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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Silverriver
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Baek Seong-cheol followed the old man’s directions, heading north along the market road and then east along the foot of the mountain. Soon, he came across a high wall, its surface cracked and weathered, covered in a thick layer of ivy.
It looked like the boundary of a forgotten estate, a place lost to time and neglect. He wondered if this was truly the home of the renowned Dokgo Clan, a family once famed for their swordsmanship.
But figuring he had nothing to lose, Baek Seong-cheol approached the gate. At least the area around the gate, unlike the rest of the wall, was clear of weeds, suggesting that people still used it.
“Is anyone there?”
Baek Seong-cheol called out, clutching his growling stomach. He carried his practice sword on his back, trying to look the part of a martial artist, but his ragged appearance made him look like nothing more than a beggar.
“Hello? Is anyone home?” He called out again, his voice laced with a growing desperation.
-Creak.
The gate opened, and a young girl stepped out. She looked about twelve years old, a little older than his own daughter.
“Oh… hello. Um, excuse me, is this the Dokgo residence, where Elder Dokgo lives-?”
“Are you a wandering martial artist?”
“Hmm? Uh… yes…”
“Please, come in. I’ll boil some water. You can warm yourself up while I prepare a meal.”
At the girl’s invitation, Baek Seong-cheol stepped inside the Dokgo estate.
‘This is…’
A dilapidated tile-roofed house. An overgrown garden.
A young girl walking through it all… it felt surreal, like a scene from a movie.
‘Not that different from my current reality…’
Following the girl’s lead, Baek Seong-cheol went to the annex and washed himself. Soaking in warm water after so long felt heavenly.
When he finished, a clean dobok was laid out for him, replacing his worn-out modern clothes. When he asked the girl about it, she explained that it had been prepared for potential disciples back when the previous head of the family had entertained the idea of taking on students from outside the clan.
“It’s not much, but please eat.”
The meal, as she had warned, was simple.
A bowl of mixed-grain rice, a bowl of clear broth, a few small dishes of seasoned vegetables, and a handful of dried meat.
“Thank you…!”
But to Baek Seong-cheol, it was a feast. He devoured the food ravenously. The girl, looking a bit embarrassed, said,
“It’s not good for your stomach to eat so quickly when you’re starving. Please, eat slowly. There’s more if you need it.”
“Thank you! So… what’s your… name…?”
Baek Seong-cheol’s unintentional formality made the girl giggle.
“I’m Dokgo Ye-ryeong. And please, speak comfortably. You don’t have to be so formal with me. Just treat me like any other child.”
“I-is that so? If you say so…”
“Now that I think about it, I haven’t asked for your name yet.”
At her question, Baek Seong-cheol realized,
He hadn’t been called by his name since arriving in this world.
“Seong-cheol… Baek Seong-cheol…”
Even his own name felt awkward on his tongue. Ye-ryeong smiled.
“Seong-cheol, it is. Do you need anything else?”
“If it’s not too much trouble, could I have another bowl of rice… and more side dishes…?”
“Certainly. I’ll bring them right away. If you need anything after you’ve finished eating, please come to the main house and call for me.”
“Oh, and I’d like to thank the head of the family…”
“Grandfather isn’t here right now.” She explained. “He won’t be back until very late tonight. You should get some rest, and you can thank him tomorrow.”
“Hmm…”
He felt a bit uneasy postponing his thanks, but exhausted as he was, he knew he would fall asleep as soon as he finished eating. It was better to thank the elder tomorrow, as Ye-ryeong suggested.
And as if to prove her point, Seong-cheol ate two more bowls of rice and immediately passed out. Having fallen asleep so early, he woke up in the middle of the night, just past midnight.
“Phew.”
A sigh of contentment escaped his lips.
It had been so long since he had slept under a roof, had a warm meal and a bath.
‘But this is just a one-night kindness. I can’t stay here forever…’
The contentment faded, replaced by a sense of uncertainty. Even after fifteen days in this world, he still hadn’t adapted to life in Jianghu.
‘I’ve tried to find work at inns, but I’ve been turned away everywhere I go. People are so unwelcoming. Is it just this region, or is this entire world this harsh?’
In the martial arts novels he had read, people were always helping each other, even giving alms to beggars. The reality, however, was far different. Everyone seemed to be struggling to survive, too preoccupied with their own problems to offer help to a stranger.
‘If only I could make use of my kendo skills…’
Of course, he had considered it. But without any understanding of Qi or the mystical martial arts of this world, his skills were useless, no more effective than a child playing with a stick.
He had been proud of his skills as a former athlete, but that pride had crumbled long ago.
“This is… hopeless…”
-…Whoosh! …Whoosh!
“Hmm?”
Then, he heard a strange sound.
-Whoosh!
A sharp sound, like the air being torn.
He recognized it instantly. It was the sound of a sword being swung. And not just any sword, but one wielded by a skilled hand.
-Slide.
Seong-cheol quietly opened the door and peeked outside.
And then.
-Whoosh!!
Under the bright light of the full moon, he saw an old man standing in the middle of the garden, practicing his swordsmanship.
-Whoosh!!
With each swing, a cracking sound emanated from the point where the sword stopped. Even with Baek Seong-cheol’s limited knowledge of martial arts, he could tell that the old man was a master, his movements fluid and precise, his control of the blade impeccable.
-Whoosh!!
There was no unnecessary flourish in the old man’s movements.
He raised the sword to waist level, swung swiftly, and returned it to its original position. Each swing was fast and precise, while the follow-through was incredibly slow.
It was less like practice and more like a majestic performance. Baek Seong-cheol, captivated by the sight, watched in silent awe.
“You there.”
“Y-yes?!”
He hadn’t even noticed the old man had sensed his presence.
“It seems I’ve woken you.”
“No, not at all…”
Seong-cheol stepped outside. The old man approached him.
He was small.
From afar, he had seemed imposing, but up close, he was at least two handspans shorter than Seong-cheol. However, the intangible pressure emanating from him grew stronger as he approached.
“My granddaughter told me about you. A wandering swordsman, she said.”
“Swordsman? Not at all. Compared to your skill, I’m nothing…”
“Is someone with skill a swordsman, and someone without skill a thug? It doesn’t take much to call oneself a swordsman. A sword, an arm to wield it, and a righteous heart. That’s all you need.”
The old man’s words, like warm sunlight, seeped into Seong-cheol’s heart. He chuckled involuntarily and bowed his head.
“Thanks to your kindness, I was able to rest comfortably under a warm roof tonight. I am truly grateful. My name is Baek Seong-cheol.”
“I am Dokgo Jang-un. And there’s no need for thanks. We help each other in times of need.”
“I will repay this kindness someday.”
“Save your empty words. My granddaughter said you looked like you didn’t even have enough to eat tomorrow. Worry about your own path before trying to repay kindnesses.”
“Hmm…”
Baek Seong-cheol winced at the old man’s blunt words, a wave of shame washing over him.
His own path. That was indeed his most pressing concern. But the future stretched before him, a vast and uncertain expanse, filled with more questions than answers. He had no idea how to navigate this strange new world, how to rebuild his life from the ground up.
‘Wait, now that I think about it…’
He remembered what Ye-ryeong had said earlier. About this place having taken in disciples in the past.
According to his limited understanding of martial arts clans, families like the Dokgo Clan rarely accepted outsiders. But it seemed this place was different. Perhaps… just perhaps… there was a chance.
Thinking this, Seong-cheol cautiously said,
“Elder… if I may be so bold-”
“I won’t take you as a disciple.” The old man’s words, blunt and direct, cut him off mid-sentence
Seong-cheol’s eyes widened in surprise, caught off guard. The old man chuckled.
“You were watching me practice my swordsmanship like a child staring at a plate of sweets. I knew what you were going to ask. But unfortunately, I no longer take disciples. I’ve realized it’s all pointless.”
“Is that so…? Then… even as a handyman… I would be grateful for the opportunity to stay here a little longer…””
“My granddaughter and I can manage the house ourselves. We don’t need any help. I apologize.”
The blunt refusal deflated Seong-cheol.
But having already received so much kindness, he couldn’t ask for more. He gave up.
“I understand. Thank you again for your kindness today, Elder. It may sound like empty words, but I will repay you someday.”
“The night is still cold. Go back inside and rest.”
The old man turned and walked away. Seong-cheol went back to his room. The cold night air had filled the room while he was outside. He burrowed under the covers to escape the chill.
‘If he had taken me as a disciple, or even a handyman, I wouldn’t have to worry about food and shelter for a while…’
Lying in bed, Seong-cheol tried to distract himself from his bleak prospects. His wandering thoughts eventually settled on his wife and daughter back in his original world.
“Eun-jeong… Ye-seo…”
There was no answer, but just repeating their names gave him strength. He renewed his resolve.
“I’ll be back. I promise…”
Making this promise, Seong-cheol drifted off to sleep.
Unaware of what awaited him the next day.
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