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**

I broke free from my frozen body. From within the shattering ice, I asked.

The first thing I did was introduce myself.

“My name is Jeok-un. It means ‘Red Cloud.’ I was born in Bi Cheon.”

My body froze once again. It seemed to grumble as if to answer Bai Ya’s question.

I forced myself to open my mouth again and calmly shared pieces of my life as they had unfolded.

My body alternated between freezing and breaking free. Yet, I did not stop speaking.

I wanted to let them know how I had lived and how I intended to live.

What I would embrace and what I would wield.

At first, Bai Ya had been rebellious, but she seemed to tire and listened to my story. Even after I finished, the Ear Sword did not react at all.

I gripped the sword tightly, but it did not budge. Was it her form of rebellion? Or…

Was she deep in thought?

I couldn’t quite grasp the exact structure of the Ear Sword. It felt as if I had gained a companion with whom to share my fate.

To reach greater heights, I would need these beings. Even though Bai Ya showed no reaction, I slowly moved my stiffening wrist.

I endured, but it felt somewhat wrong to torment it further, so I returned it to its sheath.

Being a picky one, I wouldn’t be able to become close overnight.

Still, I planned to make an effort.

That was my specialty.

“…They say to focus only on one when taming it.”

I glanced at the one secured at my waist. Black Pearl. The Ear Sword I would wield when drawing out the power of ‘Flame Wheel Sword.’

It would probably take a while before I could hold that. I whispered to Black Pearl.

“You’ll need to wait a little longer.”

Black Pearl trembled. It seemed both to protest and to entice.

But I ignored it for now. There must have been a reason Master Guigok had said those words to me.

Let’s take it slow.

Just like I’ve always done.

…

Thanks to my diligent movements, I quickly arrived near the entrance of the Magic District. As I climbed up toward the vicinity of Cheon Mountain, familiar scenery greeted my eyes.

Buildings I had become accustomed to during my time with Ilma. If I thought about it, I had once been a gatekeeper here.

Of course, what I had really guarded were the many gates leading into the castle built atop this Cheon Mountain rather than the buildings of the Magic District itself.

I took a step inward. Suddenly, something appeared before my eyes.

A voice I’d heard before echoed.

“Please come with me. It’s the Master’s orders.”

When the blindfold was removed again, I found myself in the hidden underground space of the Magic District.

I hesitantly stepped inside.

“Master…?”

The Heavenly Demon, sitting on the bed and tapping her feet, turned to me.

“Oi, come here.”

“Huh?”

“Just come sit.”

I knelt before her. She gently ruffled my hair.

“It seems everything went well. The Ear Sword, huh? And with two completed, you’ve brought a strange one along. Is that one finished?”

“Two are complete, but one is not yet. As you can see, this Ear Sword refuses to be drawn until it chooses to.”

“Hmm? Is that so? Even though it refuses to be drawn, a true master could still do it…but that would be disrespectful to the sword’s true owner. Either way, that’s not what’s important right now.”

The Heavenly Demon lowered her voice.

“Oi, do you know why I called you?”

“Is there something else you want me to do?”

“Not quite. I just called to give you a warning.”

“What about…?”

The Heavenly Demon sighed.

“Ilma is sulking.”

“Huh?”

“She’s sulking quite dramatically. Completely upset. She’s sulking so much that the nickname ‘Demon of Blood’ feels inappropriate.”

“What does that mean…?”

“It means exactly that. She’s incredibly sulky. In fact, she’s been radiating bad vibes everywhere. The Magic District is currently in a state of emergency. With her usual precision, the Heavenly Demon has a sword sharp enough to be on alert at all times, and everyone working here is on edge, afraid of when their heads might roll.”

“What happened to Lady Ilma…?”

“Something did happen.”

My heart sank. I immediately stood up.

“What exactly happened?!”

“I might have teased her a little.”

“Huh?”

“I only teased her slightly, but since then, she’s been completely sulking and won’t even talk to me. You wouldn’t know, but when Ilma sulks, it lasts for quite a while. This time, especially so. Perhaps because I brought up something she wanted to keep hidden, the cold winds would seem warmer than what Ilma is feeling now.”

“What did you touch?”

“If I tell you, she’ll get even more upset. Understand my position.”

The Heavenly Demon sighed.

“Since Ilma is sulking, it will likely affect you as well. If she shows a cold demeanor, just roll with it.”

“Were you calling me simply to say that?”

“No. If that were the case, I could have just sent a maid to tell you. The reason I called you separately is for something else. This is the most important part.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Go and comfort her.”

“Huh?”

“I said to go and comfort her. Sneak in my words and help get her to forgive you quickly.”

…….?

Confused, I asked slightly.

“Is it that dangerous for Lady Ilma to be sulking…?”

“Ilma handles half of everything that happens in the Magic District. The rest is managed by the agencies here, and the last part that comes to me is merely a stamp of approval, making things very easy for me. However, Ilma is currently too upset to handle even one-tenth of her responsibilities. Consequently, that burden falls on me.”

………

“No one can assist me in my position other than Ilma. Everyone else among the Heavenly Eight Martial Artists is either a head or an assistant. I can’t delegate tasks to them to maintain fairness. However, entrusting work to the other agencies is too slow for my liking.”

The Heavenly Demon sighed again.

“I’ve endured this for over three months now. If it continues like this, I will wither away in less than a month. You are my only hope. Go on and dance. Boost her spirits somehow and help her return to normal.”

…….?

“Do you have any more questions? Would you like me to teach you how to entertain her?”

Just a little more wake-up.

I sighed at the first side of the Heavenly Demon, whom I had once admired. I nodded.

In that regard…

She has a girl-like side, I guess. I’ll just remember that in my head for now.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“I have something for you.”

“Hmm?”

I rummaged through the belongings I had brought. I pulled out a dagger.

The Heavenly Demon blinked.

“Are you trying to assassinate me with that?”

“It’s a gift.”

“A gift?”

The Heavenly Demon placed a hand on the dagger. After unsheathing it, she held it to the light to examine it from various angles.

“Do you need something from me?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“I brought it because I wanted to give it to you. And there’s also this…”

I took out another item from my bag carefully so it wouldn’t break.

It was a crafted item, a glass flower. Upon seeing it, I was reminded of the Heavenly Demon. The delicacy of it gave an eerie feeling, making it seem as if it were a real flower.

“What is this?”

“I thought of you as soon as I saw it.”

“You thought of me?”

The Heavenly Demon turned the flower around. She inspected it closely before glancing up at me.

Her head bobbed.

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I just…”

I gazed at the glass flower. I couldn’t take my eyes off it since I saw it for the first time.

“…I thought of you, Master…”

“Hmm. Does that mean you think I’m as beautiful as a flower?”

“Isn’t that a given?”

……?

The Heavenly Demon covered her mouth and laughed.

“You’re strangely straightforward at times. Hmm. So that’s what you meant. Flowers, huh… I might ask. Did you prepare a gift for Ilma as well?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Is it the same flower as mine?”

“No.”

“Hmmm… So it’s just a gift for me, huh…”

The Heavenly Demon pinched my cheek.

“Ow. You’re adorable.”

“I was worried that it was something you could find anywhere, but I’m glad you liked it.”

“You’re right. I could find something like that anywhere. But a well-trained pup choosing it out himself is something else entirely, isn’t it?”

“…I appreciate your kind words.”

“Jeok-un. Just checking, but this isn’t just a simple admiration, right?”

I understood what her words implied.

So, I answered immediately.

“My feelings do not change, Master. If it were merely simple admiration, I would rather lay down my sword right here.”

“Ahahaha. Would you like a hug for encouragement?”

“I’ll pass.”

“Ah, don’t be modest.”

She hugged me forcibly. It felt a little strange, all soft and squishy.

…

I stood in front of Ilma’s mansion. The gatekeeper recognized the mask I had written before arriving and rushed over to me.

“Y-you’re back! Where have you been?!”

“Huh? I was away on an assignment for a bit…”

“Thank goodness you’re back! The mansion is in chaos right now!”

Before the warrior’s urgency could settle in, I felt something else. An ominous presence. It felt as if the mansion itself was enveloped in an unsettling energy.

What is this? How high does one’s martial prowess have to be to infect an entire mansion with this vibe?

Ilma’s skill still seemed to linger just out of reach, even with how extraordinary I had become. She must have ascended beyond Huaxing and reached somewhere higher.

The Heavenly Eight Martial Artists.

It felt like I was catching a glimpse of that weight I had vaguely known before.

“Is Lady Ilma’s condition… not good?”

“Don’t even say it! It feels like walking on thin ice! Just knowing it could shatter at any moment drains the blood from me, and it hardly feels like I’m breathing!”

The gatekeeper’s eyes were shadowed, proving he was not exaggerating.

What on earth did the Heavenly Demon do to stir up this situation?

I cautiously stepped inside. At that moment, the energy twisted around sharply.

The dark and unpleasant energy brushed against me momentarily. Even from a distance, I instinctively knew that Ilma had recognized my presence.

I slowly crossed the wide garden. I arrived at the front of her office, where I always go to see her.

I hesitantly opened my mouth.

“Lady Ilma. I have returned from my mission.”

—Click.

I heard the sound of the door opening.

 

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