Chapter 9: I’ll learn martial arts.

For a moment, Song Hwa stared at me with her mouth agape, as if I were an idiot.

Then, letting out a disbelieving chuckle, she spoke.

“Are you really eleven?”

Ouch, that stings.

I subtly averted my gaze.

“O-Of course I am. I mean, just look at me, totally eleven, right?”

“Well, sure. I meant it as a compliment.”

Phew, just a figure of speech. Thank goodness…

‘Don’t scare me like that.’

I’d stammered out of guilt, but luckily, Song Hwa didn’t seem to care, turning her gaze away with a light sigh.

“I hoped things like this wouldn’t happen… but since they did, no helping it. Come on, let’s go to the Young Master.”

“Huh?”

Just… like that?

Can you really meet someone as important as the Young Master of a great clan without an appointment?

No way, right?

I was bewildered, but Song Hwa started walking without hesitation.

I hurriedly caught up to her and asked.

“Is it okay to go without an appointment?”

“Oh, the Young Master told me to bring you right away if something happened, so it’s fine.”

“…Oh.”

Her explanation made me let out a small gasp as I rolled my eyes.

So… they all expected something would happen to me?

Seeing my expression harden, Song Hwa glanced at me and raised one corner of her mouth.

“Feeling wronged?”

For some reason, her smile felt colder than usual.

This… feels dangerous.

I quickly waved my hands.

“No way! If you’re getting paid, you gotta earn it, right?”

I knew the salary was too high for just babysitting a kid—there had to be another reason.

The raise last time wasn’t just for smoothing things out between father and daughter, was it?

Thankfully, my answer seemed satisfactory, as she returned to her usual expression.

‘…She’s kinda scary.’

In this brutal martial world, you can’t underestimate someone just because they’re always smiling or kind.

Isn’t it a staple of martial arts novels that the ones who grin all the time are the psychos who’d stab you in the back while smiling?

I’ll have to be more careful from now on.

As I reaffirmed that resolve deep in my heart, Song Hwa asked lightly.

“You’re definitely different from the kids I know. Are all commoners like you?”

“…Well, I’m probably a bit unusual.”

Since most kids aren’t reincarnated.

But something she said piqued my curiosity.

“By the way… are you from a branch family of the Baek Clan?”

Her comment sounded like something a rich girl who’d never interacted with commoners would say.

Song Hwa nodded with a casual expression.

“Yeah. My mother is the clan head’s cousin.”

“Oh… wait, what?”

I was about to nod, thinking I’d guessed right, when I froze.

If her mother is the current clan head’s cousin…?

“Then you’re sixth cousins with the Young Master?”

“Wow, you’re really sharp, huh?”

Song Hwa looked impressed.

It was an affirmation.

‘…Holy crap.’

In a clan built on blood ties, being that closely related is no small thing.

I mentally vowed to bow an extra twenty degrees to Song Hwa from now on.

“Haha, it’s not as big a deal as you think.”

Sensing my thoughts, Song Hwa laughed and waved her hand.

“The Baek Clan has an unusually large number of blood relatives compared to other clans, so people like me are a dime a dozen.”

“Lots of blood relatives…”

“Yeah, that’s the problem with our clan right now.”

As we talked, we arrived at the Young Master’s office.

“The details, the Young Master will explain.”

Whispering to me, she stepped forward and bowed.

“Young Master, I’ve brought Seoran.”

“Hm, good. Everyone, wait outside for a bit.”

It seemed he was in a meeting, as unfamiliar older men were gathered around.

It looked like an important discussion, but with a single gesture, the Young Master dismissed them all.

‘…This is making me nervous.’

As they left, each one shot me a glance, their eyes seeming to say, Who’s this kid? It made me uneasy.

While I stood there, feeling awkward, the room soon emptied, leaving just me and the Young Master.

His gaze turned to me.

“Now, tell me what happened.”

“…Yes, sir.”

I reflexively swallowed hard.

Until now, I’d only thought of him as looking like a bandit who’d raid a mountain, not a bad person…

But facing him now, I felt an inexplicable chill.

*

After hearing my story, the Young Master stroked his beard and nodded.

“It’s fortunate it was just a minor scuffle with maids.”

“…But what’s the situation, exactly?”

I spoke cautiously.

“I feel like I’ve been dragged into something, and I need to understand to survive…”

“Hm. Fair enough.”

Thankfully, my question didn’t offend him, and he nodded.

“In simple terms, it’s a dispute over the clan’s succession.”

“…Isn’t the succession already settled with you as the Young Master?”

“Yes, I secured it over ten years ago.”

A bitter smile crossed his lips as he spoke.

“But things changed after Yeon was born.”

“…Hm.”

It was both clear and unclear.

Of course, Baek Yeon, with her Nine Yin Severed Meridians, couldn’t be the heir.

She was fated to die young.

But couldn’t they just pick another talented blood relative from the many in the Baek Clan?

When I asked, the Young Master let out a small laugh, easing the tense atmosphere slightly.

“You’re sharp, as expected. I picked a good one.”

“You flatter me.”

“If you hadn’t found it odd, I’d have been disappointed. As you said, picking a blood relative as heir would be simple.”

He shook his head as he continued.

“But every few generations, our clan produces a prodigy who could dominate the martial world.”

“…?”

What, a sudden clan boast?

In my past life and now, hearing this in front of a nobody like me felt out of place.

…Wait a second.

“Is… that prodigy here now?”

“Yes, my younger brother’s child.”

“Oh…”

Now things were starting to click.

To summarize his explanation:

The current clan head’s second son, the Young Master’s younger brother, had twins seventeen years ago.

The girl died young from illness, but the surviving boy is now hailed as the clan’s greatest prodigy.

If they just named him the next heir after the Young Master, everyone could laugh and move on…

But the boy insists he won’t inherit the clan unless his father becomes clan head first.

“My brother has always been ambitious. He’s probably been pressuring his son.”

“Hm…”

It was a tricky situation for the Young Master.

Refusing to inherit unless his father becomes clan head?

It’s absurd, but the boy’s talent is too exceptional to ignore.

‘If he’s called the greatest prodigy in a clan like this, his talent must be extraordinary.’

A single supreme master can drastically elevate a sect’s standing.

If that boy becomes the greatest under heaven and clan head… the Baek Clan could grow even stronger.

That’s why they’re fighting over the next clan head’s position.

“So, the maids who targeted me are from the second son’s side?”

“Most likely. They even planted spies in Baekryu Hall, where Yeon stays. We rooted out and punished those spies harshly, but…”

His gaze turned to me.

“It seems they targeted you in retaliation.”

“Because I told you about it.”

“Yes.”

Tch…

I clicked my tongue.

I should’ve snitched more discreetly, maybe in a different setting.

‘I’ll have to be more selective about when to run my mouth from now on.’

As I thought that, he spoke.

“But your response was reckless.”

“…?”

The Young Master’s tone suddenly turned stern.

“I can handle this incident, but I can’t always protect you.”

“…”

“You’re just Yeon’s maid. It’s better not to provoke them. They might deal with you when I’m not watching.”

I rolled my eyes, processing the implication.

So… if I want to survive, I should keep my head down?

‘The problem is, that’s not easy.’

I scratched the back of my neck.

“Well, something I’ve learned in my life…”

“You’re eleven.”

Tch, nitpicking something trivial.

Brushing off his comment, I continued.

“I’m not exactly a nice person.”

At the same time, I boldly met his gaze.

“When someone messes with me, I can’t just sit still.”

“Hm…”

“Even knowing it’s dangerous, if I don’t get back at them, it drives me crazy… Honestly, if they come at me again, I’m not sure I can stay quiet.”

I knew it was brazen, but it needed to be said.

Basically, my bad temper means I might hit back if provoked, so please protect me a bit more diligently…

Suddenly, the Young Master’s lips curled up.

“Good. You pass.”

“Huh?”

…Pass?

Pass what?

“That’s exactly why I brought you here.”

Stroking his beard with satisfaction, he dropped a bombshell.

“Seoran.”

“…?”

“I’ll teach you the martial arts of the Baek Clan.”