Inside the carriage heading towards Ha Buk.

Fortunately, the carriage we received from Pang Ga was quite spacious, so even with two additional people, it was still comfortable.

However, the atmosphere was unavoidably awkward.

Not only was there the awkwardness that arises when unfamiliar people gather, but there was also a real problem.

It was like seeing a friend getting scolded by their mother right in front of you… Of course, Samayeryeong is not my friend, but it’s a similar situation.

Just a moment ago, Samayeryeong was laughing and joking, but now her face had become gloomy as she deeply lowered her head.

The reason was probably because of Samamaeng, who was constantly twitching his lips and lightly stroking his Adam’s apple next to her. He was probably sending her a message.

Of course, I don’t know what he’s saying since it’s not my business, but judging by her expression, it’s probably not good news.

In reality, there was one thing that went wrong.

It’s true that Pang Ga is a complete mess when it comes to military tactics and defense, but it’s another problem to call it shoddy right in front of them.

I asked Pang Soso, who was sitting next to me, as I played with the back of her hand.

“By the way, Soso. Are you okay?”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I mean what you said earlier about it being shoddy.”

“I was a little embarrassed… It was something that slipped out when I was surprised. Besides, I usually speak roughly like that. It was just a cute slip of the tongue. Above all, I apologized right away.”

In fact, Samamaeng, who realized the situation belatedly, had given her praise before criticizing her.

He’s been scolding her with messages ever since.

By the way, Sapa… The only Sapas I’ve met so far are Cheokan Geumgwi, Nokrim, and the attackers of Yongbongjiho.

Come to think of it, all three of them tend to speak dirty.

But isn’t that because they’re in a relationship where they’re trying to kill each other? They’re in a position where they have to bow down to us and come in… No, maybe it’s a little different.

What Samama and his mother suggested were things that were of little value to us, but would be welcomed anywhere else.

Didn’t they ask us to look back until we settled down with Odaese and Gupa Ilbang, or until we settled down with the Murim League?

In other words, they had confidence in themselves.

Of course, we could be insulted and despised by others, saying things like “you’re just a bat” and so on. Maybe we won’t be able to cause another Sae Ga and be bound to some group.

However, from their perspective, we were the best choice, but not the only one.

…Still, I’m pissed off.

At the time, I didn’t think much about it, but later on, there were times when I got angry when I thought about it again.

It’s exactly that kind of situation now.

When I heard the word “shoddy,” I just thought it was a slip of the tongue, but it seems to have affected Pang Soso.

“Oh, but I was a little embarrassed when I suddenly said it was shoddy to Jin Gagaha.”

It seems that Pang Soso had the same thoughts as me. She didn’t even try to hide her snickering laughter and let me hold her hand.

“….?”

Pang Soso handed her hand over to me without any hesitation, even though she seemed confused.

I lightly brushed my fingers over her palm, which was slightly smaller than mine and had delicate, pretty fingers.

But what caught my attention were the calluses scattered all over her palm.

It was proof that she hadn’t neglected her training since she was young.

Is it because of the difference between sword and knife? The calluses on my hand look a little different from hers. And…

Squish-squish-

It’s called calluses, but it doesn’t feel hard, it’s actually a little soft. Like the feeling of a puppy’s paw pad?

Usually, when you reach a certain level, your body becomes firm and the calluses start to disappear… But Pang Ga’s martial arts have developed in a way that maximizes their physical abilities.

In other words, since they always swing their full force, the calluses can’t disappear even if they wanted to.

The calluses of a martial artist are something to be proud of, but it’s also a fact that they don’t look good aesthetically.

Moreover, even hands and feet are part of the beauty standards of this era.

As a result, the women of Pang Ga, who didn’t want to give up beauty just because they were martial artists, came up with their own ways.

They made their calluses transparent, so they looked no different from ordinary hands, and even made their touch softer by creating an outer layer.

Since the outer layer is a place where the martial arts are deeply rooted, it was possible.

It’s amazing enough to use inner energy to prevent pregnancy, but to turn calluses into paw pads…

Every time I see something like this, I think that martial arts are not just about being strong.

How long was I stroking Pang Soso’s palm like this?

“Hey, hey.”

Hong Yeon-hwa, who was sitting across from me, grabbed my sleeve tightly. Then she opened her hand wide and held it out to me.

“Why are you leaving me out? Do it to me too.”

“No, what are you…”

I couldn’t continue speaking when I saw Pang Soso’s expression, which was not only relaxed but also somewhat helpless.

“….”

“Hehehe… Ah.”

Pang Soso, who had been lost in thought, finally came to her senses. She coughed a couple of times as if to clear her throat and withdrew her hand cautiously.

“Well then. I enjoyed it enough, so now please do it to Hong Unni.”

“I don’t know what you enjoyed, but… okay.”

When I took Hong Yeon-hwa’s hand and placed it on my palm, her expression, which had been stiff, suddenly brightened.

Although her sparkling pink eyes were quite intimidating, I had to show her something if she was expecting it.

First, I punched and patted her hand, then tapped it gently with my index finger as she pouted.

Then, like a flower blooming, her white palm slowly opened up.

Hong Yeon-hwa’s hand was small. It was hard to imagine how she could deliver such powerful attacks with such a small hand.

Thinking it was amazing, I slowly scratched the center of her palm with my fingernail, which was about half the size of my own palm.

“Hehe!”

Hong Yeon-hwa flinched unintentionally. But instead of giving her a chance to calm down, I actively extended my fingers to explore every corner of her small hand.

I spread her fingers and looked between them, touched along her veins, and even pinched the raised parts of her skin.

“Nu-uh…”

If Pang Soso’s hand felt soft and squishy like a puppy’s paw because of her calluses, Hong Yeon-hwa’s hand was more like a soft and smooth baby’s hand that had never been dipped in water.

This was probably due to her being a boneless practitioner rather than having a special external skill like Pang Soso.

Boneless practitioners shed their old bodies and are reborn into the most ideal physical form for practicing martial arts.

Therefore, it usually involves reverse movements. Even if you delay aging with your inner energy, you won’t be better than a young body.

However, Hong Yeon-hwa didn’t undergo much physical change because she underwent bonelessness at the peak of her physical prime.

So is this really the ideal body?

Many people say that the bones of the Ha Buk Pang family were a gift from heaven. You can feel the difference in physicality just by looking at Pang Ojin, Pang Cheoljin, and Pang Soso.

If Hong Yeon-hwa, who mainly uses martial arts, were to have an ideal body, wouldn’t she need to be taller?

But why is it so small and soft?

…If you don’t know, just ask.

After hearing my question, Hong Yeon-hwa took a moment to choose her words before sending a message.

-My lord. What do you think is the most ideal physical form for practicing martial arts?

-Long arms and legs, strong and thick bones, tough and flexible muscles, quick reflexes… Isn’t it something like that?

“It’s not wrong. However, those are universal qualities. Think about it. Would a large physique be suitable for a boneless practitioner who relies on quick and flashy movements?”

“Ah.”

In that case, a large physique would be more of a hindrance. It’s better to use straightforward and powerful movements that are easy to execute.

Muscles are the same. Bulging muscles may provide great strength, but they can hinder movement and reduce agility.

“In the end, an ideal physique is one that suits your martial arts. You have learned various martial arts, but you mainly focus on boxing and hard qigong, so your body has become suitable for that.”

Come to think of it, after Hong Yeon-hwa recovered her inner energy, she always fought with qigong surrounding her body.

Whether it was just on her hands or her entire body, she used it like a reinforced suit that could cover the sky.

“Is it also why you don’t go to the bathroom often or have a pleasant scent from your body?”

“You’re talking about embarrassing things… but yes. Isn’t smooth circulation of inner energy important in qigong? That’s why my bonelessness focuses on strengthening my energy rather than my bones.”

For the same reason, I break down food completely to prevent waste from accumulating in my body, so I always have a pleasant scent.

It’s fascinating.

It’s still a distant possibility, but if I were to undergo bonelessness, how would I change?

…Wait. Does that mean Pang Soso, who has learned a strong and robust martial arts, has bulging muscles?

I couldn’t help but imagine Pang Soso’s muscles creating the shape of a demon on her back.

That’s a bit…

For a moment, I stopped moving my hand without realizing it, and Hong Yeon-hwa urged me impatiently.

“You have a strange expression on your face. Don’t worry. Have you ever heard that someone who has undergone bonelessness even once becomes ugly?”

“Ah, now that you mention it, I haven’t.”

“The desire to become pretty and handsome is also a subconscious desire of humans. Unless you’re obsessed with martial arts, you won’t become a strange-looking person, so don’t worry and press on my thumb, will you?”

“Okay.”

I meticulously examined Hong Yeon-hwa’s hand again for a while. Suddenly, I felt a gaze piercing through me.

It was the gaze of Samayeryeong, who was sneaking glances at me, and Samamang, who was staring at me as if he had something to say.

When our eyes met, Samamang cautiously opened his mouth.

“I apologize once again for my rudeness in the past.”

“I’m sorry… too…”

Samayeryeong bowed her head deeply with a heavily embarrassed voice.

“Well, even if there were other options, the truth is that they are in a position to ask us for a favor. We can’t just act shamelessly.”

“…If I may make an excuse, it’s not because my daughter had ill intentions or was ignoring the three of you.”

“Then why did you show such an attitude towards your sister-in-law and younger brother?”

Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been melting just a moment ago, asked in a slightly blunt tone. Her voice still seemed to have some discomfort.

Seeing her like that, Samamang swallowed his saliva and opened his mouth.

“As you may know, in Sa Pa, you must never show weakness. Unless you completely submit and act as a subordinate, you have to boast even if it’s forced.”

“Well, that’s true…”

If you show weakness, they will relentlessly attack that part. There may be exceptions, but that’s why they are called Sa Pa, a place where such guys gather.

“I just didn’t show any signs of weakness. It took quite a long time for Samase to fall.”

The following story was a common one. Just like a poor child boasting about having a lot of money at home, Samayeryeong also acted arrogantly as if Samase was still strong.

Even if there was a dispute, she could easily win because her talent was so great.

The only problem was… it became a habit and came out even when it shouldn’t.

“…I’ve made it clear, so I won’t make the same mistake again.”

Samayeryeong still didn’t lift her head until Samamang finished speaking.

Seeing her like that, Hong Yeon-hwa thought for a moment and then let out a sigh.

“Ha… it’s done. Lift your head. Since my husband and Soso aren’t saying anything, let’s just let this go. Just be careful from now on.”

“Yes… thank you.”

Only then did Samayeryeong lift her head. Seeing the girl who had been so confident just a moment ago now looking completely deflated was somewhat… strange.

Anyway, since they’ve decided to do better from now on, they need to liven up the mood a bit.

Clap!

I clapped lightly and focused everyone’s attention.

“Well, since the conversation is over, I have something to say… We’ve been riding the same carriage for a few days now, and we can’t keep up this atmosphere all the time, can we?”

I asked Samayeryeong, who blinked in surprise.

“Do you want to play with me?”