The Fragile Elixer of the Fallen Clan

“Anyway! We need to find out. It might not be completely gone.”

“Oh, so they’re our enemies too?”

“In the martial arts world, there’s probably no one who isn’t their enemy. Anyway, they say knowing history helps us prepare for the future. So you need to study hard too, Ryun.”

At my words, Hwa-ryun made a face of disgust but didn’t run away from the spot. Instead, he uncovered the bowl he had brought. At the same time, I sprang up from my seat.

“Oh wow! Ice!”

Hwa-ryun, familiar with this routine, rummaged through my drawer, found a fan, and started fanning the ice in front of me. As the cool breeze from the ice brushed my cheek, my expression melted into a relaxed one.

“Wow… Where did you get ice?”

“I helped out a bit outside and got it.”

“Huh? What kind of work did you do to get ice?”

“The owner of the fabric shop had bought some ice for his sick son. I told him I would find some herbs to cure his son quickly, in exchange for the ice.”

My eyes widened in surprise.

Hwa-ryun spoke casually as he fanned me, but his eyes were checking my expression.

“You know about herbs? How did you…?”

“A kid from the slums had the same symptoms. He suddenly lost a lot of weight, became extremely pale, and nothing we gave him helped. I thought he was going to die. Then a passing monk said to give him black stone grass from the mountains. It worked.”

“I see…”

I noticed the cuffs of Hwa-ryun’s sleeves were stained a light yellow, as if he had been digging in the dirt and then washed it off. I also saw scratches between his fingers, like he had been digging with his bare hands.

“Are you still hot, even with the ice?”

“No, it’s cool! Really cool. I love it. But, um, Ryun, are you really not going to learn martial arts?”

“Here and now?”

Hwa-ryun stopped fanning and looked at me. I quickly nodded.

“I still haven’t learned all the characters. Didn’t you say I have to know them all before learning anything else?”

I took the fan from his hand and fanned him, grumbling as I did. “Don’t lie. You already know them all.”

But despite my words, he shrugged and pouted. ‘No, I really don’t know yet,’ he seemed to say. I wanted to push him more but decided against it. Maybe if he saw others practicing, he’d get interested eventually.

Especially since Dan Mok-bi is around the same age, watching him might change his mind. ‘And at this age, interests can change quickly.’

If he realizes he has talent, he might find it fun. But if he still isn’t interested…

‘Although it would be a shame, it might actually be a good thing.’

If he isn’t interested, it means that in the future I saw, Hwa-ryun was forced to do something he really hated. This time, he might be able to avoid that.

“So, why are you learning martial arts? To become the best in the world?” Hwa-ryun asked, taking the fan back and fanning me again.

I was internally struggling with what to teach him that would help his future, but was surprised by his question. He blinked, waiting for my answer. I shook my head.

“No.”

“No?”

“Becoming the best in the world isn’t something you can just decide to do.”

“Why not? You just have to become the strongest among martial artists.”

“Well, yeah, but…” Was this the mindset of a former demon sect leader? I widened my eyes in surprise, then smiled gently, like soothing a child.

“It’s not that simple.”

“Then why learn martial arts? To create the best martial arts family?” 

“…Why do you like being the best so much?” Hwa-ryun blinked his big eyes, staring at me intently, as if to say nothing else mattered if you weren’t the best.

‘Is now the right time to teach him about character?’ I clenched my fist and began to speak slowly.

“Ryu, it’s great to work hard and become strong, but you don’t have to be the best in the world. I just want us all to be happy and live long lives together.”

“What if someone takes that away?”

“That’s why… I just want to become strong enough to protect those around me.”

“What if the strongest person tries to take it?”

Is he a child? Competing to see who is stronger is just so typical of his age. I smiled and gently stroked his cheek.

“Then I’ll ask my friends for help.”

“You don’t have any friends.”

“…Uh… What do you mean? Of course, I do.”

“I’ve never seen any.”

“I’ll have some in the future. And you’re my friend, too.” Hwa-ryun looked both amused and slightly sulky, making it hard to read his expression.

“But you said we’re like siblings.”

“Well… we are. That’s why we help each other out even more.”

“But I don’t know any martial arts.”

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t know martial arts.”

“How can I help you if I don’t know any?”

“Just being here with me helps! You give me strength.”

“But I told you, I don’t know martial arts.”

“I’m telling you, it doesn’t matter.”

‘Just being alive and with me gives me strength.’ I spoke each word clearly.

But instead, Hwa-ryun’s eyes became distant, almost sad. It was like he was watching a child trying to catch the moon’s reflection in a pond or praying to a moon goddess.

“Ryun, Ryu-na?”

“Sigh…”

“Why! Why are you making that face?”

“It’s nothing.”

Hwa-ryun shook his head, a gesture that seemed unusually mature for his age.

***

Time passed, and one morning, as the cicadas’ cries faded and the sweet scent of osmanthus filled the air, I finally made a decision. The sun had just started to rise, and the household was quiet.

When I quietly opened the door, there was no one around. My nurse was probably busy preparing my breakfast.

The only one who noticed me was the guard outside my room, who looked surprised. I put a finger to my lips and whispered, “Shh.”

“Miss… where are you going? The nurse isn’t here yet,” the guard said anxiously, taking off his vest and offering it to me. It wasn’t the best quality, but he couldn’t go into my room to get a coat, so it was the best he could do.

I adjusted the vest, which nearly reached my legs. I wasn’t particularly cold, but I didn’t want to refuse his kind gesture, so I extended my hand to him. He looked confused.

“Yes?”

“Your hand.”

“Oh! Yes!”

“I want to go to Jaekyung Pavilion.”

“Um, now, to Jaekyung Pavilion?”

I nodded, gently shaking his hand, and led the way. The guard hesitated, glancing back at the house, but eventually followed me, holding my hand.

Jeong was fumbling, not knowing how to handle a child, but I didn’t think he was clumsy. The words that appeared on his sleeve as I touched it proved that.

Name: Jeong

Traits: Honesty / Perseverance / Determined / Tenacity

Nakseong Twelve Swords: 5 stars

Infinite Steps: 3 stars

Meteor Formation: 3 stars

Aptitude and Stars: Mid-High

Concern: Why did Dan Mok-ryeon wake up so early?

Advice: Trust in perseverance and tenacity. They can sometimes surpass innate talent.

His hands had calluses, and even at this early hour, his eyes were bright and clear. Glancing down, I could see that even while walking slowly, he was practicing his steps. He was someone who never neglected his training.

‘How did someone like him end up just guarding my quarters?’

A person like him should be training to join the elite squad, the Meteor Eighteen Soldiers of the Dan Mok family.

‘Could it be due to internal politics? No, that can’t be it.’ The family’s situation was too dire for power struggles.

‘Is there anything I can do to help him?’

I secretly activated my inner sight. Shimmering fragments like starlight appeared over my eyes. At that moment, I realized what I had seen when I first met Hwa-ryun. Inner sight with four stars could see flaws, and harmony with four stars could break misalignments. This meant…

‘I can see his flaws and how to fix them!’

I could see the problem with Jeong’s steps that was slowing his progress and how to correct it.