Chapter 371: A New Martial Art (2)
“That is enough, so just quietly carry on the Seo Mun Family line! Kkeuaaaang!”
Seo Mun-Hwarin said something that would be all too easy to misunderstand if anyone else heard it.
Watching her seize me by the collar and shake me frantically, I felt a little sorry.
The only reason I had been able to learn the Thunderclap Sword in the first place was because I had promised to restore the Seo Mun Family’s swordsmanship.
The only reason she had permitted the present Thunderclap Sword—which was no longer the Seo Mun Family’s original sword, but something I had taken only the principles from and altered as I pleased—was because the situation had been urgent.
But after learning the Thunderclap Sword, I had ended up neglecting the task of restoring the Seo Mun Family’s sword.
No matter how many incidents had happened one after another, from Seo Mun-Hwarin’s perspective, she had shown me quite a lot of consideration.
The fact that she had brought it up even while knowing this was such an important time probably meant she had endured it for just that long.
Still, sorry was one thing, and difficult was another.
I carefully wrapped an arm around the shoulders of the sniffling Seo Mun-Hwarin.
Perhaps because of her small frame, I had only placed my hand there, yet her shoulder was completely covered. The round sensation coming through my palm felt a little strange.
Perhaps I was not the only one who thought so, because Seo Mun-Hwarin flinched for a moment. When she lifted her head, for some reason I saw eyes filled with expectation.
Looking straight into those eyes, I nodded. I added the most dependable expression I could manage, so that she could feel reassured.
“The Seo Mun Family line will not be cut off.”
“You? Do not tell me......!?”
“It has only been pushed down the order of priorities somewhat. After I defeat the Heavenly Demon, I will properly focus on restoring the sword art.”
“.....Ah. So that was what you meant.”
“Was there another meaning?”
“Hmph. There are things this one knows that you do not.”
She whipped her head aside, then puffed her cheeks full of air.
Her cuteness, so mismatched with her age, made me let out a small laugh as I gently moved her away.
“And I hope you will properly consider what I said a moment ago as well.”
“Mm? What was it you said?”
“I mean what I said about organizing my new martial art and giving it to you once it is completed.”
That was not something I had said lightly. If I truly were to leave my martial art behind to someone, I was comparatively sincere in thinking I would leave it through the Seo Mun Family.
And for good reason. Before my regression and now as well, the one who had taught me martial arts most generously was none other than Seo Mun-Hwarin.
In any case, the Sichuan Tang Clan did not seem to have much interest in sword arts, so it made sense to leave it with the Seo Mun Family, where it could be put to good use.
Seo Mun-Hwarin blinked blankly for a moment before asking cautiously,
“Would that really be all right......??”
“Yes. Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin has every right to receive it.”
“This one has not taught you all that much.”
“I do not think so.”
“If perhaps you are keeping in mind what happened before your regression, that is a little embarrassing. Strictly speaking, it was not something the present this one did, was it?”
Because of the mental restrictions, I could not answer properly, but Seo Mun-Hwarin seemed to infer my answer from my unchanged expression, and she let out a short sigh.
“This one does not really know. Of course, if your sword art is completed, it will surely become a martial art that does not lose even to the Namgung Family’s sword. But that is...”
“Do not think about it so hard, Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin. It is a simple matter.”
“Mm??”
Yes. It really was simple.
If I were to leave my martial art to someone, then that person would either be my disciple, or—
“—my child. One of the two, I suppose.”
“...!”
Seo Mun-Hwarin’s eyes widened. Even in the dark room, with no lamp lit, I could see her face heating up rapidly.
The air slowly leaked out of the cheeks Seo Mun-Hwarin had puffed up like a pufferfish.
“When you put it that way, it becomes harder for this one to say anything more.”
“To be honest, I did say it with that partly in mind.”
“How mischievous. Still, I understand well enough now that it is not because you have been neglecting this one, so I am fully satisfied.”
Having said that, Seo Mun-Hwarin carefully placed her hand atop the back of mine.
Then she slowly stroked it, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
“It is very strange. At first, this one was certain I would be of great help to you. Well, was that not only natural for a Flowering Stage martial artist?”
“Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin has always been a source of strength for me.”
“I suppose that is true. But if it were you, perhaps even without this one, you would have somehow managed.”
That was not entirely wrong. Whenever something arose that required force, Seo Mun-Hwarin had always been the first to step forward...... but that did not mean there were no other absolute masters from whom I could seek help.
Tang Jincheon was right there, after all. And if I were willing to pay a certain price, even the Black Lotus Sect Master would have lent me his strength.
“You grew far too quickly. By now, perhaps you are probably even stronger than this one.”
“That is......?”
“Ah, of course, now this one knows that it was not solely because your talent was exceptional, but because in addition to talent, you also had the fortuitous encounter of regression. So do not worry. I have never felt self-reproach over something like that in the first place.”
As if to reassure me, Seo Mun-Hwarin moved the hand that had been stroking the back of mine a little lower, toward my palm.
She tapped lightly, so I opened it wide, and she overlapped her hand on top of mine.
Both Seo Mun-Hwarin and I had undergone Transformation/Rebirth, so there were none of the calluses commonly seen on martial artists. It was simply soft and supple.
But the difference in size could not help but stand out clearly.
A body made younger through Rejuvenation. Seo Mun-Hwarin’s hand, which had shrunk accordingly, reached only to the second joint of my fingers.
After holding our hands together quietly as though comparing their size, Seo Mun-Hwarin spoke.
“This one is only regretful. Because I thought I would be able to do a little more for you, and that in that way, you would rely a little more on this one.”
“It is not all that different even now.”
“Do you truly think so?”
Seo Mun-Hwarin stared up at me as she asked that, but I could not answer easily.
Even if I could still receive Seo Mun-Hwarin’s help, there was nothing left that I could truly rely on her for.
When I remained silent because I could not find the right words, Seo Mun-Hwarin looked at my troubled expression and let out a quiet laugh.
“Do not make that face. Just as you said you would leave your martial art to this one... to the Seo Mun Family, is this not also a very simple matter?”
Having said that much, Seo Mun-Hwarin twisted her hand slightly and interlaced her fingers with mine.
The warm sensation threading between my fingers. Reflexively, I curled my fingers as well and interlaced them back with hers.
“Ah.”
When our hands had merely been pressed together, the sensation at my fingertips had felt somewhat empty, but now it felt fully and completely filled without a gap.
“You should do what you must do. This one will do what you cannot.”
In Seo Mun-Hwarin’s gaze as she said that, there was something like firm resolve.
“Even if this one were to face the Heavenly Demon, it would be difficult to break even his protective qi. Truly absurd. This one’s martial arts are so heavily biased toward dominance and force, and yet to think I would lose purely in power.”
“That is.......”
“However, they are more than sufficient for blocking the trivial nuisances aimed at you.”
Seo Mun-Hwarin squeezed my hand a little more tightly. As though trying to reassure me.
“This one will protect you from everything except the Heavenly Demon. Whether it is the King of Assasin who rises again and again, some half-baked Flowering Stage martial artist forcibly raised up, or bizarre and unfathomable evil methods—it does not matter. This one will protect you, and everything you wished to protect.”
“Of course, it will not be easy. Shameful as it is to say, even among Flowering Stage martial artists, this one is lacking compared to the likes of the Murim Alliance Leader or the Black Lotus Sect Master. But you are not the only one who has changed in the meantime.”
Having said that much, Seo Mun-Hwarin came a little closer while still holding my hand.
Thunk.
She continued speaking with her forehead resting against my chest.
“Watching you fight until now, this one too has gained no small number of realizations. For what purpose did I learn martial arts? I still do not know the answer to that. But for what purpose I wish to wield martial arts has become all too clear.”
“Senior Seo Mun-Hwarin........”
“Perhaps this one may never catch up to you for the rest of my life. But that does not matter.”
Seo Mun-Hwarin drew in a deep breath. And when she raised her head again, a confident smile had appeared on her face.
“This one will guard your back. So you need only look ahead and keep running.”
“And someday, when you have crossed the most winding hill upon your path. When at last you turn back to look upon the road you have traveled.”
Seo Mun-Hwarin used the hand that was not interlaced with mine to seize my collar once more.
But this time, she did not shake me wildly, nor did she clutch it tightly.
She merely tugged gently. As though asking me to come down to her myself.
When I lowered my head without resisting, Seo Mun-Hwarin stretched up and pressed her lips against mine.
A soft sensation. Her warm breath brushed against my face, and the sound of our pounding hearts overlapped into one.
When our lips slowly parted, a silver thread finally broke only after stretching long between us.
Only then did Seo Mun-Hwarin release both my collar and my hand, and rise from her seat.
With her hands lightly folded behind her back, she turned in place and looked toward me.
With the faint light from the lamps outside at her back, Seo Mun-Hwarin smiled brightly.
“You will always be able to find this one walking together with you, right behind you.”
“That is.......”
“The one who will pat your shoulder first and tell you that you have worked hard will be none other than this one.”
Those words reached me with extraordinary warmth.
I knew it instinctively. I would surely never forget this moment.
Even if someday I grew into a withered old man, or even if I were to undergo many regressions like the Heavenly Demon.
Even so, I would surely be able to smile while recalling this very moment.
Because unconditional support was something that precious.
This time, I was left speechless for a slightly different reason. Meanwhile, Seo Mun-Hwarin herself seemed a little embarrassed by what she had said and began clearing her throat.
“Ahem...... in any case, keep that in mind.”
“Yes. No matter what happens, I will not forget it.”
“T-that far is a little...”
“Even if you cannot stand side by side with me, you will always be right behind me...... that is good. How about leaving it behind as the Seo Mun Family’s clan motto?”
“You?! Were things not clearly going well just a moment ago! Why have you suddenly started teasing this one......!”
“Teasing? It only means I was moved that deeply.”
“Eiit!”
The mood was broken, but Seo Mun-Hwarin still let out a small laugh as though she did not entirely dislike my answer.
Letting her shoulders relax comfortably, she said,
“In any case, I have said everything I wished to say, so this one should be going back now. Now that I have set a goal, it feels as though there is a mountain of things to do.”
“I will be looking forward to it.”
When I gave a small bow, Seo Mun-Hwarin waved her hand lightly and left the room.
Then, as though something had suddenly occurred to her, she picked up the sweat-soaked martial robe she had shoved into the corner.
“Ah, this one will entrust this to a maid on the way, so rest well.”
Seo Mun-Hwarin disappeared quickly before I could say anything to stop her.
I could do nothing but tilt my head while looking at the firmly closed door.
“???”
She really did take it to entrust it to a maid...... right?