Chapter 204. Turning Them Back Toward the Light.
One thing I thought I had done well since my regression was, in any case, keeping the Lust Demon from throwing himself into the Demon Cult. In other words, this matter was still ongoing even now.
Even if terms like the Villains’ Society or the Four Great Villains were merely my jokes.
My goal was to keep these bastards from joining the Demon Cult, or scattering here and there to commit atrocities.
Originally, I had considered the Lust Demon, who was supposed to become the Bright Left Envoy, the most important. Thanks to that, I came to know the Sword Demon. And perhaps I had been inspired by that to some extent, because with a bit of luck added in, the Ghost Demon had joined us as well.
I was in the middle of catching villains and turning them back toward the light. Since ordinary scolding did not work well on them, I had no choice but to mix nonsense and bullshit into everything I said from beginning to end.
Even so, the meaning underneath was always the same.
Villains……
It is warmer over here, where the light shines down.
Do not go that way.
That way is a dark, lonely, desolate, and cold road.
If I used villains like these for my own ends, would that make me a villain or not? To be honest, I had no interest in whether I was a villain.
Because from the very beginning, I was the Mad Demon.
Outwardly, I was always needling them, cursing them, hitting them, and laughing at them, but inside, I was begging these pathetic bastards about twelve times a day.
To stay with me.
To come over to my side, where I had one foot planted on the precarious boundary between black and white.
In any case, it was no easy task to force bastards whose insides were dyed pitch-black to turn back toward the light.
In that sense, what did the Third Young Master’s departure mean?
At present, I had no way of knowing.
Because in my previous life, he was a man who would undoubtedly have been caught by the Eldest Young Master or the Second Young Master and died somewhere.
The Lust Demon and the Ghost Demon went back inside, saying they would catch up on sleep.
Even Sambok, who was exhausted from running all day while carrying someone on his back, sat in a chair and began to doze, but the Third Young Master kept staring endlessly at the scenery of an ordinary inn.
I had nothing in particular to say, nothing to tell him, and even speaking was a bother.
So I watched the sunset with the Third Young Master in front of the Cheolli Inn.
The sun set, the glow of sunset covered the world, and before long, dark night arrived. When the stars, which had been shining one or two at a time in the pitch-black night sky, appeared so densely they filled it and poured out their light……
Both the Third Young Master and I looked up at the night sky and gazed at the stars.
If the stars packed into the night sky felt beautiful to him, then it would mean there had been a change in the Third Young Master’s emotions. If those beautiful stars were, as before, nothing more than an indifferent sight to him, then it would mean the Third Young Master’s heart had not changed much either.
But I deliberately did not ask the Third Young Master.
Because no matter who looked, the Third Young Master was now gazing at the stars in the night sky for a long time.
Thanks to him, I too took in plenty of the cool night air for the first time in a while and looked up at the night sky.
* * *
The Sword Demon had set down his wooden sword for a moment and was sitting on the wooden platform, gazing at the stars packed into the night sky.
When he looked at the shapes of the stars, scattered and then clustered together, his mind would briefly grow dizzy as he wondered whether the trajectories of the sword were contained within them as well.
When he looked at a star shining especially brightly on its own, he felt envious, and also imagined that it might be the star of Alliance Leader Im Sobaek, or perhaps the Cult Leader. In any case, compared to the two of them, he was still lacking in skill.
Like that, the Sword Demon searched the night sky for a while to see if there was a star suited to his own level. He found it amusing that he was thinking of a star’s size and brightness as the level of one’s martial arts, but even so, he earnestly tried to measure out his own star. However, with countless people of the martial world giving off light, finding his own star was no easy task.
But before he could find that star, the Sword Demon lowered his gaze and stared at the entrance.
“…….”
A moment later, a voice came from outside the door.
“Messenger of the Bright Right Envoy, Hong Mokhan.”
The Sword Demon answered.
“Enter.”
After the door opened, a messenger dressed in reddish garments entered the Sword Demon’s residence and knelt on one knee.
“Have you been well in the meantime?”
The Sword Demon nodded.
“Nothing has happened. It has been a long time, Messenger Hong.”
The messenger named Hong Mokhan lifted his head and met the Sword Demon’s eyes.
“I do not know how I should address you.”
“There is no need to worry over how to address an apostate. Call me whatever is comfortable.”
Hong Mokhan revealed the purpose of his visit.
“Senior, the Cult Leader has ordered that those who desire the now-vacant position of Bright Left Envoy are to retrieve the Bright Sword. Accordingly, those who belonged to the existing organizations and even retired elders have expressed interest, and applicants have been appearing one after another from allied families as well. When the Right Envoy heard this news, he said that those attempting to retrieve the Bright Sword would come in a group, and told me to inform you, Senior.”
“Is that so?”
“The Right Envoy warned the applicants to first ask you for the location, Senior, and then carry out the order. If you decide on a location, I will relay it to the applicants.”
“Messenger Hong.”
“Yes.”
“Do they say there are many troops?”
Hong Mokhan moved his lips before answering.
“It is difficult for me to estimate. There are applicants from the allied families as well.”
The Sword Demon looked around his residence.
“Is that so? It would be difficult to receive them here, then. The date and time?”
“If you decide, Senior, I will return and relay it.”
The Sword Demon looked at the night sky and asked Hong Mokhan.
“Messenger Hong, will it rain for the time being?”
Hong Mokhan checked the sky, then answered.
“It seems it will remain clear for a dozen days or so.”
“Then have them come within that time.”
“I will relay it. Where shall the location be?”
“There is an inn in a secluded place southwest of here. It is the only inn in the area, so they should have no trouble finding it.”
“Yes. I will convey it.”
After he finished speaking, Hong Mokhan stood and looked around the residence.
“Do you have any discomfort in your stay here?”
The Sword Demon nodded.
“It is quiet, so it is not bad. Is the Right Envoy well?”
“He seems busy, as there are many external matters.”
“I suppose so. Did the Cult Leader say anything?”
Hong Mokhan answered carefully.
“He did.”
“Convey it.”
“It is somewhat……”
“It is fine. As if I have only heard the Cult Leader’s abuse for a day or two.”
Hong Mokhan lowered his head slightly and answered.
“……He said it is an undeserved sword for a bastard who does nothing but train with a wooden sword.”
“Understood.”
“Yes.”
“Messenger Hong, you and the Right Envoy should soothe the volunteers properly so fewer of them die in vain. It seems the Cult Leader was bored. There are still plenty of fools taking the bait.”
“I will relay the message. Then I shall take my leave.”
When the Sword Demon nodded, Hong Mokhan walked to the entrance, then turned back, quietly bowed his head once, and withdrew.
Left alone in his quarters, the Sword Demon listened to the brief sigh Hong Mokhan let out as he swiftly moved away, and murmured.
“……Messenger Hong’s qinggong has improved even more.”
Suddenly, as the Sword Demon looked up at the night sky, he anticipated that soon, stars both great and small would lose their light.
In any case, it was time to take out the Radiant Light Sword, which he had only kept hanging in the closet for so long.
Should he call this anger, or bitterness? The Sword Demon could not understand his own heart, and a small sigh slipped from his lips.
Before taking up the Radiant Light Sword, the Sword Demon walked about the house, neatly arranging the furnishings.
* * *
I was gazing at the night sky when I fixed my eyes in the direction of Baengeungji.
Though it was too dark to see anything clearly, I realized that something was approaching.
A moment later, a man like darkness itself emerged from the darkness and stared silently at me and the Third Young Master.
“Senior, welcome.”
The Sword Demon was dressed not in his usual shabby clothes but in proper formal attire, making him look like someone about to go on a journey.
The Sword Demon came closer and looked at the Third Young Master.
The Third Young Master spoke with a flustered expression.
“Left Envoy, you’ve come.”
Without a word, the Sword Demon sat beside me and placed a pitch-black longsword I had never seen before on the table.
I knew that pitch-black longsword was a Demon Sword. Why had this man suddenly come here after taking out the Demon Sword? I had no choice but to ask the Sword Demon.
“Senior, why are you so angry? You even brought the Demon Sword.”
The Sword Demon answered as he poured the liquor on the table.
“I received word that they intend to retrieve the Radiant Light Sword.”
“Aha.”
“If I received them at my quarters in Baengeungji, the fight might grow larger, so I brought it here.”
“Oho.”
“If this is inconvenient for you, Sect Leader, I do not mind fighting elsewhere.”
“Mm?”
When I kept spouting only exclamations, the Sword Demon glared at me. I cleared my throat and encouraged him.
“You did well. It would be better to receive them here. Come to think of it, the Thousand-Li Inn smells far too much of blood. It would be better to smash it all down once and rebuild it. I intend to rebuild it as a branch of the Hao Sect, so there is no need to feel too sorry. It wasn’t even my inn to begin with, so there is absolutely no reason for you to feel sorry, Senior Sword Demon.”
The Sword Demon nodded and answered.
“I’m sorry.”
“I told you, didn’t I? The enemies of those in the Villains’ Assembly are my enemies now. We can’t let Eldest Brother’s sword be taken away like some item being reclaimed from a pawnshop. Isn’t that right?”
I looked at the Third Young Master. As the Third Young Master’s eyes shifted this way and that while he chose his words, Sambok, who had woken from dozing off, answered in his stead.
“That’s right. Whatever you say is absolutely correct, Sect Leader.”
I asked.
“Were you dreaming?”
“No. I wasn’t asleep.”
Since guards were not supposed to doze off in the first place, I let it slide.
The Sword Demon asked the Third Young Master.
“Third Grand Duke, what are you doing here?”
I was stuck between them, only moving my head from side to side. I wanted these bastards to look at each other and talk, but for some reason I was wedged in the middle.
When I looked at the Third Young Master, he answered.
“I was being chased, and the Sect Leader saved me, so I was freeloading here for a while. Also taking in the night sky a bit.”
I nodded, then looked at the Sword Demon.
“So he says. In truth, I’ve saved quite a few people. I saved the pants-shitter, saved the ugly bastard, and somehow even ended up saving the son of the Demonic Cult Leader. Wow……”
I indulged in self-praise for the first time in a while. Since no one responded, I muttered softly.
“Who am I even talking to?”
The Sword Demon asked me.
“Who was chasing the Third Grand Duke?”
“They said they belonged to the Jecheon Alliance, but for now I persuaded and threatened them properly before sending them back. I spared them, but if they come again, I’ll have no choice but to kill them all. If the White-Clad Scholar sends his disciples or subordinates again, I’ll have no choice but to kill them all. If the Demonic Cult comes to retrieve your sword, Senior, I’ll have no choice but to kill them all too. All of them, just.”
Perhaps I looked precarious, because the Sword Demon lightly gripped my shoulder.
“Sect Leader, calm yourself.”
“I am always the calm sort. I always maintain a cool, cold heart very well.”
The Sword Demon advised me.
“Stop talking nonsense and go inside to do some energy circulation.”
I rose from my seat.
“Confirmed.”
As I entered the inn, the Sword Demon said to the Third Young Master.
“You need not get entangled in this, so leave with your guard.”
I went inside the Thousand-Li Inn and listened in on their conversation for a moment. The Third Young Master answered.
“I have nowhere in particular to go. Since the Sect Leader saved my life once, I shall recover here for a while as well.”
“The cult’s forces will arrive within ten days. Do you intend to kill cultists and become a traitor to the cult?”
“Left Envoy, that is incorrect.”
“What is?”
“The ones attacking me are the traitors. That is why heretics and deviant factions interfered in the fight between the Grand Dukes. I am curious as well. Curious as to who covets the position of Left Envoy. In many ways, I suppose I have become an inconvenient existence.”
Now that I thought about it, the Third Young Master was still a Grand Duke of the Demonic Cult. To be honest, I did not know exactly what the post of Grand Duke meant. It did not seem to be an honorary position, but rather a special title given to those within the line of succession.
Little by little, the situation unfolding at the Thousand-Li Inn could not possibly be more of a mess.
I sat cross-legged for a moment on a familiar chair in the inn and thought about this and that.
Was this going to turn into a Great War between the Orthodox and Demonic Factions?
That could not happen. It was better for the demonic path to clash with the demonic path and bleed each other dry.
To be precise, it was the Demonic Cult versus the Mad Demon Alliance. Or the Demonic Cult and the Jecheon Alliance versus the Four Great Villains. At the center of it all were a single Demon Sword and the Third Young Master, who had become an inconvenient existence.
Suddenly, feeling anxious, I asked the Sword Demon outside.
“Senior, when are they coming to retrieve the sword?”
“Within ten days, but I do not know whether it will be night or day.”
“I see. Confirmed. I shall do energy circulation for the first time in a while.”
I regarded the Four Great Villains as my guardians and began energy circulation for the first time in a while. In order to maintain the balance between the Golden Turtle Wandering Art and the Moon Shadow Heartless Art, I focused on the energy circulation of the Moon Shadow Heartless Art.
Focusing after so long was not an easy task.
I had to forget the inn I was in, forget the Four Great Villains, erase the Demonic Cult, and even ignore the stench of blood that pierced my nose. In the end, after briefly shaking off all manner of idle worries and delusions, concerns and anxieties, as well as the joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure the Third Young Master had spoken of, I began the Greater Heavenly Circuit.
Was it because I had stared at the night sky for so long?
Fortunately, the darkness I observed with my eyes closed felt like the darkness of the night sky. Drifting through the pitch-black depths of my heart, I began to catch the shining stars one by one and pile them up in my dantian.