734 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Where did it all go wrong? I offered my devout sincerity to the heavens without a single ulterior motive. So why has the maid I raised ended up with such a distorted sense of propriety? Could it have been her formidable bosom, which, while not as extreme as Hwarin’s, could be compared to Sohee’s? Or maybe it’s her beauty, so intense that it radiates even through the icy chamber when one’s eyes are closed? No, it can’t be. A man who already has fiancées and a firm guard wouldn't let such thoughts arise so easily. Is it the Siwang Elder’s fault? Dressing his granddaughter, asleep in the ice chamber, in such thin clothing that reveals her whole figure? Even someone with defenses strong against other women might find his resolve wavering. A deduction fit for a detective, indeed. “Ga, Ga Young. I think there’s a misunderstanding here.” Let’s get this sorted out. I desperately waved my hands to dissuade her. “When attending the master’s bath, being naked is standard. It’s a fundamental knowledge for an exclusive maid.” “Wh-while that is indeed basic knowledge...!” She misunderstood. No matter the situation, one must always wear a hairband. I swallowed the urge to correct her immediately and desperately came up with an excuse to escape the situation. “...?” “It’s not a bath, you see. There’s no need to undress.” Ga Young is like a child. Physically, she’s an adult woman. I repeated this to myself over and over, correcting her with a mature tone. “Oh.” “All you have to do is apply it to my arms. It’s enough that only I'm undressed, not you.” Perfect. My explanation couldn’t have been better. While there were ways to correct this misunderstanding, who knows what the future holds. “Yes. Since I need to apply it, I’ll undress.” “No! No! Why?!” Ga Young, I said it’s not a bath. I barely stopped her from reaching for her clothes. “When needing to apply something to the master’s skin, using the chest is standard.” “W-where did you hear such a thing...?” It was me. It was trouble after trouble. “Is it wrong...?” Her guileless temptation struck my ears hard. The thin silk outfit Ga Young wore was loose, but the fabric followed the curves of her bust like a waterfall. The space at her belly fluttered, allowing me to imagine how long the fabric cascaded down her frame. I couldn’t help but wonder how magnificent it would look if removed, or how splendid it would be if that area became a grooming tool. “No! No! Well, objectively speaking, it’s appealing, but no!” I barely resisted the temptation. I must hold back. Kang Yoon Ho. You don’t want to die, do you? Even if there’s a bucket list you want to experience at least once in life, resist. Nodding now would be my death at the hands of the Siwang Elder. “Use your hands?” “Consider it another practice attempt, like before.” “Yes, I will try.” A sigh of relief. Luckily, after a roundabout explanation, I managed to persuade her. Ga Young, imitating her grandfather, began applying the salve to my arm. Unlike before, she was taking care not to use excessive force. “Ga Young. You’ve improved a lot.” “Because you’re a precious master. You mustn’t get hurt.” “...” It was heavy. Ga Young’s endlessly earnest gaze focused on my arm. Her words, delivered without hesitation, weighed heavily on me. I fed her inner energy and set up a relationship just in case, but to think she would believe everything I said without a hint of doubt. “Make sure to apply it between the fingers too.” “Oh. Yes.” As guilt gnawed at me, I entwined my fingers with Ga Young’s, and for a moment, she froze. Was she startled by the unexpected gesture? It felt a bit intimate. As I turned my blushing face aside with a sheepish smile, I noticed a small anomaly. “Huh...?” The place where the two of us were—the bathroom—was naturally filled with humidity. Here’s the problem. What happens when thin silk absorbs all the moisture? The dampened fabric clings closely to the skin. Inside, the clothes reveal their striking presence. Just as I hastily tried to avert my gaze, “I’ll do the shoulders too.” Ga Young didn’t release our intertwined hands as she bent forward. They touch, they press down. Despite my intention to ignore it, I couldn’t help but be conscious of the weight pressing down on my arm. This is martial arts training, Kang Yoon Ho. You’re the master. You’re an adult. Don’t have strange thoughts. “Master.” “Huh? Wh-what? Why?” “Snake.” “Where? Did a snake get in?” “Python? Dragon...?” What nonsense. Following Ga Young’s gaze downward, I saw the trousers ready for a piece of dragon-rising action. “No! It’s not that! It’s just the middle finger!” “Do you want me to apply it there too?” “Yes! No! Well, no.” “...?” It really was an endlessly awkward situation. —— “The advanced Okmyeonhosingong fills the deficiencies present in traditional external martial arts.” Even while preparing the medicine needed for Okmyeonhosingong, the Siwang Elder continued imparting his teachings. “What deficiencies are you referring to?” “Move qi to your arms according to the new incantations of Okmyeonhosingong.” “What is this...?” After days of Ga Young helping to apply the salve, I sensed something distinctly different from before. “Do you feel the change?” “Harden (Kyunghwa)?” Kang Yoon Ho tried to harden, but nothing happened. “The original Okmyeonhosingong wasn’t much different from conventional external martial arts. With knowledge of combining secret medicinal ingredients, internal power didn't need to be manipulated according to the incantations.” “It’s an external technique that's resistant against blind attacks with exceptional enhancement.” “Because it’s a martial art made by the ancestors to be usable by pugilists of both gang and fist sects. However, the effects were so robust that, like other external arts, it overlooked important aspects.” “Internal energy manipulation, you mean.” The Siwang Elder nodded with a proud smile and continued his explanation. “It’s common for external qi techniques to devolve into mere external arts. But couldn’t the opposite be possible? It’s a martial art conceptualized with that idea.” External martial arts occupy a unique position within martial arts. Low-level martial artists hesitate to undertake the strenuous and painful training, while those aiming for high ascension would rather swing their swords or practice qi regulation once more. Fighting barehanded means facing the threat of weapons, a challenge taken on by families capable of conducting in-depth research. Only houses like the Jinju Eon Ga family would have a reason to develop an advanced external inner-gong technique. "It's like wearing reinforced gloves all of a sudden." It felt as if my body was beam-coated. My skin hadn’t actually changed, but when I controlled my inner energy, it was like a protective barrier was forming around me. "Now, try to block this." "What...? Ugh!" No sooner had I instinctively raised my guard than a shock as if a massive hammer had struck descended on me. My body was lifted into the air. If it weren’t for Mu Yeong Shinbeop (Invisible Phantom Technique), I would have rolled straight onto the dirt ground. "Hmm." He sounded satisfied. It wasn’t me he had attacked, though. "Elder! How can you attack without warning?!" "A normal martial artist would have had their arms broken by that strike." "But that kind of attack suddenly... Hold on." I suddenly realized something strange. It was supposedly strong enough to break my arms, and yet, while it hurt, I was unharmed. "The efficacy of the medicine you cleverly applied is remarkable, truly in line with one familiar with the family secret." "Wow." So this is the true power of Eon Ga's Okmyeonhosingong. The martial art that those who fought with bare hands defeated weapon-wielding martial artists with. "Let's begin as soon as your body fully absorbs the medicine." "Begin what?" "If you don’t want to die when disasters strike, you must learn to wield the new Okmyeonhosingong at any given moment." No way. A bad premonition crossed my mind. "Elder... Does training perhaps mean another word for beating?" "Wouldn't you say you need real-world experience and engagement?" Of course. That’s right. For practice to be like actual combat, it must mean enduring blows. "Elder! Rather than that, wouldn't it be better to join us on our rounds...?" To withstand the attacks of Ten Lords of Wudang... Elder, surely you're joking. "I’ve no interest in playing those petty games." "Regardless!" "I’ll ensure you don’t die, not completely." Despite my desperate persuasion, the matter had been settled. ——— "Why do you look like a death row inmate?" Gil San Yi asked as he looked at me, clutching my head and collapsed against the desk. "It feels like I'm awaiting execution." "What...?" He seemed to be in disbelief but had a look of anticipation. Surely, I haven’t done anything to upset the Siwang Elder? I seriously reflected on my life. "Master, have some tea." "Thank you. …Huh?" As soon as I tasted the tea Ga Young offered, I couldn’t help but frown. "...?" "It’s nothing. It’s delicious." In truth, it was bitter and astringent. Did Ga Young brew this herself today? It seems she must have poured tea leaves into boiling water. It wasn’t her fault. Ga Young hadn’t been properly trained as a maid. It wasn’t undrinkable, so I brushed it off with a lighthearted smile. "Ah, about death row. I heard the execution for the perpetrator of the Hosanyabbang incident will take place soon." "Already?" "There’s evidence and a confession, so they say it’s scheduled to be held in a couple of days in the marketplace. Want to go see?" "The case has been resolved, and those who needed rest have found it. What's the point of watching someone die?" Though society considers executions as entertainment, I wasn't interested. "The people from Hosanyabbang are all going, so why don’t you come?" "Busy with training... Wait! If it's an execution, a lot of people will gather, right?" Suddenly, a good idea struck me. "Yes, it’s an unusual spectacle. Why?" I’m not interested in the execution of a criminal. But if the execution is in the marketplace, that changes the story. People will flock in great numbers, and these people will recount the events of the day to others. The stories will turn into rumors, spreading quickly to all the business districts. Therefore, "Let's start our detective business. Time for some self-promotion." It’s time to let it be known who caught that criminal. ** "Lady Ga Young! I can do this, really!" "Thank you." Eon Ga Young had rushed out with the tea utensils while the master was in a meeting, avoiding any risk of breakage or damage as before. It was all thanks to the master's teachings. "Ga Young, you’ve improved a lot." "It’s natural as an exclusive maid." Why hadn’t she been able to respond when the master praised her in the bath? Eon Ga Young simply stared blankly at the hands they had intertwined. [What’s the relationship here?] Startled, Eon Ga Young turned toward a place where no presence was felt. The voice that was not of this world, one she could hear alone, filled the otherwise empty kitchen. [So? What's really going on? A mere maid? How did a sorceress of Eon Ga become the black-haired maid?] A feminine voice only audible to Eon Ga Young. "Are you... not going to rest?" The voice belonged to the concubine of Hosan's medicine shop, who had yet to find peace. [I don’t know. Am I clinging to life, or is it because I no longer have to pretend?] "Pretend?" [I spent my entire youth striving to become the master’s concubine. That’s meaningless now.] "It can’t happen now.” She only lent her voice to help the master. Anything beyond that was overreaching. [I’m not the kind of woman who would persistently ask a benefactor to possess them. I have no one else to talk to except you. So, what’s your relationship?] "An exclusive maid." The response was filled with pride, though not outwardly shown. It was an answer she couldn’t give when Kang Yoon Ho had intertwined their fingers. [You can’t even brew good tea?] "The master said it was delicious." [That’s just out of politeness. Boiled tea leaves in boiling water can’t taste good.] “Doesn’t taste good…?” She wasn’t lying. Her soul’s voice only made her sincerity all the more convincing. [Did it shock you?] "Failed as a maid?" The shocking realization caused a slight tremor in Eon Ga Young's eyes. [I guess you really mean it when you say you're the exclusive maid. What's going on with the black-haired detective?] "He’s Ga Young’s only master." It was a straightforward answer, without hesitation. [Wow, bold move delivering a brazen line like that. You’re something else. Hmm? What are you doing?] "Going to brew the tea again." Falling short as an exclusive maid was a stinging mistake. There's no room for errors. It's time to try again. Eon Ga Young retrieved the tea utensils for another attempt. [You don't even know the basics. What are you planning to do?] "......." No answer came to mind. While recalling memories of drinking tea in life, there were no memories of making it. Although I knew how to attend to my master during a bath, I lacked understanding of tea preparation. The ghost of the courtesan, after observing her for a moment, spoke to her with a sisterly tone. [Alright, I owe you one. How about this?] "How?" [You've got the perfect guide right in front of you.] "You?" [See, from maid to concubine—I'm the woman a beloved man would look for first. How about learning a thing or two from the experienced Si Bi? What do you say?] Eon Ga Young glanced at the confident specter proposing the idea. Despite being the master’s exclusive maid, she felt inadequate. On the other hand, the spirit before her was a flawless maid in life, praised by all. She was cherished even by the household’s mistress and rose to become a concubine. What should she do? Eon Ga Young's contemplation was brief. “Yes. Help me." Learning from the ghost and gaining answers seemed reasonable, since it was something even her master engaged in. She had no reason to refuse.