57 - I Spent the Night with the Youngest Daughter of the Martial Arts Leader

A Day Out The only way to escape Yeon Hui's embrace, where she refused to let go, was to suggest an outing. She wore a slightly disappointed expression, but seemed delighted at the idea of going out together, quickly preparing for the trip. "Disciple!" While wandering through the stalls and admiring the goods on display, a familiar voice called out. I turned back to see my Master standing there. What was she doing out here? A sudden reunion. Before I had a chance to express my surprise at the unexpected encounter, I was met with a relentless barrage of my Master's lecturing. "Master?" "Roaming around hand in hand with a stranger in broad daylight? How shameless! I didn't teach you to act this way!" Her expression seemed unusually displeased. In that instant, I understood why her nagging preceded greetings. - My disciple, when you venture into the martial world, keep women at a distance. - Pardon? - Do you know how the rulers of Eastern Zhou and King Wu of Wu dynasty fell? - They were ruined by women. - Exactly, which is why you must distance yourself from women! - But aren’t you a woman, Master? - Between master and disciple is an exception! She was particularly sensitive about interactions between men and women. My Master would recount tales of rulers who had met their downfall falling for beauty, impressing upon me the danger of women's allure. Even the mightiest martial artists couldn’t avoid this peril—this was the seduction of a woman. Thus, I was always to be wary of them and, whenever possible, avoid close relations. Sometimes, she would even say it was more important than training. "Master, it's not what it looks like..." "Let go of her hand this instance!" Was there no other way? Under my Master's unyielding criticism, I reluctantly released Yeon Hui's hand. I knew the conversation couldn’t move forward otherwise. The sudden action made Yeon Hui glance at me with a hint of disappointment. "To think I meet you after such a long time and have no time to celebrate, I am a bit disheartened." "Tch, you think that’s important now? And you even defied orders to work as a gatekeeper!" "There’s a bit of a long story behind that." "A story? Don’t tell me it’s about becoming Namgung’s son-in-law!" How did she know? I had deliberately omitted such mentions in my letters, sticking solely to being indebted to the Namgung Family. Including terms like engagement was too risky since I had no idea how she'd react. I intended to explain everything once we met. I didn’t anticipate this sudden confrontation. "How did you hear about it?" "First, just tell me if it's true or not!" "Well..." Where should I begin? To explain it properly to my Master, I would have to go back quite a while. From the day I first met Yeon Hui while working as a gatekeeper to the day we drank together. "Is this gentleman your Master, Gaga?" "Uh, yes. I was so overwhelmed that I forgot to introduce you." It was then that Yeon Hui, who had been watching silently since I let go of her hand, chimed in. My Master was too busy bouncing around with agitation to have noticed. "Hello? I'm Namgung Yeon Hui, the one who has pledged engagement with Gaga. I've heard a lot about you from him." "G-Gaga?" "You’ve taken care of Gaga like a parent, haven’t you? That makes you akin to a mother-in-law to me. You can comfortably call me Yeon Hui, or daughter-in-law if you'd prefer?" "D-Daughter-in-law?!" From Yeon Hui's friendly introduction, Master seemed utterly bewildered, as if struck by an unexpected blow. Being told suddenly to accept a daughter-in-law from a disciple sent away to a distant land... it was understandable to be taken aback. "It seems you have many questions. Instead of discussing here on the roadside, would you like to come to the manor? It would be more convenient for you to reconnect." Yeon Hui's offer to lead her to the house, despite the conversation happening outside her presence, was met with appreciation. Her thoughtfulness was commendable. * I felt disheartened. Not by him letting go of my hand in front of another woman. But by how he moved immediately at her single word. 'I was right after all.' From the moment I heard that his Master was a woman, I had a bad feeling. I should have pressed him more back then. Hesitating to delve deep into stories concerning the Master had been my mistake. It may seem impolite to picture something improper between a disciple and mentor, but what could I do? Yeon Hui found it hard to shake off a sudden notion. And her suspicion seemed spot on. "Mm, this is quite a fine room." The Master, glancing around. Her presence, devoid of any visible signs of age, exuded a youthful allure. Her strikingly blue eyes and matching flowing hair sparkled like a finely cut gem, as if highlighting her timelessness. The snowy white, porcelain skin seemed like a pristine canvas, showcasing this beauty unblemished by time or travel. 'She is beautiful.' It was an intriguing sentiment. It wasn’t often that I compared someone else's beauty to my own, yet encountering someone and acknowledging their beauty for the first time was astonishing. The title of “the most beautiful woman under heaven,” which I never really found appealing, felt especially cumbersome today. "Isn't it? The disciple is being well treated here." "Is now the time to be bragging about that?" What irked me most was the way they looked at each other. Gaga gazing at another woman with such familiarity. It was the first time. The warmth I thought was reserved only for me... now directed at another—such a realization weighed heavily on my chest, unmistakably troubling. A far more profound emotion than when Jegal Yeong approached Gaga unseemly. This 'Master,' even without sharp scrutiny, was obvious. Eyes filled with love. The way she gazed at Gaga—it mirrored how I appear when I strive to hold on tightly to Lee Se Woong, not losing him to my sight. "Um, I don't know where to start." "My disciple. Before that, come and massage my shoulders, will you? Traveling non-stop has left me stiff." Casually commanding her disciple. And without hesitation, Lee Se Woong moved behind her to comply. Squeeze, squeeze. His large hand rested upon her shoulder. As his fingers kneaded her shoulders, she would occasionally exclaim, "Ah, that's perfect!" Or, "Yes, right there! A bit harder!" These interjections made Yeon Hui feel an odd sense of irritation. 'Is this how a typical master-disciple relationship is?' There was no need for such naive questions. Perhaps such things were commonplace between master and disciple. However, the underlying impure intentions seemed to be the issue. 'Are you trying to make a scene for me to see?' "Can I refer to you as 'Esteemed Elder?'" "Hm? Call me whatever you like." Her demeanor, now softened by Lee Se Woong’s massage, was a far cry from her earlier sharpness. "Elder, it seems that even eternal youth can't fend off fatigue?" "Is that so? Perhaps. That's why I have my disciple massage me frequently!" She replied nonchalantly, and Yeon Hui felt caught off guard. "To have him massage the moment you see him." "You’ve grown more complaints! It seems like you’ve become quite lax, not having seen me for a while!" Familiarity. In the natural flow of their conversations, there was an ease present that Yeon Hui herself did not possess. And it seemed so comfortable. "There, that's enough. Seems you haven’t been idle, have you? Your grip feels stronger." "I ended up refining some of my external skills." "That's quite favorable. Combining external practice with internal focus can be an embellishment of both." No opportunity presented itself to intervene between them. Despite having clung to me in the morning, Gaga now seemed somewhat distant. "Ah, what a splendid massage it was." "Sometimes, I wonder if you appreciate a disciple less than a massage attendant, Master." "What sacrilegious thoughts! How dare you harbor doubts toward your master." Gaga’s master, speaking with hands on hips, boasted as if she reveled in it. "I get it, I get it." "What do you mean?" "It seems you needed a reward. You may pet my head!" 'What am I hearing right now?' Yeon Hui doubted her ears. A word from the woman who was supposed to be a master... Such words didn’t align in her mind. Petting her head as a reward? What kind of nonsense was this? Before she had time to overcome the shock from such absurd word combinations, what startled her more was seeing Lee Se Woong naturally stroking the master’s head. "Ah, how is it? Soft, isn’t it!" "Yes. Like the finest silk." "Good to know. Consider it an honor to caress my hair!" "No, of course." "Impiety!" A woman acting like a spoiled cat. In a dry tone, though still reciprocated by Lee Se Woong. No one would think of a master-disciple relationship looking at them. Yeon Hui felt sure: This wasn’t a master at all, just another female—a threat to my place beside him. "You two seem to share a very close bond." "Of course, isn’t the master-disciple relationship tighter than family?" Family? Only then did Yeon Hui understand her game. Infiltration. Before encountering this woman, Gaga had endured a tumultuous life. He only found something to rely on after meeting his Master. Exploiting that emotional void, she must’ve been enticing Gaga under the guise of being family-like—much like letting his clothes soak in drizzle until he got used to it. 'And it was simply because she met him first.' Frustrating. Had I met Gaga first, I could’ve treated him so much better. Add to his happiness, spare him from such frivolous servitude, and provide genuine joy. I would’ve. It's unfair. "Well, as you can see, my Master is like this..." "What?!" "A bit peculiar, right?" It was heartbreaking how Lee Se Woong spoke as if resigned to her behaviors. "Gaga, I think I’ll take my leave now." "What? Already?" "Yes, it seems you two have a lot to discuss... I'll prepare a room for the Elder, so if you talk late, feel free to rest there." "No need for a separate room, oh!" "Thanks, Yeon Hui." Introducing her now was necessary. Despite the thought of leaving Gaga alone with her gnawing at her, Yeon Hui needed some time to collect her thoughts. Moreover, if she stayed longer... she doubted she could maintain her composure any further.