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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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“Nine stones? You’re quite confident. Are you good at Go?”
“No one in the Jegal Clan is better at Go than me. I need a nine-stone handicap for it to be a fair match. Stop talking and just place the stones.”
Judging by the pride in his voice, he was clearly an old man with immense pride in his abilities. I didn’t know if he was truly the best in the Jegal Clan, but he was probably no slouch.
Since I had intended to play a light game to clear my head, the handicap didn’t matter. There was no need to provoke this prideful old man and cause trouble.
I picked up a black stone, held it between my thumb and index finger, and flicked it with my thumb. The stone landed squarely on the center point of the board, tengen.
Not nine. One. One was enough.
“Wow, what a coincidence. I’m the best Go player in my family too.”
I took a piece of dried meat, cut into bite-sized strips, from my inner pocket and popped it into my mouth. Arrogant old geezer. He dared to underestimate me. I wouldn’t let him get away with it.
“But… you don’t know my skill, and I don’t know yours. How can nine stones be fair?”
The handsome old man raised an eyebrow and looked at me with an expression that clearly said, ‘What is this kid doing?’ I mirrored his expression, meeting his gaze with an equally brazen face.
“Normally, I wouldn’t mind playing an even game, but since you insist on a handicap, I’ll take one stone. This one stone (josen) is a gesture of respect for my senior.”
“Impudent brat. Do you know who I am?”
A sharp, menacing aura, unlike anything I’d expect from an old man, emanated from him, pressing against my neck like a blade. An incredible presence. Almost on par with my master’s.
His hair was completely white. His sharp gaze reminded me of a hawk eyeing its prey. I knew from his appearance that he was no ordinary person, but it seemed he was also a master of martial arts.
But it was fine. If we were talking about physical strength, I would be utterly crushed, even atomized. But right now, we were facing each other across a Go board.
I clenched my teeth, pinching my thigh to stay focused and resisting the pressure of his aura. Leaning forward, I pushed back against the invisible blade with a strained smile.
“Of course, you’re the one playing white. I’m playing black. Now, enough talk. Let’s see who’s better.”
Jegal Liang looked the arrogant young boy up and down.
There were two things he loved in this world: martial arts and Go. When he wasn’t training, he played Go, and when he wasn’t playing Go, he sought out strong opponents for sparring.
He couldn’t remember when it had started, but lately, his opponents across the Go board had all been playing deferentially, trying to lose gracefully. It was irritating. Humiliating.
Favors, flattery, factions. He cared nothing for such things. He didn’t want their petty desires tainting his game. He didn’t want them touching the stones without the intent to win.
On the Go board, there were no strong or weak. The only thing that mattered was capturing your opponent’s stones with your own. In that sense, this impudent child was acceptable. He lacked manners, but he had fighting spirit.
Intrigued by this rare display of genuine challenge, Jegal Liang smiled and picked up his “sword,” a Go stone, ready to enter the “battlefield” of the board.
Tak.
The garden was beautiful, a place where fairies might frolic. But the two men’s eyes and minds were focused solely on the square wooden board with its grid of lines and points.
An old, forgotten pavilion, hidden away from the bustling crowds in the garden. The crisp sound of stones clicking against the board filled the air.
…
…
…
After some time, the pleasant clicking stopped. The winner and loser had been decided.
Judging by the board, Jegal Liang had won decisively. However, his face was grim as he reviewed the flow of the game.
He’s definitely skilled. He played defensively, but the moment he saw an opportunity, he attacked fiercely like a raging fire. It was a good thing I won decisively; if I had lost, the situation would have been reversed.
Hmm… he’s skilled, but he hasn’t been trained under a professional Go master from a young age. He plays too recklessly for a true Go player. He’s more like a gambler who makes a living off betting on Go.
Due to his position, Jegal Liang often played against refined individuals. It had been a long time since he had played against someone who truly wanted to defeat him.
He had suspected this boy was no ordinary child from the moment he saw him challenging him so boldly, but he hadn’t expected this level of skill. It was surprising.
“Uwaaaaagh! This is rigged! Rigged! Why did I lose there?! This is a fake game! A fake game! One more time! Let’s play one more time!”
Hmm… definitely not an ordinary child. His tantrum is quite unsightly.
The boy threw a fit, completely shameless in his defeat. He had acted so cool, flicking his stones, but he was clearly furious about losing.
Furious… was he angry about losing to me?
Jegal Liang hadn’t been playing Go alone because he lacked opponents. On the contrary, anyone in the Jegal Clan would jump at the chance to play against him, hoping to catch his eye.
However, their goal was not to win, but to build connections. That was why Jegal Liang ignored them and played alone.
A game without the intent to win is not a game at all. It’s boring. In that sense, playing against this impudent child was… fun.
A smile unconsciously spread across his face. Jegal Liang cleared the board and placed four black stones as a handicap.
“A fair game? You’re only worth four stones.”
Jegal Liang, reveling in the joy of victory he hadn’t felt in a long time, proceeded to taunt the loser.
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Smirk Smirk. That damn old man. No wonder his grandchildren don’t play with him. I’ll get him back next time.
Lost in my thoughts, I realized the sun had set and it was time for dinner.
It was customary to go home and eat once the sun went down, so I left the irritating old man and returned to my room.
“Jang-sam, food!”
“Yes, Young Master. I’m preparing it now. But where’s Gwahae?”
“What? Gwahae isn’t back yet?”
“No. She disappeared after I finished cleaning up the tree. I thought she went to you.”
That kid was obsessed with mealtimes and snack time, perhaps due to being deprived of food in her past. But she hadn’t returned?
This was the Jegal Clan, and Gwahae had been given the Jegal surname, so nothing bad should have happened… It shouldn’t have.
“Start eating without me. I’ll eat later.”
As I prepared to go back outside, Jang-sam grinned mischievously, needling me.
“Are you going to look for her? How devoted~”
“Shut up.”
Clutching my rumbling stomach, I grabbed my staff and headed out. First, I checked the backyard where I had last seen her, by the broken tree.
There was nothing there but the broken tree stump.
It wasn’t a particularly thick tree, but she had broken it with her bare hands. She wouldn’t be crying just because someone hit her.
I continued my search. She wasn’t there. I thoroughly searched the guest quarters, but she was nowhere to be found.
I took a deep breath.
Gwahae, despite having the Jegal name, wasn’t treated as a direct or even distant relative. The places she could go were limited. There was no need to panic… But I needed to find her to eat, so the sooner, the better.
Using my internal energy discreetly, I began using light footwork, careful not to be seen by anyone. Gwahae had been bullied in the past, so she avoided crowded places. If she was hiding, she would likely be somewhere secluded in the gardens.
Early spring was giving way to warmer weather, and I was already sweating from the minimal exertion.
I hadn’t even eaten, and I was running around like this. That damn brat. I would spank her when I found her. I wouldn’t care if she cried.
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I found Gwahae. As I expected, she was in a secluded corner of the garden.
I had intended to scold her, but when I saw her, I was speechless.
Gwahae was practicing the Gratitude Emptiness Illumination Fist under the moonlight.
The garden was lush with new green grass, but the patch where Gwahae stood was worn bare from her countless steps. It was soaked with sweat.
Her body moved. Her fists flew. Beads of sweat glistened in the moonlight.
I was stunned into silence by this absurd and comical sight.
[Hmm… I’ve learned enough. Now I need to practice on my own. Gratitude Emptiness Illumination Fist, 10,000 repetitions.]
You idiot. You’re supposed to filter out the nonsense. Why are you following my instructions so literally? Why don’t you question anything?
“Stop.”
I had meant to speak more gently, but my voice came out colder than I intended. But gentle or cold, it didn’t matter.
My words didn’t reach her.
Gwahae continued to mechanically, reflexively perform the movements, her exhausted body barely able to keep up. She was trying to reach the 10,000 repetitions I had jokingly assigned her.
“I said… stop!”
My voice rose in anger. My fists clenched. Who was I angry at?
My misplaced anger echoed through the garden. Still, Gwahae didn’t stop. I grabbed her roughly, forcing her to look at me. I looked into her eyes. They had seemed like a vast ocean when we first met, but now they looked like a calm lake, or a clear mirror. Innocent eyes.
And in those clear eyes, I saw a coward reflected back at me. A coward who had boasted he would teach her everything, but who had gotten scared and run away when things didn’t go as planned.
As Gwahae’s eyes focused on my face, a flicker of light returned to them. She smiled brightly, like a puppy greeting its owner, then quickly lowered her gaze, like a child caught doing something wrong.
“Sorry… I haven’t finished 10,000 yet.”
“It’s… okay.”
My wavering voice must have betrayed my emotions because Gwahae’s eyes widened in fear.
“I-I… can do it! I will! So… so… please don’t hate me.”
I clenched my fists. I forced myself to put on my usual confident and nonchalant expression, squeezing the words out past the tightness in my chest.
“The 10,000 repetitions were a test. Yes, a test of your perseverance. And you passed. I honestly didn’t think you would… but you did it… Amazing.”
I reached out and gently stroked Gwahae’s head. She leaned into my touch, but her lips still trembled with anxiety.
“R-Really?”
“Really.”
“That’s good.”
Gwahae collapsed against me, falling asleep as if she’d fainted. Or maybe she actually had fainted. Either way, I carefully looked down at her.
She was small and frail. Her cheeks were still chubby with baby fat, soft and round. She looked like any other ordinary child.
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What a torture you’ve made Mancheon 😔
