Chapter 633
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 633
Chapter Title: Haven't You Ever Seen the Sea?
From Luoyang to Seobok.
A long journey.
Even so, they moved slowly and leisurely during the day.
Instead, they traveled swiftly at night.
It was a method chosen because they couldn't afford to dawdle forever.
There were times they camped outdoors, but most nights, the children slept in the cart.
Yet the children slumbered peacefully.
The secret to sleeping so soundly in a jolting, fast-moving cart wasn't anything special.
It was their master, Ha Mu-baek.
When the children fell asleep on the cart, he lightly levitated their bodies with his lightness skill and enveloped them in his internal energy.
Perfect temperature, blocked noise, and a comfortable sleeping space.
Everything was arranged in an instant.
Of course, the children, lost in sleep, had no idea.
After racing along the highways all night, they stopped the cart about an hour before dawn, and Ha Mu-baek caught a brief nap himself.
The horses needed rest too.
Changing horses at every visible fortress town, they pressed on quickly and arrived in Seobok sooner than expected.
Compared to the journey from Shangnam to Luoyang, it was unbelievably fast.
Unlike the bustling Luoyang or Shangnam, Seobok was tranquil, but the children's eyes sparkled all the same.
They knew this was where they would stay from now on.
And so, they entered the Fierce Dragon Manor.
Wi Ji-gun and Ha Seol-ran had already sensed Ha Mu-baek's presence upon entering Seobok.
That's why the two were waiting at the entrance to the Fierce Dragon Manor.
"We're back, Master."
Ha Mu-baek stepped down from the cart, cupped his fists, and bowed deeply.
The children quickly followed suit.
They hurried to his side, cupped their fists, and bowed deeply as well.
"Disciple Gong Hae-bin pays respects to Grandmaster."
"Disciple Gong Hae-jun pays respects to Grandmaster."
The master's master.
Grandmaster.
The sight of the young children bowing deeply while saying this was both admirable and endearing.
A smile naturally formed.
"Haha, welcome. Indeed, these are fine children worthy of Mu-baek taking as disciples. Let's get along well from now on."
At Wi Ji-gun's greeting, the two children straightened up and replied loudly.
"Yes!"
"Yep!"
Ha Mu-baek smiled at the sight, then turned his gaze to Ha Seol-ran.
"It took a while. You doing well?"
"Yes, Brother."
Ha Seol-ran replied with a bright smile.
No, she had already been beaming at the Gong siblings before that.
It was inevitable.
She had only been with her master and brother.
But now, her brother's disciples.
They were her martial niece and nephew, so how could they not be utterly adorable and lovable?
"This is my younger sister, who will be your martial aunt."
At Ha Mu-baek's introduction, the two children hurriedly cupped their fists and bowed again.
"We pay respects to Martial Aunt."
"Greetings to Martial Aunt."
The smile never left Ha Seol-ran's face.
"Yes, I'm Ha Seol-ran. Take good care of me from now on."
As they exchanged greetings, members of the Fierce Dragon Corps, who had been resting, began to peek out slyly.
Their attention was solely on the two young children.
They had already heard the rumor that Ha Mu-baek had taken disciples.
Now that the children had finally appeared, their interest was naturally focused.
Gong Hae-bin and Gong Hae-jun seemed flustered by the sudden appearance of so many people.
Each one had sharp, gleaming eyes that marked them as powerful martial artists.
Ha Mu-baek glanced over the Fierce Dragon Corps and remarked.
"No disorderly atmosphere."
"Haha, they've been training diligently."
They were still in the midst of training even now.
Wi Ji-gun had called for a break upon sensing Ha Mu-baek's presence, so they were just recovering their energy and emerging now.
A closer look revealed sweat and dirt caked all over them.
Among the Fierce Dragon Corps members, one in particular shone with excitement.
"Oh ho, so these are the Corps Leader's disciples?"
It was Dang Jin-san.
"Well then, shall we head back to the training grounds?"
The moment Wi Ji-gun turned and spoke, a thick veil of dread settled over the Fierce Dragon Corps' faces.
They had thought the Ji-gun Guard instructor they met at the Dragon Training Pavilion imposed the harshest training in the world.
Wi Ji-gun, the vice leader, was no slouch either.
No, perhaps even harsher.
With Wi Ji-gun leading the way, the members followed like convicts being dragged to the execution ground.
"Whew... I never imagined someone stricter than Ji-gun Guard..."
That was Dang Jin-san's mutter.
Very softly.
So faint it was barely audible even to himself.
Yet two people heard that soliloquy clearly: Ha Mu-baek and Wi Ji-gun.
A small smile played on both their lips.
Smiles of different meanings.
And so, the entrance to the Fierce Dragon Manor fell quiet once more.
"Let's go inside too."
They headed to two small, empty rooms among the many.
Since it had been built with plenty of spare space, rooms for the two children were no issue.
"You'll stay here. The long trip must have been tiring, so rest now."
Thus began the two children's life at the Fierce Dragon Manor.
Since Ha Mu-baek had been away in Luoyang for some time, some had returned from leave in the interim, while others had departed on theirs.
After dinner, the children quickly fell fast asleep on their beds.
They must have been tense in the new environment.
Ha Mu-baek headed to the rear garden of the Fierce Dragon Manor.
Moments later, Ha Seol-ran came looking for him.
"How did your trip go?"
Ha Seol-ran asked after Ha Mu-baek's well-being.
"What could possibly go wrong with me?"
Ha Mu-baek replied nonchalantly.
"You're the only one who didn't submit a leave request."
Well, he had submitted one.
But it was as good as not submitting.
It only stated he didn't need leave.
"With you and Master here, staying put is my vacation. I'm happiest right now."
Ha Seol-ran said with a beaming smile.
That smile was genuine.
When Ha Mu-baek was absent, she had actually felt anxious.
Being together with her master and brother now was more precious to Ha Seol-ran than any vacation.
Seeing his sister like that, Ha Mu-baek smiled faintly, but there was a tinge of bitterness in that smile.
Cheongran Island.
That tiny isle.
It had been Ha Seol-ran's entire world.
Curing her cursed meridians and bringing her into the true world had been good.
But that world wasn't so vast.
The Dragon Training Pavilion and Wuchang.
That was all.
The only other place she'd been was the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
All the way to the final battle there.
Fighting desperately against those grotesque demonic beasts.
And the next place was here.
The border with the Sapa League.
Seobok.
Reflecting on that past, how could he not feel bittersweet?
He wanted to show and give his sister only beautiful, wonderful things.
Yet what he'd shown her were such harsh realities.
Ha Seol-ran said she was happy just being with her brother and master.
But Ha Mu-baek thought differently.
The world was so vast, filled with so many wonderful places.
At the flower-like age of youth, did such a beautiful child have to endure grueling training amid the harsh martial world?
He had already heard from Han Seol-bing.
During that busy time processing leave requests.
Han Seol-bing had explained why she suddenly approved leaves so decisively.
If Gong Ya-jang-cheon had Mun In-baek-song, then Ha Mu-baek had Han Seol-bing.
To think she started granting leaves to the members with such intentions.
But now Ha Seol-ran was refusing to take leave.
"You've never seen the sea, have you?"
Ha Mu-baek asked.
Ha Seol-ran nodded.
"No. I've only heard stories. A vast expanse where water meets the sky."
"It's a whole new scenery, different from lakes or rivers."
At Ha Mu-baek's words, Ha Seol-ran made a curious expression.
"Since it's your last vacation anyway, want to go then?"
Ha Mu-baek asked.
Here in Seobok.
The nearest sea would be in Fujian Province.
It would take considerable time, but using the method from Luoyang to Seobok could shorten it substantially.
It had been devised for the young children, but it turned out better than expected.
Of course, only possible because it was Ha Mu-baek.
But Ha Seol-ran shook her head.
"No."
A clean answer without a hint of regret.
Surprise flickered across Ha Mu-baek's face.
The girl who had just shown curiosity about the sea was refusing to go together on vacation.
How could he not be curious?
"Rather than that..."
"Hm?"
Ha Mu-baek prompted.
Hadn't she just said there was no place she wanted to go on vacation?
"If you come with me, Brother, there is a place I want to go."
Well, then they should go there.
Ha Mu-baek had suggested the sea thinking Ha Seol-ran had no idea where to go.
But if there was somewhere she wanted...
"Where's that?"
Ha Mu-baek asked in a warm voice.
"The Hubei Yeon Clan."
Ha Mu-baek's eyes widened at the unexpected reply.
He hadn't anticipated it at all.
Of all places, the Hubei Yeon Clan.
She had no connection to it, did she?
'Ah, wait...'
No.
There was a connection.
Yeon Ha-min.
That child.
"Ha-min didn't take vacation either, just like me."
Indeed.
Besides Ha Seol-ran, a few others had marked "no leave desired" on their requests.
Seven in total.
Dang Jin-san, Baek Ri-pyeong, Nak Woo-jin, Ha Seol-ran, and Yeon Ha-min.
Excluding Ju Wu-myeong and Dan Mok Un-roe, all had declined.
Ju Wu-myeong and Dan Mok Un-roe had already left on vacation.
Ha Mu-baek gazed steadily at Ha Seol-ran.
Ha Seol-ran continued.
"But Ha-min has her mother there. In the Hubei Yeon Clan."
Ha Mu-baek nodded slightly.
Indeed.
But Yeon Ha-min's mother was practically a hostage of the Hubei Yeon Clan.
To prevent Yeon Ha-min from getting any other ideas.
The clan's young lord, Yeon Baek-ryang, had kept her confined to secure Yeon Ha-min.
Of course, he'd heard her situation improved after Yeon Baek-ryang died in the Mountain-Crossing Demonic Forest.
To the Dragon Training Pavilion's vice lord, Yeon Baek-jin, no less.
However, the clan lord Yeon Ja-kyeong had initially viewed Yeon Ha-min as a political marriage pawn.
Thus, while her situation as a virtual hostage had slightly improved, she wasn't fully free.
If she were, she might have left the clan by now.
"You want her to meet her mother, right?"
At Ha Mu-baek's question, Ha Seol-ran nodded.
"I never got to meet mine because she passed away, but Ha-min has hers and can't see her. That's heartbreaking. I thought about it when I saw that family together at Un-roe's home."
"......"
Ha Mu-baek was speechless.
"So I want Ha-min to meet her mother. I want to help. Alone, it's impossible, but with you, Brother, it is."
So that's why she said there was a place she wanted to go with him.
The reason Yeon Ha-min wasn't going to the Hubei Yeon Clan despite vacation was obvious.
She feared that after visiting her mother, she wouldn't be allowed to leave again.
Thus, no matter how much she longed for her, she held back.
How could she not want to see her only remaining family in the world?
Ha Mu-baek looked at Ha Seol-ran with pitying eyes.
He had forgotten.
No, he had turned away.
While he was obsessed with revenge, his master had devotedly cared for Ha Seol-ran.
And after the war, when they went to the Dragon Training Pavilion, Ha Mu-baek himself had poured his heart into looking after his sister Seol-ran.
Whenever circumstances allowed, that is.
Yet there was one role neither could ever fill for Ha Seol-ran: that of a mother.
Ha Mu-baek.
He remembered both his father and mother.
He still cherished the love they had given him.
Ha Seol-ran had received even more love than that.
The late-born daughter, ten years younger than the eldest son—how could she not be adored?
But Ha Seol-ran couldn't remember.
She was only six months old.
That's when her parents met their tragic end.
Miserably, so miserably.
Ha Mu-baek bit his lip lightly.
To suppress the rising killing intent boiling within his chest.
The old Ha Mu-baek wouldn't have been able to.
If the inner demon still dwelled within.
But now was not the time to reveal it.
Now was the time to pat the back of his poor sister Seol-ran.
"Brother?"
Ha Seol-ran looked up at Ha Mu-baek's sudden action.
Without a word, Ha Mu-baek embraced her and continued stroking her back.
"Why?"
Ha Seol-ran couldn't understand his abrupt behavior.
From Ha Mu-baek's perspective, that was actually a relief.
She didn't know why she wanted to help Yeon Ha-min, the root of that feeling.
That she was projecting her own longing for her mother onto Yeon Ha-min.