A New Bodyguard?!
A new bodyguard?!
If I was going to learn martial arts, then I was going to learn them. And if I wasn't—what exactly was supposed to happen to me?
"What happens if I don't?"
"You would most likely live plagued by burning fevers and killing chills, and take internal injuries from time to time."
Internal injuries? Absolutely not!
"Learn them properly, and there won't be any problem. You needn't worry."
Mother must have read my face. She soothed me where I sat, thoroughly rattled.
"My dear, I'm sorry. Forcing martial arts on you in a man's body... the very thought of learning them frightened you, didn't it?"
Grandmother apologized out of nowhere.
"No, no, I'm fine. I wanted to learn martial arts anyway, so this actually works out."
At that, everyone of the family went round-eyed and stared.
"My dear, do you even understand what it means for a man to learn martial arts?"
"Huh? Father learned them too. He's a martial artist, isn't he?"
Grandmother pressed a finger between her brows, and Father, flustered, rushed to explain.
"I-hyeon, a man learning martial arts carries a meaning all its own. It means being exposed to dangers women never face, and standing against an unreasonable world."
"It's fine! I'll just give it a try."
I thumped my chest to show I meant every word. Grandmother let out a small laugh.
"Ho ho. I hardly know whether to call this fortunate. Still, if he's learning for the sake of treatment, perhaps it doesn't matter...."
"Besides, if anything happens, Tomusa will protect me."
I flashed Tomusa a grin. In front of the whole family, though, she had gone stiff as a board.
"Y-yes! I will guard the young master at his side for the rest of my life!"
The sight of her frozen like that tugged at my heart. She was probably still drowning in guilt.
"That reminds me. There's someone I should introduce."
Someone to introduce, at a time like this? Who?
"Come in."
The door rattled open, and a young woman stepped through—small in frame, her hair cut in a short bob, with pale blue eyes that stood in sharp contrast to Tomusa's. Shy, she hid her hands behind her back and twisted one leg around the other.
"Greet her. She is your bodyguard."
"What? And Tomusa? You're not dismissing her, are you?!"
Mother gave a soft laugh at my panic.
"Nothing of the sort. She was originally your Black Shadow Guard. She rendered great service in saving you this time, so I promised to grant her a wish. She said she wanted to stay at your side and watch over you."
Whew. So Tomusa isn't being replaced. The Black Shadow Guard is simply going to live with us.
"From morning through the afternoon, Ha-young will look after you. From evening into the night, this child will."
Our eyes met, and she answered with a beautiful, smiling gaze. A strange sensuality seemed to drift off her.
This is the first time a woman of this world has made me feel like this.
"This is the first time the two of you have properly met, isn't it? Greet each other."
"H-hello... I'm Yu I-hyeon."
The greeting came out awkward and halfhearted.
"Hello. My name is So-sang."
So-sang... so am I supposed to call her Somusa?
Then she made an unexpected request.
"Young master, please bestow a nickname upon me as well."
Sprung on me out of nowhere... that's a problem. Hmm. Something about her looks like a cat. A little bell would suit her....
"Ah! Myo-ryeong! Let's go with Myo-ryeong!"
"Yes... I'd like that."
Myo-ryeong flushed and nodded, and a peculiar current seemed to pass between us.
"Ahem. At any rate, that's how it is."
Mother shattered the mood without mercy.
"So then, who's going to teach me martial arts?"
At my question, Grandmother spoke.
"Do you know what happens once the Yin-Yang Blocked Meridians are cured?"
"No. Not really."
"You become able to wield both yin and yang. In other words, you can manifest the Ice Arts and the Flame Arts at the same time."
"Ooh!"
Fire and ice together! That's insanely cool!
"I know someone well versed in this field. In all likelihood, he will be the one to teach you."
"Is he strong?"
"Of course he is. Are you slighting this old woman's connections?"
"As if I would."
As expected of the Supreme Matriarch of the Zhejiang Yu Family. Who's coming to teach me—an elder of the Nine Sects? A master of the Ten Great Schools? If Grandmother vouches for him, I'm already looking forward to it.
"Then is that everything?"
"Yes. I've nothing more that needs saying."
"Then let's eat. I skipped breakfast, and I'm starving...."
I rubbed my empty stomach, and the whole family burst out laughing at once.
"Yes, the child must have been very hungry. Come, let's eat."
And so, though it was no holiday, the family gathered for a meal together for the first time in a long while. Perhaps because I looked perfectly well, the tension in them eased another notch.
"Then I'll take my leave, Elder Sister."
"Go safely. Thank you for coming when I called you so suddenly."
"I'll be off as well, child."
"Mother, I'm sorry for summoning you in the middle of the night. Please rest well when you return."
We saw Grandmother and Uncle's household off.
"My dear, if that person gives you any trouble, you may use my name."
"No. Even so, dropping Grandmother's name feels a bit...."
"Heh heh. Well. If it's you, I've no doubt you'll manage just fine."
She stroked my hair.
"Then I'll see you later."
"Take care, Grandmother."
After that, Mother and Father turned to the work that had piled up, and I went back to loafing. The one thing that had changed was Myo-ryeong stuck fast to my side.
"By the way, how old are you, Myo-ryeong?"
"I've only just turned twenty."
I thought she'd be younger. That's a surprise.
"Then Tomusa's your senior? Look after her properly, Tomusa."
"Of course, young master."
"Please look after me, senior."
Myo-ryeong smiled, somehow sly and alluring at once.
"Anyway, before I start learning martial arts in earnest, shouldn't I at least do some physical training?"
"The Supreme Matriarch said energy might leak from your dantian, and that you should avoid any strenuous movement."
"That's right. I think it's better if you simply sit and rest."
The two of them were united in stopping me.
"Hmm... then hey, can't you two at least show me a spar?"
"No."
"We cannot."
For some reason they cut me off in the same breath.
"Tch. So mean."
"A bodyguard has to be ready at all times."
"That's right. Guarding the young master comes before everything."
Unexpectedly, the two of them seemed to get along. Even so, sitting still like this was boring.
"Ah! Now that I've got more guards, how about a trip to the market streets?"
"The kidnapping uproar was only yesterday. Do you think the Family Head will allow it?"
"You think so? How long do you figure I'll have to wait, Tomusa?"
"Hmm... about three years?"
Ack. I already can't set foot in the streets, and now I have to wait three years?
"Three years is way too long... isn't there some way?"
"With my Shadowless Steps, it might be possible."
Myo-ryeong said it with a smiling gaze. Tomusa looked at that smile with open displeasure.
"I'll put a stop to it."
"Myo-ryeong, could you even give Tomusa the slip?"
"It would be difficult, but if I set my mind to it...."
"Young master!!"
Tomusa let out a deep sigh.
"This won't do. I'll have to punish you."
"No! I don't want to! Myo-ryeong, help me!"
For all my desperate crying, Myo-ryeong only watched and smiled. I never even got the chance to run. In a blink I was caught and laid across Tomusa's lap, and those cruel hands set to kneading and squishing without mercy.
"You're adorable, young master. May I touch you too?"
Far from rescuing me, Myo-ryeong piled on.
And here I thought well of her. It was all an act!
"You're both terrible."
"The young master who entertained wicked thoughts is the one in the wrong."
"That's right. The young master was wrong."
Sure enough, the two of them got along perfectly. They pinched and rubbed my cheeks for a long while, and the strength drained right out of me.
"I suddenly got tired."
"Then shall we take a nap?"
Myo-ryeong offered it out of nowhere.
Hmm... once I start learning martial arts, I won't have time to enjoy a lazy afternoon like this. Might as well enjoy it while I can.
"Yeah. Let's lie down in the courtyard and nap."
I led the two of them out onto the lawn.
"Young master, for a man to lie on the bare ground...."
Myo-ryeong looked at me with worried eyes.
"It's fine. The grass is nice and soft."
She still didn't seem entirely satisfied. Then she lay flat on the ground, spread her arms, and said:
"Come, young master. Lie on top of me!"
Just then she started panting the way Tomusa used to, her eyes gone a little unhinged.
Why are all my bodyguards like this?
While I was busy scorning her, Tomusa planted a foot squarely on her face.
"What kind of harassment is that toward our young master? Telling a man to climb onto a woman's body?"
She ground the words out through clenched teeth.
"That wasn't my intention, senior. Even so, I didn't go grabbing him by force the way a certain someone did."
"Th-that was a punishment!"
Tomusa was more than a little flustered by the counterattack, and just like that a battle of pride broke out between them.
"Don't care~. I'm just gonna lie down."
I ignored both of them and flopped onto my back in the grass.
"Young master, really!"
I thought I heard Tomusa call after me, but I simply went to sleep, and slept soundly through that languid afternoon. Come night, of course, sleep wouldn't come at all. In the end I lay on my bed, wide awake.
No matter how long I lie here, I can't fall asleep.
And I didn't think the nap was the only problem.
"By the way, Myo-ryeong—why are you lying in my bed with me?"