[Voice Transmission — Imoogi: Only you would dare to make me do such a bothersome thing, Namgoong Seolhwa.]

— Please. I’ll buy you plenty of sweets when we get back.

[Voice Transmission — Imoogi: Hmph. What exactly do you take me for?]

WHOOSH—

The Imoogi that had been perched on Seolhwa’s shoulder dropped in a single motion.

As its body touched down, it smoothly swelled in size.

But no one saw it, because an explosion bloomed at the very same instant.

KRA-KA-BOOM!!

SHRING—

Seeing the pillar of fire surge up, Seolhwa drew her sword in midair.

‘The Namgoong Clan’s Exclusive Art.’

Among the Post-Three Forms of the Great-Extension Sword Art, the Third Form:

Great-Extension Tempest!

SHHHHKK—!!

Seolhwa slashed toward the Hall of Preserving Harmony where the blast had erupted.

The Sword-Force that sprang from her blade, ringing with a keen whistle, shot for the heart of the explosion.

WHOOOOSH—

BANG! KRA-KA-BOOM! KRAK!

Her strike raised a gale.

True to a sword art that conjures a tempest, the wind of her blade—charged with her vast power—swiftly swallowed the flames of the blast.

The fire that had been roaring around the Imoogi shielding Seop Mugwang and Chor Yeon subsided, and the wreckage swept up by the detonation veered aside, missing them.

All of it happened in the space of a heartbeat.

“...”

CRACKLE, CRACKLE...

Live embers licked at the small splinters scattered around the Imoogi.

Seolhwa looked down at the great black serpent coiled around the two.

Before people could swarm the scene, the Imoogi shrank back to its original size.

TAP—

Seolhwa alighted on the ground.

She walked over to Seop Mugwang and Chor Yeon, who were still staring at her in a daze.

“Are you all right?”

“Miss...!”

Chor Yeon greeted Seolhwa with plain relief.

Seop Mugwang, by contrast, watched her approach as shock flooded his face.

“...You...”

How long had it been since she left for the Demonic Cult—two months at most?

In that time, the realm she stood in, incredible even before, had become impossible to fathom.

Even accounting for the heavy internal injuries that left him far from his best, he himself was a martial artist who had stepped into the Grandmaster’s Realm.

Yet to Seop Mugwang’s eyes, Seolhwa’s realm was simply nothingness—like a transparent sea without so much as a ripple.

“You... don’t tell me...”

“You’ve reached the Grandmaster’s Realm. Congratulations.”

Seop Mugwang’s mouth fell open.

Heaven-Beyond-Heaven? Heaven-Beyond-Heaven, she said?

Heaven-Beyond-Heaven in barely two months?

That brash kid who’d vowed to purge his inner power—already Heaven-Beyond-Heaven?

“W-w-what did you do...?”

“Later. I’ll tell you everything later.”

Seolhwa smiled, quick and bright.

She wanted to catch up after so long, to check his condition—but this was not the time.

She had seen it:

The rebel procession, packed tight along the road into the Emperor’s Palace.

“Take shelter somewhere safe. I’ll leave the Imoogi with you; get treated first.”

Only then did Seop Mugwang look back at the Imoogi.

Perched atop the broken debris, it flicked its tail—tap, tap—at something it did not like.

“...”

He already knew the Imoogi had protected him and Chor Yeon.

What he did not know was why the Imoogi, which was always with the Shadowless Demon God, was here—nor why it was with Seolhwa.

There are those who suspect Namgoong Seolhwa is the Shadowless Demon God.

It was only natural that the words surfaced.

When so many had wavered at that absurd rumor, Seop Mugwang had denied it more than anyone.

“Master.”

“...”

“I’ll tell you—everything. Please, get treatment now. I’m asking you.”

He had much to ask. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Much he wanted to hear.

But Seop Mugwang and Seolhwa were no longer the two of seven years ago, who tricked and were tricked by each other.

“Very well.”

He nodded, easing her mind.

“Please, Chor Yeon.”

“Be careful, miss.”

Seolhwa gave them one more smile in parting and stepped out of the Hall of Preserving Harmony.

****

“W-who is that! What on earth is happening! This was not in the plan! Where is the Brocade-Guard Commander!!”

“S-stop him! Stop that man!”

“Grand Preceptor!! What is this! Grand Preceptor!!”

The rebels who had stormed the imperial capital were thrown into panic at the sight of the masked «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» man carving through the field.

By the plan, they should have struck the palace while the Brocade Guard faced down the Emperor.

The Brocade Guard would first seize the palace interior; the rebels would seize the entire capital; together they would cut off retreat and encircle the Emperor.

That was the plan—on paper.

Were we too late?

They had set out the instant Consort Suk’s signal came, and yet the palace already looked like a scorched wasteland where a battle had swept through.

Not a single Brocade Guard soldier had come out to meet them, the way they should have—and what was that column of black smoke rising in the distance?

Could it be the Brocade Guard and Consort Suk had acted without waiting for reinforcements?

Why?

And just who is that...

The Grand Preceptor stared blankly at the martial figure raging across the field.

Masked so his face could not be known, the man was single-handedly holding back the advance of several thousand rebels.

And doing it with ease.

So the Emperor still had such strength left to him.

After the Brocade Guard turned, they had been sure the advantage lay with them.

Emperor...

Truly, a man whose depths could not be sounded.

This rebellion is a failure...

The Grand Preceptor squeezed his eyes shut.

A plot laid over so long a time ended without ever facing the Emperor.

****

STEP, STEP, STEP.

“His Majesty is waiting.”

The masked man at the forefront of suppressing the rebels dipped his head to Chief Attendant Eunuch Ju.

A moment later the door opened, and Eunuch Ju bowed to him.

When the masked man entered, the door closed.

He glanced once at the shut door, then walked farther in.

“Come at once. I have been waiting for you.”

He removed the mask and dropped to one knee before the Emperor.

“Namgoong Seolhwa.”

The masked man was Seolhwa.

Wearing a quiet smile, she cupped her fist to the Emperor.

“Seolhwa of the Namgoong Clan pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“Hahaha! No need to stand on ceremony. Sit.”

Seolhwa took the seat prepared opposite the Emperor at the low table.

His claim that he had been waiting for her was no empty courtesy—steam curled from the hot tea set at her place.

“I truly envy the Lord of the Namgoong Clan. To have so excellent a daughter.”

“You flatter me.”

“It is no flattery. Thanks to you, I could swiftly seize that band of traitors.”

Seolhwa inclined her head.

She had stepped out to stop the rebels not so much for the Emperor as to check the Blood Cult.

The rebels had colluded with the Blood Cult to divert Explosives.

With the Blood Cult’s power spreading rapidly as it was, she could not surrender the imperial mandate to those who had tied themselves to them.

“I am merely glad that Your Majesty is unharmed.”

“Hahaha! For this, I owe you and the Namgoong Clan a great debt. I hardly know how I can repay it.”

Namgoong Mucheon, then Namgoong Cheongun, and now Namgoong Cheongun’s daughter, Namgoong Seolhwa.

“I am the Emperor, yet at this moment I would truly like to emulate your house.”

By what spirit did they raise their children to produce talents such as these?

The Emperor looked at Seolhwa with a smile mixing pride and admiration.

“Merit must be rewarded. I will not forget the grace I owe the Namgoong Clan. But that is that; this is this. I mean to commend your individual feat in stopping the rebels—so, tell me what you desire.”

Seolhwa met his eyes.

She had already expected he would grant her a reward.

And she had already decided what to ask of him.

“I would like...”

As she spoke her prepared request, surprise slowly spread across the Emperor’s face.

****

“Namgoong Seolhwa.”

The Emperor called out to her as she was about to leave after the audience.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Have you any thought of coming to live in the palace?”

Puzzlement flitted across her face.

Was he saying he would allow her free passage in and out?

“The Crown Prince still lacks a principal consort.”

“!”

“If you desire it, I could make the Namgoong Clan the imperial affinal house.”

It was not an offer of some pass to enter the palace.

The Crown Prince who would, in time, succeed the present Emperor and stand as the new sun over the Central Plains—

He was offering her the place of Crown Princess.

Seolhwa’s lips parted slightly as she grasped his meaning.

Become Crown Princess; and once the Crown Prince safely ascended the throne, she would become Empress.

Then the Namgoong Clan, house of the Empress, would be called the foremost family of the Central Plains, second only to the imperial house itself.

But—

“I am honored, yet I cannot accept. Still, I am grateful for Your Majesty’s words.”

“This is not for reasons of gain or loss. I say it purely because I hold you, Namgoong Seolhwa, in the highest esteem—so do not misunderstand.”

Seolhwa turned back to him and bowed once more.

“I am only thankful that Your Majesty sees me thus.”

“May I ask your reason for refusal?”

Seolhwa looked at the Emperor.

The corners of her lips curved in a faint arc.

“I already have someone I love.”