Chapter 93

It was a perfectly peaceful afternoon.

Sowol Academy was once again filled with the sound of children's laughter.

After their lessons were over, during a break, Yul-i and the other children were chatting under a large wooden pavilion in the academy's courtyard, eating the delicious snacks Wang Won-pyeong had provided.

Yul-i truly loved it here at Sowol Academy.

Whenever she stepped into the courtyard, she was greeted by the pleasant sounds of chirping birds and trees rustling in the wind.

The lessons taught by the relaxed and kind headmaster were never difficult or boring, but always fun.

And all the children in her class were kind.

Yul-i was friends with all the children at the academy.

There was chubby Chu-seol, who loved to eat.

Small Eon-myeong, who was a great tree climber.

And Dae-seong, who was always smiling. They were all precious friends to her.

But her very best friend was Eun Su-a.

Su-a was the first to speak to her when she arrived at Sowol Academy.

Yul-i later learned that Su-a's family was wealthy.

But she never bragged or acted superior about it.

In fact, Su-a always made sure to look after her friends.

At Sowol Academy, it didn't matter if someone was rich or poor.

They were all simply friends.

This was the teaching of Wang Won-pyeong, the academy's founder.

And so the children befriended one another freely, without paying mind to such things.

Anyway, the children were giggling and chattering about this and that, having a grand time for reasons only they understood.

In the middle of their play, Yul-i brought up that she was learning martial arts from her grandfather.

"Ah! I started learning martial arts from my grandpa recently!"

"Martial arts?"

Martial arts. The magical, cool-sounding words instantly captured the children's attention.

Their eyes went wide.

The children, who knew nothing about Yul-i other than that she came from a well-off family, were fascinated and began to ask questions one by one.

"Martial arts? So, Yul-i, does your grandpa know how to use martial arts?"

"Yes! My grandpa has been learning martial arts for a super, super long time."

"Dummy. Of course he knows how to use them if he's teaching her."

"Oh, right."

The next question flew in.

"Then, then! Your grandpa can fly around and stuff, right?"

Yul-i blinked her big eyes, then shook her head with a serious expression.

"Umm. No. My grandpa is super big, so he's probably too heavy. I don't think he can do that."

"He's that big?"

"Yes. Super, super big."

"Whoa! Really? Then what does he do? If he's that heavy, isn't it hard for him to walk?"

"Oh...! But he seems to walk just fine?"

"No. He might just be pretending to be okay!"

Instantly, a look of immense shock crossed Yul-i's face.

"Oh no. Grandpa."

"It's okay, it's okay. You can just be extra nice to him from now on."

"That's right."

"Yeah, yeah, let's be nice to him!"

"Should I bring him one of the snacks we ate today?"

What on earth was this context? It was a conversational flow that ordinary adults would find impossible to follow.

"Hey. So, in that case. Is your grandpa stronger than our teacher?"

Yul-i's gaze soon turned to Wang Won-pyeong, who was patting his back after struggling to move some fruit.

She nodded her head decisively.

"Yes. That's for sure."

The Peng Mugang she knew felt like someone who would never lose a fight against anyone in the world.

He could probably beat her dad and mom, too.

But Grandma beats Grandpa.

Wait, does that mean Grandma is the strongest in the world?

Just as Yul-i's thoughts were drifting along their own pointless stream of consciousness, Eun Su-a suddenly tapped her.

"Yul-i. Do you want to come over to my house today?"

"Huh? To your house?"

"Yeah. All my other friends have come over at least once, but you haven't been able to yet."

"Really?"

Soon, children from all around clenched their fists and chattered excitedly.

"Su-a's house is super fun!"

"It's totally awesome!"

"It's huge!"

"That's right! Su-a, can I go too?"

"No, you can't. You've already been three times recently."

"Hmph. Okay. I guess I can't help it."

"You can come again next time. Here. Have this."

Eun Su-a took a sweet snack out of her bag and handed it to her pouting friend.

The child's sulky face immediately brightened into a grin.

"So, Yul-i, what do you think? You'll come, right?"

"Umm. I think I have to ask my mom."

"Then just ask her. She comes to pick you up every day, right?"

Come to think of it, her mom would surely say it was okay.

This would be the first time Yul-i had ever gone to a friend's house to play.

Yul-i nodded, her face filled with excitement.

"Okay. I'd love to!"

"Hmm. Good work... My, you must have gone through a lot of trouble. Are you injured anywhere? ...Yes, go and rest."

In the Family Head's hall of the Hebei Peng Family, a meeting was currently in progress.

But all the family's vassals were cautiously watching their surroundings.

It was because of Peng Mugang, who had become strangely generous and gentle lately.

"It's fine. People make mistakes in life."

Faced with a Family Head who would now offer kind words for matters that would have earned a fiery scolding in the past, the vassals felt an even greater sense of fear.

Soon, the meeting ended, and those who left the hall began to whisper among themselves.

"My goodness, what on earth is going on?"

"I know, right? For a man who's never been like this his whole life to act that way... it was chilling."

"It's truly frightening. I'm worried he's just going to suddenly explode."

As they were talking, an old elder clicked his tongue as he passed by.

"Tsk tsk. You all still have a long way to go."

"What do you mean by that?"

"The reason the Family Head has changed is because he has fallen in love."

"In love?"

"Wait, isn't that a problem in its own right?"

"But what can be done? Doesn't the Family Head fear the Madam more than anyone in the world?"

"That's not what I mean, you fools!"

"Pardon?"

The old elder, slapping his chest in frustration, soon explained.

And soon, the other vassals had the exact same reaction.

Ah...! they went.

While the vassals were having their great realization, Peng Mugang finished the meeting and returned to the Family Head's office.

He was even humming a tune as he walked.

For the attendants who had served him until now, it was a sight they found difficult to get used to.

Why?

Why had Peng Mugang been showing such a different side of himself recently?

It was because he was teaching his granddaughter martial arts every single day.

In fact, as he got older and his friends began to have grandchildren, Peng Mugang had always found their constant bragging about them to be quite pathetic.

*What's so great about those little things? Getting all soft and silly at their age, without any dignity.*

That was what Peng Mugang had thought just a few months ago.

But now, he was the one who empathized with that feeling more keenly than anyone.

When Yul-i held a wooden sword with a dead-serious expression, or when she nodded her head earnestly as if to commit her grandfather's words to memory.

In Peng Mugang's eyes, nothing could be more lovely or adorable.

And so, Peng Mugang, who remained serious and solemn at all times when it came to martial arts training, found himself completely disarmed by Yul-i at every moment.

Before he knew it, Peng Mugang had become a grandfather who lived and died for his granddaughter.

But just then,

*Knock, knock.*

"What is it?"

"Family Head, I have a message from the Young Miss."

"Hmm?"

Peng Mugang questioned the attendant who had just entered the office.

"It's about..."

After hearing the attendant's story, Peng Mugang's face crumpled.

"What!"

In Dan Hee-young's room.

Dan Hee-young and Peng Seo-yeon were in the middle of a long chat over tea.

Just then,

"What is the meaning of this?"

Peng Mugang urgently opened the door and came in.

"Hmm? Honey, what's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I heard Yul-i can't come to training today."

Peng Mugang looked at Peng Seo-yeon with a face that suggested a great disaster had occurred.

"Ah, yes. She'll be a bit late today. She was invited to a friend's house, so she went to play."

When Peng Seo-yeon had gone to pick up Yul-i after the academy ended, Yul-i had asked if she could go play at her friend's house, and she had readily agreed.

"What? But... what about her training?"

Peng Mugang asked, unable to hide the look of a man who had lost the world.

Dan Hee-young then said with an unconcerned expression.

"Just let her rest for a day. She's at an age where she wants to play."

"But, then what am I supposed to do?"

"Hmm? What do you mean by that?"

"Ahem. Th-that's not it. I mean, it's not good to be so inconsistent with martial arts training."

Realizing his slip, Peng Mugang cleared his throat and changed the subject.

"Please understand. It's important for her to socialize with friends during her childhood."

But as if Dan Hee-young's words hadn't registered at all, Peng Mugang soon asked Peng Seo-yeon slyly.

"Ahem. Where is it?"

"Pardon?"

"Yul-i's friend's house, I mean."

"It's probably near Omokgyo Bridge, about a ten-minute walk from here. It's a place with a rather splendid gate. Why do you ask?"

"Is that so? Then I must go myself. I'll go and make sure she doesn't miss her martial arts lesson today."

At Peng Mugang's words, Peng Seo-yeon shook her head with a startled look.

"What? Ah, Father, even so, that's a bit..."

Probably. No, Yul-i's friend's family would definitely be terrified.

Who wouldn't be shocked if some huge, tiger-like man suddenly burst in, radiating a fierce aura and insisting he had to teach his granddaughter martial arts?

Especially if that man's identity was the Family Head of the Hebei Peng Family!

However,

"Nonsense. What does it matter if I say I'll do it?"

Peng Mugang was adamant. It seemed he could no longer see or hear anything else.

He had an air about him that no one could stop.

Just then,

"Honey?"

Dan Hee-young, who had risen from her seat, called to her husband in a very low voice and gently tugged at his clothes.

Peng Mugang tilted his head and looked at his wife.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Please stop."

"No, but I'm still going to go and..."

"That's enough."

"Hmm?"

"That's. E. Nough. I said. You're being very excessive right now. You hear me?"

Though her face was still smiling, Peng Mugang felt a terrifying pressure from Dan Hee-young and quickly nodded his head obediently.

"...I understand."

"I'll make sure she doesn't miss lessons if possible starting tomorrow. So please understand when she occasionally goes to play like today."

"Alright. Do as you wish."

For once, Peng Mugang obediently nodded at Peng Seo-yeon's words as well.

Soon, he trudged out of the room with slumped shoulders.

After the door closed, Dan Hee-young, who had returned to her seat, muttered quietly.

"That man. Honestly, why is he like that?"

No matter how much he adored his granddaughter, Peng Mugang's tantrum made the two of them let out a small laugh.

Still, it was a relief that he had stopped at that.

The two women soon began to chat about this and that again while drinking their tea.

But they didn