Yu Un, who smiled bitterly for a moment, continued to ask.

“But you’ve never met that child before, have you? Did your elder brother tell you about him?”

“That’s partly true, but actually… I saw him briefly earlier when Master went to see the sect leader.”

“Is that so?”

This time it was Yu Un’s turn to look surprised. Ha Eun nodded, then rolled his eyes for a moment before answering.

“Yes. I was a bit surprised when he called me ‘young master’.”

At that unexpected remark, Yu Un couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Why is that?”

“I hadn’t thought anyone would call me that… Thinking about it, it wasn’t wrong, but it felt strange to hear at the time.”

As he looked down at his disciple answering, Yu Un suddenly thought that Ha Eun looked a bit more his age than usual.

Of course, when talking about the boy’s situation earlier, he had acted like an adult as usual, but strictly speaking, that was a matter requiring the sect’s decision, as Ha Eun had said.

However, just now, when there was no need for the sect’s decision and he was simply expressing his own questions or impressions about that boy, for some reason, rarely…

‘He’s acting his age.’

Yu Un tried to guess the reason.

‘Is it because they’re peers? Come to think of it, there aren’t any children around Ha Eun’s age at Hwasan.’

And it would be about 2 years until the third-generation disciples would join, so if they hadn’t brought that boy this time, Ha Eun would have been alone among adults for another 2 years on top of the past year.

He didn’t know what decision the sect leader would make, but he probably wouldn’t send him down the mountain if only because it would be a waste, so at least Ha Eun would have one peer at Hwasan for now.

‘Since they’ve already greeted each other, maybe they’ll get along well.’

As a Taoist, he couldn’t ignore someone who seemed to be in danger, and as a master with a disciple of a similar age, he couldn’t turn away a boy earnestly asking for help, so he had just rescued him without much thought.

However, as he began to assume that the result of that action might turn out better than expected, Yu Un felt a little pleased.

…He didn’t realize.

That Ha Eun had already inwardly concluded his impression of the meeting as ‘hopeless in any sense’, and that when he had asked Yu Un if he would become his disciple, it was actually because he thought, ‘I need to know the exact date of his joining to prepare by then’…

It’s already been several days since Master returned with the protagonist.

During that time, I’ve been going about my daily life as usual, but inwardly I’ve been constantly preoccupied with one concern.

That is, regarding the protagonist’s future.

‘…Is it really taking this long?’

Indeed. There seemed to be no sign of the protagonist’s situation being decided.

A few days ago, I tried to probe Master about when he might take that child as a disciple, but failed, and given the atmosphere, I couldn’t ask the other adults either, so I’ve spent the past few days making all sorts of speculations about this on my own.

In fact, I had already thought that the protagonist’s admission wouldn’t be easy, if only because of my existence.

The commotion about me that started when I came to Hwasan around spring last year only subsided by winter. It was natural to hesitate to create a similar situation so soon after, especially now when not much time had passed since then.

‘But no matter what, that child is the protagonist.’

I had assumed that even if it took some time, he would eventually become Master’s disciple as if it were only natural. But as so much time passed without a decision being made, even my confidence began to waver.

‘No, come to think of it… maybe it wasn’t something to be certain about in the first place.’

I stared blankly into space.

Come to think of it, even I am a person from another world who has possessed the body of an original character. My existence alone has already changed the course of the ‘original story’ significantly.

If things had gone according to the original story, ‘Ha Eun’ would still be barely starting with the Six Harmonies Sword, let alone the Seven Plum Swords or the Jade Maiden Sword. His relationships with the four uncles and elder brothers and sisters wouldn’t be the same as they are now either.

We’ve already strayed quite far from the original story, if not completely.

‘Besides, even the fact that he’s the protagonist was just my assumption…’

Still, that child has already come to Hwasan, and quite some time has passed. It seems like it’s really time for his situation to be concluded one way or another.

Feeling unnecessarily complicated, I went outside my quarters and wandered around the sect grounds as if taking a stroll.

It’s free time after the scripture study has ended. True to winter, the day is short and it’s almost night all around, but it’s not completely dark thanks to the fires burning in braziers placed here and there. Trusting in that, I was walking while looking at the stars above rather than right in front of me when it happened.

Just as I turned the corner of a pavilion, I almost collided with someone coming from the opposite direction.

“Ah, I’m sorry!”

I quickly stepped back just before colliding and apologized while raising my head.

At the same time, my gaze met with eyes within a slightly cool gaze.

“…No, I should be the one apologizing.”

A calm reply came back after a beat.

Thanks to the firelight from the brazier flickering in the winter wind a few steps away, it wasn’t difficult to recognize who it was.

…It was the very person I had been thinking about just minutes ago.

As I stared at him with wide eyes, he spoke first.

“We meet again after a few days. Do you remember me by any chance?”

Although I had thought things had gone badly one way or another when we parted last time, unexpectedly, our presumed protagonist seemed to have the will to continue our conversation further.

Does he think he can finally dig out the information he wants now that I’m not in training?

Well, it didn’t really matter what he was thinking.

I was already planning to try and salvage the seemingly failed first impression from last time anyway. Moreover, strictly speaking, even this walk came about because I got unnecessarily complicated thinking about the protagonist.

I nodded and slowly opened my mouth.

“I remember. We met at the training grounds last time. But I don’t think I heard your name. I’m Ha Eun.”

As I seemed to engage in conversation more actively than last time, a faint glimmer passed through his eyes. He smiled slightly and replied.

“So you were Young Master Ha Eun. You can call me Wol Young.”

“…Ah, yes. Young Master Wol Young.”

Setting aside the fact that he seemed to deliberately omit his surname, what actually felt stranger to me was the name Wol Young (月影).

‘Moon shadow… not really a name you’d give to a boy.’

And more important than whether the name suited his gender was the fact that the moment I heard that name Wol Young, something flashed in my mind as if remembering.

Like the sensation of belatedly recalling something long forgotten.

That something was actually someone else’s name…

‘…Ha Hyun.’

That’s right.

Only now, upon our second encounter, do I remember.

Just as I went from ‘Baek Yeoeun’ to ‘Ha Eun’, when this child receives his Taoist name, it will probably be ‘Ha Hyun’.

‘That would be the case if it’s certain he’ll become my junior disciple.’

As I fell silent for a moment, Wol Young quickly threw out a question without giving time for the atmosphere to become awkward.

“Young master, why are you out here when it’s so dark around?”

“I was just taking a walk. And you…”

“The same for me. However, being a guest, I didn’t want to go far, but I ended up getting lost and wandering a bit.”

He doesn’t look very anxious for someone who’s lost.

‘Did he really get lost?’

I tilted my head for a moment but decided to let it pass. It could happen. At the same time, I casually asked, partly to try and erase the subtle impression from our first meeting.

“Then shall I escort you back to where you’re staying?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d appreciate it.”

As if not wanting to miss the opportunity, he immediately nodded.

The place where guests of Hwasan stay is about a quarter-hour walk from here. I started walking side by side with Wol Young.

The surroundings grew darker and darker, and in contrast, the flames burning in the braziers became more vivid. Since people in the Taoist sect start their day early, it was a bit late for anyone to be out at this hour, so there was no one outside except me and Wol Young.

Thanks to that, the silence was brief.

After walking quietly for a few steps, Wol Young seemed to confirm that there was no one else around but us, and opened his mouth first in a slightly lowered voice.

“…Young master.”

“Yes.”

“You already knew from last time that I came to Hwasan of my own accord by asking your master, the Plum Blossom Sword King, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I heard about it from my elder brother.”

Wondering what he was going to say, I replied appropriately while glancing to the side. Unlike me, Wol Young was looking straight ahead, his eyes half-lowered.

“Yes… It’s embarrassing to tell such a story to a young master I’m meeting for only the second time today, but I simply wanted to become a disciple of a sect and learn swordsmanship, with no other reason. I also thought it would be better if it were a Taoist sect separated from the secular world. Then, while being chased due to some circumstances, I happened to meet the Plum Blossom Sword King, so I thought to myself that this might be fate.”

It doesn’t seem common for a boy of that age to reveal his inner thoughts so openly, and Wol Young’s expression was extremely calm. He said it was embarrassing, but he didn’t seem embarrassed at all.

Rather, it was just…

‘He speaks like an adult.’

It seems like he’s using even his own story as a means to an end. As if laying out a strategy. No, even before that, I should probably doubt whether that’s his true inner thoughts at all.

“I see.”

“However, now that I’ve actually come to Hwasan, the timing seems to be an issue. It’s my fault for not properly looking into this part, but still.”

Hearing this far, I think I understood what Wol Young was curious about. However, it didn’t seem like a good idea to pretend to know right away, so I just went along with him for now.

“The timing and age don’t quite match up, it’s true.”

“…Do you know how old I am? I haven’t mentioned my age before.”

“That may be so, but the third-generation disciples will be admitted the year after next, and only children under fifteen are accepted. You look like you’re already fifteen, young master.”

Wol Young smiled faintly at my answer.

“…That’s correct. You have good eye for detail.”

I guessed between fourteen and fifteen, and fifteen was the correct answer, it seems.