Chapter 73

After playing shadow games for a while, bickering and making their fingers ache, they toppled over.

During the brief, natural silence that followed, Ryeon stared at Hwaryun, who was sprawled out on the chair, and felt a bit guilty, so she ruffled his hair.

Hwaryun, after playing to his heart's content, grumbled that he was being tormented, but unlike usual, he left Ryeon's hand alone.

"You don't have to worry at all."

"I'm not worried."

"You're so cute, it's a relief."

"What did you say?"

"If you weren't, I'd give you a hundred spanks, really."

Ryeon pretended to spank Hwaryun, then tidied his hair and grabbed his hands.

At first, his hands were rough and small, but they had grown a bit and become softer.

'Sigh. I've even made my younger siblings worry.'

Ryeon steeled her resolve.

For herself, for her worried younger siblings, and most importantly, for Danmok Hyunwoo himself, she couldn't afford to stagnate.

'I'll settle everything in one go!'

* * *

In the deepest part of Wolyoungjae, the sound of pouring tea quietly echoed. Ryeon, infusing the tea with refined spirit energy, offered it. Danmok Cheon-gi closed his eyes and savored the aroma.

The scars on Danmok Cheon-gi's face remained, but he looked more at ease.

"I thought you would continue to study the Dao."

"I told you I would only stay until Seong-a's sparring match."

"Hmph. I thought you would get so interested that you would stay. You said it was fun to learn together with your sister."

Ryeon smiled at Danmok Cheon-gi's sharp words.

"I have to keep learning swordsmanship from Grandfather. Swords are the most fun!"

Ryeon, who had somewhat appeased her grandfather's grumbling, glanced down at the fan spread on her lap.

Danmok Cheon-gi

Traits: Protector of the Martial World / Tendon Collector / Biyi Bird / Witnessed the Trajectory of Stars

Nakseong 12 Swords: 12 stars

Wuhanbo: 12 stars

Yuseong Jinjeol: 11 stars

Talent and Five Elements: Upper-Middle (上-中)

Concerns: Danmok Ryeon's strength, his own duties

Help: Now there is plenty of time. Do not be hasty about anything.

Ryeon gradually realized that this information didn't tell her everything.

It didn't reveal the more gentle aura of Danmok Cheon-gi or the deeper resonance of his inner energy.

'I have to figure it out myself, I guess.'

"I plan to call in the collateral children to the family before attending the Gyeonghang Yunryeon next spring."

"Yes, I heard."

Due to the family's difficult circumstances, the education and training of the collateral children had been delayed.

"Is Seol Geokju chattering away?"

Danmok Cheon-gi, narrowing his eyes, asked. Ryeon, looking at the tea leaves, replied.

"It's all my money, so of course he should tell me. Who else would he tell?"

"It's the money from selling the items made by the family's pharmacy, isn't it?"

"Then should I leave the cost of materials to the family and keep the rest for myself?"

"Would you do that?"

Ryeon asked playfully, but received a more serious response than she expected.

Surprised, she looked up. Danmok Cheon-gi had a calm expression.

"Take it. It's your money. That's right."

Ryeon understood Danmok Cheon-gi's thoughts.

"Are you worried that if you don't make me the head of the family later, it will be because of this money?"

"..."

Danmok Cheon-gi's eyes deepened upon hearing Ryeon's response.

Ryeon plans to use the money she earned to repair the decaying manor, pay the loyal servants, and start the education of the collateral children that had been delayed.

Thanks to Ryeon's help, Danmok Cheon-gi recovered from his injuries, Danmok Hanso gained new insights, and Danmok Seong found her place, but these were invisible achievements.

"Are you worried that I'll throw a tantrum and cry if you don't make me the head of the family?"

Ryeon laughed at her own words.

Danmok Cheon-gi, trying to calm his frustration at seeing such a Ryeon, noticed her eyes momentarily drift away and return.

"No. I'm worried that when you inherit the family, people will say you became the head because of your money."

Danmok Cheon-gi couldn't deny or continue speaking.

He knew Ryeon's abilities and was inclined towards her, but only those at a high position could see far ahead.

Those at a lower position needed to be shown light close to them.

That light was martial arts.

"Didn't you say you would try to refine my spirit energy?"

Danmok Cheon-gi sighed.

"But if you can't, are you worried about that?"

"...Yes."

"Then if I recover all my money, how will you recruit new disciples?"

"Money... Money can be found anywhere."

"Since I haven't asked the Fenglinzhanchang for help so far, this would be the first and last time, right?"

"...Yes."

The family was crumbling, but he hadn't thought of seeking help through his daughter's in-laws because even if he opened a path with their help, he couldn't see where it would lead.

Danmok Cheon-gi admitted that he had been frustrated.

He should have lit a fire and found a path when he couldn't see the way, but he hadn't.

He couldn't.

Once considered the best in the world, he couldn't even overcome his injuries and couldn't accept his current state, which was not as capable as before. Seeing his son, who had sacrificed himself for the martial world, being forgotten, he couldn't sleep at night. Therefore, he had done nothing and watched his daughter struggle.

With his granddaughter providing a stepping stone, it was his duty to step up.

He was still Danmok Cheon-gi, the Grand Patriarch of the Danmok family.

Ryeon, looking at her grandfather, lowered her eyes.

"Grandfather."

"Yes."

"You gave me the Manneonjigokhyeol. That's the value."

"Don't be insolent! Who returns the cost of medicine to their granddaughter?"

"Yu Seongdo also lost his inner energy, didn't he? That's something that can't be bought with money."

"That's something to thank him for. And you don't know, but he also surpassed his limits because of you."

Ryeon smiled, already knowing this.

"That's just because he's an extraordinary martial artist."

"There's no way."

"Rather, I thought about why he would do so much for me, who can't even speak properly."

There was only one reason.

Because he was loyal to Danmok Cheon-gi, and he loved the Danmok family as much as Danmok Cheon-gi did.

"He doesn't care about wealth or high positions. He just wants the Danmok family to thrive. I thought he might consider it a way to repay his loyalty."

Just because he was loyal to the Danmok family, he tried to help the granddaughter of his lord, and was willing to give his irreplaceable time.

Did he regret it in his past life?

Waking up but dying young, and still being sick until the end, seeing Danmok Ryeon.

Seeing his inner energy futilely dissipate in her veins...

Ryeon shook off the gloomy thoughts. That was the past, now gone.

"...Ryeon."

"There must be a way. If there isn't, I'll create one. Don't worry."

Ryeon, sensing the heavy atmosphere, quickly changed the subject.

"Grandfather, since I spent a lot of money, can I choose a few of the collateral children?"

"You yourself?"

Not all collateral children are accepted as martial artists of the family. They are chosen and taught after their talent and perseverance are confirmed.

So, Ryeon planned to choose those with outstanding talent from the status window.

'Talking about it, it sounds like a favor.'

Like giving a few people you want a position with some money.

If Ryeon hadn't been a sickly child who only held her ground until she was nine, she might have really done that.

"Choosing disciples who will be the pillars of the family is not the same as choosing a friend. You know that, right?"

"Of course. Grandfather, someone who earns money can't waste it."

In fact, the more she worked hard to earn money, the more she felt the urge to spend it lavishly, but the strong desire to revive the family prevented her from doing so.

"Are you a martial family's child or a merchant's child? Where did you learn such talk... sigh."

Danmok Cheon-gi, hearing Ryeon's haughty words, clicked his tongue and tried to scold her but ended up laughing.

"It's a promise!"

"Alright, alright."

"And..."

"Again?!"

"Now that the children are coming in, we need instructors to teach them. About that..."

Ryeon leaned in and whispered softly.