Chapter 39

Chapter 39

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His throat was dry.

His throat burned as if he were standing in the middle of a barren desert.

As he let out a groan, cool, refreshing water soon moistened his lips.

It felt as if he possessed the whole world.

Gradually regaining consciousness, he slowly opened his eyes. The first thing that came into view was the ceiling. He clearly thought he had entered a place like a stable, so he wondered where he was now.

As he had those thoughts, his senses began to return one by one. His body was still aching, but with his senses returning, a flash of thought came to him.

“Am I… alive?”

“You are alive.”

Surprised, he turned his head.

It was because a person's voice, and a young child's voice at that, was heard. At the end of his gaze was a tiny child. It was a child wearing a bright smile while holding a bowl containing water in both hands.

“You are alive!”

“Oh… I-I see.”

“Hehehe, thank goodness. You didn't open your eyes for a few days, so I was really worried.”

Smiling innocently, she quietly handed over the water bowl. Gwon Mu-jin took and drank it in a daze, gradually tracing back his memories.

He clearly entered the stable, and thought it was the end. Then, the urgent voices of young children were heard, and his memory afterward was too blurry for him to recall well.

“Did you… save me?”

“It's true that I found you, mister, but the one who saved you is my dad. When you see him later, you must thank him. Hehe, I'm really glad you lived!”

She spoke without a shred of selfishness.

Truly, this child seemed satisfied just by the fact that Gwon Mu-jin was alive.

“Ah, and you must thank Uncle Jang too. He went through a lot feeding you porridge every day.”

“Uncle… Jang?”

“Yes!”

“…Where is this?”

“It's our house!”

Dan So-mi was excited for the first time in a while.

She had saved the person she wanted to save so badly. Although it was not by her own strength, she felt proud just by the fact that she did not let a person die before her eyes.

Furthermore, since the person she had been worried about because he did not wake up for several days had risen, she was in an even better mood and her smile did not fade.

“Uncle Jang told me to let him know first when you woke up. So he could hit you once.”

“Hit? Me?”

“Yes! Because you always spit it out while eating porridge…”

Dan So-mi hurriedly packed the bowl and stood up. Because she had to let Jang Sam-tae and Dan Woo-hyun know of this fact.

“…”

“Hehe, then I'll go. Please rest.”

The sight of the tiny child trotting out while holding the bowl was truly cute.

Gwon Mu-jin leaned his body against the bed, wearing a pleased smile without realizing it.

“I… am alive.”

He had experienced death.

No, he had only thought he was dead. Because he realized he could never survive.

Yet, since he was breathing like this, where could there be any happier event than this?

‘I can still do it.’

Gwon Mu-jin's eyes flashed.

He could do it. Since he was alive, he could do it. In order to climb to a higher place, the hope that he could do anything arose.

At that moment, the door opened with a creak.

Glancing over, a strange man entered.

“Ahem! Is your body okay?”

Seeing him clear his throat with his hands behind his back, Gwon Mu-jin wondered if he was the master of this place. Although he looked a bit strange to be considered the parent of the child from earlier, it was still clear that he was the savior who had saved his life.

Gwon Mu-jin struggled to rise from his seat and clasped his fists.

“…Thank you. You saved me.”

“Ahem! It is fine if you know. Just how much trouble did I go through… tsk tsk. Next time, if you want to die, die cleanly. Do you know how shocked the kids were when they saw you?”

“I… have no face to show. I apologize.”

Gwon Mu-jin bowed his head sincerely.

Because it was true that he had caused trouble, and though it was unintentional, he had shown a bad sight to the children.

“Thank you for saving my life. I will never forget this favor.”

“Don't forget it for the rest of your life.”

The man who cleared his throat put his hands behind his back and looked up at the ceiling. Whether he liked being greeted by someone, the corners of his mouth could be seen twitching.

‘Though he speaks rather harshly, he is a good person.’

Gwon Mu-jin smiled inwardly.

At that moment, footsteps were heard again. While he could not hide his wonder, wondering if someone was coming, he saw the man in the room hurriedly step back and bow respectfully.

Soon, the moment the door opened.

“Have you come, Manor Lord?”

“Yes.”

Gwon Mu-jin had not yet seen the face of the person who entered. Because he was staring at the man as if shocked by the voice that suddenly carried in.

“Weren't you the Manor Lord?”

“I never said I was the Manor Lord. Did you misunderstand something?”

“Hehehe, it's Uncle Jang. He cleans and, um, cooks at our house. Uncle Jang also made the porridge you ate.”

At Dan So-mi's words that followed, Gwon Mu-jin felt a stiffness in the back of his neck.

He had bowed his head thinking he was the person who saved him. It was a greeting containing sincerity for causing such trouble.

But to think it was merely the trick of a servant?

As he looked at him with his lips trembling, Jang Sam-tae could be seen twitching the corners of his mouth, trying his best to suppress his laughter. Because of that, his anger almost burst even more.

If he had not heard the voice of the other man belatedly, he might have shouted in anger.

“Seeing you move normally, your body seems fine.”

He was startled by the voice that was somehow familiar. Turning his head to look, a man with a familiar face was wearing a calm expression.

“You!”

“I am Dan Woo-hyun. The father of that child and the person who saved you.”

“Y-you… saved me? You did?”

“Yes, you are lucky.”

Looking at Dan Woo-hyun, Gwon Mu-jin realized one fact. He had not saved him because he wanted to save him.

If it hadn't been for that child, he was a man who would not have blinked an eye even if he died before him.

“Give your thanks to So-mi. Because this child brought you heavenly luck.”

Gwon Mu-jin could not reject those words. The gaze and aura of this absolute master before his eyes oppressed his entire body, forcing him to bow his head.

“Thank you… truly. Thanks to you, I survived.”

“No! No! So-mi really didn't do anything. My dad did it.”

Dan So-mi replied, not knowing what to do. Alternately looking at Dan Woo-hyun and Gwon Mu-jin, she soon hid herself behind Dan Woo-hyun's back.

“Then you two go out for a moment. I will talk with this man alone for a bit.”

“Yes! You must not forget that we agreed to go fishing later!”

“Haha, I see.”

Dan So-mi held Jang Sam-tae's hand and left the door. Awkwardness hung in the room.

Gwon Mu-jin could not even catch his bearings on what to say first, so he could not open his mouth recklessly.

The one who broke that silence first was Dan Woo-hyun.

“Sit down. Even standing must be hard.”

“…Thank you.”

Just as Dan Woo-hyun said, Gwon Mu-jin was in a state where even standing was hard. He had forced his body to rise just to convey his gratitude; otherwise, he wouldn't have risen from the bed.

His entire body was in that much of a mess.

“As I said earlier, if it hadn't been for that child, you would have died.”

“…I know.”

“If it's luck, it's luck, and if it's destiny, it's destiny. In the end, heaven took your side, and the wind guided me to your side.”

“…”

Dan Woo-hyun's remark was extremely strange.

It felt as if he was entangled in something he did not want to be entangled in? Although he was reluctant, he seemed to think this was also the natural order and was naturally following it.

“I owe you… my life.”

“Do not think of it as a debt. I saved you because I didn't want to see my child sad.”

Dan Woo-hyun leaned back in his chair.

Bending his head somewhat crookedly, he cast his gaze down to look at Gwon Mu-jin. It felt as if he was seeing through what he was thinking.

“Were you attacked by your comrades?”

“…”

“The Martial World is originally a place where one must do anything to survive. Even if that is betrayal.”

“I know.”

“Do not think ill of it. Because there is no guarantee that you wouldn't have done the same if you had been in their position.”

“…”

Dan Woo-hyun stood up from his seat.

He had said all he wanted to say. He did not wish to preach to an injured person. By saving Gwon Mu-jin, Dan Woo-hyun had practically done his part.

“Also, do not get angry and grind your blade over it. If your heart becomes venomous, your blade also becomes venomous. A venomous blade is bound to break easily in the end.”

“…I will keep that in mind.”

Gwon Mu-jin bowed his head deeply.

Dan Woo-hyun had given him a teaching. Although it was merely a short sentence and he knew well it was not about martial arts, he felt the murderous intent toward Ma Dok-jin that he harbored in his heart gradually ease.

If he had not heard these words, Gwon Mu-jin would have definitely ground his blade again and again to kill Ma Dok-jin.

“For the time being, recuperate here. With that body, what else would you be but a corpse if you go out?”

“Thank you…”

Simultaneously with the sound of the door closing, Gwon Mu-jin laid his body on the bed. Being too exhausted, his eyelids were heavy as if sleep would come softly.

‘He is a great man.’

Gwon Mu-jin sincerely thought so.

To turn a person's heart with merely a word.

Furthermore, it was even harder if it was someone grinding a blade.

Yet, that man had changed it.

Not because of the words he spoke, but the strange energy emanating from his body calmed his mind, clearing his head and allowing him to make rational decisions.

This was an incredibly amazing thing.

‘Perhaps he is a person who has attained a higher realm than I thought?’

Everything about Dan Woo-hyun looked mysterious.

‘Dan Woo-hyun… Dan So-mi…?’

Gwon Mu-jin wore a smirk.

Recalling the faces of the two, his mind seemed to turn peaceful. It was a strange feeling he experienced for the first time, having lived a life struggling for success since childhood.

His heart grew warm.

This alone was enough to make him feel good.

Drip.

Tears flowed at the warmth of another person, which he felt for the first time in his life.