Book 19 Chapter 3

How to Make Savory Korean Pancakes

- A Reaper's Audience

"The Headmaster is late, isn't he?"

The five earrings dangling from the left ear of the flamboyant young man trembled nervously.

"He will be here shortly."

A middle-aged man with striking eyes politely replied to the young reaper, who appeared so much younger.

"That's the fifth time you've said that."

Young Lee Si-geon's tone naturally sharpened.

"Oh dear, I apologize. To use such a cliché. It was my oversight. If you ask again next time, I shall use a different expression."

Without changing his expression, the middle-aged scribe replied politely.

'So, that means I have to wait even longer!'

Lee Si-geon's expression, which had been barely maintained, crumpled.

Contrary to the words, "He will be here shortly," he had to wait quite a long time.

Just as the simmering anger was about to explode, the doors to the grand hall burst open.

"Ah, sorry, sorry! Truly sorry! This old man is a bit late, isn't he?"

The one who flung open the door and walked in casually amidst the palpable tension was none other than Cheolkwon Ma Jin-ga, the Headmaster of Cheonmu Academy.

"I apologize. As one ages, the joints ache, you see. My steps become slower. It's a real problem, a real problem."

When he said that with his tree-trunk-like forearms that looked like they could fell an ox with a single blow, it wasn't very convincing. Rather, it seemed like he was protesting.

"I have already heard about your brilliant exploits. You've already met our students?"

The giant old man strode across the grand hall with powerful steps and sat on the high seat.

"I am humbled. I am fond of socializing, you see… there must have been a mistake."

Lee Si-geon replied, bowing halfway with his hands clasped. Then, the elder, propping his head with his thick right hand, waved his hand dismissively in a reclined posture.

"No, no. I believe it is time for the era of the young. It is good for people to interact with each other. In such interactions, minor conflicts are always bound to happen. I do not believe you are so reckless and malicious as to intentionally disrupt the camaraderie and cooperation between our two factions. It could happen in youthful passion. Is that not so?"

Though he pretended to understand, the young man had no choice but to agree, hiding his bitter expression behind his words.

"Y-yes, Headmaster!"

"But who will compensate for that child's severed arm! It is a regrettable matter."

Lee Si-geon felt a prick of guilt inwardly.

Indeed!

'Is this man the Iron Fist Ma Jin-ga, the Headmaster of Cheonmu Academy, known as 'Unrivaled Strike, Unyielding Fist'?'

The young man slightly raised his gaze and looked at the giant man sitting on the high seat. The elder, reminiscent of a castle of steel, still seemed to be diligently training, exuding an overwhelming aura. However, despite being directly exposed to this immense pressure, the young man in flamboyant attire maintained a flexible posture without a hint of wavering.

Originally, reapers had to always walk into enemy territory, so it was not a profession recommended for the faint of heart.

There's a saying that a reaper's neck is not their own. It can always be claimed by another. Therefore, reapers must always carry three essential items: the reaper's token, diplomatic correspondence containing their mission, and a will.

Though swords and spears were not brandished, this was a battlefield. He enjoyed this palpable tension. The fact that everyone was wary of him was also proof that he was an important person.

"Then, the reaper's token!"

From his pocket, Lee Si-geon produced a half-token, along with diplomatic correspondence that he suspected was written specifically to provoke the other's nerves.

There's a saying in the world, though not used often, that things "match" or "conform." To "match" means to fit perfectly. A token (符) originally refers to a token split in half. Because they were originally one, when the two are put together, they fit perfectly, hence "match." What if they don't match? It's immediate execution for impersonation. Throughout history, there have been more than enough people who claimed to be someone they weren't, and they were always a nuisance.

"Then!"

Son Mun-gyeong, the man with narrowed eyes who served as "Military Advisor and Assistant to the Headmaster" and had repeated "The Headmaster will be here shortly" five times, approached Lee Si-geon and respectfully took the reaper's token.

Upon receiving it, Ma Jin-ga jumped up from his seat and walked towards the back. However, Lee Si-geon was not flustered by Ma Jin-ga's sudden, unexpected action. He knew the iron giant was approaching a large safe. This red safe, decorated with flowers, butterflies, bees, and orchids, looked like a lavish cabinet often found in the homes of wealthy individuals, but its internal structure was made of ten-thousand-year-old iron. The ornate wooden panels surrounding the exterior were merely an aesthetic embellishment for the safe made of ten-thousand-year-old iron.

Click!

Click!

The dual locking mechanism of the safe opened with a dull sound. Then, with a heavy thud, the red door slowly parted, revealing dozens of locked silk boxes within. Each box had a label attached, indicating names like "Murim Alliance," "Wudang Sect," "Hwasan Sect," "Murim Alliance's Shaanxi Branch," "Murim Alliance's Hubei Branch," "First Inspector," "Second Inspector," "Undercover Agent," and so on.

Among them, Ma Jin-ga took out the box labeled "Macheon Pavilion." Although it was wrapped in silk, its interior was made of solid steel. This box also had a black, sturdy-looking lock, which was becoming tiresome. Inside the sealed box, which was double or triple sealed, were not jewels. What was carefully stored inside was a half-token. This, which looked like a plain iron plate at first glance, was carefully wrapped in a red silk cloth like a precious treasure. He took out the token with cautious movements, as if worried that his rough hands might break it. The tokens, held individually in his large hands, slowly joined in the air. The cut edges of the two halves fit perfectly. The images and characters engraved on them also aligned without a single gap.

A bent bow, a drawn string, an arrow nocked between them, and two characters written below.

"Dae-dae" (待對).

To confront each other yet rely on each other. There could be no better expression to describe the relationship between Macheon Pavilion and Cheonmu Academy, yet few people now remained who knew or were aware of this fact. Even an organization gathered under a brilliant mind, the moment it becomes collectivized, its pure spirit is dismantled and reassembled through the tailoring process of desire's scissors and selfishness's needles for the benefit of the collective, becoming a magnificent ideology. And the poison of ideology gradually paralyzes reason, erodes wisdom, and eventually blinds the eyes, deafens the ears, and maddens the tongue. By then, the truth becomes irrelevant. The current Cheonmu Academy and Macheon Pavilion are no different; they are locked in a fierce rivalry, bickering and snarling, with no regard for the spirit of "Dae-dae."

"It undoubtedly matches!"

Only after this extremely administrative procedure of combining the two halves of the token to confirm its authenticity and verify the opponent's identity did Ma Jin-ga finally break the seal of the correspondence he had received earlier and unfold it.

"I apologize for the inconvenience and tediousness, but please understand."

As Ma Jin-ga asked for understanding, Lee Si-geon quickly waved his hand and said.

"Not at all. It is only natural. At our Macheon Pavilion, it is five times more complicated than this. This is nothing."

"Hmm, I'm relieved you understand. Indeed, your security check procedures are notoriously nerve-wracking."

'N-nerve-wracking……'

Instead of Ma Jin-ga's face lighting up, Lee Si-geon's expression slightly contorted.

"It is much better than becoming complacent about safety."

"Following your advice, we should strengthen our security next time. Don't you think so, Military Advisor Son?"

"I will review it, Headmaster!"

It was too late to argue that he had never given such advice.

It was an era when impersonation and falsification of experience were the easiest forms of fraud. An era where communication was limited to handwritten letters. In an era where the fastest means of delivery was a horse, and carrier pigeons were a privilege enjoyed by only a select few, the question of how to verify someone's identity was a major topic of discussion, both public and private. The Ministry of War (兵部), in particular, was almost to the point of mental illness in its caution regarding this matter. It was only natural that a single seal stamped on paper was not enough to reassure the enemy. This "token" was created to reduce the number of mentally ill individuals in the Ministry of War.

"Thank you for understanding that the process is somewhat complicated and tedious as a procedure. In this day and age, you never know when someone might suddenly take off their mask and commit harm. It doesn't hurt to be cautious. Not long ago, one of my trusted friends' colleagues suddenly turned into a malicious arsonist, causing great damage. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished, but the scars and damage were considerable. Since then, I have been exceedingly cautious in all matters. It is a truly sad world where one cannot trust others, don't you think?"

Although his tone was gentle and filled with concern for a corrupting world, it did not mean his words could not be used to attack others. A soft sword was still a sword. It was a sword that could wound the opponent at any time, and that was its practical purpose. Without even going into the principles of metallurgy, softness was the soft sword's greatest advantage and its greatest weapon.

Lee Si-geon felt the soft sword, tempered with fabric, fiercely fluttering before his eyes and tensed his entire body.

It wasn't just Ma Jin-ga wielding a "tongue sword."

"I don't know what Macheon Pavilion is thinking. Sending such a young friend. I wonder if they even understand the gravity of this matter."

"This is an insult to us!"

"That's right. We've been toyed with!"

Voices of condemnation came from all around. It was a remarkable whispering, delivered with meticulous consideration so that it could be clearly heard by the person concerned, under the guise of a whisper. In summary, "You're a brat, and Macheon Pavilion, which sent such a brat on an important mission, is a thoughtless fool with an undeveloped brain." Roughly, that was the meaning. It was a kindly diplomatic consideration intended to psychologically pressure the green, novice diplomat until he shriveled up like an earthworm scattered under the midday sun.

Clap! Clap!

At that moment, two sharp claps echoed through the grand hall. The crowd, now openly venting their anger, turned their gazillions of eyes to one spot. It was Son Mun-gyeong, the Military Advisor and Assistant to the Headmaster, who had deliberately clapped to draw attention.

"Now, now, please calm down! No, it's not necessarily so! They're not fools, are they?"

He said, scanning the faces of the crowd with his famous narrowed eyes.

"No, so they're not fools, Military Advisor?"

An old scholar, whose indignation had not yet subsided, exclaimed loudly as if he had made a world-shattering discovery.

"Oh, how could that be……"

"Are you mistaken, Military Advisor?"

Reactions of disbelief followed in quick succession. It was a very intentional reaction, and it seemed to have worked better than expected, as Lee Si-geon's face turned red, on the verge of exploding. For someone who had always been impatient, this situation demanded too much.

"Come now, everyone, stop. You should think about your dignity in front of a young friend. You'll be called childish."

Son Mun-gyeong was more often called Military Advisor than Assistant to the Headmaster. However, this title was not given because his strategies and tactics were more highly regarded than his work performance and practical skills. It was simply because the title "Military Advisor" was shorter than "Assistant to the Headmaster," and thus more frequently and widely used. Paradoxically, however, the work he actually performed was more about practical matters than military ones. It was currently a time of peace—though few agreed with this fact—and as long as there was no clash between organizations, his military talents were rarely utilized.

'Indeed, is this man the 'Hidden Eye' Son Mun-gyeong?'

Lee Si-geon, whose name he had heard ad nauseam since his days at Macheon Pavilion, glanced at the man behind his expressionless mask, hiding his interest. He was as rumored. However, that did not mean he was blind. His eyes simply gave the impression of two straight lines drawn horizontally with slight breaks.

'It's amazing that he can see like that.'

That was his honest impression.

Usually, military advisors of such large organizations had grand epithets. Cheon-gija, Cheon-noe, Man-bak-ja, Man-bak-noe, the Second Gong-myeong, Jae-rae Gong-myeong, Jae-rim Gong-myeong, Bu-hwal Gong-myeong, and so on. However, this man, who always carried a hundred thousand characters and ten thousand wits, was simply called "Narrow-eyed" because of his slightly unusual physical characteristic. Of course, his official title was "Hidden Eye," given by many in respect of his knowledge, wisdom, and status, but he was much more often called "Narrow-eyed" informally. However, since his mind was as difficult to read as his eyes were difficult to see, there was no way of knowing which of these two titles he preferred.

He was a genius of the ages, who could only not see his own eyes. Lee Si-geon, his gaze sharpening, began to scrutinize him from every angle, as if not to miss even the slightest detail.

'Indeed… the rumors were true.'

While rumors often contained eighty percent exaggeration, sometimes they were conveyed entirely accurately. With the slight frustration gained from long observation, Lee Si-geon was able to confirm this. Even if small, how could it be so small! True to his reputation, the hidden eyes of the Cheonmu Academy's military advisor allowed no one, not even himself, to read the pupils hidden behind his thin, slender, two straight lines. The fact that he could not read the opponent's thoughts made this young reaper very uncomfortable.

What would this man say?

Son Mun-gyeong did not disappoint him. Instead, he became angry.

"This is just my conjecture, but unless their brains froze in the harsh winter last year, they must know well how important this matter is to us and how indignant we are. No matter how rushed they may be, Macheon Pavilion is neither so ignorant nor so incompetent as to fail to grasp such a simple principle. I believe we must now contemplate the hidden intentions behind Macheon Pavilion's response in this manner, despite knowing all this."

"They knew? Isn't that worse than not knowing?"

An old scholar, unable to simply let it pass, raised his hand and asked.

"Hmm… one could say so."

"How insidious…"

Murmur, murmur, murmur!

Voices condemning Macheon Pavilion's insidiousness erupted ceaselessly from all sides. The barrage of criticism rained down on Lee Si-geon like a shower. However, before he could even find an excuse, the elders returned to their own world, ignoring him. Another elder said.

"Then, let's assume for a moment that they are not fools. Though, in my opinion, they still are. In that case, do you have any guess as to their hidden intentions, Military Advisor?"

"I have some inkling."

"Oh, indeed!"

'As expected! Truly a Military Advisor!' exclamations burst out from here and there.

'These old bones!'

Lee Si-geon couldn't help but be enraged. However, even with his reputation for arrogance, he couldn't run amok here. He could only swallow his anger.

"What is it? We need to know their scheme."

The hidden intention had somehow become a scheme. Everyone was beginning to believe that Macheon Pavilion had been secretly plotting for a hundred years and meticulously planning their scheme.

"Hmm, please listen without misunderstanding. Calmly, coolly…"

"We are all calm!"

The elders replied with a grumble.

"Hmm… I suspect… that their intention is to deliberately diminish the importance of the incident."

"What you're saying is…"

"Yes, they do not wish for what happened at Hwasan to be brought to the forefront."

Son Mun-gyeong replied as if reluctantly revealing something he wanted to hide deep in his heart, because others so eagerly desired it.

'They want to hide something.'

Son Mun-gyeong did not say this last part, but everyone else gathered in the grand hall heard the unspoken words.

It was a rude act, contrary to diplomatic protocol, to speak frankly in front of a reaper, but Lee Si-geon could not protest this matter.

He knew it would only backfire.

'Why are they trying so hard to cover it up, given how guilty they must be?'

He would surely hear such words, and it would only add the phrases 'insidious, vicious, warning issued' to the evaluation section of his own organization, with no real gain. However, judging that remaining silent was equally disadvantageous, Lee Si-geon decided to regain control of the conversation.

"That is all a misunderstanding. Regarding the tragedy at the Hwasan branch, the Headmaster has also clearly expressed his deep regret."

Although the type of regret might be different, regret was regret, so he could speak with sincerity. However, Ma Jin-ga frowned, seemingly displeased by his words.

"Regret? I hope you haven't forgotten who the main culprit of this catastrophe was."

Lee Si-geon felt the sharpness within those words.

"Of course, I haven't forgotten. It was someone from our Macheon Pavilion."

He didn't add, 'And it was also my unfortunate senior brother.' He was still too young and vibrant to become someone's meal.

"I won't thank you for not forgetting. However, if you haven't forgotten, how is the investigation progressing?"

Ma Jin-ga was saying that mere words of regret were unnecessary. They needed to see action to match that regret.

He produced the answer he had prepared, as it was a question he had expected.

"An investigation is currently underway."

Ma Jin-ga's eyebrows slightly raised. Simultaneously, a fearsome aura emanated from his large frame.

"Still under investigation?"

Although it was the reaction he expected, the intensity was beyond imagination.

'Tremendous pressure…'

It felt so intense that he imagined Ma Jin-ga's fist smashing his head at any moment. However, he decided to trust the discernment of someone who had sat at the apex of the organization for nearly thirty years.

"Yes, Headmaster."

A moment of silence ensued. Lee Si-geon had to fight against the constant pressure that bore down on him. He desperately suppressed his murderous intent to avoid drawing his weapon. A heavy silence passed.

"…Are you saying you haven't caught them yet?"

Ma Jin-ga sighed softly and leaned back on the high seat.

"The martial world is vast. If you include places beyond the martial world, its immensity is beyond imagination. In contrast, our personnel are too few. Although we are desperately tracking their movements, it will be difficult to find them easily. It is an investigation that requires perseverance and patience. It is not a matter that can be concluded overnight."

Lee Si-geon congratulated himself for his head remaining intact.

"I worry that you are desperately hiding their whereabouts."

Ma Jin-ga's questions were still sharp, but the pressure that had been crushing him had lessened considerably, allowing Lee Si-geon to regain some composure.

"Hahaha, why would we do that? The damage was not limited to Cheonmu Academy. We also suffered significant losses."

"Aren't you afraid of the mastermind behind it being revealed?"

Ma Jin-ga's sharp gaze raked over Lee Si-geon's body. It was a look that seemed determined not to miss a single misplaced word.

'So, he's not sitting in the Headmaster's position for nothing…'

Young people often dismiss experience as mere aging, but the wisdom gained through prolonged experience cannot be disregarded.

"While I understand your suspicion, it is entirely unfounded. It is a baseless worry."

Lee Si-geon spoke forcefully, striving to infuse his words with conviction.

"Baseless worry… Indeed, normally, people think the sky won't fall. But as someone responsible for the safety of many, I cannot help but worry if the sky will fall or not. Even if that sky is not our sky."

The name of that sky, "Macheon" (Demonic Heaven), was omitted, but Lee Si-geon understood perfectly.

"I worry whether I should send our children to such a suspicious place, where it could collapse at any moment. It is a worry."

Ma Jin-ga let out a sigh filled with regret and concern. Lee Si-geon felt his back itch as the attention suddenly focused on him. He worried that some impatient individuals might rush forward to open his head. He was being pushed into a defensive position, but he had no other viable options. He decided to just blurt something out.

"Suspicious? No, what is suspicious about it? It is as it appears. Or, do you have some other concern?"

His aimless words, intended to deflect attention, provided a most inviting opening. He didn't take long to realize he had exchanged one worry for another.

"We have reached a consensus that the nature and purpose of this incident are different from their previous attacks."

"What is different about it?"

"Young man, have you ever eaten bindaetteok?"

Lee Si-geon blinked at the sudden question.

"You haven't?"

"Of course… I have eaten it."

"Then have you made it?"

"I haven't made it myself."

He couldn't fathom what this senile old man was trying to say.

"That's a shame. Then I'll tell you the process."

Though he vehemently declined, Ma Jin-ga politely refused his plea. Perhaps he didn't want to miss the opportunity to torment the young man. So, he began to explain the process in detail, starting from the sowing of mung beans, in a detailed, tedious, and lengthy manner.

As Lee Si-geon swallowed his second yawn, Ma Jin-ga finally reached the point where he was mixing a batter of starch and vegetables—vegetables that farmers had cultivated while fighting pests under the scorching sun—and clams—clams that haenyeos had dug from the tidal flats and then traveled great distances—and octopus—an octopus with a rich history caught by a seasoned fisherman battling fierce waves in the rough sea. Of course, it had traveled great distances—with a bit of water, into a state of chaos, and was now being spread thinly with a ladle onto a wide, heated pan—a cooking utensil forged through the blacksmiths' battles with fire and iron using their hammers. — of course, with the labor of many—

"Is my story boring?"

"Ahem, Uh… Ah, no."

He hastily closed his mouth, which was about to yawn for the third time, and replied. Ma Jin-ga did not reprimand this seemingly rude reaction.

"So, then you have to cook it well."

"Hmm, I see."

Lee Si-geon replied with an expression that suggested he felt like vomiting.

"But what happens if you cook only one side?"

Lee Si-geon answered, resolving inwardly never to eat bindaetteok for the next three years.

"It burns."

He could answer within the realm of common sense.

"Exactly! That's the difference!"

What was "that," and what was "the difference"? In contrast to the extremely lengthy, yawningly tedious, and absurdly verbose, yet ultimately magnificent introduction, Lee Si-geon looked at Ma Jin-ga with an expression that seemed to ask, "Did you get indigestion from the bindaetteok you ate yesterday?"

And then he said.

"Huh?"

His bewildered astonishment was expressed through a very short sentence.

"I don't quite understand what you mean."

He lacked the imagination and leaps of logic to bridge the vast gap between bindaetteok and the "Cheon-geop-u" (a term that would be explained later), nor was he insane.

"It seems they thought it was time to cook the other side."

Ma Jin-ga stepped in to fill the gap, as he had no choice.

"You mean flipping it? The martial world?"

As a discerning young man, he did not say "hot plate."

"Flip!"

Ma Jin-ga added politely.

Lee Si-geon contemplated whether he should applaud and say, "Yes, that's the answer!" But he soon stopped. His job was to create confusion, making the real seem fake and the fake seem real. Just as the "feathers" had done so far.

"That's a huge undertaking. Do they have that much capability?"

Lee Si-geon said with an intonation that meant, "I'm very, very, very doubtful, so why don't you doubt it a little too?" His job was to fan the flames of suspicion and make them change the correctly written answer to an incorrect one.

"That's precisely the point. What is needed to flip a heated pan?"

"A cook?"

Ma Jin-ga nodded.

"To technically flip the pan, there must be a focal point. Otherwise, the bindaetteok will scatter everywhere, won't it?"

Bindaetteok again? Lee Si-geon, hiding his disgusted expression behind his mask, thought deeply.

"So, has that cook appeared? Or were they just watching it cook without doing anything until now?"

"Whether they appeared now or were already there but just watching it cook without lifting a finger, we don't know."

"Who would dare to take on such a great responsibility? To cook the martial world to their liking and flip it at the right time? A person with such capability cannot be created overnight. Their absolute supporter is still dead."

And the dead usually do not return to life.

He had once again handed over the initiative of the conversation to Ma Jin-ga. He couldn't interrupt him.

"We suspect that there is a large organization behind this incident."

"A large organization? Surely not those from a hundred years ago?"

That organization was officially considered annihilated.

"Not them, but you know well that there is a group that claims to be their descendants."

Of course, Lee Si-geon knew that much. It was a problem because he knew it too well.

"You mean the 'feathers'?"

Ma Jin-ga nodded.

"Yes. The ones called 'Cheon-geop-u' (Heavenly Calamity Feathers)."

Thinking of those feathers made Ma Jin-ga's clenched fist tremble, as anger overcame reason. Despite lacking a body, the damage they had inflicted on the martial world was persistent and immense.

"That's right. We had thought that although the remnants of the Cheon-geop-u had carried out various disruptive operations, it was not a cause for great concern. Because they lacked a focal point. But isn't it time to change that thought and do we urgently feel the need for it? No one has seen the corpse of 'him,' who is claimed to be missing."

For that fact alone, the martial world had produced countless patients with nervous breakdowns for a hundred years.

"In any case, it's as if they don't exist now, isn't it? It doesn't seem like they would have been united with such strong cohesion to be maintained ownerless for a hundred years! A hundred years is a long time, enough to make even the most passionate woman's fervor cool."

Clap!

Suddenly, Ma Jin-ga clapped his hands.

"Precisely!"

"Yes?"

Startled by the sudden clap, Lee Si-geon asked in a dazed voice.

"The problem is precisely that they are not passionate women."

"I would be grateful if you could help me recover my memory loss."

"Because they are not passionate women, there is someone who forces them to guard their chastity! It's not quite a supervisor, but a manager would be appropriate."

"Are you saying there is a being capable of acting as a proxy for the immense presence and dominance of the Heavenly Calamity Blood God? From my perspective, that seems like fantasy."

As the pronoun changed to a proper name, no, a proper epithet (?), several people frowned.

"Honestly, the thought of how powerful that being must be is daunting."

He instinctively shivered, due to the strangely vivid sensation. That sensation was clearly etched into his body and mind.

Ma Jin-ga asked in a low voice.

"Young man, have you heard the name 'Sa-cheon-myeol-geop' (Four Heavens' Annihilation Calamity)?"

Lee Si-geon felt his body tremble silently in the silence.

Sa-cheon-myeol-geop!

The four reapers of death who appeared as the embodiment of fear and death, the shadows of calamity! They reigned with fear, sowing despair. They obeyed only one person's command, and most major decisions were made by them.

Because they all wore bronze masks, only the master of the Book of Life and Death, King Yama of Hell, and the Heavenly Calamity Blood God, the embodiment of death in the present world, knew their identities, but their power was described as terror, fear, blood, and death itself.

However, a hundred years of dust now lay thick upon that name. After the defeat of the Heavenly Calamity Lord, that name was cast into the abyss of oblivion, and no one bothered to brush away the dust that had accumulated on it.

Just moments ago, Ma Jin-ga had brushed away that dust and brought out an artifact from a hundred years ago.

"Weren't they all killed back then, a hundred years ago?"

Ma Jin-ga shook his head.

"That's the official announcement, but like most official announcements, this one hides a lot behind it. I wasn't there, but I only learned the truth later from the elders. It is said that only 'Nam-cheon' (Southern Heaven), dismembered into a cross by the Martial God's Red Knife, Blue Sword, and 'Dong-cheon' (Eastern Heaven), cut into nine pieces by the Martial God Ma's Roaring Heaven Saber, had their deaths directly confirmed."

"Do you know what happened to Seo-cheon (Western Heaven) and Buk-cheon (Northern Heaven)?"

"The Three Sams of Cheonmu united their forces and cornered Seo-cheon, but unfortunately, they only managed to inflict serious injuries. The thought of not eradicating evil brought eternal regret to the three Sams. And the whereabouts of Buk-cheon, known as the strongest among Sa-cheon-myeol-geop, have been a mystery since the grand hall. Some say he feigned death and hid himself, but no one knows his whereabouts, nor is there anyone to confirm those rumors."

"Then why are you bringing them up from the oblivion of the past like this…"

Although he asked, he already knew the answer. As if reading his mind, Ma Jin-ga nodded vigorously.

"We believe they are still alive."

As expected! Lee Si-geon cursed inwardly.

"If that were all, perhaps we could be relieved. But suddenly, this thought occurs to me: what if those powerful beings are hiding themselves behind the excellent camouflage of the shroud of death and have infiltrated and taken over major organizations… such a dreadful thought."

As he said this, Ma Jin-ga looked into Lee Si-geon's eyes with sharp, gleaming black eyes. It was a keen gaze, as if trying to tear out the window of his eyes and peer into his inner self.

Lee Si-geon felt he could bet all his possessions that the name of that organization was three characters long.

'Why are they babbling out everything they've deduced, one by one? As if they're bragging about what they've discovered.'

Lee Si-geon desperately tried to compose himself, not to show his inner turmoil. That was a stone. Thrown into a lake intentionally… to cause ripples.

Bragging? That was unlikely. They wouldn't blab secrets of such a high level to outsiders for such a trivial reason. Seeing some of the elders turning pale at his words, it was clear that those facts were strictly managed secrets. Those facts would undoubtedly cause much chaos if they were leaked to the outside. What was the motive for revealing such secrets so carelessly?

His back was soaked with cold sweat. Goosebumps ran across his skin at a furious pace. However, he maintained, or rather, tried to maintain, a calm expression on the part of his face facing upwards, beyond his clothing.

He knew there were four eyes staring at him, as if they wouldn't miss even the slightest tremor in his eye.

Two of them could not be seen without some form of coercive measure, but that did not dilute the horror they held.

It was equally terrifying.

After that, he couldn't remember how the meeting proceeded. Clearly, his mouth was moving and he was saying something, but he couldn't grasp a single word of what he was saying. He seemed to have answered Ma Jin-ga's questions mechanically, like an automaton.

"…So, how about your lodging? We've prepared lodgings exclusively for reapers, so how about resting there and unwinding?"

It was only when Ma Jin-ga uttered those words that Lee Si-geon realized that the meeting, 'A Reaper's Audience,' was likely over. His still-ringing ears were penetrated by Ma Jin-ga's deep voice.

"Why? Don't you like the lodging here?"

He had to answer something.

"No. However, I already have a place in mind. I'd like to rest there and shed the burdens I've been carrying."

At that moment, the smile that formed on Ma Jin-ga's lips made Lee Si-geon uncomfortable.

"Do as you wish. If this place is stifling, then there's no choice."

"I will gratefully accept your kind intentions."

His true intention was to leave this accursed place as soon as possible. A sense of defeat, for reasons he couldn't quite articulate, bothered him. He gritted his teeth. But his eyes were still smiling. There were still words to be said, roles to be played.

"Then I will see you at the next audience."

As an official envoy visiting Cheonmu Academy after a long time, he still had much to resolve. Even if he didn't want to, he would have to stand in this place or a similar one again.

'But did I resolve anything today?'

He found himself lacking in trust. He wasn't sure.