Side Story 16. [After Story] Yun
Wrapped tightly in warm blankets, her legs still too weak to move on their own, Yun was carried in Kuilan’s arms as he stepped outside his home.
When the door opened, they were greeted by a forest.
Swoooosh…
A gentle evening breeze rustled through the giant Leaf trees, sunlight filtering softly through their leaves, casting dappled golden patterns on the ground.
The sunlight, though faint, felt almost unbearably harsh on her skin, and the breeze, while mild, pricked at her like needles. Yet, despite all that, Yun found that somehow, it was bearable.
Taking a deep breath, Yun glanced around her surroundings.
“This place is…”
“My hometown.”
After carefully settling Yun onto a chair just outside the door, Kuilan gestured around with a wide smile.“A bit modest for someone of your stature, Princess, isn’t it?”
“…No.”
Yun answered honestly.
“It’s beautiful.”
The hut, nestled among the massive branches of a towering Leaf tree, overlooked a stunning view. From their vantage point halfway up the tree, the entire village stretched out below, framed by the vast greenery of the Great Forest beyond.
For someone whose eyes had been closed for so long, the vibrant sea of verdant hues seemed almost unreal.
Though the air was still chilly, it was spring.
“The interior of my house might not be much, but the view? Now that’s top-tier.”
Kuilan remarked with a playful shrug, his chest puffing out as if proud of his home.
As Yun gazed blankly at the scenery, taking it all in, her attention drifted to the children gathered below. She pointed toward them.
“What are they doing…?”
Following her finger, Kuilan looked down at the group of children practicing martial arts. They weren’t exactly training in a disciplined manner—more like playing and having fun while learning.
“Ah, that’s an idea our dear Captain Ash lent me.”
Kuilan grinned as he explained.
“We gather the kids, teach them martial arts, let them play, and even get them to study together. That’s how we integrate Leaf Fist into daily life.”
This idea had been inspired by the traditional taekwondo dojang culture from Earth—more specifically, Korea—a concept Ash had shared with Kuilan.
Below, the children laughed and giggled as they watched former members of Kuilan’s punitive force—now their instructors—demonstrate techniques. Rather than feeling burdened or stressed, the kids seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.
The children weren’t just beastkin either. Many other races mingled among them, learning together.
“Not only beastkin, but elves who share the Great Forest have also joined as disciples. Some nearby cities have even started sending their kids to our camps…”
Kuilan shrugged again, feigning modesty.
“The martial arts we used during the war against the monsters proved their effectiveness. Word got out that it’s great for self-defense, and now everyone’s clamoring for it.”
While some parents sent their children here with the slightly wicked intent of tiring them out, it was undeniable that Leaf Fist training was excellent for physical and mental development.
Moreover, the program’s integrated curriculum—teaching arithmetic, a common language, and manners alongside martial arts—made it incredibly appealing for parents.
Leaf Fist was quickly becoming a trend across the continent. The demand had grown so high that they were even planning to open branch schools in major cities like Crossroad.
And it was all thanks to Kuilan.
He had taken the ancient and complex martial art, once only accessible to beastkin, and transformed it into something new—something that anyone could learn in this era.
“…”
As Yun quietly took in the view of the bustling village below, a familiar yet distant scent wafted to her dullened senses.
“This smell…”
“It’s the scent of dumplings roasting in the hearth.”
All around the village, people were preparing the traditional food of the Leaf Wolf Tribe, which they usually ate during the New Year.
“Back in the old days, we could only afford to eat those during the New Year when times were tough. Now, people can make them every day if they want.”
“…”
“Life’s gotten a bit better for everyone.”
In the breezy spring air, the forest swayed gently with green life. Children laughed as they played, and the aroma of evening preparations filled the air.
“Peaceful, isn’t it?”
Kuilan, now standing beside Yun, smiled softly.
“This is the world you helped protect.”
Yun gave him a bitter smile and shook her head.
“What did I do that was so extraordinary for you to keep praising me like this?”
“You fought bravely as a member of the World Guardian Front and achieved countless merits. Oh, and here’s something you probably didn’t know.”
Kuilan scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat sheepish as he prepared to drop a bombshell.
“We used the letter you wrote as the rallying cry before the Great Victory.”
“Excuse me?! What?!”
“The letter you left for Captain Ash, remember? We read it aloud, and all the kings who were about to split apart suddenly united. Bam! Just like that. Honestly, it was an incredible speech… Still gives me goosebumps when I think about it.”
“You… You read my letter aloud? My will?! Who told you that was okay?! I entrusted that to you! What gave you the right to—”
“Waaaaaah!”
Humiliated, Yun buried her face in her hands and groaned, her body curling up as she tore at her hair.
“Everyone was worried about you and waiting for you to wake up.”
Kuilan said, stepping forward and crouching so they were eye level.
“You are someone worth all that and more.”
“…”
“So don’t think you’ve caused a burden or that you owe anyone anything. The world still owes you a great deal.”
Kuilan stretched his arm out, gesturing toward the village below.
“Let’s start over. Right here.”
“Here…?”
“Well, there works too.”
Kuilan pointed toward the Leaf Fist dojo below, where children were running and playing.
Yun blinked in surprise.
“…There?”
“Building muscles, of course. Let’s work on getting them back through training. You’re not sad about losing them, are you? Don’t worry too much. Just eat plenty of meat with me and exercise hard—we’ll get you back in shape.”
“No… it’s not just about the muscles…”
The feeling of being left behind by the flow of time.
The youth she had lost.
Her health, her sharp mind—gone.
What she had lost was overwhelming, and Yun was still struggling to process it all.
“After the war with the monsters.”
Kuilan spoke gently, addressing her turmoil,
“Many people felt lost. Everyone had lost something, and no one knew what to do next.”
Many had suffered losses, and many had lost their sense of purpose.
The monsters had vanished, and along with them, magic and mystery had faded from the world. Society as a whole had been thrown into chaos.
“But eventually, everyone adapted.”
The confusion didn’t last forever.
“They each found something new to do, a new goal to pursue.”
Just as wounds heal and new skin grows, people filled the void left by their losses with new dreams and ambitions, moving forward with their lives.
“Now it’s your turn to find something new to do. Before you lost consciousness, what were you planning to do after the war?”
“…”
Yun slowly sifted through her memories, then let out a faint chuckle as she answered.
“My plan was to figure out some way to snag you and make you mine.”
“Well, that’s one thing you don’t need to worry about anymore.”
Kuilan held Yun’s hand warmly, covering it with his own.
“Because I’m already yours.”
“…”
“So now, let’s find something new to work on together.”
Yun took a labored breath, her chest rising and falling unevenly, and asked,
“What did you find? What’s your new purpose?”
“To lead my people and protect you.”
Kuilan answered without the slightest hesitation, and Yun gazed at him quietly.
“And now that you’re awake, my next goal is to love you as much as I possibly can.”
Unable to meet his unwavering gaze, Yun averted her eyes.
“During the war… you didn’t love me back, did you?”
“To be honest, I didn’t.”
“You were so cold, constantly pushing me away.”
“I felt fondness for you, but I didn’t feel love. Back then, that’s how it was.”
Kuilan’s eyes never wavered as he continued to look at Yun.
“But you stayed loyal to me until the very end.”
“Loyalty?”
“Loyalty as a partner. Loyalty as a comrade. And loyalty as a noble of this world. You threw yourself into battle, ready to die, fulfilling every duty you could.”
Kuilan’s lips curled into a warm smile.
“To be honest, I fell for you all over again.”
“…”
“The noble actions and indomitable will you showed… they’re what made me fall in love with you completely.”
When Yun slowly lifted her eyes to meet his, Kuilan was still looking at her, steadfast and sincere.
“That’s why what I feel for you isn’t just romantic love. Of course, I love you as a woman… but—”
“…”
“You upheld your loyalty to me and to the world. So now, I want to dedicate my life to honoring that loyalty to you.”
“…Loyalty, huh.”
After a brief pause, Yun smiled faintly.
“Isn’t it funny how things turn out?”
“Fate works in strange ways.”
Kuilan replied with a soft laugh, standing up straight.
“If anything, I should be asking you something.”
“What is it?”
“Well… I don’t have the red fur or the hulking muscles you used to like so much.”
Recalling the reasons Yun had once been drawn to him, Kuilan scratched the back of his head awkwardly and asked,
“Do you still love me, even now?”
At his question, the faint smile on Yun’s lips grew wider.
“My ideal type has always been a big, beastly man with bulging muscles and lots of fur…”
Yun reached out and gently placed her hand on Kuilan’s chest.
“But even though that’s all gone now, I still find you absolutely charming. So I guess… I really must love you.”
“…”
“What about you, Kuilan?”
Yun asked, her hand trembling slightly.
“Do you still care for someone like me? Someone who’s lost all her youthful sparkle, someone this weak and frail… do you truly still love me?”
“I told you before—I never loved you for your looks or your youth.”
Kuilan wrapped his large hand around Yun’s thin wrist.
“I loved you for your sincerity and your loyalty.”
Yun exhaled a shaky breath, her tearful eyes lifting as a radiant smile finally blossomed on her face.
“Then I’ll dedicate the rest of my life to honoring my loyalty to you.”
“And I’ll spend my life loving you.”
With a bold step forward, Kuilan leaned in toward Yun.
And then…
“Mm-mm~!”
“…”
His eyes squeezed shut, his face flushed bright red, Kuilan puckered his lips and leaned in with the subtlety of a charging beast.
For a second time that day, his clumsy attempt at a kiss completely shattered the mood.
Watching this ridiculous display, Yun let out an exasperated sigh.
“Oh, come on, what kind of kiss is that supposed to be…?”
Smack!
Yun reached up with both hands and grabbed Kuilan’s cheeks, holding his face firmly in place.
Startled, Kuilan froze as Yun leaned closer, her lips curling into a mischievous smirk.
“This is how you do it. Like this. Remember it.”
“Mm?! Mmm-mmmph…!”
With practiced ease that belied her ten years of unconsciousness, Yun’s deft tongue left the mighty Beast King utterly defenseless. His massive frame crumbled like a house of cards.
Not long after, letters were sent to every nation in the world.
The long-comatose Princess Yun of the Ariane Kingdom had recovered.
And she was marrying Kuilan, King of the Beastkin.
–TL Notes–
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