Riverside not far from the manor, familiar faces have gathered: Baek Cheon, the Five Swords, and Hae Yeon. Perhaps those closest to Chung Myung now.

They sat a little apart and stared blankly at the flowing river.

It was quiet.

Only the chirping of insects and the waves of the great river lapping the shore spread softly.

This place was always noisy when they gathered; so the current silence felt all the more strange and awkward.

Yoon Jong, who had been staring vacantly at the passing waves, turned his head to study the others’ expressions.

‘Heavy.’

No, more precisely, rather than being stiffly heavy, everyone just looked a bit dazed.

“Sahyung.”

“...Yes?”

Sensing his gaze, Jo Gul casually looked at Yoon Jong and spoke.

“Sahyung, what do you think?”

“...Do you mean the abbot’s words?”

“Yes.”

A low sigh escaped Yoon Jong’s lips.

“What do you think?” Normally an easy question, but at this moment it was awkward to answer. Yet it wasn’t something he could casually dodge.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

Yoon Jong shook his head, speaking softly like a sigh.

“But there was nothing wrong with the logic, was there?”

“No, do you call that a statement?”

Jo Gul unexpectedly raised his voice at Yoon Jong’s remark.

“Well... if that’s the case, why even ask? You could just think whatever you want.”

“I’m saying that because what you’re saying makes no sense! How can you claim there’s nothing wrong with it?!”

“...So, do you think the abbot is wrong?”

“Sahyung, you’re still far from understanding!”

Jo Gul clicked his tongue as he said it.

“If you judge by whether there’s logic in the words, those abbot wouldn’t be wrong, would they? They’re learned men who passed exams; of course they speak logically!”

“...What does that have to do with this?”

“Yet they argue among themselves about whose words are right! Logic alone doesn’t make something acceptable; what matters is what’s actually right. And besides, it came from someone we can’t trust in the first place; whether it’s right or wrong, what difference does it make?”

“...”

“More important than the logic of words is trust in the person. At least that’s what I was taught. Can we trust the abbot in the first place?”

Yoon Jong looked at Jo Gul with an uneasy expression.

Usually Yoon Jong wouldn’t be out-argued by Jo Gul, but he had no ready rebuttal here. He too couldn’t fully trust the courts. However...

“Gul, what you say isn’t entirely wrong, but... it doesn’t solve everything, does it?”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is that I was thinking the same thing.”

Jo Gul seemed momentarily at a loss for words and bit his lip.

“Didn’t you feel the same?”

“I...”

He started to say something, then fell silent and bowed his head.

Baek Cheon, watching the two who had grown quiet, turned his gaze to Hae Yeon.

“Monk.”

“...Speak, Taoist Baek Cheon.”

“May I ask one thing? I only want to confirm something, so please don’t misunderstand.”

Hae Yeon quietly nodded and opened his mouth, as if already knowing what Baek Cheon would ask.

“A person’s heart isn’t transparent; watching from beside them doesn’t reveal everything. But at least to me, the abbot’s words did not seem false.”

“...I see.”

Baek Cheon nodded wryly. In truth, it didn’t really need confirming.

The abbot had no reason to lie. If, after merging the Heavenly Friends Alliance, it were revealed that his words were false, he’d face backlash far greater than now.

Then he’d lose both justification and benefit—everything. Perhaps the Nine Great Sects might even have to cede leadership to the Heavenly Friends Alliance. Why would someone like the head of Shaolin harm his own position like that?

“Um, sasuk.” 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

“...Yes.”

Tang Soso glanced cautiously at Baek Cheon. Seeing that expression, Baek Cheon felt a pang in his chest—Tang Soso rarely showed such a look.

“I don’t know what sasuk thinks... but I don’t think the abbot’s proposal looks that bad.”

“Soso!”

When Jo Gul shouted, Yoon Jong sternly restrained him with a look.

“Hey...”

Jo Gul bit his lip. Tang Soso, reading Jo Gul and Yoon Jong’s cues, sighed and continued.

“Honestly... I can understand Jo Gul sahyung’s distrust of the abbot and the Nine Great Sects, and I understand why others find it hard to let go of the Heavenly Friends Alliance they’ve led. But...”

“Don’t hold back. Speak freely.”

“...Yes, sasuk.”

Tang Soso nodded and began again.

“Still, it’s true that fighting alongside the Nine Great Sects would help.”

“Talk sense!”

Jo Gul snapped back angrily.

“What on earth do you trust in to hand over command to them? Is there any guarantee that that damned abbot won’t shove us into the most dangerous spot? He’s the sort to do just that!”

“Gul!”

Baek Cheon rebuked him sternly.

“Watch your words.”

“...I’m sorry.”

Seeing Hae Yeon lower his eyes, Jo Gul realized his mistake and sheepishly apologized. He should have been more considerate of his feelings even when saying the same thing.

“I slipped up in my words, but honestly I think fighting with those guys could make things more dangerous.”

“More dangerous?”

Tang Soso stared intently at Jo Gul.

“How would it be more dangerous than in here?”

“...Huh?”

“Tell me, sahyung. How could it get more dangerous than in here? Ten of ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ us go into Southern Lands where only enemies await and fight the Demonic Cult—what could possibly make it more dangerous?”

“Well, that’s...”

“I’ve said it many times before: he’ll die that way. Chung Myung sahyung will actually die. He treats my body like a rag doll—no matter how badly hurt, he thinks sleep will fix it. Human bodies don’t work like that!”

The other members of the Five Swords couldn’t bring themselves to meet Tang Soso’s gaze.

“This time... yes, this time the battle ended after one fight. But you know as well as I do that war doesn’t usually work that way. So sahyung will push his body to the brink again, won’t rest or heal properly, and return to the battlefield. But...”

Tang Soso looked around at the others.

“Who can stop him?”

“...”

“No one can. He didn’t stop this time either. I couldn’t stop him—no, I didn’t even try. I was the one fanning the flames beside him, saying I’d go along.”

“Soso...”

“Thinking back now I wonder if I had any sense. If someone dies, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life—what kind of nerve did I have to say that?”

Baek Cheon saw Tang Soso’s fingertips trembling as she tried to keep calm.

‘That makes sense.’

As the physician, Tang Soso would feel it more—if someone died, she’d bear a heavier guilt than the others, even though no one had asked that of her.

“...What changes if we fight with the Nine Great Sects?”

“If it’s the abbot, at least he wouldn’t send sahyung to a place to die. He needs sahyung alive until the war ends. And he could keep sahyung from returning to the battlefield in tatters.”

“Why would the abbot do that?”

“Because it’s beneficial for him!”

Tang Soso glared at Jo Gul in anger. Jo Gul tightly bit his lip.

“I’m not asking for their goodwill. Anyone not stupid knows it’s to their advantage to keep sahyung alive until the end.”

“Then if we do it...”

“Can we stop him? Do you really think so, sahyung? That we can stop Chung Myung sahyung?”

“...”

“If his blood doesn’t rush to his head and he doesn’t bolt out first, we’ll be lucky.”

Tang Soso said, trembling.

“I’m scared, sahyung. I’m afraid I’ll actually see that person die...”

Just as Jo Gul, chewing his lip, was about to speak, Yu Yiseol—who had been silent the whole time—spoke up.

“This isn’t a conversation about Chung Myung alone.”

“...Yes?”

“We’re at risk too.”

Yu Yiseol’s calm gaze swept over everyone there.

“It’s almost strange that no one has died so far.”

“That is...”

Baek Cheon closed his half-open mouth again—the answer was something everyone already knew.

“Yes, sahyung. Chung Myung is the one.”

“...Right. Even while he fought, he pulled us out alive.”

“All the more so, he’s in greater danger.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Baek Cheon sighed briefly, as if lamenting.

It was a fact everyone knew, but they hadn’t felt it so keenly until now.

The abbot’s words had dragged into the open the reality they’d been avoiding.

“Then can’t we just rough him up and stop him?”

Jo Gul remained adamant, unconvinced.

“Cut the weak talk. When Mount Hua came this far, who helped us? And now you want to rely on others? If they truly wanted to help, they’d have done so earlier, not now!”

“Gul.”

“No, sasuk! I may be uneducated, but I’m not stupid. What I mean is...”

“As Samae said, Chung Myung isn’t the only problem.”

“...Yes?”

Baek Cheon looked at everyone and spoke.

“Are you truly okay with dying?”

“What a ridiculous question!”

“Think and answer.”

“...”

The weight in Baek Cheon’s voice shut Jo Gul up in an instant.

Baek Cheon, looking at Jo Gul biting his lip with some pity, spoke again.

“We have always risked our lives. We’ve said we wouldn’t fear dying for the cause.”

“...Yes.”

Yoon Jong nodded in agreement.

“But... honestly, I have doubts too. Was it truly my will to stake my life to see my intentions through, or was it bravado uttered in a complacent belief that I wouldn’t die?”

“Sasuk!”

“I’m not saying you are.”

“...”

“I mean I’m the one. I...”

Baek Cheon closed his eyes briefly, as if sorting through the turmoil within.

“What will become of the Heavenly Friends Alliance? What should be done about that Chung Myung fellow?”

He slowly opened his eyes and shook his head.

“That comes next. If we ourselves aren’t certain of what we will do, are we entitled to discuss anything else?”

Everyone stared at Baek Cheon as if drawn in.

“Before debating the abbot’s words or the Heavenly Friends Alliance’s future, ask yourselves.”

Baek Cheon’s words were calm yet firm, weighty and sharp.

“Can we truly see through everything we’ve professed with our lives? And...”

His gaze swept over them coldly.

“Are we prepared even to drive those standing beside us to death for the pact I sought to protect?”

At those words, everyone’s faces drained pale.

Baek Cheon pressed on without giving them a moment to breathe.

“Someday, on that battlefield, when a blade is driven into my chest and I grow cold.”

“...”

“Will you be able to stand there, looking at sahyung-sajaes who have already been horribly slain and become corpses, and say you have no regrets?”

His words, sharp as a blade, drove into their chilled hearts like a cold splash.