Chapter 14
Before Shina was born, Chundo was only four years old, but he already dreamed of becoming a great escort warrior like his father, Chunrim.
Chunrim was a highly regarded pyo-doo (escort chief) who had earned the full trust of Sohyeokho, and people never stopped reminding Chundo of his father’s prestige.
“Master Biwon of Biwon Pavilion will inherit the Manhyang Escort Agency. So, young master, you must work hard too.”
“There’s no escort chief as capable as Master Biwon in all of Manhyang. Watch and learn from him, young master.”
But everything changed after Shina was born.
As Chunrim began neglecting escort missions to care for his newborn daughter, the high expectations that once surrounded him began to fade. And with that shift, people’s attitudes changed too.
The change didn’t start from the top—it began at the very bottom.
Servants who once looked up to Chunrim started glancing at him with subtle disdain. The footsteps of those who came and went through Biwon Pavilion grew louder.
Among them was Mando.
“Hey, what’s the point of you training martial arts? You’ll end up wiping my boots anyway.”
Mando was ignorant and rude. He lacked the sense of duty and honor that Chundo’s grandfather had always emphasized as the core of an escort warrior.
As time passed, rumors began to spread—that Baekrim and Mando would inherit the escort agency.
Chundo’s grandfather turned a blind eye, and the escort chiefs, guards, and handlers followed suit.
At that point, Chundo gave up on the Manhyang Escort Agency. He began slacking off in his martial arts training, which he had once pursued diligently.
By now, he should have already mastered the next-level martial art, the Heaven and Earth Sword Technique, and reached at least the mid-tier of second rank.
Instead, he was still stuck on the Hohaeng Sword Technique.
He was only slightly ahead of Mando, who was rumored to have already started learning the final chapter of that very technique.
Chundo began dreaming of becoming a scholar and taking Shina far away.
He devoted himself to study. But Shina wanted to stay.
The child who once lay bedridden, staring only at the sky, now wanted to plant her feet firmly on the ground and live.
Unlike her brother, she had chosen not to run away from injustice—but to confront it.
Chundo felt ashamed, and at the same time, deeply proud of his little sister.
Instead of thinking about escape, he decided he would protect her.
He would train hard in martial arts again—to show Mando that neither he nor Shina could be trampled upon anymore.
“From now on, I’ll make sure no one dares to touch me or Shina.”
“I want to become an escort warrior who will lead the Manhyang Escort Agency,” Chundo said, raising his head.
“Brother…”
Pretending to sleep, Shina’s eyelids trembled.
Chundo’s love and determination for his family were far deeper than she had ever imagined.
“Father, my dream has always been to become a myung-pyo—a great escort warrior. I want to be strong and dignified like you. So please, don’t stop me. I’ll become stronger and protect Shina.”
Chundo’s eyes burned with determination. His spirit was far beyond what one would expect of a boy his age.
Chunrim’s heart trembled with emotion.
When had his son grown so much?
He’d been so busy caring for Shina that he hadn’t even realized.
He had no reason to stop the boy. So Chunrim decided to push him forward instead.
As he pondered how best to help, an idea came to him.
“All right. If that’s what you want, I’ll find you a good teacher.”
“A teacher? But Father, there are already many great ones in the escort agency.”
“They’re not enough. I’ve put my sword down for too long. You can’t surpass others if you walk the same path they do. You need a shortcut. The man I’m thinking of won’t easily take a disciple, so it’s best if you start as a student first.”
Even during escort missions, when pressed for time, they often took dangerous shortcuts through rough terrain.
“Yes, Father. But… may I ask something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why won’t you teach me yourself?”
Chunrim’s eyes widened slightly.
“You want to learn from me?”
Chundo’s cheeks reddened. To him, Chunrim was still both a great father and his ultimate role model as an escort warrior.
A rare, gentle smile formed on Chunrim’s lips.
“I’ll teach you our family’s martial arts myself, bit by bit. But to take a shortcut, you’ll need to experience other martial disciplines too. That will help you reach your goal faster.”
“Then who is this teacher?”
“You’ll have to brace yourself. His name is Ok Chipung—the ‘Hwasan’s Mad Knight.’”
Ok Chipung was a close friend Chunrim had met while studying martial arts as an outside disciple at Mount Hwasan.
Later, when Chunrim went on escort missions for Hwasan, Chipung joined him.
They had saved each other’s lives once—each owed the other his very life.
‘Given his current position, he probably won’t take Chundo as a disciple… but perhaps he’ll agree to teach him enough to help Shina, at least until the next guard qualification exam.’
Ok Chipung was not someone money could buy. He only acted when his heart was moved.
Still, Chunrim was confident that his friend would accept the request—after all, Chipung owed him a debt.
‘That scoundrel left quite a few orphans behind, and I took them in for him.’
“Father?”
Chundo’s voice pulled Chunrim out of his thoughts.
“Yes. Anyway, it’s going to be tough. You might have to climb cliffs every day. Still up for it?”
“Yes, sir!”
Chundo’s face brightened.
Shina, who had been holding her breath the whole time, slowly opened her eyes.
‘My timid brother has finally decided to become strong!’
The feeling in her chest was indescribable—like watching a bird crack its shell open and emerge.
Her heart swelled, her nose stung.
Unable to hold back anymore, Shina threw off her blanket and sat up.
“Father, me too!”
“Hm?”
“I want to learn too!”
“When did you start listening?”
Chundo rushed over and sat on her bed, while Shina giggled mischievously.
He rubbed his forehead in embarrassment.
Shina grabbed his hand tightly and looked at Chunrim.
“Please let me learn too, Father. Please?”
Magic could be learned alone—but martial arts couldn’t.
Walking a path someone already knew was entirely different from forging one alone.
‘If I train hard in martial arts, it might even help me control magic better.’
She could feel a faint connection between internal energy and mana. It wasn’t clear yet, but she believed that strengthening her martial foundation would enhance her magic as well.
‘And Mugyul needs a teacher too. Whatever his talents are, he became the Young Demon Lord in my past life, so he must have potential.’
If Mugyul could follow the same “shortcut” their father mentioned…
Shina’s expression brightened.
‘And if it’s Ok Chipung, I can trust him.’
He had once been a prodigy of Hwasan, but his eccentric nature had driven him to wander the martial world.
The Hwasan Mad Knight—Ok Chipung.
‘He was the only one who cried at Father’s and Brother’s funeral.’
He was not well known yet, but Shina knew that he was a top-tier martial master—one who would only grow stronger with time.
‘And there’s something else important.’
Ok Chipung was a walking encyclopedia of martial arts.
In Shina’s previous life, he had traveled across the martial world, mastering countless techniques from various sects.
In terms of sheer breadth of knowledge, he even surpassed the leader of the Martial Alliance.
So he was the perfect person to find a martial art that suited Mugyul.
‘Father said he’d be a teacher, not a master—but maybe he’ll take Mugyul as a real disciple. After all, Mugyul’s starting from scratch, unlike my brother who’s already learned the family arts.’
Still, his genius might make him hard to teach. He might struggle—but she would help him.
Shina ran up to Chunrim.
“Father, please! I want to learn too!”
She clung to his robe. Chunrim’s eyes wavered.
“You should focus on your health first…”
“I’ll get healthier.”
“That’s not something you can will yourself into—”
“Please help me.”
That one simple plea silenced Chunrim.
Had his daughter ever asked him for something before? He tried to recall—but couldn’t think of a single time.
A child needed both a strict father and a gentle mother. But without a wife by his side, Chunrim always found himself softening when it came to them.
He sighed deeply.
“All right then. But promise me—if it gets too hard, you’ll stop immediately. Understood? You have to promise. And you’ll take your medicine properly too. Let’s see… both of you should have tonics to strengthen your bodies. I’ll go get the best ingredients.”
After entrusting Shina to Chundo, Chunrim began preparing to leave.
He wanted to stop by the pharmacy and request good medicinal herbs before evening.
Just then—
“Master, are you here?”
It was the voice of Chief Go.
