Chapter 65

* * *

In front of the sparring platform, Danmookseong clenched his fists tightly and muttered to himself.

"The future of the Danmook family rests on my shoulders..."

Ryeon, who heard the voice from beside her, turned her head slightly.

It was a day when the autumn breeze blew pleasantly, the leaves rustled, and the retainers of the Jinka family gathered at a distance to watch.

Some people feel the burden and make mistakes when they sense pressure, while others feel a sense of mission and work harder. Danmookseong was the latter, but in his past life, no matter how hard he tried, it was to no avail.

Thinking about it made his heart ache a little.

'Seong, even then...'

She recalled Danmookseong sending off Danmookbi first.

In the midst of people reaching out to the declining family like flies to rotting food, Danmookseong and Danmookbi, along with their family, struggled.

Ryeon neatly adjusted Danmookseong's martial arts uniform and wrapped her slightly cold hands with her own, though her hands were a bit smaller.

"Danmook Ryeon, what are you doing?"

"I'm cheering for Seong."

Danmookseong, feeling ticklish from the contact, slightly shrugged his shoulders, took a few deep breaths, and then shook off Ryeon's hand.

"I don't need to worry. I'm already fine, even if you don't."

Although he didn't shake off her hand immediately, Ryeon only smiled and didn't point it out.

As Danmookseong stepped onto the sparring platform, Jin Jongha also appeared.

Dressed in a splendid silk martial arts uniform and wearing a hero's sash, he was a tall and handsome young man who clearly grew up in luxury.

One of the Jinka family's warriors rang the bell to signal the start of the sparring.

At the same time, Danmookseong and Jin Jongha bowed to each other and drew their practice swords, which had no sharp edges.

"Hmph. I'll show you just how excellent our sword techniques are!"

"Will you even be able to tell?"

Danmookseong retorted, his eyes narrowing fiercely.

"Quiet!"

The one who stepped in was Jin Jikgyeol. Unlike Ryeon's sparring, there was no third party, so he had to step in as the highest-ranking person.

"This is a sparring to learn from each other! Understand? No underhanded tactics or assassins are allowed. You must fight fairly and not mock your opponent."

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

Jin Jikgyeol stepped back from the sparring platform, and at the same time, the two young people clashed.

And the starlight shimmered in their eyes, which were now focused.

"Haah!"

Danmookseong took the first step and moved his body. Jin Jongha, sensing the approaching sword, twisted his arm to block it and moved forcefully to the other side.

The situation was quite different from Ryeon's sparring.

It was a battle of swords, and Jin Jongha had clearly grown a step further since his practice with Ryeon.

'I didn't think Seong would win easily...'

There was an age difference—Jin Jongha was two years older—and although Seong had been practicing sword techniques for a long time, he had only learned swordsmanship for a month. It was unrealistic to think he could win easily.

However, since Seong had experienced the Jinka family's sword techniques, she had given him a crash course, hoping it would be somewhat effective. But Jin Jongha was unexpectedly tough.

'Besides, I thought Jin Jongha would look down on Seong. Did I push him too hard last time?'

Although Seong was bigger than Ryeon, he was smaller than Jin Jongha and had only been learning for a month. It was not going as smoothly as expected.

"Ugh!"

"Thud!"

The two young people clashed again. At first, it seemed that Danmookseong was at a disadvantage, but he gradually regained his momentum.

At the moment when the two swords met, Ryeon thought she met Danmookseong's eyes over Jin Jongha's shoulder and unconsciously clenched her fist.

"Haah!"

However, the two people's battle did not end easily.

Danmookseong's clever attacks were blocked by Jin Jongha's solid defense, and Jin Jongha's hidden-direction techniques were countered by Danmookseong's quick thinking.

Jin Jongha's hero's sash had long fallen off, and his clothes were tattered with dirt and sweat.

Danmookseong was in a similar state. His neatly tied hair was now messy, and he had scrapes on his hands and cheeks.

Both were breathing heavily, and their sword swings were gradually slowing down when Jin Jikgyeol and Danmook Hyonyo, who were watching from outside the sparring platform, met each other's eyes and nodded simultaneously.

Jin Jikgyeol signaled to the warrior guarding the sparring platform, who lightly leaped onto the platform and held the practice swords of the two young people with both hands.

"Sparring stop! Since the match has lasted over an hour without a clear winner, it is declared a draw."

As soon as the draw was announced, Danmook Hyonyo rushed to the sparring platform.

Danmook Hyonyo, with a face almost in tears, hurriedly wiped her daughter's face with her sleeve.

Danmookseong, who was frowning with sweat, seemed to finally recognize the draw.

"Mom, Mom..."

Danmook Hyonyo, feeling a deep sense of injustice for not being able to determine a winner, bit her lip and furrowed her brow.

"You did very well. Seong, you did very well!"

"...Aunt."

"You've only been learning for a month and fought to a draw with the Jinka family's successor. What a great achievement! You did well!"

"Ah, Aunt!"

Danmook Hyonyo, who followed, silently listened to Danmook Hyonyo's words, but as her words became more uncontrollable, she quickly intervened.

Meanwhile, Song Buin of the Jinka family was also holding her son, Jin Jongha.

"Oh, you! To a martial artist, winning and losing is a common occurrence!"

"Ugh... Mom..."

Jin Jongha, with red eyes, was trying to hold back his tears by biting his lip.

"Our son fought well. As long as he did his best, that's enough. He can work harder in the future!"

"But... I can do better! Martial artists don't just fight for a moment and then stop, even in life-or-death battles!"

Jin Jongha, stubbornly insisting, almost dropped his sword as his hand trembled.

Song Buin quickly caught Jin Jongha's sword and passed it to the other warriors.

The people of the Danmook family and the Jinka family were looking at each other with strange expressions.

While Danmook Hyonyo was stiff with tension, Wijichung smiled and stepped between them.

"Our Lady Hyonyo loves her daughter so much that she couldn't even watch the sparring properly."

Her words, implying that she was too loving, made the Jinka family's head cough.

"Madam, please stop and come over here."

"Oh."

Song Buin, with an embarrassed expression, sighed and stroked her son's cheek before returning to her husband, Jin Jikgyeol.

Jin Jikgyeol's expression stiffened for a moment, not seeing his son win decisively.

"Huh."

Jin Jikgyeol, however, sighed deeply and briefly to contain his disappointment.

What could he do! The sparring result, which everyone had seen, couldn't be changed.

Jin Jongha, after the intense sparring, drank a lot of water and, after staring at Danmookseong with red eyes for a while, took a deep breath and raised his hand, shouting.

"Father! Mother! Lady Danmook, Head of the Inner Hall, Head of the Outer Hall! Then we will go to review the sparring!"

"Ah, no, Jongha. What are you going to do looking like that?"

Song Youngrang, disapproving, tried to stop him. Jin Jongha, who had raised his hand, shrank his shoulders.

"Since Lady Seong also had a fierce sparring, it would be good for both of them to change their clothes and review the sparring. We can also prepare some snacks."

By then, Danmook Hyonyo had regained her composure and looked at Song Youngrang and Jin Jikgyeol, who was standing behind her. Her gaze was filled with unspoken emotions.

Jin Jikgyeol said nothing. Danmook Hyonyo turned her head to look at Wijichung, who was standing beside her. Wijichung, with a faint smile, gently held and patted Danmook Hyonyo's hand.

At that moment, Danmook Hyonyo exhaled and smiled at Jin Jikgyeol and Song Youngrang.

"We also brought some snacks and small gifts. It's fortunate that we can share them together."

As soon as Danmook Hyonyo gave her permission, Song Youngrang smiled broadly and sent the two young people to the servants.

* * *

It was an unbearably awkward time.

Ryeon suppressed a sigh that was rising to her throat and gently waved the jade fan in her hand.

Jin Jongha

Trait: Forward-looking / A sapling growing in the shade / Burning

Jinwoo-do: 3 stars

Jinwoo-shin-gong: 2 stars (1▲)

Yuyeong-bo: 3 stars (1▲)

Talent and Five Virtues: Medium-High (中-上)

Concern: How can I review the sparring with Danmook Ryeon?

Danmookseong

Trait: Bamboo / Consistent / Forward-looking

Nakseong-sip-i-geum: 2 stars

Heukpung-dancheon-do: 2 stars (新)

Muhwan-bo: 4 stars (1▲)

Talent and Five Virtues: Medium-High (中-上)

Concern: I didn't win!

Whether it was because they were young or because they both had outstanding talents, their skills were improving rapidly.

"However..."

Ryeon was about to ask why she was there to review the sparring.

But when she met the simultaneous and desperate gazes of the two, she closed her mouth again.