Chapter: 322
For some reason, it was after a meal where I felt like I was going to get sick.
If not, was it from the moment when Wi Seol-ah made that bombshell comment to me?
For some reason, Wi Seol-ah began to change.
Around the time I started my afternoon training.
After finishing the incredibly dull theoretical education.
When I took a brief break.
I felt a gaze on me from somewhere.
Wondering what it could be, I glanced around and saw something peeking out from the door.
It was a human head.
“Huh?”
I squinted my eyes, wondering what kind of terrifying sight that was.
It was a face I recognized.
Of course, it was Wi Seol-ah.
For a moment, I panicked and thought I had misread the situation.
But it was really her.
What on earth is she doing?
I wasn’t the only one who confirmed Wi Seol-ah’s little act.
The other members in the room were giving her odd looks.
After all, she’s known as the descendant of the Sword Master, the best among the three factions.
No wonder everyone’s eyes were drawn to her.
She’s growing more beautiful by the day.
I heard she’s attracting a lot of attention from the guys.
I get it.
With looks like that, who could ignore her?
I preferred her chubby cheeks from before though.
“Older brother?”
She must’ve checked with me, as she immediately called out.
“I know.”
Knock knock.
As soon as our eyes met, I sat up straight.
It was obvious she came to see me.
If I were to say she didn’t, it would sting a bit… but what can I say, of course she did.
As I approached her, Wi Seol-ah flinched in surprise but thankfully didn’t run away this time.
She used to bolt at the sight of me recently.
Is she really no longer intending to run away?
‘It’s not like I’m some wild animal.’
That meant approaching was that difficult.
I chuckled at that passing thought.
I moved closer to Wi Seol-ah and asked her, “What are you doing here?”
“Ah…!”
“What do you mean ‘ah’?”
I’m already close, so why are you acting surprised now?
Her eyes widened slightly in reaction.
They still showed how big Wi Seol-ah’s eyes are.
Her slightly sharper gaze was starting to resemble her from her previous life.
But the reactions she’s showing now seem to indicate she’s quite different from the Shingeom.
“Do you have something to say?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Every time Wi Seol-ah shook her head, her hair fluttered.
Her hair, which used to be quite short, has grown a lot over the years.
If I had to guess, it probably reaches her waist by now.
Watching the golden strands of hair, I heard Wi Seol-ah’s voice.
“I just wanted to see you…”
That hits deep.
I never expected to hear something like that from Wi Seol-ah.
“…”
Maybe that’s why I was left speechless.
While I was processing her words, it seemed Wi Seol-ah had said all she wanted.
In a flash, she bolted away just like before.
Why does she keep trying to say something only to run off?
Is she really a wild animal at heart?
This wasn’t the only odd thing about Wi Seol-ah.
Intermittently during practice, she would peek at me.
Whenever I got close to say a few words, she would flee.
What I definitely felt amidst all this was that at least Wi Seol-ah was trying to do something.
At least it’s an improvement.
Unlike before, she doesn’t bolt at the first sign of me.
But that constant peeking was seriously distracting.
What on earth is she up to?
I already had a headache from work this morning.
And the person responsible for that is doing that…
Is she trying to complicate things for me even further?
If so, mission accomplished.
I felt utterly convoluted.
Once all the scheduled training was over for the day.
The time for personal training arrived.
Normally, it would be around dinner when we’d all eat together.
But since I heard everyone had their plans, I all but decided to skip dinner.
Coincidentally, I had been feeling a bit out of sorts lately.
Maybe it was due to a lack of training. If that’s the case, it might turn out well.
At least during meal times, we would at least see each other’s faces.
I had been trying to attend at those times.
But I honestly couldn’t remember how long it had been since we’d been torn apart by our own circumstances.
Mo Yong-hee had been busy with something lately.
Dang So-yeol mentioned she had an appointment with Peng Ah-hee.
Namgung Bi-ah suddenly said she was having dinner separately with Gu Yeon-seo.
No, since when were they even close?
Was it correct to say they had become close?
I’d heard they were assigned to the same group. Apparently, they spent more time together than expected.
I’d been keeping an eye on Gu Yeon-seo for a bit.
At least it’s a relief that Namgung Bi-ah was hanging around with her.
Rumor has it that Namgung Bi-ah holds quite a significant position in her group.
Every group has their standout talents.
So I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case for her.
The same goes for the other kids too.
Phew…
The heat escaping from my body dissipated in the wind.
The place I was in was the plain behind Shinryonggwan.
Of course, the training ground would be bustling with activity.
Even if I decided to go, I’d just end up watching Paewoocheol train again.
And rolling up leaves would be on the agenda.
This time, I was trying to find a quiet space for personal training.
Grrr…
I checked my state by circulating my energy through the Danjeon.
The amount of energy felt the same.
Compared to the time when I focused on deep meditation, my growth was sluggish.
I guess that makes sense; my current energy level is on par with an average peak master.
Not to mention the multiple opportunities I’ve consumed.
I had surpassed the point where I could increase it like this.
What about my body?
‘It’s empty.’
With the intention of solidifying my foundation.
Repeating the cycles of tearing and regenerating, it’s indeed a powerful body compared to my peers.
But that’s all relative.
In comparison to other peak masters, I still fell short.
Ultimately, the level I’ve achieved now is…
It’s like a flashy tower built with vast energy reserves from my past life’s experiences.
It’s not a tower that will easily crumble.
But it’s not as well-built as it should be either.
Tsk.
If the energy supporting it collapses.
That means there’s a significant risk of it all crashing down at any moment.
I’d like to say I could just strengthen my body and fill the gaps, but…
That takes way too long.
Training external techniques truly requires immense amounts of time.
And even if I think about chances,
The only option I have is transformation, which isn’t perfect either.
I’m not even in a position where I can dream of perfect transformation.
‘What should I do?’
The hot energy is still swirling throughout my body.
It gathers in the lower dantian.
And steadily makes its way back and forth towards the upper dantian.
‘The path seems somewhat clearer now.’
Unlike the time I first attempted to enter the upper dantian,
The road feels a little cleaner now.
Even so, it’s still just a matter of reaching it.
‘Why?’
I can’t make sense of it.
Why does it still feel like I’m just reaching for it?
I can’t elevate my energy to break through.
It was already precarious just to reach that point.
That’s why it makes even less sense.
‘It’s not that I lack energy.’
There has never been a shortage of energy for me.
Yet the fact that I feel it’s not enough to reach the upper dantian suggests that something else is at play.
I thought of it as a matter of the heart.
A wandering thought, tied somewhere.
This is what’s preventing my energy from reaching the upper dantian.
What could be the issue?
There are so many distractions that point out one single thing.
When I first started regressing,
The problem was as trivial as the minuscule energy in my wretched body.
Now that I cleared that up, could it be a mental issue?
It’s baffling how many problems keep cropping up.
“Huh…”
With a deep sigh, I pulled my energy back to my danjeon.
As my hot body quickly cooled down.
Only then did I finally feel a hint of the winter wind.
When a faint breath mist begins to form.
I turned my head and said,
“It’s cold, come here.”
“…!”
Among the trees swaying slightly, something startled was visible.
“Stop peeking. Hurry up and come here.”
I gestured with my hand.
Only then did the person hiding behind the trees cautiously reveal herself.
As expected, the culprit was Wi Seol-ah.
The way she stealthily approached was quite impressive.
Seeing this, I turned my energy slightly to surround her with warmth.
“Is peeking your hobby?”
“Yes…?”
“Has peeking become your new pastime?”
“Oh, no.”
“Then what on earth have you been doing?”
“…”
“Why do you keep glancing at me like that?”
While speaking, I grabbed Wi Seol-ah’s cheeks with both hands and stretched them playfully.
“Eww…!?”
Clearly taken aback, Wi Seol-ah’s eyes widened as if she hadn’t expected to be caught.
Though her cheeks feel less chubby now, there was no problem holding onto them.
It’s fascinating how when you grab her skinny face and stretch it, it looks even more elongated.
“About this morning’s talk—are you trying to torment me now?”
At my words, Wi Seol-ah’s eyes flickered.
Seeing this made me release her cheeks.
While I didn’t hold them too tightly, she seemed to be a bit sensitive.
Wi Seol-ah began to fidget with her own cheek.
“What’s the deal with all of this?”
What’s her intention?
While I’m unsure about what Wi Seol-ah is thinking in doing this, she must have her reasons.
I wanted to know. At my question, Wi Seol-ah hesitantly moved her lips.
With trembling eyes, she said,
“…I was told this is how it’s supposed to be.”
“This is how it’s supposed to be? Who told you that?”
“… If you keep watching, the ‘temptation’ will succeed…”
What on earth?
Did she just say ‘temptation’?
Wi Seol-ah, speaking of temptation?
“… Temptation?”
Even after pondering it three times, I still couldn’t grasp it, so it just slipped out.
Because that word was totally out of character for her.
I’m not sure if she realizes it or if she’s just embarrassed.
She hastily turned her head away.
“You mean you were peeking at me all day long as some form of temptation?”
“…”
“… How can that be called temptation?”
About that bizarre term ‘temptation’—
My past experiences are close to zero.
At the very least, it’s a stretch to say that simply looking constitutes a temptation.
Perhaps if one carried an enchanting gaze like Mo Yong-hee,
They might evoke that kind of response just by gazing at some guy.
But Wi Seol-ah’s definitely not in that league.
Where on earth did she learn that method?
It feels like she’s starting off from a faulty premise.
‘No way.’
With Wi Seol-ah’s looks,
Might just the act of looking at a guy actually be enough to lure him in?
If she used that angle for this…
‘… that can’t be true.’
Yeah, that didn’t seem likely.
‘And on top of that, the whole ‘temptation’ thing?’
Regardless of the process or conclusion,
If it’s true Wi Seol-ah tried to lure me in—
‘…’
Oh, my mind just short-circuited.
I feel like my thoughts just hit a wall.
How did it come to this?
While I contemplated whether I should at least respond to her,
“… Since this one didn’t work, I’ll try something different next time.”
“What?”
I snapped back to reality at Wi Seol-ah’s remark.
Next time, something different…?
“What are you going to do? Wait, what on earth are you doing right now?”
Dude, what is Wi Seol-ah trying to do?
She had said she liked me since morning, and now she’s talking about ‘temptation’ or whatever.
What the hell does she want?
Wi Seol-ah paused for a moment, her previously shaky eyes now steady as she looked at me.
“It’s about effort.”
“Effort?”
“Yes. Effort. I can’t just do nothing. So I am doing this. So… please don’t hate me too much.”
As she said that with a slight smile,
For some inexplicable reason, it poked my heart.
And I found myself unable to spit out any more words.
It felt like I should have said something like, “How could I hate you?”
It might have been better if I had just let it out.
Could it be because of that? My mind was foggy and hazy.
I started to feel a bit of a headache brewing.
It wasn’t painful enough to break me down.
Just a little tingling sensation, really.
And while I was feeling that way—
“Confucius.”
“Huh?”
Wi Seol-ah spoke to me.
“Can I hug you?”
The request was made tentatively, as if she had hesitated for quite a while.
I was left with no choice but to be surprised.
That was definitely an unexpected statement.
It also felt eerily familiar; it was a line I once heard from her.
“—During times like this, just… hug me once.”
She probably doesn’t even recall saying it back then.
It was a memory I hung onto alone.
As for whether to accept or decline Wi Seol-ah’s request?
I was at a loss for words.
Before I could decide, Wi Seol-ah moved first.
She slipped into my embrace.
Though she had grown taller, she was still petite compared to me, fitting snugly in my arms.
Should I hug her back with my hand?
As that thought crossed my mind, I felt Wi Seol-ah’s body tremble lightly.
Unable to endure the trembling any longer,
I gently patted her back.
That was all I could manage right now.
How ridiculous.
Even though I was aware that I had so much to say.
Ultimately, what I chose was to keep my mouth shut.
As long as the pile of things I had to deal with remained unresolved.
There was simply nothing I could do right then.
It was something I had to decide for my own sake.
And also a choice I had to make for the sake of those important to me around me.
Reflecting on that, I struggled to let out even a single word.
“… Could you please ease up a bit? I feel like I’m going to die.”
Just like before,
The strength with which Wi Seol-ah held me was so strong that it made it difficult to breathe.
“… No.”
My heartfelt request was resolutely denied.
And since it felt awkward to ask twice, I just held it in.
The situation that left me feeling utterly lost,
Lasted several minutes until Wi Seol-ah finally released her hold and dashed off.
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