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**

I am finished preparing for the long journey.

Ilma carefully packed my belongings one by one in front of me.

“I’ll provide enough money, but don’t squander it. You’ve been a spy hiding within the school for years. If a poor soul returns with wealth, it will surely look suspicious.”

The items packed were all modest things one could buy cheaply in the market alley.

“Carry things like these. It’s unavoidable to avoid suspicion. The gatekeeper Jeok-un, we have a long way to go. The return journey will be long as well. You must also sever contact. Communicating with the school itself is risky. There’s no need for interim reports. Act like a martial artist from the righteous faction completely severed from the school.”

“Understood, Master.”

“And if…”

Ilma, who was packing, paused her hands.

“If… you feel like you can’t do it, just come back.”

“Yes?”

“It’s a dangerous task. You’ll be facing a member of the Heavenly Eight Martial Artists. The three mentioned by the Master are not insignificant. Two are at the master level of the school, and the seventh, despite being the seventh disciple, has made a name for himself. Moreover, the technique he received from the Master is the Hell Sword, so he will likely be much different from what you last saw.”

“…….”

“Furthermore, he is someone who has absorbed the life force of many. Now that the reins are off, he might have even surpassed Wolhyang by now.”

Ilma looked back at me.

“Cheongeop is not invincible. Now that you’ve taken a Heart Sword once, you’ll feel it. Cheongeop’s regenerative power has limits. It’s weak against energy, and if it’s Yi-hyeong Ki, it could incur fatal injuries. It goes without saying if it reaches Heart Sword level. It’s a dangerous mission, and the individuals involved are equally dangerous. They possess considerable martial arts and have a vicious hand. They are the ones who stole some of the school’s treasures as well.”

“…….”

“The reason I initially opposed the Master’s words lies in this. No matter how well you cultivate them, it’s impossible to create a master who can catch up in a short time. That’s utterly… absurd. But you’ve achieved it. You’ve walked the path of a genius while being an ordinary person. Like a late-blooming flower, you managed to surpass the wall.”

“…….”

“The Master’s wordplay has become reality. But I dislike that… If you were simply the Master’s dog, perhaps I wouldn’t feel this way.”

Ilma bit her lip.

“…You are my disciple.”

“Master.”

“I do not wish for you to die. So there’s no need to force it. If you feel it’s impossible, just return. You can pretend to do something there.”

The words I hadn’t anticipated she would say came out of her mouth.

“Make it your top priority to return safely.”

Ilma.

Before my eyes stood Ilma.

But she was different. She stood before me, completely unlike the cold figure I first saw in the Heavenly Demon’s training room.

Many thoughts passed through my mind. The things that happened over the time played through my closed eyes.

She was given to me.

At the same time, I was embraced.

I learned many things.

From within that, I knew what I had to do. Can what I call receiving really be called humanity?

No. I knew that wasn’t the way of a human being.

Having received much from the Heavenly Demon and many from Ilma…

I want to try my best until I reach the limit of what I can do.

I drew the Blood Sword. The sword most familiar to me was the one received from a dead friend.

If he were here…

What would he have said right now?

I pondered. Then I voiced it.

No beautiful words were needed. What was needed was a simple determination.

“Master.”

“…….”

“I will not return empty-handed.”

“…Haa.”

I reflected on my perception of the Demon Cult.

Now, it has become a home that surpassed so many things. The heart of the Demon Cult was such a place, and to me, the Heavenly Demon was like a pillar supporting me.

Such a being got enraged. The family mentioned by the Heavenly Demon was ruthlessly slaughtered.

Moreover…

Most of the sacrifices were those who had never held a sword.

Now that I am part of the family of the Demon Cult, repaying the debt of those who died tragically is also my duty.

I raise my sword for the sake of those who have done so much for me.

That is my sword.

“There are times when one must draw their sword, even if their life shakes, Master.”

“…Usually, one does not draw a sword at such times.”

“But I will.”

“It’s already this hard to raise one, how did the Master manage to raise eight…?”

Ilma opened her arms. I bent down and embraced her.

In that brief moment, Ilma stroked my back.

“You are human. I know you. In your sword, there is a kindness not typical of the school, and you would draw your sword without hesitation for those related to you.”

“…….”

“I’m worried for that reason. You care so much for others that you neglect your own life. So remember.”

—Thunk.

Our foreheads touched. She whispered with closed eyes.

“What I desire most is for you to return alive. Not as the Master, but since I cherish you too, come back for sure. I won’t even listen to pleas to return empty-handed… but still, keep it among the numerous options.”

“…Master.”

“Your home is here. I don’t believe you will return to the Martial Alliance…”

The touching foreheads separated.

She abruptly pulled me. For a moment, I felt a sharp sting on my neck as if bitten by a beast.

Even before, her expressions of affection felt like being devoured by a wild animal.

“Remember one thing.”

With the sting left deeply, Ilma looked at me sideways.

“I do not let go of something once it has caught my heart. If you don’t come back, I will go to fetch you.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Even if I go to the underworld, I will drag you back myself…”

Ilma chuckled.

“No matter how many years, decades, or centuries pass… you are mine.”

Curious, I casually asked.

“What if it’s a few thousand years…?”

“Don’t you get it?”

“Yes.”

Ilma detached her lips from mine. Immediately after, she glanced at the healing, regenerating wound on my neck and muttered.

“Should I engrave it with the Heart Sword…? If not, then strange things might stick to you…”

“Master?”

“Just kidding. And about that, Gilu is forbidden.”

“Yes?”

“That doesn’t help at all. The Master saying you need to regularly flush out the energy is particularly false information among many words.”

Ilma gestured for me.

“Take care of your lower body. I’ll check it later.”

“…Yes? Check…?”

“Do well.”

“……”

“Go now. Jeok-un. There’s no need for more words.”

Ilma caressed my cheek. Something soft touched my forehead.

Warmth. This warmth was something I had never received during my time as a warrior in the Martial Alliance.

The lips parted.

I felt a bit of disappointment.

“No need for gifts. You are the gift.”

“Even so, I will bring something back.”

I got up. After packing my belongings, I slung them over my back.

The path I must take is long. Nevertheless, I must go.

Because that is my path.

“As a disciple, it wouldn’t feel right to return empty-handed, would it?”

“…Seriously. You never listen to my words…”

Ilma forced a smile.

“There’s no stubborn person like you under heaven.”

…

The Heavenly Demon, looking up at the night sky from the highest point of the Demon Cult, turned her head.

“Has he gone?”

“Yes.”

“One of the only joys of this maiden is gone. My taste is bitter.”

“If you thought so, why not send another child?”

“Your words have a bite. But you know that cannot be the case, don’t you? My words must hold weight. Once I pick something up, it must be used as such. If I don’t weigh my words, the person becomes light. At that time, it wasn’t Cheonsoso, but as the Heavenly Demon, I’d have to keep my word, wouldn’t I?”

“…….”

“I care for Jeok-un as well. A child like that is rare. There’s not a single member among the Heavenly Eight Martial Artists. In this current world, who speaks of kindness and ethics with a sword? That kindness also doesn’t waver, so who could replace that child? There’s no hunting dog that good. Even if you searched the entire Jianghu, it would be hard to find.”

The Heavenly Demon turned her back.

There she is. Ilma. Her eyes, bare of a mask, were filled with bitterness.

How long has it been since I’ve seen such an expression?

The Heavenly Demon chuckled softly. It felt like a recollection of her youthful self.

Was it a cherished puppy? When that child died, she had that exact expression.

“Jeok-un isn’t dead, is he? Lighten that expression.”

“Though the others may not know, he’s facing the seventh disciple. He’s a martial artist who mastered the Hell Sword. Did the Master not marvel at his genius?”

“What you say is true. He was an exceptional child. But didn’t you know it would turn out like this?”

“…I really didn’t think you’d actually say it.”

“You’re not the only one who cares for that child. I also do. This is for him as well.”

“What does that mean…?”

The Heavenly Demon turned her head.

Underneath the highest part of the Demon Cult, all light appears as dots.

Each of those is a star. Stars that must be embraced by this maiden.

That’s what a Heavenly Demon is. One alone cannot complete the sky.

Only when the stars gather can a sky be formed. I learned that from my master.

But I wonder if the children below learned it too.

“This maiden is different from ordinary folks.”

“…That is obvious, isn’t it?”

“It’s inappropriate to say it myself, but I am a genius. But am I just a genius? Holding the Sky-Wielding Body in my heart, controlling the Heavenly Killing Star, within just one year, I reached the stage of Huaxing, becoming the greatest genius of the school. That’s why I am different. A genius’s path is unparalleled, and thus it must distance itself from others.”

“……”

“I have received the lacking parts from my master. I honed the parts I couldn’t learn about humanity. Yet, I’m uncertain whether I’ve taught that well to the children below.”

“…Master.”

“Is it humanity that comes first, or swords? If I ask the Heavenly Eight Martial Artists, everyone except you would surely say the latter. Only those who are willing to see blood without any concerns for their dreams would be there. They would act as if it’s nothing for the greater good. That’s why this maiden has marked you as the next Heavenly Demon. Well, you came down on your own, though.”

“…….”

“I’m not blaming you. Knowing the weight behind the name of Heavenly Demon, how could I force you? You have no interest in the position, so it’s not something I can impose. Even if forced into a seat, the lack of will would result in chaos. Of course, while you might maintain everything out of responsibility, knowing it wouldn’t be a good tale for you, I respected your choice. Because I cherish you.”

The Heavenly Demon chuckled.

“But the other children are different. This maiden can be seen as a failure. The school began with those who had lost their way banding together to wield swords. It was a sword that valued people, and before it stood the first Heavenly Demon. But that purpose twisted, and eventually, they began to venerate power alone. Many tried to take away even what little they had; thus, it makes sense.”

“…….”

“Except for this maiden and the Previous Heavenly Demon, everyone has casually spoken of martial exoduses. They pursued immediate profits without considering the blood they would spill. In reality, the peculiar ones are the Previous and this maiden. Those who behave as if such acts are natural are merely ridiculed by past Heavenly Demons. Nevertheless, this maiden loved her master. She believed the lessons learned from the Previous Heavenly Demon were right, wanting her disciples to become the same. But…”

It’s bitter.

Knowing I couldn’t contain that bitterness makes it even more bitter.

“Except for you, the Heavenly Eight Martial Artists have grown into ordinary Heavenly Demons who would burn their lives for greed.”

“…….”

“I witnessed the incident in Eungmin. The Manma Sect, Heuksajo Sect, and Nachal Sect all considered civilian casualties as a matter of course. Satisfied with merely having subdued the Blood Sect, they only highlighted their accomplishments. Enraptured by becoming Heavenly Demons, they didn’t care about the bloodshed they caused. It doesn’t matter who among the sect leaders becomes a Heavenly Demon… Now, with the school’s internal power full to bursting, they’ll soon utter martial exodus. And inevitably, that will be sought by those outside.”

Eating away at each other’s flesh to maintain equilibrium.

The Heavenly Demon leaned languidly against the railing.

If only I could view those sparkling lights below simply as lights…

But that was what I learned from the Previous Heavenly Demon. Having become a star, I took it as my duty to protect that light.

Originally, I didn’t want to be called Heavenly Demon, but I’ve taken that name on myself…

I swore to protect the light they emit.

“This maiden sees the lives of the school’s disciples and masters as one. I consider their weight equal, so each disappearance is all the more painful for me. But still… I won’t be able to maintain this position indefinitely.”

“Do you not have the qualifications?”

“I do have them. I could pull rank. But there was a warning before that. Blood calamity. The actions taken by even the minor leader of the Blood Sect in Eungmin must have been of little concern to them, whether he succeeded or failed. That was merely a warning directed at me.”

“…It’s what you mentioned before.”

“That’s correct. Ilma. You’re unaware of the tales that lay outside of that. Those who prioritize balance look down upon everything from overhead.”

“…Are you referring to the imperial family?”

“They separate the two by the principle of ‘not to disturb’ and look at them separately; how could the royal family meddle in the affairs of the Jianghu? Not the imperial family. It is flipped but exists above. It is a case where everything exists for one.”

“Then…?”

“If I delve deeper, you’ll be dragged in as well. This maiden does not wish for that. It’s not yet time. The important part is that there is one.”

The Heavenly Demon pulled away from the railing.

“They want me to step down from my position. If I continue to forcefully maintain the position of Heavenly Demon, they will repeat events like the Blood Calamity. The ’Heavenly Demon who isn’t like a Heavenly Demon’ had already experienced similar events… They desire a Heavenly Demon full of violence and insanity, a type that incites war while savagely gnawing at each other.”

“What could possibly…?”

“But when war breaks out, it isn’t just martial artists who die. The servants and maids beneath me, those without power will die en masse just like those killed by the seventh. They’ll lose their homes. That’s why this time must be different. Before this school returns to the hunger of the poor. Before the blood that flowed too much fills the Cheonsan…”

The Heavenly Demon looked at Ilma.

“This maiden will prepare to protect her light. At the same time, I must pretend to step back from the frontline to catch the opponent off guard. And amidst it, I will do whatever I can do. Even if I’m not the Heavenly Demon, having sworn to embrace the stars, I have to live within the school’s boundaries until my dying breath.”

“…Master.”

“Jeok-un’s actions are for him to be here. In some form, a war will break out, and in any form, a battle will inevitably arise. And the core will be this school. This new school, which has built the strongest of all demons among those that have existed up to now. The flooding tide will sweep away not only Jeok-un but everyone around him. Anyone belonging to this school, any martial artist with a sword will not be able to escape this flood.”

The Heavenly Demon smiled.

“Without growing, one will be swept away. Jeok-un must forcibly strengthen himself even for what he needs to protect. This entire journey will become his strength. If he overcomes and defeats even the seventh, who has betrayed this maiden… he will surely stand where you are now. At the starting line of power.”

“…….”

“And above all…”

The exalted moon.

And the clouds surrounding it.

The Heavenly Demon reached out her hand. She covered the moon with her hand.

Like clouds hiding the moon.

“This is the one who said he would catch up to me. I trust him. I believe our puppy, who has betrayed me, will easily leap over even the most challenging obstacles. Isn’t it the duty of a proper owner to trust the dog they raise? He is the child who reached a place I never expected with the sword I never anticipated. Talent means nothing; it was only a firm determination that created a miracle. I both trust and acknowledge him. When that child declared he would not stand against this maiden. Frankly…”

The Heavenly Demon licked her lips.

“My stomach was growling.”

“…What do you mean suddenly?!”

“It was like a beastly expression. There are times when that wild side of him surfaces. Stimulating this something of mine is quite…”

“I manage that dog.”

“Don’t put on airs. Let’s share it instead. Though you’re the caretaker, am I not the owner?”

“…….”

“Look at that glare. Truly amusing. Look! The Ilma, who wouldn’t give a single favor except to me, is making that face…”

How delightful.

Ever since meeting him.

“I look forward to that journey. Whether as a single woman… or as a martial artist.”

 

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