The Protagonist’s Daddy Long Legs – Chapter 65

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Several days had passed since the martial arts duel between Hong-ryeon and Chae-jin. As the physician had said, their injuries healed after a couple of days of rest.

Since, after all, it was said that there were no serious injuries, there would be no major problems.

The problem lay elsewhere.

After finishing my work as usual, I headed to the backyard when it was time for training.

Normally, I would train alone in the morning, and Chae-jin would guide me in the afternoon training.

Even if Chae-jin was next to me in the morning, she would just watch and give instructions, but that had changed a little in the past few days.

“Here. You extend your fist like this.”

Naturally, Chae-jin was next to me, pulling my arm. She was kinder than usual, and more of her body was touching mine.

“Hmm…”

“This is an important part to master if you want to advance to the next level of the Chae Family’s Tai Chi, so remember it well.”

“Thank you.”

“What for? With the relationship we have.”

“But aren’t you holding on a bit too much?”

“You can feel the flow of your internal energy, right?”

“Oh? Yes, I can.”

“Through the contact of hand to hand and body to body, the flow of internal energy can be continued, and through that, you can master the next level more quickly. You do want to become stronger, don’t you?”

“That’s true, but…”

“What are you doing? Don’t just stand there.”

Chae-jin naturally moved my arm. At the same time, her other hand pulled my shoulder. Just as I was about to be pulled into her embrace, I resisted with strength.

Chae-jin smiled faintly, then moved her hand in a peculiar way and pulled me even more strongly.

“The Chae Family’s Tai Chi goes well with ‘Geumna Hand Techniques’. This is called ‘Seomjeonhwansu,’ a Geumna technique that can enhance the subtlety of change, so remember it well.”

“I understand. But could you let go now?”

“Of course.”

When I lightly pushed off, I was able to take a few steps back. As I nodded and thought about the technique I had just learned, Chae-jin held out her hand.

“Now, try it.”

Was she trying to teach me other martial arts besides the Chae Family’s Tai Chi now?

Thinking about it, it wasn’t a bad thing.

Unlike the prologue, the scenario for this first chapter might have Seomhwa Village turn into a battle zone.

In other words, in the worst-case scenario, enemies could enter the village, and if I thought of this as preparing a foundation for me to fight on my own,

I should be thanking her instead of feeling like I had a lack of something.

“Try to pull more strongly.”

As I grabbed Chae-jin’s shoulder and applied force, she spoke in a pouting tone. Was it because I wasn’t performing the technique properly?

I nodded and pulled her shoulder, and just as I had done earlier, Chae-jin naturally leaned into my body.

“Is this the right way to do it?”

“…Yes.”

Chae-jin, who had paused for a moment, answered in a low voice. Good. Then from here, I should push…

“…Miss Chae.”

“Yes?”

“Shouldn’t you be pushed away?”

Why wasn’t she being pushed away even though I was using strength?

It was a lesson, so if she kept resisting with that much strength, it would be a bit…

Especially since I was just starting to learn, if she came at me with such sincerity…

“Ahaha. I meant for you to use more strength.”

“I see.”

I applied strength again, and only then did Chae-jin get pushed away, taking a few steps back as I had done.

“You did well. Now, shall we practice the next move?”

Was it because of the hot weather? A blush had settled on Chae-jin’s face.

But there shouldn’t be any problems.

After the unusual morning training and some work, it was around the time the lunch rush ended.

She should be coming soon.

“Hello~”

A bright voice was heard as someone entered the inn. The person had striking, flaming red hair, and a woman wearing the Martial Alliance’s uniform, a form-fitting qipao, walked in with a smile.

It was Hong-ryeon, who had been coming down every day after the lunch rush since recovering from the duel.

“Did you come to learn from Yohan again today?”

“Haha. Yes.”

“That’s good. Take this with you later.”

I pointed to the sweets I had made earlier, following Yohan’s instructions. I was thinking of expanding the variety of sweets, and Yohan seemed to know quite a bit about making them.

Moreover, the ingredients were inexpensive, but the taste was even better.

I had made a few test items, and I was planning to give them to the Hong Seong Clan members to see how to sell them, so I had been preparing them every day.

“I feel bad just taking these every time.”

“What do you mean? And how did the medicinal herbs turn out?”

“Ah. The others will bring them later. They’re being packaged now.”

“Then, after drying and packaging, we’ll have to go to the Cheonghwe Corporation.”

“When will that be?”

“It will take at least a week, I think. Why do you ask?”

“Then shall we go together?”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“This is related to our Hong Seong Clan, right? So I can’t be left out.”

She wasn’t wrong.

After all, those herbs were made by the Hong Seong Clan. Besides, they were going to be sent to the central region through the Cheonghwe Corporation…

Even for that guarantee, it seemed better for Hong-ryeon to come along.

I didn’t think Cheon Ilhwa would doubt me, but still, I needed to provide confirmation.

“What’s this? Are you planning to go without me?”

At that moment, there was a woman coming down from upstairs. It was Chae-jin. She came down smiling brightly, looked at me and Hong-ryeon alternately, and smiled even more deeply.

And then, a short sentence.

“I should go too, you know. This is a crucial time for my training, and you’re trying to leave me out?”

“Can’t you train alone?”

“How could I? And I’m also learning Geumna techniques these days, right?”

That’s true, isn’t it?

I looked at Hong-ryeon, and she smiled after thinking for a moment.

“Then we can go together.”

“I trust you two aren’t planning to fight.”

As I spoke with a slightly awkward expression, Chae-jin and Hong-ryeon answered simultaneously.

“I have no intention of fighting.”

“We decided not to have a duel.”

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Yes, they had decided not to have a duel.

But that was a separate matter from this, wasn’t it?

As soon as Yuhwol went upstairs to take care of some business, Hong-ryeon and Chae-jin, as if they had made a promise, headed to the backyard.

They went under a large tree and dropped the smiles they had been wearing.

Then, without a word, they stared at each other.

“What brings you here?”

Chae-jin was the first to speak.

Even with her monotone voice, Hong-ryeon remained composed.

“Did I come to a place I shouldn’t? Seomhwa Village is the Hong Seong Clan’s territory, and besides, Innkeeper Yu is… ahem.”

“…Well, if you have something to say, go ahead.”

“Someone I’m close with, right?”

“…I know that ‘close’ means close in a business sense.”

“…Tsk.”

Such a quick-witted girl.

Hong-ryeon clicked her tongue briefly and then spoke slowly in a tone as emotionless as Chae-jin’s.

“But I heard that your lessons have increased lately?”

“Ah. Innkeeper Yu felt the need to protect himself. The Chae Family’s Tai Chi and Ohgeumhee aren’t bad, but still, he should learn at least some Geumna techniques.”

“Geumna techniques. Those are good. But what’s the meaning behind subtly touching his body? Last time I saw, you were just…”

“Isn’t it natural to touch while teaching?”

“Liar.”

Hong-ryeon snorted. Of course, Chae-jin wasn’t wrong. When teaching martial arts, it wasn’t strange for bodies to naturally touch when correcting postures and teaching moves.

However, considering the difference in their levels, Chae-jin’s actions were quite strange.

“Someone like you could teach without doing that, couldn’t you?”

That was right.

The current difference in skill between Yuwol and Chae-jin was like heaven and earth. With that much difference, she could guide him simply by leading his internal energy and reciting the formulas.

Moreover, the Geumna technique he had been learning recently, Seomjeonhwansu, wasn’t a very difficult one from the Chae Family.

Yet she was teaching him with direct physical contact?

“That’s my choice, isn’t it?”

At Hong-ryeon’s remark, Chae-jin’s face slightly reddened.

What a sharp girl.

How could she point it out so accurately?

Other intentions? Of course, she had them.

But it was also true that it was her choice.

“What about you?”

Snorting, Chae-jin also spoke coldly.

It was about yesterday. She remembered when Hong-ryeon said she had learned cooking from Yohan and had fed it to Yuwol.

And she had fed him directly, putting it into his mouth!

Something even Chae-jin hadn’t done!

“…Well, there was only one pair of chopsticks at the time, wasn’t there?”

“There are plenty of chopsticks lying around the inn.”

“So what?”

Crack.

Sparks seemed to fly every time their eyes met.

In fact, it was quite rare for martial artists to just fight with words like this, leaving their perfectly good fists aside.

Martial artists usually spoke with their weapons, after all.

But to draw weapons?

That was absolutely not an option.

They both simultaneously remembered what Yuwol had said last time.

If they were to fight and get hurt, it would hurt him.

He had said that they were both important to him, so he wanted them to avoid getting seriously injured.

For both of them, who didn’t want to be hated by him, drawing weapons was tantamount to betraying this fight and their own feelings.

“…..”

“….”

They glared at each other.

Then should one of them take the initiative and confess first?

Wouldn’t that allow her to get closer to him?

But they both immediately shook their heads.

It was a clumsy method, no matter how they thought about it.

He was a person who could clearly distinguish between friend and foe, and he treated his allies as warmly as he could.

But if they were to ask if that warmth was the same as that for a lover or someone he was attracted to, they could only tilt their heads in confusion.

Also, he was a person who didn’t look at other things to achieve his goals.

Chae-jin had heard from Hano in the past that he didn’t even glance at a nearly naked courtesan next to him,

And Hong-ryeon knew that during their trip in Palcheon Village, he hadn’t given a single glance to beautiful courtesans or women and had focused on their journey.

In other words, he wasn’t a man who would be swayed by a simple confession of a woman’s feelings.

In such a situation, if they confessed and he said he was sorry…

Regardless of the outcome of the fight with the woman in front of them, their hearts might crumble.

That was how much Yuwol’s presence had taken root in their hearts.

Even strong, fearless martial artists were no different from others when faced with such a problem.

They were afraid of failure and of being shot down.

Only then did they understand the meaning of their masters’ words.

Once you reached a certain level of skill, there was nothing more important than training your heart.

“…Ugh.”

“…Urk.”

If they failed.

If he rejected them.

Even if it was the second or third time, they were prepared to say it was okay, but they were afraid he would say that even that wasn’t possible, so Hong Ryun and Chae-jin groaned.

So there was only one thing they could do now.

They had to think and act strategically.

Just as one doesn’t realize their clothes are getting wet in a drizzle, they had to slowly but surely permeate him.

Get closer to him, make him feel them as women.

Confess and make him aware of them when he had grown so fond of them that he would have a hard time without them.

Who was it that said that a confession was merely an act of confirming affection?

Knowing that a hasty move in an ambiguous relationship could lead to disaster, they stared at each other, startled, and gritted their teeth.

“…It seems you had the same idea as me.”

“…So it seems.”

To think they had the same strategy.

At Hong-ryeon’s words, Chae-jin clicked her tongue briefly and nodded.

As expected of Hong-ryeon, she was no ordinary woman.

But she had no intention of losing.

Of course, the same was true for Hong-ryeon.

Therefore, they stared at each other even more silently.

“What are you two doing outside when it’s so hot?!”

At that moment, a shout came from the window of Yuwol’s room on the upper floor of the inn.

Hong-ryeon and Chae-jin, who turned their heads like lightning towards the sound, smiled brightly and shouted back.

“It’s nothing!”

“We were just talking!”

At their response, Yuwol tilted his head and went back inside. Hong-ryeon and Chae-jin stared at each other for a moment and then turned away abruptly.

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