I'll Show You, the Completely Changed Me (2)
National Army Dosu Chejo. Anyone who had served in the military back in Korea would find their body reacting instinctively to the tune of "Ttarararara." Even those who hadn't served might catch themselves thinking, "Huh? I know that one," when they saw the movements. After all, Dosu Chejo and the National Calisthenics were practically siblings. "Ah, I think they call it the New Millennium Health Calisthenics these days?"
As Patrick swung his arms and legs with gusto, he couldn't help but feel it was a little sad that even exercise routines could mark generational divides. "Hup, two, three~ four! Five, six, seven, eight!"
Halmae's second son had no idea what was going on, but the sheer momentum of the situation made him feel he had no choice but to follow along, moving his body in an awkward imitation. "Ughhh—! Hup!"
When his muscles loosened and relaxed, an involuntary sound of satisfaction escaped him, startling the man himself. "It might look like nothing special, but it's actually quite scientific."
Patrick smiled in satisfaction at the reaction. This stretching routine had been developed by the nation itself to improve soldiers' physical fitness, prevent injuries, relax muscles, increase flexibility, and build strength. Its effects were bound to be excellent. "Sure, the words 'national' and 'army' make it sound a bit old-fashioned, but when it comes to actual results, this is the best."
It was said that even the elderly or frail, or those not yet ready for proper exercise, would break into a sweat after just two or three sessions if they followed the routine properly. "How've you been? Time to lose some weight, huh?"
Patrick remembered a friend from his previous life who had been quite overweight. The man had started doing this routine three times every morning before work, declaring he couldn't go on like that, and had sworn his days felt much fresher afterward. "Doesn't look like much, but it feels pretty good, right?"
"It really does. We're just swinging our arms and legs around, but..." Following Patrick's demonstration, the man was already calling out the counts with ease. As expected, a former soldier was different.
"Last one, breathing exercise!"
After completing all twelve movements, the muscles that had been startled by the sudden running earlier in the morning seemed to settle back into place. "Um, Teacher."
"Yes?"
"Is it really all right to teach this exercise so openly? I'm not even affiliated with the Magic Tower..."
Only after finishing the routine did the second son ask cautiously. That was the kind of world it was. Stealing someone else's secret techniques could lead to disaster. "It doesn't require any equipment or a large space, yet my whole body feels loosened up. This must be one of the training methods passed down to mages in the capital's Magic Tower..."
Gulp. If it was a secret technique belonging to mages, that was an even bigger problem. Mages were not the type to easily share even the smallest bit of knowledge they possessed. "Ah, don't worry."
"But..."
"I didn't learn this at the Magic Tower. I came up with it myself."
"What?"
The second son blinked in surprise at Patrick's words. "During the rainy season, while I was stuck at home, I tried inventing something. As you know, my body isn't in the best condition. I thought about movements that could help loosen the muscles. How is it? Not bad, right?"
"It's excellent! In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, my whole body feels this relaxed!"
"Haha. I'm glad. I was thinking of teaching it to the children too."
Patrick lied without batting an eye. Well, what does it matter? It's not like I'll get caught. This was just a bare-handed exercise, you otherworlders. In web novels or webtoons, other reincarnators or returnees flaunted all sorts of 21st-century knowledge to live comfortably, but how conscientious was he? All he'd done was borrow a single set of calisthenics. "Still, it feels unfair. Why does this damned world already have so many things from my time?"
Maybe there was a 21st-century Korean soul who arrived before me? "If that were the case, that person had no sense of camaraderie at all. Seriously." A junior should at least leave some honey for the next person to suck on. "Would it be all right if I tried it once more, Teacher?"
"......What?"
Patrick, who had been lost in thought for a moment, asked again after missing what the second son had said. But perhaps the man interpreted the reaction as a polite refusal. "No, please forget I said anything. I apologize for making an unreasonable request and putting you in a difficult position."
"No, that's not it..."
"I was greedy enough to ask for the secret technique you personally developed for your disciples!"
Is he doing this on purpose? As the apologies kept coming, Patrick was about to shoot him a suspicious look when a thought crossed his mind. The food was delicious... If he wanted to keep running in the mornings and getting breakfast at Halmae's house, he needed to stay on good terms. "I was just thinking about a new research idea and missed what you said. Really. So, what was it you asked?"
"Ah......! I see! Well...... I was wondering if you could teach this exercise to my mother as well."
"Halmae...... I mean, to the elderly lady?"
"Yes. She's quite spry for her age, but it seems she can't beat time itself. Lately she's been feeling joint pain in the mornings and evenings."
"Oh no!"
If Halmae was in pain, that was unacceptable. Her soup was so delicious! "This exercise seems to have the effect of loosening joints and relieving fatigue, and more importantly, Mother should be able to follow along easily......"
"Well, if that's the reason, then by all means. Ah! Instead of just teaching her, why don't you gather all the village elders and teach them together? The time would be when the morning sun has risen a fair bit?"
That timing would be just right for arriving in the village after his run. After doing calisthenics with the elders, won't they all invite me to eat? If he kept asking Halmae for food every day, it would look bad, so if he could eat breakfast going from house to house...... Not bad.
The villagers were warm-hearted and generous. They already thought well of him, and if word got around that he'd invented and taught an exercise for the sake of the villagers' health, surely they wouldn't refuse him a single meal? "How about we start tomorrow?"
Patrick said with the kindest smile he could muster.
***
"The mage teacher says it's good for the body, so I came, but still......"
"When you're old, you should just die, but since I'm not dying, I'm causing trouble for the teacher."
"Tsk! If you're going to say such discouraging things, don't come! What do you mean, dying, when you're ten years younger than me!"
The next day. The elders had gathered in the village square. Some looked doubtful, but most wore pleased expressions. "Still, it's nice that he's paying attention to old folks like us."
"Of course. Seeing how he goes into the forest every day to gather herbs and make medicine even though his own body isn't well, he seems more like a priest than a mage."
"At first I was worried because they said a sinner was coming, but he's a blessing to our village, a blessing!"
"Indeed! A lucky charm, a lucky charm!"
Even though the exercise hadn't even started yet, the elders' praise for Patrick flowed endlessly. The mere fact that an outsider had come up with a training method that even the elderly could do easily, without any expensive equipment, was already more than half the battle. The timing was perfect too. The hour Patrick had suggested was that awkward time "just before dawn, when the sky is still dim, when one wakes up feeling bored among children who haven't risen yet."
Normally, they would move carefully so as not to wake their grandchildren or simply lie in bed staring outside. Who would have thought an official appointment would be made to meet with neighbors of the same age, people they'd grown up with in the same village? "All right, let's begin! Yesterday, I officially received this exercise from Magic Teacher Patrick Luchen. From today onward, I'll be acting as your instructor, so please take care of me!"
"You raised a good son! Whose child is that? He's grown up so well!"
"Hohoho. Of course! Whose child do you think he is? Tell anyone thinking of bullying my kid to back off! I'm watching with my eyes wide open."
"Uhehe! Looks like we've got two instructors today!"
The adults' laughter echoed through the square. "Bare-handed exercise, starting with leg movements! One, two, three, four......!"
Following Halmae's son, who was demonstrating energetically from a small platform, the elders began moving their arms, looking a little embarrassed. Changing the name to "bare-handed exercise" was a good idea.
Patrick, who had finished his run and slipped into the very back row, had decided against vomiting in front of the elders. He'd stopped running quite as fast as yesterday and jogged the rest of the way here. Still, his paper-thin, weak body made his heart pound even from jogging, and his calves felt like they were screaming to burst. It's going to take a while for muscles to build up, isn't it?
An ominous feeling crept over him. Even a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step, but if progress was too slow to see, anyone would get discouraged. The morning exercise only ended after three repetitions. Some elders had physical discomfort, but they skipped the truly difficult postures or followed slowly, and everyone completed the routine. Experience really couldn't be ignored. "Oh my, that feels refreshing."
"It's just like getting a massage from my grandson!"
"Was it too hard for you? You shouldn't overdo it all of a sudden, elders."
As soon as the exercise ended, Patrick squeezed between the elders and struck up a conversation. Time to stamp my face here. He had to promote his own deeds himself. Even though he hadn't created the exercise and hadn't demonstrated it himself, he was fully prepared to take credit. "Oh dear, Teacher! When did you arrive? Have you eaten yet?"
"Haha, not yet. I was planning to eat after I get back."
"Why go all the way back there to eat? Come to our house instead. Even if it's nothing special, it's better than that!"
"What are you talking about? If he's going to eat here, of course he should come to our house! My grandchild is learning letters and numbers from the teacher, so it's only proper that I treat him to a meal myself!"
"I didn't do anything that great. I just created this exercise hoping that the elders' hearts, joints, muscles, and tendons would all stay strong, and I'm passing it on without any compensation. If the elders stay healthy, that's more than enough for me. Haha!"
"Oh my, oh my! Looks like we'll have to catch a chicken this morning!"
"A chicken? I've got pork buried in the salt jar, so come this way, Teacher!"
The elders played along with Patrick's flattery without missing a beat. To their eyes, a young man in his early twenties was no different from a child. Even if the child exaggerated and boasted about his accomplishments, it was only cute, not offensive. Their feelings were exactly the same. I don't know if it'll really improve things that much, but after doing it, I do feel fresher than usual.
Besides, even if his intentions were transparent, the fact remained that he'd taught them the exercise without asking for anything in return. Arranging a place where they could exercise together every day was nice too. Patrick's free breakfast project had begun just like that. It would be some time later, after the seasons had changed, that the chronic muscle pain that had plagued the elders of Dunbrook Island visibly disappeared. More than anything, it was a positive sign for their mental health as well. Seeing neighbors of the same age every day at the same time, people they rarely saw face-to-face even though they lived in the same village, a community just for the elders began to form.
Ah, and what about Patrick? "Teacher! Halmae was asking why you haven't been coming to the morning exercise lately."
Patrick had only done the morning exercise for exactly three days. After all, he was a man with paper-thin willpower.