Chapter 59

"No, Mother. I just followed her because I was curious about what Ryeon wanted to do. I am her older sister, even if only by a month."

"Right! Jangsun, you are the eldest granddaughter!"

Dangmook Hyonyo grabbed her daughter's hands and exclaimed.

After all, Dangmook Sung was the first in this generation, so calling her the eldest granddaughter wasn't entirely wrong!

"Mrs. Dangmook."

While Seokban An tried to calm Dangmook Hyonyo down, Dangmook Sung continued.

"In fact, on the way back from sightseeing, I wanted to buy a gift for Mother, but I met Jinjagang, so..."

"For goodness' sake, our daughter! You don't need to bring anything back. This mother just wants you to have fun."

But Dangmook Hyonyo felt a little hurt that Dangmook Sung had only followed her cousin's whims.

"Next time, I'll buy Ryeon a piece of jewelry. Something similar to mine..."

"You don't need to buy her anything."

Dangmook Hyonyo suddenly said sternly.

"Huh?"

Dangmook Sung's eyes widened. Seokban An also looked surprised, making Dangmook Hyonyo feel a bit embarrassed, but she didn't change her words.

However, Dangmook Sung seriously disagreed with her.

"But I am her older sister by a month, so I should take care of things like jewelry. Ryeon is only a year old, so she's practically a one-year-old baby."

"Even a one-year-old baby can be rich."

"Huh?"

"That child came back after seeing how much money she made. She's the richest among us."

Dangmook Hyonyo pouted and grumbled. But Dangmook Sung shook her head solemnly.

"Just because your sister is rich doesn't mean you shouldn't give her gifts."

"That's... that's true, but... Oh, how can our daughter be so kind? Who raised her to be so well-behaved?"

"Mother and Father did."

"Oh my. Mr. Seok, did you hear what the child said?"

"I did, Mrs. Dangmook."

Seokban An smiled. A worry-free, serene smile spread across his beautifully chiseled face, and Dangmook Hyonyo's heart softened.

'Well... what does it matter if she wins or loses a few matches in her childhood?'

Seeing her daughter's dedication to her studies, which she didn't dislike, made Dangmook Hyonyo proud.

And the fact that Dangmook Ryeon had earned so much money...

'After all, it's her money. She didn't use my money, but her father's. If she contributes it to the family, that's great.'

However, the way Zaijing Jiaozhu Xue Guanxi spoke as if Dangmook Ryeon was the heir to the family deeply bothered her, but she decided to understand.

'How hard must they have been struggling?'

With no income and only expenses, the family's finances must have been in dire straits.

Thinking of his gray hair, Dangmook Hyonyo inwardly sighed.

In such a situation, Dangmook Ryeon bringing in silver ingots must have seemed like a moon jar.

So, it was only natural that they would be pleased if she brought in more money. Dangmook Hyonyo, who had been focusing on establishing her position in the martial world, now decided to heed her father's advice to focus on family matters.

"Mr. Seok."

"Yes, Mrs. Dangmook."

While the child was engrossed in a book with magical techniques, Dangmook Hyonyo quietly called Seokban An.

"Should we consider starting some kind of business to increase our family's wealth?"

Seokban An was silent for a moment before smiling.

"Mrs. Dangmook, don't we both lack any talent for business?"

"Well... that's true, but do we really have no talent at all?"

"If we did, I would have inherited the Fenglin Front."

"Running a front and doing business are different, aren't they?"

"Selling money or selling goods, the basic principles are similar, aren't they?"

Dangmook Hyonyo almost asked, 'Do we really have no talent at all?' but stopped herself.

Seokban An and she deeply loved each other and had no secrets between them.

"Isn't what Father expects from you to take in new disciples? To take in disciples, you need to clothe, feed, and teach them, so preparing this room carefully is our job."

"Who else can manage money as well as I can here? But Ryeon is already contributing her share..."

Seokban An was a bit surprised.

Born into a prestigious martial family, Dangmook Hyonyo had never thought about earning money.

To her, money just 'somehow' appeared.

For her to even consider such a thing, her niece must have earned an enormous amount of money.

"Should I write to my brother to see if there's a good business opportunity?"

After much deliberation, Dangmook Hyonyo shook her head.

"No. Mr. Seok is right. My job is not to earn money but to follow Father's orders. I need to focus on taking in new disciples."

Dangmook Hyonyo, running her fingers through her hair, answered.

The first thing she felt was a great sense of loss that something in the family had changed without her effort, followed by a strange lightness in her heart.

Dangmook Hyonyo was startled by this fleeting feeling and quickly shook it off.

* * *

Dangmook Ryeon brought all the books related to magical techniques from the family's library and read them, stacking them beside her.

Among them, there were only two copies of the family's magical technique, 'Heukpung Danchun Do.'

Considering that there were dozens of copies of the 'Nakseong Shibilgeum,' this was a very small number. She and Dangmook Sung each carried one copy.

'Does the family make one copy for each person to read, and another for the guardian to check what they are reading?'

Dangmook Bi, trying to follow her sister, fell asleep beside her.

"Should I help that cousin?"

Hwaryun, who was playing with Ryeon's fan, asked.

Ryeon, trying to understand the postures and principles described in the book, moved her arm at an odd angle and glanced at Hwaryun.

"I think it would be good to study how to use the magical technique. It says here... Ah!"

Ryeon quickly understood the system of arm movements and looked at Hwaryun instead of the book.

Hwaryun's eyes flickered strangely as he looked at her.

"What if that cousin becomes stronger and becomes the head of the family?"

"If I want to be the head, I just need to be stronger than Sung-a."

"Are you not going to be the head?"

Hwaryun, sensing a subtle meaning in Ryeon's words, asked in surprise.

Ryeon, lying flat on her back, took the fan from Hwaryun and waved it, replying.

"I might, or I might not."

"If you don't, what will you do?"

His voice implied that there was nothing else left in life.

Ryeon, fanning herself, looked at Hwaryun over the fan.

Hwaryun

Trait: Heavenly Demon Sect / Some synchronization failed.

Martial Arts: Some synchronization failed.

Talents and Five Elements: Some synchronization failed.

Concerns: Some synchronization failed.

Still, nothing was synchronized, and only Hwaryun's name and one trait were visible.

'I feel a bit troubled.'

"Live a long life?"

"..."

Hwaryun frowned, as if hearing something absurd. This time, Ryeon countered.

"I was more worried about you. You said there was nothing interesting. At least now you'll learn martial arts, which is a great relief."

"Me? Worried?"

Ryeon, having said that much, suddenly sat up. Hwaryun looked both amused and puzzled.

"I'm not worried about what I'll do. I'm worried about what you'll do. This younger sister is really worrying."

Ryeon, sighing, made Hwaryun's eyes widen in surprise.

"Isn't it a bit much to worry about what a servant will do in the future?"

"You're not a servant, you're my younger brother, so you should call me by my name."

"..."

Hwaryun gave a small cough, and Ryeon realized that the boy was a bit embarrassed but didn't tease him.

"No one else calls me anything."

"Others... are just others."

Hwaryun, who treated her in a way that made it hard to believe he was an orphan servant, behaved skillfully when others were around.

Thanks to this, no one, including the nanny Zhang or other family members, had any complaints or concerns about Hwaryun's behavior.

Who would worry about the future of a mere servant who was doing his job properly?

"Anyway, you decided to learn martial arts, right? With Bia."

"Right. That's why I'm a bit relieved."

"Do you really want me to learn martial arts?"

Hwaryun's question felt like he was gauging something, but Ryeon nodded without hesitation, as if it were a conversation they had had many times before.