Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Sword Demon and the Demonic Sword (7)
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As they approached the town, Unmyeong deliberately disembarked from the carriage ahead of time.
"I'll be resting at a nearby inn. Take care of the carriage, and come find me when you're ready."
"Understood."
Following Unmyeong's instructions, Sohwal headed straight for a stable where she could leave the carriage.
He was acting this way because the ebony carriage Unmyeong rode in was so luxurious it could attract unwanted attention.
His affiliation and identity were too dangerous to reveal carelessly, so he had to act with utmost caution. That's why he wore a bamboo hat with a translucent veil, pulled down low.
He was also wearing a drab, dark, solid-colored robe instead of the usual attire designated for the Sword Demon.
Because of this, while he might look a bit suspicious to onlookers, men dressed in black were common enough that people would likely just dismiss it and move on.
This was a top-secret mission personally assigned by the Heavenly Demon, so naturally, he had to move more stealthily than usual.
Unmyeong stood before an inn crowded with people, as it was the height of the evening.
"The town is large, so the inn isn't small either. Quite a lot of people."
As someone who preferred quiet and disliked crowds, he wasn't particularly pleased, but he wasn't so picky as to complain about such things during a mission.
Inside the inn, Unmyeong sat at the most inconspicuous corner table and placed the demonic sword, wrapped tightly in cloth, on the seat right next to him.
This way, he would know immediately if someone tried to steal it.
Of course, a thief who would try to steal something wrapped in white cloth without knowing what was inside would be rare, but one could never be too careful.
A moment later, a waiter, sweating from rushing around due to the number of customers, stood before Unmyeong.
"Sir, what can I get for you?"
"Meat dumplings, somen noodles, and a bottle of fruit wine... no, make that two bottles."
"Meat dumplings, somen noodles, and two bottles of fruit wine. Right away."
The waiter took the order and hurried off.
As Unmyeong sat quietly, the Soul-Severing Sword spoke to him in its usual sarcastic tone.
[Two bottles of wine. I thought you were on an important mission. Wouldn't it be a problem if you got completely drunk?]
Unmyeong wasn't the type to get drunk on just two bottles, but realizing the demonic sword was mocking him by indirectly saying, "You can't hold your liquor," he smirked and replied.
"To a thing like you that can't even take a single sip, two bottles might seem like a lot, but not to me."
Normally, he would have seriously retorted that such a small amount wouldn't get him drunk, but after days of non-stop bickering, Unmyeong's wit had sharpened.
Faced with such a comeback, the Soul-Severing Sword was left with nothing to say.
[...The one who gave you this mission would be so pleased to see this.]
"He is a generous man, so he will understand. Don't waste your breath worrying."
As Unmyeong and the demonic sword were subtly clashing, the food arrived at his table.
"Enjoy your meal."
Just then, Sohwal appeared, also wearing a veiled bamboo hat pulled low like Unmyeong's, and sat down across from him.
"I've left the carriage at a stable near the inn. I also looked for lodging, but there was nowhere better than this inn, so I settled for here."
"Good. You've worked hard. I ordered something for you as well, so eat up."
Unmyeong knew Sohwal liked noodle dishes, so he passed her the somen noodles he had ordered.
"Ah, thank you."
"It was bought with mission funds, so there's no need to thank me. Besides, it's a superior's duty to see that his subordinate is fed. Ah, and this too."
He handed one of the two bottles of fruit wine he had ordered to Sohwal.
"You worked hard driving the carriage without rest."
"Thank you."
Though its eye was covered and it couldn't see, the Soul-Severing Sword deduced the situation from their conversation.
[Oh? So you do have a considerate side when it comes to your subordinate. Hard to imagine, given the cranky and foolish demeanor you always show me.]
Unmyeong replied in a low voice so Sohwal, sitting opposite him, wouldn't hear.
"That's because my subordinate isn't a defective piece of junk like you."
[A subordinate too good for the likes of you.]
"And I am a master too good for a defective piece of junk like you to serve."
*Rustle.*
Just then, the knot in the cloth covering the Soul-Severing Sword's eye came loose and slipped down slightly.
As a result, a tiny sliver of the demonic sword's red eye was exposed.
As light entered its vision, which had been in darkness for so long, the Soul-Severing Sword's eye darted around, scanning its surroundings.
A type of eatery it had never seen, foods it had never seen, unfolded before its gaze.
And also, the sight of Unmyeong and Sohwal enjoying their food and drink.
Watching them, the Soul-Severing Sword forgot its current form and spoke to the Sword Demon.
[My master, Unmyeong, you who are too good for me. Those meat dumplings and that wine look quite delicious. Would you not spare some for me?]
Hearing the demonic sword's voice, Unmyeong tilted his head slightly and gave his sword a strange look.
"Well now, it seems the cloth came loose. But this is strange. Why are you asking for food when you don't even have a mouth to eat with?"
Only then did the demonic sword realize its own predicament, its voice a mixture of bewilderment and sorrow as it replied.
[Ah, right. I forgot.]
After staring at the Soul-Severing Sword strangely for a moment, Unmyeong's expression turned serious, as if something had occurred to him.
"Wait. You don't mean..."
In that instant, a thought flashed through his mind.
*'Was this thing... human in the past?'*
Unmyeong had assumed the Soul-Severing Sword had possessed a consciousness from the moment it was forged. He had never once considered that it might contain the soul of a living person.
Because that would be too cruel, too tragic.
Unmyeong dropped the meat dumpling he was eating back onto his plate and asked the demonic sword in a flustered voice.
"Were you... by any chance... human before?"
He had been speaking in a low voice because his subordinate was sitting opposite him, but now he had forgotten even that and asked in a rather loud voice.
Naturally, Sohwal found this odd and looked at Unmyeong with concern.
"Lord Sword Demon?"
But despite her question, Unmyeong's gaze was fixed solely on the demonic sword.
[Did you think I was born like this from the start? There was a time when I, too, had a body.]
"..."
Hearing this, Unmyeong looked at it with a slightly different expression than usual.
However, seeing the look in his eyes, the Soul-Severing Sword cried out in a slightly agitated voice.
[Don't look at me like that! Are you pitying me?! Don't forget. I will steal your body and breathe again. So I tell you, don't look at me with those eyes!]
The demonic sword shouted at Unmyeong as if to deny its own circumstances, but this reaction only served to muddle his thoughts.
*'...It said this demonic sword was left alone, worn out, in a cave. If so... just how long was it alone?'*
As he looked at the demonic sword, Unmyeong's gaze began to tremble. He then pressed his lips together and turned his head away.
Only then did he notice Sohwal looking at him with concern.
"Ah, my apologies. It seems I'm hearing things from lack of proper rest. Don't worry. A few days of good sleep will fix it."
"...Understood."
Sohwal was worried about the Sword Demon, but she knew that showing her feelings would make her superior uncomfortable, so she remained silent.
But after his conversation with the Soul-Severing Sword, Unmyeong, lost in thought, now just picked at the dumplings he had been enjoying so much.
Watching this, Sohwal couldn't shake her worry and cautiously spoke up.
"Um, Lord Unmyeong. Are you really all righ—"
At that moment—
*Aaaaaah!*
*You son of a bitch! Didn't I tell you you'd be dead if you messed up one more time?!*
A girl's scream, followed by a man's rough shouting, came from outside the inn.
This caused everyone eating dinner inside to turn their gazes toward the inn's door.
"Did you hear that scream from outside?"
"W-What was that?"
*Thwack!*
*Crash!*
*Aaaaaah!*
The sound of things breaking and a scream drenched in pain grew closer to the inn.
"Hey, I think it's coming this way."
"Hey, wait! Shouldn't we get out of here?"
"Oh no! Not another disturbance in my inn...!"
Before the innkeeper could finish his cry of despair, the wooden door shattered and a young girl came flying in, tumbling across the floor.
*Thud!*
"Ughhh!"
The girl, covered in bruises and wounds, trembled as she struggled to get up, but a man who followed her in kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her rolling across the floor again.
*Thump!*
"Kuhuk!"
"Hey! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? Huh? To screw with me. Right?"
The sudden commotion left everyone in the inn stunned. A few glanced around before hastily slipping outside.
"W-Who is that?"
"What's going on all of a sudden?"
"Hey, hey. Look at that."
A few people whispered, pointing at the thug's shoulder.
The word 'Red Ox' was tattooed there. Those who saw it quickly shut their mouths and averted their eyes from the man.
The inn fell into a dead silence in an instant.
Only the girl's moans and the footsteps of the Red Ox Gang thug could be heard.
And the first to speak in this silence was none other than...
"Ah, damn it. The wine is ruined."
Unmyeong.
He scowled at the wooden splinters floating in his wine cup.
Naturally, everyone around, including the menacing-looking Red Ox thug who had been focused on the girl, turned their gaze to Unmyeong.
Finding himself the center of attention, Unmyeong stood up and said to Sohwal.
"It's about to get noisy here, so let's leave."
"Ah, yes."
As Unmyeong and Sohwal quietly got up from their seats, the man's gaze returned to the girl.
"See? You keep causing trouble for everyone, so shut up and follow me."
"N-No!"
The girl screamed at the man and dragged her injured body, crawling away desperately.
Anyone could see the girl needed help immediately, but no one dared to step forward.
There were many reasons for this, but the biggest was that the man belonged to the 'Red Ox Gang'.
They were an underworld gang that had this area in a tight grip. Originally, they were nothing more than local thugs, but their influence had skyrocketed recently after their leader and his inner circle suddenly became much stronger.
Now, to oppose them in this town was tantamount to wishing for death, so no one dared to intervene.
And though for different reasons, Unmyeong also ignored the girl.
In the first place, the idea of a great demon of the Demonic Cult raising his sword for the oppressed was utterly ridiculous. Moreover, he was in the middle of an important mission from the Heavenly Demon himself and didn't want to get involved in such matters and cause trouble.
Just as Unmyeong stepped through the inn's shattered doorway, the voice of the Soul-Severing Sword entered his ear.
[You're not going to save her?]
"..."
[Then again, how could a weakling who can't even save the child in his own heart possibly help anyone else?]
The demonic sword said mockingly.
[Just keep walking. Just like you've always ignored and pretended not to see the wound in your heart. Truly befitting of my proud and overqualified master, so unlike this defective piece of junk. It's a fine sight to see.]
*Twitch.*
A vein popped on Unmyeong's forehead.
"You... today, I'm definitely going to..."
"Shut up."
As the Soul-Severing Sword kept provoking him, Unmyeong snapped in a rather loud voice.
*Swoosh.*
The problem was that his words had just cut off the man from the Red Ox Gang.
"Hey, pal. What did you just say?"
Unmyeong glanced back to assess the situation.
Only then did he realize his mistake and speak.
"My apologies for the interruption. I'm just leaving, so carry on with what you were doing."
But the Red Ox thug, his pride wounded in front of everyone, was not about to just let it go.
"No, no. Can't do that. I need to hear what you just said to me again."
Approaching Unmyeong with a swagger, he bumped Unmyeong's chest with his head.
*Thump. Thump.*
"What. Did you. Say. Huh?"
*Thump.*
Seeing the thug continue to push his luck despite being given a chance, Unmyeong's already worn-thin patience finally snapped.
"Hah..."
"What's this? Heh, heh. A sigh? Did you just sigh at me?"
The Red Ox thug let out a disbelieving chuckle before his expression turned menacing. He shoved his face toward Unmyeong and threatened him.
"Hey, pal. I don't know who you are or what you do, but if you mess with our Red Ox Gang around here, you might just end up dead."
When Unmyeong ignored his words and just stared at him, the Red Ox thug yelled and slapped Unmyeong's bamboo hat off with his hand.
"Hey! Aren't you listen—Keok!"
But that was only for a moment.
*Grip!*
Unmyeong grabbed the throat of the Red Ox thug who had knocked off his hat and spoke in an icy voice.
"Three times."
"K-Keuheuk! You, you!... Do you know who I am..."
"The chances you missed."
Unmyeong looked down at the thug with an endlessly cold expression.
"You missed your chance to live three times. Unfortunately for you, there are no more chances left."