Chapter 150: Festival Sightseeing-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 150: Festival Sightseeing-2
Holding the fresh bottle of wine she had received, So-yu climbed the stairs and stood before her master’s room.
Unlike when she had left, the door was slightly ajar. Sensing another presence inside, she paused at the door, waiting for the conversation to end.
She wondered if it was a guest, but upon realizing it was In-ho, she moved to enter, worried her disciple might be spouting nonsense again.
"I don't know much about teaching, but I do know that you shouldn't push someone who is already discouraged."
In-ho’s voice drifted from inside the room.
His voice was devoid of its usual playfulness, sounding infinitely sincere. So-yu’s hand froze on the doorknob.
Holding her breath, she peered through the crack in the door to see what was happening.
The first thing she saw was the back of In-ho’s head as he knelt before her master.
"You have a point. Most children So-yu’s age would be like that. But So-yu is a martial artist."
In that split second, her master’s eyes met hers.
In that brief encounter, So-yu read her master’s intent.
Stay still.
At that gaze, So-yu suppressed the urge to shove her arrogant disciple’s head into the floor and make him bow to her master.
Gulp.
Namgung So-yu swallowed hard.
"She is a person before she is a martial artist, Grandmaster."
In-ho countered Yeom-jin’s words.
It was a plain statement, lacking any flowery adjectives, yet for some reason, So-yu felt those words pierce deep into her chest.
In-ho calmly explained his thoughts to her master.
There was no impatience, no rash judgment. So-yu found the voice of the usually frivolous In-ho to be strangely unfamiliar.
Thump, thump.
And her heart began to beat—faintly, yet distinctly.
"Do you see your master as a young girl?"
Her master’s voice rang out again.
"Depending on the situation, yes."
Following In-ho’s answer to her master, So-yu could no longer hear anything else.
Thump, thump.
The sound of her own heartbeat filled her ears. It was a strange sensation.
As she stood there dazed for a moment, she sensed movement inside.
Seeing that In-ho was bowing to her master and preparing to leave the room, So-yu quickly crouched down, climbed over the railing, and hung there.
Only after she was certain that her disciple’s footsteps had faded into the distance did she pull herself back up and return to her spot.
"......"
When So-yu hesitantly opened the door, Yeom-jin looked at her with a faint, knowing smirk.
"Well, did you bring the wine?"
"Yes. Here it is."
"Pour me a glass."
So-yu knelt on one knee and poured the wine.
The clear liquid rippled in the cup.
"Mmm... the aroma is excellent."
Her master closed her eyes and took a sip.
Enjoying the fragrance lingering in her mouth, Yeom-jin slowly opened one eye.
"So-yu. In-ho mentioned he wanted to go see the festival."
"...Yes."
"Since he’s lived in the countryside his whole life, he seems quite interested in the markets and the festivities. Go with him and show him around."
So-yu averted her gaze at her master’s words, which were clearly intended to help her save face.
"...Understood."
"Yes, go with a light heart. Today, don't think about martial arts or training. Forget all of that."
"...Yes."
So-yu bowed and left the room.
"Have a wonderful time."
She heard her master’s voice, tinged with a chuckle, behind her.
So-yu started walking. Surely, her disciple would have gone back to their room to look for her.
*
Perhaps they had crossed paths, for In-ho was not in the room.
When she asked a passing waiter about his whereabouts, he said he wasn't sure but thought he saw him heading toward the garden.
So-yu’s steps toward the garden were somewhat slow.
She wasn't quite sure what to say when she saw In-ho’s face.
Arrogant brat. Who does he think he is, daring to ask my Master for permission to go play?
The first thought that came to mind was not a particularly gentle one.
However, that thought didn't last three steps.
Well, his intentions were good, at least...
Thinking of his effort to cheer up someone who was discouraged, she felt that she couldn't be entirely angry with him.
After a few more steps, thoughts of the festival filled her head.
Anyway, I wonder what there is to see at the festival.
When the thought 'What would be fun to do with him?' crossed her mind, So-yu shook her head vigorously.
Get a grip. I’m only 'guiding' him because Master asked me to.
So-yu reached the garden while making strange, jerky movements.
When she spotted In-ho some distance away, she found herself walking toward him with quickened steps.
However, the moment she saw Cheong-yeon standing in front of him, she froze in place like a stone statue.
"Huh?"
An uncontrolled exclamation escaped her throat.
Seeing the face of the Ice Wheel Art user who had handed her a defeat, So-yu felt her heart sink.
At the same time, a thick, murky, negative emotion surged from the pit of her stomach, crawling up her neck to the top of her head.
Why are you there?
So-yu wanted to fly over right then, grab Cheong-yeon by the collar, and scream.
She wanted to ask why she was throwing stones into the pond of her heart, which had only just begun to settle.
But her legs wouldn't move.
The words coming out of Cheong-yeon’s slow, deliberate mouth shackled her feet.
"You saw the match today, didn't you?"
In the quiet garden, Cheong-yeon’s voice struck her ears clearly.
Namgung So-yu felt nauseous.
What is this feeling?
There was surely a word to define this emotion—disgust, annoyance, sadness, and a rising murderous intent—but So-yu couldn't think of it.
"The Ice Wheel Art defeated the Flame Wheel Art."
At Cheong-yeon’s words, So-yu lowered her head.
It was because she was the one who had contributed to that historic defeat.
"There’s no need to stay with the Flame Wheel Art anymore. If you come to the Ice Wheel Art, you can continue learning martial arts. You can become even stronger than you are now."
Cheong-yeon’s voice, enunciating every syllable, tore through So-yu’s barely mended self-esteem.
Her head spun, and her ears rang.
Just standing there made her feel sick and dizzy.
There were two choices So-yu could make here.
One was to intervene.
The other was to turn around and go back to her room.
Naturally, So-yu chose the latter.
She turned around and had just taken one step with legs that felt heavier than before when—
"Why would I do that?"
She heard In-ho’s blunt reply.
So-yu spun back around instantly.
Cheong-yeon seemed surprised by In-ho’s answer as well; her eyes, usually half-lidded and languid, were wide and round.
"Huh? Because the Ice Wheel Art is stronger than the Flame Wheel Art."
"Exactly. Just because the Ice Wheel Art is stronger than the Flame Wheel Art, why should I switch over?"
"Don't you learn martial arts... to become stronger?"
Cheong-yeon tilted her head as she asked.
"Well, that is one reason."
At In-ho’s nonchalant answer, Cheong-yeon’s brow furrowed even more.
"Isn't it right to learn a stronger martial art? If you haven't been practicing the Flame Wheel Art for long, there won't be any problem learning a different internal energy cultivation method."
"I’m not learning the Flame Wheel Art simply to become strong."
"Then why?"
"I’m learning the Flame Wheel Art because my Master is there."
At In-ho’s words, Cheong-yeon blinked.
"I don't understand."
"Um... to put it simply, I’m with the Flame Wheel Art because I want to be by my Master’s side."
Thump, thump.
So-yu’s heart, which had stopped, began to race again.
"Even if my Master were an instructor at some third-rate backwater dojo, I would have stayed by her side."
"...I don't really get it."
"They say the human heart is unfathomable."
In-ho gave a short laugh.
"But... it will become dangerous if you do."
At Cheong-yeon’s cryptic remark, In-ho thought for a moment and then gave a thumbs-up as if it were no problem at all.
"I don't know what’s so dangerous, but at most, I'll just die, right?"
"......"
At his incredibly nonchalant response, Cheong-yeon stood frozen as if turned to ice.
Snap.
The sound of a twig breaking echoed from a distance, and both Cheong-yeon and In-ho turned their heads.
Seeing Namgung So-yu walking toward them, In-ho waved his hand.
"Ah, Master! I was actually looking for—mph?"
Namgung So-yu, having approached with long strides, covered In-ho’s mouth with her palm and pulled him behind her.
She stood positioned as a barrier between Cheong-yeon and In-ho.
"Yes, I heard from my Master. Let’s go to the festival."
Staring straight into Cheong-yeon’s eyes, Namgung So-yu spoke.
"Cheong-yeon. Don't ever do this again."
Namgung So-yu growled lowly, and Cheong-yeon left the garden without a word.
In-ho, who had bowed to the departing Cheong-yeon, turned his gaze to Namgung So-yu.
"Phew, I was nervous thinking you two were going to fight. Master, we should get going... too?"
In-ho looked at Namgung So-yu with a bizarre expression as she leaned her weight against his shoulder.
"What? It's... it's just that I felt a bit dizzy for a moment, so just stay still."
Feeling In-ho’s gaze fixed on her, Namgung So-yu muttered while turning her flushed face the other way.