Beyond the Greatest Under Heaven
"Anyway! We have to look into it. They might not be completely eradicated."
"Oh. Then doesn't that make them enemies of our family too, Sis?"
"Is there any place in the murim that hasn't crossed paths with them as enemies? Anyway, they say you need to know history to prepare for the future. So you need to study your letters hard too, Ryeon-ah."
Hwaryun shook his head with a look of utter disgust at Ryeon's words, but he didn't flee the spot. Instead, he pulled the cloth off the bowl he'd brought.
At the same time, Ryeon shot up from her seat.
"Whoa! Ice!"
Hwaryun rummaged familiarly through Ryeon's drawer, pulled out a fan, and started fanning the ice in front of her. As the rough chill breeze from the ice grazed her cheek, Ryeon's expression melted away blissfully.
"Hiyaaah... Where'd you get ice?"
"I helped out at a shop outside and got it as thanks."
"Huh? What'd you help with to get ice?"
"The fabric shop owner said his son was sick and bought ice, so I told him I'd find herbs to cure him quick if he gave me the ice instead."
Ryeon widened her eyes. Hwaryun fanned halfheartedly as he spoke, but his gaze never left her complexion.
"You... found herbs? How...?"
"A kid I used to roll around with in the slums had the exact same symptoms. He lost weight suddenly, turned super pale, wouldn't eat no matter what we gave him, and we thought he was gonna die. Then a passing Taoist said to dig up black stone root from the mountains and feed it to him, so we did, and he got better."
"I see..."
Ryeon noticed the faint yellow stain on Hwaryun's sleeve, soaked through. Like he'd gotten it dirty in mud and rinsed it off. Looking closer, she spotted scratches between his fingers. As if he'd dug up dirt or rocks with his bare hands...
"Still hot even with the ice?"
"No, no. It's cool! Super cool. Feels amazing. B-but... Um... Ryeon-ah. You're really not gonna learn any martial arts?"
"Out of nowhere like this?"
Hwaryun stopped fanning and looked at her. Ryeon nodded quickly.
"I haven't memorized all the letters yet? They said I have to start with that before learning anything."
Ryeon snatched the fan from his hand and fanned him instead, grumbling as she gently infused it with a bit of spiritual energy.
"Don't lie. You've already memorized them all."
But even at Ryeon's words, the boy stuck out his lip and shrugged.
'No, I still don't know some.'
That's what it meant. Ryeon started to press him but let it go. Even if he wasn't interested in martial arts now, watching her practice up close might spark something. Especially since he was around the same age as Danmok Bi—he might change his mind watching that kid.
'Kids this age change their minds all the time anyway.'
Once he realized his own talent, he might find it fun. And if not...
'It'd be a shame, but maybe it's for the best.'
If he never got interested, it meant the Hwaryun from her future memories had forced himself into something he hated so much. Living without that this time around would be a good thing.
"Then what're you gonna do with learning martial arts, Sis? Become the greatest under heaven?"
Hwaryun snatched the fan back and fanned her as he asked. Ryeon, who had been inwardly pondering what to teach a Danmok family servant so reluctant about martial arts—something useful for his future—went wide-eyed.
Hwaryun blinked at her, waiting for an answer. Ryeon shook her head.
"No."
"No?"
"It's not like I can just decide to become the greatest under heaven and do it."
"Why not? Just get stronger than everyone else in the murim."
"Uh? W-well... Yeah, that's true, but..."
Was this the vessel of the future Demon Heavenly Cult Young Cult Master? Stunned, Ryeon blinked big, then softened her eyes and smiled like she was soothing a child.
"It doesn't work that simply, sweetie."
"Then why learn martial arts? To make the greatest family under heaven?"
"...Why are you so obsessed with 'greatest under heaven'?"
Hwaryun blinked his big eyes and stared at her. His face said nothing mattered if it wasn't the greatest.
'Is this the moment? Time for some character education?'
Ryeon clenched her fist and opened her mouth carefully.
"Ryeon-ah, sure, working hard to get strong is great, but you don't have to be the greatest under heaven. For me, just being strong enough so we can all live happily together for a long, long time—that's enough."
"What if someone takes it all away?"
"That's why... I just need to get strong enough to protect the people around me..."
"What if the greatest under heaven tries to take it?"
What's with this kid? It was so age-appropriate, competing over who's strongest, that Ryeon grinned and gently stroked his cheek.
"Then I'll ask my friends for help."
"You don't have any friends."
"...H-hey, what do you mean I don't."
"I've never seen any."
"I'll make some from now on. And you've got me. You're my friend."
Hwaryun's expression was a mix of amused and sulky, hard to read.
"You said we're like siblings before."
"W-well... yeah. Siblings help each other even more..."
"Even if I don't know martial arts?"
"That has nothing to do with it."
"How can I help if I don't know martial arts?"
"Just being by my side is helping! It gives me strength."
"No, I said I haven't learned martial arts."
"That's why it doesn't matter."
Just you being alive and here with me is enough to give me strength.
Ryeon said each word deliberately. But Hwaryun's eyes clouded over as he looked at her. Pitiful, almost. Like looking at a naive child trying to scoop the moon from a pond, or someone praying to the Moon Rabbit...
"Hwaryun-ah?"
"Sigh..."
"Why! Why that face?"
"It's nothing."
Hwaryun shook his head slowly. Very grown-up-like.
Time passed. The cicadas' cries faded, leaves fell, and one morning when the sweet scent of osmanthus bloomed around Ryeon's quarters, she finally rose after much deliberation.
The sun had just peeked over the horizon, so the estate was utterly still. She quietly opened the door—no one around. Her wet nurse was probably preparing breakfast.
Only Jeong Yeong, the guard at her quarters, looked at her in slight surprise. Ryeon pressed a finger to her lips—shh.
"Young miss... Where are you going? The wet nurse hasn't come yet."
Jeong Yeong fidgeted anxiously, looking down at her, then took off his vest and draped it over her. It wasn't fine quality, but he couldn't go into her room for her outer coat or order her around—this was his best effort.
Ryeon fiddled with the vest that hung down to her knees. She didn't feel the cold much, so she didn't really need it, but she accepted his kindness and held out her hand.
Jeong Yeong looked puzzled.
"Pardon?"
"Hand."
"Ah! Yes!"
"I want to go to Rejing Pavilion."
"R-right now... to Rejing Pavilion?"
Ryeon nodded and tugged his hand gently, leading the way. Jeong Yeong glanced back at her quarters, at a loss, but eventually followed, holding her hand.
He fumbled awkwardly, unsure how to handle a child, but Ryeon didn't find him clumsy. The letters floating softly on his sleeve cuff proved it.
His hand had calluses, and even at this dawn hour, his eyes shone clear. Glancing down, even as he walked slowly with her, he was training his footwork. He never neglected practice.
How did someone like this end up just guarding my quarters?
Shouldn't a man like him be training to join the elite Yuseong Sibalsuk strike force, the cream of the Danmok family's crop?
'No way he got pushed out by family politics... The estate's too far gone for that.'
'Is there something I can do to help?'
Ryeon secretly activated her Divine Eye. Starlight-like fragments sparkled over her pupils.
And with that, she suddenly recalled what she'd seen the day she first met Hwaryun.
Divine Eye at 4 stars lets you see flaws, Harmony at 4 stars breaks inconsistencies, and when they combine...
'It means you can spot flaws and see how to fix them!'
She could see the issue slowing Jeong Yeong's footwork progress by tracing his steps. And how to correct it.