The furrowed brow from Cheonma's words didn't relax.

Sssss.

The flowing stream trickled gently into the pond in front, and the sunset sky radiated the same color as before.

Chirp. Chirp, chirp.

The sound of birds, natural yet artificial, echoed in my ears.

After a long silence, I finally spoke.

“...You say she’s your sister.”

Yarang. No, the Divine Sword is Cheonma’s sister.

This didn’t mean much, really.

It was quite simple.

They were twins.

Though they might not be, the fact that they looked exactly the same could leave only one conclusion.

Twins.

It meant that Cheonma and Wi Seol-ah were twins.

I bit my lip as I thought about it.

‘...I had a feeling.’

How could I not? Since the moment I figured out Cheonma’s hidden face.

From the moment I realized that the woman I was trying so hard to protect was inside that face.

It was something I had already considered.

How could I not know? It was ridiculous that two identical faces existed. That these people existed.

‘Of all people, it’s Cheonma and the Divine Sword?’

These were people who could be called mortal enemies.

One was a disaster for Zhongyuan, and the other was a hero who saved the world from that disaster.

Their relationship was as far apart as night and day.

‘How?’

How could this be?

It was something no one had shown.

‘Cheonma, I can understand.’

But did the Divine Sword know? Others had said that Cheonma’s face wasn’t properly recognized, and because of that, the Divine Sword didn’t realize they looked identical.

‘Did the Divine Sword also know?’

Even though Cheonma knew now, did Cheonma not know back then?

If Cheonma’s words were true, I thought the Divine Sword might not have known.

‘Then...’

If the Divine Sword really is Cheonma’s twin sister,

‘Does that mean she is also the daughter of the Blood Demon?’

The Emperor.

Or the Blood Demon.

The one who spoke of creating paradise in Zhongyuan for some unknown purpose.

He had called Cheonma his daughter. So, if that's the case...

‘Then Wi Seol-ah is also his daughter.’

How could this be?

The Blood Demon had long been sealed away. Though now hidden in the body of  Dokgo Jun, it wasn’t the real body.

‘But still...’

It wasn’t the actual body.

Didn’t Huang Abulyeong say it?

‘The Blood Demon’s body and aura were separated, and even the senses were erased.’

How that was achieved, I didn’t know, but if what Abulyeong said was true, it made no sense for Cheonma and Wi Seol-ah to be the daughters of the Blood Demon.

The timeline didn’t add up. How could there be a daughter of the Blood Demon who was sealed away hundreds of years ago?

‘Then, where did these two come from?’

Their parents shouldn’t even exist at this point, so...

‘Did they exist since hundreds of years ago?’

But Wi Seol-ah ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) has the existence of the Sword Master. How do I explain the presence of the Sword Master, her grandfather?

‘This is driving me crazy...’

It’s all tangled up. When the facts become too complicated to comprehend...

“Ah.”

I realized the fundamental issue. Looking at Cheonma in front of me, I asked.

“How do you know that?”

How did you know that you’re twins? I asked that, and Cheonma made a strange face and replied.

“Can’t you tell by looking?”

“...”

It was a confident response. The way she disregarded it, acting as if I should know.

Well, it’s obvious. Seeing their identical faces, there’s no way they couldn’t be family.

“Is that really what you’re going to say...?”

That wasn’t the kind of thing to say in this situation. It wasn’t like we were joking.

“So, you just said it because you thought it would be obvious, just by looking at their faces?”

“No.”

Cheonma denied it. I wondered if it wasn’t just a feeling.

“I just had a feeling.”

“...”

So, in the end, it was just a feeling.

“...Are you messing with me?”

“I’m serious. It’s not a joke.”

If it’s not a joke, then what is it? How could she say it’s not just a feeling and then admit it was a feeling?

Looking at Cheonma with an incredulous expression, I turned my gaze away from her and looked at Yarang, who had been staring at me in silence.

They were staring at me with the same expression, making it even more obvious. They really didn’t seem different at all.

‘No matter what...’

Even though Cheonma said it was just a feeling.

‘It looks like the relationship is real.’

They seemed to have a close relationship. It was likely that, as Cheonma said, they were sisters.

I didn’t know how the Blood Demon could be their father, but I had to admit that the connection to the Blood Demon and the deep relationship between them was undeniable.

‘What happened in the past life, I still don’t know...’

Even though I’m accepting it, the situation back then is still a mystery.

One thing was certain.

‘But for now, I need to focus on this.’

I needed to ask about other things. The fact that Cheonma and Wi Seol-ah were sisters was important, but...

“So, what happened?”

Now I needed to know why I was here.

“Why is she completely fine?”

Why is Yarang, who had been attacked, perfectly unharmed? That’s what I wanted to ask.

Cheonma heard my question, glanced at Yarang, and then turned back to me.

“I healed her.”

Her hand moved toward Yarang.

“I saved her.”

This was such a simple and straightforward explanation.

“Healed? You healed her?”

“Yeah.”

“How?”

“I just healed her.”

“Do you want me to hit you?”

The more I talked with her, the more confused I became.

Is she saying she just doesn’t feel like talking?

I stared at her in disbelief, and Cheonma, on the other hand, looked aggrieved.

“I’m serious.”

“...Then.”

I know it’s real, but how did you do it? I asked because I couldn’t understand.

Cheonma thought for a moment, then—

She moved her finger and pointed it at Yarang.

Whoosh-!

“What...!”

Blood splattered across Yarang’s hand. Cheonma used her magic to create a wound on Yarang’s hand.

At that moment, Yarang stayed completely still. I was the only one who reacted.

In that moment of confusion, Cheonma moved again.

Her sharp magic transformed and dug into Yarang’s hand. It wrapped around her hand like a black glove.