ISS-Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Pook!

“……It’s not getting any easier to adapt.”

Letting out a deep sigh, I casually wiped my finger, from which blood was welling up, on the bandage and looked at the result.

“What is this?”

Looking at the result that barely maintained the shape of clothing, I frowned. The cotton fabric that had become half a rag due to my needle.

“Why did it turn out like this?”

What I was trying to make was clearly defined. Women’s training clothes. Precisely, training clothes for Seohwa to wear.

The reason is simple. To give Seohwa an opportunity.

‘Seohwa is probably feeling doubtful about the meaning of this training right now.’

People have fantasies about martial arts.

Superhumans who break rocks with bare hands and leap several jang in one step. That’s the image of martial artists people think of. Therefore, those who first learn martial arts think that their top priority task is learning such martial arts. And they hit a wall.

The wall called the basics.

‘Martial arts are fundamentally difficult. And the most straightforward way to show that is through basics.’

Training basics isn’t fun. It’s painful, arduous, and tedious.

Eight out of ten who learn martial arts drop out here. Then do the remaining two stay and become martial artists?

That’s not the case either.

About half of the remaining two drop out again, disgusted by the fact that they must maintain these basics for ‘decades.’ Of those who remain, about seventy percent hit the wall of talent and wander the kangho as third-rate martial artists. The handful that remains is sorted once more by environment, talent, and such.

It’s work that requires tremendous will and effort. Even I, how many times did I want to put down the sword before reaching this level?

That’s what it means for someone who isn’t obsessed with the study of the sword to aim to be a master. It means walking an endless path of hardship.

Therefore,

Even if not for the characteristics, martial artists need an ‘opportunity.’

“……Hmm, looking at it, it seems okay.”

Looking at the cotton fabric that had become half a rag from countless sewing practices, I nodded. Haven’t I been able to at least follow the shape somewhat, showing that two weeks of practice have paid off? At this level, I should be able to start working soon.

“I don’t know how helpful this will be.”

I don’t intend to show off. However, since I made it diligently while getting my hands pricked, won’t Seohwa be pleased?

“I hope she likes it.”

Everything lasts longer when you enjoy it. If I suffer a bit and Seohwa gains proper interest in martial arts, isn’t that also not a bad thing?

Creeeeak!

“Mm?”

While reaching for the needle again, I turned my head at the sound I heard.

“……Is the door broken?”

Far away.

The door of the separate quarters, which should have been closed, was swaying.

Creeeak! Flop!

Seohwa, who entered the room and half threw herself onto the bedding, recalled what she had just seen.

“……He practiced so much.”

The blood-soaked bandage wrapped around Baek Riyun’s hands.

Just from the bloodstains, you could guess. Such bloodstains don’t remain from being pricked once or twice. At least you’d have to be pricked dozens, hundreds of times until your fingers become like rags for that much bleeding.

That’s why Seohwa couldn’t understand even more. Because.

Baek Riyun was a master.

“……Why?”

Just looking at those rags, you could tell. How much Baek Riyun practiced sewing.

The hands Seohwa first held didn’t have any wounds from being pricked by needles.

That means he started practicing sewing to make clothes for Seohwa, doesn’t it?

However, even so, skill doesn’t increase in direct proportion to practice time. In Seohwa’s view, Baek Riyun didn’t have even a speck of talent for sewing.

‘In that time, buying martial robes would produce better results.’

She understands the heart of wanting to make the martial robe himself if possible. But even that has its limits, doesn’t it?

If he realized after that much practice that it wouldn’t work, he should have quit long ago. Practicing simple sewing until your hands burst and your eyes fall out won’t bring any enjoyment to Baek Riyun.

However,

—I hope she likes it.

Baek Riyun, saying those words, showed no sign of wanting to quit. Probably, Baek Riyun will continue practicing until martial robes that Seohwa herself would like come out.

“……Why.”

Seohwa owes a debt to Baek Riyun. A life debt that can’t be compared to any other debt.

Thinking logically, just by bringing up that life debt, Seohwa would have no choice but to do her best to repay the favor. She would have no choice but to silently follow any difficult training.

However, Baek Riyun didn’t do that.

“He doesn’t need to care about my feelings…….”

It was the same when they went to Heuksi.

When bidding on Hwangryongjangju’s silk, Baek Riyun left all judgment to Seohwa. Even though he had already seen through the entire situation, he did so deliberately. He even firmly stated he wouldn’t step forward.

Why?

‘Because he trusted me.’

It’s simple.

Baek Riyun trusted Seohwa.

—I hope she likes it.

Recalling Baek Riyun’s appearance as he spoke while holding the needle, Seohwa buried her face in the pillow.

“I thought he wasn’t expecting anything…….”

She had even thought perhaps he had given up.

However, Baek Riyun trusts Seohwa. Not just vague expectations. He believes she will overcome the training and stand proudly as a disciple of Uicheonmun.

Baek Riyun doesn’t doubt that future that even she herself wasn’t sure of.

“Stupid…… he’s…….”

Thinking of Baek Riyun’s blind trust that has no basis or anything, Seohwa slowly fell into slumber. And the moment she completely fell into slumber, a semi-transparent window appeared.

[The disposition Responsibility embraces the seed of blooming.]

From the next day, Seohwa didn’t lose sleep.

Two weeks later.

“Come this way! Please fill out the guest book! Hey there, no cutting in line!”

“I write it here, you mean?”

“Yes. Please write!”

At the half-chaotic appearance of Baekgeommun, Baekgeommun disciple Jinpyeong, standing guard at the gate, wiped cold sweat and let out a sigh.

“Senior Martial Brother Chuseo. What is all this about?”

“Who knows…….”

One month ago.

Baekgeommun Master So Yeohwang suddenly mentioned holding friendly sparring matches with nearby sects.

In fact, if it had been just that, everyone wouldn’t have felt anything strange. Nearby sects of similar scale asking for and accepting friendly sparring from each other was common.

However, those Baekgeommun chose as sparring partners weren’t large sects of similar scale, and this was the result.

Small and medium sects trying to take a bite out of Baekgeommun’s reputation were creating a market scene in front of Baekgeommun.

“Why would she want to hold sparring matches with small and medium sects?”

“Mm…….”

Chuseo, who was examining those signing the guest book, carefully answered Jinpyeong’s question after sweeping the surroundings with his eyes.

“Originally, she was supposed to hold friendly sparring with just one sect. Do you remember when Munjunim went to Heuksi a month ago?”

“That time…….”

One month ago, Jinpyeong, who had been walking around the sect with a cold face for almost a full week, let out a groan.

“You mean when she was quite angry after missing something very important?”

“That’s right.”

“I remember. But why…….”

“The person who obtained that item instead of Munjunim was another sect’s sect master, I hear. She accepted the friendly sparring as a condition for receiving the item.”

“Ah…… then why did it turn out like this? You said it was supposed to be with just one sect.”

At the junior’s question, Chuseo shook his head.

“What does it mean to hold friendly sparring? It’s the intention to build one’s reputation a bit in the kangho by relying on Baekgeommun’s reputation.”

“That’s right. Just by sparring without getting hurt, they could go around boasting it was a good match.”

“If she had agreed to hand over the silk without competition, she wouldn’t have caused such a thing. However, the opponent is someone who already embarrassed Munjunim once. Given Munjunim’s personality, there’s no way she’d let it pass quietly.”

“Ah…….”

If you hold friendly sparring with one sect, the result will be left as either victory or defeat, one of the two. However, if you hold sparring alternately with multiple sects, the superiority of martial prowess becomes clearly divided.

“I don’t know if it’s some sect never heard of that applied for sparring not knowing its place, but they won’t see a pretty sight. At least I think…….”

“Excuse me. Do I write here?”

“Ah, yes! If you write there…….”

Jinpyeong, who was listening attentively to his senior’s words and was suddenly startled by the voice, quickly turned his head to find the person and gaped. Because.

‘What kind of appearance is…….’

The appearance of a man and woman wearing black training clothes was imprinted in his eyes.

‘Does this sect select disciples by face?’

A young woman whose face seemed to radiate light, and a sect master with a strangely dignified atmosphere.

At that bearing that looked like a big shot at first glance, Jinpyeong hurriedly pushed the guest book forward.

“H-Here, if you write here.”

“You write the sect and visitor, it seems. Munjunim.”

“You write it. My handwriting is terrible, so they might not be able to read it.”

“Yes!”

Looking at the girl of his age smiling brightly and writing in the guest book, Jinpyeong clutched his pounding heart and received the guest book.

‘Which sect are they from?’

He hadn’t seen them before, but since they came to this sparring meeting, they must be from a nearby small or medium sect.

Perhaps through this opportunity, he could establish connections and enjoy good relations. Thinking that, Jinpyeong quickly scanned the guest book.

Soon.

“……Mm?”

[A Sect Never Heard Of – Baek Riyun, Seohwa]

Confirming the guest book that seemed just written, Jinpyeong looked at the departing people with a blank face.

Far away.

The young woman was looking at him and shaking her clenched fist.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s nothing.”

At the appearance of Seohwa suddenly turning back and shaking her fist, I asked, and Seohwa played innocent. The Baekgeommun disciple far away looking this way blankly.

“Don’t tease him too much.”

“Yes.”

“Do you like the clothes?”

“Well, honestly the finishing is a bit…….”

“……I’ll have to make it again.”

“I like it very much. Hehe.”

Seohwa, who smiled broadly while tightly gripping her training clothes I made for her, answered, and I chuckled and turned my gaze to look around.

“I expected it, but there are a lot of people.”

The appearance of Baekgeommun with far more people coming and going than usual. I heard they invited all nearby small and medium sects to hold a sparring meeting?

At my words, Seohwa blinked and asked me.

“You expected it? That Baekgeommun would come out like this?”

“I expected it.”

“How?”

“Because she’s not someone who would just take it lying down.”

“Ah…….”

So Yeohwang isn’t a fool, and I showed So Yeohwang my abilities once at Heuksi. Then So Yeohwang would naturally be wary of me.

“Baekgeommun loses a lot if they’re defeated. There’s nothing more terrible for them than being defeated by someone who has learned martial arts for just over a month.”

Thinking logically, it doesn’t make sense for someone who trained for one month to build up the ability to defeat a Baekgeommun disciple. There’s the internal energy issue right away, basics, and skill problems.

Ordinary people would think at this point ‘there’s no way our sect would lose’ and accept the friendly sparring comfortably. However, So Yeohwang didn’t become complacent and used her head.

“She thinks there’s some trick.”

A variable.

Sparring between martial artists isn’t determined by skill alone. If there’s a hidden move, even a low-level martial artist can defeat a master—that’s the martial world.

So Yeohwang was wary of that move and set up this game. She planned the game to make Seohwa reveal that hidden blade before reaching Baekgeommun.

However.

“It’s a useless effort.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

I grinned, patted Seohwa’s hair, and raised my gaze. The audience that had suddenly become quiet.

With the sound of footsteps, So Yeohwang revealed herself from afar. And So Yeohwang climbed onto the platform and looked down at the sect masters of small and medium sects.

“I, So the Humble, greet the sect masters of each sect who have gathered here.”

So Yeohwang, who smiled and clasped her fists while giving me a glance, and I chuckled at the sight. Isn’t So Yeohwang’s gaze on the platform saying it?

That this height difference is the difference between you and me.

“She’s smiling.”

Watching So Yeohwang who continued speaking while withdrawing her gaze from me, I stroked Righteous Heaven Sword, and Seohwa followed suit, stroking the training sword hanging at her waist.

“Right. It’s better to smile now.”

“What?”

“It’s nothing.”

At Seohwa’s puzzled expression, I grinned broadly and slowly gave my attention to the platform.

Smile a lot now. So Yeohwang.

Because if you’re defeated by a sect never heard of, you won’t be able to smile for the next half year.