Ten Days: The Day of Beginning (2)
“This is where you’ll be staying for the next ten days. I’ll be using the room too, but don’t pay it too much mind.”
She would mind. Of course she would. Still, I had to say it.
I left the Blue Sky Sword Empress to her quiet vigilance—her head turning this way and that, wariness radiating from every motion—and went about my own tasks. I closed every open window, drew the screens shut, and checked for any gaps or holes. Just before latching the highest window, a thought struck me.
She hasn’t seen daylight in a long time.
“I’m about to close everything. Would you like to see the light first?”
The Blue Sky Sword Empress stared at me for a long moment, then slowly turned her gaze toward the window. It was the smallest one, yet it offered the most distant and elevated view. Her face, both wistful and detached, made my chest tighten with inexplicable discomfort. I kept my head turned just enough to sense her movement, and after a while she finally looked away. I closed the last window.
“There. Now then, excuse me for a moment.”
It felt good to move my body freely after sitting still so long. With a faint sense of refreshment, I stepped behind her and reached for her waist. She twisted violently, eyes wide, but bound as she was, escaping my touch wasn’t easy.
“Hey. Can you hold still for a second?”
Did that do it? Was it loosening?
The knot around her waist came undone with a soft rustle, and something slid to the floor. It wasn’t the skirt she’d probably been worried about. What’s wrong? Did that scare you?
“…Why?”
“Oh. So you finally decided to grace me with that precious voice of yours.”
What had come undone was the dark rope. She lifted the fallen black cord with an expression that said she couldn’t understand. It was a treasure that didn’t merely seal internal energy—it also suppressed physical ability and mental strength. From my perspective, there was no reason to release it. Of course, the madman standing in front of her didn’t need a reason anyway.
“Having your arms and legs tied up… it must hurt and be uncomfortable, right? Um… if you actually liked it that way, I can tie you up again.”
“…No. You’re right. Thank you for this.”
The Blue Sky Sword Empress denied it immediately. Then, as if the return of freedom felt awkward, she kept running her hands over the places where the ropes had been. I retrieved the discarded cord and wrapped it around my own hand. Just holding it made my internal energy scatter and my body feel heavy. To endure this all day… how horrifying. It might be the greatest torture imaginable for a martial artist.
“Still… thank you, huh…”
In the Demonic Cult, those words were rare enough to feel embarrassing. The Blue Sky Sword Empress stood there looking uncomfortable, so I used my qi to gently push her onto the bed. Then I began searching every likely place for the items I needed. Since I was looking for something I barely ever used, it refused to show itself.
Eventually my fingers caught on something solid. Thinking I’d found what I wanted, I pulled it out.
“Found it… except I didn’t.”
It wasn’t what I’d been searching for. The material was wood. Upon closer inspection, it was a sword ornament—crudely carved, the work of a complete beginner compared to what I used now. I hadn’t realized I still had this.
I fell into a brief reverie, and my mouth moved on its own.
“Tsk. Same goes for me.”
“…?”
“I’m the one who should be saying thank you.”
Damn this mouth of mine. It’s been running wild since earlier. The mood shattered along with my nostalgia. To make up for it, I set the ornament aside and searched even harder. When I focused my senses behind me, I could feel her tilting her head in confusion. Well, of course she would.
“Found it. Golden wound salve.”
I handed it to her along with a suitable piece of cloth. The meaning was obvious—apply it. I turned my back to give her privacy. Soon I heard the rustle of clothing, and then I sensed her bare skin. Not guessed. Felt it. Through my senses.
Hmm… mm…
I deliberately redirected my awareness elsewhere. After a moment, the golden wound salve I’d given her dropped back down with a small clink.
“You used up… no, you nearly emptied it? You were hurt this badly?”
They must have tortured her viciously. I gathered the empty salve container and the used cloths into a corner, then used my qi to spark a flame and burn them all. After that, I sat down right where I was.
“…Aren’t you going to sit? Should I make you?”
Hey. Answer me…
“…Why me?”
The question carried many layers of meaning. It was probably one of the reasons she hadn’t been able to move freely since earlier. I wondered briefly whether I should explain. It was bound to stir up controversy. But my hesitation didn’t last long. I’d already caused a huge problem by offering her this much consideration.
“Hapbi, western district. Six hundred and twenty-seven civilian households. The Cult had occupied it.”
And you led the charge to reclaim it perfectly.
She frowned, seemingly puzzled by the sudden praise.
“I heard you stubbornly insisted on saving the civilians there until the very end?”
The Blue Sky Sword Empress thought for a moment, frowned deeper, then shook her head in denial.
“Anyone would have done the same. There was no need for stubbornness. It wasn’t that kind of situation.”
“Bullshit.”
Was she defending the righteous faction now that she was part of it? Or had she simply been a sword-wielding fool?
“You know the methods of those old righteous faction geezers better than anyone, don’t you?”
She opened her mouth as if to protest, then fell silent. From the look in her eyes, it seemed she knew I was right. I added one more remark to drive the truth home.
“They would have slaughtered them all, citing fears of collusion with the Demonic Cult or whatever.”
“…..”
Apparently hearing an uncomfortable truth wasn’t pleasant. She closed her eyes tightly and looked away. At this point, I figured she’d be willing to listen.
“Even if I tell you, you probably won’t understand, will you?”
When I glanced over, her eyes weren’t completely closed. She was watching me through narrowed slits, curiosity and caution mixed together. It was surprisingly cute. But is it okay for a prisoner to show her emotions so openly? Well, she’s not my prisoner.
“Why I hesitated to leave you behind. Why I ended up bringing you with me.”
For a fleeting instant, the image of wrinkled hands that had once held the Blue Sky Sword Empress’s hand flashed through my mind.
“It was my hometown.”
“A small village called Namhyangchon. It was under the Heavenly Demon Cult’s occupation.”
The Blue Sky Sword Empress’s eyes slowly opened. The development was so unexpected that a faint ripple of emotion crossed her face. She doesn’t look like the type, but her reactions are pretty entertaining.
“My mother still lives there.”
“But she has no idea where I live. Honestly, that’s for the best. Her son, the vice-leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult? She’d be dragged off by the Changgung Sword Squad in the middle of the night and thrown into the river.”
I made a brutal stabbing motion toward an imaginary stomach. When I looked again, her face was clouded with displeasure. Why? Ah. The Changgung Sword Squad were her subordinates.
“It might not have been the Changgung Sword Squad… anyway, I couldn’t help her myself, so I’m grateful you kept her alive. That’s what my thanks earlier was about.”
I stood up and walked over to stand in front of her. Even though I hadn’t done anything, the Blue Sky Sword Empress immediately tensed and backed away. Whatever. I just needed to do what I came to do.
“Of course, the wounds you left on me still hurt. But that day, I wasn’t exactly blameless either.”
I slowly lowered my head until the person sitting before me could see every inch of it.
“People say the Heavenly Demon Cult is a pack of beasts that commits every atrocity in pursuit of power. That’s bullshit.”
“We simply revere strength. We’re human, just like you. We understand gratitude. We recognize kindness. We know morality.”
“Whether you intended it or not, I received a great favor from you.”
“I can’t return your internal energy or spare you from execution, but I’ll grant anything else within my power. I’ll make sure you’re as comfortable as possible… Yes. You’ll be able to go peacefully.”
I raised my head and returned to my original seat.
…After saying all that, my face burned with embarrassment. I used my inner energy to calm my complexion, then suddenly felt ridiculous. The vice-leader of the Cult, bowing his head to a major figure of the enemy righteous faction. Telling the person who saved his mother that he couldn’t save her life. It was pathetic, both as vice-leader and as a human being. The thought made me even more awkward, so I added one more thing.
“I’ve sent all the maids away. No one will come here. Speak comfortably and live comfortably. There’s no one watching.”
This was the main headquarters of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Even the maids were elite devotees who had reached the Peak Realm. What would they think if they saw the Blue Sky Sword Empress applying medicine with her restraints removed? That was why I had strictly ordered the assigned maids not to enter this place for ten days. A mere maid wouldn’t dare disobey my command.
“…Namgung Seha, leader of the Changgung Sword Squad under the Namgung Clan, and the Blue Sky Sword Empress.”
While everything was quiet, the Blue Sky Sword Empress suddenly began reciting her affiliation. Wondering what she was up to, I turned to see her standing with a formal fist-and-palm salute directed at me.
“What…”
“I gratefully accept your repayment of kindness.”
“…Pfft.”
I’d meant to laugh only inwardly, but the sound slipped out. I’d thought I was the only strange one here, but seeing her, she was just as bad. Showing proper etiquette to a demon cultist, of all people.
“What would the Namgung Clan say if they knew you were doing this for me?”
She was a symbol of the righteous faction, bearing titles like Sword Queen and Lightning Sword Phoenix. Something like this wouldn’t be taken lightly. Of course, it meant nothing to someone who would soon die, but I felt like teasing her a little.
“There is no way they would find out.”
The Blue Sky Sword Empress cut me off cleanly. A reply with absolutely zero sense of humor.
“Right. Well then, Lady Sword Empress? Since you’ve accepted my gratitude, go ahead and tell me what you want.”
“…..”
Look at her, shutting her mouth again after saying her piece.
“It’s mealtime.”
I’m hungry. I poked my stomach a few times, and a loud growl echoed through the room. Don’t misunderstand. I really am hungry, but that sound was on purpose. That’s all it was.
“You’re in pain, so how about a bowl of somyeon? Any desire for that?”
If not, fine. I’ll eat by myself.