was certain that there was no lead until then.
‘And even then, am I still in place?’
A sense of self-worth.
I can feel how thick the wall in front of me is.
.
.
.
………
“Shimma…. Should I call this Shimma as well..”
I stopped walking before I knew it.
The wind that blows pushes her back, telling her to return home quickly.
Muyeon’s feet were firmly attached to the ground and did not think of falling.
‘As it is…’
Wait a minute, let’s take a break.
It felt as if something was twisted from the inside out.
Let’s take a break for a while, then go back to the dorm, and then we’ll be able to work again as casually as possible
.
Muyeon promised.
Something sounded in Muyeon’s ears as she stood still.
– Poof!
-Wheeik!
“hmm?
99
It was definitely not wind noise.
It was an all-too-familiar sound from Mu-yeon, the inspector.
The stuck feet naturally come off.
Unknowingly, he was moving towards the sound.
-Wheeik! Poof!
After digging through the thicket and moving a little, someone
was brandishing a sword on a flat land with an appropriate width.
‘…why?’
Since the practitioner was someone Muyeon knew, he was taken aback.
“Upper attendant…?”
It was a hypocrisy. A girl
who is an exclusive attendant of Guyangchun and
has a pretty face, receiving the beauty of the servants belonging to Guyangchun.
To think that such a wimpy child was swinging a sword late at night in a mountain where no one seemed to be around
.
‘Why are you doing that?’
swish swish swish!
It was full of unnecessary movements that
seemed crude and clumsy because he hadn’t learned the sword professionally .
It was strangely powerful.
‘Maybe I’m going to exercise.’ I couldn’t
think of anything other than that, as I recalled what the attendant, Wiseol-ah, was doing
.
Swish…
Eventually, Wei Seol-ah stopped wielding the sword and tilted her head
.
“Isn’t this?”
“hmm…?”
Are you talking to yourself? I had often seen Wi Seol-ah’s innocent and unique personality, so
I wondered if it was like that this time too.
“It’s difficult… I think this is right.”
Moo-yeon swallowed a breath at the moment Wi Seol-ah performed while complaining.
from top to bottom.
The sword was clean and accurate even to himself
.
It was different from the crude movements he had just shown.
‘what…?’
Did you see it wrong? Even though I saw it clearly, it was to the extent that I doubted it.
“It’s prettier and more comfortable this way, so why should I do it differently?”
Mu-yeon tried to check if there was anyone around, but
there was no sign of feeling.
“…I go to my grandfather… no, I won’t go to my grandfather, he
was bad.”
He frowns slightly as if he is sulking.
Then, Mu-yeon had to be further shocked by Wi Seol-ah’s slow-moving movements.
can it be that clean? It was obviously a non-trivial move.
It’s just my league and I’m just swinging it lightly.
Something was different.
How can you do that? Contrary to Muyeon’s shock, Wisul-ah immediately
stopped the tip of the sword.
“Okay… I won’t.”
As if in a spirit, Wi Seol-ah
was changing back to the crude movements Mu-yeon had first discovered.
In the situation that was unfolding, Muyeon eventually stepped forward.
Because I couldn’t just watch it.
“Upper attendant…?”
“uh ! Unreasonable brother!”
The way he waved his hand as if he was happy was Wi Seol-ah, whom Moo-yeon knew.
“What are you doing here…?”
At Moo-yeon’s question, Wi Seol-ah smiles and speaks confidently.
“I am learning the sword!”
“Who…to whom?”
“Yeah… er…”
Wiseol-ah, who was about to answer casually, hesitates for a moment. As if surprised,
he rolled his eyes here and there.
…I was doing it alone.
“alone…?”
Words quickly changed.
No matter how much I checked, Wiseol-ah was alone. There’s no way he could have lied
.
“Is Muyeon oppa on his way in now? You found it earlier.”
“ah…!”
Oops…
The stupid mistake was already coming.
Mu-yeon tries to hide her true feelings and tells Wi Seol-ah with a smile.
“I couldn’t concentrate because I was practicing a little today. I apologize to the young master
.”
“Yes? It’s not, but since you’re unrelated, you must be doing well on your own.
I didn’t say much while doing something!”
It was cute to see her pouting the corners of her eyes as if she were following Gu Yangchun.
Mu-yeon tried to stroke her hair without realizing it, as if she were looking at her younger sister, but
she quickly stopped.
Wi Seol-ah was kind to everyone, but there was a line that no one knew about.
He especially hated the act of being stroked by someone.
Only Wei Noya and Gu Yangcheon allowed it, so Muyeon knew this and
lowered his hand.
Just as the atmosphere is about to become somewhat embarrassing, Wi Seol-ah asks again.
“Then, brother, are you going home now?”
Muyeon nodded.
“Yes, I have taken a break from work and I have to go back.”
Mu-yeon more carefully takes out the small wooden sword that the child is holding
.
“That, the attendant of Wisdom.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you suddenly training your sword?”
Wiseol-ah blinks at the question without question. Is it because she is thinking about the answer
?
The wait wasn’t very long. It was because Wi Seol-ah immediately said it as if it was nothing
.
“Bocchan comes injured every day. I guess someone keeps harassing me.”
From the small scratch to the big one this time
.
It wasn’t even really painful.
Wisul-ah hated that feeling so much.
He hates Gu Yangchun being sick even more than he is sick himself.
“So I will protect you.”
Moo-yeon was at a loss for words at the smile on her face as if it was nothing special.
It was a fact known
to all the servants that Wiseol-ah only followed and liked Guyangcheon .
It looks like that, but there’s no way you wouldn’t know.
Muyeon thought it was just a matter of what could be done and what could not be done.
Of course, Wi Seol-ah’s movements I saw just before were surprisingly good.
‘Yes, it’s an attendant.’
Moo-yeon bit her teeth at the thought that ran through her mind inadvertently.
Unknowingly, he realized that he looked down on Wiseol-ah and put him down.
Wi Seol-ah, who is unaware of such Mu-yeon’s heart, just laughs.
Then he cried brightly.
“I want to go down too! The Bocchan will be waiting for you.”
Joo-seom-ju-seom, carrying a wooden sword, moved lightly.
Mu-yeon was looking at Wi Seol-ah’s back.
‘It’s ugly, unreasonable woman, to think that others can’t do what I can’t do
.’
Even though I knew that Wi Seol-ah’s heart was sincere, I harbored a bad heart without even realizing it
.
‘Wake. There’s still a long way to go.’
It was something that shouldn’t have collapsed in a place like this. Come to your senses.
Whoa….
I let go of my deep narrow-mindedness with a sigh.
Suddenly, Wee Seol-ah, who was running with a gun, stopped and
came back toward Geum-moo-yeon.
“…a top attendant?”
Muyeon took a step backwards without realizing it. It was because
Wi Seol-ah, who had been smiling brightly, suddenly had a serious face
.
“That’s enough.”
“yes ?”
There was a flowing voice and something much lower than usual. What’s going on?
As if he didn’t care about Moo-yeon’s reaction, Wi Seol-ah just said something.
“I don’t think I have anything more to say because at least you seem to know what to do yourself
.”
The white and small hand of Wi Seol-ah touches Mu-yeon’s chest.
Mu-yeon tries to move, but her body stiffens for a moment, perhaps because of the unknown atmosphere
.
Wi Seol-ah didn’t look at that Muyeon and continued talking while looking at her chest.
“Because there are times when you have to break it because it is too framed.”
Mu-
yeon takes a step back from Wi Seol-ah’s pushing hand.
In an instant, a recoil that started in the chest swept the whole body and echoed.
“Huh…!”
Is it a surprise…? Ooh, that’s what I thought.
Why is the attendant above? In an embarrassing situation, Mu-yeon tries to raise the bet,
but the feeling of trembling is only momentary.
Moo-yeon hurriedly brushed her chest at the void that had just returned.
“Suddenly what…!”
I tried to ask what he was trying to do, but Wi Seol-ah returned to his original expression.
With a bashful smile, Wiseol-ah tells Mu-yeon.
“Please tell me!”
“…Who are you talking about?”
Wi Seol-ah does not answer Moo-yeon’s question and runs away in the direction of the dorm
.
“?”
Muyeon’s face, who was watching this, was slightly distorted.
Was it a joke? It was the first time I knew that Wi Seol-ah could act like that.
Even as I let out a sigh of relief, the last words Wi Seol-ah uttered strangely float in my head
.
‘Breaking the frame.’
It must have been just a joke, but it felt like something touched Muyeon
.
I wondered if I had come to enlightenment, so I stopped and thought for a moment, but
I couldn’t believe it.
“If it was something like this that would come so easily… there would be no need to worry about it.
Even so, Wi Seol-ah’s little prank seemed to clear her complicated mind a little
.
Satisfied with that, Muyeon followed Wiseol-ah toward the inn.
“…what?”
Sitting still on the floor, Wi Seol-ah comes into the dorm, followed by Mu-yeon
. When I asked Hongwa, he said he went out for a walk
, so he was wondering
why he sent the child alone at night .
I wanted to go find it soon, but… Just then, Wiseol-ah appeared.
however.
“Has anything happened?”
The state of Muyeon who came along behind him was a bit strange.
Putting aside the fact that her face looks like she has a lot of worries…
‘Is it an illusion?’
The feeling is just weird… Am I feeling that way too because I’m tired?
Moo-yeon came this way, perhaps noticing my gaze.
“…sorry.”
“huh? what?
99
“The escort took a break without talking. I will make sure this doesn’t happen in the future.
Oh, is it because I took a break today?
“There should be days off. Wouldn’t you have practiced even if you said you were taking a break anyway?”
“ ”
“Seeing that there is no answer, that’s right.”
I know what Moo-yeon’s feelings are, but
there was no way for me to resolve them.
‘It’s a different part from Yeongpoong.’
If the wall blocked by arrogance was the wall of Youngpoong, it would have been enough to crush it and destroy it
.
It was something that had to be passed on by oneself.
“If you have something complicated, take a break.”
“…no.”
a
Yes.”
Mu-yeon, who expressed her intention to do her job properly from now on, hurries
back after saying hello.
It must be because they have to stand alone during night watch .
I was a little concerned about Muyeon’s tired expression. Am I a little dangerous
?
‘I’ll have to find some time later and try it.’
Wouldn’t it be possible to pierce the blocked wall, but wouldn’t it be a little help.
Originally, I wouldn’t have bothered about it, but
I thought it would be okay if I put a little effort into the lead-free.
‘It’s a bit embarrassing to die without a talent like that blooming.’
Might be a good thing for the future. As I was roughly organizing my thoughts,
Wiseol-ah, who had just washed up, walks this way.
“young master!”
“…you.”
I was about to say why I was dangerously wandering around the mountain this evening, but I just
swallowed it in my mouth.
“I worked hard today too!”
“…yes, good work.”
I gave a rough answer and took something out of my pocket and handed it to Wi Seol-ah.
“…uh?”
Seeing the object in my hand, Yu Xue’s eyes widen.
Feeling embarrassed about something, he averted his gaze and added a word.
“It’s nothing special, it’s just because you work hard.”
It was a white hair ornament.
I bought it the other day when I took Bia Namgung and Wiseolah to the prefecture.
For reference, I also bought Namgoongbia, but haven’t given it yet.
“I…are you giving it to me?”
“no? Then if someone else…”
“No!”
Suddenly, he jumps in with his hand and snatches the decoration.
Wi Seol-ah held the ornament tightly in her arms and started to laugh.
It was embarrassing because the response was much better than expected. Is this such a good thing
?
It was just a cheap ornament, but at this point, I wanted to ask Shin Noya
.
‘…If it were Noya, would you curse?’
I’m pretty sure that’s probably the case.
Wi Seol knows what to do with the decorations. After looking around, he
started staring at me to see if he came up with something.
I slightly avoided that burdensome gaze and asked.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“young master.”
“Can I kiss you on the cheek?”
“What, what?”
“thank you!”
“Sleep…! You haven’t said anything yet…!”
Come and think about it now.
Wiseol-ah probably didn’t intend to listen to my answer in the first place.
so the next day.
Finally, the day has come for the start of the Volcanic Faction Festival.