When What Must Happen, Happens
As the bell rang throughout the Sword Family estate, signaling the arrival of the Sword Saint, the elders who had been visiting the family hurried out to greet him. Even the laborers hid in the corners, peering toward the main gate, desperate to catch even a fleeting glimpse of the legendary figure. And there, before their eyes, a young girl and a middle-aged man stood, blocking the Sword Saint’s path.
One elder, horrified, widened his eyes and sent a telepathic transmission to the middle-aged man.
The Chief Steward was in a state of utter panic. He wasn't even entirely sure if she was truly the disciple or not, and he feared he had acted too rashly. Of course, the Chief Steward’s judgment hadn't been wrong, for the Sword Saint was already looking at the girl with a familiar, gentle expression.
"What is that you're holding in your hand?"
"Dumplings."
"Did you buy them for me?"
"As if. Why would I do that for you? Do you have any idea how flustered I was because you weren't there, No-ya?"
"Did something happen?"
"You didn't give me anything to prove my identity."
"Ah."
"Ah? Ahhh??"
Watching the unreserved conversation between the Sword Saint and Seo-ah, the gatekeeper who had previously blocked her, the elders who had come to greet him, and the laborers peeking from the shadows all dropped their jaws in shock. The elders couldn't dare ask the Sword Saint directly, so they began sending telepathic transmissions to the Chief Steward beside him. Naturally, the flow of the conversation went like this:
Just as the elders were staring at each other, half-lost in their own disbelief, the Sword Saint asked Seo-ah again.
"Ahem... let's move past the trivial matters. So, how did you get in here?"
"The Chief Steward let me in."
The Chief Steward nearly broke into the brightest smile in the world at Seo-ah's words, but he barely managed to maintain his composure. The Sword Saint’s gaze shifted to the Chief Steward.
"Hmm... well done."
"It was nothing!"
With just that one sentence, he probably wouldn't have to worry about his position as Chief Steward for the next generation. After all, the Sword Saint was a man stingy with his praise.
The reunion with No-ya was a success. Back in her quarters, Seo-ah toyed with the gift she had received from him, lost in thought.
Seo-ah, who had been pouting, glanced at No-ya at the mention of a gift. Sensing the moment, No-ya quickly pulled a sword from his waist and handed it to her.
Seo-ah suppressed her rising smile as much as she could and hung the sword at her waist. She heard it wasn't quite a precious sword, but somewhere between a decent piece and a famous blade. Besides, he had said that giving her anything better would be like casting pearls before swine... Regardless, she would have been even happier if he hadn't added that unnecessary remark, but Seo-ah was satisfied.
No-ya soon left, saying he had something urgent to convey to the Family Head. The elders, who had been peeking from the side, followed right behind the Sword Saint. Then, the gatekeepers from before approached her.
The gatekeepers seemed terrified that I would punish them, now that they realized I was the Sword Saint’s disciple. Of course, Seo-ah had long since stopped holding it against them... after all, they were just doing their jobs faithfully. They hadn't really insulted her that much. But seeing them bowing their heads so low, a bit of mischief began to stir.
After playing that little prank on the earnest gatekeepers, Seo-ah gently soothed them, telling them it was fine. And so, back to the present.
"*Chomp. Chomp.*"
Seo-ah watched as So-so, with her cheeks puffed out, held meat dumplings in both hands and shoved them into her mouth. 'Is she chewing them, or just swallowing them whole...' She hadn't even offered a single bite to me, the one who bought them. Just as So-so’s mouth was empty, Seo-ah asked.
"So-so... how could you not offer me a single bite?"
"...Didn't you buy these for me to eat?"
"If that were the case, I wouldn't have bought so many, would I?"
"...Do you want one?"
"Sure."
Seo-ah took a dumpling into her mouth.
'She has plenty of money now, too. How stingy.' She probably eats plenty of delicious things, too. Something like So-so’s small, irreverent voice seemed to drift into her ears, but Seo-ah didn't care at all. Come to think of it, hadn't So-so’s way of speaking changed? That tone, which used to waver between formal and informal, seemed to have stabilized.
"Your tone isn't wavering anymore?"
She felt a slight sense of disappointment. She preferred their friendship when it was more casual. Unlike her previous question, perhaps because she spoke while her mouth was full of dumplings, So-so’s pronunciation was garbled.
"Thath's becauze... you have no idea how much that devil put me through!"
"Finish what's in your mouth before you speak."
So-so thumped her chest and swallowed the dumpling in an instant. It was truly an astonishing feat.
"That's because... you have no idea how much that devil put me through!"
"Devil?"
"You know... the one with the cold face..."
Seo-ah thought of the maid who had scrubbed her naked body raw.
"Ah. That person?"
"She said that now that I've decided to become a maid of the Sword Family, she couldn't tolerate my previous behavior... and she bullied me so much!"
"Ah..."
She remembered hearing that someone would be assigned to handle So-so’s training. It must have been that person. Aside from her tone, her behavior didn't seem all that different. Anyway, what So-so needed right now wasn't cold facts, but a warm word.
"That must have been really hard. Are you okay?"
This was all done to help So-so get ahead... she felt a twinge of worry that she might have gone through unnecessary suffering. Fortunately, So-so didn't seem to think so.
"It's hard, but..."
So-so approached her, made a circle with her fingers, and whispered.
"The food is delicious, too. Well... I like it. Unlike when I was in the Inner Hall, I don't have to worry about being mistreated."
"Really? Then that's a relief. But why did you hide the fact that the salary was high?"
It was just the two of them here, after all.
"Usually, when talking about things like this... it's all about the atmosphere, right?"
"...Right. Right."
So-so shoved another dumpling into her mouth and continued.
"So-so."
"Oh, come on, I told you not to worry. But do you know what's the most painful part?"
"..."
"No! It's just that I might snack on something while working! Even when I worked in the Inner Hall, the seniors didn't touch me for that! Honestly... she's so narrow-minded. Maybe it's because her chest is small."
"So-so."
"Yes?"
"Behind you."
Only then did So-so turn around, belatedly. The owner of the small chest was piercing So-so with cold eyes.
"Ah."
Seo-ah, sitting beside her, felt a sudden chill as well. However, she was a pro among pros. She didn't seem to have any intention of scolding So-so in front of Seo-ah. So-so laughed awkwardly and said.
"Ha... haha... Just kidding! W-would you like a dumpling? These are super delicious... hehe..."
In Seo-ah’s opinion, that wasn't exactly the right answer.
Seo-ah followed the cold-faced maid toward the room where No-ya was staying.
The short conversation was just a bonus. Unlike usual, Seol-ha dropped Seo-ah off at the door and then hurriedly retraced the path they had walked. Seo-ah silently prayed for So-so’s soul.
As soon as Seo-ah entered the room, No-ya asked as if he had been waiting.
"You're here. What happened to the Left Envoy?"
Seo-ah recounted her journey with the Left Envoy. No-ya wasn't particularly surprised to hear that the Left Envoy had died.
"Hmm... so it ended up like that."
"Did you know?"
"It's not that I knew exactly. However, once you reach the level of an absolute master, you begin to see things that are invisible. Anyway, I knew the Left Envoy wouldn't live long."
Seo-ah nodded.
"This is... quite troublesome."
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"It would be more accurate to say that the time for what must happen has come. The date for the competition to select the Divine Maiden has been decided."