Chapter 20 - 19: Petals Beneath the Blade
The scent of morning dew still lingered in the air as the tension from the sparring match slowly settled. The courtyard that had once pulsed with anticipation was now filled with low murmurs and careful glances, especially toward the young man who had managed to stand toe-to-toe with Grandmaster Daohye Yeoryeong. Jinmu didn’t pay them much attention. His thoughts were already elsewhere, locked on the conversation he knew was coming.
Not long after the match, a private chamber was prepared near the sanctum of the Yeonhwa Lotus Palace—an elegantly minimalist room perfumed faintly with lotus incense. Jinmu stood inside, hands behind his back, his wooden sword resting against the wall nearby. Across from him sat the palace master, her posture composed, though a sharp light still flickered in her gaze. Eun Haria stood slightly behind her, her expression quiet but intense.
Daohye Yeoryeong was the one to break the silence first.
"You held back," she said, her voice neither accusatory nor pleased. Just observant.
Jinmu didn’t deny it. "Yes."
Yeoryeong’s brow lifted. "Why?"
Jinmu exhaled through his nose. He wasn’t here to impress anyone. Not now. "Because this isn’t a fight I came to win. It was a request for permission, not a challenge."
The master’s lips curved in the faintest smirk. "A respectful warrior. You’re rare."
Behind her, Haria looked down, seemingly suppressing a smile.
Jinmu turned toward her slightly. "You knew, didn’t you? That I was holding back."
Haria nodded. "If that was your full strength, I’d be worried for the Pavilion Master."
He didn’t smile, but his expression softened. "You won’t have to worry. Not once we act."