Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 37

The Difference in Class (4)

Yeon Ho-Jeong and his group managed to reach the family estate after twenty days. Surprisingly, they were in terrible condition. This was because they had turned their journey back into a rigorous martial arts training and physical conditioning regimen.

Naturally, Yeon Ho-Jeong was the mastermind behind this grueling travel plan. Shinmo took on the role of instructor.

Having finally arrived at the estate, the entire group was on the verge of collapse.

However, they were not allowed to rest. Yeon Ho-Jeong and Yeon Ji-Pyeong were immediately summoned to the family head’s room, and the Chang-eung unit, unfortunately, had training scheduled, so they were thrown into drills as soon as they reported their return.

Normally, all schedules would be canceled on the day of return from an outside mission, but Shinmo wouldn’t allow it. She had already planned to increase the intensity of their training, so she didn’t hesitate to push them, saying it was a good opportunity.

That day, the Chang-eung unit, who had just returned from Hapbi, experienced a taste of hell.

* * *

Yeon-wi’s eyes widened as he saw his sons enter the family head’s room.

*Hoo*

Despite the chilly weather, the smell of sweat wafted in. It wasn’t the smell of stale sweat, but the fresh scent of exertion. Moreover, judging by their clothes, it seemed like they hadn’t had a proper rest for days.

“We’re back.”

“We’re back, Father.”

Yeon-wi was speechless for a moment. He was momentarily at a loss for words at the sight of his sons. Is this how a parent feels when their children return alive from the battlefield?

After a moment, Yeon-wi spoke.

“Get up.”

The two stood up.

Yeon-wi’s eyes sparkled. Yeon Ho-Jeong’s face was calm. On the other hand, Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face had become gaunt. He didn’t have much fat to begin with, but it was clear to anyone that he had suffered.

“I’ll hear the details from your brother, so Pyeong, go and rest.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

‘Thank you.’ Considering Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s usual personality, it was a reaction that would make one laugh.

As Yeon Ji-Pyeong left, only the two fathers and sons remained in the family head’s room.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong sat down.

The father and son were silent until the chief manager, Tae-gyeong, brought in tea.

“Have some tea.”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong picked up the teacup.

Yeon-wi’s eyes gleamed. He noticed that Yeon Ho-Jeong’s hands were trembling slightly as he lifted the teacup.

After drinking the tea several times, Yeon Ho-Jeong finally looked like he was alive.

Yeon-wi asked.

“What’s with that appearance?”

“I did some training on the way back.”

“Training? What kind?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong calmly explained the training he had done on the way home.

Yeon-wi’s eyes wavered.

“You did such harsh training with Pyeong?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“The entire Shin unit and Chang-eung unit did it together.”

“…You led it?”

“Yes.”

‘This stubborn guy.’

Yeon-wi almost said that without realizing it. The training content was so shocking that even the great Yeon-wi reacted unconsciously.

The training was simple. It was just running.

The problem was how they ran.

Running at a constant speed was not difficult if one had enough stamina. It was just a matter of how long one could run, not that running itself was difficult.

However, running while changing speed every half-beat was a different matter.

For half a beat, they would sprint, and then after another half a beat, they would run slowly. Then, after another half a beat, they would sprint again, and after another half a beat, they would slow down.

That was the training on the first day. They said that every day, they increased the sprinting time by half a beat.

They had been doing that all the way home. Moreover, they had returned not on a flat road, but on a mountain path.

‘And for ten of those days, without internal energy?!’

Even though they rested during meals and slept for more than four hours a day, wasn’t that too harsh of training?

It was fortunate that they had been trained since childhood and had learned internal energy, otherwise, it could have been dangerous for anyone to follow.

“We made sure to rest and replenish our nutrients.”

“It’s not just the muscles, but the joints could have been injured.”

“I didn’t think my skills were so poor that I couldn’t observe my own body condition.”

“Excessive training can even cause internal injuries.”

“That’s why I left time for circulating energy.”

He was so stubborn. In fact, Yeon-wi had done such training before, but he had never continued it for twenty days.

‘Still…’

Yeon-wi observed the energy flowing from Yeon Ho-Jeong’s body.

The energy that had been perfectly contained before was now flowing out haphazardly. It meant that his stamina and internal energy had reached their limits.

‘This much in twenty days. He’s gained a tremendous amount.’

Yeon-wi was just surprised by the excessive amount of training, but he believed his son’s words.

He had no choice but to. His son himself was proving that it was proper training.

The quality of his internal energy was much clearer and grander than when he had left home. Compared to before, it was a change that made it impossible to believe it was the same person’s energy.

Simple enlightenment could never achieve this. The harsh physical training had changed even the nature of the energy residing in his body.

‘Energy constantly creates the body. After pushing it to the brink of collapse, he promoted change with a large intake of nutrients, rest, and true energy [internal energy].’

Yeon-wi nodded.

“Anyway, you’ve worked hard.”

“No, this is just the beginning.”

“…Hmm?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong smiled. There was an undeniable fatigue, but his face showed a sense of accomplishment beyond that.

“I will continue this kind of training until I feel the limits of my mind, body, and energy. Of course, I’ll have to rest well too.”

“You’ve made up your mind.”

“Even if I train with my life on the line, I don’t know when I’ll reach the ultimate level. I’m still a long way off.”

“…Is that so?”

Yeon-wi nodded.

“I see.”

Finally.

Only now could Yeon-wi accept his son’s change without any prejudice.

Before leaving for Hapbi, his son’s change felt somehow strange. It was as if he had suddenly become a different person, which made him very concerned.

But as of today.

Having seen that deep smile and clear eyes, Yeon-wi could now accept his son’s change as it was.

‘Perhaps my stubbornness was what prevented me from accepting my eldest son’s change.’

His son had become an adult.

Not because he was a grown-up, but because his view of the world and his mind had become that of an adult.

Yeon-wi leaned back in his chair.

“How was the gathering?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong’s eyes gleamed.

‘I found out something big, Father.’

He had a lot to say. But he remained silent. He didn’t think it was time to tell his father yet.

“It was just okay.”

“Did you make many friends?”

“Not deeply.”

Judging by the way he said that, it seemed like there were a few people he had taken a liking to.

Yeon-wi took out a well-folded letter from his pocket and handed it over.

“What is this?”

“Read it.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong unfolded the letter.

After a moment, he said in a disgruntled voice.

“Well… I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”

“I would send such a letter too. That’s a parent’s heart.”

“When did it arrive?”

“This morning.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong cleared his throat.

“That girl is quite talkative.”

The letter was from the head of the Jeagal family. The family head was directly conveying his thanks.

Considering when the letter arrived, it seemed that they had been informed of the facts before the gathering.

Yeon-wi nodded.

“Well done.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

He didn’t show it, but Yeon-wi was proud of his son.

He had saved a person, but he didn’t boast about it and instead thought it was a natural thing to do.

He had become much rougher than before, but it seemed that he was also learning the ways of people. Yeon-wi was very pleased with this change in his son.

So, he asked directly.

“I heard you got quite entangled with the Namgoong family.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong nodded.

He knew this topic would come up.

“That’s right.”

“I want to hear the details.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong explained in detail what had happened at the gathering.

Of course, he didn’t mention anything related to Myeong Ho-Rim. Even without that, it was enough to inform him of the situation.

“I see.”

Yeon-wi knew that Yeon Ho-Jeong had explained as objectively as possible.

“That young master of Namgoong… he did that, huh.”

“Yes.”

Yeon-wi’s eyes turned cold.

Seeing that look, Yeon Ho-Jeong couldn’t help but flinch. Goosebumps rose from his back. It was the first time he had seen his father’s cold eyes like that.

“It’s truly not easy. It’s too much to see it as just a bad relationship, they went too far.”

“I didn’t want to get involved if I could help it, but I think it was a bit much for him to join hands with the Tang family’s eldest son.”

“Of course, it’s too much. I heard he’s over twenty, how could he have learned such wicked tricks?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong inwardly tilted his head.

Was it because it had been a while since they had met? It felt like his father’s emotional expressions were more honest than before.

“Well done.”

“Yes?”

Yeon-wi’s eyes were clear as he looked at Yeon Ho-Jeong. His usual stern demeanor was still there, but it was as if a layer of hard ice had been chipped away.

“Sometimes rumors can be more deadly than a sword. You didn’t get agitated and cause a ruckus, but you handled it wisely.”

“Ah, yes.”

His father wouldn’t know. That he had half-killed the Tang family’s eldest son and his subordinates.

Han Ho-Myeong had hidden it thoroughly. If that were to be known, it would be a real bomb.

“However, it seems that they also knew the fear of rumors.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Namgoong family has apologized to our family.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong frowned.

“Apologized?”

“That’s right. The family head apologized directly.”

“That can’t be…”

“He also confessed what his daughter had done.”

At that moment, Yeon Ho-Jeong exclaimed.

“What a sly old fox.”

Yeon-wi’s eyes gleamed.

“Do you understand how the situation is unfolding?”

“Isn’t it that he’s abandoning his daughter and saving his son’s face? He’s treating his son’s actions as a personal matter unrelated to the Namgoong family.”

Yeon-wi was inwardly impressed.

He had instantly combined the information and deduced the situation from just a few words.

This wasn’t something that could be done just by being smart. It was something that could only be done by knowing how to read the flow of the world.

“That’s right.”

“Huh, I thought he would hide it to the end, but he’s sacrificed some face and sealed the case. The Namgoong family head’s way of handling things is not ordinary, is it?”

Yeon-wi nodded.

Now he had no choice but to acknowledge it. His son’s growth, his son’s insight.

“So, what do you think?”

“About what?”

“We haven’t responded to the Namgoong family’s apology yet. How do you think we should handle it?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong shook his head.

“Is there anything to think about? It’s a bit annoying, but it’s a waste of time to worry about such a headache.”

“So, we should accept this apology?”

“Unless we can shake the Namgoong family head, what can we do when it’s said to be the young master’s personal grudge? Besides, it’s said to be because of his younger sibling.”

“Aren’t you angry?”

Yeon Ho-Jeong chuckled.

“How many times will I face life-threatening situations while living in the martial world? It’s more beneficial to accept the apology here and raise the reputation of the Yeon family.”

It was a rational judgment.

Yeon Ho-Jeong no longer had any intention of paying attention to the Namgoong family ‘or anything like that’. It was because he had a mountain of things to do in the future.

However, Yeon-wi, who didn’t know Yeon Ho-Jeong’s true feelings, felt both sorry and proud of his son’s conclusion.

To forgive someone who tried to kill him? It wasn’t an easy thing for a young man who wasn’t even twenty years old.

Yet, he was not only forgiving them but also thinking about the future of the family. That was admirable, and also made him feel sorry.

“Good. Let’s do as you say.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong got up from his seat.

“Then, may I go back and wash up?”

“Yes.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong bowed his head and turned around.

Yeon-wi unconsciously called out to his son, who was about to open the door and leave.

“Ho-Jeong.”

“Yes?”

Yeon-wi was silent for a moment.

Just as Yeon Ho-Jeong’s head tilted to his shoulder in confusion.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong grinned.

“It’s nothing.”