“Master.”
By the time we returned to Hongseong after the festival in Seomhwa Village, it was late at night.
The last night of the year.
Normally, I should be peacefully asleep, but that was not an option.
And that was because someone had come from Amifah.
The high monk, Hyewhan, who ‘Mister’ had mentioned earlier, left something behind.
To welcome those who came to confirm that, both Hongryeon and I had to stay.
Just as I was about to send the guests off to the reception hall, Ryuhyun grabbed my arm.
“What’s wrong?”
“It seems something arrived from the post while we were down there.”
She presented a small box. A box without a sender’s name. The Sword Saint raised her eyebrows slightly upon seeing it.
“What about Sayoon?”
“She’s in Senior Sister’s room right now.”
“Ryuhyun. Please take care of the guests with Hongryeon.”
After calmly saying this, the Sword Saint picked up the Mister’s box and headed towards Hongryeon’s room.
Upon entering, I saw Sayoon looking anxious with Hyunhwi, both wearing worried expressions.
“Master, what if those people are looking for ‘Mister’?”
What if it put Mister in a difficult situation?
Sayoon knew well how remarkable a person he was.
Information was extremely important.
I had heard that a single piece of information could trade for hundreds of nyang.
And Mister nonchalantly provided information that even the Hongseong clan didn’t know.
Plus, he even seemed to know traces of the person that Amifah had been desperately searching for. If they came looking for Mister and tried to intimidate him…
Facing Sayoon’s worried expression, the Sword Saint smiled gently.
“It’s alright.”
That single phrase carried weight.
Hearing it from no less than her master put Sayoon at ease.
With that, the Sword Saint handed the box to Sayoon, who gulped nervously before opening it.
Inside the box was, as always, a silver coin and a letter.
One of them was sent to Sayoon.
[What you sent is always cherished. I don’t know if this letter will arrive this year, but I hope the next year will also be a good one. Wishing you lots of blessings in the New Year.]
Though short, it was heartfelt wording. Sayoon happily hugged the letter.
“This is… a letter sent to Master, isn’t it?”
Last time, the Sword Saint had asked if it was okay to send a letter, and he had readily agreed.
But to think a reply would come back like this.
The Sword Saint gently opened the letter.
I began to understand why Sayoon had been so joyful every time she received a letter from Mister.
I think I finally understand why Sayoon was so happy every time she received a letter.
When she was young, a sense of expectation filled her heart as she remembered the little package of gifts her Master had given her on her birthday.
[The High Monk Hyewhan has already attained enlightenment. Her remains are in a cave of a barrier connected to Pa Ma and the forbidden law in the depths of Changwan Gorge, located in the northwest of the continent.]
Changwan Gorge in the northwest of the continent.
This is the kind of place that would take at least a couple of months to get to, and the Sword Saint was well aware of its dangers.
One of the evil monsters. A place where the dormant energy lies.
It is said to be a location filled with wicked and powerful evil monsters that one cannot enter recklessly, so why on earth did Hyewhan go there?
As if to solve that mystery, the letter kindly provided an answer.
[You must be curious as to why she went there. You’ll understand if you go, but she attained enlightenment after pouring everything she had into preventing the awakening of that energy. So if possible, I would like you to recover her remains and convey it to Amifa.]
How in the world did this person find out about it?
A deep question began to swirl in the Sword Saint’s mind.
Yet, separate from that curiosity, what was written in the letter was purely informational.
It was a pure act of goodwill that expected no compensation.
And amidst this goodwill, a man’s face accidentally came to her mind.
A person who, like “Mister,” offered pure kindness without expecting anything in return.
When “Mister” helped create Hyunwoongap, the divine item of the Hongseong Clan.
As if wanting to fill in the rest, he helped gather precious materials for it.
A person she always wondered about with a flicker of “what if” in her thoughts.
But that was merely her speculation, with no solid evidence, and the day she realized Yu Wol was a saint, she decided not to pursue it any further.
Because of this, the Sword Saint suppressed the urge to twitch her lips.
She tried to erase that pure smile of his from her mind.
“Wow… just what does ‘Mister’ know, and how much?”
As Hyunhwi muttered with a grimace while looking at the letter she had handed over, the Sword Saint smiled brightly.
“Well, that’s not what matters, is it?”
“…That’s true.”
What mattered was that “Mister” was surely helping them out of goodwill, so all they had to do was repay that kindness.
Especially when it came to the request to recover the remains of one who sacrificed herself to prevent the awakening of the energy.
Clearly, there was no way to interpret that intention as having any malice.
There was no malice to be found.
“If he wishes to remain hidden, we can only assist in that.”
The Sword Saint stood up and walked outside.
Upon entering the guest hall, Yujeong and the monks of Amifa waiting inside stood up.
Before them lay the white jade beads brought by Hongryeon from Hyewhan.
As they hoped for an explanation of where and how he acquired it, the Sword Saint calmly said,
“The remains of Hyewhan are located in a cave inside the Changwan Gorge in the northwest of the continent, a place intertwined with forbidden practices.”
“…How did you know that?”
It was a question Yujeong had to ask.
Why had Hyewhan, who had been out of touch for so long, gone to such a dangerous place?
And how did Hongseong come to know of it?
And how had he discovered what Hyewhan left behind?
It was only natural to be curious about all of that.
But the Sword Saint merely replied, calm as ever.
“I heard it from someone reliable.”
“No, someone you deem reliable? Who could that possibly be…? Can we meet this person?”
“No one can touch him until he reveals himself. If anyone tries otherwise…”
The Sword Saint spoke firmly.
“You will have to face me.”
Yujeong, the next leader of Amifa, looked silently at the Sword Saint, while the monks standing behind her quietly rolled the beads.
“Surely you are aware of how long we at Amifa have been searching for Hyewhan, right?”
“That’s exactly why I’m telling you, where Hyewhan is.”
“But…”
As Yujeong spoke urgently, the Sword Saint smiled lightly.
“Revealing where Hyewhan is located is a kindness from Hongseong to Amifa.”
Only then did Yujeong realize her excitement and her rudeness.
Also, the fact that the Sword Saint said this meant he held Hyewhan in high regard.
To insist on it would be a great offense.
Especially since Hongseong had already extended a kindness.
“…You’re right. I apologize.”
As Yujeong bowed her head and offered her apologies, the Sword Saint shook his head.
“I’ve experienced something similar as well. And… there was someone who laughed and told me it was all right if I made a mistake.”
The Sword Saint let out a wry smile.
How could he blame Yujeong for her mistake when he had made the same one?
His gentle tone made Yujeong feel even more embarrassed.
“…I’m sorry. I have no words to offer. And though it’s late, thank you.”
“Well then, let’s talk. What does Hongseong want…?”
The conversation didn’t take long.
After all, the one wielding the sword was Hongseong.
Similarly, Amifa wanted to see the records of the Sword Duel, so they decided to come to Hongseong soon with the documents. Of course, the Sword Saint also agreed to show the records stored in Hongseong.
As a reward for finding the White Jade Prayer Beads, Amifa decided to offer the elixir known as Amiseongdan.
Amiseongdan was a precious elixir, comparable to the Sochungdan of the Mudaeng faction or the Summoning Pill of the Shaolin Temple.
Providing that was a way of expressing gratitude for Hongseong revealing the location of Hyewhan’s remains, Yujeong’s own rudeness, and thanking the Sword Saint for not blaming her.
“Since it’s late today, how about resting before you leave?”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Yujeong bowed and left with the other monks. Watching them get guided by Ryuhyun, Hongryeon smiled brightly at the Sword Saint.
“You’re truly a master.”
“Hehe, just a bit of this much.”
Most of the negotiations were handled by Hongryeon.
But the fact that the Sword Saint stood behind her, and that the Sword Saint smiled and understood Yujeong’s mistake, were what gave them a significant advantage in this negotiation.
“By the way, what do you mean you experienced something similar, Master?”
“Hehe.”
“Don’t just laugh, give me an answer.”
But the Sword Saint didn’t respond.
The memory of when he discovered he was an immortal was always a thrilling memory.
And the brief peace he enjoyed while sharing a drink with her was so precious and enjoyable that it could make her worries momentarily fade away.
“It’s a secret.”
Hongryeon gazed silently at the smile on her lips. When the Sword Saint tilted his head at her gaze, Hongryeon let out a small sigh.
“Um, Master.”
“Yes?”
“Are you… okay these days?”
“Okay,” huh? She didn’t realize that asking this referred to the wounds lingering in her heart for such a long time.
The Sword Saint placed his hand on his chest.
Indeed.
Recently, he hadn’t been having nightmares.
However, that didn’t mean the wounds inside him had vanished.
“I’m okay.”
That’s why the Sword Saint spoke with a smile.
He knew that these wounds were something he alone had to carry.
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