Chapter 27 (2/2)

“Am I that elderly?”

“There’s not many six-year-olds that use the word ‘elderly’.”

That stung. I rolled my eyes and answered strongly.

“Well, that’s nothing. I’m a genius.”

“Since you’re such a genius, you won’t be fooled by appearances.”

“Huh?”

The light in Aku Ryun’s eyes became serious.

“Watch out for the investigation team.”

“…why?”

“You don’t really think that they visited to investigate, do you?”

“I know that much. I don’t plan to be fooled.”

“Don’t trust anyone. It’s been a long time since the Murim Alliance valued their honor more than justice.”

The reason why Aku Ryun joined hands with the Murim Alliance in the original story was not because of his trust in them, but because of their common interests.

“I got it, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“There’s the most important thing left.”

“What’s that?”

Aku Ryun asked in a serious voice.

“Who is the most handsome member of the investigation team?”

The most handsome person?

It was a random question, but I answered it right away.

“Jegal’s Young Sect Master”

“Be most wary of him.”

“……why?”

“Young Miss is weak to good looks.”

I hate myself for not being able to refute him.

But how did he know my weakness?

Aku Ryun answered the unasked question nonchalantly.

“Sometimes you stare at Sect Master’s face. So that’s why I speculated… Am I wrong?”

Well, if Jegal Hyun says ‘do you want to eat with oppa?’, I might consider it…

“Young Miss, what are you thinking of right now?”

Aku Ryun had narrowed his eyes at me.

Oops!

Whenever I was in trouble, I tilted my head with my hands wrapped around my cheeks.

Hundred out of hundred times, I would get out of it with my cuteness.

“uwu? I wasn’t thinking of anything~~”

“I know you were thinking of something weird. You just had a bad expression on your face.”

… except for this guy,

As expected, he’s a formidable fellow. I lowered my hand with a cold face. Then I glanced at his empty chest.

“But… why don’t you do that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The thing I gave you… the ice flowers.”

“I’m not interested in accessories.”

“It’s not just an accessory…”

But I gave it to you. As a token of gratitude, I just shut up. I gave it to you because I was thankful, but it’s a bit funny to ask why he wasn’t wearing it.

I guess he didn’t like it.

Hiding my disappointment, I stood up energetically.

“I’ll go now. Even if I’m a little late, the grandpas will come look for me. I have to get back quickly.”

Aku Ryun stood up to follow me and took something out of his pocket to give me. It was a necklace that held a small piece of wood.

“What is this?”

“Recently… I saw someone make something like this so I copied it. Inside the piece, I inserted qi so during an emergency it will keep you warm.”

I knew who he was looking at when he made it.

His mother.

With her dexterity, she liked to procure wood by herself, carve it, make it into necklaces, and give them to her husband and son.

I received the necklace.

It was a coarse, unattractive necklace. Not only did he not use proper tools, but the texture was also jagged and the finish was sloppy.

But it held more warmth than any gift I’d ever received.

I made a fuss like a kid who found treasure.

“Wow, that’s so beautiful! Are you really giving this to me? Put it on me! Put it on me!”

Aku Ryun went behind me with an awkward face. I could feel his low breath hitting the back of my neck and his hand tying the knot carefully.

“….?”

He stood still after he put on his necklace.

For some reason, I was standing still because I thought I shouldn’t look back, but suddenly a small voice passed by my ears.

“Happy birthday.”

“….it’s not today.”

“I know.”

Aku Ryun calmly answered and immediately went inside.

Left alone, I stood there. I left the training center.

All the way back, I didn’t know why my ears were warm.

***

Alone, Aku Ryun stared at the seat where the child had sat.

When he put his hand on the seat where the child had sat, the remaining warmth warmed his palm.

“I don’t like it.”

He hated it when the child visited and hated it when she didn’t come.

When it was time for the child to come, he wanted to lock that door so that she couldn’t come in, but he also wanted to lock the door so that she could not leave when she visited.

Just then he wanted to hold onto the child’s wrist and tell her to stay a little bit longer but he endured the urge.

Most importantly, he was annoyed that the child thought that the Jegal family’s Young Sect Master was handsome.

Why was he like this?

“Is it my lack of mental discipline?”

Aku Ryun changed into a training outfit and began meditating.

His shabby training outfit had five dainty ice flower decorations.

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