– You seemed to be drained of energy lately, so I brought some eel from the Northern Palace. Would the Grand General care to share some?
– It seems His Majesty has changed his mind. Before long, there will likely be a major upheaval in the Red Palace.
– I’ve heard that demonic spirits in the Anhwa region… have been wreaking havoc on the villages. If I had stayed there just a few more days, this tragedy could’ve been avoided… It weighs heavily on my heart.
– I entrusted a young girl to a merchant of the Anpyeong Merchant Guild. They said she would grow into someone of great importance one day. Her voice was so beautiful, like the sound of stringed instruments, that I named her Ah Hyun (Beautiful strings).
– The soldiers stationed at the Truth Insight Terrace have completely lost their discipline. I just finished reprimanding them, but now I feel a bit uneasy, wondering if I was too harsh.
– How can someone claiming to be a warrior of Cheongdo Empire speak so weakly? Grand General, you don’t need to concern yourself with my condition.
– What? Ah… They call it the Holy Blood Flower… It’s a traveling merchant group that operates in the northern regions. During my campaign, I happened to share a drink with them, and unexpectedly, we had a good conversation. It seems I spent quite a bit of time with them, haah…
– Do not worry, Grand General. Cheongdo Empire still has a long road ahead. How could I possibly die here and now?
– A soldier’s duty is loyalty to their country. Even if my values are sometimes shaken, I will never forget that duty.
Grand General Seong Sa Wook slowly closed his eyes.
It was as if he was recalling an old connection, one he had long since let go.
The man with the unnaturally unkempt hair and uneven, scruffy beard was clearly a loyal military officer who was destined to play a role in the golden age of Cheongdo Empire’s future.
However, his ending was different from what General Seong Sa Wook had expected.
– As steadfast as an orchid that blooms in winter, Seol Ran. As carefree as one who lives peacefully in an age of prosperity, Seol Tae Pyeong.
– My wife named our daughter, and I named our son. But since our values are so vastly different, even our naming styles ended up worlds apart. It seems we can’t agree on even the smallest of things…
– We were born in these chaotic times, living each day ready to die. But the generation after us… they won’t have to suffer like this, will they?
– So… I don’t wish for much.
– Just that they work as little as they can and earn as much as possible. Take in the sights of the world, live freely, and wander wherever their heart takes them.
– That’s all I wish.
“What on earth is it that brought you to stand here?”
The front courtyard of Taehwa Pavilion.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, Grand General Seong Sa Wook stared straight at Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong.
Grand General Seong Sa Wook felt uneasy.
Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong was a man who possessed exceptional abilities for his age. If he harbored grand and lofty ambitions, he had more than enough capability to realize them.
However, Seong Sa Wook was afraid…. he was afraid that those ambitions might take a wrong turn.
When power veered in the wrong direction, it always hurtled toward disaster.
“There is a wish I must fulfill.”
“Judging by how vaguely you’re expressing it, I suppose you have no intention of telling me what that is.”
“I promise you this, General Seong.”
Seol Tae Pyeong put away his sword and quietly bowed his head as he spoke.
“The things I am about to do are absolutely necessary for the sake of Cheongdo Empire. Can you trust me on that?”
Both Grand General Seong Sa Wook and General Hwang Soo who had been lying sprawled on the ground behind him, were utterly shocked by the unexpectedly respectful demeanor of Seol Tae Pyeong.
Though he had recklessly subdued the Taehwa Pavilion banquet hall, it became clear that he was not someone with whom communication was entirely impossible.
Even Vice General Seol Tae Pyeong seemed to sense it instinctively. Grand General Seong Sa Wook was not an opponent to be underestimated.
Though Seong Sa Wook had already lost much of the strength of his prime, he still possessed a wealth of experience and mastery in technique.
No matter how skilled Seol Tae Pyeong was, defeating Grand General Seong Sa Wook without sustaining any harm was an impossible feat.
In fact, if Seol Tae Pyeong let his guard down, it wouldn’t be surprising if Seong Sa Wook turned the tables and beheaded him instead.
“Are you planning to take down Chief Councilor In Seon Rok?”
“….…!”
Both Seol Tae Pyeong and General Hwang Soo turned to Seong Sa Wook in shock.
It seemed Seong Sa Wook had already anticipated some of Seol Tae Pyeong’s intentions.
No matter how far removed a soldier’s life might be from the political arena, sitting in a position of power for as long as he had inevitably sharpened his intuition.
“I’ve already heard plenty about Chief Councilor In Seon Rok. He’s not a clean man. Depending on how you interpret things, he might even be casting a shadow over the future of the Cheongdo Empire.”
“…..…”
“However, Vice General, listen to me carefully before it’s too late. We are soldiers.”
Grand General Seong Sa Wook was a man of unshakable principles.
He fully understood the weight of responsibility carried by someone who held a sword.
“A soldier’s duty… is to hold a sword and protect the country. It is not to weigh the rights and wrongs of political matters.”
“General Seong.”
“If someone holding a sword starts trying to manipulate the officials of the court, this massive structure we call the Cheongdo will no longer be able to stand. Surely you know this as well.”
Grand General Seong Sa Wook had no desire to fight Seol Tae Pyeong.
If possible, he wanted to resolve the situation with words alone.
He had tried his best not to harbor prejudice or discriminate against Seol Tae Pyeong, despite the latter’s origins in the Huayongseol clan.
However, his only concern was that Seol Tae Pyeong’s outstanding abilities might take a wrong turn.
He firmly believed that if Seol Tae Pyeong was truly driven by loyalty, he would nod in agreement with the words of Grand General Seong Sa Wook.
Yet, Seol Tae Pyeong did not lower his sword.
“So, that is your resolve, is it?”
Whoosh!
As Grand General Seong Sa Wook swept his sword in a wide arc, a wave of sword energy swept across the area.
For the strong, the level of mastery could be discerned simply from the aura they exuded.
However, for those who had reached an even higher and incomprehensible level, gauging their mastery was impossible.
Even Hwang Soo, who held the rank of Blue Pillar General, could not perceive the realm that Seol Tae Pyeong and Seong Sa Wook were witnessing at the tips of their swords.
Both men were naturally gifted talents blessed by divine fever, but their levels were distinctly different.
Seol Tae Pyeong had not yet fully awakened his power.
Seong Sa Wook, on the other hand, was already a seasoned master, though his prime had long since passed.
Claang!
One strike.
In a single clash as they charged and exchanged blows, the two men had already gauged each other’s level.
A moment’s carelessness would result in instant death. With this mutual understanding, Seong Sa Wook and Seol Tae Pyeong crossed swords.
“Haaap!!!”
As Grand General Seong Sa Wook let out a battle cry, Seol Tae Pyeong’s upper body was lifted high into the air.
Seizing the opportunity, Seong Sa Wook kicked Seol Tae Pyeong in the abdomen, sending him flying. Without hesitation, he leaped after him to land a follow-up strike.
Seol Tae Pyeong barely managed to parry Seong Sa Wook’s sword, before twisting his body sharply to the side in an attempt to grab the old general by the collar.
However, Grand General Seong Sa Wook’s body did not budge, as if it were an immovable boulder.
“….…!”
After taking a deep breath, Seong Sa Wook kicked Seol Tae Pyeong away once more.
The impact felt as though Seol Tae Pyeong had collided head-on with an enormous rock.
Even Seol Tae Pyeong, who could take down a bear with his bare hands, was forced to stagger back from Seong Sa Wook’s blow.
But the crimson glint in Seol Tae Pyeong’s eyes remained unyielding.
Without hesitation, he charged forward again, bringing his sword down for another strike.
Seong Sa Wook attempted to parry the attack with ease but had to grit his teeth as the blow was heavier than expected.
“Grrk!”
Clang-clang…! Claaang!
A contest of strength ensued with their swords locked in a fierce struggle.
Neither of them had ever lost in a battle of sheer force, but the evenly matched power between them prevented either from deflecting or diverting the other’s blade.
It was hard to believe that this was the state of someone far weaker than in his prime.
If it weren’t for the “Plague Demonic Spirit” and the infinite resurrection state they were in, it wouldn’t have been Seol Tae Pyeong who had killed Sun Demonic Spirit Pyeong Ryang. It would have been Grand General Seong Sa Wook.
That much was certain.
“So you claim you have an unfulfilled wish…?”
With his teeth clenched and his lips curling into a grin, Grand General Seong Sa Wook spoke while their swords remained locked.
“To kill the Chief Councilor and avenge your father, Seol Lee Moon?”
“…….”
“If that’s the case, then you’ve come to the right person.”
With those words, Grand General Seong Sa Wook flung Seol Tae Pyeong’s sword aside, then leaped backward to create distance between them.
He then tore off the garment that had been covering his upper body.
The once-muscular body that would have been brimming with power in the past was now extremely haggard.
It seemed doubtful whether any strength remained in his body. He looked so frail that it was hard to believe such power could emanate from him.
That thought naturally crossed the mind of anyone who saw his thin, withered frame.
However, the way he firmly gripped the long Cloud and Mist Sword still carried an air of resolute spirit.
“Vice General, you know this well, don’t you?”
Grand General Seong Sa Wook, after taking a deep breath, began to speak.
“When that traitor rose up in rebellion, it was I who finally struck him down.”
This was a fact so well-known that it could practically be considered history.
The worst traitor in history, Seol Lee Moon, who cut down countless generals and high-ranking officials as he advanced toward the imperial palace.
Like a runaway carriage rampaging forward, it was Grand General Seong Sa Wook, the man at the pinnacle of Cheongdo, who ultimately brought him down in the final moments.
Even Seol Lee Moon, the infamous mad Sword Sovereign, couldn’t penetrate the might of Seong Sa Wook in his prime.
And no matter how much time had passed or how weakened his body had grown with age, the grandeur of Grand General Seong Sa Wook still remained.
“No matter what the circumstances are, how can you claim to have avenged anything without killing me first!”
Grand General Seong Sa Wook stomped heavily on the ground and leaped forward.
His speed was far beyond what one would expect from an old man.
Clang!
With just one clash of their swords, the sheer force of the shockwave caused the surrounding air to tremble.
Seol Tae Pyeong gritted his teeth, twisted his body downward, and deflected the sword.
At the same time, he shifted his weight naturally and delivered a spinning kick aimed at Seong Sa Wook’s neck.
“Ugh!”
Though the kick landed squarely, Seong Sa Wook twisted his neck and knocked Seol Tae Pyeong’s leg aside as if he was shaking off an insect.
Without hesitation, he gripped his sword again and pressed in deeper.
The intensity of his attacks, even with only one arm, was overwhelming. It was enough to leave an ordinary warrior struggling just to block them.
Seol Tae Pyeong, however, deftly parried every strike with agile movements and swung his sword once more while aiming to land a decisive blow.
Clang!
Grand General Seong Sa Wook easily deflected the attack.
Once again, their swords locked, and as they strained against each other, Seong Sa Wook’s eyes met Seol Tae Pyeong’s.
The gaze of a man standing before a traitor trying to overthrow the country.
To someone who had devoted his life to the Cheongdo Empire, this was an unforgivable enemy.
Facing such a person, the eyes of Grand General Seong Sa Wook should have been filled with betrayal and hostility.
“……!”
But Seol Tae Pyeong’s brow furrowed for a moment.
In the eyes of Grand General Seong Sa Wook, standing with his sword locked against Seol Tae Pyeong’s, there was… sadness.
Was he lamenting the fact that such a promising warrior had chosen the wrong path?
Perhaps that was part of it, but the sadness etched into Seong Sa Wook’s gaze seemed to stem from something else entirely.
“….…”
Seol Tae Pyeong tightened his grip on his sword and spoke.
It was because, in the earnestness reflected in Seong Sa Wook’s gaze, Seol Tae Pyeong could sense a kind of sincerity.
They were the eyes of an old general who had devoted his entire life to the Cheongdo Empire, embracing all the warriors within the palace with genuine care.
“There is a demonic spirit that must be slain….”
At those words, Seong Sa Wook’s eyes trembled violently.
“…What did you just say?”
“I’m not sure if you’ll believe me. But the seed of a demonic spirit capable of burning this entire imperial capital to the ground… is hidden here, within Cheongdo Palace….”
Who could be trusted?
In a situation where one was forced to doubt everyone in the world, and even in this moment where Seol Tae Pyeong himself couldn’t be sure his words would be believed—
Laying bare the entire truth was no simple task.
Even so, Seol Tae Pyeong made his decision.
“Revenge or justice mean nothing to me. My only wish is to kill that demonic spirit. Everything I’ve done… has been for that purpose.”
“…Vice General, you…”
“There is a demonic spirit that devours a person’s consciousness, pretends to be that person, and sows chaos within the palace to prepare for its resurrection. I’ve come… to slay that demonic spirit.”
Seol Tae Pyeong who was still pressing his sword against Seong Sa Wook’s raised his voice with heavy determination.
“Now that I’ve said this… can you believe me?”
In an ordinary situation, such an absurd story would never have been believed.
However, in a scenario where things had already spiraled so far out of control, if one were to ask, “What in the world drove you to this?” the story changed.
The desperation of someone who had acted to this extent was of a different nature entirely.
For that reason, Seol Tae Pyeong clung to a sliver of hope as he waited for Grand General Seong Sa Wook’s reply.
If he believed him, it would be a blessing.
If he didn’t, it would be regrettable, but Seol Tae Pyeong would simply break through and move forward.
That was all there was to it.
However, Grand General Seong Sa Wook’s response was entirely beyond Seol Tae Pyeong’s expectations.
“—Could it be, that you’re speaking of the Plague Demonic Spirit?”
A chill ran down Seol Tae Pyeong’s entire body.
His eyes widened in shock as he stared up at Grand General Seong Sa Wook.
The old general, standing tall in the unshakable form of a soldier, spoke.
“…You know of the Plague Demonic Spirit’s existence?”
“Yes. That evil disaster that takes over a human body and commands demonic spirits. But….”
Beyond their locked swords, the general addressed Seol Tae Pyeong.
“It’s a story from a distant past… one where I personally cut it down with my own hands. A story from an unimaginably long time ago.”
Crackle, crackle.
It was now a memory of a long-forgotten era.
The burning Cheongdo Palace.
The most devastating rebellion in history.
The mad Sword Sovereign who was bathed in blood.
The head of the Huayongseol clan, Seol Lee Moon, dragged the Heaven and Earth Sword behind him as he trudged step by step into the main palace.
After slaughtering numerous general-level officers with frenzied sword strikes, turning the front yard of the main palace into a sea of blood, there was someone who stood in the path of that monstrous figure.
At the top of the stone steps leading to the palace, gripping his arms tightly and staring down coldly at the monster, stood Grand General Seong Sa Wook.
Perhaps thrilled by the thought that there were more general-level officers left to cut down, the blood-soaked Sword Sovereign’s lips curled into an evil smile.
In that grotesque figure, there was no trace left of the loyal and righteous warrior who had once worried only for the future of Cheongdo Palace.
***
Something not recorded in the history records.
Yeon Ri who was looking down at her empty bowl and caressing her full stomach lay down and looked up at the ceiling for a moment.
Compared to Taehwa Pavilion, where the grand ritual was still unfolding, this Hwalseong District felt peaceful and calm.
Because of that, Yeon Ri gently closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift into deep thought.
Was this truly the first time the Plague Demonic Spirit revealed itself to the world…?
Was this ancient king of demonic spirits attempting to infiltrate Cheongdo for the first time?
And just what exactly was the Chief Councilor trying so desperately to conceal?
In the vast collection of records within Cheongdo Palace, there was not a single mention of the Plague Demonic Spirit.
Because of this, no one believed her whenever she spoke of its existence.
However, people needed to know.
The truly important truths were never written in places like historical records.
The most important truths were always hidden within what had been erased and concealed due to the political interests of the time.
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