I briefly recalled my appearance standing on the battlefield when my father said I was reliable.

All the countless fights before the regression and the fights after it—all combined, they were still just fights, not a war.

When a war begins, battles that turn an individual’s life into hell happen every day throughout the Central Plains.

The cause, once as red and deep as blood, gradually fades away, and people die without even knowing why they are fighting.

What’s more terrible is that it doesn’t end easily. It could last months, years, even decades. Starting is easy, but ending a war is difficult.

Is what’s gained from countless sacrifices truly peace? Or is it just greater conflict, wounds, and a thirst for revenge?

If I faithfully fulfill the role of vanguard in that war—

The Demon-Slaying Great Lord, Jin Hagun, will die by my sword.

I envision Jin Haryeong crying out in front of his corpse. She would curse me with bitter insults and rush at me with her sword to kill me. In the end, she too will die by my hand.

Bisan is no different. Looking down at the dying man, what words could I say? Where would I discard all the words I said to him?

Just imagining this suffocates me—that is the war of the Martial World Unity. Just from this thought, I already know how I will have to live for the next five years.

“Father, the war will not happen. So I am very curious about what your new dream is.”

About to respond honestly like this, I instead acted like my usual self.

Feigning a pained expression, I exaggerated.

“You’re too much! You conspired with the Demon Lords from the start to trap me, right? Elder Doma laid the groundwork, Master and Mabul gently stirred the pot, and today Father quickly snatched me up. Right? This is the plan set at Tongcheongak, isn’t it?”

At my joke, Father looked toward the entrance of Cheonma Hall.

“Ask the Military Commander yourself.”

At that moment, Commander Sama Myung was entering Cheonma Hall.

His appearance here made it clear there was another reason Father gathered all the Demon Lords today.

Surely, Father wouldn’t call all the Demon Lords just because he wanted to see me.

After showing respect to Father, Sama Myung politely greeted the Demon Lords, who bowed respectfully in return. Sama Myung finally greeted me.

“Little Pill Master, I’m glad you returned safely from the Northern Sea.”

“My greetings are late. Our Commander kept me busy after I fell into the trap he prepared.”

Though unexpected, Sama Myung smiled. He seemed to guess what I meant by that.

“The name of the trap I fell into is Martial World Unity. Without knowing I was trapped, I declared I would become the vanguard.”

Since he knew well about my meetings with the Demon Lords, he quickly guessed what kind of promise this was.

Sama Myung grasped the core of this promise.

“Of course, you set a time limit for becoming the vanguard? How long?”

“Five years.”

“Is the name of this trap ‘Five Years’? From what I see, it seems the Leader himself fell into it.”

He clearly saw through that I had bought myself five years. Just as Father knew but accepted the promise, Sama Myung also guessed my intention.

When Sama Myung finished speaking, I saw a faint smile appear on Father’s lips. He was pleased Sama Myung understood the situation clearly.

Sama Myung also noticed there was a cleverness to the five-year period.

“If it were seven or ten years, I think you wouldn’t have fallen for it. Five years is a perfectly exquisite period you cannot avoid.”

The Demon Lords likely understood what Sama Myung meant.

Suddenly, a message from Chimma arrived.

—So this was all your plan. I worried I made an unreasonable promise without knowing.

—It was an unreasonable promise. You’ll have to work your ass off for the next five years. You need to help me too, brother.

—Please don’t drag me into the Leader’s affairs!

Meanwhile, Sama Myung revealed to everyone why he had appeared here today.

“I gathered several Demon Lords today to report the investigation results directly from this Tongcheongak. After learning about the existence of the hidden enemies, our hall tracked them independently. Our focus was their financial source. To move such powerful people and organizations requires huge funds, and our secret investigation found clues to track the hidden enemies.”

He came here to inform and to request the Demon Lords’ help.

“Considering the strength of the enemies revealed so far, I think the Demon Lords will need to intervene directly.”

Sama Myung must have already decided whom to entrust this matter to.

Before he named the Demon Lords, I stepped forward.

“May I say something first?”

“Please.”

Though Sama Myung waited for an answer, the person I wanted to address was Father.

“I have a request for Father.”

“What is it?”

“Let Father and me handle this matter.”

Everyone was surprised, including Father, Sama Myung, and the Demon Lords. Their expressions seemed to ask if they had heard correctly. Sama Myung even seemed to hope he misheard.

“Just the two of us go out. Father and me, alone.”

We had talked about going to the Central Plains together many times but never actually done so. Now that the opportunity came, I wanted to spend time with Father.

“Five years will pass quickly, won’t it?”

That was what Father said to me earlier. Because of the nature of this promise—to change Father’s mind fairly—he had to give me the chance.

The Demon Lords watched with curious faces, wondering how Father would answer.

“Let’s go out together, finish this quickly, and return.”

Before Father made a decision, Sama Myung stepped forward.

“That’s not possible.”

He had never interrupted conversations with Father like this before, so his firm refusal carried clear determination.

“Do you know what kind of request the Little Pill Master just made?”

His tone was gentle but his gaze was serious.

“I do.”

Sama Myung shook his head.

“No, I don’t think the Little Pill Master knows. If he did, he wouldn’t make such a request.”

“Why not?”

The tension tightened. Everyone felt it. The contest between Father and me changed to one between Sama Myung and me. The curtain on today’s stage was not yet down.

“According to our rules, the Leader and Little Pill Master must not move together except in special cases. Even their meals must be separate.”

It was to prepare against ambush or poisoning. If both died together, the Leader’s absence would cause chaos.

“Are you stopping us because you worry about Father’s safety? Your concern is misplaced. You should worry about the Martial World, not Father.”

Then Sama Myung answered as if waiting for that.

“Exactly. For that very reason. If the Leader moves, this Martial World becomes endangered.”

That was Sama Myung’s concern.

“When the Leader moves, the Martial World tenses and stiffens. The sense of crisis heightens to the extreme, and small incidents can escalate into big problems.”

I tried to persuade Sama Myung kindly.

“We’ll go secretly. Father will be said to have temporarily retired.”

“If found out, the Martial World will be even more shocked.”

The journey to Cheonma was a heavy responsibility.

Sama Myung added a frightening warning.

“If things go wrong, the moment the Little Pill Master must take the lead might come not in five years but in five days.”

Though I understood his concern well.

“That doesn’t mean Father must stay in Cheonma for his entire life.”

Even Sama Myung could not argue with that. He probably understood Father’s frustration better than anyone else at the headquarters.

My gaze turned to Father.

“I respect the dream Father dreams. But that dream is a dream for the world, so I believe you should go out into the world and dream it.”

Father looked at me silently.

I spoke with my eyes.

Father, it’s time for you to go out with me now.

Father would understand what I meant.

Because it was a conversation between Father and me, the Demon Lords didn’t intervene but watched us with their own eyes.

Sama Myung sighed lightly and said.

“I got the name of the trap wrong. It’s not five years but exile.”

It was a joke that the person trapped was himself.

Then Father stepped forward.

“We will discuss this matter again after careful consideration. Let’s end today’s meeting here.”

Father surely already decided, but he did not say it here to preserve the face of the side not chosen.

After saying polite farewells, the Demon Lords and I left Cheonma Hall.

At the entrance, Hyeolcheon Doma spoke to me.

“You really don’t get tired, do you?”

He meant that after promising Father five years, I was causing trouble again with the issue of exile from Cheonma.

“Five years will pass quickly, won’t it? We must move diligently when there is a chance.”

Then Chimma finally spoke the words he had held back.

“No matter how I think about it, I don’t think the Leader’s mind will change in just five years.”

Mabul seemed to think the same.

“Didn’t I say this stage was built by the Leader himself today?”

A glow started shining from his body again.

I looked at Gwunma. He said nothing, but his eyes seemed to say:

‘Isn’t the Leader fighting a war with his son?’

He would think this war began in earnest today.

Behind Gwunma’s large frame appeared the image of Dokwang. If all Demon Lords went to war, he would protect Cheonma Sect. The one Father dislikes but trusts the most.

Also, he was the Demon Lord who understood my intentions first. He was the one who sent me the message about Father being the one who suffered when I pretended to be in trouble.

“This time, definitely catch her. Don’t use the Leader as an excuse.”

He was already confident I could go out with Father.

Seophon, standing beside him, bowed politely to me. It was an expression of apology for changing his mind and choosing Father. I smiled back. You are Father’s Demon Lord and my Demon Lord.

Ilhwageom gave me a word of encouragement.

“If it’s the Little Pill Master, I believe you’ll find a way.”

Besides his support for Father, I felt his words were sincere.

Geugak Soma silently looked up at the sky. I wondered what dream he was having now.

I sighed and lamented.

“I spoke a lot and raised my voice today, but it was truly hard. As you know, who was my opponent? Father. Changing Father’s long-held desire. Will hammering the Cheonma Sword with an iron sword leave a scratch? From now on, I need all of you to help me. Where are Father’s Demon Lords? Where are my Demon Lords? Our ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Demon Lords. Now, since we gathered after a long time, how about a drink together… Huh? Where is everyone going? Elders! Masters! Brothers!”

The Demon Lords were already scattering in the eight directions to their residences.

“No, I’m exhausted! Comfort me a little, make plans too. You really are too much!”

Everyone disappeared without looking back.

Only Hyeolcheon Doma sent a message from afar.

—There’s someone else you need to drink with now, isn’t there?

“Little Pill Master.”

Sama Myung in his office looked as if he expected me.

“It’s just about time to be hungry, isn’t it? You do work late as always.”

He brought plenty of food and drinks from a traditional tavern for me to share with the subordinate soldiers.

“I still have work to do, so I’ll pass on drinking. But I’ll eat well with my subordinates.”

Seeing the piled-up work, I was reminded of the piled work in Gowol’s room. Truly a tiring soldier’s life.

“You probably know why I came. What should we do?”

Sama Myung said nothing for a moment.

I understood him. No, I was thankful. He was protecting Father like this.

“If you’re really worried, I’ll take the Demon Lords with me.”

Then Sama Myung smiled mysteriously and asked.

“Which Demon Lords?”

“First, those who don’t stand out, and who make Father comfortable.”

Because Father needs comfort, Dokwang and Seophon were excluded.

I wanted to go with Geugak Soma, but his white mask was too conspicuous. Mabul was the same in that regard.

Chimma recently went out on exile and came back. Even if not, if I asked to go with Father, he would probably jump into the lake in front of Chimongru.

Actually, the person Father feels most comfortable with is Gwunma, but his size and appearance would draw attention wherever he goes. Even if he hides his face, how could he hide those huge fists?

Hyeolcheon Doma would also attract attention just by carrying that huge Myeolcheon Great Sword. Ilhwageom was the least conspicuous, but now she was heading toward the pinnacle of swordsmanship and would not want to go on exile.

“...There’s no one to go with us. There are eight of them, but none suitable.”

Sama Myung smiled at me, apparently knowing what I was thinking.

“That’s because our Father is so difficult. You’ve done a lot supporting him.”

“You don’t have to work so hard.”

An astonishing fact slipped out of him.

“The Leader already made the decision to go out with the Little Pill Master.”

“Did you tell the Commander?”

“Not yet.”

But the reason for his confidence was probably because he had been with Father for a long time.

“You’ll probably hear from him within a few days, so rest well in the meantime. You haven’t even recovered from your fatigue from returning from the Northern Sea and meeting the Demon Lords.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

If Father moves, everything will be handled secretly—both leaving and returning.

“Are you happy to go out with the Leader?”

“My heart is already pounding.”

“I may oppose it to the end, but do you know why I changed my mind?”

“What is it?”

“Because of what he said. That he would show the Leader a different scenery.”

Who wouldn’t feel sorry for Father, locked up by the name Cheonma? That must have moved Sama Myung’s heart.

“Enjoy that scenery well with the Leader. I’ll guard the house well.”

He wasn’t worried at all about the enemies behind the scenes. After all, Father is going himself; why worry about enemies?

“Thanks to you, Commander, I could sleep soundly without worries.”

Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly asked him.

“What about your scenery?”

Though sudden, he immediately understood what I meant.

“I like the view from this desk very much. So don’t worry about me.”

After replying to his devoted heart with a clear and deep gaze, I left his office.

I hope that if someday he wants to find his own scenery, it won’t be too late.