Chapter 6
The first experience of visiting a friend’s house was when I was in first grade of elementary school.
It was not long after starting school.
Back then, Yeonhae quickly became friends with a girl who sat in the front row, as luck would have it, they had similar personalities and interests.
―Do you want to come to my house later?
―Really? Can I?
―Of course!
As the conversation flowed towards going to that friend’s house, Yeonhae, who was excited, had an unforgettable experience.
―Mom! I brought a friend! It’s Haneul!
―Oh, hello.
―…Yeah, come on in.
At that moment, the friend’s mother standing in the entrance did not miss the chance to scan her from head to toe.
And that gaze ultimately settled above her head.
―You shouldn’t stay too long since you have to go to the academy later.
―Huh? But there’s no academy today…
―They called and said to come to the academy. They want to increase the number of days for elementary students.
―Oh…
―So, you understand, right? Your parents probably wouldn’t like it if you come home late.
―Yes… I’ll just play a little longer.
Yeonhae, who had grown up in an orphanage since she was young, was sensitive to detecting an atmosphere of rejection.
She realized that her friend’s mother was not warm towards her.
Therefore, she read the situation that day and left home early.
―Ma’am, I’ll be leaving now. Goodbye.
―Goodbye!
―Alright, be careful on your way back.
Yeonhae bowed her head.
Her friend’s mother gave a formal farewell and abruptly closed the door.
Soon, she could hear voices coming from beyond the door.
―Don’t hang out with that kind of kid. You should be with good kids, how can you be friends with someone like her?
“Mom! The sky is being nice…”
“Listen to me, Mom. I’m telling you not to play with that kid from now on, they come from a different background. Do you think we sent you to that school so you could play with a child like that?”
“I’m sorry…”
“There are so many well-off kids, why would you choose to play with someone like that?”
On that day, Yeonhae left in a huff.
Later, she told the daycare teachers that she had fun at a friend’s house.
“Um…”
“…Mom shouldn’t play with you.”
…
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The next day, she naturally drifted apart from that friend.
“Is it okay?”
With that memory in mind, Yeonhae visited Dohyunwoo’s house, subtly worried.
But to her relief, that day she was able to play at his house without any concerns.
“I should go now. The tteokbokki was delicious!”
“Was it? Well, that’s good. Next time, I’ll make something even tastier for you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that…”
“I’m doing it because I want to.”
“…Thank you.”
Dohyunwoo’s mother didn’t look her up and down or give her a disdainful look.
Consistently wearing a friendly smile, she engaged with Yeonhae.
Unaccustomed to such kindness, Yeonhae felt awkward.
“Oh, right. Mom, could you pack the dessert we had earlier for me to take home? Haneul wants to have it at our place.”
“Oh, really? You should have told me earlier.”
“No! You don’t have to do that!”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind.”
At that moment, Dohyunwoo unexpectedly spoke up. Yeonhae, who was too embarrassed to ask if she could pack food herself, was taken aback.
She quickly clapped her hands.
But Dohyunwoo’s mother didn’t acknowledge his words.
“Dohyunwoo, tell them in the kitchen to pack a fresh one, not the one we ate.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Oh… Thank you.”
Dohyunwoo disappeared into the house.
Yeonhae didn’t know what to do.
“Haneul.”
“Oh, yes!”
Looking at her like that,
Dohyunwoo’s mother spoke in an affectionate tone.
“Please continue to be close with Gyung-woo in the future.”
“Huh?”
“Gyung-woo rarely brought friends home. Seeing that he brought you here, it seems like he quite likes you. Lately, he seems more lively, too.”
“….”
“Maybe it’s because of you that he’s like this? Thank you. So, I’m bribing you to continue being close with Gyung-woo in the future. Don’t feel too pressured.”
“…No. It’s Gyung-woo who’s being close with me.”
“What’s wrong with that between friends? If you get along well and are close, that’s what being friends is all about.”
“….”
There was a very compassionate look in her eyes.
No other emotions could be found in Mrs. Do Gyung-woo’s eyes.
Yeon Ha-neul looked up at her, feeling a strange sensation once again.
After a while, Do Gyung-woo, who had disappeared inside, returned with an envelope in hand.
“Here you go.”
“Oh, thank you.”
It was quite thick.
Yeon Ha-neul accepted the substantial envelope and once again expressed gratitude to the two.
“Then come over again next time.”
“Sure, come to see Mong-sil again. Or you can come to see Mong-soon.”
“Just come over to see Gyung-woo.”
“Yes, I’ll come over again next time.”
Next time.
Those words felt very unfamiliar.
Yeon Ha-neul awkwardly held back, then turned her back at Do Gyung-woo’s house.
Her ears twitched lightly.
“Madam, you’re really a nice person.”
She seemed to know where Do Gyung-woo’s personality came from.
She wanted to become a kind and affectionate person like his mother.
That day, she hummed a tune on her way back to the orphanage.
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yes, I had a lot of fun! And this was given to me by a friend’s mother!”
That’s how she enjoyed delicious roll cake with the people living in the orphanage.
—
“Really!? Gyung-woo brought a girl home?”
A family dinner conversation.
Father showed great interest upon hearing Mother’s story.
“He brought her while I was at home… I wonder who she is.”
“She seems to be someone Gyung-woo likes.”
“What did she look like?”
“She was a girl with pretty sky-blue rabbit ears.”
“Rabbit ears? Was she Aine?”
“Yeah.”
“Seems like Gyungwoo would like her.”
“Is that so?”
“….”
I liked rabbits, but that didn’t mean I was close to Yeonhae because of it.
I made a puzzled face and looked at my parents.
Upon seeing my expression, my parents seemed to interpret it differently.
“Why, feeling embarrassed?”
“You could bring a friend home, what’s there to be embarrassed about?”
I decided to stay silent.
No matter what I said, my parents would tease me.
If it were before I recalled my past life, I might have fallen for their jokes like a child, but not anymore.
“By the way, where does Aine live then?”
“She lives near the daycare center.”
“I see. Treat her well. Aine is…”
“Do you really need to say that? Showing such consideration among friends can be harmful.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“Don’t pay attention to what Dad says.”
“Yes, I know.”
I nodded.
I knew how Aine would be treated in society even without Father’s advice.
But I didn’t feel sorry for her.
“Just treat her like a friend, that’s all.”
I intended to treat her as an equal human being.
Of course, there was a bit of ambition in recruiting Yeonhae as a colleague.
It was at that moment that my younger sister chimed in.
“I wanted to see Rabbit Unni too… so sad. Bringing her when I’m not here.”
The troublemaker of our house, Doeun.
Doeun seemed displeased that Yeonhae came to our house while she was at the swordsmanship hall.
She pouted with a sullen face.
We were well aware of the subtle schemes she orchestrated.
Especially Mother’s eyes were sharp.
“Is there any connection between removing the carrots from curry and that?”
“… Hush.”
“You should finish all the carrots. They’re so delicious. Even if rabbits want to eat them, they can’t because there aren’t any, you know?”
“So, these carrots are for the rabbits…”
“Right.”
“Mom was upset.”
“hahahaha….”
Today, as well, there was no peaceful resolution to the dispute between Mother and Yeeun.
Yeeun, with a sullen face, had to chew on a mushy carrot tightly clenched in her hand.
Father let out a bitter smile.
“Ugh, carrots taste bad….”
“Things good for your body often don’t taste good.”
“I hate Mom.”
“Oh really? I prepared chocolate for you to have as a snack later, but if you don’t need it….”
“Wow! Our mom is the best!”
At the mention of chocolate, Yeeun cheered with a look of disbelief.
We burst into laughter at Yeeun’s swift change of attitude.
Soon, I called out to Father.
“Dad.”
“Yes? What’s up?”
“After dinner, could you please check my form? Let’s spar for a bit.”
“Spar? What’s the occasion?”
I couldn’t just practice the basic stances every day.
Sometimes, it was necessary to assess my shortcomings by directly exchanging blows with a partner.
‘And I have something to ask Dad.’
I waited for Father’s response.
Eventually, Father, who seemed puzzled by the unexpected request, spoke up.
“Shall we do that then? How about taking a break after dinner before exercising, as exercising right after a meal can upset your stomach.”
“That sounds good. Let’s do that.”
“Where should we measure your progress?”
Father readily agreed to the suggestion.
Meanwhile, Yeeun couldn’t have possibly missed eavesdropping on our conversation.
“I want to spar with Dad and Brother too!”
“Yeeun, you’re still too young for that. When both spar, wear protective gear to avoid injuries.”
—
Unable to resist Mother’s insistence, we always had to wear protective gear and use wooden swords instead of real ones during our sparring sessions.
“Geonu, what’s gotten into you? You always ask me to spar first.”
“I just wanted to see how much I’ve improved. I also wanted to show you, Dad.”
Father, putting on the protective gear, spoke up as if surprised.
Indeed, it made sense.
‘It’s always been Dad suggesting we spar, not me.’
I didn’t want to tire out Father, who had worked hard all day at the clan, for no reason.
I was afraid of getting hurt or hurting someone while sparring.
Before recalling my past life, I had never brought up the idea of sparring with my father for that reason.
But judging by my father’s reaction, it seemed like there was no need to be cautious.
“So you finally want to play with me now that you’re in fifth grade?”
“Is this considered playing?”
“Of course. What leisure can I find after working late? Being lovey-dovey with your mom, playing with Yeeun, and sparring with you.”
“….”
If I had known it would be like this, I would have sparred with my father more often.
I never expected him to enjoy it this much.
“So, what exactly are you trying to ask me for?”
“How did you know what I was going to ask Dad for?”
“You, who never mentioned sparring before, suddenly asking for something made me think there must be another reason.”
“….”
“Without telling Mom, what are you secretly asking me for? Since I’m on Mom’s side, I might not be able to fulfill all your requests.”
“I wanted to ask Dad because I thought Mom might find it dangerous….”
“What. Let me hear it.”
I had planned to speak up at the right moment.
Since my father had caught on to my intentions, it seemed like I should speak now.
With a protective headband on, I pointed a wooden sword at my father and said, “I want to experience real combat.”
“Real combat?”
“Yes. I want to try killing monsters.”
“….”
“My other cousins have already experienced it, but I haven’t yet. However, as someone who is not a hunter, I can’t face monsters recklessly… So I was hoping Dad could help me.”
“Why all of a sudden this urge? Just because you haven’t had real combat doesn’t mean you should be impatient.”
“Still. I felt like I can’t stay like this anymore. I don’t want to be mocked as a rabbit anymore.”
“Sigh….”
“I want to change now.”
In five years.
Five years later, I will enter the Academy City and face numerous crises with the main character Kang Hanbyeol.
To do so, I needed to confront monsters and hone my sense of real combat.
People my age from noble families had already experienced real combat.
Compared to them, I was far behind.
“So I have to catch up somehow.”
That’s why I asked my father for help.
It was something I couldn’t do alone without my father’s assistance.
“Did you start thinking about this because of what happened at the swordsmanship hall?”
“Huh?”
“I heard about you fighting with the kids from the swordsmanship hall. They said they were heavily injured and that you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“….”
“Has that become a change in your state of mind?”
…Perhaps it was a provocation from the swordsmanship instructor.
He might have harbored discontent towards me, who wielded the family name as a threat.
However, regardless of the instructor’s intentions, judging by my father’s demeanor, he seemed unlikely to scold me for that matter.
Rather, he seemed to be testing my sincerity.
‘Is he trusting me? There’s no reason for me to act without thought.’
Although not spoken directly, I somehow sensed that.
If that was the trust I was being given, then I felt the need to honestly convey my feelings in response.
How should I start?
I carefully chose my words.
“I was taught that the sword of the Divine Swordsmanship School is meant to protect and save those in need. It’s something that must never be forgotten.”
“Yes, that’s right. The reason our family is praised by the people is because we have not neglected that role.”
“So, I thought I should wield the sword according to the teachings of the family. Even if others harass me, I shouldn’t just swing it to vent my emotions. After all, those people are the ones I must protect, aren’t they?”
“….”
“But.”
If I hadn’t recalled my past life, I probably wouldn’t have had such thoughts.
The life I lived in my previous existence.
And also, the future I was yet to experience greatly influenced my thoughts.
“Before protecting others, shouldn’t one protect oneself first?”
“….”
“How can someone who can’t even protect themselves protect others? I suddenly had that thought.”
“So, that’s why you fought with the kids.”
“Yes, that’s why I fought. Not foolishly being taken advantage of, but to protect myself. From now on, that’s how I intend to live.”
“….”
“To do that, I need to become stronger. To the extent that I can protect myself fully without being belittled by others, so that I can protect others. That’s why I want to experience real battles.”
I must come first at all times.
I had no intention of changing that thought, even if it might seem selfish.
With that in mind, I expressed my thoughts.
For a while, my father remained silent.
Then, after a moment, my father’s shoulders moved up and down as if he chuckled.
He seemed to be smiling.
“Well, your thoughts aren’t entirely wrong. It’s not a bad thing that you’ve found a reason to want to become stronger. It seems you’ve changed a lot without me realizing.”
“So, will you help me?”
“As your father, of course, I should help. But there’s a condition.”
“What condition?”
“Prove that you’ve built up enough skill to experience real battles. That’s why I suggested a sparring match. Isn’t that right?”
“…You’re right, Father.”
Unconsciously, my father took the lead and prepared for the sparring match.
I quickly adjusted my stance as well.
As my father had said, I intended to earn recognition of my skills through the sparring match.
If that’s not possible, then I’ll have to devote myself to training to build my skills.
Not being acknowledged by my father means I haven’t reached a level where I can engage in real combat yet.
“Just one strike.”
“….”
“I won’t use mana and won’t move more than five steps, so feel free to attack as you wish.”
“You won’t use Suwangryu either?”
“…I’ll stick to the basics.”
“Understood.”
It was a sparring session similar to usual.
But I have never succeeded in landing an attack on my father.
Even if the opportunity to attack him arises, I hesitated to strike, fearing I might accidentally harm him.
I was afraid. I was terrified.
Truly foolish, in a way.
“Come on. Show me what you’ve got.”
In that sense, there was a hidden meaning behind my father setting these conditions.
If you truly intend to face a monster, do not hesitate to strike someone with a sword.
“Phew….”
I took a deep breath.
Unlike before.
Now, I am resolute and will not hesitate.
＜Basic Form 1 of Suwangryu＞
The Hunting Stance
To prove it to my father.
I lunged forward immediately.
Gathering strength, I brought down my wooden sword.
Naturally, my father blocked it and countered, hitting my wooden sword with force.
Thud!
I did not resist that force.
Instead, I used it to step back and turned my body to the side.
Then I swung my arm widely.
＜Basic Form 2 of Suwangryu＞
The Stance of Fierce Advance
From the inside of the left shoulder to the outside.
A horizontal trajectory cuts through the air.
Thud!
Once again, my father blocked it.
It was within the expected range.
I extended my steps forward as they were, narrowing the distance with my father.
At that moment, the posture with the arm pushed back behind the right shoulder reappeared.
◈ Basic Form 3 of the Water King Style
Posture of Rotation
I put strength into the foot that moved forward.
Twist the waist to the left.
The force of swinging the neck sword increased.
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From the outside to the inside of the right shoulder.
The sword that had been deflected bounced back horizontally, aiming for my father’s sword.
Clang!
Now is the time.
Naturally, the distance between my father and the sword decreased as I closed the gap.
I must widen the distance.
In that case, the action my father must take now is to step back.
I did not miss that moment.
“…!”
Not giving space to swing.
As my father stepped back, I quickly moved forward.
At the same time, I raised the neck sword, which was prepared in the posture of rotation, from bottom to top.
The swords clashed.
“Krrrk!”
This time, it was not my sword but my father’s that was pushed back.
For a moment, my father’s posture faltered.
A gap appeared on the right.
◈ Attack Form 3 of the Water King Style
Lion Iron Whip
Heavily like swinging a club.
Quickly like cracking a whip.
Injecting mana into the neck sword, I struck my father’s right hip.
Thud!
With that, the match was over.
I quickly widened the distance.
When my father, who was hit on the hip so hard that it made a thud, turned around, I was already gone from that spot.
“This, this guy… even if he had to hit, he could have hit a bit more gently, did he really have to hit so hard?”
“I want to earn recognition from Dad.”
“Wow. You’ve grown so much that now even Dad can hit without hesitation.”
Wearing protective gear, it wouldn’t hurt that much, but my father kept tapping my back as if to say, “Look at this.”
I chuckled at his actions.
Then, he patted my back.
“So, are you going to admit it now?”
“Yeah, you disobedient child.”
My father pursed his lips.