Chima’s face flushed red.

Whether it was from the alcohol, the sunset, or the shame he’d buried for so many years, I couldn’t tell.

“I guess we need to drink more.”

I was about to stand but sat back down.

I knew why Blood Heaven Butcher and Ilhwa Sword Immortal’s relationship had soured. They once liked each other as man and woman but parted on bad terms. What I didn’t expect was that Chima was involved in that breakup.

“Back then, I used to drink and talk occasionally with the Sword Immortal. One day, he asked me if I knew what kind of person Butcher was. I asked why, and he said Butcher had drawn a picture for him. Curious, I wanted to see it. The painting was a portrait of the Sword Immortal—drawn more beautifully than reality. The moment I saw it, I knew—ah, Butcher likes the Sword Immortal. I sensed it immediately.”

That was in their youth. Blood Heaven Butcher drawing a woman’s portrait! It was hard to imagine.

“As expected, after that, Butcher began showing more affection toward the Sword Immortal—inviting her to tea, going for walks. The Sword Immortal told me everything about their meetings. Do you know how I felt then?”

“Bad?”

“Very bad.”

“Did you like the Sword Immortal too, Chima-nim?”

“Not at first. But when Butcher liked her, I got nervous. Until then, I thought the Sword Immortal liked the sect leader. So I thought no one would accept me. But that wasn’t true. The sect leader was someone I respected purely.”

I poured more liquor into Chima’s cup. He stared blankly at it, recalling the past.

“One day, while drinking, I subtly showed the Sword Immortal that I liked her. But…”

Chima trailed off. I sighed and spoke for him.

“She rejected you.”

Chima nodded slowly.

“She said her heart belonged to Butcher.”

Suddenly, Chima shouted,

“Does that make sense? That scrawny, ugly Butcher, who was even much older than us! I was so frustrated I couldn’t sleep. I was angry at myself for not confessing more carefully, and even angrier that she saw me flustered at the moment of rejection.”

Chima spoke honestly about everything.

“This thought tormented me. I didn’t really like the Sword Immortal that much, but when Butcher said he liked her, my jealousy kicked in, and I confessed. What an idiot making excuses after rejection! I couldn’t sleep for days.”

Thinking of the sly Chima now, it was hard to imagine such purity.

“Wasn’t that the age of foolish beasts led by instinct?”

“You weren’t like that?”

Neither was I.

“Damn! Just thinking about it makes me want to die from shame and irritation!”

Chima jumped up and paced the pavilion. Then he leaned on the railing and looked at the now-dark lake.

“From that day, my heart twisted. I didn’t show it outwardly, but I wanted to separate the two at all costs. But as time passed, the Sword Immortal’s affection for Butcher only grew. Then one day…”

Chima lit a lantern hanging on a pillar. He alternated between anger, speaking, pacing, and lighting the lamp. His conflicted feelings came through his actions. The lantern brightened the surroundings.

“Walking down the corridor, I heard Butcher’s voice. He was drinking with Namdojong warriors. They were talking about the Sword Immortal—asking how much he liked her, if they kissed, slept together. Typical talk among friends, but I was furious. Those bastards!”

Chima emptied his cup. I drank along with him. Maybe due to the mood, the alcohol didn’t intoxicate me. I felt like I was standing in that corridor with young Chima.

“I should’ve burst in and turned the place upside down. Damn bastards! Shut up!”

“Why didn’t you?”

“I thought if I broke that door, my life would be over.”

Now we know better. It would have changed nothing. It would just be remembered as a day of fights and ruckus.

“The next day, I told the Sword Immortal about what happened yesterday. Actually, that I met Butcher in the corridor. That alone would’ve made her upset, but I lied and said things she didn’t say. I said Butcher was gossiping, acting like he kissed you. I still vividly remember my heart pounding like crazy while saying such dirty things. Me, doing such a petty thing? I blamed myself, but my lips said, ‘Men always brag in front of gisaeng.’ I didn’t even know if there was a gisaeng in the room that day.”

Creak.

The railing of the pavilion cracked in Chima’s hand. His drunken eyes showed anger and regret. Now I finally understood where that hollow look came from.

“After some time, the Sword Immortal told me she had a big fight with Butcher and broke up. After that, they fought every time they met.”

“Did you keep sowing discord after that?”

Chima shook his head.

“No need. Once the relationship twisted, it spiraled out of control. Lately, I’ve been enjoying insulting Butcher with the Sword Immortal over drinks.”

“Have you thought about apologizing to them?”

“I did.”

“Then why not?”

“If it had been for some great reason, maybe I’d have apologized. But jealousy? I couldn’t bring myself to say that. Or maybe I still wish they don’t get along.”

Chima looked at me and added,

“I’m such a petty, cowardly bastard.”

“I know.”

“What?”

“Did you think I considered you a righteous and honest person? You’re sly and nasty…”

“Enough!”

Hearing himself insulted made him boil over.

“What did I do so wrong? If a few words make them break up, they were doomed anyway. True, I went to the corridor, and true, I brought up the Sword Immortal. Who told me to? Who told me to meet there? Damn it!”

I realized that it wasn’t just the Sword Immortal and Butcher who fought fiercely over the years. Maybe Chima fought hardest.

“True. If they truly loved each other, they wouldn’t have wavered so much. They would have parted for other reasons.”

“Right? Isn’t that so?”

When I sided with him, Chima came beside me grinning. Then suddenly sighed.

“When they broke up, I wasn’t happy at all.”

It was time to ask why.

“Why are you telling ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) me this?”

“You keep asking, don’t you? Why I approached you. Recently, the Sword Immortal said you want to have Butcher and herself as your left and right wings.”

“Did you come to cut their wings? Or to help them fly together?”

Chima shook his head.

“I don’t know either. I just saw Butcher and the Sword Immortal hanging out with you at the center and thought I should jump in too. I never thought I’d say things like this.”

“Do you feel relieved now that you’ve said it all?”

“I’m already regretting it. Why the hell did I confess such a pathetic thing myself? I was bewitched. Half-pure feelings and all that nonsense.”

He flopped down on the floor and stared blankly at the pavilion ceiling.

“You’ll keep thinking about this every time you see me.”

“I probably will. Ugh, my pitiful brother.”

Chima laughed, a small laugh growing bigger. After a hearty laugh, he asked,

“Will you tell the truth to the two of them?”

I shook my head.

“That’s not for me to decide.”

“I never intend to reveal it to them.”

“Do as you wish.”

“Really?”

“Do.”

Chima jumped up and stared at me.

“Don’t you want them to reconcile?”

“Do you think they’d be happier knowing the truth?”

“!”

“Putting aside hatred for you, they would only regret that their love failed for such reasons. It would be an unfixable sorrow. And then suddenly starting a new love? Could that happen? Eventually, all three would be unhappier than now.”

I think the truth must stay buried forever. Blood Heaven Butcher might get angry and try to kill Chima. Even if he kills Chima, he would pay a price. And what about the Sword Immortal’s heart? After all, this happened because Chima liked her.

“Consider that you’ve used your one chance to reveal the truth right now.”

Whether I told them or not makes a big difference. The past, like a ghost haunting, isn’t something one can face alone.

“If you let go of the obsession to reveal the truth, maybe you can help them reconcile better. Start trying to get closer to Blood Heaven Butcher now, praise him instead of gossiping when drinking with the Sword Immortal. Maybe then an unexpected chance to bring them together will come. Please, give them wings.”

“You should be the older brother.”

“No thanks. Our pitiful brother, teasing is only fun if you’re the older one.”

Chima’s expression relaxed. Having said everything, he looked relieved.

“Just keep one promise.”

“What?”

“Drink less and eat snacks. Since it’s come to this, we should keep our pitiful brother alive longer.”

I don’t know if today will be the turning point for Chima’s fate. Even if he ends up dying from alcohol, or lives another life.

Maybe fate will change and he’ll die sooner. But that’s fine. Any death is better than Chima’s final days dying from drinking.

“Brother, one last drink. I can’t drink anymore. And… thank you for being honest.”

His expression looking at me was one I had never seen before. Can we keep this look for each other until the end?

“Brother… thank you.”

Chima toasted my cup.

The next day, Father summoned me.

Entering the Heavenly Demon Hall, I felt the atmosphere was different than usual.

Grand Commander Sama Myung was there, and so was my brother Geommuyang.

After greeting Father and Sama Myung, Geommuyang said to me,

“The smell of alcohol is overwhelming. At a meeting with Father, too?”

“I drank too much yesterday. With the person who likes alcohol the most in the sect.”

I deliberately mentioned Chima. Geommuyang tried to act calm.

“I heard you’ve been hanging out with Chima a lot lately. Don’t drink too much.”

Geommuyang was probably displeased. He probably hoped Chima caused problems for me, but we looked like we were just having fun.

Still, Geommuyang was trying hard not to show his feelings. Clearly, the brother before Father was a different person.

“Shouldn’t you be more careful?”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard you’ve been hanging out with the Poison King? You’re alcohol, but he’s poison. Be careful, brother.”

Even in front of Father, a tense standoff unfolded. I didn’t hide anything—neither from Father nor my brother.

As with Chima, hidden feelings eventually cause problems. Fighting openly, having tense standoffs—that’s the right way to save my brother. If you show anger outwardly, they curse; if you hide it inside, they send assassins.

Father watched our conversation with unreadable eyes, then nodded at Sama Myung and gave a signal.

Sama Myung stepped forward and said,

“Today, each of you will receive a different mission.”

He held two red envelopes in his hands.

It had finally come. The serious test to determine the successor had begun.

“To be fair, choose the one you like.”

My heart surged the moment I saw those envelopes.

Before the regression, I remembered today. The two missions given to us.

My brother succeeded; I failed.

Just like before, he let me choose first.

“Choose first. Don’t regret picking the wrong one later.”

“That won’t happen.”

I slowly reached out and picked one of the two envelopes.