The Training Hall (1)
“Hyung. Did you hear? They say the young miss is coming to the training hall tomorrow.”
“And her teacher’s supposedly Elder Dang Munhyeon, no less.”
The younger brothers spoke up, their voices laced with unease.
What weaklings.
Dang Beom clicked his tongue inwardly.
Whenever they were throwing their weight around in the training hall, bullying the other kids because they had some strength to back it up—where was all this fear then?
Just because she was direct lineage, were they seriously scared of some newbie who’d barely taken her first steps?
Well, truth be told, it wasn’t exactly welcome news for Dang Beom either that this kid was showing up at the training hall.
Whether it happened or not, if a direct lineage member came to the training hall, all the family elders would turn their attention straight to her.
“Don’t worry. I heard from Grandpa—she’s just some trash who’s been initiated into a heart method but hasn’t trained in any martial arts for over a fortnight.”
“R-Really?”
“What? We were worried for nothing.”
The brothers let out heavy sighs of relief.
Watching their pathetic display twisted something in Dang Beom’s gut.
It pissed him off.
These guys only cared about strutting around the training hall, lording it over the other kids and living it up.
But Dang Beom was different.
The training hall was too small a world for him.
Yeonmu Hall was originally a place for the worthless nobodies with no ties to the main house. Kids lacking parental support, background, or even personal talent.
But I’m different.
He just hadn’t had the chance to prove it yet.
And this was that chance.
Once I pull this off, Grandpa said he’ll acknowledge me as his grandson.
That would make him a kid connected to the main house.
No longer a nobody.
Even if he was the strongest in Yeonmu Hall. Even if he gathered the best kids there under his wing like limbs. Even if he rose before dawn and trained twice as hard as everyone else.
He’d still just be the best of the worthless bunch. He couldn’t shake off that label of “worthless.”
But this one job would change everything. He’d become a true member of the Tang Clan.
Before he knew it, Dang Beom had turned his back on his chattering brothers—who’d already lost interest in the direct lineage girl—and gazed toward the distant, towering main house.
It was far away.
The walk from Yeonmu Hall to the main house wasn’t even half a gak, but to Dang Beom, it felt like a place he could never reach in a lifetime.
But starting tomorrow, I’ll be able to touch it.
Dang Beom quietly clenched his fist.
—From the moment your mother left the Tang Clan, you were never truly one of us.
His grandfather’s voice echoed in his ears.
—However, since your parents are both dead, I pulled some strings with old ties to let the clan take you in. But that’s as far as it goes.
—If you want to become a true member of the Tang Clan, you have to prove your worth yourself. I’ve heard you’ve been scrambling hard in Yeonmu Hall all this time, but it’s apparently not enough.
—This is your chance. Handle this to my satisfaction, and I’ll recognize you as my grandson.
The direct lineage of the Tang Clan.
Tales of that spoiled young miss who’d been born with such heavenly fortune yet shunned martial arts were already infamous.
Unlike Dang Beom, she’d had everything the Tang Clan offered open to her from the moment she drew breath.
Just for being the patriarch’s child, she stood in a place Dang Beom could never reach no matter how much he struggled his whole life.
I never liked her anyway. Perfect.
Even without his grandfather’s orders, he’d wanted to put her in her place himself at least once.
Dang Beom quietly stepped forward.
His brothers were still chattering away.
“Hyung, where you going?”
“Training.”
“At this hour?”
Dang Beom didn’t bother answering.
The next morning dawned.
Through the haze of shallow awareness, a cautious voice spoke to me.
“Young miss… It’s time to get up…”
“Mmm. Just… a little longer…”
“…Understood.”
This time, the voice carried a slight quiver.
“Young miss… You really need to get up now…”
“Mmm. Go away. I’ll get up on my own…”
“Please, young miss… You have to get up…”
“…”
Dang Hoiyeong didn’t respond in the end. The maid’s choked sobs faded into the distance.
How much time passed?
—Clunk.
The door flew open roughly, and Dang Hoiyeong’s senses screamed in alarm like a danger warning.
She bolted upright on reflex. Her eyes snapped wide.
The footsteps from the door were different too. Nothing like the maids’ tentative tread.
Firm, choked with suppressed emotion, fearful yet familiar.
Dang Hoiyeong rose awkwardly from her seat with a grin.
“N-Nanny, what brings you here?”
Dang Yeonseol halted right there, silently staring down at Dang Hoiyeong.
She always had that sharp, expressionless ice-beauty vibe, so even when angry or smiling, it barely showed.
But this time… it was something else.
No expression at all. Just quietly, intently watching Dang Hoiyeong.
I’m screwed.
Dang Hoiyeong jumped up fully, folding her bedding like she was still in the annex and flashing a cheeky “Hehe” grin at her nanny.
Only then did Dang Yeonseol speak.
“Our proud, beloved, genius young miss.”
“…Y-Yes.”
“I assume you’ve rested plenty over the past fortnight.”
“…Yes.”
“I let it slide because of how hard you’ve been working. You know that, right?”
As Dang Yeonseol’s hand rose, Dang Hoiyeong nodded vigorously.
Dang Yeonseol stroked her head and continued.
“There won’t be a next time. If it happens again, I’ll come wake you myself from now on. Got it?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Dang Hoiyeong snapped to attention.
After washing up, eating, skimming the Flying Swallow Twelve Forms I’d read yesterday in the remaining time… I headed to Yeonmu Hall with Dang Yeonseol.
“Nanny, what’s Yeonmu Hall like?”
“…Don’t tell me you don’t even know what goes on there?”
Dang Yeonseol stared at me in shock.
Seemed like fallout from asking her about Cheondok Bigak’s location before.
I quickly explained.
“No, I know it’s for learning martial arts, obviously. But I mean the details.”
Like what level of basic arts they taught. How advanced it got. That sort of thing.
As I hurriedly added that, Dang Yeonseol chuckled softly.
“Well, you might not know that much. Yeonmu Hall is where kids staying in Danggata gather—the ones with no direct ties to martial arts training, even among the branch families.”
“So the level’s not that high, then?”
“Well, it tends to be that way. One teacher handles multiple kids, so it’s different from intensive training from parents.”
I nodded, and Dang Yeonseol went on.
“But it’s not entirely true. Whether from parents or Yeonmu Hall, it’s all just basics in the end. To learn advanced arts, you need to join a clan division, build merit, and enter the pavilion.”
“Got it.”
“For reference, I’m a Yeonmu Hall graduate myself.”
“Really?!”
I blurted in surprise. Nanny never casually shared her past.
“I’m telling you this because some look down on Yeonmu Hall grads.”
“Don’t let your guard down, huh?”
“You have exceptional talent, young miss, but you’ve only just started martial arts. Being flexible in how you carry yourself will help.”
“Got it.”
Not super helpful advice, but it came from her warm heart. I nodded, thinking.
Prestigious clans really are the best.
They gave everyone a chance to learn martial arts, branch family or not, no strong backing or not.
Sure, it all served to bolster the clan’s strength and gain.
But recalling my past life wandering the streets, I couldn’t help thinking that.
If you’re exceptional, they guarantee advancement even without backing in the branch family.
Just look at Nanny.
A branch family member who graduated Yeonmu Hall was now attending the patriarch’s direct child.
Of course, because I’d been stubborn and useless, she’d been sidelined to a minor role and ignored for a while.
But if I’d actively trained from the start, Nanny would’ve been one of the clan’s power players who could shake Dangga.
Yeonmu Hall came into view in the distance.
Before entering, I asked Dang Yeonseol one last thing.
“So, did you graduate top of your class, Nanny?”
She answered by quirking one corner of her mouth upward.
Meanwhile, the hidden weapons instructor at Yeonmu Hall was dying inside.
It had been an ordinary day.
Teaching the kids as usual, watching them fondly, heading home at the end of a perfectly normal day…
Until Elder Dang Munhyeon suddenly showed up that morning, saying he needed to borrow the training hall for a bit.
—By the patriarch’s order, I’ll be teaching the young miss martial arts for a while. Hidden weapons—should be fine, right?
Of course, there was no choice. The instructor nodded furiously, saying to use it freely and he’d replace today’s lesson with something else.
—No, that won’t do. How could an outsider like me ruin the young sprouts’ lesson? The corner of the training ground is enough for us. Proceed as usual.
What could he do when the elder said that? No choice.
And so the elder settled quietly in the corner of the training ground. Arms crossed. Standing. Staring intently at the instructor teaching the kids.
That was already over one sichen ago.
Didn’t he say she’d arrive at oshi hour?
The instructor glanced at the elder.
The elder’s face had darkened to the point of glaring like he wanted to devour him.
It’s not because of me, right?
The instructor decided to believe that.
The kids had noticed too—they were far more well-behaved than usual.
Even the troublemaking trio led by Dang Beom was following the movements more diligently than normal.
If only they worked this hard every day.
As he thought that and sneaked another peek at the elder, the elder’s gaze flicked to the entrance again.
The instructor followed suit. No one at the entrance. The elder’s brow furrowed deeper.
Then his glare at them intensified.
One or two more checks, and if the young miss still didn’t show, he’d probably take it out on them.
Young miss. Please come soon.
The instructor prayed fervently to her while explaining the fourth form of Flying Swallow Twelve Forms in a trembling voice under the elder’s piercing stare.
“Now, the fourth form—spread your wrists wide…”
That’s when it happened.
The ever-stern, dignified Elder Dang Munhyeon—who was a model for all—let out a frivolous shout.
“Ooooh!!! The young miss has arrived! I never doubted for a second that you’d keep your promise to me, this Dang Munhyeon!”
“I’m a little late—hope you haven’t been waiting long?”
“I just got here myself!”
Just got here…?
He’d been standing there for over a sichen. And at first, with a beaming smile.
The other kids were too far to hear, but the instructor—with his sensitive qi sense—caught every word.
For the first time, he cursed his sharp senses. Would’ve been better not to hear it…