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**

“…Still the same?”

“Yes.”

Sua brought up Ju Ryeongryeong’s situation. Eun Seol-ran fell into thought.

“…It seems her condition hasn’t improved at all. Well, she’s been quite deep into it.”

“…….”

“I understand. I feel the same way. There’s not much to say about her. I feel like I could drop my sword any moment too. I thought after two years it would have improved a bit… but it hasn’t at all. It’s not that she’s common or anything. It’s just… hard to see, and she was that special of a person. She was quite the fool, and quite the idiot… well.”

Eun Seol-ran chuckled softly. She quietly looked down at the sword propped beside her.

“…But just because of that, I can’t drop my sword. If I do, no one will repay her debt. Anyway, I can’t just leave Ju Ryeongryeong like this. We’re more than just acquaintances now; we’re quite close.”

Eun Seol-ran got up.

“Let’s have dinner together, Sua. There’s no reason not to eat. I’ll ask Lord Samma and get a daily pass. He’ll probably allow it. And before that… is it okay if we don’t show ourselves to the doctor?”

“Ryeongryeong unnie refused. She doesn’t want to go to the doctor at all.”

“Please don’t tell me… she entered the realm of insanity?”

Sua said hesitantly and carefully.

“…I think that might be the early symptoms. She’s gotten sharper than before. The tension is so thick it’s like it could burst at any moment. That’s why I’m more worried. But… it could just be my anxiety.”

“Anyway, it means she needs care. Got it. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Eun Seol-ran patted Sua’s head.

“Getting care from someone you should be looking after… you’ve grown up, Sua.”

“…What? Hehe.”

“Have you told the others?”

“No. But Danhwa unnie will come. She’s worried about Ryeongryeong unnie.”

“What about Baekmae?”

The largest mountain range.

Now, the hardest person to approach.

Sua fidgeted with her hands.

“…I don’t know. Baekmae unnie is in a worse condition than I thought.”

“It’ll be fine. She’s still sensible enough to discern work from everything else.”

“…Yes.”

“While we’re at it, do you want to mix in a bit with the sword?”

Eun Seol-ran showed her enthusiasm. Sua shook her head.

“I need to see Baekmae unnie. And for that, I need to see Myo Ye-rin unnie too.”

“Baekmae’s master? A member of the Blood Sea Organization? Why her?”

“Myo Ye-rin unnie will assess.”

Sua brushed her arms down.

“…Whether I’m in a state to meet Baekmae unnie or not.”

…

Blood Sea Organization.

A gathering of high-level masters responsible for the security of the Demon Cult, each possessing martial prowess that far exceeds the norm.

They each had towns they were in charge of. Fortunately, the area where Myo Ye-rin and Baekmae were located was nearby, so Sua could reach there before nightfall.

The high district managed by the Blood Sea Organization. Even late at night, people moved about busily.

Since the Blood Sea Organization practically took charge of law and order, their tasks were numerous. Thus, many people were involved in assisting them.

Though Sua had seen it a few times, she still couldn’t adapt to the late-night clamor. The eyes of passing people were all shrouded in shadows, making her feel slightly anxious.

I heard that they handle night shifts as casually as eating dinner…

I’ve been told that jobs assisting the Blood Sea Organization come with many perks, but it seems like the work environment is bound to wear one out.

Sua quietly stepped inward. She nodded politely to the warriors guarding the area as she passed by.

“Hello.”

“Wh… Who…? Lady So?”

Thanks to the familiarity with the warriors, she was able to enter without issue.

Myo Ye-rin was located deep inside. As a member of the Blood Sea Organization, she handled numerous tasks and often had the active energy of someone who hustled about.

She too seemed trapped in her workload. Her hair, carelessly scratched at, looked quite tangled.

Even when she raised her head slightly, exhaustion was evident. Though her neatly gathered brows were beautiful, the hostility that accompanied it was far more pronounced.

She looked clearly irritable.

But Sua didn’t mind.

“Who… Hmm? It’s Sua?”

“Sis.”

She ran over and snuggled into her.

Myo Ye-rin smiled.

“Such a cutie! Yes, it’s your sister. Oh, look at this little one. Your face looks worn out. Are you eating well?”

“Yes. What about you?”

“I feel like I’m starving to death~. I’ll be dead in an hour.”

Sua took out some food she had brought. Knowing she didn’t take care of herself well, she had prepared ahead of time.

And what she had prepared were all Myo Ye-rin’s favorite foods.

“It’s a bit cold, but… let’s eat together, sis.”

“…To think this son of a gun would have a daughter like this… I can hardly believe it. Fine, forget the work. Your cute little sister’s visit is more important.”

“Dad isn’t a womanizer. He only looked at me.”

“That’s a problem in its own right.”

They hadn’t been this close originally. But after getting involved with Ilma, they began to see each other more often, and somewhere along the line, they became this way.

She adored Myo Ye-rin.

And since she liked her as well…

“Alright, Sua takes a bite. Now I take a bite.”

Myo Ye-rin fed her, chewing happily. She exclaimed with delight.

“Do you wanna just call me your mom?”

“Then you have to marry Dad.”

“Hmm… that’s a pretty significant obstacle. Well, I’ll consider it.”

Myo Ye-rin was gentle. At the same time, she loved to joke.

She was easygoing and kind, someone you could chat with carefreely when everyone else got serious.

Dinner was delicious and fun. Sua clung to the Myo Ye-rin who wiped her mouth.

“Sis.”

“So, Sua. Did you come to visit me, or is there something else up your sleeve?”

“I did want to see you.”

“You’re quite good with words. But it feels like there’s something more, doesn’t it? What’s on your mind?”

“…Is Baekmae unnie okay?”

“Hmm. That’s a tough question. Let me see…”

She opened the window and sniffed the air from a distance.

“I think she could be okay, but also maybe not…”

“Can you tell by the smell?”

“More than the smell, it’s the energy waves, you know? Well, the rascal is my disciple, after all. I know how she acts when her energy is turbulent. Lately, it’s grown so fierce that I can sense it from this far away.”

Myo Ye-rin closed the window again.

“I have piled-up work, so I can’t go with you, but thankfully today seems to be a day we don’t need to worry. It’s relatively calm… and she’s grown stronger in the meantime. A real monster.”

“Hehe.”

“If you feel it’s not good, just turn back. You get that, right? A kid who once was so neat couldn’t tell up from down and threw herself into the muck…”

Myo Ye-rin clicked her tongue.

“Honestly, it’s surprising she hasn’t fallen into madness. Really.”

…

Sua slowly walked along the forest path, a bit distant from the town.

The raging currents were intensifying. The unnatural wind was also overwhelming, like standing in the midst of a storm.

The flow of energy itself was like a blade.

Even from afar, it felt as though someone was swinging a sword.

“……”

If she’s not careful, she could be cut.

Sua cautiously stepped inward.

Black Danhwa had begun to obsess over knowledge. Searching through the world’s various knowledge, he sought any way to save him.

Eun Seol-ran vowed for revenge. Piling up martial practice and studying, looking for ways to overthrow Reverse Heaven.

Ju Ryeongryeong was wandering aimlessly. She had let go of everything and was simply drifting as if she would die at any moment.

So what about Baekmae?

Baekmae was perhaps the most broken among them. She was someone who would rush out at the slightest chance to see him, even if it meant tiny ticks of despair.

Because of that…

When he died, she transformed into a sword demon.

Day and night, she swung her sword without eating or resting, doing everything carelessly to build strength.

It was unclear if it was revenge against Reverse Heaven. It was merely a life in which she moved her body. Sometimes, unable to distinguish friend from foe, she would get swept away in the waves of energy and nearly be cut down.

It was fortunate she stopped just in time; otherwise, her sword could have become unstoppable.

Extreme swift swordsmanship. A form that even Sua could not recklessly follow.

—Goooooo…

The twisted currents emitted a strange wail. Then suddenly, the chaotic ground calmed.

Everything around was level. Whatever was there had all been ground down, and life had long been uprooted and thrown out of the territory.

In an instant, the wind settled. The sword wind, which felt like it could slice skin, quieted as well.

One rock remained. Someone sat on that naturally carved place, gazing up at the moon. Their body looked dirty, as if they hadn’t washed in a long time, and their clothes were caked with mud and dust.

Yet, the face looking up at the moon bore a strange beauty.

Like a statue. One could say it was a masterpiece. Baekmae was beautiful. But that beauty was marred with a sense of sorrow.

Loneliness.

And sadness.

Emanating from her…

Self-loathing.

Myo Ye-rin had said that she hated herself.

That she loathed the version of herself that had been helpless at that time to the extent she wished to tear herself apart.

Sua could faintly understand that feeling. She too had been unable to do anything.

But Baekmae’s level of it was severe. It seemed she could not bear even a moment without waving her sword, gasping desperately.

Thus, moments of calm like this were exceedingly rare. And this…

She must have put in effort to welcome herself.

“…Sua?”

“I just, I just wanted to see you…”

“…….”

Baekmae did not say anything further. Once they would have bantered like friends of the same age, but now that was impossible.

Her body was here, but her soul felt distant. Sua cautiously sat next to her. Baekmae’s eyes turned away, endlessly sinking.

She tried to smile, but her lips seemed stiff, unable to smile properly. So she gave up on that and simply asked.

“Have you been well?”

The question was cold.

Like looking at someone frozen.

“…….”

Sua nodded gently.

 

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