The One-Flower Sword Sovereign was a beautiful woman.
Outwardly she looked to be in her twenties, but in truth she was more than twice that age. Because of that, there was a saying in our cult.
The world may change, but the Sword Sovereign does not.
If anything, she seemed to grow younger with each passing year.
But if anyone was fooled by that delicate, willowy appearance and tried anything foolish, their tongue would be cut out on the spot and a cold iron sword would be driven into their heart. The red camellia engraved on the scabbard of her unique weapon, the One-Flower Sword, was as vivid as blood.
“It has been a long time, Elder.”
“I never grow used to being called Elder. How about calling me Senior?”
She treated me with courtesy. Not only me—she was famous for always speaking respectfully and never neglecting etiquette even toward lower-ranking warriors.
“When I consider your seniority, I cannot do that.”
“You respect someone simply because they are old? I do not think so. Respect should be given to those worthy of respect. Just as one should respect someone young if they are deserving of it.”
“Very well. I will follow your wishes, Senior. In return, please call me Second Young Master comfortably.”
“I shall.”
I introduced Seo Daeryong to her.
“This is the special investigator who looked into the incident. I brought him to tell you what happened.”
Seo Daeryong cupped his fist respectfully to the One-Flower Sword Sovereign.
“I am Special Investigator Seo Daeryong. I will report on this incident.”
At that, the One-Flower Sword Sovereign raised a hand to stop him.
“That is enough. If the Yellow Springs Pavilion judged him guilty, then he must be guilty. A man who violated a young maid deserves death, so our Sword House will not take issue with what happened during the investigation.”
I signaled Seo Daeryong with my eyes to withdraw. Seo Daeryong quietly left the thatched hut.
The One-Flower Sword Sovereign looked at me and smiled faintly. She had realized that I had come for another reason.
“I hear that winds of change are blowing through our cult these days thanks to your efforts, Second Young Master.”
“I am merely running wild without knowing my place.”
“If our cult can advance, how could that be called running wild?”
Among the Eight Demon Sovereigns, the One-Flower Sword Sovereign was said to be the one least suited to the Demonic Cult. This shabby thatched hut alone proved it. It was tastefully arranged, like the secluded dwelling of an aged master from a prestigious orthodox sect.
“You are doing admirable work.”
“It is only possible because you are serving as a steadfast pillar, Senior.”
The One-Flower Sword Sovereign shook her head.
“Do not gild this wrinkled old face for no reason.”
Those words were clearly intentional. Words meant to invite a response.
“What are you saying? Even now, Senior, you look as though you are in your twenties.”
“My twenties? What nonsense!”
She waved her hands in denial, but an irrepressible smile bloomed on her face.
“I am someone who is content to step back and comprehend the principles of martial learning.”
But she had lived a life quite different from those words.
After Father was killed by Hwa Mugi and our cult was forced to seal its gates, a full-fledged power struggle broke out within. Not only the Eight Demon Sovereigns, but also the renowned masters of our cult each fought over the seat of cult leader.
So who was the first cult leader?
Amazingly, it was the woman before my eyes—the One-Flower Sword Sovereign. It was hard to believe when looking at her gentle smile and calm demeanor now, but she had moved before anyone else and seized the seat of cult leader.
A storm of blood followed in the process. She was merciless. Throughout her brief tenure as cult leader, blood continued to flow. It would have been better if she had at least been skilled in politics, but the One-Flower Sword Sovereign’s ability to rule did not keep pace with her ambition.
She caused every tragedy that occurs when an incompetent person has too much greed, and before three years had passed, she lost her life to the next cult leader. That was why my assessment of her could only be harsh.
“To be honest, when this incident broke out, I felt greatly burdened.”
“Why did you feel burdened?”
“As you may have heard, there have been many clashes with the Namdo Sect recently.”
I subtly mentioned the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s Namdo Sect. Among the Eight Demon Sovereigns, those two were known to have the worst relationship. For that reason, the Blade Ghosts and the Demon Swords were likewise like dogs and monkeys.
“Elder Blood Heaven Blade Demon pressured me severely. And now, on top of that, conflict has arisen with the Sword House…”
“I am clearly a different person from the Blade Demon!”
As if even being mentioned together with the Blood Heaven Blade Demon displeased her, the One-Flower Sword Sovereign’s voice rose.
“Of course. Naturally, you are different.”
“Since the subject has come up, I will ask. I heard that this time, the Blade Demon recommended a man named Jang Ho from the Namdo Sect as Demon Army Lord. What happened?”
Though she seemed as if she would do nothing but train alone in this hut, she was aware of everything happening within the cult. As if to prove that her future seizure of power had not been mere chance.
“Jang Ho is exceptionally capable and loyal.”
“What I am asking is why the Blade Demon tried to make him Demon Army Lord.”
“To be honest, Jang Ho is my man.”
As if she had already known, the One-Flower Sword Sovereign was not surprised. This was what she had been curious about.
“How did you persuade the Blade Demon?”
“I provoked his pride. I told him that as a Demon Sovereign in name and fact, should he not make a choice for the cult? That he should recommend someone with true ability, not because of personal ties or political power.”
“The Blade Demon would not be persuaded by such reasons.”
“That is true. It was probably because he did not want to let me slip away. In any case, the Blade Demon said this: that among the Eight Demon Sovereigns, his heart for the cult was the greatest.”
The One-Flower Sword Sovereign’s expression crumpled as if she found the words absurd, but I pretended not to notice and continued speaking.
“However, it seems that even for him, seating Jang Ho as Demon Army Lord will not be easy. The Chief Strategist proposed a method, but that too is difficult.”
“What method did the Strategist mention?”
“He said it would be possible if another Demon Sovereign recommended him as well. The problem is that there is no Demon Sovereign who would do that with him.”
“Why do you think there is none?”
“Pardon?”
“Do you think the Blade Demon is the only Demon Sovereign who cares for the cult?”
“That is not what I meant.”
The One-Flower Sword Sovereign asked me in a cold gaze.
“Is your purpose in coming to see me today not to prod even my pride and ask me to recommend Jang Ho together with Senior Blade Demon?”
Now was the time to show honesty. When stratagem and truth were mixed together so thoroughly that one could no longer tell what ingredients made up the scheme, only then did a scheme gain its flavor.
“You noticed?”
“Why are you going this far?”
“To get the Demon Army into my hands. With that influence, I wish to become successor as quickly as possible.”
The One-Flower Sword Sovereign silently stared at me.
Why had that fastidious old man, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, chosen me? Even going so far as to abandon my elder brother. She was surely harboring such doubts.
“Now I understand clearly why the Cult Leader seated you as Master of the Yellow Springs Pavilion.”
“Why? I still do not understand my father’s intentions.”
She came closer and stared into my eyes as though peering into them.
“Second Young Master, you have a strange way of shaking people’s hearts.”
As if only someone overflowing with confidence could reveal such candid emotion, she laid bare exactly what she was feeling.
“I will take that as praise.”
After pondering for a moment, she finally made her decision.
“Very well. I will also recommend Jang Ho.”
“Truly?”
I put on a startled expression, but inwardly, I had expected to some degree that she would recommend him. Precisely because of her special relationship with the Blade Demon.
“May I ask the reason?”
“Let us say it is to show that the Blade Demon is not the only Demon Sovereign who cares for the cult.”
She turned away. Knowing it was a silent order to leave, I bowed to her respectfully.
“I will not forget this kindness.”
She gave no answer, but I knew exactly why.
The reason she was stepping forward in this matter was entirely because of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
Because there was the possibility that I was someone fit to become the successor, and that the Blade Demon had recognized it first. If so, she did not want to let the Blade Demon monopolize me. Because she would not want to give the Blade Demon even horse dung lying by the roadside.
Why?
Because she truly, terribly hated the Blade Demon.
When she became cult leader, the very first person she killed was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.
* * *
The next day, the One-Flower Sword Sovereign recommended Jang Ho as Demon Army Lord.
The cult was thrown into an uproar at this sudden news. Never before had a captain from the Demon Army become a candidate, and never before had two Demon Sovereigns joined their wills to recommend one person.
Especially since those two Demon Sovereigns were the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and the One-Flower Sword Sovereign, who did not get along—how could it not be shocking? Naturally, Jang Ho became the center of attention.
In the Heavenly Demon Hall as well, Cult Leader Geom Ujin and Chief Strategist Sama Myeong were discussing the matter.
“I never imagined Second Young Master would draw in the Sword Sovereign.”
“He must have used the discord between the two.”
“Everyone knows of their discord, but no one could have accomplished this matter so easily.”
After all, neither the Blood Heaven Blade Demon nor the One-Flower Sword Sovereign was easy to deal with. If one tried to use a feud that everyone plainly knew about, it would only backfire.
“What of this man Jang Ho? Can the Demon Army be entrusted to him?”
“In terms of ability alone, he is outstanding. However, he is close to a pure martial artist, so his political footing is weak. Choosing Captain Jang in itself was a very clever choice.”
“He likely did not discover Jang Ho from the beginning.”
“What do you mean?”
“It must have been an emotional choice. He is a more emotional child than one might think.”
Sama Myeong found Geom Ujin’s words unfamiliar. Until now, he had never spoken to him of his assessment of his child.
“That is both a strength and a weakness.”
At Sama Myeong’s words, Geom Ujin spoke firmly.
“It is a weakness.”
Sama Myeong held back his words with a faint smile. Recently, not only he but everyone could feel that the Cult Leader was opening his heart to Geom Mugeuk.
But even so, he did not think the Cult Leader would make Geom Mugeuk his successor. Geom Ujin often made decisions entirely different from what he showed outwardly. It was still too early to know.
“How shall we conclude the matter of the Demon Army Lord?”
“If the two of them recommended him, we must accept it. Their dignity must be considered.”
As if he had been waiting, Geom Ujin issued an order.
“Seat Jang Ho as Demon Army Lord.”
* * *
“I do not know how I can ever repay this grace.”
Upon hearing that he had become Demon Army Lord, Jang Ho came to see me first. He felt both joy and worry at the fact that he had become Demon Army Lord.
“Given your personality, Captain Jang, you probably will not be able to repay it.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
“There are two reasons I seated you as Demon Army Lord. The first is because I thought you were the person best suited for the position. Not for your sake or mine, but for the sake of the Demon Army and our cult, I judged you to be the right person.”
“I am overwhelmed that you regard me so highly.”
“The second reason is because I hope the Demon Army will become my strength. But do the first and second reasons not conflict? It will not be easy for someone as upright as you to maintain a private relationship. Ah, and let me say this in advance: I have not the slightest intention of forcing friendship upon you, so do not worry.”
At that, Jang Ho said something unexpected.
“Do you remember when you first met me? I submitted an anonymous petition because of my friend’s death. It was for revenge. I even staked my life on it. As you can see, I am an emotional person who values relationships with people above all else in life. If you saw me as someone who would discard private relationships for the sake of the organization, then you saw me wrong. If you had not come then, Young Master, I probably would have died at that time.”
In truth, that was exactly what had happened. If I had not gone, he would have died because of that incident.
“I wish to be loyal to you, Young Master. No, I am already loyal to you. Of course I will be loyal to the Cult Leader and the cult, and I will strive for the Demon Army, but the person I am most loyal to is you, Young Master.”
He was speaking sincerely. I could tell. I had gained a far better subordinate than I had thought.
“I also wish to become someone like you, Young Master.”
“What kind of person am I?”
“Someone who makes it feel as though, if I am with you, I can accomplish even the most difficult things.”
“With that level of flattery, I suppose there is no need to worry you will suffer disadvantages for being bad at politics.”
“Haha, I am not that clean a man.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“As do I.”
I firmly clasped his large hand. I liked the unexpectedness of this big, rough man.