By Zephyria The Inevitable (1)
“They’re all dead, Squad Leader.”
“What about the Flowering Bone?”
“It seems they escaped.”
Several men in black searched the cabin, but there were no survivors. The man called Squad Leader, Wi-rim, contorted his face and cursed. He rubbed his forehead as if tired.
“No choice. We return to the cult.”
“Yes.”
Wi-rim, who had turned around, stopped.
A man stood dozens of steps away, his white robes fluttering. The white clothes reflected the bright moonlight, as if he were shining on his own.
After a moment, Wi-rim recognized him.
“Haha… My eyes must be deceiving me, right? To see Seventh Young master here.”
“It’s been a while, Wi-rim.”
“Yes. How many years has it been? About ten?”
“Twelve years.”
“Has that much time already passed? Goodness. I heard you were missing, but it’s good to see you looking well.”
Wi-rim spoke in a friendly tone, as if meeting an old friend again.
“But you know. Even so, I am your teacher, so Seventh Young master should use the correct title.”
Wi-rim changed his attitude and warned in a low voice.
Seong Mu-yeon burst into laughter.
“Teacher? What did you ever teach me?”
“Oh dear… Has that adolescence that started back then not ended yet? Why are you so cynical about everything?”
“……”
Wi-rim gestured towards the cabin with his chin.
“By the way, I came to find Young Master Seomun, but he’s not here. Did Seventh Young master perhaps do something?”
“Yes. I took him away.”
“I thought so. Something seemed strange. Sigh, how long do I have to clean up after Seventh Young master? I, as an adult, must be patient.”
Wi-rim was about to leave Seong Mu-yeon behind and depart.
“Where are you going?”
“To the Seomun Clan. The aftermath must be dealt with thoroughly. Today, the Seomun Clan will be annihilated.”
“You still haven’t fixed that habit, Wi-rim.”
“What habit?”
“The habit of wanting to see blood at every turn.”
“……”
Wi-rim, who was momentarily stunned, grabbed his stomach and burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha! So that’s what it was! Young master still resents me for that? Honestly, Young master, it was so long ago.”
“…That child’s name was Dam-cheong.”
Seong Mu-yeon muttered.
“He was a comrade who spent three years together. Comforting each other in times of hardship and sorrow, we endured together, longing for the end of this arduous training.”
But.
“That child you told me to kill.”
On the last day.
Wi-rim, who was an instructor, gathered all the trainees and gave them each a weapon. And shouted.
〈Kill your partner.〉
The children were so surprised that they couldn’t even make a sound.
〈Only one of you can qualify to pass the training.〉
None of the children dared to attack their partners. They could only grip their weapons so tightly that their hands turned white.
〈What are you doing! If you don’t kill each other after an hour, you will both die.〉
At those words, a boy who had been watching the others swung his sword at his partner.
〈Wh, what are you doing!〉
The child who blocked the attack was furious with betrayal.
〈I’m sorry, I want to live.〉
As soon as that dam burst, the surroundings instantly turned into a scene of carnage. It was filled with screams, shouts, and the sound of weapons clashing.
Until then, Seong Mu-yeon had not attacked Dam-cheong. Dam-cheong was the same.
Wi-rim, who had been watching him with interest, approached.
〈Seventh Young master. Don’t do anything foolish. Is it okay for the Cult Leader to be disappointed in you?〉
Cult Leader.
At that word, Seong Mu-yeon flinched.
〈Father……〉
〈Yes, ‘Father.’ If Young master fails the test, what will Father do? Will he comfort you, or will he coldly abandon you?〉
〈…….〉
Seong Mu-yeon trembled. His father, the Cult Leader, was always a figure of terror to him. Being abandoned by the Cult Leader was unimaginable.
In the end, Seong Mu-yeon took up his weapon. The veins in his large eyes bulged, turning them red.
〈I’m sorry, Cheong-ah.〉
〈…Young master.〉
Seong Mu-yeon easily subdued him. The boy, who hadn’t even taken a proper stance, fell backward. He pinned Dam-cheong’s body to the ground and raised his sword.
At the last moment, his eyes met Dam-cheong’s.
〈…….〉
Dam-cheong’s eyes, looking up at his friend who was about to kill him, contained resignation. He had already given up resisting. He was going to die for his friend because he had no chance. He had a comfortable smile on his face, but unlike his expression, a single tear dripped from the corner of his eye.
〈I, I can’t do it.〉
Seong Mu-yeon lowered his sword.
〈You can’t do it?〉
Wi-rim sneered in a mocking tone.
〈Then what are you going to do? Is it okay for the Cult Leader to be disappointed? Is it okay to be abandoned? Not only Young master, but Young master’s mother will also pay the price.〉
〈…….〉
Seong Mu-yeon trembled in terror. But he didn’t waver. With his pale blue hands, he lifted Dam-cheong up.
〈Seventh Young master… No. Kill me. I, I’m okay. I won’t survive long anyway. If you do this, Seventh Young master will take my place…〉
〈I’m a Young master. Don’t worry. I won’t die.〉
His mother would understand. As a Young master, even if he fell out of favor with the Cult Leader, wouldn’t it just mean that the number of his retainers would decrease and the ingredients would be poor? His mother would value saving a friend more than eating good food and living a comfortable life.
〈Teacher Wi, I’ll give up. Let Dam-cheong pass instead.〉
〈Give up?〉
〈Yes.〉
〈Young master will be the first Young master to fail the training.〉
〈I don’t care.〉
〈That’s a pity. There’s no helping it.〉
Seong Mu-yeon barely managed to smile to reassure the terrified Dam-cheong. Then Dam-cheong also weakly raised the corners of his lips.
Puck!
At that moment, something happened that Seong Mu-yeon would never forget for the rest of his life.
A sword, stained with red blood, protruded from Dam-cheong’s abdomen. Wi-rim, who had stabbed Dam-cheong, was grinning from ear to ear behind him.
When the sword was pulled out, Dam-cheong collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
〈Da, Dam-cheong…!〉
Wi-rim laughed until his belly ached.
〈Give up? Hahahaha! You’re mistaken. I can’t kill Young master as Young master said. But the loser can’t pass either. Didn’t you expect this much?〉
〈Dam-cheong! Dam-cheong! Wake up!〉
〈Hahahaha! This naive Young master. Haha!〉
Seong Mu-yeon was dragged away by the warriors. Until the last moment, Wi-rim was laughing. Not long after, Seong Mu-yeon’s illness was revealed to the world. Whether he liked it or not, he fell out of favor with the Cult Leader, and he couldn’t even see Dam-cheong’s body.
“It was a pity. If it weren’t for Seventh Young master, that child could have lived.”
“…What do you mean?”
“He had talent. Young master’s partner, I mean. He was pushed back because Young master had more talent, but if he had fought another opponent, he would have won. Tsk tsk, if I had known he would become useless because of his illness anyway, I wish it had developed a little sooner.”
“……”
“In the end, it’s the same as Young master killing him.”
“What?”
Seong Mu-yeon was so angry that he was trembling.
“Anyway, well. I’ll report that I saw Seventh Young master. I have other things to do, so I’ll be going. It was good to see your face. Goodbye.”
Wi-rim was about to leave with his subordinates. In the direction of the Seomun Clan.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Seong Mu-yeon suppressed his anger and blocked his path. And he put his hand into his sleeve. In his hand, which he pulled out again, was Il-gwang’s sword.
“Because you’re going to die here.”
“Yes? You’re going to kill me? Young master? Oh my, things have gotten interesting?”
Wi-rim grabbed his stomach and laughed. He laughed so hard that tears welled up in his eyes.
Then, at some point, his laughter stopped abruptly.
“How dare a discarded worm like you touch me?”
Wi-rim, muttering fiercely, began to approach Seong Mu-yeon threateningly.
“Listen, Seventh Young master. If you don’t have the ability, you should at least have some sense. You really don’t know your place. The only reason I’ve kept Young master alive until now is because Young master has the Cult Leader’s blood.”
“……”
“But look at this? There’s no one here but us? Who would know if I just killed you?”
Wi-rim exaggeratedly looked around.
“Or maybe… Seventh Young master is also coveting the Flowering Bone? It’s understandable. If you just bake and eat one Flowering Bone, you might be able to cure that wretched body of yours?”
Wi-rim chuckled, and the subordinates behind him laughed along.
“But the Flowering Bone is mine. Don’t touch it. I might be able to spare you the leftovers after I eat it deliciously. Of course, I won’t leave a single piece of meat. Hahahaha!”