Chapter 127

On the way to the Namgung Family for swordsmanship training.

“Dettederoge~ Dettederoge~ I am Jang Sam-i~ The head servant~ The Young Master is the head troublemaker~.”

“Gwae~ Yeomhwa~ Sososo~ Three lovers~ What a troublemaker~.”

Mantian glanced back at Jang Sam-i, who was following him while humming a bizarre song.

Originally, his personality was already strange, but perhaps he was too influenced by my past life.

He’s reached a point where he can no longer be called a pure Central Plains person.

‘What kind of monster have I created…?’

Well, Jang Sam-i has been my personal servant since I was ten. Excluding family, he’s the longest relationship I have.

Thinking about it now, he must have been assigned to guard and monitor me since then.

Suddenly, I became curious.

…Come to think of it, how old is this guy really?

Even if his servant identity is fake.

He’s definitely older than me, but I couldn’t figure out his exact age.

“Hey, Jang Sam-i. How old are you really?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Huh?”

Jang Sam-i laughed mischievously.

“Hehe~ That way, you’ll be more curious. So, it’s a secret.”

“Haha~ This guy!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his antics.

I raised my cane and lightly tapped Jang Sam-i’s head.

“Ouch!? Why!!”

“Stop messing around, Jang Sam.”

I scolded him firmly with a stern face.

Well, I don’t have the habit of prying when someone avoids the topic.

It’s not like I absolutely needed to know.

After all, no matter how old he is, Jang Sam-i is my friend.

Anyway, as we walked along, joking around like this,

I ended up running into someone I really didn’t want to meet.

Mo Yongbok, the Central Plains’ number one pretty boy enthusiast, was approaching with a grand procession of servants, and my face automatically twisted in disgust.

“…Ugh.”

‘Tagujang~? Tagutagu.’

(Should I kill him? Partner.)

‘Hold back, Tagujang. If you go wild, the civilization of the Central Plains will revert to the Stone Age.’

I responded to Tagujang’s voice in my inner world.

For some reason, Mo Yongbok smiled warmly and greeted me, so I shot him a wary look.

“Hey~ Mantian-chan, it’s been a while since the banquet. How have you been?”

“Up until now, yes.”

“Haha~ That’s an interesting answer.”

My eyes narrowed.

What about me makes this man find me so amusingly interesting? It’s terrifying.

The charm of Sima Mantian!!

“I’d love to chat more, but….”

Mo Yongbok pointed to the maids following him.

“I have business in the market. Sadly, I can’t. I want to give gifts to my lovers. After all, clothes chosen by women are prettier, right?”

So, he’s dressing up his pretty boy lovers with clothes chosen by his maids… The Mo Yong Family maids are tough.

Anyway, it’s none of my business.

“I’m busy too. Well then, goodbye.”

Running into Mo Yongbok on the road was unexpected, but since we both had things to do, we parted without much conversation.

“Hmm~ Serving without stepping on the master’s shadow.”

Mo Yongbok glanced at the retreating figures of Mantian and Jang Sam and muttered.

“Not my type, but admirable.”

He smiled mysteriously and walked away.

***

At the Namgung Family’s villa located in the Martial Alliance.

In the training ground, Mantian was seriously circulating his internal energy, drawing out his strength.

The Namgung Family’s sword techniques matched surprisingly well with him, so basic swordsmanship training ended quickly.

He was now challenging the Namgung Family’s secret martial arts, which he had been interested in for a while.

The state change of energy, attribute application, and the lightning technique, Cheonroe-gi.

Of course, Cheonroe-gi was originally something an outsider like Mantian couldn’t learn.

Due to his background as a descendant of Jeoseokcheon, the Thunder God, it was perhaps even more important than swordsmanship to the Namgung Family.

But a future without Mantian was unimaginable.

The young master and maiden who had fallen in love, considering him a lifelong partner.

It had already been leaked by Namgung Sososo. In Sososo’s mind, Mantian was already family.

…Of course, there was also the thought that even if told, he might not be able to learn it.

According to his grandfather, Namgung Cheon, the Namgung Family’s ability to wield lightning was due to their special lineage as descendants of Jeoseokcheon.

It had nothing to do with talent in martial arts.

Sososo’s heart ached.

‘I’ve deceived the pure Sima Young Master….’

If the family’s secret was revealed, she didn’t know what her grandfather, Namgung Cheon, would do to Mantian.

Sososo spoke to Mantian with a worried expression.

“Sir Sima, don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Namgung, don’t worry.”

I gave a confident smile in response to Sososo’s concern.

“I am Sima Mantian.”

And perhaps it’s the rebellious spirit.

Ever since I was young, when told not to do something, I’d think, ‘Yuriyuri~ Don’t tell me what to do!’ and want to start even more.

For some reason, though…

I calmly recited the口诀 (mnemonic) Sososo taught me and circulated my internal energy.

In my mind, I visualized the blue lightning.

I have good compatibility with the Namgung Family’s martial arts.

An inexplicable, baseless confidence.

Like a student the day before the college entrance exam.

Or like a trainee who heard from the instructor that one person in the group would be unaffected by the gas during chemical warfare training.

…Maybe I’m that one? The trainee who thought that.

I was filled with anticipation and confidence.

Above all, I knew the magic chant for controlling lightning.

“…….”

I calmed my mind.

“Whoo-.”

I exhaled and let out a shout, releasing the energy wrapped around my body in one go.

“Pika! Pikapika! Pikachu!!”

No matter how you think about it, this is what lightning is.

Sima Mantian, one million volts!!

“……….”

And nothing happened.

Confidence was just confidence.

A quiet silence followed.

“Pi… Pika! It was a powerful and cute shout!”

Sososo’s voice rang out.

Her kind encouragement stung painfully.

***

Mantian lay sprawled in the Namgung Family’s garden, staring up at the blue sky.

Logically, failing at something you’ve just learned isn’t shameful.

But sadly, humans are creatures that compare themselves to others.

You end up looking at those who surpass you at once.

The higher your ideals, the more you despair at your body and talent that can’t keep up with your dreams.

…The peak of foolishness.

A state where the less capable overestimate themselves, and the more capable underestimate themselves.

Of course, I’m still young.

Honestly, when I was younger and didn’t know any better, I was unstoppable. I charged in like a honey badger.

But the more I stepped into the martial world,

The more I realized the world is full of strong people, and I’m weak.

I’m not talentless, but…

I can’t catch up.

I can’t remember the title, but a line from a novel in my old school textbook comes to mind.

Born a genius, become a prodigy in school, and as an adult, become ordinary.

People live to become ordinary.

“Damn it… spouting weak words and collapsing….”

Disgust rose within me, and curses spilled out.

I’m not ordinary. I’m a genius.

Who do you think I am?

I forced my tired body to stand.

At ten, I learned the principles of martial arts from a master.

At thirteen, I took on a disciple who wouldn’t flinch even if I poked their eye, and subdued a dragon.

At seventeen, I had my name engraved on the Immovable King’s plaque.

In my mind, I was acknowledged by Jesus, Buddha, and Socrates.

At eighteen, I tore apart the Dragon and Phoenix Festival, the Yongbong Association.

I earned the name of a tiger.

I am a genius who deceives even the heavens.

Sima Mantian.

Since when did I care so much about others?

What’s important is me. I decide.

I decide. I am the center.

It doesn’t matter if others are ahead or talented.

I walk my own path.

At the same time, I use other martial arts.

The Double Hands Fighting, which I was told I couldn’t learn due to my constitution.

But I succeeded in the end. I awakened it.

Staying still won’t solve anything.

Sometimes, you have to be a fool.

You have to silently walk your own path.

In the end, I will win.

“You’ve become quite the handsome face. If you kept that lifeless look, I was just going to leave.”

A cold yet somewhat happy voice reached me.

“You….”

Snow-white hair that reached his shoulders, sparkling golden eyes, and a blue butterfly-shaped earring on one ear—a handsome man with delicate features.

“Long time no see.”

At the greeting of Seol Mo-dan, the young master of the North Sea Ice Palace, Mantian opened his mouth.

“Seol Mo-dan, who lost to me in the Six Continents Battle after fighting the Later Seven Stars, must be too ashamed to come out of his room!”

Seol Mo-dan’s expression stiffened.

“I… didn’t lose. It was a close match.”

He replied somewhat dejectedly.

“Y-Yeah! My brother didn’t lose! It was a fierce battle!!”

The good little seal sister who respects her brother.

Seol Wonhwa peeked out from behind Seol Mo-dan and defended him.

“Wonhwa… It’s not a fierce battle, it’s a close match.”

Sososo quietly corrected her cousin’s words.

“Sir Sima, let’s take a break and chat for a while.”

She smiled warmly at Mantian.