Chapter 4 – The Martial Arts World Without Demons (4)
“Sword. That’s not how you use it.”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s words, who had been watching from behind, made my head go blank for a moment. Is she going to give me a lecture here?
Well, that’s not important… Wait, wasn’t Hong Yeon-hwa at least at a beginner’s level in martial arts?
“What the hell are you talking about?”
At my words, Hong Yeon-hwa extended her index finger and said,
“Tae-san Ab-jeong, Hwang-so Cheon-gun, Pal-bang Pung-u’s combination. It’s a modified version of the Sam-jae Swordsmanship. And also a modified version of the Pal-bang Bo-go.”
“That’s right.”
The name sounds cool, but the Sam-jae Swordsmanship is just the most basic of the basics of swordsmanship, consisting of vertical cuts, horizontal cuts, and stabs.
By the way, Pal-bang Bo-go is a basic third-class technique that moves in the directions of front, back, left, right, and diagonal. It is also a basic technique like the Sam-jae Swordsmanship.
Although my master has tinkered with it, the martial arts I displayed earlier was ultimately just an application of the Sam-jae Swordsmanship and Pal-bang Bo-go.
It’s not surprising that Hong Yeon-hwa knows both of them since they are both basic martial arts. However, her insight, which saw through them with just one glance, is impressive.
“Your stance was excellent. It’s always right to have a solid foundation. However, that’s all it is. Your swordsmanship is just a practice sword. It lacks power and practicality. …Maybe you can repay your debt of gratitude faster than you think.”
After saying that much, Hong Yeon-hwa took a breath and said seriously,
“I’ll teach you the Mang-ryong Pa-cheon Swordsmanship. It’s a rising martial arts that is highly regarded even within the Heavenly Demon Sect, and it doesn’t require magic, so it will go well with the mental techniques you’ve learned.”
“Ah, no need.”
“That’s right. You thought well. Actually, it’s a bit lacking compared to the value of the lady… Huh?!”
Did she think I would accept it? Hong Yeon-hwa, who was nodding her head satisfactorily, suddenly opened her eyes wide and jumped up.
“Why, why is that?! Is it because of the martial arts you learned from your master? If that’s the case, don’t worry! I’m not telling you to abandon your existing martial arts, just to learn one more. What’s the problem…”
“No, it’s not like that, so calm down.”
They say that the limit of a human being is the first class. Beyond that are those who have abilities that exceed the limits of human beings.
That’s why, although there may be a difference in the time it takes, anyone can reach the first class if they work hard. But the peak is different.
To reach a level beyond the peak, you need a catalyst like enlightenment or elixirs. Rising martial arts are also one of those catalysts.
It has power, but it also contains advanced martial arts knowledge, so if you keep practicing, you can naturally break through the peak.
It’s a martial art that I urgently need since I’m stuck at the first-class wall…
“That’s because I have no talent, so even if you teach me, I won’t be able to master it.”
“…What?”
Hong Yeon-hwa frowned as if she had heard something incredibly strange.
Is it really that surprising?
Although it was great that I was reborn in the martial arts world, I had no talent for it. I was so lacking in talent that my master could create new martial arts that I could learn faster than he could teach me his own martial arts.
Thanks to that, I was able to learn a unique mental technique that contained all of my master’s enlightenment, but I couldn’t learn any martial arts above third-class.
It was just too difficult…
Of course, I didn’t think that what Hong Yeon-hwa was offering to teach me was the incredible Mang-ryong Pa-cheon Swordsmanship.
I shouldn’t forget that Hong Yeon-hwa’s mind is a bit strange. It’s unlikely that a merchant family would have an advanced martial art.
However, it might be a decent martial art. At least better than the Sam-jae Swordsmanship. But I probably won’t be able to learn it.
“Just move as the lady tells you for now.”
I explained the situation briefly, but Hong Yeon-hwa still couldn’t believe that she was trying to teach me the Mang-ryong Pa-cheon Swordsmanship.
And it took a while for her to finally understand.
“Amazing. Really… Hmph… Amazing.”
Hong Yeon-hwa bit her lip, trying not to curse.
“Then the only way to improve your skills is through real combat or combat-like training… But it’s impossible for you right now.”
“Well, that’s true. Then I’ll ask for combat training when the time comes. For now, the top priority is to recover. You haven’t forgotten, have you? You woke up today?”
“Um… I understand.”
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded her head at my words.
By the way, the surroundings were now bathed in the red light of the setting sun. I should prepare dinner before it gets completely dark.
***
By the time I finished my work and was about to fall asleep, it was already late. This house was originally built by my master to live alone, so there were no separate rooms. Only the kitchen and bathroom were separated.
So what that means is… I have to sleep in the same room as Hong Yeon-hwa.
…We slept in the same room even when she was unconscious for four days.
At that time, she was so still that I thought of her as more of a fragrant totem than a person.
Creak.
Although we kept some distance, my body still tensed up involuntarily when I heard her moving around.
Is it because I realize that we’re in the same space?
In the end, I barely managed to fall asleep after opening and closing my eyes for quite some time.
And the next day…
I woke up early in the morning, as usual, and turned my head slightly to see Hong Yeon-hwa sleeping peacefully a short distance away. I stared at her for a moment before realizing that now was not the time to be doing that.
I tiptoed out of the room, careful not to wake her up.
Life in this era was a constant inconvenience for me, with fundamental infrastructure differences causing all sorts of problems. One of them being the lack of running water, which meant I had to go fetch water every day. But at least that’s how I found Hong Yeon-hwa.
She was already awake and had fetched more water than usual. As I carefully placed the water jug in the kitchen to prevent it from spilling, I noticed that the door, which I had closed, was slightly ajar.
“Are you here?”
Inside, I saw Hong Yeon-hwa, wrapped in a blanket, struggling to maintain her balance.
“What were you doing?”
“Can’t you see? I was tidying up the blanket.”
“…Were you about to suffocate under it?”
Hong Yeon-hwa was outraged at my comment but didn’t have the energy to say anything else. Her lips were tightly pursed, her arms trembling, and her legs barely keeping her upright. It was as if she was carrying something much heavier than her own weight, but her pride wouldn’t let her give up.
I took the blanket from her arms.
“Here, give it to me.”
“Ah! N-no, I can do it myself!”
Hong Yeon-hwa was startled and jumped up and down, causing her ample chest to bounce around.
It was always a pleasant sight. I realized now that Hong Yeon-hwa didn’t know how her chest would look to others. Or rather, she didn’t think anyone would see her in a sexual way. That’s why she was so close to me, jumping around as if her body was on fire.
I tried to control my face as I held her down and spread the blanket on the floor. Looking back, it seemed like she had just folded the blanket instead of spreading it out. I quickly folded it up and put it in the closet.
“Snap.”
“Ah, ah…”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s expression became a little gloomy. She must have been disappointed in herself for not being able to even spread a blanket properly, despite trying to make up for the food she ate.
I patted her slumped shoulders and she started making excuses.
“This, this isn’t it! If only my inner strength had returned, I could have spread this blanket easily!”
“Don’t worry too much. Let’s try doing things one at a time instead of trying to do everything at once,” I said to Hong Yeon-hwa.
After that, Hong Yeon-hwa tried to do the dishes, clean, cook, or do something, but she failed at everything.
Finally, it was time to finish the day after dinner.
She was full of confidence until yesterday, according to her brain’s settings, but now she was just staring blankly into space.
“Well, maybe that’s it. I lost my inner strength.”
“Inner strength…”
In the dark room with only one candle as the only source of light, Hong Yeon-hwa slowly nodded her head in agreement with my words.
“That’s right. My inner strength. That’s the problem. When I first woke up, I thought I just ran out of energy. It was such a fierce battle, you know. But now I know that’s not the case.”
She sighed again and spoke in a voice that oozed a deep sense of loss.
“I don’t understand English, but it’s not just that I ran out of energy. It’s completely gone. So I have to start from scratch. But…”
“But?”
“But, after losing my martial arts skills today, I realized that I’m just a simple woman who doesn’t know how to do anything.”
So, because of her family’s downfall, she discovered that she couldn’t do anything and became depressed?
To be honest, I don’t care if Hong Yeon-hwa is a lady who doesn’t know how to do anything. From now on, she can learn.
Today’s failures were all due to her trying to help me with unfamiliar tasks.
It’s not a serious accident, so I can laugh it off.
…As I was trying to choose my words in my head, Hong Yeon-hwa suddenly stood up and approached me with a stern face.
“Even without my inner strength, I am a celestial maiden. It’s a shame that your talent is lacking…no, it’s a little lacking, but even if I can’t receive your teachings, there are things I can do!”
Under the crimson light of the candle, Hong Yeon-hwa, who looked somewhat flushed, whispered in a low voice.
“Take off your clothes.”
