Uh... Self-Defense.

Jin-cheol's words left Ishanka with a look of utter bewilderment.

"Self-defense? They're the ones who ended up as bloody rags."

"Yeah, but they were trying to kill me before they turned into bloody rags."

Ishanka shook her head slightly at his response and stepped inside. Trailing behind her like a shadow was another Esai, predictably her warrior, Amuta. Unlike Ishanka, he didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow at the tavern's wreckage. He even gave Jin-cheol a calm nod of greeting.

Jin-cheol soon realized the commotion outside the tavern. "What's that? People out there too?"

"Don't worry about it. They're my guards."

"...What's the sudden occasion?"

Ishanka, now inside, carefully lifted the hem of her skirt as she scanned the floor, stepping with caution to protect her flowing garments from the blood pooling everywhere on the tavern floor.

"I got reports from Peran and Morel about the recent incident. Even if it was to rescue Teacher Parm, it was awfully reckless. If things had gone wrong, all of Siol might have been out to capture you and the teacher."

Dodging the blood and bodies on the floor, she approached Jin-cheol. Realizing she still couldn't let go of her hem, she shook her head and gestured toward Amuta at the entrance.

At her signal, Amuta silently called in the other warriors from outside.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think? We have to clean up."

Unlike Ishanka, Amuta strode boldly through the blood puddles to reach her. "Judging by their black uniforms and weapons, they're the 'Brotherhood of Vengeance'—the ones who usually mimic the 'Silent Assassins' for their hit jobs. We haven't done anything to particularly piss off the temple or the great houses."

"They drew blades on my guest, so they can't set foot in Siol anymore. Nor can whoever hired them."

"Understood. We'll handle the cleanup."

In the meantime, the Esai warriors who'd poured in from outside began gathering the scattered corpses in one spot and straightening the overturned tables and chairs. In short order, a table and chairs were set between Jin-cheol and Ishanka. While ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the other warriors bustled about, Ishanka carefully seated herself, still minding her hem, and casually offered Jin-cheol a seat as well.

"Sit. Let's talk sitting down."

"...This is ridiculous. You show up out of nowhere."

Is this what an elf noble's like? Jin-cheol couldn't hide his chuckle as he sat. Ishanka stared at his face for a moment before pulling a neatly folded cloth from her bosom and sliding it toward him.

"What's this?"

"Wipe your face. It's unsightly."

Thinking it might be a letter or something, Jin-cheol took the cloth and wiped his hands with a wry grin. "Can't see it anyway, and rubbing it like this just smears it. Better to wash with water later."

"I see. Then I'll keep that handkerchief. The bloodstains don't look like they'll come out easily."

Just then, two people approached their table: the tavern owner, Tuchiraban, and the server, Chike.

"We see the Lady of Antela..."

"W-we see you..."

Tuchiraban looked thoroughly cowed, while Chike seemed half out of his mind. After witnessing Jin-cheol's brutal fight and the blood, the sudden arrival of warriors from an Esai noble house had left them unable to recover.

Ishanka simply beckoned them with a flick of her hand, and Amuta led them away.

"...You're not gonna kill those guys, are you?"

At Jin-cheol's question, Ishanka frowned as if offended. "What do you take me for? They were just panicking, and I had nothing to ask them. Plus, they couldn't be allowed to overhear our conversation."

"Ahem... yeah, I get it from the report. Those Muksaang House bastards conspired to kill Teacher Parm, so we rescued him. But why didn't those two come with you?"

"Peran and Morel are confined. No matter the reason, they entered the forbidden underground city without permission and broke a prisoner out of jail. On our end, we're curious too. Where's Teacher Parm?"

Instead of answering, Jin-cheol jerked his chin toward the space behind her. Ishanka turned and spotted Parm Wirson and Udim descending the stairs from the second floor. Parm surveyed the Antela warriors cleaning up as he spoke.

"Looks like the fight's already over, Jin-cheol. What a mess."

"Just a scuffle with some nobodies. Must've startled you hearing the noise from downstairs."

"Not particularly. Traveling the Sidalia River between north and south, you get used to worse. But running into the Lady of Antela again—that's a surprise. Good to see you, Lady Ishanka."

Ishanka returned Parm's light bow with a respectful nod. "I'm glad to see you in good health, Teacher. It's embarrassing—I was in the temple and didn't even know you were in danger. I'm sorry I couldn't help."

"Nonsense. You have nothing to apologize for, my lady. If anything, I'm the one who's sorry—these Muksaang House madmen are stirring up Siol because of me."

Parm walked to the table as he spoke and naturally took a seat. Udim stood rigidly behind him like a bodyguard. Listening to their exchange, Jin-cheol felt a twinge of awkwardness.

She's all polite with the teacher? Thought she finger-pointed at everyone.

As if reading his eyes, Ishanka turned to Jin-cheol. "Teacher Parm is a cultured scholar with a medical degree from Baika University. Not a barbarian like you. If you're unhappy, show some respect to the name of Antela right now. I'll try too."

"...Too much hassle. Let's just keep it like this."

Watching 121st-century techno-barbarians, Jin-cheol shook his head. Who's the real barbarian here? But he wasn't mad—after all, he was just as clueless about how artifacts worked.

As he shook his head, he noticed the Esai warriors mopping up blood from the corner with a filthy mop, feeling a fresh wave of absurdity. Snapping back, he met Ishanka's gaze again.

"So. What's the deal here? Found those Muksaang House guys?"

"According to the prisoner we captured at our estate, they've already fled Siol. We'll be sending a delegation to Zifain soon to lodge a formal protest."

"Protest?"

Ishanka lifted her chin slightly, looking faintly arrogant. "Those insolent scholars dared deceive Siol's great houses and manipulate doctrine practitioners for their own gain. The Seven Overseers unanimously decided to dispatch a delegation of warriors from each house to make Siol's will crystal clear. We'll hunt down those lunatics."

"Ah, damn..."

Parm sighed at her words, clutching his mask as if he'd overlooked something entirely.

Jin-cheol asked immediately. "Why? Something wrong?"

"...To catch the Muksaang House, we might've needed to move the moment Gugban escaped."

"Needed to move?"

"Straight to Zifain. Siol's great houses will naturally mobilize once they realize they've been used. To show their strength and make the House pay. If the House anticipates that, how would they react?"

Jin-cheol's face hardened slightly. "They'd run. From Zifain."

"Exactly. Disguised as a mere scholarly society, they'll vanish in that guise. At least from Zifain. To catch up, we should've moved two days ago."

Jin-cheol scratched the back of his head vigorously. Is this the limit of a squad leader grunt like me?

"I figured they'd go after you, Teacher."

"Me?"

"Before leaving Siol, they'd pool their remaining strength to finish you off."

"...That's why you stuck with me?"

Jin-cheol shrugged at Parm's gaze. But Ishanka spoke up.

"That prediction wasn't wrong. Why else would Siol's crime syndicates band together against you? Because you're such a threat, as the rumors say? But the price on your head last night was too high for them alone. The scholars fled while getting what they wanted without dirtying their own hands. Sneaky bastards."

"The Muksaang House moved those Brotherhood fuckers?"

"If you follow the trail."

"So you came here knowing that?"

"Just didn't expect you'd already handled them."

"...You still talked about arresting me earlier, knowing that?"

Ishanka didn't answer. She turned to Parm instead, changing the subject. "The reason I came today is to ask you something, Teacher. I hope you'll accept that proposal."

"...Join ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the delegation?"

Parm skipped ahead, but she nodded as if it were obvious.

"It won't be a bad deal for you. Even if they anticipated the delegation and hid, traces will remain. Using our power in Zifain, you can easily avenge the humiliation you suffered here."

"...And conveniently shift Zifain's anger at Siol's actions onto fellow Baika. Right?"

Ishanka's lips curved into a sly smile. Parm's eyes crinkled too—but unlike usual, it looked cold, like a reptile's.

"...My original goal was just to find ancient records and history, and learn why they vanished. As a scholar, excavating and preserving knowledge is my duty. But to achieve that, it seems I must dig into this Muksaang House. Very well. Our goals align."

Parm extended his hand, and Ishanka clasped it with a small smile. Watching from a slight distance, Jin-cheol edged back further. Their smiles weren't smiles. Unsettling, even.

Come to think of it, to Parm, Ishanka was Esai—like the ones who'd tried to frame and kill him. To Ishanka, Parm was Zifain—like the House that exploited the great houses. Staring at their handshake, Jin-cheol muttered to Udim beside him.

"Don't those two look way too vicious right now?"

"Alliances are forged between vicious parties."

"..."

Jin-cheol scratched his jaw at the novel alliance theory. Is that right?

Finishing the handshake, Parm pulled something from under the table and set it down. Ishanka's eyes gleamed at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the dark object. It was the artifact from Bildo Bell's mansion.

"Perfect timing, Lady Ishanka. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Could you activate this artifact with your yo-sul? We've all tried for two days but couldn't make it work."

"Hmm..."

Ishanka eyed the artifact intently, her forehead circlet—chakra—beginning to glow faintly. She raised her right hand, gesturing in the air as if invisible threads connected her fingers to the artifact.

"...This seems like an artifact that only opens for specific people."

"Too difficult?"

Her eyes suddenly turned to Jin-cheol. She extended her left hand to him.

What the hell?

"What? Why?"

"Give me your hand."

"...Why?"

Jin-cheol clasped her hand with his right. Ishanka closed her eyes and fidgeted in the air for a long moment. When she opened them, her chakra flashed brightly. The closed artifact clicked open on its own, beeping beep-beep-beep as green text appeared on the screen.

"I mixed the original owner's data with yours. It thinks you're the owner now."

"Whoa..."

Elf magic's badass.

As Ishanka lifted her chin smugly at his admiration, Jin-cheol shoved his face toward the screen. The artifact was a typewriter-like computer, just as he'd guessed.

Parm and Udim crowded in beside him. "Why you? You know Baika script?"

"...No."

Udim backed off upon seeing the Baika text, his gloomy face growing gloomier.

"'Prohibited Knowledge Explorer Parm Wirson Report,' 'Analysis of Siol's House Power Dynamics,' 'Study of Sun Doctrine Practitioner Kasian and His Statements,' 'Recon Report on Sun Temple's Holy Oil Production Facilities'..."

Parm read the titles aloud for Udim's sake. But Ishanka's face hardened more than his.

"Recon on the temple's holy oil production facilities?"

"Uh, that's the title, but to check the contents..."

As Parm hesitated, Jin-cheol tapped the typewriter keys. The arrow-like pads were like a keyboard he knew, just with different letters—easy enough to navigate menus.

The document under the title opened.

"What, that's nothing? Just scoped out the temple from afar."

"Hmph, obvious. How dare a non-house member..."

As Ishanka sneered, Jin-cheol scrolled down and read another title.

"... 'Top Priority Goal After Siol Operation.'"

He noticed it because amid the black background and green text, only that one was white. Important, maybe? Opening it revealed why.

The document ended there. Jin-cheol quickly pegged the one begging for replies: Bildo Bell, the historian Parm had wanted to meet. Gugban said they'd dealt with him alongside Parm because he'd slipped control. Probably due to this exchange.

But the kicker was at the end: 'America Arsenal Excavation'.

America. The era that pronounced Utopia as Yutapia. No doubt, America—USA.

And 'Opesis Mercs.' Opesis—the empire of sacred blood that AI Jindallae freaked out over: Rebuilt Opesis Empire. If literal, sacred blood—humans—working as mercs? Problematic assumption. The Muksaang House erased human history—why merc under them?

His head spun with possibilities when Parm groaned beside him, reading along.

"The east? What the hell are they doing there? Wait, does this artifact let you chat with distant contacts? Incredible..."

"East—where those Lavito rabbit fuckers from the airships always brawl?"

"Beyond eastern Kogant Forest, across the sea—their lands. Vast plains, pouring out grain. If stable, limitless... Hm?"

"Huh?"

Like Parm, Jin-cheol blurted dumbly. The artifact's screen glitched—text erasing from the end.

"What the fuck? Why's it doing this?"

Unviewed content vanishing, Jin-cheol glared at Ishanka. Her face was already rigid, staring at the artifact. Her chakra blazed.

"This... yo-sul from afar...?"

Shock crossed her face. Before she could act, all text wiped. Burning smell and faint smoke followed.

Not some auto-shredder.

Jin-cheol and Parm froze, glancing between the fried artifact and Ishanka. She spoke, still glaring. "Someone across sensed my yo-sul manipulating it... and destroyed it instantly. Incredibly skilled sorcerer..."

"Across—where?"

"Not Siol. Outside."

"Outside Siol? Felt the manipulation from that far and smashed it? Possible?"

Ishanka's eyes met Jin-cheol's. "...Even Siol's top sorcerer couldn't alone. Must've borrowed another artifact's power."

Jin-cheol poked the smoking artifact. The beeps silenced; screen dead. Total brick.

"...Fuck. Didn't even see shit."

More questions than answers. Something big in the 'east,' but no way to check now.

Ishanka spoke. "Clear the Muksaang House is up to something in the east. Kang Jin-cheol, my second reason for coming ties into that."

Jin-cheol's deflated eyes turned to her. Meeting them, she said, "Two days ago, the Lavito docked their airship and immediately demanded bilateral talks with Siol's delegation..."