The Sword That Chose Its Own Master
“Huh…? Oh, brother. Nothing… happened?”
Blanser, who had been holding his breath, let it out again and tilted his head curiously.
“Right.”
To my surprise, even after all our expectations, I still couldn’t coax a single reaction out of the Chilji.
…It was a little embarrassing, but I had expected as much.
I hadn’t expected nothing, yet how could a fairy-tale miracle like this occur so suddenly?
“Tsk…”
Teraden muttered a curse in a dejected voice.
“It seems the Chilji has no owner among us. Here, I’ll return it to you.”
“Ah, thank you. Thank you for all your hard work.”
Mirpia accepted the Chilji back and once more placed it solemnly on the wall.
Strange that she showed no disappointment at all in not finding its owner.
“This time you were not chosen, but who knows what might happen in the future? Today is not the only chance. Don’t be too down. We should head back now, as time is running late.”
“Your Majesty, is there still something we must do?”
“No. Everything I asked you to do is finished.”
“Then we shall return to the National Academy at once.”
“What? What do you mean by that?”
At my suggestion to go back to the academy, Mirpia’s face paled in shock.
“But it’s already late. Sending guests back at such an hour is not proper etiquette.”
“As I am grateful for your words, I doubt it would be much trouble. I shall accept your kindness….”
“Well, I had planned to treat you all to Grand Duke Crowsduck’s famous dish—braised boneless mackerel—for lunch tomorrow. Alas, I have no choice…”
Mirpia trailed off with a regretful tone.
“What? Braised boneless mackerel?! Brother! Please, just this once, spare me!”
At the mention of Goseunjo, Blanser’s eyes suddenly widened, and he grabbed at my trousers, clinging desperately.
I still didn’t understand why the dish affected him so intensely, yet seeing him so earnest, I couldn’t refuse outright.
“…Then I must apologize, but may I impose upon you?”
“Hoh, you’ve given it some thought. Good. Now, let’s go.”
After completing the final tour of the remaining artifacts and wrapping up all our arrangements, we decided to follow her once more.
Leaving us alone once more in the quiet room.
….Uuuuung. Uuuuuuung.
The Chilji, left alone, began to emit soft, mournful sounds as if waking from a long sleep.
* * *
We left the building and arrived at Mirpia’s residence, where she assigned each of us a private room according to her guidance.
The rooms were spacious and comfortable enough that sharing would have posed no issue, yet she insisted on one person per room, claiming it was proper etiquette.
Since it would neither harm nor inconvenience us and showed her thoughtfulness, we readily accepted her arrangement.
“I shall return now, Lord Haru. If you have any further instructions, please summon me at any time.”
“Yeah, thanks for everything. Get some proper rest.”
Junior, the last to leave after his farewell.
“Lord Haru.”
Just as I was about to rest, Mirpia’s face suddenly popped out from the wall.
“Your Majesty?”
“May I borrow a moment of your time?”
“Of course.”
At my answer, she smiled mischievously, then stepped out from behind the wall.
Earlier she had worn pristine white robes that radiated sanctity, but now she appeared in comfortable pajamas, her face fully visible and radiating an intimate warmth.
“Were you disappointed that the Chilji did not choose you?”
She approached me with light steps and sat in the chair, speaking calmly.
“I am fine, but Maru and Teraden seemed a little downcast. Besides, I’m sure His Majesty was also disappointed to not find the owner this time either.”
“Oh! No, not at all. Well, I feel a bit guilty for saying this, but I already had a vague idea of the outcome. And, in truth, finding the Chilji’s owner is not particularly important.”
I had a vague idea of the outcome? And that finding the Chilji’s owner was not important?
Curious, I tilted my head slightly.
“How did you know in advance?”
“It’s said that when its chosen owner is near, the Chilji produces a resonant tone. Since no such sound rang out when I entered the room earlier, I could guess the result. Moreover, what I mentioned about seeking its owner wasn’t the true purpose either.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“In fact, my true purpose in bringing you here had nothing to do with that.”
Another ruse? No, wait—tomorrow it’ll be, “Lord Haru, actually the real purpose wasn’t that either.” Surely not….
“Ah! This time it’s true!”
Seeing my skeptical expression, Mirpia shook both hands vigorously.
“Then what is this true purpose?”
“I wanted to read your inner self once more, so I arranged this meeting.”
Ah, she wanted to check my inner self again. Now many doubts were cleared.
Why she had been so indifferent when I said I’d seek the Chilji’s owner. Why she had detained us here.
“Your Majesty had a reason to ask us to stay here.”
“Yes, I simply needed quiet time alone with you, just the two of us.”
“I don’t mind, but are you certain, Your Majesty? Last time something unpleasant occurred.”
“Ah, this time it will be fine. I’ve prepared everything in advance. With the power of Awakening added, there will be no issues.”
“Ah, Your Majesty also has Awakening…”
“Not as mighty as the Seven Pillars, but there are quite a few among us who have reached the Awakening realm. Shall we begin?”
“Very well.”
The method was the same as before.
While maintaining physical contact, we slowly met eyes. The sensation of being drawn into her was followed by my mind growing hazy.
* * *
“Don’t just stand there blankly—take a good look at me.”
‘Why did this person seek me out?’
In the dead of night, Ju’beorn narrowed his eyes at the unexpected visitor.
“I wanted to apologize for what happened back then. I have other business too.”
The one who had come to find him was none other than Yu-sin, the envoy of Hwarang’s National Academy.
“Ah… yes.”
“You weren’t seriously injured, were you? Not that I’m boasting, but I believe I could be one of the few in the continent who can wield a sword with one hand.”
Yu-sin set down his teacup and carefully examined Ju’beorn’s body from head to toe.
“I was only wounded by my sword, nothing more serious.”
“Ho.”
At our first meeting, Yu-sin had used me as a deterrent to protect Mirpia from an unexpected situation, which Ju’beorn had blocked with full power.
Back then there had been no time to think, but since then Yu-sin had kept a close eye on Ju’beorn.
“You should join our sect.”
As Mirpia had said, all members of Hwarang were at least Baron-level strongmen.
To become Hwarang, one had to endure years of arduous training as an apprentice.
Yet Ju’beorn had already reached a level where he could skip all that, his mind and body seemingly perfected.
“If some time passes—perhaps ten years—you could rise to the position just below mine, that of Wind and Moon Administrator.”
Snatching Lan’s capable subordinate would risk enmity, but Yu-sin judged that recruiting Ju’beorn would yield far greater future benefits for the sect.
He too had high hopes for Ju’beorn’s potential, like Lan.
“It is an honor to receive such praise and such an generous offer.”
“Oh?”
Yu-sin clenched his fists in his mind.
“However, the one I serve is still and will always be my lord—only that one person.”
“…”
But the answer from Ju’beorn was another rejection.
His loyalty to Lan was absolute.
“I underestimated your loyalty. Please pretend you didn’t hear what I said just now.”
Yu-sin smiled gently and lifted his teacup.
“What a pity. Even seven times the honor would not sway him… Well, now His Majesty can set aside his worries about them. Ah, they really are formidable.”
Though Yu-sin had been the one to propose, the rejection stung, yet he laughed heartily.
* * *
When Mirpia opened her eyes, a truly mysterious sight awaited her.
The surroundings were cloaked in pitch-black darkness, yet she could clearly see her own form and the other objects around her.
This place was the void space commonly called the unconscious.
She had visited once before, only to be expelled by an unknown power.
“Hmm.”
It was like the sea—yet different.
She could freely swim in the space as if underwater, but breathing remained unaffected.
There was buoyancy, though not as strong as actual water, and her body stayed dry.
After a while of leisurely swimming, Mirpia remembered her purpose and began moving forward.
A massive wall blocked her path—the same one she had seen before.
Compared to last time, it seemed more eroded in places, which was odd.
Normally, the continent’s inhabitants should have called this place a “gate,” but there was no gate—only a wall.
Approaching to examine the wall, she raised her hand, but it passed straight through as if the space were empty.
Of course, since she was an outsider who had not been permitted to enter.
“If my guess is correct, beyond this wall…”
Mirpia resolved her thoughts and tried to push forward.
[Stop.]
Her body froze.
It was not her will that halted her.
The unknown voice from beyond the wall had forcibly restrained her actions.
It felt as if mysterious power resided within the words themselves.
Srrrrk.
Soon, someone behind her who had stopped her slowly revealed themselves.
Mirpia slowly turned her head, but the figure between them was blurred, as if something obstructed the view.
Gradually, the blur sharpened, and the man’s form became clear.
He was an enormous man, a mixture of Haru and Teraden, appearing to be her own age.
Swallowing hard, Mirpia bowed politely in front of him.