Before the question was even finished, Jaha’s body stiffened.

“Why do you want to see that?”

“Never mind if you don’t want to.”

It seemed like he really didn’t want to.

No wonder he grew his bangs out like that.

Just as Na Rin was about to give up with a shrug,

“…It’s not that I particularly dislike it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But don’t be surprised no matter what you see.”

Na Rin nodded vigorously as if making a solemn vow.

Jaha slowly lifted his bangs, looking Na Rin in the eye.

“…!”

Just one span.

The distance between Na Rin and Jaha’s foreheads was just one span.

The moment the bangs that draped like a curtain beyond that span were lifted, stars rose in Na Rin’s eyes as they met his.

Golden stars.

“It’s gold!”

“I told you not to be surprised.”

As Jaha tidied his bangs, Na Rin spoke roughly, trying to stop him.

“I didn’t get a proper look yet!”

“I’m leaving.”

As Jaha got up from his seat, Na Rin awkwardly scratched the back of her head. She had definitely been told not to be surprised, but she had been too obvious about it.

“Sorry. I tried not to be surprised, but…”

But the direction of the surprise was too different.

Judging by how desperately he was covering his face, she had expected there to be something.

But she thought it would be a scar, or maybe he had a tattoo because of the laws of the fairy world.

Who would have thought he would try so hard to hide such pretty golden eyes?

“Are you really going to leave?”

Jaha seemed to have softened a bit after seeing Na Rin’s apology and gloomy attitude.

“…No. It’s a problem that my eyes look like this. It’s only natural for people to be surprised when they see something creepy.”

“They’re not creepy.”

“Thank you for saying that. I won’t leave right away, so don’t worry about it.”

Jaha sat back down, but Na Rin somehow felt like her mood wasn’t getting better. It was clear that he still misunderstood.

“If you can’t believe me, you can just read my mind.”

Only then did Jaha look up.

“Do you mean it?”

Na Rin nodded vigorously.

With eyes that said there was not a trace of hesitation.

Jaha looked directly at Na Rin with a rather reluctant expression.

‘Elder brother’s eyes are a pretty honey color. Not creepy at all.’

“What?”

‘And maybe even a little handsome.’

A perplexed look flashed across Jaha’s face. Na Rin spoke with confidence, puffing out her chest.

“Now do you get it? How I think of you, sir?”

“…”

Jaha covered his flushed face with his hand and nodded. His attitude was that he understood, so don’t ask anymore.

At this, Na Rin pointed her finger and spoke as if frustrated.

“You have to answer, answer! I’m not a fairy like you, so I can’t read minds!”

“I said I get it! You don’t even know what’s embarrassing…”

“What’s there to be embarrassed about? Where can you find someone as straightforward as me, inside and out?”

Jaha glanced at Na Rin, wondering if she really didn’t know, and shook his head. No matter how you looked at it, Na Rin seemed to think she had just conveyed what she thought of Jaha’s eyes in her mind.

‘Does she really not realize it?’

The fact that she called him ‘Gaga’ in her mind even after realizing what it meant, the fact that she said they weren’t just not creepy but a ‘pretty honey color’, and even said he was a little handsome on top of that.

Jaha made a slightly sulky expression.

“This is unfair.”

“What is?”

“For no reason, it’s just me… Anyway, you’re sneaky.”

Na Rin was dumbfounded.

Isn’t it much more sneaky to be able to read minds unilaterally? It seemed the library fairy was quite a brat.

“No, I’m not.”

“I can’t even think freely?”

“I read it all anyway.”

“Read it or not, whatever.”

Na Rin defiantly snorted, ‘Hmph!’

This was clearly a sound meant to be heard.

“…Pfft!”

Jaha burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! Read it or not, whatever!”

Seeing that, Na Rin also felt like her sulky mood was slowly dissipating.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just that reading it or not… No, it’s nothing. It’s just amazing that there’s a kid like you.”

“I do have some special qualities.”

“I guess so.”

Jaha’s fingertips lightly touched Na Rin’s bangs.

Through the parted black hair due to his slightly tilted head, Jaha’s golden eyes shone brilliantly as if piercing through.

“You really are special.”

“…”

Na Rin suddenly forgot how to breathe.

“What are you so scared of?”

“I-I’m not scared!”

Despite saying that, Na Rin had taken two steps back. Jaha laughed out loud, haha, and got up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“I feel like I should go.”

‘I don’t like scaring you either.’

Na Rin somehow felt like if she let Jaha go like this, she would never see him again.

“…What about Akgyeong?”

“Huh?”

“Did you read it all?”

Even without reading her mind, he seemed to know.

That slightly sad expression on Na Rin’s face.

It was an expression of wanting to meet again.

‘Hmm. Actually, I did read it all, but.’

Jaha counted himself lucky that Na Rin couldn’t read his mind and answered.

“No. I’m trying to read it carefully. One chapter a day.”

“Really?”

Jaha also smiled at Na Rin’s expression that instantly lit up. How could a person be like that?

‘I thought all humans were filthy.’

Na Rin sprang up and stood face to face with Jaha.

“My name is Na Rin. Not Ju… but Dokgo Na Rin.”

“Can I call you Lady Na Rin?”

Na Rin readily nodded.

“See you again. Gaga.”

Na Rin’s day was quite long.

She would wake up at dawn, take a lap around Simandaesan, and loosen her body with some light hiking and strength training before having breakfast.

After that, the main morning training would begin.

As the chief disciple of Dongcheon Palace, it could be a great shame not to learn the Cheonryong Sword Technique, so Gong Son Wu insisted that she should at least reach 5-star proficiency before entering Somyeong Palace.

“The foundation is so solid that I can teach you the initial moves right away.”

“Hehe.”

“It seems the righteous faction’s training methods have developed a lot.”

Is that so?

Na Rin quietly recalled the training methods of the Hwasan Sect.

Half the day is spent on meditation, and the other half is spent swinging a sword.

An old-fashioned, diligent, and honest training method that hones skills through hard work. Actually, it’s closer to spiritual practice than training.

‘It doesn’t seem to be particularly so.’

The reason Na Rin is strong is not because the Hwasan Sect is strong. It’s just that Na Rin herself is strong.

But explaining that fact would also be quite a big deal, so Na Rin decided to just pretend not to know.

“Tell me what kind of training you did later. I’m thinking of teaching it to the new recruits for the future.”

“Yes, elder brother.”

New recruits, huh.

Na Rin stared blankly at Hwa Ryeon, who was wearing the Blue Dragon Corps uniform and running around the training ground diligently.

“Is elder sister doing well?”

“Hmm.”

Judging by the fact that Gong Son Wu didn’t answer right away, it didn’t seem like she was particularly standing out. Well, she was a parachute after all.

“What is she having trouble with?”

“It would be faster to ask what she’s good at.”

To that extent?

‘She didn’t seem that lacking.’

Gong Son Wu, aware of Na Rin’s concern for Hwa Ryeon, let out a long sigh.

“It’s not that the child is particularly behind. Her physique and perseverance are quite useful. She wouldn’t have had a hard time adapting in most places.”

“But?”

“The Blue Dragon Corps isn’t like most places, is it?”

Na Rin readily nodded.

Although they were also operating an herbal medicine farm, each member of the Blue Dragon Corps had the skills of at least a hundred-man captain in other armies.

That’s how difficult it was for Gong Son Wu to select and painstakingly raise them.

“Don’t let your mind wander.”

“What are you thinking?”

“Thoughts like feeding the new recruit herbal medicine to increase her internal energy.”

Gong Son Wu spoke sternly.

“It’s not like picking up a stray cat. Even if the environment is difficult, one must be able to stand on their own to fulfill their role.”

“I know.”

This is as far as she can pull her through the connection they’ve made.

What kind of martial artist Hwa Ryeon will become in the future is something only Hwa Ryeon herself can decide.

“Eek!”

Just then, Hwa Ryeon was seen falling over while running errands for her seniors. It seemed her legs had given out, unable to endure the intensity of the training.

‘She won’t make it at this rate.’

I was going to just watch, but I’m too kind for my own good.

“Forget the herbal medicine, give her a bow.”

“The Blue Dragon Corps does not train archers.”

“You can hold an archery competition. You need to be good at something to gain confidence and the strength to endure, even if you’re just bluffing.”

“Is the child that good at archery?”

At Gong Son Wu’s question, Na Rin tilted her head.

As a descendant of the Geomwangjeon, she probably had never held a bow before.

‘But her accuracy was incredibly high.’

If she just learned, she would clearly stand out right away.

“She’s just decent, that’s all.”

“If you, who is stingy with praise, say that much, I’m also curious.”

“I’m not stingy.”

Gong Son Wu looked at Na Rin with a face that seemed to say, ‘You didn’t know?’

“Why?”

“What’s the point of saying it? It’ll just make my mouth tired.”

“How am I stingy!”

“Don’t you think I know that you treat our members like bugs every day?”

Flinch.

How did he know that?

“Whenever you pass by the training ground, our members tense up and correct their posture. They say you glance at them and mutter, ‘That’s not how you do it!'”

“They tattled on me again?”

Thwack!

Gong Son Wu’s fist spewed fire for the first time in a while.

“Ouch!”

“If you’re going to guide them, do it properly! Who wouldn’t be discouraged if you just shake your head with a dissatisfied face? It’s not just the new recruits who need confidence.”

Na Rin pouted her lips.

If she really guides them, they’ll be even more discouraged.

“Ah!”

“What is it now?”

Na Rin clapped her hands as if a good idea had come to her and asked,

“Should I teach elder sister?”

“You?”

Gong Son Wu had a look of disbelief.

“Have you forgotten that you need to reach 5-star proficiency in the Cheonryong Sword Technique before entering Somyeong Palace?”

“I can learn that in my spare time.”

Gong Son Wu had a dumbfounded expression.

What is the Cheonryong Sword Technique?

It is a sword technique that Gong Son Wu personally developed by improving the Blue Dragon Sword Technique, which is only passed down to the Four Heavenly Kings, in other words, the technique that made Gong Son Wu the second-best martial artist under the heavens.

And she’s saying she’ll reach 5-star proficiency by learning it in her spare time?

“You’re getting arrogant to the point of poking the sky, after being praised for doing well.”

“No way. I’m totally humble these days.”

Surprisingly, Na Rin’s words were true.

Nearly dying from internal energy depletion as soon as she entered Cheonmabigoek had sprouted the seed of humility that was barely clinging to life in Na Rin’s heart.

‘If I hadn’t opened my upper dantian, I would have died in Cheonmabigoek.’

Na Rin said,

“I’m not saying I’ll neglect the Cheonryong Sword Technique. I just thought that to surpass the current level, I should try various things. Wanting to teach elder sister is one of those things.”