The Unexpected Reunion
Sixteen years have passed since I was reincarnated into this world. It’s quite a monumental day, if I do say so myself. It’s similar to a 2,031-day accident-free streak...
Seo-ah has survived in the Murim world for 192 months!
I can’t help but feel nostalgic. Surviving for sixteen years in a world devoid of modern common sense and ethics is no small feat. I’ve faced so many crises. I once naively approached a crazed lecher, and there was that time I nearly got myself killed for loitering around a village schoolhouse in hopes of learning to read. The most dangerous incident, however, was when a black-clad ruffian wielding a sword ravaged our village. On the flip side, the happiest moment was, of course, learning martial arts just a short while ago. Regardless, I’ve been living my life, feeling the full spectrum of human emotions in a world where human life is treated as lightly as a blade of grass.
‘And today is the most bewildering day of my life.’ Seo-ah thought this as she watched So-so, who was desperately trying to avoid her gaze.
“So... So-so didn’t see anything.”
“So-so?”
“No, I didn’t see anything...”
Seo-ah felt a sudden headache coming on. Why on earth did So-so have to appear right there? And what was with that formal tone? ‘Was I too careless?’ Judging by So-so’s attitude, it seemed she had witnessed me beating the living daylights out of Dan-ryang with my internal energy. I wanted to keep the fact that I’d learned martial arts a secret. I should have been as careful as possible and confirmed that So-so was asleep. But, pressured by the need to master martial arts within a week, I had been impatient and hadn’t paid enough attention.
‘I did manage to form a Dantian... and No-ya told me to learn martial arts.’ I didn’t know much about the specifics, but I knew that sensing Qi and forming a Dantian was the absolute foundation of martial arts. Since No-ya had told me to learn, I had to at least progress to the third stage of the manual he gave me to be able to say, “Look, I’ve learned martial arts!” It’s like how you can’t claim to know mathematics just because you know how to add and subtract, the most basic of basics.
‘Well, when I read novels in my past life, I remember hearing that forming a Dantian was difficult...’ Seo-ah didn’t believe that. It was just a novel, after all, and above all, I—someone with no talent—had managed to form one in a single day. I assumed it was something anyone could do.
“So-so.”
“Y-yes!”
I had only called her name as I usually did, but So-so was incredibly tense, likely due to some misunderstanding. “I can explain everything. So... don’t be scared.”
“N-no! I heard that some organization in the Divine Maiden Palace was... purging... purging impure elements...”
Seo-ah nearly slapped her own forehead. Living as a maid, you hear all sorts of rumors. Even though I don’t have So-so’s incredible social skills, I’ve managed to get on friendly terms with the other maids, excluding that total nutjob Dan-ryang and her direct seniors. But where does So-so keep getting this information? And where did she hear this rumor about purging impure elements from the Divine Maiden Palace?
Seo-ah sighed. “Haa... seriously, where do you even hear these things?”
“Eek! I said something I shouldn’t have... I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please spare me!”
“No, that’s not it...”
So-so seemed worried that I would eliminate her because she had discovered my secret. She had revealed her own identity, made her own assumptions, and was now spiraling out of control. Seo-ah approached her and spent a while trying to clear things up. Before the misunderstanding grew too absurd, I mixed in a few lies to explain why I had learned martial arts. I told her that the reason I occasionally disappeared after work hours was to study martial arts on my own, and I added a plea for her to keep it a secret, as I didn’t want anyone else to find out. Fortunately, So-so seemed a bit relieved by my explanation.
“O-oh! So that’s what happened...?”
“Just talk comfortably like you usually do.”
“B-but...”
So-so was more settled than before, but she still couldn’t drop the formal tone. She probably thought that since I had learned martial arts, I had become a member of the Cult. I let out a deep sigh and said to her, “Just because I’ve dabbled in martial arts doesn’t mean I’ve become a member of the Cult.”
“T-then... okay...”
“This is a secret. Got it?”
I managed to calm her down, and we returned to the tent together.
Morning broke, and we boarded the carriage to head back to the Gyomaguan. Seo-ah had been slightly worried that Dan-ryang might harbor ill intentions, but that fear seemed unfounded. Dan-ryang had been staring blankly into space since morning, lost in thought. ‘Don’t tell me... she’s become a simpleton?’ I felt a bit of worry since I’d never hit someone that hard with my own hands before. However, I soon heard her telling the people who gathered around her disheveled form, “I was going to relieve myself at dawn and tripped over a tree branch. Don’t worry about it...” Fortunately, she didn’t seem to want to reveal the truth about yesterday, which was a relief for me.
‘Oh, we made eye contact.’ Dan-ryang, who had accidentally met my gaze, hurriedly looked at the floor and avoided me. Seeing that, I didn’t think I needed to worry about friction with her in the future. When words don’t work, a bit of appropriate violence and sharp words are the best solution. Seo-ah nodded in satisfaction and looked at So-so next to her. So-so was still stiff, as if the shock from last night hadn’t fully worn off.
Seo-ah asked, “So-so.”
“Ugh... yes? Huh?”
“I don’t know what you’re worried about... but just talk comfortably like you usually do.”
“Ugh... of course...”
“By the way, have you heard any rumors about the Gyomaguan?”
Seo-ah asked So-so, who was always good at picking up rumors. It was partly to ease the tension So-so had been feeling since last night, and partly because I hoped to hear something helpful or get an update on the village children.
“Oh... I heard this from Jeom-rye...”
As soon as I asked, So-so began chattering away as usual, just like I did when talking to No-ya. ‘Does No-ya look at me the way I look at So-so right now?’ I thought, watching the girl who looked so young as she chattered away, her tension finally melting. So-so’s story continued. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything particularly useful or any news about the children.
“Oh! Do you know who the dean of the Gyomaguan is?”
“Wasn’t his epithet the Dark Cloud Scholar?” The scholar who brings dark clouds wherever he goes.
“That’s right! He’s a transcendental master of the Cult, considered one of the next Ten Demonic Monarchs!”
“Isn’t Ten Sacred Monarchs the correct expression?” Demonic Monarch is a term used in the Central Plains, isn’t it?
“Oh, come on! Is that important? Demonic Monarch or Sacred Monarch, it means the same thing! Just keep listening!”
So-so seemed completely immersed in her story. It was hard to believe she was the same girl who had been agonizing over whether to use formal or casual speech just a moment ago. Seo-ah didn’t think the distinction between Demonic and Sacred was that important either, so she nodded appropriately.
“So?”
“Anyway, an incredible number of people have flocked to the Gyomaguan over the last ten years, and it’s all to become the dean’s disciple!”
“Oh... I guess the dean didn’t have any disciples. And then?”
So-so leaned in close and whispered as if no one else should hear. “This is... something I heard. And apparently, the dean finally has a disciple now!”
“Oh, I see. Are you sure?”
“Well, not exactly.”
Just as I was about to say something to So-so, who was scratching her head sheepishly, the carriage stopped, and the voice of the head maid came from outside. “Quiet, everyone!”
I peeked out to see where we were and realized we had arrived in front of the Gyomaguan. Three instructors were waiting for us in front of the gate. An elderly man who appeared to be the chief instructor stepped forward and said, “Who is the head maid?”
We followed the three instructors into the Gyomaguan. Listening in, I could hear them discussing the usual things—how short-staffed they were for the graduation ceremony preparations, how they needed to deploy more personnel here, and how they needed to do a good job because high-ranking officials would be visiting. The usual stuff. I scanned my surroundings, looking for any familiar faces. ‘They wouldn’t fail to recognize me after just a year, would they?’ I had been so good to them in the village. If I hadn’t seen them at all, that would be one thing, but if they ignored me after making eye contact, I might feel a little hurt. Of course, as a low-ranking disciple, there wouldn’t be much I could do about it.
It was just as we were passing through the empty training grounds that I heard a familiar voice.
“Oh? Isn’t that the Boss?!”
“Hey! Don’t talk nonsense! Why would the Boss be here?!”
I turned my head toward the sound. There, I made eye contact with the twin brothers I knew so well.
“No, you idiot! Look over there, over there!”
“Over there! Where! And, didn’t I tell you not to call me an idiot... oh? Is that really the Boss?”
‘Ah! They still remember me.’ Seo-ah felt a sense of relief and happiness that her worries had been in vain. We couldn’t have a proper reunion right now, but knowing they were doing well meant there would be a chance for us to meet again soon. Just as Seo-ah was about to move on,
““Boss!!!!””
The twins were running toward the group of maids I was in. ‘Is... is that allowed?’ As Seo-ah thought this, the chief instructor shouted at the instructors in an angry voice, as if he had read her mind. “Th-that! Are those guys doing it again?! What are you all doing! Stop them!”
Ah... of course it wasn’t allowed. Seo-ah felt relieved that the troublemaking twins she hadn’t seen in a while hadn’t changed a bit, while simultaneously receiving the gift of a familiar headache.