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**

I jumped down from the branch.

Smaak.

Following him was to find out more about him. But it was something different than I had imagined.

Contrary to his arrogant and brazen first impression, the tip of his sword was trembling.

Like a twig that seemed about to snap at any moment.

“…So the bastard is finally poking around inside someone else’s house. Has he gone mad?”

“Maybe he has gone mad. I don’t really know what’s right or wrong.”

Ten steps away in the street.

The shadow between us was too far apart to reach. I placed my hand on my sword.

“Head of the Sma Family. I have a question.”

“Add an ‘-nim’ honorific. How dare a mere Blood Demon member…”

“It’s too late for a stroll, don’t you think?”

“The bastard isn’t in a position to follow me.”

I could see him gauging the distance between us.

“I don’t intend to cause you harm.”

“How can I trust you?”

“We’re both in the same boat of distrust, aren’t we?”

“Your words have some weight.”

“My claws are included too. Be careful, Head of Sma.”

Smaak’s brows twitched. I stood silently beside him.

A tall gravestone. Its size was also massive. On it were densely inscribed names of those with the surname ‘Sma.’

A name I knew also mixed in there.

“…Sma Gon.”

The missing master of the Sma Clan.

Ghostly Shadow Sma Gon.

“Why are you scared? Is it because you recognize the name? Ghostly Shadow Sma Gon. My grandfather, after all.”

“If I haven’t done anything wrong, I have no need to be afraid.”

“This is a place where only the head of the Sma Clan can enter. Simply entering is already a sin.”

“Is it a sin worthy of death?”

“A crime severe enough to cost your head.”

“But today, it seems that no one is here to catch me.”

I turned my head.

“Head, why didn’t you bring your bodyguards?”

“……”

“There are many things about your actions that I don’t understand.”

“—Ha. Have you resorted to excuses since you couldn’t find evidence?”

“It seems the head of the Sma Clan does take good care of his people.”

In the days I had stayed here, I had met various people.

I asked all of them.

What they thought of the head of the Sma Clan.

“The praises were unending.”

Thus, I could get a sense of what to do.

“Those are just the ramblings of blind fools. I am a resolute head.”

“What meaning does your solitary resoluteness have?”

“It has meaning. Blood Demon member. Everything has meaning. Is there a whip that strikes without a reason?”

Smaak laughed arrogantly.

“The time for cryptic questions is over. Have you come to catch me? Then draw your sword. Do as you wish.”

“I didn’t come to kill you.”

“Then why were you following me?”

“As I mentioned earlier, I followed you because I had something to ask.”

“That’s not something a Blood Demon member should say, is it? It’s not something a mere dog following orders would say.”

“The role of the dog is given, yet deciding when to bark is the prerogative of the dog, isn’t it?”

I turned to look at him.

I finally put into words what I had wanted to ask.

“Head of the Sma Clan. I would like to ask.”

Smaak frowned.

“If you have something to say, don’t beat around the bush.”

“After observing for a few days, it seems you are suffering from your duties day and night.”

“You’re a dark little bastard. And?”

“Do you not need workers?”

“…What?”

I removed my hand from the sword.

“Do you not require a bodyguard skilled with a sword? I see that all the warriors of the Sma Clan seem busy, so I thought I’d fill the gap. Of course, I can only do this for about fifteen days.”

“…….”

Smaak’s expression changed.

‘What the hell is this madman?’ was the look on his face.

…

I told the tale of what happened with Twenty-Nine.

His expression twisted for a moment.

“Hey, you crazy bastard! What are you doing?!”

“I’m unveiling the identity of my discomfort.”

“Have you gone mad?! What?! A bodyguard of the head of the Sma Clan?! How can you say such crazy things to my face… there’s no way they’d accept that in the first place, right?!”

“They did accept it.”

“What?!”

Smaak’s expression, which had changed momentarily, seemed to be clearly saying he intended to make me suffer. It was undoubtedly perceived as pure malice.

But still, I complied. The reason was simple.

I couldn’t just leave this atmosphere as it was.

“Twenty-Nine. While I serve as Smaak’s temporary bodyguard, could you investigate Cheonakmun for me?”

“…Are you now suspecting that side?”

“It’s too coincidental that everything was perfectly arranged just as we arrived. Even evidence was acquired from Cheonakmun at just the right moment.”

“…….”

“It seems too perfect to be a mere coincidence. It’s fine to report once this is over, but…”

I fiddled with my sword.

“Wouldn’t the aftertaste be somewhat bitter, Twenty-Nine?”

“No… then why did you say you’d become a bodyguard?”

“I thought knowing what kind of person Smaak is would help.”

“…Are you trying to be some kind of heroic figure? Why are you going to such lengths?”

“I’m just trying to handle things properly. If it turns out later that the rebellion of the Sma Clan was a lie, it could very well come back to bite us. We should do things properly, considering the future, right?”

“…While I can’t quite argue with that… umm…”

Twenty-Nine walked around the room. After a while of pondering, he looked back at me.

“You know the deadline is a month, right?”

“I do.”

“It’s precisely fifteen days from now. If we find nothing after that, we will have no choice but to report what we saw, just to let you know.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Hmm… let me handle the Cheonakmun side. I’ll dig into it quietly.”

“Thank you, Twenty-Nine. For cooperating.”

“Don’t mention it. Just have it resolved within the deadline. I found a few things that felt a bit off… it’s just a slight nuisance, but nothing changes overall.”

Twenty-Nine threw down a warning.

“Don’t go saying something absurd later. Remember, a month ago I said I had to send the documents. Thirty.”

“Yes.”

Twenty-Nine left. As soon as the next morning came, I immediately sought out Smaak.

He lifted his head from the documents he had been working on since early morning.

A deep smile, malicious intent to show me what was what.

The expression on Chu Yi-gyeong’s face in front of him turned stiff.

“Head! This person is an outsider.”

“An outsider, yes. But doesn’t he have a guaranteed status? A Blood Demon member. He’s not someone I’d completely distrust.”

“Still, we are currently under investigation…”

“With nothing to hide, you shouldn’t worry. Chu Yi-gyeong. Go do your job. If there’s something wrong, call for me.”

“…If you’re not close, you might not be able to keep time.”

“Is there just you among the warriors at the main family? Not at all. Haven’t there been many times when you had to work away from each other in the first place? I’m fine. Go away. That madman wouldn’t dare lay a hand on me if he’s not crazy.”

Chu Yi-gyeong sighed. After lightly bowing his head, he passed by me.

A chilling gaze passed by. Unspoken pressure that warned me not to misbehave.

Smaak turned the brush with his fingertips.

“Good. The fifteen-day bastard. My bodyguard. What’s your name?”

“It’s Thirty.”

“A pseudonym, huh? Well, that’s fine. No matter. The only job for my bodyguard is one.”

Smaak gestured with his chin.

“Wait in the corner like a dog. Where I can see you.”

“…….”

Is he seriously intending to torture me?

Anyway, it didn’t matter. All I wanted to see was what kind of person he was.

I maintained the waiting pose as he instructed. No matter how long the time passed, I stared at him without saying anything.

Sweat dripped like rain. Even Smaak, who continued flipping through the documents, seemed to be fed up and nodded.

“You’re a tough one.”

“Isn’t that what a dog does?”

“…What have you gained?”

“It seems the head has a heavy rear end.”

“…….”

Smaak scoffed dismissively.

The next day, Smaak did not give the order to maintain the waiting pose like before. Instead, he left his documents behind and went outside to the Main Financial Hall.

It was as if he was completely ignoring me this time. Even when our eyes met, he didn’t say a word.

The Master of the Main Financial Hall looked at me and flinched.

“Head! That person is…”

“Mind your own business. That person is practically nonexistent.”

“…Understood.”

The work continued. Smaak issued several instructions in a monotonous tone. He also checked the numbers and audited the plans for the future.

The movements of the upper classes. The use of funds. The welfare of warriors and the wages of servants.

Smaak was quick with mathematics. He seemed to have an exceptional mind. There was no hesitation in the things he spoke.

The Master of the Main Financial Hall nodded as if that were natural.

“I will act according to your command, Head.”

“Your thoughts might be correct. If you are certain, send me a report separately. I will review it and respond.”

“Thank you.”

He did not treat a subordinate’s opinion lightly. If he thought there was potential, he would listen.

The servants passing by all deeply bowed their heads to Smaak. Occasionally, he’d ask after their well-being in a blunt tone.

“Elder Bai. How’s your back?”

“Thanks to the head, I’m back to normal.”

“If you’re in pain, don’t grumble and rest on your own. If you get into my sight, it’ll only ruin my mood.”

There was the sound of money coming from the pocket he subtly handed over. Although his words were rough, the intent was good.

Elder Bai rejected the offering.

“I’ve already received far too much. Elder.”

“If you’ve received so much, your back would already be healed. Just shut up and take it. I’ve got more than enough money.”

“…Elder.”

“Even if I told you to take it and go away.”

Smaak, seeming somewhat embarrassed, turned to me after three days.

“Did you see what you wanted to?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen enough yet.”

“Your eyes must be bad. Is what’s on your head just decoration?”

“That might be the case.”

Smaak hardly strayed from the Sma Clan buildings. It might be more accurate to say he couldn’t leave.

Even when he briefly stepped away, the workload piled up. Since the Sma Clan itself was lacking workers, he seemed to directly handle most of the affairs himself.

“Hey, you bastard.”

“Yes.”

Smaak, who had his face nearly buried in the desk, finally spoke after six days.

“Don’t just stare; help me.”

“Is it okay?”

“If you have eyes, you should be able to distinguish simple numbers. Organize them in order. Make it easy for me to understand.”

Every time I handed him organized documents, he always added a comment.

“You bastard. Have you never organized documents before?”

“I haven’t.”

“Morons, as always. Look here, it should go like this…”

While grumbling, he taught me. If there were difficult characters, he would lift the brush, helping me annotate them.

“Despite being a bodyguard, not much help you are.”

“Isn’t this not something a warrior should do?”

“Have you never heard of being well-rounded? You can’t live off being good at just one thing. At this rate, you’ll surely starve to death on the streets someday.”

Smaak hadn’t slept.

His eyes were always dark, and he lived with some unknown brew in his mouth.

“What are you drinking?”

“Why don’t you try it?”

I drank. I coughed at the bitter taste that rose from my tongue.

“Is this poison?”

“Who would pay to drink poison, you idiot? It’s a wake-up tea.”

“…Wouldn’t it be better to sleep than drink this?”

“Then who would work? You think I’d let you work instead when you can’t even organize documents properly?”

His sharp tone was meant for me every time, but he finally called my assumed name correctly after seven days.

“You bastard.”

“Yes.”

“—What the hell are you looking at? Are you trying to keep an eye on me? Or are you waiting for me to mess up?”

It felt like he sincerely wanted to know, so I answered.

“I’m watching what kind of person you are.”

“Oh really? What kind of person do you think I am? Someone in league with the righteous?”

I thought about giving a proportional metaphor, but instead, I recalled the insults I had heard and gave up.

“Your personality seems to be quite dirty.”

“Is that the end?”

“Your words are quite harsh too.”

“And?”

“And…”

I still didn’t know.

That seemed to be true.

“How could you recognize someone’s true intentions in just seven days?”

“Then can you figure it out in fifteen days?”

“That’s likely better than seven.”

“I have no idea what’s in your head.”

Smaak stood up late at night. He grabbed the iron sword that was next to him.

“Hey, you bastard. You audaciously peeked at my sword before.”

“Well, it’s a bit far-fetched to call it a sword…”

“Shut up and follow me.”

“What are you trying to do?”

“I think I finally have a use for you. It actually seemed odd not to use you before. Even dog poop can be used for medicine.”

Smaak took me under the gravestone we had visited together before.

As he drew the sword, he turned to look at me.

“I will show you the sword of the Sma Clan.”

 

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