Tears of Joy and Overflowing Luck
“So, once you master the footwork, of course you can do it.”
“Is footwork more important than swordplay?”
“Nothing's unimportant. Everything matters.”
The children wore puzzled expressions. They were at that age where they loved ranking and comparing.
Actually, no. Martial artists obsess over rankings until the day they die.
Even those venerable elders with graying hair gathered to bicker endlessly over who was truly the best under heaven.
“So, you all have to work hard on everything... but it's tough, right?”
Ryeon asked teasingly, and Danmok Gyu nodded vigorously.
“How do you know that so well, miss? Are you a genius?”
“No, I'm not a genius...”
The real geniuses are probably Bi and Hwaryun.
She had her Divine Eye, Harmony, and Purification wrapped around her like armor, but watching Danmok Bi and Hwaryun achieve so much without any such gifts left her jaw on the floor.
She'd taught Hwaryun herself and been stunned by his progress, and Danmok Bi, learning from Grandfather Danmok Cheon-gi, showed moves that were anything but ordinary when he demonstrated for her.
“You can all do it too. For real. It's just unfamiliar right now. Once you see it enough times, it'll feel easy in no time.”
“Should we look at the martial manual?”
“Read the manuals, and watch others perform them.”
“How many times have you seen it, miss Ryeon?”
Ryeon froze for a moment. Admitting she'd only seen it once might make the kids cry.
“I-I've seen it lots too. Like... a hundred times or so...”
“Y-You don't have to say that for our sake! I-It’s okay!”
Danmok Wan squeezed her eyes shut and shouted, her face flushing red from overcoming her shyness.
“We'll work hard too!”
“Me too!”
“But... could you show it one more time...?”
“Just once more!”
The children clamored pleadingly while stealing glances at Ryeon. They'd wanted to ask several times before but hadn't dared—today, they'd mustered the courage.
Ryeon grinned widely and rolled up her sleeves.
“Twice, three times—sure!”
She gripped her wooden sword again, said “Watch closely,” and flawlessly reenacted the footwork and swordplay from moments ago.
“Why do you think this step goes in that direction here?”
“...”
“...”
The children strained their eyes, turning their heads back and forth. After a long silence, Mae Sin-yu tentatively raised his hand.
“Retreating backward?”
“Right, right! A retreat. Why?”
“You just blocked an attack from the left, so to prepare for an upward strike from below, you step back one pace...”
Mae Sin-yu's Learning +1
Seo Geuk-rim's Learning +1
Yeo Seon-hwon's Learning +1
Current Haengun: 47 / 120(+3 ▲)
“Exactly! Good job, Sin-yu. Then, why does the left foot move from back to front here?”
“Hm...”
Mae Sin-yu pondered briefly, then mimed the motion with his arms before answering hesitantly.
“When sweeping from left to right, to minimize exposing the left side...?”
“Right, right! Anyone else get it?”
Mae Sin-yu's Learning +1
Seo Geuk-rim's Learning +1
Danmok Wan's Learning +1
Current Haengun: 50 / 120(+3 ▲)
Danmok Wan and Seo Geuk-rim cautiously raised their hands. Ryeon beamed at them.
Look at them growing so fast! I don't know what I can do with Haengun yet, but watching it pile up makes me full without eating.
Just waving her hand felt like rice grains filling her palm—joy welled up steadily.
Sending letters to the failed kids helped a bit, but nothing beats demonstrating right in front of them.
After the branch family selection, she'd written to the rejects about paths to study martial arts, which sporadically boosted her Haengun—but not as intensely as this.
Ryeon called Danmok Wan forward, handed her a wooden sword, and had her recreate the scene Mae Sin-yu described.
“Like this, then—ah, Wan!”
“Eek, miss! Sorry, sor—!”
Danmok Wan, eyes glued to the tip of Ryeon's wooden sword, stumbled slightly. Ryeon startled and reached to steady her, nearly toppling sideways together. Mae Sin-yu and Seo Geuk-rim caught them both—the comical sight drew involuntary laughter from the kids.
“U-uh, s-sorry, so sorry...!”
“It's fine, it's fine. That's because your focus is great, Wan!”
As Ryeon soothed the teary-faced Danmok Wan with a smile, a flash suddenly lit her vision.
“M-Miss? Are you okay?”
Danmok Hyeon-u has escaped his heart demon!
Current Haengun: 58/120(+8 ▲)
What?
Her steadily accumulated Haengun had surged in one go. Uncle Hyeon-u's heart demon must have been massive.
Stunned, Ryeon peeked around. No sign of Danmok Hyeon-u.
Uncle? How did he break free from the heart demon?
“I-I just remembered something urgent! I have to go! Anyone see where Uncle—the pharmacy master—went?”
“He went that way just now...”
Someone pointed beyond the wall, and Ryeon bolted that direction. Sure enough, Danmok Hyeon-u's back came into view. He leaned against a tall tree trunk, hunched over, facing away.
“Uncle! Uncle, are you... right now... Uncle?”
“Oh, R-Ryeon, you're here?”
Now Ryeon halted, startled. Danmok Hyeon-u hastily wiped his face, but it was no use. His cheeks and sleeves were soaked, tears still streaming down.
“U-Uncle...? You okay?”
“Aigoo, I'm fine! Just something in my eye. Suddenly, uh...”
His excuses didn't stop the tears.
“Sigh, this uncle's fine, really. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with the kids?”
“You vanished suddenly... Why are you crying? What happened?”
“Nothing, really nothing... This uncle just saw our Ryeon...”
Danmok Hyeon-u trailed off, then squatted to meet Ryeon's eyes. He gently stroked her hair and cheek.
“Seeing you laughing and playing with kids your age... it made me so happy, so...”
“Ah...”
Then it hit her. In her past life, she'd never shown him playing with friends. And even in this life, she hadn't until now. Today was the first time Danmok Hyeon-u saw her roughhousing noisily with peers.
“Uncle, I...”
“It was my wish.”
“Your wish?”
Tears overflowing yet beaming widely—his distorted face nodded slowly as he stammered on.
“Seeing you laugh with friends... that was this uncle's wish... You... because of me, I couldn't protect you, so your whole childhood...”
Ryeon hesitated briefly, then spread her arms and hugged him tight. The grown man clutched her fiercely and burst into sobs. Feeling her shoulder dampen, hearing his repeated apologies, tears pricked her own eyes for some reason.
“Uncle... it's okay now. I've been okay from the start.”
His long self-blame washed away in tears. The young man, unable to bear it without blaming himself, wept for a long time.
* * *
“Crying outdoors in this cold for a whole incense stick's time—who wouldn't catch their death? And you leave for the Namgung estate soon—what a sight.”
Danmok Hyeon-yo snapped sharply, sighed, ordered another brazier brought in, and stormed out.
But Danmok Hyeon-u was still grinning ear to ear.
“Fever's mild, body feels light. I could probably do air-stepping! Ah, but stay back. Don't want to pass on a cold.”
He yanked the blanket over his mouth, scooting away from Ryeon. As she laughed, Wijicheong entered bearing steaming herbal tonic.
Seeing it, Danmok Hyeon-u panicked again.
“M-My lady! You shouldn't bring this yourself—send a servant...”
“It's fine. More importantly, Ryeon, Bi wants you to feed the carps with him. Since your uncle can't tend the pond, could you?”
Ryeon caught the hint they needed privacy, nodded quickly, and slipped out.
Alone now, Danmok Hyeon-u fidgeted despite no real fever. Avoiding Wijicheong's eyes, he hurried on.