Father Wang Cheol-go chimed in as well.

"That's right. Those are new marbles, and your mother’s hands are dirty right now, aren’t they?"

“......”

Little So-cheong, glancing hesitantly between the marble pouch and Ju Yeoryeong, slowly reached out her hand.

With a bright smile, Ju Yeoryeong placed the pouch in the child's hand.

"Thank you for accepting it!"

So-cheong grabbed the pouch and darted straight into the folds of her mother’s skirt.

So-cheong’s mother, her eyes now tinged red, lowered her head toward Kwak Yeon and Ju Yeoryeong.

"Thank you. Truly... thank you so much..."

Ju Yeoryeong, now awkward for no good reason, turned to look at Kwak Yeon.

And then—she saw his lips twist oddly, then slowly stretch out again.

‘Wait a minute. Was that... a smile?’

Ju Yeoryeong wondered if Kwak Yeon had truly lived all his life inside some cave.

Training martial arts in place of cultivating Daoist arts, that is.

Otherwise, there was just no explaining that clumsy, bizarre smile.

After a brief silence, Wang Cheol-go spoke up again, wearing a rather apologetic expression.

"Our house has only one room, so it's a bit difficult to host the Daoist master. I’m terribly sorry."

"It’s quite all right."

Kwak Yeon waved a hand dismissively and added,

"I had no intention of room and board to begin with. Especially with an entourage. As it happens, I saw there’s a guest inn in the village."

He ignored the pout forming on the face of the ‘entourage’ standing nearby and turned back to Wang Cheol-go with a question.

"Now that you've arrived, how does it feel?"

"Just as we heard. This house, and even a small plot of land were given to us. Of course, we pay a tenth of our harvest for ten years and work on land reclamation during the off-season, but that’s practically a gift. That harvest share goes toward building homes for other displaced folks, and the reclaimed land is given out just like ours. It’s fulfilling."

Kwak Yeon, already having heard all this, was less moved—but for Ju Yeoryeong, this was a surprise.

"You’re saying the house and land were completely free?"

She had heard as much from Kwak Yeon, but hadn’t been fully convinced. Now that she’d seen and heard it directly—

Ju Yeoryeong turned to Kwak Yeon and spoke via sound transmission.

—Is that Daijehak guy out of his mind or what?

Kwak Yeon furrowed his brow at her, then said aloud to Wang Cheol-go,

"Seems like you’ll have quite a bit of work ahead of you, Brother Wang."

"I’ll start with organizing the house surroundings, then I’m planning to build a shed to use as a silkworm room. I heard Deokseon Market offers the materials on credit at cost."

"In that case, I’ll lend you a hand, Brother Wang."

"You, Master Daoist? Oh no, I couldn’t possibly..."

"I promised to stay here for a while, didn’t I? I’d get bored just idling around. Oh, right—I noticed some women working at the weaving workshop on the way here. It didn’t look too strenuous, so how about your wife tries it out?"

So-cheong’s mother spoke cautiously.

"I’ve been dying to do just that. It would help improve our household in no time. But... So-cheong’s still young, and..."

"You needn’t worry at all. There happens to be someone who can watch over So-cheong during the day."

"Excuse me, what do you mean...?"

"This young lady here—Miss Ju—just loves playing with little kids."

Ju Yeoryeong blinked in disbelief.

‘Are you seriously telling me to be a nanny?’

So-cheong’s mother looked troubled.

"I couldn’t possibly ask for that—"

Kwak Yeon abruptly turned to Ju Yeoryeong and asked,

"Miss Ju, didn’t you say so yourself?"

‘Did I say that—?’

With Kwak Yeon emphasizing the word “did,” Ju Yeoryeong had no choice but to stammer her reply.

"...I mean, I guess so. But... would So-cheong even want to be with me...?"

Kwak Yeon turned to the child and asked,

"So-cheong, this big sister says she’ll be your friend. Wouldn’t that be fun?"

“......”

"Your mother’s working, so she can’t play with you, right?"

At that, So-cheong stared at Ju Yeoryeong with wide eyes, then gave a tiny nod.

Kwak Yeon smiled faintly.

"Since So-cheong likes the idea, let’s go with that."

Wang Cheol-go spoke with a face full of gratitude.

"Thank you. Really, thank you."

So-cheong’s mother looked like she was about to cry.

"Miss Ju, you’re not only stunningly beautiful but kindhearted like a celestial maiden. So-cheong doesn’t warm up to just anyone... Truly, thank you so much."

"......"

Ju Yeoryeong couldn’t say a word.

Becoming a nanny—just like that.

Suddenly, she understood why Kwak Yeon had so easily agreed to accompany her.

And why he’d told her to give the marble pouch to So-cheong herself.

‘He planned all this from the start. That scheming Cave Daoist bastard...’

****

"Taiji Nine Circles is to internalize the Profound Principle of Yuan throughout the body. Loosen the whole body, bind the large muscles, and move using only the fine muscles."

The drill grounds of Yeongmudang echoed with booming shouts.

"You brat! Isn’t your circle rotating too quickly? You’re using your large muscles to cheat! Out of formation! Ten laps around the training grounds in low steps!"

"Yes, Instructor!"

As shirtless boys rolled wooden balls in formation, Instructor Hyeonmun moved among them, observing and pointing out their errors one by one.

Watching from afar, Unhyeon Jin-in felt heavy-hearted.

Every year, Yeongmudang produced outstanding disciples.

It was evident that Hyeonmun’s fiery dedication was at the heart of that success.

"Yeongmudang is no less important than the Disciplinary Hall."

Hyeonmun was proving the very thing he always claimed.

Yet Unhyeon Jin-in couldn’t bring himself to walk down to Yeongmudang. He stood watching the disciples for quite some time.

Even after passing Cheongun Bridge and spotting a narrow path, he hesitated again.

"Ever since I moved up to Gongshim Residence, I found myself always looking downward. Back when I was at Sushim Residence, I never realized that Master was always looking down at me like this. You rarely get the chance to look up from below, don’t you? Unlike my master, I plan to come down often and look my disciples in the eye. That way, disciples can know their master's heart, and masters can understand their disciples'."

Recalling the words of Daoist Master Hyeonhae, Unhyeon Jin-in finally stepped onto the footpath.

Even so, once he arrived at Yeongmudang, he still couldn’t bring himself to step inside.

‘What face could I possibly show him? What words could I even say?’

As he stood in inner turmoil, Instructor Hyeonmun approached.

"Master, you’ve come."

Seeing his disciple for the first time in what felt like ages, Unhyeon Jin-in felt a rush of emotion—and, at the same time, bitterness.

"You wicked brat. Your limbs are all in one piece, I see."

‘My disciple, that’s not [N O V E L I G H T] what I meant to say.’

That’s what he was shouting inwardly, but a lifetime of doing otherwise had made it a habit—his words and face refused to follow his heart.

Hyeonmun bowed deeply toward his master and replied,

"Yes. Only, the heart that moves those limbs... would not rise."

"You still haven’t let go of your resentment?"

"I was disappointed—but never angry."

Only now did Unhyeon Jin-in understand his disciple Hyeonmun’s way of speaking. That he was someone who couldn’t conceal his true heart and always spoke honestly.

He regretted not having come down more often to meet his disciple at eye level.

If only he had...

Trying not to appear as though he were upset, Unhyeon Jin-in deliberately shifted the topic.

"Aren’t you curious as to why your master came?"

"What brings you here, Master?"

"I’d heard the scenery along this little path was quite lovely, so I thought I’d go for a walk."

‘Since you've come all this way, the least you could say is “Please, have a cup of tea before you go.”’

Unhyeon Jin-in waited, fully expecting those words to come out of his disciple's mouth.

But instead—

"So my master is out here enjoying a leisurely stroll? Well then, I’ll return to guiding the trainees. Please, enjoy your walk."

Unhyeon Jin-in had been about to call out to Hyeonmun as he turned away—but stopped.

What could he possibly say, even if he called him back?

No, if words alone could resolve the feelings between them, they would have done so long ago.

“Tch, what a petty brat! He finally sees his master after all this time and can’t even offer a bitter cup of tea!”

Voicing his frustration at not knowing how to bridge the gap, and his disappointment in his disciple’s coldness, Unhyeon Jin-in turned and trudged down the mountain path.

“......”

Some time later, Hyeonmun Dojang turned back and quietly watched his master’s figure disappear down the winding trail.

He had grown old.

His back looked painfully narrow.

Hyeonmun realized now that his master had finally let go of his stubborn pride. If he hadn’t, no matter what—no matter even if Hyeonmun had died—his master would never have come down to Yeongmudang.

He knew his master’s heart.

And yet, Hyeonmun couldn’t bring himself to face him.

It was because he knew the pain of that boy—Kwak Yeon.

Everyone admired and envied that child for reaching the level of Flower Realm (Hwagyeong), but no one ever cared to know what he had gone through to reach it.

Even Yeongmudang’s current methods had been reformed based on what that boy had learned and survived—and were now producing great results.

They ought to be apologizing. Begging forgiveness.

And his master had played a large part in that.

If he’d sat face-to-face with his master today, he wouldn’t have been able to avoid bringing it up.

"I'm sorry, Master. Not yet—not just yet."

When the day came that that boy could forgive and embrace Wudang, Hyeonmun Dojang would rush to his master at once and receive punishment.

****

“This was all part of your plan from the beginning, wasn’t it?”

On the way to the guest inn to settle their lodging, Ju Yeoryeong suddenly spoke.

“......”

“I figured it out, so just be honest.”

Kwak Yeon nodded.

“That’s right.”

“How could you scheme to stick me with nanny duties? What do you take me for, exactly...?”

“Miss Ju.”

“What now?”

“I’m sorry.”

“......”

“I apologize. Not just for keeping it from you—but more than anything, for trying to use you.”

Kwak Yeon’s expression turned completely serious, and the sincerity in his apology made Ju Yeoryeong’s chest tighten.

“If you want to leave now, then go.”

“You’re such a pathetic person.”

“...?”

“You already know I can’t leave because of Grandmaster’s command, don’t you?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Ju Yeoryeong immediately realized her slip. That was something only she was supposed to know. If this Cave Daoist found out, she’d be completely caught.

“I just misspoke.”

“...!”

Kwak Yeon stared at her for a long moment, then gave a slow nod.

“Ah, a slip of the tongue.”

Ju Yeoryeong’s face turned bright red, like a glowing furnace.

“Just stop!”

“......”

“Fine! Grandmaster ordered me to stay with you. That’s why I can’t leave of my own accord. Only if you tell me to go... then maybe...”

“Miss Ju, didn’t I say that if I do that, your grandmother will kill me?”

“She will.”

“Then what does that mean? You can’t leave on your own, and I can’t drive you away because I’ll die. So when exactly are the two of us ever supposed to part ways?”

For some reason, her heart gave a strange jolt at the words “the two of us.”

“That would only be possible if my Grandmaster says I don’t have to do it anymore.”

“That’s truly bizarre. Your grandmother must be quite the mischievous one. To think she’d pull this sort of prank at her age.”

“This isn’t a prank. Seriously, if you’re not careful... you’ll be in real danger.”

“Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Why are you so casual about this?”

“You wouldn’t tell me the real reason anyway, would you?”

“......”

“In any case, I am sorry.”

Ju Yeoryeong couldn’t bring herself to stay angry anymore—not in the face of Kwak Yeon’s earnest apology.