I Became a Supporting Character in a Martial Arts Novel - Chapter 36

I let out a light sigh. I know these thoughts that come up whenever I’m about to forget aren’t very healthy. But even knowing this, I would end up blaming myself without realizing it every time.

‘Well, it’s true that I’m shameless, so that might be why.’

A few years ago, when I learned about the curse, I suddenly realized that the place of family I thought had been emptied by losing my life on Earth was now filled by Hwasan.

After that realization, Hwasan was my home, a place to return to, and where my family was.

‘So honestly now… Even if they find the real owner of this body later, it would be hard to give it back without regret like when I first entered this body.’

The various bonds I’ve built with people over time were sustaining me. Letting go of that would mean losing myself as a being.

‘But even those relationships wouldn’t have had the chance to form if it weren’t for this body.’

I smiled bitterly. Perhaps I’ll either live with this discomfort in a corner of my heart in this body for the rest of my life, or someday lose my existence and be freed from the discomfort I’ve been building up, though painfully. I’ll walk one of those two paths.

“Ah, I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

Maybe because it was too serious and difficult a problem to contemplate in the morning, I already felt tired before the day had even begun. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I moved to start my day again.

After getting dressed and washing up briefly, on the way to the training hall.

The air was noticeably warmer than a few weeks ago. It feels like standing in the middle of a mild spring. Feeling that temperature, I suddenly recalled when ‘Haheun’ had died, and how much of this year was left.

‘…The incident happened around summer, right? There’s 8 months left this year.’

For now, let’s think about getting through that summer safely, and beyond that, this year. That was part of the goal, after all.

Perhaps because I was mentally exhausted from the morning, the thought of wanting to spend even just those 8 months peacefully filled my mind.

‘Will I regret this later too?’

But right now, I don’t want to worry about what comes later. Swallowing a sigh inwardly, I opened the door of the training hall I had arrived at without realizing.

It was the start of the day.

“I greet the Sect Leader.”

“Welcome.”

Jin Heo, the Sect Leader of Hwasan, greeted Yu Un with a gentle smile. His disciple, who entered with a stern face as always, approached and sat before him with calm and flawless steps.

The Sect Leader poured tea into a cup and pushed it towards Yu Un.

“The weather has become quite mild now. Still, it’s not unpleasant enough for warm tea, so have some.”

“Thank you.”

Nodding lightly, the Sect Leader quietly observed Yu Un.

His wooden expression and tendency not to speak much remained unchanged from before. However, the atmosphere had clearly become milder than before. Of course, this doesn’t mean he looked easy to deal with. Who would view the Sword King, who entered the ranks of the Ten Great Masters of the world at a young age, in such a way?

Rather, it would be more correct to say he felt more like a person.

‘It was since he took in disciples.’

Given that the master-disciple relationship in the martial world is akin to a parent-child relationship, it’s perhaps natural for changes to occur in the character of one who becomes a master by taking in disciples. Though it was quite surprising then despite knowing this naturalness, now even the Sect Leader had become somewhat accustomed to the changed disciple.

“How are Haheun and Hahyeon? Are they doing well?”

“Yes, both are as usual.”

“Jin Neung was boasting that both children have reached peak level skills, so they could now be called rising talents without exaggeration. As their master, do you see it that way too?”

Yu Un paused and looked back at the Sect Leader. He felt there was some other intention beyond simply asking about the well-being of the two disciples. Seeing his disciple’s gaze, the Sect Leader smiled faintly and urged an answer.

“…While they shouldn’t be complacent, I agree they are not lacking. Both have aspects that worry me, but they’re still young, so they should be able to correct them gradually.”

“I see.”

Even if they were his own disciples, Yu Un was not one to speak carelessly about matters related to skill. The same was true for Jin Neung, so if both said the same thing, it could be completely trusted.

“Haheun turned eighteen this year, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And Hahyeon…”

“Just come of age.”

It wasn’t just asking about their well-being, but confirming their skill level and then their age. Yu Un soon realized what the Sect Leader meant to say by calling him.

“Do you intend to send them out into the martial world?”

“Hmm.”

The Sect Leader answered with a smile.

“They’ve reached that age, and since both their master and grand-master have vouched for their skills, it seems alright.”

A complex look flashed through Yu Un’s eyes for a moment. Not missing this as they were facing each other, the Sect Leader continued without losing his smile.

“Having watched them since they were young, they might still look young even after growing up. I sometimes feel that way about my own disciples too. But Yu Un, if those children were ordinary people, they would already be of age to start their own families.”

“…Yes. I know.”

For someone who says he knows, he still looks troubled. The Sect Leader gestured for his disciple to drink some tea, which he had poured but hadn’t touched yet.

Unable to ignore the urging of Jin Heo, his grand-master and Sect Leader, Yu Un slowly picked up the teacup. After watching his disciple take a sip of tea, the Sect Leader resumed the conversation.

“I’m not unaware that you cherish your disciples, but knowing how Jin Neung taught his disciples, it’s sometimes unexpected. You seem to teach Haheun and Hahyeon in the exact opposite way of Jin Neung.”

At those words, Yu Un showed a faint bitter smile.

Jin Neung, Yu Un’s master, taught his disciples quite harshly. As he himself was the Medical Elder, disciples who early on turned towards medicine or pharmacology fared somewhat better, but only relatively so.

He treated them a bit more gently since they couldn’t treat patients if their hands were injured, but he was very strict, saying how could they not handle swords when Hwasan was a sword sect.

For disciples like Yu Un who decided to walk the path of a swordsman, he made them face their limits every time. His approach was to send them out into the martial world first, saying that surviving would prove their skills.

And Yu Un had no complaints about his master’s methods. He wasn’t the type to raise personal objections to his master in the first place, he wanted to handle swords well himself, and Jin Neung’s methods were quite effective in building skills.

‘Effective, but.’

Yu Un lowered his eyes.

Even without the Sect Leader’s mention, he was already aware that he was raising his disciples gently. And for Hahyeon, he had his own conviction that his method was right.

But as for Haheun…

After a moment of silence, the Sect Leader spoke first.

“I’m sorry. Disregard what I said. I didn’t mean to lecture you on your methods. I have no right to do so. Even I didn’t teach my disciples like Jin Neung did.”

He was sincere. Knowing Jin Neung’s methods, he just found Yu Un’s opposite approach unexpected. Even as Sect Leader, that wasn’t enough reason to interfere between a master and disciple.

“I just spoke out of curiosity. Isn’t it usually the case that disciples take after their masters?”

Yu Un chuckled. Just as the Sect Leader knew his disciple well, Yu Un also knew fairly well what kind of person the Sect Leader, his grand-master, was.

Jin Heo was a Sect Leader who acted with utmost skill and experience when dealing with outsiders of the sect. He could be cruel and cold-hearted if necessary. However, when dealing with people within the sect, he was like this – without formalities and sometimes making mistakes.

“Yes, I didn’t misunderstand to that extent either.”

“Hmm, I see. Anyway… I called you because I thought I should let you, their master, know what kind of task I’ll be sending those children out for.”

With those words, the Sect Leader handed Yu Un a letter he had placed beside him.

“Read it.”

Yu Un bowed his head slightly and opened the received letter to examine it. After a short time, he folded the letter again and spoke quietly.

“It’s an unfortunate matter.”

The Sect Leader, who reached out to take it back, spoke solemnly.

“Yes, it’s an unfortunate matter. Therefore, it’s something that shouldn’t be taken lightly, but I think it will be fine since both children are cautious.”

“…Yes. I’m grateful for your concern for my disciples.”

Certainly, he couldn’t keep teaching them by just protecting them like this indefinitely. He knew this, but after coddling them for several years, it wasn’t easy to change his approach now. But with even the sect elders showing concern like this, Yu Un had to acquiesce.

After exchanging a few more words, Yu Un left the Sect Leader’s quarters and slowly walked, thinking of his disciples.

From the first time he met him, Hahyeon’s spirit and eyes were very sharp.

Not having asked, he didn’t know what kind of story he held, but that first meeting itself happened while stopping Hahyeon who was trying to kill someone chasing him.

He was just a boy around the age of his disciple, barely in his mid-teens. Thinking he was too young to bear such a burden, and though feeling somewhat presumptuous, he still intervened.

At that time, the lack of any hesitation in those eyes he saw up close before taking a life was still vivid.

If it had to be done, he would simply do it.

As if there was no room to consider morality in that choice.

He seemed to have been educated to think and act that way, but looking at his eyes, one couldn’t help but think his innate temperament also played a role. So he taught him while protecting him.

Fearing he might go completely beyond the line if something went wrong, wanting to create at least a minimal boundary for him.