STWW 03

Chapter 3

“You know you look very suspicious, right?”

“Yes.”

She had no intention of hiding it.

From the start, it was much easier to live when people saw her plainly and just treated her as “that kind of kid.”

As long as it didn’t mean being worked to death without even time to sleep.

Still, no matter what, she wasn’t that much of a pushover.

“What you showed at Mohwaru.”

So‑o mimicked the way Dan‑eun had flicked her chopsticks.

“That caught my interest.”

“Did it?”

“You don’t think it’s strange?”

She shook her head.

Maybe real martial artists would think differently, but for her, it wasn’t anything unusual.

Dan‑eun covered her chin and mouth with her hand.
In that position, her index finger tapped lightly.

“Teaching it wouldn’t be difficult.”

“Really?”

So‑o brightened immediately.

His reaction caught Dan‑eun off guard, and she nodded awkwardly.

It really wasn’t that big of a deal.

“I have a condition. There’s something I need to retrieve—please help me.”

So‑o’s black eyes examined the child.

She clearly had no intention of saying what the item was.

Usually, when persuading someone, people explained how important the item was to them…

“Where to?”

“Shanxi Province…”

“If we take our time, that’d be about two or three months.”

If he went alone, it would be much faster.

So‑o looked down at Dan‑eun, then shook his head.

Dan‑eun let out a quiet breath. Even knowing she had no choice, she felt shameless.

“Alright. I’ll help.”

* * *

“I’m going to the money house for a bit.”

After breakfast, So‑o stood up.

The money house was essentially a bank for the martial world.

“Yes. Have a safe trip.”

“I’ll leave my luggage here, so behave and wait.”

Dan‑eun nodded and propped her chin on the table.

She had no intention of wasting this precious time.

Slowly, she awakened the magic power dormant within her body.

The more accustomed her body became to mana, the more she could naturally use. And to become accustomed, continued exposure was necessary.

Mana was closely tied to the soul. But no matter how strong the mana, a weak body made it useless.

“There.”

“Yes?”

Someone approached.

Dan‑eun straightened up.

Cultivating inner energy was dangerous to interrupt mid‑process, but magic didn’t carry that risk.

“That looks like my stuff.”

Following his finger, she saw the luggage she’d placed on the floor.

“Well, well. You really see everything in this world.”

“You little brat.”

“And which bastard’s trying to steal a little brat’s luggage?”

They’d underestimated her because she was young—and a girl.

Seriously.

Ugh, wasn’t there something you had to be careful about in martial‑arts stories?

Ah. Because So‑o was with her, they probably thought she was just a powerless kid.

How annoying.

She checked her surroundings without drawing attention.

Thanks to traveling with So‑o, she’d learned to sense the distinctive presence of martial artists—their aura and inner energy.

And her specialty was mental magic.

The man who started the trouble collapsed with a thud. Not just him—several others in the inn lost consciousness as well. The instigator naturally stood back up and sat down in an empty seat.

His eyes were unfocused and vacant, but it was difficult for an ordinary person to notice.

Dan‑eun rested her chin on her hand again.

At this point, she could manage this much without even a staff.

She clenched her lips to stop the grin creeping up.

Over the past few days, she could feel her soul settling more firmly.

She’d expected at least a headache.

A pleased hum escaped her nose.

So‑o would take a while longer to return, right?

Now that she’d just succeeded with a spell considered high‑difficulty even among low‑tier magic, she couldn’t miss this moment.

Dan‑eun relaxed her posture and closed her eyes.

Somewhere, the sound of flowers blooming echoed. Her senses expanded, and mana flowed without obstruction.

“Haa…”

Her world—her vision—broadened.

It felt similar to opening one’s eyes anew. The mana wandering through her body slowly subsided and was neatly gathered.

An indescribably blissful moment.

It felt as though she were drawing the entire world into herself and embracing it.

Perhaps a rapture only mages could experience.

But as her senses sharpened, she realized something all too clearly.

This world was a natural enemy to mages.

How could there be so little mana in the air?

“I’m back.”

Just as she swallowed another sigh, So‑o returned to the inn. Smiling brightly, he sat down across from her and looked around.

“Nothing happened?”

“No.”

She nodded casually. So‑o merely smiled without saying anything.

It seemed he’d noticed the lie, and Dan‑eun tilted her head.

Magic and mana weren’t the only things refined over a long lifetime.

* * *

After leaving the inn, he spun around in circles, searching for something.

Instantly, Dan‑eun frowned with deep anxiety.

Traveling with someone who had no sense of direction was troublesome in every way.

But contrary to her worries, he soon entered a shabby hut.

Huh?

Seeing her stand there blankly, So‑o, who had been waiting, let out an “Ah” and explained.

“It’s the Beggars’ Union. A sect made up of beggars. An orthodox faction—and an intelligence sect.”

He pushed aside the cloth hanging where a door should’ve been and entered.

“Is the Branch Master here?”

“Oh! Mister Hwang!”

A man inside stood up. After exchanging a few words with So‑o, his gaze met Dan‑eun’s. As she bowed lightly, the beggar’s mouth fell open.

“Is that your kid? No—no, that can’t be right. This—this is far too different.”

He waved his hand over his own face a few times. So‑o let out a dry laugh.

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

He gestured toward Dan‑eun.

“Dan‑eun. This is Gyu‑hong, branch master of the Beggars’ Union in Zhejiang Province.”

“I’m Oh Dan‑eun.”

She bowed deeply.

“Huh…”

Gyu‑hong let out a strange sound.

“Don’t talk like that in front of a child.”

“I don’t know what you take me for. So—what brings you here?”

As the two men sat down, Dan‑eun took an empty seat as well.

“General information. Ah—and I’d like to hear about the northern river region.”

“The northern river? You? Planning to join a sect?”

So‑o shrugged.

Dan‑eun stared at him.

Come to think of it, she didn’t know anything about him.

All she knew was that he was a martial artist. Her gaze naturally fell to the sword at his waist.

“Not for me. It’s for this child.”

So‑o’s hand rested on Dan‑eun’s shoulder.

Gyu‑hong nodded.

“Well then… where to start.”

Muttering to himself, his eyes landed on the child.

“Oh. Children seem to be disappearing.”

“Children?”

So‑o frowned.

It was strange—not the misfortune befalling children, but the way it was being discussed as information.

The reason the Beggars’ Union was an intelligence sect was simple: there was no place in this vast Central Plains without beggars.

Children were no exception. It was difficult to even track whether they vanished or not.

“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t speak lightly based on suspicion alone. The number of brats has clearly decreased. Mostly orphans and beggars, of course.”

If it was noticeable, that meant a significant number had already fallen victim.

Carefully, he named someone.

“Are you thinking of Ohho‑gong (傲狐公)?”

“That I can’t say. Those who deal in information don’t speak on suspicion. But what I can say is that there’s infighting among the unorthodox sects.”

“If it’s worth mentioning, it must be intense.”

Gyu‑hong nodded.

“Speaking of Ohho‑gong, Ye Se‑gyeong can’t—”

Dan‑eun shot to her feet.

“Dan‑eun?”

Her eyes were wide, her mouth open.

Mana stirred. Her lips moved soundlessly.

Whether she heard them calling or not, the child dashed straight out of the branch hall.

With each step, bright yellow mana sprouted. The blooming mana resembled dandelion buds, and without hesitation, Dan‑eun stepped on them.

The mana connected, forming a path. Each step bloomed into flowers, appearing intermittently in the air.

The trail of mana led into the forest.

A man dressed in black—and a young girl.

A black staff appeared in Dan‑eun’s outstretched hand.

The cloth tied to it fluttered as a girl landed in Dan‑eun’s arms. A barrier and the extended staff blocked the black‑clad man’s sword.

She covered the rescued child’s eyes.

“Ah—”

Startled, the girl quickly went limp. Dan‑eun carried the sleeping child toward the village.

Creating distance in an instant, she untied the cloth and dismissed the staff’s summoning.

Not a wand, but a staff.

Too large for the body of an eight‑year‑old.

She wrapped the cloth around her hand, never taking her eyes off the enemy.

She briefly thought she should’ve brought a dagger—but quickly realized it would’ve made no difference with this tiny body.

Then there was only one option.

A swift, decisive end.

Without the staff, her limits were clear, and her body wasn’t in great condition for magic either.

That meant she had to tear into his mind and knock him unconscious.

But before that—