“I am an orphan, so I have no parents to ask.”

“What?”

At my response, grandfather’s face crumpled in shock, and his fanning stopped abruptly. Then, slowly, a droplet of blood dripped down his hand. I widened my eyes.

“Oh, Grandfather. You’re wounded.”

“Ah, I knew my arm hasn’t been moving well lately.”

At my observation, grandfather glanced at his hand and then quickly turned his head to reply.

“Leave it alone. It will heal if I lick it.”

“What are you talking about? Licking it will make it worse.”

Your face is red like a fire pot, and your medical knowledge is strange. At my response, he furrowed his brow.

“Then what should we do?”

“Uh…”

I should apply ointment, but of course, I didn’t have any. In the end, I answered with a safer folk remedy than licking.

“You should blow on it.”

“…You’re a child. But, yes, you are a child.”

What? I glanced at grandfather and grabbed his hand.

“Just stay still. Pretend you are being fooled.”

I blew on grandfather’s hand. He looked at my face forlornly. Then, he shrugged his shoulders and said,

“That would be Danmokse of the Branch Master, who is participating in the martial arts competition finals today. Right?”

“Yes!”

There’s someone else who knows Danmokbi here! Indeed, our Danmokbi was the best.

As I proudly beamed like a bragging parent, grandfather chuckled and patted my back.

“Then let’s go together. I was just on my way to watch the match myself. You never know if those suspicious fellows will keep lingering, so I’ll stay by your side.”

It’s reassuring and nice, but I tilted my head and asked,

“But am I stealing Grandfather’s time? Are you really going to watch the match?”

At my question, he replied as if astonished,

“Your life is more important than this old man’s time.”

“Ah, but I cannot inconvenience you.”

“Good grief. You’re stubborn. Just obediently say thank you.”

At grandfather’s words, I scratched my head with an awkward smile. Grandfather clicked his tongue.

“Haven’t you heard that you are too sassy?”

“Ahahaha, I hear it a lot.”

I hadn’t expected to hear it from someone I met for the first time today, though. I smiled at grandfather and said,

“My name is Yeona. Please call me Yeon. Then, I’ll be under your care until the young master returns.”

“What’s your name?”

“Yeon. Yeona.”

Is it because Grandfather’s ears are dull? I repeated my name. At my response, grandfather’s expression clouded.

“Yeon…”

After repeating my name several times, grandfather pushed my back with his big palm, saying,

“Let’s go quickly.”

“Yes!”

We can’t be late for the match! I hurried my steps.

Grandfather’s gaze lingered on my back for a long time.

The Martial Arts Association’s martial arts competition finals. Today’s match was a showdown between Danmokbi of Danmokse, who suddenly emerged as a prodigy, and Jegal Min, also known as the Scholar Sword, of Jegalse.

‘My son rolled around insisting I come.’

The eldest grandson had insisted on coming to see how well he was doing, asking for some interest in the family business, so he had come.

‘But I’ve met a strange child.’

Grandfather’s eyes turned towards the round head of the girl walking restlessly beside him.

Grandfather’s name was Jegal Yoon. He was the eldest of the Jegalse, and the father of the current head of the family.
He had passed on his dukedom to his son at a young age and had been wandering ever since because the youngest daughter he had gained at the very end had gone missing.

‘I’ve always stayed away because I thought of that child when I went back home.’

He never expected to meet a child who resembled his youngest daughter exactly, not in Jeolgang but in Habuk.

‘The more I look, the more she resembles.’

Round forehead and big eyes, twinkling eyes, and black hair. Every feature was more and more identical the more he examined them.

‘It seemed as if that child was standing alive.’

Even her name was Yeona.

Father, if I have a child, I will name her Yeona (姸). So she becomes a beautiful child.

When he heard those words, he vaguely wondered why she would say that if it was a boy. Now that he thought about it, it seemed like she had been sure it would be a daughter.

‘Coincidentally, it’s Danmok’s world. Exactly like Jeolgang.’

Jeolgang was exactly where she had gone with her soninlaw, pregnant and susceptible to cold, for rest and recuperation. He had scolded her for being fussy, not knowing that he would never see her again.

‘No way.’

It couldn’t be. It was impossible. But Jegal Yoon sneakily asked Yeona.

“What does the character Yeon in your name mean? Is it the Yeon of lotus flower?”

Pretending not to care, he asked for the most commonly used character, but the child’s answer was clear again.

“No. It’s the Yeon of curve. It’s obviously a girl’s name, isn’t it?”

“…….”

Jegal Yoon clenched his mouth shut. It felt as if a crack had formed in his heart.

The stage for the rain dance was packed with people like a mountain. I heaved a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness. I’m not late.”

I had worried so much in case I arrived, and the match had already ended.

Fortunately, the match had not started, but it was far too late to get a good seat. Trying to peek over the shoulders of people much taller than me while jumping up and down, I soon wore a disheartened expression.

“What should we do? I dressed up nicely, but it seems I won’t be able to see anything.”

The one I spoke to was Baekho, but the response came unexpectedly from behind me.

“I know a perfect spot. Come here.”

“Yes?”

It was the old man from earlier.