A Demonic Cult envoy delegation.
I had to freeze for a moment at that fucking sentence.
An envoy delegation?
To Xinjiang?
[Heh heh.]
Just as I was wondering what kind of bullshit this was, I heard someone laughing.
It was the Heavenly Demon.
The old man embedded in the Divine Sword was laughing quietly.
[I told you, did I not? The time would come eventually.]
“......”
Sure.
The time had come.
Fuck, this actually came?
I should have just shoved that “time” away before it got here.
“......This came now?”
When I said that while looking at Silver Moon Sword, he fluttered the letter and answered.
“The Beggars’ Union delivered it this morning.”
“Ah, what the hell.”
“For reference, our junior here isn’t the only one going.”
“......Then? The letter didn’t say anything like that.”
“It should be written on the back.”
At those words, I read it again more carefully.
Now that I looked, it was definitely written there.
It said there would be four people, including me.
Four?
How did it end up being four?
That was a little questionable, but now was not the time to care about that.
The important thing was that, in the end, I had to go to Xinjiang.
The Demonic Cult, huh.
The resurrected Demonic Cult.
Was the current situation that I had to head there?
Ah, was this the thing they had mentioned last time?
That exchange of envoys.
The Young Cult Leader would attend the Academy opened by the Alliance side.
And younger-generation orthodox faction members would attend the one opened by the Demonic Cult side.
That came to mind.
Ah, right.
I had agreed to go to that, too.
In other words, this had been scheduled from the start.
Oh.
My head was ringing.
“......I’ve already got something to do as soon as I return.”
“You were about to head back?”
“Yes. I was planning to leave tomorrow, at least.”
“Oh...... Faster than I expected.”
“I’ve done everything I came here to do.”
There was nothing more to achieve here.
Nothing more to do.
“Thank you for letting me know for now. I’ll tell the rest of my group that I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“When are you planning to go?”
“Dawn feels too early. Afternoon, after I finish my errands?”
“Got it. I’ll remember.”
Silver Moon Sword left after saying that, and I scratched my head.
Xinjiang.
The Heavenly Demon was right.
In the end, I was going.
It seemed to have been fated to happen.
Exactly as he had said.
Fine.
I had to accept it.
If I was going, I was going.
However.
I can’t just go quietly.
I had to decide what I would do once I got there.
I had no intention of behaving myself.
I’ll have to talk to them.
I needed a conversation with Thousand-Mile Divine Eye.
In the direction that benefited me as much as possible.
*****
Early morning arrived.
I had trained through the night and had not slept.
Lately, I had not been sleeping at all.
Training with the sword was fun.
It sounded absurd even to me, but it was true.
“Hoo.”
That had become even more true after I reached body-and-sword unity.
The exaltation I had felt then.
Because I wanted to somehow feel it again.
I kept swinging the sword.
Again and again.
I focused.
And focused again.
It was different from simply trying to strengthen Sword Aura or force myself into a state of complete absorption.
I was struggling toward that place while trying to understand what I had to gain.
Yoo Cheongil had said it.
That as one learned the sword and learned martial arts, this was the place one would eventually arrive.
Whether it was the Heavenly Demon or someone else, they had said something similar.
I had never believed it.
I had not been interested in martial arts in the slightest.
Then what about now?
My grip tightened around the Divine Sword.
The Radiant Moon Flash Aura loosely spread over the blade once again emitted light.
Should I do a little more?
I thought about training a little longer.
But.
I snuffed out the Sword Aura I had been raising.
There was still something I had to do.
The timing was awkward for more training.
CLACK.
I sheathed the Divine Sword, then roughly gathered my energy.
After that, I washed up quickly, changed clothes, and stepped outside.
“Where are you going?”
At that moment, Bow Ghost, who had been waiting by the entrance, launched a surprise attack.
“To handle business.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“......Why?”
Where was I supposed to drag this annoying thing?
I spoke with open disgust, but Bow Ghost looked strangely desperate.
“......I want to eat outside.”
“......”
Was that why she looked desperate?
I nearly sighed.
This was truly wretched beyond ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) words.
“......Why are you really like this?”
She was still one of the beings beyond heaven.
One of the heroes who had saved the world.
How had that woman sunk this far?
She definitely had not been like this originally.
No, when I had first seen her, she had possessed an incredible presence.
At least, that was what Bow Ghost had looked like to me.
But this is just......
What was she, some lunatic obsessed with food?
Her body had become younger, and her mental age had clearly gotten younger along with it.
“......Fine. Let’s go.”
“Oh! Really?”
“Yes.”
I decided to take her along out of pity.
I was leaving early anyway.
This much was fine.
Thinking that, I took her with me.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Mm...... I don’t know. If we’re choosing, there are a few places.”
Should we go somewhere decent?
There was one place that was not bad.
It had ties to the Mo Yong Family, and as a child, I had been forcibly dragged there several times by Mo Yong Yeongsun.
*****
“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”
The moment we entered, they checked whether we had a reservation.
He was not an ordinary innhand, either.
At a glance, he looked like a properly trained employee.
“I don’t have a reservation, but I do have this.”
I handed over the token I had brought in advance.
“Huh...... Ah, understood. We will prepare a seat for you immediately.”
It was a token I had received from the Mo Yong Family at some point.
They had said that if I carried this, I could go anywhere connected to the Mo Yong Family as I pleased.
I had never particularly used it.
If I used it carelessly and word reached Father or my older brother......
They’d try to steal it somehow.
It was obvious.
There was no way those people would not.
So I had held back as much as possible.
Even just knowing I had entered and left this place would probably be reported to my family.
Because the damned ears around here belonged to very helpful people.
“Please go up to the third floor!”
“Thank you.”
We were shown to our seats, and the moment we sat down, Bow Ghost asked,
“What is good here?”
“......Everything should be fine.”
It had been too long since I had eaten here, but everything had been good.
“Then I can order anything?”
“Order whatever you like.”
It was not as if I would be paying.
The authority contained in the token was enough for that.
At those words, Bow Ghost raised her hand high.
“Everything delicious!”
“......Everything, ma’am?”
“Yes. Bring it all.”
The employee hurried downstairs at her words, and I had to sigh at how bright she looked.
She seemed to have no dignity left anymore.
It looked like she had simply decided to enjoy herself now.
As we waited for the food, I looked at Bow Ghost.
She was staring at me with eyes that seemed to want something.
“......What?”
“Can I order liquor too?”
“Do you think that will happen?”
“Ah, why! One drink would be nice.”
“I’m not drinking. I have plans after this. I have to meet someone important.”
“Tch. Then at least let me......”
“Should we go home?”
“Understood.”
Liquor, my ass.
How far was she planning to go?
It was ridiculous.
Though it would be funny to see her drinking with that body.
We just need to eat quickly and leave.
This was not the time to have a conversation with Bow Ghost.
I was only thinking that we should eat and go quickly when—
“This place is nice.”
“It is certainly well maintained.”
Someone came in.
What was this?
People I had never seen before.
There were roughly two or three of them.
They looked around my age, or perhaps slightly older.
They were not from Liaoning.
I could tell at a glance.
“I hear the Mo Yong Family manages it directly. Would that not be why?”
“Oh. Hearing that, it certainly does feel......”
“You think so as well, Young Master Jin?”
“Mm.”
The young man called Young Master Jin nodded.
He was handsome.
He seemed a little worse than me, but he had the bearing of a beautiful young nobleman.
At a glance, he looked like someone born to a famous family.
A martial artist.
Judging by the state of his muscles and the sword at his waist, he was definitely a martial artist.
Young Master Jin?
I lined up the martial families surnamed Jin in my head.
With only this much, no particular information came to mind.
“Then when do you plan to meet Family Head Mo Yong?”
“I sent an urgent message ahead, so it should happen sometime today.”
A mention of the White King reached my ears.
My ears perked up.
A conversation with Family Head Mo Yong?
He would not be able to do that.
I have a prior appointment today.
I had already reserved a private meeting with him.
I needed to see him because of matters related to the Sky-Crushing Palace.
But he had come to see the Mo Yong Family Head?
What was that guy?
While I was glancing over, an employee came in carrying food.
There was a truly substantial amount.
“......What the.”
“Oh! It’s here!”
They brought that much......?
I stared in disbelief, but Bow Ghost looked thrilled.
The dishes filled the table.
That was not enough, so they brought over another table and joined it to ours.
That magnificent sight drew the eye.
The people who had come in were also looking this way as if they found it fascinating.
“What kind of food is......”
“Just the two of them are eating that much......?”
The quality of the food was good.
At a glance, it looked delicious.
Seeing that, the one called Young Master Jin called an employee over.
“You there.”
“Ah, yes!”
“We would like to order as well.”
“Ah...... Please wait a little while. There are many orders backed up, so it may take some time.”
“......It will take time?”
Whether the words themselves had been the problem, Young Master Jin’s face crumpled.
“Ha! You bastard. Do you know who this man is to say something so insolent?”
“This man is none other than Young Master Jin Taeryeong of the Jin Family of Shanxi.”
Jin Taeryeong.
I learned his name.
The Jin Family of Shanxi?
I knew that place too.
I had heard they were a respectable famous family.
In truth, compared to my family, anything would be more impressive.
Our side was the kind of place where I wondered why it even bothered wearing the signboard of a famous family.
“Young Master Jin says he is hungry, and what? It will take time?”
“It seems we need to teach him how to do his job proper—”
“Hoho. Everyone, calm down.”
Amid his companions making a scene, Jin Taeryeong stepped forward.
“Do not do that. Everyone has circumstances. If it will take time...... yes.”
Jin Taeryeong looked toward us.
“Would it not be possible to have that table yield some of their food? I will pay for it, of course.”
Hm?
Our food?
No sooner had he said that than Jin Taeryeong came toward us.
“Excuse me. My name is Jin Taeryeong.”
“Ah, yes. I heard.”
He had said it so loudly. How could I not have heard?
“I was told the food would take time...... If possible, I would like to pay and receive a few dishes.”
“Mm.”
It was not a bad proposal.
Food could always be ordered again.
I was not even sure if we could eat all of this.
And he said he would pay for it.
I could give him some.
Having judged that, I nodded.
“Yes. Then I’ll give you a few—”
“Get lost.”
“......?”
Before I could finish speaking, Bow Ghost spoke to Jin Taeryeong with cold eyes.
“......Young lady. What did you just say......?”
He asked again, as if he thought he had heard wrong.
But—
“I said get lost. I have no intention of giving you any.”
“......Ha?”
Jin Taeryeong’s expression twisted.
Ah, damn it. We’re fucked.
Trouble was clearly about to erupt, and I had to let out a sigh.
