The return of the granddaughter of the Namgoong family

“What’s going on?”

“If something dangerous happens, what should we do? If we act ourselves, someone is bound to notice the guest’s identity.”

“Hm…”

Namgung Yeom rubbed his chin.

Although the guest had insisted on traveling alone, and this was the Namgung family’s domain, if something went wrong, it would tarnish the family’s reputation.

“Perhaps we should assign a guard…”

Namgung Yeom nodded.

“Choose people with light footsteps. Tell them not to intervene if possible.”

“Understood.”

“Good.”

The guest of Cheongakwon had returned to the Namgung family after a year. During her stay, nothing should be lacking.

“Prepare the tea and fresh food to match the time she returns. Also, get bath water and clothes ready. Make sure the meal is ready in case she asks for it.”

“Yes.”

Namgung Yeom gave another reminder.

“Be extremely careful to ensure the guest is not inconvenienced.”

“I will remember.”

***

There are six martial divisions in Namgung’s family.

The direct martial division under the head of the family is the Bipeong Sword Division.

Then, divided into five color-based divisions—Hwangryong, Cheongryong, Jeokryong, Baekryong, and Heukryong.

Among them, only the 1st to 10th squads of each division are recognized for their skills and are allowed to join the inner martial division. The others are called Geondan, the outer division warriors.

The training ground that Ilhwa had arrived at was the one belonging to the Jeokryong Squad, distinguished by red uniforms and belts with no patterns.

Inside the training ground, there were even children dressed in red uniforms, and at the center, on the sparring platform, the Jeokryong members were practicing their sword techniques.

“Great Sword Technique, First Form!”

“Ha!”

When someone with a golden stripe on their red belt shouted, the warriors wearing plain red belts immediately executed the opening form in unison.

Despite the dozen or so warriors moving together, there wasn’t a single lapse in their disciplined actions.

Ilhwa stood still for a moment, watching them perform the sword forms.

In her previous life, they would have collapsed after a single swing of the sword, so they had been of no interest to her. But now, things were different.

These individuals were the very foundation supporting Namgung. A tree with strong roots doesn’t easily fall.

They were the starting point for Namgung’s strength.

As she observed their swordsmanship with a serious gaze, Ilhwa couldn’t help but offer a brief reflection.

‘This isn’t swordsmanship.’

The movements, honed through countless training and repetition, were clean and precise, with no excess—technically impressive.

It was the foundational swordplay that supported Namgung, and it was flawless in its own right.

However, there was a huge flaw in their swordsmanship.

‘Have they never actually fought?’

The technique was flawless, but the swordsmanship was lacking.

What they had mastered wasn’t swordplay itself—it was just the motions.

To someone who didn’t know any better, it might have seemed perfect, but to Ilhwa, who had spent a lifetime facing Namgung’s swords, it was obvious.

‘If they ever actually fight, they’ll die before even using their techniques.’

No matter how basic their swordplay seemed, it wasn’t weak—it was simply the foundation. But these warriors were weak. Very weak.

‘They have a long way to go.’

With a short sigh, Ilhwa finished her evaluation and headed toward the weapon rack placed at one side of the training ground.

Knowing the problem didn’t mean she could immediately solve it, so she decided to set aside the swordsmanship of the Jeokryong members and focus on her own training.

Just as she was about to grab a wooden sword, a voice called out.

“Hey, there!”

Ilhwa turned toward the sound.

As expected, the person who had been leading the members of Jeokryong earlier, the one with the golden stripe on his belt, was now approaching her.

He was the leader of the Jeokryong 11th squad.

Without even bothering to wipe the sweat off his brow, he approached, dripping with perspiration, and glanced at the wooden sword Ilhwa had been about to grab.

“You can’t just touch anything. Those are for the children to play with, not for you to mess around with.”

Ilhwa looked over at one side of the training ground.

There, children around her age were also practicing swordsmanship.

Seeing Ilhwa’s gaze, the leader of the Jeokryong squad sneered.

“They’re different from you, kid. They’re actually learning how to use a sword. You, at best…”

He scanned Ilhwa’s appearance.

She wasn’t wearing the uniform, and her clothes didn’t seem particularly luxurious.

‘Just some kid who must have failed the warrior exam…’

It wasn’t uncommon for kids who failed to become warriors in the family to try sneaking in to learn secretly as Geondan.

Earlier, the way her eyes had brightened as she watched their training, and now wandering around the training ground like this—it all fit.

The Geondan cleaning crew.

‘I can’t believe I’m stuck dealing with this. Doesn’t the Geondan have someone to manage these kids?’

“You, kid.”

The Jeokryong squad leader stepped up close to Ilhwa.

The large shadow of the man loomed over Ilhwa.

“The sword is nothing. Just mimicking others won’t help you learn it properly. So, don’t go getting hit by splinters of a wooden sword, and go clean up instead.”

The man snatched the wooden sword from Ilhwa.

Ilhwa, who stared at the wooden sword for a moment after it was taken, then walked toward the weapon rack.

‘Oh?’

The Jeokryong squad leader, having tried to intimidate her by raising his voice, watched in disbelief as Ilhwa, without any concern, walked toward the weapon rack.

“Such a small thing…”

The squad leader stomped over and snatched the wooden sword that Ilhwa had just picked up.

Ilhwa furrowed her brow slightly as she looked at the wooden sword in his hand.

“Are you ignoring what an adult says? Where did you learn such poor manners? You really need a good lesson to learn some respect!”

“….”

“Where’s your supervisor? I’ll have them give you a proper scolding!”

Haa…

Ilhwa sighed.

She had come to the training ground hoping to avoid causing trouble, but now it seemed she had attracted more attention than she wanted.

‘Should I just leave?’

Maybe she should have gone straight to Cheongakwon’s training ground from the start.

As she hesitated for a moment, the squad leader’s forehead began to redden with anger.

Ilhwa’s indecision seemed to him like defiance.

“This…”

He gripped the wooden sword tightly, his hand cracking from the tension.

“You rude little brat…!”

The Jeokryong squad leader swung the wooden sword at Ilhwa’s calf.

But just as the wooden sword was about to hit her calf…

Thud. Clack.

Ilhwa lightly jumped off the ground, stepping on the swinging wooden sword with ease before landing back on the ground.

She didn’t even glance at the sword that was being swung.

‘Huh?’

The force behind the wooden sword seemed to vanish in an instant.

A strange stillness filled the air for a brief moment.

Thud—!

The Jeokryong squad leader, having lost his balance, collapsed to the ground unceremoniously.

“…?”

What just happened?

Why…?

The Jeokryong squad leader lay on the ground, blinking in confusion, unable to comprehend the situation.

Meanwhile, Ilhwa, the one who had caused his fall, casually picked up the fallen wooden sword and walked away from him without a care.

“Hahaha! Squad leader! What’s this, you’re on the ground while a little kid’s running wild?”

“Did you trip over your own feet? Trying to catch a kid, but got caught yourself! Hahaha!”

Some of his comrades, standing a little further away, burst into laughter when they saw him on the ground.

‘…!’

The squad leader’s face turned bright red with embarrassment.

There was no worse disgrace than this.

He couldn’t even catch a little kid and ended up falling flat on his face?

The only silver lining was that his comrades didn’t think he had been outdone by a child.

Unfortunately, the squad leader also didn’t realize that it was exactly what had happened.

“Stop right there!”

The Jeokryong squad leader quickly pushed himself up off the ground and stood, his fists clenched in anger.

The fact that no one had seen what had happened meant that no one had noticed the kid’s actions, but at that point, his judgment had already clouded.

‘I don’t know what trick she used…’

It must have been his own mistake.

“I said stop!”

After calling out twice, Ilhwa finally turned around, stopping in her tracks.

She looked at him with an expression that seemed to show how bothered she was.

The squad leader’s eyes burned with rage.

“Ah, so you think you can escape just like last time?”

Maybe she was lucky to dodge the first strike, but she wouldn’t escape again!

“I’ll break your legs and teach you some respect!”

Whoosh—

The squad leader swung his wooden sword, the air slicing with the fierce wind it created.

The wooden sword swung towards Ilhwa’s legs once more.

Thwack!

With a sharp sound, the wooden sword spun in the air, flying through the sky in a perfect arc.

The onlookers, who had been watching the scene, now followed the sword’s trajectory with their eyes.

It was Jeokryong’s sword that flew through the air.

‘Huh?’

The squad leader was once again left confused.

Before he could comprehend what had happened, the kid swung her arm.

Wham—!

“Ugh!”

A dull pain shot through his knee.

It felt like being struck with a thick club, a heavy and aching sensation.

Thud!

By the time he realized the cause of the pain, he was already kneeling in front of the child.

At the same time, his sword had flown off into the distance and landed on the ground, as the onlookers turned their attention back to the two of them.

“Gasp!”

“…!”

The eyes of the onlookers widened in shock.

Before they knew it, the Jeokryong squad leader was kneeling in front of the child.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Still unable to comprehend the situation, a shadow darkened the Jeokryong squad leader’s head.

“Are you going to do more?”

It was an unbelievably youthful voice.