A well-tended garden. A prettily arranged lake.

Carp living in the water.

The flowers along the path looked like someone had planted them by hand; all their colors blended together and made the surroundings even brighter.

At a glance, it was the kind of place you’d call truly beautiful.

But the residence I’d come to had a few things that were different from what I’d expected.

The surroundings were bright and lovely, radiating an atmosphere that really suited their owner.

So why is the actual residence this run-down?

The building people actually lived in somehow felt a bit different from the mood around it.

Feels like the place I’m staying is better than this.

The guest residence they’d lent me looked far more luxurious at a glance.

You could say that was only natural, since it was a building they’d given to a guest, so of course it would be good, but...

Still, a blood relative lives here.

The place I’d come to was none other than the residence of a direct bloodline descendant.

Sure, it could be worse than the guest quarters.

But I couldn’t understand why it was this much worse.

Not that “worse” here isn’t still a hundred times better than my house.

Judging by Tang Clan’s great renown, there was something a little odd about it.

Thinking that, I stepped through the entrance.

And then—

“Stop there.”

A martial artist standing guard at the entrance blocked my way.

I looked at him and spoke.

“I’m Bang Sungyeon of Blue Moon Sect. I’ve come to see Young Lady Tang Yeran.”

“...!”

The guard’s eyes widened at my introduction.

“Little Sword Saint...?”

His mutter was oddly loud in my ears. Before, I probably wouldn’t have heard it at all, but that was one of the changes that came with my realm rising.

“Yes. I’m that guy...”

I ignored the epithet I didn’t think I’d ever get used to.

He recognized me and, for a moment, an embarrassed expression crossed his face, but even so, he didn’t step aside.

“Young Lady Tang is currently not receiving any guests.”

His tone had become subtly more courteous.

As expected... a name really is everything, huh...?

“I know that, but this is a bit of a special situation.”

“I’ll say it again, this is by the Clan Head’s ord—”

“That’s why I got his permission too.”

I cut him off and pulled an object out from my breast.

“Guh...!”

The guard’s eyes went wide as lanterns when he saw it.

A green seal.

He clearly knew what it meant.

It was something Poison King had passed to me.

He’d slipped it into my hand beforehand, in case a situation like this came up.

Judging by the reaction, it was definitely the kind of item that helped.

“I’ve come with the Tang Clan Head’s permission. May I go in?”

“...I-I will escort you.”

I nodded at the martial artist’s suddenly exaggeratedly polite response.

Only...

He’s being a bit too polite, isn’t he.

His reaction was a little strange, but I decided not to dwell on it.

That was the problem.

Because at that moment... more than anything, I should have paid attention to that reaction.

****

Led by the guard, I stepped into Tang Yeran’s residence.

Just like earlier, the place was strangely quiet.

It was well maintained, but there was barely any sign of people.

It’s not quite at “abandoned house” level, but the atmosphere is exactly that.

It was a space where I felt no trace of life.

Which meant—

Tang Yeran probably doesn’t really stay here either.

Even if it was “her residence,” maybe she didn’t actually sleep here.

That was my guess.

“This is Young Lady Tang’s residence.”

“Thank you.”

The martial artist finished guiding me and left. Watching him go, I slowly reached out to the door.

KNOCK KNOCK.

After I knocked a few times, I felt movement from inside.

I heard a faint rustling.

RUSTLE.

“...Who is it?”

Her voice was completely dried out and exhausted, but it was definitely ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Tang Yeran.

“It’s me. Bang Sungyeon.”

...!!

The presence on the other side suddenly grew more frantic.

I could feel her fluster clear as day.

“Y-Young Master Bang...? H-How are you... here...?”

“I had business, so I got permission from the Clan Head and came. There’s a favor I’d like to ask; could I see your face?”

“J-Just a moment. Really, just a moment, please!”

At her urgent voice, I stepped back a little.

She said she was coming out, so I decided to wait.

After a brief moment passed—

DRRRRK—!!

The door slid open and Tang Yeran appeared.

She didn’t look that different from usual.

If there was any difference, it was the dark fatigue smudged under her eyes, like she hadn’t slept.

“G-Good morning.”

“Yes. It’s a good morning.”

“Wh-What brings you here, Young Master...?”

“Well, it’s nothing much.”

There was no point wasting time, so I got straight to the main point.

I took out what I’d brought from my breast. Something wrapped in cloth.

Showing it to Tang Yeran, I spoke.

“Could I ask you to make me a sword?”

“...Excuse me?”

Tang Yeran’s face went blank.

****

We moved inside the room. The residence might have been run-down, but the room itself was much better than I’d expected.

Of course, the lack of any sense of life was the same as outside.

“Um... this is all I have to offer you...”

Tang Yeran poured a cup of tea onto the table.

“It’s fine. I came on you so suddenly. I should be grateful you’re giving me anything at all.”

I smiled slightly and picked up the cup.

I took a sip and lifted my gaze upward.

I was wondering where he’d gone. So he’s here.

Above Tang Yeran, I could see Poison Sovereign looking down at me.

I’d been wondering where he’d disappeared to; it seemed he’d been attached to Tang Yeran.

...Man, that’s scary.

Those eyes glaring at me were the same as ever.

No—if anything, they looked even sharper.

I came because you asked me to, so why are you staring like that.

It wasn’t like I’d wanted to come.

They’d asked me to come and do this for them, so this was ridiculous.

I deliberately ignored him and drank my tea, and that was when—

“Um... about what you said earlier...”

Tang Yeran cautiously spoke to me.

“Oh, I meant it literally. Remember what you said you’d do for me before?”

It was the conversation we’d had at Iron River a while back.

I’d asked her to forge a sword for me.

She’d said she didn’t know when it would be, but that she’d grant that request someday.

“...All of a sudden?”

For that promise to suddenly turn into today—of course her face was full of bewilderment.

I’d be the same.

But—

“Yes.”

I didn’t care and just told her.

“I’d like you to make a sword for me.”

“...What do you...”

I didn’t let her finish and unwrapped the cloth I’d laid in front of us.

Once it was uncovered—

“What’s this?”

Tang Yeran tilted her head at the object revealed.

It was the remnant of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword.

The trace of that sword.

The hilt and the guard.

A tiny sliver of shattered blade still clinging above them.

A thing that could no longer truly be called a sword.

“I’m not asking you to forge something new... strictly speaking, I was wondering if you could repair this.”

“Repair it...?”

I called it “making it” because in practice it was so damaged it might as well be remade from scratch, but...

Strictly speaking, “repairing it” was the correct term.

At my words, Tang Yeran slowly reached out toward the hilt.

“May I touch it?”

At her question, I glanced up.

Poison Sovereign nodded.

“Yes. As much as you like.”

Once his permission was given, Tang Yeran picked up the hilt. She turned it this way and that, examining it.

Then she carefully checked the tiny fragment of remaining blade and—

“...!”

Suddenly reacted sharply.

“...Is this a black iron sword?”

“...Sorry?”

At her words, I looked back up at Poison Sovereign.

[That’s right. It’s black iron.]

“Yes. That’s right.”

So this was black iron, huh. Like I’d have any way of knowing that just by looking.

“Even broken... this sword is anything but ordinary. It could easily be at least a Special-grade artifact. Where in the world did you get a sword like this...?”

Even at the word “Special,” I didn’t really react.

They did say it was the sword Heavenly Demon used. Of course it would be.

It was the divine sword Heavenly Demon himself had wielded.

There was nothing strange about it having been a Special-grade artifact.

The only question was—

Can she really repair this?

Poison Sovereign and Yoo Cheongil had asked me to bring it to her, but I still didn’t know whether she was capable.

“It’s... my master’s keepsake.”

“...Ah...”

At the mention of Yoo Cheongil, she froze.

It was the perfect excuse I could lean on.

“In his will, my master said he wanted this sword repaired as well, so when Young Lady Tang mentioned what she did, I thought it was the perfect chance to visit... Do you think it’s possible?”

“...”

At my words, Tang Yeran’s eyes trembled for a moment. Then—

“This is... impossible.”

She denied it immediately.

I looked at her quietly and asked,

“Why? Is it that hard to repair?”

“It’s not that it can’t be repaired... The biggest problem is the materials.”

“You mean the black iron?”

“Yes... It’s not that Tang Clan doesn’t have black iron, but I can’t just use something like that on my o—”

“Oh, I already got the Clan Head’s permission on that part.”

“Sorry...?”

“He said I could use whatever materials I needed.”

“...I... I’m sorry, what?”

Even after I explained, she still looked like she didn’t understand.

But it was the truth.

I did ask him, just in case.

When I’d told Poison King I needed to entrust my master’s keepsake to Tang Yeran for repair, he’d said it was fine no matter what materials she used.

Could someone like Poison King really not have anticipated black iron or cold iron?

I didn’t think so.

I was sure he knew and still gave permission.

It is strange to let someone use black iron on a simple favor, though.

Was my mention of the Jegal Clan really that big a deal?

Since he’d said yes, I was just going to eat the free meal. It did leave a bit of a bad taste, though.

“If the materials are workable, then... would it be all right?”

“N-No... Even aside from that, I’m nowhere near the level to be taking on a Special-grade artifact right now.”

“You mean you can’t take it on, but it’s not impossible, right?”

“My skill is nowhere near enough, and more than anything, how could someone like me dare take on the Sword Saint’s keepsake...”

“What do you mean, ‘someone like me’?”

“...Excuse me?”

“Whatever you think of yourself, I came here because I decided I could trust you. Honestly, the idea of handing this to other craftsmen made me more nervous.”

“...”

It was funny to say.

In reality, if I entrusted it to other craftsmen—especially Iron River’s master smiths—it would be far safer and the result would probably be perfect.

I honestly couldn’t understand why I had to go out of my way to bring it to Tang Yeran.

What is he plotting?

I had no idea what Poison Sovereign was really hoping for.

I didn’t know why he wanted to restore Heavenly Demon’s sword.

And I didn’t know why he wanted to entrust that job to his own granddaughter.

I didn’t understand any of it either.

But—

There’s something I get out of this.

There were things I needed to earn here, so if they told me to jump, I had to ask how high.

“So I’d like Young Lady Tang to be the one to take this on.”

“...”

At my words, Tang Yeran’s eyes shook.

She was slowly coming around. Feeling that, I pressed a little more.

I had to push now.

“If you’re worried because of what happened yesterday, you don’t have to be. I’ve already come to an agreement on that with the Clan Head as well.”

She might be under punishment, but forging the sword wouldn’t be a problem.

Poison King and I had agreed on that clearly. It was only possible because, for some reason, he’d been strangely generous.

“So... I’d like you to—”

“Young Master Bang.”

“Yes?”

“...There’s something I want to ask you.”

“Please. I’ll listen.”

What did she want to ask? If it was related to the work, I’d already thought through all my possible responses, so I was ready for whatever question she had.

“Why aren’t you asking anything... about what happened yesterday...?”

“...?”

That was not one of the questions I’d been expecting.

“Yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“Yesterday what...?”

“T-The thing that happened... between me and my older brother.”

“Ah.”

Only then did I realize what she meant.

She was talking about last night, when she’d beaten Poison Dragon like a rat.

What she was really asking was—

How can you not find it strange that I beat Poison Dragon?

Everyone knew Tang Yeran was weaker than Poison Dragon.

That was probably why Poison Dragon, not Poison Blossom, was counted among the Seven.

And yet Tang Yeran had trounced Poison Dragon with ease.

By rights, it was something I should have been looking at like it was strange.

...I already knew.

I’d already heard it from Yoo Cheongil a good while ago.

Other people might be reacting like they were in shock.

“I figured that’s how it would go.”

“...Sorry? You... already knew?”

“Yes.”

Even if it had been forced on me, I did know.

“I don’t know why you’ve been hiding your strength, but I assumed you had your reasons.”

“...”

“And even if you were hiding it, I didn’t think you’d be doing it with any bad intentions. You’re not that kind of person, Young Lady Tang.”

“...Ah...”

“Does that answer your question?”

Tang Yeran stared at me with a blank look for a moment.

Was it really that strange that I hadn’t asked?

Or was the answer I’d rushed together just weird?

Either way, I couldn’t let her refuse, so I opened my mouth to add something else.

“If any problems come up during the repair process, I’ll make sure I—”

“I’ll do it.”

“Huh?”

“The sword... this. The repair. I’ll...”

Strength returned to Tang Yeran’s eyes.

For some reason, those eyes—

“I’ll find a way to make it work.”

Were as fierce and wild as when she’d pummeled Poison Dragon last night. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

And watching her, Poison Sovereign quietly smiled.

Seeing that smile, I had one thought.

...Wow.

That smile really did look scary as hell.