NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4 - The Precious Gift
Dan Mok-cheon-gi’s energy shifted slightly, reacting to the eager sparkle in my eyes.
“What are you thinking about, pouting like a little duckling?” he asked.
Startled, I quickly covered my mouth with both hands. But inside, I couldn’t help but smile a little. Despite everything, Grandfather found me endearing.
“Hm. Come closer,” he said, as if challenging me.
I was pleasantly surprised by his tone. I hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward confidently. Grandfather, seated in his grand chair, seemed a bit taken aback by my straightforward approach.
“You’ve come all this way to show your gratitude. I can’t send you away empty-handed,” he said, untying a jade ornament from his waist and handing it to the chief steward.
The steward’s eyes widened in surprise before he carefully took the ornament and presented it to me.
“Thank you, Grandfather!” I said, accepting the jade ornament without hesitation. It was a beautifully crafted piece, polished to a shine, exuding a cool, refreshing energy.
But then…
‘What?’
I felt a strange sensation, as if I had just put my hand into an empty basket. At the same time, words appeared over the jade ornament.
[High-Quality Yang Jade, Handled by a Top Martial Artist: Energy Capacity 14]
‘Energy capacity? What does that mean?’ I wondered, and as soon as I thought it, the words shifted.
“Would you like to store energy?”
Help: High-quality stones can store energy. The better the stone, the more energy it can hold.
‘Yes! I want to store it!’ I thought eagerly.
Energy: 49/100 (14▼)
Immediately, I felt energy draining from my fingertips, and the red glow in my energy meter faded. My body felt lighter, almost as if a burden had been lifted.
‘So, good stones can store energy?’ I thought, marveling at this new discovery. This was the first time I’d learned something like this. I looked down at the jade ornament Grandfather had given me, now seeing it in a completely new light.
‘I never had much chance to handle such treasures before… our family’s circumstances…’
And I had never been this close to Grandfather either. Suddenly, the jade seemed more beautiful than any gem I’d ever seen. Dan Mok-cheon-gi, who had gifted it to me, now appeared to glow with a kind of halo in my eyes.
Seeing my radiant smile as I gazed at the ornament, Grandfather seemed a bit flustered.
“Ahem, do you like it?” he asked, almost cautiously.
“Yes! Grandfather, I love it! It’s wonderful! Thank you so much!” I could feel tears of joy welling up. I had been so worried about keeping my energy below 50, and now it was solved in an instant!
“Good, good. But why are you crying? The heir to our family shouldn’t be so emotional! Stop crying at once!” he scolded lightly.
“I’m not crying!” I said quickly, wiping my tears away. Grandfather watched me and cleared his throat, looking both proud and slightly awkward.
“Then it’s settled. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, Father. You’ve already given Ryeon the medicine…” My mother, Wi Ji-chung, smiled politely, trying to decline any further generosity, but my thoughts were racing.
There was something urgent I needed right now!
“Oh! Grandfather, I do have something!”
“Hm. And what is that? Speak up, my dear. As the heir of this family, you should boldly express your desires.” Grandfather seemed to appreciate my straightforwardness, while Mother looked a bit uncomfortable but didn’t scold me.
“Grandfather, I want to learn martial arts!” I blurted out, my heart pounding. But as soon as I said it, it felt like a cold wind blew through the room, and everything went silent.
‘What… what’s going on?’ I wondered, confused by their reactions. I had expected them to be pleased that I wanted to learn martial arts.
“You want to learn martial arts?” Grandfather finally asked, his voice slow and measured.
“Yes, I’m already eight years old, and I don’t know anything yet…”
Before he could respond, Mother gently pulled me closer, her expression unreadable.
“Ryeon, dear, how about waiting until you’re a bit healthier before starting martial arts?”
“But I’m already…”
Except when my energy built up, I felt completely fine. But then I saw the tears welling up in my mother’s eyes, I trailed off.
“Oh, Mother. Please don’t cry…”
“I’m not crying. It’s just… Ryeon, you…”
With my mother on the verge of tears and my grandfather at a loss for words, how could I bring up martial arts again?
‘Are they that worried about me?’ I wondered. Having a daughter who was practically a living corpse must make them anxious about every step I took. I concluded that was why they were so protective.
“Then, I’ll learn martial arts later!” I said quickly, trying to ease their worries.
“Yes, that’s a good idea. My dear Ryeon is so understanding,” my mother replied with visible relief.
“When the time comes, I will teach you myself. So, Ryeon, and you too, Wi Ji-chung, don’t worry and focus on your recovery,” Grandfather added, his tone both firm and gentle.
“Yes, Grand Elder,” Mother replied, bowing slightly and holding me close.
Grandfather waved his hand, signaling the end of the conversation, but there was no harshness in his gesture, just a quiet finality.
***
“She’s walking well…” I heard Grandfather note later.
“Doctor He said her body is still weak and she needs to be careful, but other than that, she’s remarkably bright and healthy,” I overheard Chief Steward Kang Rip reply.
“For the past seven, almost eight years, Wi Ji-chung has worked tirelessly,” Kang Rip added, his voice thick with emotion. I knew my father’s dedication had kept me alive, even when I couldn’t respond or cry out in pain. Despite being frail herself before giving birth to me, my mother had defied everyone’s advice, given birth, and miraculously regained her health to care for me.
“She doesn’t seem to be a fool, listening to her talk,” Grandfather remarked.
“Indeed, Doctor He was amazed by her intelligence.”
“Hm. She spoke to me without flinching, even after seeing my face.”
I knew about the scars Grandfather bore, left by the poison inflicted by the Blood Demon Valley twenty-five years ago. The wounds were so severe that no treatment could fully heal them, leaving him with a fearsome appearance that few could meet without fear.
“That’s right.”
“Even my son, Hyeon-seong, was like that…”
“Master…”
“Even if I am the Grand Elder!” Grandfather’s eyes turned fierce, and I imagined Chief Steward Kang Rip quickly lowering his gaze. Comparing his late son, renowned for his talent, with me, his recently awakened granddaughter, had stirred painful memories.
“If talking and walking a bit means being bright, then there isn’t a dull child in Hangzhou,” Grandfather remarked.
“That may be true, but…” Chief Steward Kang Rip trailed off, and I thought, ‘But I’ve only been awake for a few months.’
Still, I could tell Grandfather’s demeanor had improved dramatically since I woke up. He seemed genuinely happy. After all, I was his beloved granddaughter.
“Ryeon’s martial arts training will be decided based on her health. Make sure no one brings up martial arts around her until then.”
“Yes!” Kang Rip bowed.
Grandfather glanced out the window, watching as my mother and I walked away.
***
Jeon, one of the servants in the Dan family’s kitchen, hadn’t been working there long. With few workers, he was responsible for various chores—checking and organizing the daily food supplies, cleaning the kitchen, and collecting fresh eggs from the small backyard coop.
Despite his current menial tasks, Jeon harbored a long-held dream of becoming the finest chef in Zhejiang.
“Is this the right way to mix it?” I heard him muttering to himself, sounding worried. I wondered if he felt like his dream might slip away if he made a mistake now.
Before noon, I decided to visit the small chicken coop in the backyard. As I approached, I noticed the young man there, clearly flustered when he saw me. I was used to people reacting like that, especially when they recognized the pristine white garments I wore. It used to be white silk embroidered with silver, but now it was simpler—though such white clothes were still rare.
I could see Jeon was nervous, so I spoke confidently to ease his worry.
“When do we feed the chickens?”
I had come all this way, wanting to help feed the chickens. For Jeon, it probably seemed strange, mixing chicken feed with the family’s heir. Even the Nanny who watched over me seemed to share his unease. But I didn’t mind. I was just curious and wanted to help.