life may not be fair but it sure is beautiful

Epilogue: After All These Years

Jungeun looked around for her daughter, she had gone to bring her some water ten minutes ago but hadn't come back yet. Her sweat rolled down her neck as she gestured her students to take a break.

"Yeojin! Where did you go?" She yelled into the house, rolling her eyes as the teenager ran towards her in a hurry.

"Sorry. I got caught up with mom's classes." She said as she handed her a water jug. "Here you go."

Jungeun smiled at her and grabbed the bottle, ruffling her hair at the same time. "Don't stall next time." She said chugging the water down. "Now, go help your mom."

Ever since they opened their dojo, their reputation became widely known throughout the land. It first started with Jungeun teaching the boys in town but then her reputation as the master of the sword Kim Jungeun. She still lived as a man, she didn't know any other way of living anyways.

After two years of running the dojo, she and Jiwoo agreed on educating willing girls on everything from combat to palace etiquette. The fighting part was still a secret of course.

She went around the country to find students and managed to get the word to twenty girls and convinced their families to use the princess card.

Years passed and now their dojo and 'lady school' were one of the most prestigious establishments in the kingdom and nobles from everywhere sent their kids to them. Jiwoo was always childishly giddy when she educated young girls with oppressive families, she always said she felt like she was helping them build a future that didn't lean onto anything.

Their students were probably suspicious of Jungeun, but no one ever said anything, it was hard to speak up against someone that had her reputation.

Jungeun looked after her daughter, who was skipping towards the girl's side of the building. Jungeun nearly spent all their money building this place but, in the end, it was all worth it. 

She yelled after her sixteen-year-old child. "Tell her I've finished the third set with the boys."

Jungeun stretched her arms as she stepped back onto the training area. "Let's move on to hand-to-hand now, shall we?"

-

Jiwoo smiled brightly at her youngest student, who was a seven-year-old noble girl named Chaewon, as she picked the sword which was exceeding her height.

"Now, now, Chaewon-ah, pick something more reasonable and smart. The key is not looking strong or having the biggest sword. It's about strategy and wit. If you can find an opening and use it, it doesn't matter who is on the pointy end of your sword."

"Now, girls, let's go over the fourth set once again. Get in position." She said clapping her hands to get them in line. "Attack." Clashing sounds filled their garden as girls from varying ages and places pointed their blunt swords at each other in a dance-like formation.

"Ryujin, your stance is off. Heejin, keep your guard up." She commented as she walked past them. "Hyunjin, your sword is not fragile, be more aggressive."

Her session went on for a good forty-five minutes before Yeojin came back. She got closer to Jiwoo who was watching her exhausted students try and keep up their performance with a proud smile.

"Mom said she finished the third set with the boys," Yeojin said to her in a muffled voice accompanied with a smirk. "They are so slow."

Jiwoo laughed and gave her daughter her own blunt sword. "Take over for a while and give them a break in five minutes. Hand-to-hand after that."

Jiwoo wiped her burrow with a piece of cloth she had hung on the balcony. She made her way towards the boy's side and smiled when her eyes met with the familiar view. Jungeun was giving instructions on a high kick as the boys looked at her with awe written all over their faces.