Sword Empress’s POV
Her red eyes, like the Blood Cult’s symbol, t my trembling gaze. They’d done sothing to her.
"Were you resurrected as a jiangshi?"
"I don’t know. And I asked first."
"Why is Master with that child?"
Her question pressed again. My racing heart wouldn’t settle. What should I say...?
"Ha."
Soyeon’s scornful, bitter laugh cut through.
"It’s because of , isn’t it? You felt responsible for what I did to Yuseong, so you found and raised him. Given the ti, his wounds must have healed."
"...Ah."
She’d misunderstood. She thought I’d found him soon after the incident. In truth, I’d only t him recently.
"Well, that’s a relief. If he grew up under your protection, no other won touched him, and you wouldn’t have either. Maybe responsibility or maternal affection, but..."
Thud.
A heavy lump dropped in my chest. Cold sweat trickled down. I avoided her red eyes, but she’d sensed sothing.
"...Is that not the case?"
"...Urgh..."
Silence would expose everything. I shut my eyes and forced words out.
"We haven’t been together long. I searched for him ten years but only found him recently."
"...Then what was Yuseong doing all that ti?"
"What do you an?"
"When you found him, what was he doing? He survived ten years and t you—what was he up to? Seducing won? Selling his body? What?!"
Her maddened love reignited, cold killing intent flaring hot and fierce.
"C-Calm down. He lived in the mountains with his master, so—"
"His master...?"
"Yes. After you injured him, a benefactor took him in. He learned skills, living well on his own when I found him."
I recalled our first eting. Running a fortune-telling shop in Shaanxi, he’d gained renown. Despite hardships, he lived respectably, with convictions, even if his appearance hid it.
"...So, was that master a woman?"
Her question made frown. Her possessiveness was excessive—even wary of his master?
"I don’t know. I didn’t hear much."
"Then...!"
"Even if his master was a woman, what you’re imagining couldn’t have happened. It’s a master-disciple relationship."
The age gap... Ahem. Age is no barrier to love, but it’s a master-disciple bond, like parent and child. Impossible.
"No matter how warped your affection, that crossed a line."
"..."
Clench.
Soyeon gripped her sword, lips pursed, not about to swing.
"...Even so, I’m suspicious."
Her doubts lingered, but she wasn’t like other Blood Cult mbers—insane, mory-less. She retained her past emotions. If I played this right, we could resolve it with words, have her apologize to him—
Wait.
He’d lost his mories of Soyeon. That’s why I could stay near him without his hatred. If I made her apologize, I’d have to explain everything.
Thump.
Then... what? I’d have to reveal I’d deceived him, lied to him. Even if Soyeon apologized, would he stay calm learning I’d tricked him?
How would he look at —the disgusting who deceived and manipulated him out of petty greed?
In the past, I’d have agonized endlessly. But now, I raised my sword in my mind and severed the spiraling thoughts.
Facing Soyeon, I spoke.
"I don’t know how you were revived, but you haven’t lost your reason. Must we cross swords?"
Calmly. As calmly as possible, I steadied my racing heart.
"Though your sins left an indelible scar on that child, you’ve died and returned. Shouldn’t you start by apologizing to him?"
I didn’t want to cut her down again. For ten years, regret haunted . Did I have to kill her? Could I have turned her around? It lingered, even in dreams.
"...What’s your angle?"
"I’ve watched you grow since childhood. Your nature wasn’t always like this. A misunderstanding led you astray. You didn’t want him to hate you, did you?"
"..."
"Apologize first. Ten years have passed. If not now, when?"
"An apology..."
"Do you want to remain hated by him forever?"
"..."
Soyeon bit her lip. I sighed inwardly with relief. Her mad love, however crazed, was still love. She wouldn’t want his hatred. If pure love was possible, she’d seize it.
"It’s already too late, isn’t it...?"
I extended a hand to her lowered head.
"I’ll help you. Give up now, and it’ll slip further away."
She bit her lip, lost in thought.
"..."
I waited, hand outstretched. After a while, she spoke.
"...I’ll try."
Her voice softened noticeably.
"Good. You made the right choice."
"...Should I apologize now?"
"You’ll need preparation first. He’s not in a state to accept it."
I pointed to him, sent far off by my telekinesis during our clash.
"Woo... Look at all these bottles..."
Still drunk, he couldn’t sober up amidst the chaos.
"...Why is Yuseong like that?"
"He’s had a lot to drink."
"He drank...?"
"It seems he picked up a new hobby while we were apart. He loves alcohol."
I avoided blaming her, not wanting to provoke her.
"Oh... So you two ca to the tavern alone?"
"I couldn’t let him wander alone—it’s dangerous. He insisted on coming, so I followed."
I hid my impure intentions, sweating coldly. If the truth surfaced, who knew what would happen?
"...I see."
She didn’t seem to suspect . Soyeon approached him.
Rustle.
"Ughhh... Don’t pull ..."
"...Sorry. Just stay like this for a bit."
She wrapped an arm around him.
Sniff... Haa...
"Ticklish..."
I flinched as she inhaled deeply at his neck but didn’t react strongly. She did nothing more.
"Hmm..."
After a long mont, Soyeon spoke.
"Master, may I ask one thing?"
"What is it?"
I replied casually, thinking nothing significant would arise.
"Why does Yuseong sll like you, Master?"
I’d underestimated her madness.
"Answer ."
Not a faint scent from proximity, but a deep bodily fragrance from prolonged, close contact—like embracing for hours.
"Why does Yuseong sll like you, Master?"
Boil, boil.
Her suppressed emotions flared like fire. I denied it inwardly. No way. Master wouldn’t do that.
"W-What do you an, my sll?"
"Don’t dodge. I said Yuseong’s body slls like you."
Flinch.
Her pupils wavered briefly. As soone she raised like a parent, I knew her tells. She hadn’t fixed that habit in ten years.
Han Soyeon’s POV
Grind.
That confird it. Sothing I didn’t know had happened. What? Intercourse? No—Master wouldn’t. Sothing involving close contact, leaving such a scent.
Unpleasant thoughts swirled. A mory flashed.
"M-Master...?"
"Did you have a nightmare?"
As a young disciple, on sleepless nights, Master’s embrace comforted . Sotis, I’d pretend just to stay there. Maybe this was similar. Yuseong, scarred by , might’ve needed comfort. Master, finding him, could’ve offered her embrace for his resurfaced pain. With their age gap, it was like holding a grandson.
Ha...
I’d overreacted. This was Master—she wouldn’t covet Yuseong—
"W-Well... His energy was so depleted once, his life was in danger... So I perford a yin-yang union to transfer energy. Purely for that, no personal feelings—"
...Huh?
What did I hear?
"Yin-yang... union...?"
"I-It was truly because his life was at stake! Though it was both our firsts unintentionally, we agreed to treat it as if it never happened—"
"Ah...?"
His first...? Master took Yuseong’s first experience...?
Shing.
My sword was drawn, reason gone. Only emotion remained, flowing into my blade.
"S-Soyeon?"
"I’ll kill you... I’ll kill you... I’ll kill you..."
Regrettably, the sword I swung was the one I knew best—Master’s technique, practiced countless tis. A strange energy reacted within , different from the inner energy of life, born after my revival. My instincts tried to filter it, but I stopped them.
I didn’t care what it was. If it could kill this revolting betrayer, anything would do.
Keening.
Blood-red energy coiled around my sword.
"What is this...!"
Master seed startled, but that wasn’t enough to stop .
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The red energy erupted along my sword’s path.
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