"No Matter How Hard You Try, It's Useless"
"What were you writing all night? No matter how hard you try, it's useless."
Hwaryun approached Danmok Ryeon as she saw off the departing guests, his lips pursed in a pout. He'd seen the two of them carelessly stuffing the letters she'd given them into their bundles.
"They're still family, though... We might not see each other again after parting like this."
"At that point, they're practically strangers. They wouldn't even look at us when times were tough, but now that we're doing well, they come crawling for scraps. Why bother giving them anything like that?"
"... "
Ryeon faltered for a moment, but catching the fiercely upright sentiment in Hwaryun's words, she ended up chuckling. He spoke as if he were cold and detached, but a closer look revealed otherwise. Family should support each other in hard times—that's only right. Those who don't aren't family. So, I hate them. Wasn't that exactly what he meant? It had been similar when they talked about loyalty before. When trusting and following someone, you shouldn't expect reward—love means giving without limit...
Hwaryun always acted like he was the mature one who had the world all figured out. That's why he fussed every day that Ryeon was too naive and it worried him, but if you looked closely, he seemed far more innocent. Where in the world was love given without bounds, or loyalty without expectation?
Maybe that's why he's tangled up with the Demon Heavenly Cult—it scares me sometimes.
And yet, even as Hwaryun preached selfless affection and devotion, he was the type to meticulously tally every favor received and repay them one by one. The thought made her laugh even harder.
"Why are you suddenly laughing?"
"Ahem. It helps me too. If they get stronger from the advice I give them on what to try, that's good for me."
And her luck stat would shoot up too. Reflecting on her experiences so far, distance, method, or emotions made no difference. Geum Jeokgeol had gifted her luck points multiple times—and she suspected he'd seen the recovery notes she'd written for Geum Jongha, though she had no idea how many times he'd pored over them—and even Taeheo Jin-in and Yeopun, now far away, boosted her luck every now and then.
Hwaryun stared at Ryeon intently. His young face wore an expression utterly mismatched to it—pitying her like a stray kitten playing by the water, or perhaps lamenting her fate.
"Give that servant to your cousin. Don't even think about taking him in."
The topic shifted abruptly, and Ryeon realized what had him worried. Seeing her leave letters even for the branch members who couldn't stay, his sympathy must have flared, fearing she'd try to take in Danmok Jun's servant too.
"I won't, I won't. Seong said she'd take him first anyway."
He'd claimed it was on his master's orders, but Danmok Hyeon-yo had exploded, refusing to let a Danmok servant be fed poisoned food. Danmok Seong wouldn't budge. How could she blame a servant for work ordered by his master? And since he'd lost everything upholding justice, it was only right for her to take responsibility.
Danmok Hyeon-yo had been so frustrated she'd even come to Ryeon.
—You have to talk her out of it! She at least listens to you!
Even so, Danmok Seong managed to take in the servant because Ryeon, watching their argument, quietly persuaded Danmok Hyeon-yo.
—That servant's heart is full of nothing but gratitude for Seong saving him, so I don't think you need to worry too much.
—Still...
—Seong's putting her words into action with responsibility. If you scold or stop her, won't she be disappointed?
—Better disappointed than in danger!
Danmok Hyeon-yo held firm at first but eventually relented.
—Fine, then Ryeon, you keep an eye on things.
—Me?
—Watch if that servant gets any funny ideas when they're together, make sure he serves Seong properly. I'll repay this debt.
—Of course...
Danmok Hyeon-yo extracted promises a few more times before finally leaving satisfied at Ryeon's nod.
If I check and say it's fine, is that enough? It wasn't the sort of request an aunt with a strained relationship with her niece would make, but Ryeon hadn't refused. In truth, the servant's only worry was How can I serve young lady Seong well? If other thoughts crept in, that worry would change, and she'd know.
"I promised to only take in those with superior talent, Nui."
"This sister keeps her promises."
Ryeon declared proudly and ruffled Hwaryun's hair. He let out a poignant sigh, as if satisfied so long as his hair got messy instead of her taking responsibility for that servant.
Baek Ui-myeong truly startled when the boy appeared in his quarters, even though he'd been waiting all along.
"Y-you... you're here..."
"Didn't run off? Looked like you were gonna bolt far away."
"You told me not to..."
He omitted that he'd run once and come back. The boy grinned mischievously at him.
"Looks like you've been working hard."
"W-well, ahem, yes. Th-thank you... thank you."
"For what? Beating you up?"
No 'yes' came out. Baek Ui-myeong twisted his lips. The boy laughed aloud at his expression, then picked up the chopsticks left with refreshments and began moving them. With light taps on limbs, Baek felt like a reed swaying every which way.
"D-do you have something to teach me... or?"
"What would I teach when I'm not even your master? Come on, I have a job for you—follow me."
With that, the boy leaped out the window. Baek Ui-myeong scrambled after, landing with a heavy thud unlike the boy's grace. His face burned red.
"Breathe in before moving, circulate that energy through your body."
"But you suddenly jumped out the window!"
"If a sword comes at you suddenly, do you just take it and die because it was sudden?"
"Why do you keep telling me to die..."
"You make excuses no matter what I teach—'can't because of this, can't because of that'—then what's the point of living?"
"...!"
Baek Ui-myeong's eyes flashed open. What he'd brushed off casually clicked: the boy was sharing real pointers. An expert's experience was worth a fortune!
"N-no, I mean yes! Got it. Breathe in before moving—yes!"
"Quietly."
"Yes..."
After that, he silently trailed the boy through unfamiliar paths near the outer walls, even to him, until they reached what looked like an old manor wall.
This crumbling wall looks familiar...
"Someone'll come out soon—follow them."
"Me?"
"See if they're up to no good or plotting something weird."
"M-me?"
"Yeah."
The boy nodded, gazing up at him steadily. Baek swallowed dryly.
"Truth is, I've never learned stealth arts... Isn't that too much?"
The boy eyed him with mild surprise.
"You that dumb?"
"It depends on inner power! I... haven't had any till now."
"Even so, during all that external training... Sigh, fine. Watch."
"Huh?"
Here? Now? Suddenly?
Baek's eyes widened, but the boy moved without waiting—a single step sideways, and he vanished from sight.
"Wh-where..."
"Here."
"...!"
He reappeared behind Baek, who nearly screamed.
"See it?"
How do you see a person disappear? The retort rose to his throat, but Baek just nodded vigorously.
The boy smirked and spoke.
"Listen well. The core principle is oneness with all things. Accept your surroundings without fixating on yourself. Don't think you're great. Don't think 'I've achieved this much.' You're nothing."
Sudden harsh criticism, but Baek was resolved to heed whatever the boy said.
"But that's not all. When walking a path, think of the spots your feet haven't touched. When drinking, think of the parts your lips miss on the cup."
"Yes, got it."
"Hiding is becoming those. But unused doesn't mean unnecessary. Unseen doesn't mean gone. Now you get what stealth is?"
"Huh?"
Before he could question, the back gate at the wall's end creaked open, and wall guards shoved something out like trash.