CFZ

As soon as I stepped out of the Poison King’s room, I put some distance between us and exhaled deeply.
“Phew.”

Relief washed over me. Thankfully, my plan had worked.
‘Managed to slip out cleanly.’
The Poison King had wanted to ask me how I could extract energy from the demon stone.

But by taking advantage of his emotional state, I had successfully avoided answering his question and made my escape.
The problem was, by now, the Poison King had likely caught on.
‘That old man… he won’t sulk over this again, will he?’

He was old enough to know better, but given his track record, I couldn’t completely rule out the possibility.
“Ugh.”
Still, I figured it would be fine. Or at least, it had to be.

‘Honestly, considering I’m even helping with the trading company matter, he should let this slide.’
That’s just how the world works, doesn’t it?
Even though he’s “former” nobility, as the head of one of the Four Great Families, he ought to have some flexibility.

Otherwise—
‘…I’ll just tattle on him.’
I could always report him to the person he cared about most.

And that person just so happened to be—
“Come out.”
Right here, nearby.

At my command, I heard movement from the bushes. Sure enough, a sheepish-looking woman emerged quietly.
Of course, it was Tang So-yeol.
With a slightly lowered gaze, she asked,
“...Did you know?”

She was asking if I had known she’d been hiding there. I answered calmly.
“No.”
I hadn’t.

Surprisingly, Tang So-yeol was exceptionally skilled at concealing her presence.
If I’d heightened my sensory awareness to its absolute peak, I might have detected her, but—
‘I would’ve had to push it to the limit.’

Given that my Nine Flames Firewheel Technique was malfunctioning, I’d need to strain myself more than usual to achieve that.
“You didn’t know?”
She looked startled by my response, clearly assuming I would have noticed her.

“Yeah, I didn’t.”
“Then… how did you know I was here?”
How could I have known she was here without sensing her presence? The answer was simple.

“Because it seemed like something you’d do.”
“…!”
If it was Tang So-yeol—if it was the Tang So-yeol I knew—this was exactly what she would do.

It was both a belief and a certainty.
“And it turns out I was right.”
Proving my conviction, here she was. That was all there was to it.

Tang So-yeol’s already large eyes widened even further, and soon—
“Heeheehee…”
She covered her mouth, laughing softly.

“...”
Her gentle giggles were endearing, so I instinctively placed my hand on her head and gave it a light pat.
She flinched at the sudden contact but didn’t resist. Instead, she quietly enjoyed my touch.

Her soft green hair curled slightly under my hand, its texture unusually smooth.
‘Does she take special care of it?’
No, probably not.

She was a martial artist, and a Hwagyeong level one at that, still young and at her peak.
Naturally, her skin and other physical features were in excellent condition.
After patting her head for a moment, I brought up what I wanted to say.

“The Poison King told me about it.”
At those words, Tang So-yeol stiffened again.
I didn’t bother withdrawing my hand.

“Wh… How much did you hear?”
She sounded uneasy, her tone betraying her concern.
She was probably worried I’d heard about the engagement fiasco.

“That you got angry and ran away because of something he said.”
I didn’t mention everything. There was no need to bring it all up.
Hearing my answer, Tang So-yeol visibly relaxed, a hint of relief washing over her face.

“Is that all…”
“Why? Was there more I should’ve heard?”
“N-no, not at all!”

I teased her lightly, and she quickly waved her hands in denial, clearly flustered.
Judging by her reaction, I figured I shouldn’t push her further.
“Alright, if you say so.”

Retracting my hand, I continued,
“Whatever it is, work it out. The Poison King probably didn’t mean anything bad by what he said.”
“...”

She didn’t deny it. That meant she likely agreed with me.
In fact, she probably understood it even better than I did.
But—

“…I’m doing my best.”
Even knowing that, Tang So-yeol didn’t seem ready to let it go so easily.
“But it feels like my father doesn’t understand that.”

“Why?”
“If he did, he wouldn’t have suggested taking shortcuts.”
“...”

“This isn’t the kind of fight where I can use something like that.”
Her gaze was firm, unyielding. I could feel her resolve not to back down, no matter what.
“…I don’t know what kind of fight it is, but is it really that important?”

“Yes.”
“Uh, well… okay then.”
Her unwavering response left me momentarily taken aback. Whatever it was, it seemed to mean the world to her.

“I won’t lose. Not this time.”
“Still, if the Poison King approaches you first and apologizes, maybe give him a chance.”
“…That…”

Tang So-yeol hesitated for a moment, her lips twitching slightly.
Then she averted her gaze and muttered,
“I’ll think about it.”

“Alright.”
At least she seemed open to talking if he made the first move.
That was a relief—for the Poison King more than me.

‘He’s probably pacing nervously inside right now.’
The thought of the Poison King biting his nails made me chuckle.
‘Since I’ve already set things in motion, I might as well help a little more.’

Feeling a bit responsible, I turned to Tang So-yeol and said,
“I’ll head back first. You come about an hour later. You can manage on your own, right?”
“Huh? Why? I’ll just—”

“It’s an order. No complaints.”
At the word “order,” her lips pursed tightly.
She looked unhappy, but it was clear she couldn’t argue against me.

I gave her soft cheeks a quick pinch.
Ah, her baby fat’s almost gone now. How disappointing, just like with Wi Seol-ah.
After giving her instructions, I bid her farewell.

“Alright, I’ll head off now. See you later.”
With that, I turned and walked away.
The day was over, and it was time to return.

   ******************
   
After returning to the branch, I immediately sought out the branch leader.
“Lord Star Dragon.”

The branch leader greeted me with a bow of his head upon recognizing me.
“Everything has been well, I hope?”
“Oh, absolutely. With the reliable members of the sect protecting us, what could possibly go wrong?”

His words were coated with honey, oozing flattery. I raised the corners of my mouth in response. As always, I didn’t particularly enjoy situations like this.
After all, those who sweeten their tongues like that rarely have clean intentions.
“I heard you paid a brief visit to the Tang Clan….”

“Yes, just a quick trip. I had some matters to discuss with the clan leader.”
“I heard the Tang Clan’s leader visited here a few days ago. Unfortunately, I was preoccupied and missed the chance to meet him. A real shame.”
At that time, the branch leader was likely preoccupied with handling the reports from the Dark King—something I’d learned from him directly. Knowing this, I feigned ignorance and smiled.

“Well, that happens when you’re busy. I’ll be sure to pass along your regards to the clan leader.”
“Hahaha… Thank you.”
“…”

“…”
With the conversation paused, a brief silence ensued. I took a sip of the tea in front of me, letting it roll slowly in my mouth.
‘No poison.’

The tea was clean. So, they didn’t go as far as tampering with it? What a pity.
‘Or perhaps they’ve caught on?’
Considering the possibility, I decided to think a bit more carefully.

“By the way… what was the reason you wanted to see me?”
“Ah.”
His question snapped me out of my thoughts. I quickly recalled the main reason for my visit.

“Apologies. My mind wandered for a moment.”
“No need to apologize. It’s entirely understandable.”
I had no idea what was supposed to be understandable, but I chose to ignore it.

“The reason I sought you out is… to inquire about possible reinforcements. How much support could you provide?”
“Reinforcements…?”
The branch leader’s eyes widened slightly at my question.

“Yes. It seems we’ll need some additional help.”
“…Ah… uh.”
The branch leader instantly understood the underlying meaning of my request for reinforcements.

“Have you perhaps… discovered something?”
Acquisition of information.
Otherwise, there would be no reason to suddenly request reinforcements. Furthermore—

‘Requesting more support means we have some understanding of the opposing forces.’
The statement carried numerous implications, and fortunately, the branch leader seemed to grasp its significance well.
Observing his reaction, I leaned in slightly, closing the distance between us.

“It’s not a certainty, but… I’ve uncovered some leads.”
“Leads…? Even the Azure Dragon Division said they lacked sufficient information… Hup!”
Mid-sentence, the branch leader covered his mouth.

His earlier words essentially implied, “How could you possibly achieve something even the Azure Dragon Division couldn’t?”
Realizing this, he hurriedly added, “I… I apologize for my slip of the tongue.”
“No need to apologize. It’s a reasonable assumption.”

I gestured, deliberately echoing the words he had used earlier.
“You may not believe me, but I’ve genuinely uncovered something.”
“Is that… true?”

“Yes. While we still need to investigate what exactly they’re planning… we’ve managed to roughly gauge their forces.”
I hesitated for a moment, adding a subtle touch of hesitation to my expression.
“At our current level, I fear it might be a bit too dangerous to handle alone.”

“…I see…”

“Would it be possible to provide support?”
“O-of course. Absolutely. This is for the Alliance, after all… It’s an honor to assist.”

The branch leader replied quickly, clearly unable to show hesitation. I let out a sigh of relief, as if I had been unsure of his response.
“As expected… I knew I could count on you.”
“Hahaha…”

“Then, with your support, we’ll make the necessary preparations on our end.”
“…Understood. I’ll see to it.”
The branch leader nodded, his expression carrying a hint of unease.

And just like that, the conversation came to an end.
 
   ******************
   
On the way to the Star Dragon Division’s quarters, I carefully took in every detail as I walked.

The branch leader had agreed to the sudden request for reinforcements, but his unease had been palpable.
‘Did I really uncover something?’ His shallow anxiety was evident, but it was the clarity with which he grasped my words that pleased me.
‘Let’s hope this flows the way I want.’

Whether the word reached Ilcheon Sword or Dae Hwan didn’t matter.
The important thing was ensuring they knew I was planning something.
‘Ideally, it’ll reach Ilcheon Sword.’

But this wasn’t entirely under my control. All I could do was hope for the best.
‘...I need to wrap this up soon.’
At most, seven days.

At the earliest, three. That was the timeframe I’d planned to handle this within.
With the preparations I’d made, it should go smoothly unless something significant went wrong.
The only lingering issue was—

‘I still can’t use Nine Flames Firewheel.’
Since my core martial art was unavailable, I needed to tread carefully.
‘It’s not like I’m completely helpless without it, but...’

It meant I had to be cautious. One mistake, and everything could fall apart.
"Tsk."
Most of my plans assumed I’d be at full strength, but now this problem had cropped up.

I tried to dismiss it, but the truth was, it was a major variable.
‘There has to be a way.’
Either resolve the inner demon problem quickly or figure out a way to handle this situation as I was.

I needed a solution, and fast.
Tap. Tap.
With my arms crossed, I lightly tapped my fingertips as I mulled over the issue.

Buzz.
"Hm?"
I suddenly sensed someone approaching—directly ahead.

‘Who is it?’
Judging by their trajectory, they were coming straight for me.
When I focused, their face came into view after a few moments.

It was a man, dressed in the uniform of the Seongryong Division.
"…Master."
He cautiously approached, bowing with cupped hands. Seeing him, I spoke.

"Excuse me, Master… I am M-…"
"Moon Do-hyuk. What’s the matter?"
"…"

I remembered his name.
If I recalled correctly, he was a first-class martial artist.
And—

‘Ilcheon Sword’s ears and mouth.’
He was one °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° of the lackeys Ilcheon Sword used for his schemes.
Hearing me call his name first, the man’s expression shifted to something hard to read.

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’
His reaction seemed odd, so I studied him silently for a moment.
"…You… knew my name?"

Moon Do-hyuk asked, his tone hesitant and disbelieving.
"What?"
I chuckled at the ridiculousness of his question.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Why wouldn’t I know the names of my subordinates?"
"…"
If someone were under me, I’d at least bother to remember their name.

Was he insinuating that I couldn’t even do that?
But… it didn’t feel like he was mocking me.
"You don’t look like you’re suffering from heatstroke in this weather, so what’s the issue?"

"…It’s just that…"
Ah.
The way he hesitated told me everything.

‘Ilcheon Sword must’ve sent him with something to say.’
It was clear he was here under Ilcheon Sword’s orders.
Realizing this, I couldn’t help but smirk inwardly.

‘Of course. He wouldn’t let things slide without trying something.’
If Ilcheon Sword had done nothing, it would’ve been even more suspicious. At least this way, it was easier to gauge his intentions.
‘So, what’s your play?’

What was Ilcheon Sword aiming to do?
My guess was that he’d feed me false information.
Probably something along the lines of claiming he’d found something to monitor my response.

It seemed like the most likely scenario, though I’d considered a few other possibilities as well.
It had to be one of them.
As I stared at Moon Do-hyuk, he finally broke his silence.

"…Master."
"Hm."
"Ilcheon Sword… is targeting you."

"…Hm?"
To my surprise, his words were entirely outside my expectations.