chapter 06
“My arms and legs feel strangely full of strength.”
Namgung Ho smiled in satisfaction.
‘Full of strength, huh? Of course they are.’
Hongseol’s body had been a battlefield of two opposing energies clashing inside her.
It was like watching two equally skilled warriors fight — the surroundings were bound to be left in ruins.
Because of that, she had never been able to properly accumulate inner energy.
No matter how much she tried to gather qi in her danjeon, it would immediately leak out through her damaged meridians — like grain spilling from a torn sack.
And the qi that escaped was too much for her small body to handle.
She was like a shabby hut that could collapse at any moment.
“The herb you just took — that Millennium Hwasuo Root — will mend your meridians.”
It was as if a master mason were plastering over cracks in a wall.
The repair was precarious — no one could say when the wall might crumble again — but it was enough to keep it standing for now.
‘Phew. At least the immediate fire’s been put out.’
At the very least, the chance of the child suddenly collapsing and dying had gone down considerably.
Hongseol didn’t know it, but Namgung Ho’s heart was beating faster than usual.
‘What a strange feeling.’
Finding a child with such exceptional talent was something any martial artist would rejoice in.
But if this child could also fulfill the wish he had long carried in his heart… even better.
And yet, that wasn’t all.
‘Human emotions really are strange.’
At first, he had simply pitied the child.
But after seeing her dazzling potential, greed began to bloom within him — a desire to see how far she could go, to watch her growth by his side.
Despite having lived his whole life without ever taking on a disciple — calling it troublesome — he now found himself thinking otherwise.
Hongseol, marveling at how light her body felt, clenched and unclenched her small fists again and again.
Watching her with warmth in his eyes, Namgung Ho spoke.
“Come to think of it, I never did ask how you ended up here. You must have been exhausted — climbing all the way up Mount Daechok in this cold weather, especially with that frail body of yours. You fainted suddenly, so I brought you here.”
Hongseol’s eyes lit up.
‘So this grandfather saved me!’
He’d even given her a mountain of food and precious medicine.
‘Then I have to thank him properly!’
If she wanted to stay here, she needed to be polite.
Sliding quickly off her chair, Hongseol clasped her tiny hands together and bowed.
“Thank you for saving my life. You are my benefactor, Great Hero.”
Benefactor, she said.
Her old-fashioned choice of words — so unlike an eight-year-old — made Namgung Ho chuckle.
Those wretched Myogajang people would never have taught her proper manners. She must have picked it up by overhearing others.
Unaware of his thoughts, Hongseol beamed up at him, mimicking his smile.
‘Good! My greeting must have been proper!’
Now that her stomach was full and her nerves had relaxed, her curiosity returned.
Peeking at the cloud-shaped embroidery on his robe, she asked,
“Um… is this place the Namgung Clan?”
“Yes. More precisely, this is Cheongcheon Pavilion, the residence of the Grand Elder.”
What?
Hongseol’s eyes widened.
The Grand Elder — that meant he was the previous clan head of the Namgung family.
Looking at the constantly smiling Namgung Ho, Hongseol tilted her head.
“You’re the Grand Elder? But you don’t look that old…”
“Wahahaha!”
Namgung Ho burst out laughing — loud enough that even the warriors training in the inner courtyard turned their heads toward Cheongcheon Pavilion.
“Do I really look that young to you? When one cultivates pure inner energy, one tends to appear a bit younger than one’s years.”
“Wow…”
Hongseol’s lips parted in awe. Namgung Ho seized the moment to ask,
“So, little one — would you like to learn martial arts from me?”
It was no small offer — he was the Grand Elder of the Namgung Clan.
For someone aspiring to become a martial artist, no greater teacher could be found.
She might not be able to practice internal energy yet, but she could still train her body.
Building her physique in advance would make it easier to learn Yin-Yang Divine Arts later once she was healed.
Namgung Ho’s offer came from far-sighted consideration.
But at his words, a shadow passed over Hongseol’s small face.
“Ah… I-I can’t use internal energy. My body doesn’t let me.”
She lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper.
Namgung Ho realized his mistake immediately.
He could almost see the image of a child who’d been scolded her whole life for being unable to cultivate qi.
She had no idea what kind of warrior he envisioned her becoming.
She hadn’t even adjusted to life in the Namgung household yet. It was too soon to talk about the future.
‘…That was foolish of me.’
Damn it, you impatient old fool!
He could almost hear Tang Yimoo scolding him from somewhere in his mind.
“I spoke carelessly. Even pure martial arts can’t stop an old man from being a fool now and then. Forgive me.”
Startled, Hongseol lifted her head and thought for a moment before replying in a solemn tone,
“I’ll forgive you. You’re my benefactor, after all.”
Her attempt to sound grown-up made Namgung Ho laugh softly.
It seemed he’d narrowly avoided earning the kitten’s permanent dislike.
“In that case, I have one request.”
Hongseol looked up at him, her expression resolute but her tiny hands nervously clenching and unclenching.
“Um…”
What could she be about to ask?
Curiosity filled Namgung Ho’s stern face.
After taking a deep breath, Hongseol finally spoke in a small but determined voice:
“Can I work as a maid here in the Namgung Clan?”
She said it!
Hongseol anxiously searched his face for a reaction — and found his expression growing even more severe.
At that moment, he looked less like a Grand Elder and more like the leader of some underworld gang.
“That will not do.”
His firm refusal made Hongseol’s eyes tremble.
Disappointment began to weigh on her shoulders when his deep voice followed.
“You are not a maid. You are a guest — the guest of the Grand Elder of the Namgung Clan. How could I let a guest do chores?”
“A guest? Then… does that mean I can stay here?”
“Of course. I have decided it. No one in this household would dare object. Stay here as long as you wish.”
Warmth spread across Namgung Ho’s face, and the tension melted from Hongseol’s.
‘I did it!’
Her cheeks flushed pink.
She had been so anxious after realizing she had nowhere to return to — afraid she might end up wandering the streets alone again.
Now that fear melted away into relief.
‘As long as they don’t find out I’m a cat beastkin…’
At least for now, she had a roof over her head and wouldn’t have to starve. That alone was more than enough for her.
“You there,” Namgung Ho called out to a maid who had come to clear the table.
“Bathe the child and dress her in new silk clothes. She is a guest of Cheongcheon Pavilion.”
The maid bowed deeply but blinked in surprise.
“Tailoring new silk garments to fit her will take at least three days, Grand Elder.”
“There’s that outfit, isn’t there?”
“Eh?”
The maid’s face turned pale. But she couldn’t possibly disobey the Grand Elder’s command.
“As you command.”
She bowed again and held out her hand to Hongseol.
“This way, young lady.”
“Ah.”
Hongseol instinctively hid her hands behind her back.
She had suddenly remembered Cheongok — the maid from Myogajang.
That woman used to snatch Hongseol’s hand whenever she got annoyed by the girl’s slow pace, forcing her to half-run, legs stretched to the limit.
Sometimes she’d squeeze so hard that it hurt.
‘Scary…’
So Hongseol couldn’t bring herself to take the maid’s hand — even if it wasn’t Cheongok’s.
“Young lady?”
“Y-yes…”
At the second gentle prompt, she hesitantly extended her small hand.
Warm, soft fingers wrapped around hers.
The maid’s hand was unexpectedly gentle and comforting.
“Shall we go, then?”
Together, they walked slowly down the corridor of Cheongcheon Pavilion.
The maid didn’t yank her arm or tell her to hurry. She only smiled kindly whenever their eyes met.
“My name is Maeran, a maid of Cheongcheon Pavilion. Please, feel free to call me so.”
Hongseol could only blink in surprise.
She wasn’t used to being treated with such respect.
Would Maeran’s kindness vanish the moment they turned the corner, when Namgung Ho was no longer in sight?
Unease filled her small chest.
“The room you’ll be staying in is just ahead, young lady. We’re almost there.”
“Okay.”
Hongseol pressed down the rising anxiety in her heart and followed quietly where Maeran led.
