Chapter 17

As a pure Go player, Jiegal Yang’s ability far surpasses mine. If we were to play ten times, I would lose nine times. That is, I would win once. I didn’t challenge without a plan. I challenged because I had some chance of winning. I didn’t expect it to come to this, but to beat Jiegal Yang, I gritted my teeth and prepared two strategies.

First, I hid the fact that my Go skills had improved against Jiegal Yang recently. It’s not a huge leap, just a 1-point difference. I kept that 1 point hidden in case of a betting game. In other words, I should have been 2 points behind, not 3. In battles between masters, even a few centimeters can decide victory or defeat, and in Go, a 1-point difference can determine the outcome. Go is a game where even half a point more can win. It might seem like just 1 point, but it could be the winning point.

And the other one is…

…

Jiegal Yang couldn’t believe his eyes. He was stuck. Every move he made was a bad move. There was nowhere to go.

“…How did you predict my tactics?”

“I didn’t predict them. I guided them.”

I pulled out the game records of all the matches between Jiegal Yang and me.

“You’re good at Go, sir. So good that you quickly figure out your opponent’s weaknesses in the early game.”

Usually, Jiegal Yang quickly grasps his opponent’s moves and counters their tactics. If the opponent plays rock, he plays paper; if they play scissors, he plays rock.

But if you reverse this, you can predict what tactics Jiegal Yang will use. I lured him into playing paper early, then countered with a hidden rock.

Jiegal Yang frowned, realizing he had fallen for such a ridiculous gamble.

“If I hadn’t tried to end it early and dragged it into a long game, you would have lost without a chance.”

“True. But you didn’t. Since the result is out, there’s no ‘if’.”

“…That’s not the point. I’m asking how you noticed I wanted to end it quickly.”

“Make the enemy impatient with immediate gains. It’s a simple strategy.”

I brushed my hair back and teased Jiegal Yang with a cheeky smile.

“I’m just too charming. Enough to distract anyone.”

Jiegal Yang looked up at the sky and let out a hollow laugh.

It’s annoying, but he’s right. Honestly, I thought I’d win the Go match. I thought no matter what, I wouldn’t lose. That’s why I wanted to win quickly.

Jiegal Yang’s true weakness wasn’t impatience but the arrogance that came from overwhelming skill.

I have to admit it. It’s been a long time since I’ve lost.

“…I lost. Tell me what you want.”

Despite the unexpected pure admission of defeat, the old man’s love for Go is genuine. So, the Go bet might be serious.

“Really? Anything?”

“Yes, anything. If you want, I’ll even give you my head.”

I checked Jiegal Yang’s expression, thinking it might be a joke. But no matter how I looked, he didn’t seem to be joking. …He’s serious.

“I may not know much else, but I always keep my promises to Go friends. So tell me what you want.”

Anything goes~ That’s a big scale. It’s almost a blank check.

I have plenty of money at home. Should I ask for the secret martial arts of the Jiegal Family? …No, that’s fine too.

Martial arts aren’t exclusive to the Jiegal Family, and I don’t need to go this far to learn them. Besides, the best of the Jiegal Family’s secret martial arts is footwork.

Honestly, how can a cripple use footwork?

Lightness skill and footwork are different. No matter how well I handle a cane, I can’t step with a cane while dragging one leg.

So, since I have a wish, I decided to ask Jiegal Yang for something I’ve wanted to request for a long time.

“Um… please take good care of Guhae.”

No matter how well I take care of her, I’m still an outsider. I’ll have to leave someday. Even though Guhae has learned martial arts, she won’t completely return to how she was before, but she might be taken advantage of, making things worse.

We need someone within the Jiegal Family to protect Guhae. And Jiegal Yang would be more than capable of being that shield.

Jiegal Yang raised an eyebrow, looking at me intently.

“No wonder you refused my granddaughters. There’s already another woman in your heart.”

“That’s not what I meant, but I do like her. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t make such a request.”

Rustle~ Rustle~ Shashashak-!

Huh? What’s that? I heard something moving through the grass. A deer? I turned to look. It wasn’t a wild deer but Guhae, her face red.

“!!!!!”

Guhae, her cheeks flushed, met my eyes and ran away three times faster than usual. I wondered if I should chase her, but I checked Jiegal Yang’s reaction.

Jiegal Yang gestured with his chin, signaling me to go.

“I have no interest in someone else’s gold. Get lost.”

“Old man, I’ll go then. Next time, let’s play Go normally.”

After Sima Mantian and Guhae completely disappeared, Jiegal Yang spoke to someone hiding, using a formation.

“I know you’re hiding. Come out nicely, Moo.”

The space distorted, and a man who wasn’t there before suddenly appeared. He resembled Jiegal Yang but had a softer impression.

It was Jiegal Moo, Jiegal Yang’s eldest son.

“You were too hasty to recruit talent. That’s why they ran away.”

“…Shut up.”

Jiegal Yang was annoyed at his son, who was teasing him with a friendly smile. Jiegal Moo looked at where Sima Mantian had been sitting and stroked his chin.

“He seemed very interested in martial arts. Why didn’t you just offer to take him as a formal disciple instead of making a Go bet?”

Jiegal Yang laughed dismissively at Jiegal Moo’s words.

“Ha! Even now, he’s ready to fight me. Do you think you softies can handle him later?”

Although long past the age to be called a softie, Jiegal Moo listened to his father’s story without much reaction.

“Even if they’re trash, they’re still Jiegal. We can’t raise someone who could be a threat to our bloodline.”

“I see. You’re worried about repercussions, so you can’t teach him martial arts, but you want the talent. So, a Go disciple and son-in-law. Go is one thing, but take care of your granddaughters.”

“…The son-in-law thing was to find a good husband for my granddaughters. A clever cripple is much better than those who only have ancestors to boast about.”

Even as he said that, Jiegal Yang realized he had been too hasty in treating his granddaughters, wanting to secure the treasure quickly. He closed his mouth and sipped his tea.

He vaguely remembered his granddaughters wanting jewelry from the Western Regions. He should send them that.

***

Run. Run again. Run like a deer until the red-hot face cools down.

『He likes me.』

Guhae’s heart wouldn’t calm down after hearing those words. She woke up during snack time and noticed Sima Mantian was missing, so she went looking for him and overheard something shocking.

Memories of the time spent with Sima Mantian flooded her mind.

He helped her. He wasn’t scared of her. He didn’t dislike her. He smiled at her. He gave her clean clothes. He gave her snacks. He taught her letters. He taught her martial arts. He gave her warm meals. He shared warmth with her. He provided a comfortable place to rest. When she had nightmares, he held her and comforted her. He patted her back. When she was sick, he nursed her. He treated her sparrow. He taught her many things she didn’t know. He took her to festivals. He called her cute. He held her hand. He taught her happiness.

…He gave her a name.

Recalling these precious, unforgettable memories, Guhae reached a conclusion.

‘Yes… Sima Mantian likes me.’

If he didn’t like her, he wouldn’t treat her so well. It’s certain.

She stopped running and stood still, placing a hand gently on her chest. She felt her heart beating rapidly.

‘I like Sima Mantian too.’

She clearly realized the feelings that had been vaguely floating in her heart. At some point, Sima Mantian had entered her heart. When she closed her eyes, his face was the first thing that appeared.

Now, she couldn’t imagine a life without Sima Mantian.

No matter how happy and hopeful the future might be, it would mean nothing without Sima Mantian.

[Then~ It’s decided. Break his cane and his remaining leg so he can’t leave you. Stay together forever.]

A dark ink spread from within, and a black snake whispered. The fresh, fluffy emotions were submerged in the ink.

The black snake first appeared to Guhae in a dream.

In the dream, Guhae was submerged in a giant bathtub, floating. A giant snake with four legs appeared and whispered terrifying yet sweet words.

[Don’t you want revenge on the Jiegal Family? No? Not interested? Then~ what about Sima Mantian? Don’t you want him?]

[You’re not human; you’re a dragon. You don’t need to follow the morals Sima Mantian teaches~ If you want something, take it.]

[Accept me. Then you can be with Sima Mantian forever~ No one can separate you.]

As Sima Mantian’s presence grew within Guhae, the black snake also grew stronger. Lately, it not only spoke in dreams but also in reality.

“Chirp! Chirp chirp! Cheep~cheepcheepchirp~!!”

Hearing the sparrow’s cry from within, Guhae snapped out of it and gently stroked the sparrow in her hands.

“Little Sparrow, what’s wrong? Are you hungry?”

“Chirp! Chirp chirp!”

The sparrow looked up at the trees and cried out. It was looking at other sparrows. It was looking at its friends.

[Oh~ It seems like it wants to leave~ Let’s just break its wings a little. Then it won’t be able to fly. It won’t be able to leave.]

Guhae shook her head vigorously, shaking off the black snake’s unpleasant voice.

The sparrow is a precious friend. She shouldn’t hurt it for her own desires. Guhae was sad but released the sparrow and waited for its decision.

The sparrow looked up at the kind-hearted girl who had taken such good care of it, chirped clearly, then flapped its wings and flew into the sky. It flew towards its friends.

And then it was hit by a slingshot and fell to the ground.

“Yay! I hit it!!”

“Ugh~ I saw it first.”

The branch family kids weren’t specifically targeting the sparrow. They were just playing with slingshots, hunting sparrows in the Jiegal Family’s forest.

It was just bad luck that a sparrow, whose wings had just healed and was flying slowly, caught their eye. That’s all.

But dragons are celestial beings. They don’t care about the affairs of mere mortals.

Han Feizi, a famous legalist from the Warring States period, once said:

Dragons are gentle creatures. They don’t harm humans without reason. But under a dragon’s neck, there is a scale about a foot in diameter, arranged upside down, called the reverse scale.

If someone touches it, the dragon will become enraged and kill that person.

For the first time, a feeling surged from within. Her heart turned black. The black snake laughed. Guhae lost consciousness.

The dragon awakens.

***

The Mystical Taoist Inner Energy Technique is a Taoist internal energy technique. Thus, it is sensitive to the energies of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements.

Chasing Guhae, who was running like a deer, I entered the forest and felt a cold, dark Yin energy, like a winter sea or a night sea, for the first time.

Survival instincts screamed at me. My clever mind shouted to turn around and run away like a fire truck siren.

I ignored it and moved forward.

Reaching the center of the energy, I found Guhae. She had horns on her head and black obsidian-like scales all over her body.

Deer antlers on her head. Arms covered in sharp, diamond-like claws. A massive tail protruding from her tailbone, tearing through her clothes.

A bizarre mix of human and dragon. A half-dragon.

I bit my tongue slightly. It hurt. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a dream.

“■■■■■-!!!”

The dragon roared. While my body trembled in fear, my mind calmly assessed the situation.

Children fainted, trembling with tears and urine. A fallen slingshot. …A dead sparrow.

I understood the situation.

I took a deep breath, gripped my cane tightly, and limped towards Guhae.

‘I learn and teach.’

I won’t run. I won’t look away. I won’t give up.

‘I take responsibility.’

You’re my disciple. I’m your teacher.