Mabul opened his eyes.

Startled, he sprang up, but he was still inside the world of the Space-Time Illusion Technique, and beside him, Geom Mugeuk was asleep.

‘Did I fall asleep?’

He had thought Geom Mugeuk was pretending when he saw him sleeping on the rock.

Since becoming a Majon, no, even long before becoming one, he had never fallen asleep so defenselessly like this. This was the first time.

Mabul silently looked down at Geom Mugeuk.

He was sleeping with a peaceful face.

‘Now I understand.’

No more words were needed. He could see why the other Majons had given their hearts to the Crown Prince. How could anyone refuse when a person like this asks to be their Majon?

Feeling Mabul’s presence, Geom Mugeuk also woke up.

“Did I wake you up for no reason?”

“No. I slept deeply for a while.”

“Then let’s leave.”

“Agreed.”

Before leaving, Mabul looked back at the cave behind them.

“I don’t think I’ll ever miss this cave again.”

The Mabul who had hidden there as a child had now come out of that cave. Suddenly, he thought maybe it was time for the adult he had become to leave the cave behind.

“Then I’ll release the Space-Time Illusion Technique.”

As the illusion vanished, the two stood again by the stream in Cheondok Forest.

“Let’s go back now.”

“Already?”

“Already?”

“I want to play more.”

“What’s fun about playing with an old man like me?”

“It’s fun. And we have to get a drink.”

“A drink?”

“We have to get drinks from Duke Dok, who used us as gatherers.”

They had promised the one who found the Chilsaengcho first would buy drinks.

“Today? Right now?”

“Can you come here next time to talk? Hey, Duke Dok, didn’t the loser of the last bet buy drinks? How can you make such a demand?”

Of course, such a thing wouldn’t happen. Even if they met by chance, no one would mention it. In fact, if Geom Mugeuk hadn’t said it, they probably would have forgotten about it.

“If we wait until tomorrow, we won’t be able to punish Duke Dok.”

“Are you really going all the way?”

“How can you give up so soon? We’ve played a lot, but it was only half a day. Not to compare, but other Majons have been expelled for tens of days. You know that, right?”

“That’s a fair comparison.”

“Come on, let’s go. You’re not so old that you’d get tired of playing yet!”

Reluctantly dragged along, Mabul’s steps toward Duke Dok’s place were quick and lively.

Jo Chunbae, owner of the Pungnyu Tavern, spoke politely to the young man entering.

“We’re not taking any more customers today. Sorry.”

He dared not speak recklessly just because the young man was young. The younger they were, the more cautious he had to be. From a business perspective, careless reckless swords were the most dangerous.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk stood on the tavern’s second-floor railing and looked down.

“I should say goodbye to the owner.”

He had come here about half a day earlier with Mabul.

“Leaving already?”

“No, it’s just that I don’t think I’ll see the owner again.”

“What do you mean?”

Puzzled, Jo Chunbae heard Geom Mugeuk say grimly,

“I just told Duke Dok not to sell him alcohol and to go home.”

Jo Chunbae’s gaze shifted to the young man and was soon shocked.

“Oh my! I didn’t recognize you. Sorry!”

As Jo Chunbae bowed deeply, Duke Dok stopped him.

“No need to make a fuss.”

Then Geom Mugeuk said,

“The fuss is inevitable. I bet our owner fears Duke Dok the most among all Majons.”

When Duke Dok looked at Jo Chunbae, he dared not meet his eyes and bowed his head.

“Am I really the scariest?”

“I used to be, but you’re so young and handsome I’m surprised. You’re the most handsome man in the Central Plains.”

Watching silently, Geom Mugeuk didn’t let it pass.

“What about me, owner?”

“You, Master Lee, are the most handsome man of all time.”

Duke Dok asked coldly,

“So you’re saying I’m not the best?”

“Oh no, that’s not what I meant…”

Flustered, Duke Dok left and went upstairs.

Jo Chunbae looked up at Geom Mugeuk on the second floor with a grateful expression.

‘Thanks to Master Lee, even Duke Dok joined us. Now I have no regrets.’

Geom Mugeuk smiled and said with his eyes,

‘We don’t know yet. No one knows who else will come.’

Thus, Duke Dok joined them upstairs.

“I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“Why wouldn’t I, when I left this?”

The letter he pulled out was written by Geom Mugeuk. When he had gone with Mabul to Duke Dok’s place, Duke Dok had fled through the back door. So Geom Mugeuk left a letter with a merchant, and Duke Dok read it.

“If you don’t buy us drinks, we’ll storm Duke Dok’s place. Of course, with Mabul, Investigator Seo, Ian, the Majon Lord, and Cheon Sohee.”

Duke Dok frowned.

“How could I not come after this?”

If Duke Dok had written that he would spread rumors about not keeping a bet, he wouldn’t have come. He didn’t care what others thought.

But if many people gathered, drank, and made noise in Cheondok Forest? That was something Duke Dok could never tolerate.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he came. He took the letter again as a call for help from Geom Mugeuk. It was an extension of “Please play with us today.”

“Sorry. I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t want to play with Duke Dok so badly.”

“You’ve played your fill, haven’t you?”

“You need to play for seven days and nights before you can say you really had fun. I’m ready to stay up all night.”

Duke Dok waved his hand, saying he couldn’t because he’d feel terrible in the morning if he slept past midnight.

“The youngest one here is making a fuss!”

“Try being my age!”

Mabul felt uncomfortable again with Duke Dok’s presence, but on the other hand, was a little glad. He knew Duke Dok didn’t come just because of the letter. It meant Duke Dok’s relationship with Geom Mugeuk was that deep.

He could understand bonding over drunkenness. But to be so close to Duke Dok, who lived in his own isolated world, was unbelievable. Duke Dok was a difficult and uncomfortable man to Mabul.

“Well, let’s have a drink.”

The three toasted and drank. It was the first time Mabul drank with them.

Seeing Mabul empty his cup so refreshingly, Geom Mugeuk asked,

“Isn’t it a rule that Duke Dok never eats at gatherings like this?”

“That’s true.”

“But he’s eating comfortably.”

“If Duke Dok intends to poison, does it matter whether he eats or not?”

Duke Dok smiled faintly as if to say, “That’s true.”

That was why Duke Dok was scary. If he intended to poison, not even Majons could stop him.

Duke Dok sent a message to Geom Mugeuk.

―You came out quite late. What were you two doing?

―We dipped our feet in the stream and rested.

―Mabul too?

―Yes.

―Can’t imagine that.

No one would believe that they fell asleep side by side.

We had another drink. Eating delicious food with the good liquor Jo Chunbae saved lifted our spirits.

“This is why I come to Pungnyu Tavern.”

When Jo Chunbae brought new dishes, Geom Mugeuk said to Mabul,

“Leave a mark or some writing on that wall to show you were here.”

“Why?”

“Most Majons have come here, even my father once did. From now on, I want each person to leave their mark when they visit. Sounds good, right? You’ll be the first!”

At the word “first,” Mabul’s heart stirred. If everyone would become an enemy anyway, better to be the first — a pointless but competitive urge flared.

“Then, let me…”

At that moment, a sound came from behind.

Ssshhk ssshhk ssshhk.

Geom Mugeuk and Mabul turned around.

Duke Dok was already writing something on the wall with chopsticks.

A single line written in elegant calligraphy:

Duke Dok was here.

Duke Dok said to Geom Mugeuk,

“This is how you want it?”

“Yes, but I was just telling Mabul he’d get the first chance.”

“Really? Didn’t hear that.”

Geom Mugeuk believed Duke Dok had already lost himself in his own world and hadn’t heard the conversation, but Mabul took it as a challenge.

Mabul’s body glowed golden and a seal appeared on his hand.

Flash!

A trace of Golden Great Dragon Martial Art was left on the wall. A golden dragon opened its °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° mouth, as if about to devour Duke Dok’s writing.

It was Mabul’s timid revenge for losing first place and a supreme martial arts manifestation that left only a mark without breaking the wall.

“Waaah!”

People who were in the tavern climbed up and admired what was left on the wall.

Duke Dok’s writing and Mabul’s martial art mark fit together so well, as if intentionally matched. Could anyone watching imagine that the dragon was trying to swallow the writing?

Amid the cheers, Mabul sat down as if nothing had happened, but his face was full of pride.

Duke Dok sent a message to Geom Mugeuk.

―Getting upset over something like this. Kids.

―Who was the one who couldn’t wait and wrote first? You two be friends!

―No way, that guy is a pain!

When Geom Mugeuk looked back, Jo Chunbae was laughing so hard his mouth was stretched wide.

We drank again, freely. No one pressured anyone, no one forced conversation. If silence fell, so be it; if random chatter happened, so be it. We drank comfortably.

While drinking, Geom Mugeuk looked down outside through the second-floor window. It wasn’t too late at night, so many people still passed by.

While spacing out and watching people, he saw Duke Dok mingle with the crowd and disappear. Without saying goodbye, he paid and left.

Then Mabul asked from behind,

“How do you trust him? That he won’t change his mind when he becomes Cheonma?”

When told to let go and just relax drinking, Geom Mugeuk didn’t turn but answered,

“I don’t know.”

These people find resting so difficult.

When Mabul returned to his place, someone was waiting in the yard. It was Geom Muyang.

“Master Gongja!”

Mabul was drunk, holding a bottle of alcohol.

“Did you have a drink?”

“Yes, I had a drink after a long time.”

“Please give me some.”

“Very well. I’ll bring a cup.”

“No, just give me some.”

Both were strange at that moment.

Mabul wasn’t the type to bring drinks, and Geom Muyang didn’t drink straight from the bottle.

“I met the Crown Prince and Duke Dok today. I drank with them and am on my way back.”

“I see.”

Their gazes naturally drifted toward the night sky as they took sips.

Mabul thought he had looked up at the sky a lot today. During the day with Geom Mugeuk, now at night with Geom Muyang.

Geom Muyang glanced at Mabul. His flushed cheeks mixed with a golden hue gave him a unique glow. Not just the color difference. Mabul was different today.

Knowing where that came from, Geom Muyang’s heart grew heavy. He wished that, even if everyone left, Mabul would stay by his side. Though he didn’t show it, he had been worried.

To be honest, he had once hoped someone like Hyeol Cheon Doma or another Majon would become his right hand. That was before he realized Mabul cared so much for him.

“Duke Dok seems to have completely turned to the Crown Prince’s side.”

Mabul said honestly.

Now he had to make him face reality. “It will go well. I will try harder.” Those words would only push Geom Muyang closer to the edge.

Now it was time to walk away from the cliff’s edge together.

“I think we’ve come this far, Crown Prince.”

But no words came. He couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Mabul looked at Geom Muyang.

Despite hearing that Duke Dok had turned, Geom Muyang remained calm. In the past, he might have pretended to be fine then suddenly said something cold or blamed Mabul. He would have reacted sharply.

But Geom Muyang was calm as if he expected this.

“One Possessor remains.”

Mabul was grateful he said “one Possessor,” not “one with Mabul.”

At least he believed he was excluded and would remain unchanged.

It was clear Geom Muyang had grown through this process. He had endured, again and again. He must have been tormented by the desire to kill Geom Mugeuk several times a day. He must have been tempted to use every means possible just to kill him first.

And he endured it well. Whether because he was careful of the Crown Prince, or because of his relationship with Geom Mugeuk, or because he wasn’t originally such a vicious person — whatever the reason, he held himself back.

So really, Mabul wanted to say this:

“Let’s see it through! I’ll play the role of a hundred men.”

But he didn’t. That would have been to deceive the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince is an opponent who cannot be defeated.

Did Geom Muyang read the resignation in his eyes?

Getting drunk and drunk on the moonlight made him understand.

Why he stayed until the end. It wasn’t because Geom Mugeuk approached him last. Even if he had approached first, the result would have been the same.

Though his parents hadn’t protected him, he wanted to protect the Crown Prince to the end. That heart made the Crown Prince both his child and himself.

Even if the Crown Prince failed to become heir, he would never leave his side.

“What kind of person is Mugeuk in your eyes, Majon? Be honest.”

After a pause, Mabul answered,

“I don’t really know what kind of person he is.”

With that answer, Geom Muyang was certain. Even Mabul had been shaken by Geom Mugeuk. Just seeing that Mabul brought alcohol was enough to know. A bottle of alcohol in Mabul’s hand? He’d never seen that before.

“In not knowing what kind of person he is, Mugeuk resembles my father more than me.”

Geom Muyang smiled at Mabul, bowed slightly, then turned away.

Mabul called after him as he walked off.

“Crown Prince!”

“Why?”

“You resemble the leader.”

“Do I?”

“Yes, definitely.”

Geom Muyang, walking slowly, looked back.

Mabul drank from the bottle, staring up at the night sky. He kept drinking without pause.

Geom Muyang realized it was time to make a decision.