Chapter 4

Chapter 4. The Second Senior Brother Returns

"Second Senior Brother!"

Hearing someone call out from behind him, Jaha turned around.

The moment he did, someone suddenly leaped at him and wrapped their arms around him.

"Byeokho, Second Senior Brother!"

The person hugging Jaha was a woman.

With long, ebony-black hair, she clung to him and sobbed for a long time.

Jaha flinched in surprise and raised his hand, intending to push her shoulders away.

However, contrary to his own will, his hand wrapped around her shoulder instead and gently patted her back.

This is driving me crazy.

It wasn't only his words.

Whenever Byeokho's soul interfered with his actions, his body moved against Jaha's own intentions.

Not knowing what else to say, Jaha stood there quietly before slowly opening his mouth.

They might have been senior and junior disciples, but they had grown up together like brothers and sisters since childhood.

Perhaps that was why, even though this was the first time Jaha had actually seen her face, she felt strangely familiar.

"Hanseol, you're going to break my ribs."

Jaha was slightly flustered.

This was the first time he had seen a woman cry like this.

Back in the Demonic Cult, the only time women cried was in bed.

"Why are you crying?"

"How could I not cry when I haven't seen you in almost three years?"

She lifted her head as she spoke, revealing a bright and lovely face.

She had only recently left girlhood behind, giving her a fresh, youthful charm.

The woman named Hanseol was carrying a basket filled with medicinal herbs.

Strangely enough, Jaha didn't even have to think about what to say next.

The words naturally appeared in his mind.

And he knew those were the words Byeokho wanted to say.

All he had to do was speak whatever came to mind.

Besides, this was Byeokho's home.

It would be better to follow Byeokho's soul as much as possible.

"How is Master?"

"His condition started getting worse three months ago. We've kept him going with ordinary medicine, just as the physician said, but I think we've finally reached the limit."

"Still, that's fortunate. Don't worry anymore. I've earned enough money to buy good medicinal herbs."

"Wow! I knew I could count on Second Senior Brother!"

Hanseol jumped up and down with joy.

Master had brought her home on a snowy winter day, so he had named her Hanseol—Cold Snow.

Hanseol was the third child Master had taken in, making her Jaha's junior sister.

There were also reasons behind the names of First Senior Brother Cheongryong and Byeokho.

Cheongryong was the first disciple Master had taken in.

His name carried the meaning that he should become a dragon rising among the blue clouds.

As for Byeokho, Master had found him in an abandoned house on the road from Taiyuan to Yeongje County.

It had been raining during a dry thunderstorm.

Even though lightning crashed and rain poured down, the infant did not cry.

Seeing that, Master said the child possessed the courage of a tiger and named him Byeokho.

There was another meaning behind it as well.

Since the first child was a dragon, the second should become a tiger.

The fourth child had been found beneath the blazing sun in midsummer, so he was named Hayeom—Summer Flame.

The fifth had been found floating downstream inside a basket on an autumn day, so he was named Suchu—Water Autumn.

Only the sixth had already possessed a name of his own.

He had been abandoned as a newborn, but inside his basket was a note containing his name and the time of his birth.

His name was Jo Unryong.

Among the six disciples, he was the only one who had a family name.

Because of that, the other five eventually began using the first syllable of their given names as their surnames.

Among the six disciples, First Senior Brother had remained behind because he needed to assist Master and run the martial arts school.

The third disciple stayed because she was a woman, while the sixth was still not even twenty years old, so he also remained at the school.

That was why the second disciple, Byeokho, the silver-tongued Hayeom, and the polite and talented cook Suchu had gone to Taiyuan to earn money.

"Haven't the junior brothers who went to Taiyuan returned yet?"

"No."

"They haven't sent any letters either?"

"No."

Byeokho himself had been so busy earning money that he had only sent two letters.

So it wasn't surprising that the other junior brothers had done the same.

"They'll come back by the Double Ninth Festival. They'll probably bring piles of gifts for our Seol."

Even as the words unconsciously left his mouth, Jaha felt his skin crawl.

He had never said anything so embarrassingly affectionate in his entire life.

"First, let's go greet Master."

Jaha headed toward Master's residence.

When he saw Master lying on the bed exactly as he had when Byeokho left, his heart ached.

Of course, that pain came from Byeokho's soul.

However, strangely enough, Jaha could feel his own emotions beginning to blend with it.

The feelings Byeokho held toward his master, Ha Seonbaek, were similar to the fatherly affection Jaha had once felt toward his own father.

"Master, your second disciple has returned."

Even after Jaha spoke, the master lying on the bed gave no response.

"Master's condition looks much worse."

Jaha pulled out a promissory note sealed in wax and broke the seal.

"Hanseol, starting tomorrow, prepare his medicine using good medicinal herbs."

Hanseol took the note.

Tears immediately began streaming down her face.

She was moved by the thought that Master might finally recover.

But at the same time, she could imagine just how much hardship Second Senior Brother must have endured to earn this money.

Jaha gently patted Hanseol's shoulder.

Then he abruptly stood up and walked outside.

He had forced himself to leave because he was afraid Byeokho's soul might make him do something even more embarrassing.

Jaha had never comforted someone by patting their shoulder before.

It felt incredibly unfamiliar.

"Where are First Senior Brother and the youngest?"

Hanseol answered.

"The youngest is in the training hall right now. He's teaching the children who recently joined."

"Really? Then shall we go see how much our cute little youngest has grown?"

As he spoke, Jaha secretly shook his head where Hanseol couldn't see.

What kind of grown man talks like this?

Such embarrassing words would have been unimaginable in the Demonic Cult.

Whatever. Right now, I'm not Jaha. I'm Byeokho.

Let's think of it that way.

That's the only way I'll get used to this.

Thinking that, Jaha headed toward the training hall to meet the youngest disciple, Jo Unryong.

When he opened the door, he saw a handsome young boy with bright, intelligent eyes teaching children even younger than himself.

The children looked smaller than the wooden swords they were desperately swinging.

There were only four of them.

"Are these all the trainees?"

Hanseol weakly nodded.

That was strange.

According to Byeokho's memories, his First Senior Brother, Cheongryong, was known throughout the surrounding area as an excellent swordsman.

There was no way a martial arts school led by someone like that would have only a few young children as trainees.

"Maybe it's just the youngest's teaching period?"

Hanseol didn't answer.

"Don't tell me... these are really all of them?"

"Yes, Second Senior Brother."

Only after Jaha asked again did Hanseol reluctantly answer.

"First Senior Brother doesn't have any students of his own?"

At Jaha's question, Hanseol turned her face away completely.

Sensing that something was wrong, Jaha asked,

"What happened?"

His voice rose slightly.

Jo Unryong, who had been teaching the trainees, looked toward Byeokho.

"Senior Brother Byeok!"

The moment Jo Unryong saw him, his eyes filled with tears.

Large tears began rolling down his cheeks.

Jaha gave an awkward smile.

"Senior Brother Byeok!"

Jo Unryong rushed toward him.

Jaha opened his arms wide.

He had already hugged Hanseol once, so even without Byeokho's soul interfering, he could at least manage this much.

But instead of jumping into his arms, Jo Unryong began punching Byeokho's chest.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

You little bastard!

Jaha cursed inwardly.

His chest had not completely healed yet, and every punch sent a dull pain through him.

"Why?! Why did you only come back now?! You're way too late!"

Jo Unryong complained like a spoiled youngest brother scolding his older brother.

"I'm sorry. I came back too late, didn't I?"

Trying to calm him down, Jaha gently stroked Jo Unryong's head.

It was something Byeokho used to do often.

The moment he did, Jo Unryong buried his face in Jaha's chest and burst into loud sobs.

Something definitely happened here...

Seeing Jo Unryong's intense reaction, Jaha instinctively realized that something must have happened to Cheongun Martial Arts School during the last three years.

Byeokho's soul seemed to feel the same thing.

Still stroking Jo Unryong's head, Jaha asked,

"Unryong, what happened?"

Jo Unryong raised his tear-covered face.

Then, in a trembling voice, he said,

"First Senior Brother is dead!"

The hand stroking his head suddenly froze.

Jaha roughly grabbed Jo Unryong by both shoulders and shook him.

"What?! Is that true? No, it isn't, right? You're just lying because you haven't seen your Second Senior Brother in so long and wanted to tease me, right?"

"No... It's true."

Jo Unryong sobbed.

"First Senior Brother died a year ago."

There was no trace of a lie in his eyes.

Jaha immediately turned toward Hanseol.

"Is Unryong telling the truth?"

His voice trembled.

"First Senior Brother... really passed away?"

Now Jaha understood why Hanseol had looked away whenever he mentioned First Senior Brother.

His heart began pounding violently.

It hurt so badly that his chest tightened.

Hanseol slowly nodded.

Tears fell from her eyes one after another.

That reaction alone told him everything.

There was no need for an answer.

To Byeokho, First Senior Brother had never been just a senior disciple.

For Byeokho, who had grown up without a father, he had been like a father.

Whenever he needed a mother, First Senior Brother had even filled that role as well.

Back when the two of them were the only disciples at Cheongun Martial Arts School, First Senior Brother had cared for Byeokho more lovingly than even a real older brother would have.

They were only five years apart in age.

And yet First Senior Brother had always made up for everything Byeokho lacked.

Whenever there had been only one potato to eat, First Senior Brother had placed the entire potato in Byeokho's hands.

His mastery of the Cheongun Sword was also the greatest, so he always received Master's praise.

Even so, Byeokho had never envied him.

Who in the world could envy someone they were as grateful to as their own parent?

Hot tears streamed down Jaha's face.

And as he cried, Jaha realized something that shocked him even more.

These tears were not being shed by Byeokho.

They were Jaha's own genuine tears.

Through Byeokho's soul, Jaha was experiencing the same feeling he had suffered when his own father died.

It felt as though the entire world had collapsed.

The atmosphere inside the training hall became heavy and chaotic.

Even the young trainees began crying as they watched the painful reunion between the disciples.

Eventually, they quietly slipped out of the training hall.

Even children could understand that sometimes it was better to disappear without saying anything.

The training hall was overflowing with tears and grief.

"First Senior Brother!"

Jaha stared silently at the grave before slowly dropping to his knees and bowing.

These were knees that had never bent for another person throughout his entire life.

Yet they bent so easily now that a faint, bitter smile appeared on his face.

The first time was difficult.

But once he began getting used to Byeokho's actions, even kneeling no longer seemed hard.

Looking at the grass covering the burial mound, he could tell that the grave wasn't very old.

"Your junior brother is sorry for returning so late."

Jaha had managed to calm himself somewhat, but tears were still streaming down his face.

"Please let go of everything and rest peacefully."

He lowered his head.

"I will take good care of everyone."

The moment those words left his mouth, Jaha was startled inwardly.

Hey, Byeokho.

Don't make promises like that so easily.

I can't make a promise like that.

First Senior Brother hadn't only been like a father to Byeokho.

He had been like both a father and mother to all of the disciples.

Hanseol and Jo Unryong also cried for a long time before finally getting back to their feet.

Their steps felt unbearably heavy as they left the grave behind and walked down the mountain.

Byeokho, let's go now.

I'll avenge him for you.

You know who I am, don't you?

I'm the leader of the Demonic Cult.

Once I decide to do something, I see it through no matter what.

So please... let's go now.

His feet stubbornly refused to move, so Jaha tried to comfort Byeokho's soul with those thoughts.

As they descended the mountain, Jaha asked Hanseol,

"How did First Senior Brother die?"

His voice was low.

"He was a healthy man who had never even suffered from illness."

Then his gaze hardened.

"So don't even try telling me that he died from sickness."

Hanseol was a thoughtful girl.

Jaha knew she might try to make up another story for Byeokho's sake.

That was why he had spoken first and cut off that possibility.

"Senior Brother Byeok... you really haven't changed."

Hanseol knew something the other disciples didn't.

Second Senior Brother always yielded everything to First Senior Brother.

But in truth, Byeokho's mastery of the Cheongun Sword had been greater than First Senior Brother's.

He was also much more intelligent.

The other disciples might not have known that, but Hanseol had entered as the third disciple when she was still very young.

Because of that, she knew the truth well.

Second Senior Brother was clever enough to look at a single fact and immediately deduce both the process that had led to it and the result that would follow.

And when his progress in the Cheongun Sword began surpassing First Senior Brother's, Byeokho had deliberately spent more time reading books instead of practicing martial arts.

He had done it because he feared Master might refuse to pass Cheongun Martial Arts School down to First Senior Brother if Byeokho appeared more talented.

Second Senior Brother had intentionally made himself seem inferior.

But Hanseol knew better than anyone that he was actually far more exceptional than he allowed people to see.

For a moment, Hanseol silently stared at Second Senior Brother's profile.

Then, at last, she began to speak.

To be continued.