“So even if this martial world becomes a sea of blood, I will follow the Master’s Madou.”

I could feel Kwonma speaking from the depths of his heart.

Yes, this was Kwonma.

His loyalty could not be swayed by persuasion or appeasement. No threats worked on him, nor could any relationship pierce through.

Once he gave his loyalty, he was committed to the end.

Of course, I didn’t think those words expressed Kwonma’s true feelings.

How could he want to turn the martial world into a bloodbath and kill people?

If anyone harbored such a desire, it might be the Cruel Little Demon hidden within the blood—but I knew well Kwonma was not that person.

Suddenly, an image of the Cruel Little Demon standing side by side with Kwonma surfaced in my mind. They faced each other.

Both showed wills opposing their own desires.

Loyalty to me.

Loyalty to Father.

Had fate linked them differently, they would have said opposite things. Did they lack backbone? No! They were men hot enough to suppress their own desires for those they loyally served.

That made me grateful anew to the Cruel Little Demon. From Kwonma’s appearance, I again felt how much strength he was lending me.

And I was grateful to Kwonma too.

Because he protected Father with such loyalty.

“I understand, Master.”

I answered respectfully. There was no need to argue what was right or wrong.

Father, Kwonma, and I—

All had hopes and values forged over many years.

And the words he had said.

“I respect your Madou.”

That was enough.

“Thank you, Master.”

Perhaps because I stepped back sincerely, he suddenly spoke while quietly watching me.

“Do you think the Master is preparing for war?”

That question made me flinch. It felt like a big event was about to follow.

“Then is it not so?”

Then from Kwonma’s mouth came the most startling words I had heard today.

“The Master has already begun the war.”

“!”

I looked at Kwonma in shock, but he left those words behind and strode away.

Watching his broad back, I felt my heart race.

Father’s war had already begun?

Geom Mugeuk left Dongkwon Gate and headed toward Maga Village.

He was craving alcohol and wanted to see Jo Chunbae.

“Little Pill Master!”

Truly, Jo Chunbae’s welcome was as warm as any Demon Lord’s.

“Master, how have you been?”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been well.”

The customers drinking on the first floor of the tavern all stood and greeted Geom Mugeuk.

The people of Maga Village liked Geom Mugeuk. He had created a branch of Hwangcheongak here and there in the marketplace and often frequented the Pungnyu Tavern, making this village safer than any other martial arts town.

No one would believe it. The number of crimes and abuses by martial artists in front of the Cheonma Sect headquarters here was fewer than in front of the Martial Alliance headquarters.

Geom Mugeuk sat in his usual seat on this floor. Jo Chunbae brought some drinks and simple side dishes.

“How’s business lately? Lots of customers?”

After the tripartite talks, the Pungnyu Tavern became the most famous tavern in the martial world.

It became famous just for hosting the talks, but rumors that the Cheonma, the Martial Alliance Lord, and the Apostle Alliance Lord left inscriptions there made it even more famous.

So I expected the tavern to be packed with customers.

“Sometimes guests come to look at the wall, but it doesn’t interfere with business.”

Apparently, the martial artists’ unquenchable curiosity couldn’t overcome the tall wall in front of the Cheonma Sect headquarters.

Neither orthodox nor heterodox martial artists came at all, and most of the occasional visitors were demons or their families.

Well, the inscriptions were so grand that it might have made people uneasy.

Imagine coming to look only to have a demon sitting and watching suddenly stand up shouting, “How dare you look at me with such disrespectful eyes? I’ll gouge your eyes out!” Who wouldn’t be afraid?

“Maybe someday they’ll line up.”

Once the inscription writers are all dead, this place will become a landmark—like how paintings become masterpieces only after the painter dies.

“I won’t be here by then.”

Jo Chunbae sighed, but his face was bright. He proudly boasted daily to drunkards about the inscriptions and the talks. He felt younger and rejuvenated because of the wall.

Jo Chunbae went down to prepare food, and Geom Mugeuk drank alone.

His gaze naturally went toward the inscriptions on the wall.

“Martial Alliance Lord Jin Paecheon, seeing a new Madou here.”

I remembered how the Lord looked when he left that inscription. Below it was another inscription.

“Apostle Alliance Lord Baek Jagang, watching his disciple’s dance at the Pungnyu Tavern.”

I remembered Baek Jagang.

The moment dancing with him that day came to mind.

But if war breaks out, that day will become a cunning scheme of the Demon Sect. They will think the tripartite talks were held to reassure themselves.

Then the words Kwonma said in my mind came back.

—The Master has already begun the war.

Who did he mean the war was started against? The orthodox or the heterodox? Or the hidden faction this time?

Both are possible. One is Father’s dream; the other touched Father’s pride.

If such movements were underway, Gowol would have noticed.

Does that mean they are moving so stealthily that even Gowol’s eyes are deceived? If not, who is the target?

This is a question I can’t ask Father. Kwonma specially told me.

While lost in thought, drinking a few cups, Jo Chunbae brought some side dishes.

“Master, please accept my drink after a long time.”

“Ah, I gladly accept this precious drink.”

Jo Chunbae showed a humble expression and took Geom Mugeuk’s drink.

One of Jo Chunbae’s strengths was not acting carelessly even with friends. He knew that mistakes happen when people get careless with friends—slips caused by clumsy jokes born from familiarity.

Knowing this, he always behaved consistently. Even if he took a drink at the moment of death, he would be embarrassed to accept it. That’s why I wanted to treat him better.

“Tasting the drink from the Little Pill Master after a long time makes it taste better.”

“Give me a drink too.”

Jo Chunbae carefully filled Geom Mugeuk’s cup and asked gently.

“Do you have worries?”

“You look worried?”

Jo Chunbae nodded slightly. After all, he’d been a bartender for years. Just as we know skills by the stance of soldiers holding weapons, he could tell the emotional state from how one held a cup.

“I have many worries opposing Father.”

At that, Jo Chunbae let out a soft exclamation.

“I shouldn’t have asked.”

“I didn’t hear anything.”

Shaking his head and waving his hands, I poured him another drink.

“But I still believe our master is on my side.”

Jo Chunbae sighed again and took the drink. Becoming close to Geom Mugeuk, he had even experienced siding against the Cheonma.

Usually, he would have one drink and leave, but today he took another.

“Do you remember that day?”

“What do you mean?”

“When those noble people left the inscriptions on the wall, I was very worried.”

What if the wall was damaged? What if someone stole it? I couldn’t sleep from the worry.

“Thanks to your advice, Master, I can rest easy.”

When Jo Chunbae was anxious, Geom Mugeuk gave this counsel.

—If someday someone defaces and disappears with this wall for some reason, that too will become a moment in history. Maybe an even more interesting history.

That helped Jo Chunbae a lot. Without that, he might have collapsed from nervous breakdown.

Making people anxious or comforting them does not always require grand things.

Just a casually dropped word can keep someone awake all night. That word lingers as a wound in the heart and torments.

I learned the opposite is true as well.

It’s better if the wall disappears!

Surprisingly, that phrase won the battle over anxiety. Since humans are hurt by words, they can also be healed by words.

“That phrase erased my worries like a lie. Sometimes I even wonder if someone will steal the wall on purpose.”

That was what Jo Chunbae wanted to say.

“The worries I had didn’t come true. So don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine, Little Pill Master.”

He added his own style.

“Please wait a moment. I will prepare a special dish for you!”

Watching him go down to the first floor, Geom Mugeuk felt comforted.

The Pungnyu Tavern brought a sense of relief. Jo Chunbae gave that feeling. That was why this place was also a world inside a time-space illusion.

While drinking, someone entered the tavern.

Carrying a large sword on his back, the person who came upstairs was Seo Daeryong.

“Strangely, I thought you’d be here.”

“What are you doing at this hour? Evening training?”

“I decided to rest today.”

“Because of me?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I wondered if Seo Daeryong had heard about this from Hyeolchundo-ma, but he hadn’t.

“The Master said he was going to Daechunsan and told me to rest today.”

“Why Daechunsan?”

“He didn’t say why.”

Seo Daeryong added playfully.

“You, who know everything about the universe, must know.”

“Of course I know.”

Though said jokingly, when I said I knew, Seo Daeryong’s eyes widened.

“You know? Why did he go to Daechunsan?”

“To clear his troubled mind.”

From the top of Daechunsan, the night sky full of stars was magnificent. He was probably there organizing his thoughts about Father and me.

“Why troubled?”

“Because I troubled him.”

The Little Pill Master and Master. With two closest people involved, Seo Daeryong naturally became cautious.

“What’s going on?”

“Yes, since you are my right hand, you should know.”

Geom Mugeuk explained the situation to Seo Daeryong. After hearing, Seo Daeryong clenched his eyes and said.

“I wish I had the right to choose too.”

“Then it wouldn’t be one versus one, but one versus three.”

“You’re very perceptive.”

Though he said so, Seo Daeryong clearly understood.

If such a situation came, he would support the Little Pill Master. Even knowing defying the Master meant risking his life, he would back Geom ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Mugeuk.

He felt relief more than surprise.

Geom Mugeuk’s relationship with the Demon Lords was equal, but his was different.

Geom Mugeuk had made a mere investigator the Hwangcheongak Master and made Hyeolchundo-ma’s disciple. No, beyond all that, he led the gloomy, discontented himself into a world of light.

This Geom Mugeuk.

This Geom Mugeuk.

“No matter what, I cannot betray the Master.”

He felt relieved that he wouldn’t say such a cowardly thing.

“This is such an important matter that we must have a secret vote!”

He was proud of himself for being able to joke like that without hesitation.

“So, who will you visit now?”

The remaining Demon Lords were Ilhwa Sword Lord, Mabool, Seophon Demon Lord, and Dokwang. Seo Daeryong could not tell who would side with the Little Pill Master.

“You tried to destroy the cliff but it didn’t budge.”

Geom Mugeuk sipped his drink.

“Maybe I should climb the cliff and pick some poisonous herbs?”

There are many ways to make someone your ally. Persuade them with reasonable words, move them emotionally, force them with power, or negotiate by giving and taking.

And now, I was going to meet someone on whom none of those methods worked easily.

When I arrived at Cheondok Forest, instead of the usual Sangseon, another poison person greeted me.

“Little Pill Master, Sangseon entrusted me to guide you. Please come.”

Following him through Cheondok Forest, poisonous snakes flicked their tongues on branches, and strange sounds of poisonous insects crackled in piles of leaves.

‘It’s been a long time here too.’

I asked the guide.

“Does Mabool still come often these days?”

“Yes, he comes often to pick herbs.”

Dokwang and Mabool. Despite their appearance and personality, the friendship born from us three picking herbs together had continued.

Among Dokwang and Mabool, Mabool was the easier to predict.

He was his older brother’s man from beginning to end. Above all, his brother’s opinion influenced him, and unfortunately, his brother would never oppose Father. Mabool was likely to follow Father as well.

Even if not his brother, Mabool was ambitious for power. If he was for war, then for war; if for peace, then peace was not his choice.

Then I must at least make Dokwang my ally.

After a long walk, we arrived at Dokwang’s place. Sangseon stood before the door.

‘Why send subordinates while he is here doing nothing?’

The question was quickly answered.

“You will have to wait a moment.”

“Is Dokwang making an important poison now?”

“No.”

From Sangseon came an unexpected answer.

“The Master is here now.”