The person who stepped into the room and Yu Gang both stopped dead, blankly staring at each other.

The newcomer was an ordinary house servant.

A young servant with not a trace of martial training.

“I greet the young master.”

Startled that Yu Gang had gotten to his feet, the servant hastily set down what she was carrying and prostrated right there on the spot.

Not a clasp-fist salute—an actual bow.

Convinced now that she knew no martial arts, Yu Gang lowered his saber.

More than that—

“Young master?”

Did she just call me young master?

“Yes, young master.”

“Why am I a young master?”

“P-pardon...?”

At his stiff voice the servant flustered, lifting her head.

“B-because you are the young master... so I called you young master....”

She had only addressed him.

Judging from her muttering in confusion, she seemed to know nothing at all.

Yu Gang let out a low sigh and swept back the hair falling over his brow.

Sniff.

Yu Gang caught the scent coming from his own body.

Come to think of it, someone had changed his clothes.

No—if only they’d changed his clothes and left it at that.

Judging by the faint fragrance of oil on his skin, they’d even washed him.

What in the world is this situation?

Frowning, Yu Gang asked the servant,

“The woman who was with me—where is she?”

“She is in the rear garden. She told me to inform her the moment you awoke.”

For an instant Yu Gang’s face brightened.

“She isn’t hurt, is she? She didn’t look troubled?”

“Ah... no. She’s unharmed.”

“Good....”

Hearing that Seolhwa was waiting for him made Yu Gang a little anxious.

He wanted to hurry out to her.

“Where are my clothes?”

“The clothes you came in are in the wash. I’ll bring them as soon as they’re ready.”

Yu Gang knit his brows.

“Then what am I supposed to wear?”

“I’ll prepare something for you.”

The servant rose, went to the wardrobe, and took out clothes.

Yu Gang’s mouth fell open at the sight.

“You want me to wear this?”

“They’re tailored to your build, so they won’t be uncomfortable.”

“That’s not the point. Ha....”

What she brought was made of luxurious silk.

And the ornamentation—needlessly lavish.

A long coat embroidered in crimson and gold—bright enough to dazzle the eyes.

“Don’t you have something more subdued? Any martial outfit?”

The servant returned to the wardrobe and produced another set.

It was a martial outfit as requested, but again in a red family with gold cuffs and gold embroidery.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Still, not wanting to waste more time, Yu Gang quietly changed.

“Your hair....”

“It’s fine.”

When she approached with an ornate hairpiece, Yu Gang waved a hand and sent her back.

Then he roughly tied his hair, gathered his weapons, and stepped out.

“Ah. Where’s the rear garden?”

“I’ll escort you.”

Leaving her tidying, the servant came trotting out to lead the way.

Her extreme deference made Yu Gang’s head throb.

But he could hardly scold a young servant who knew nothing, so he followed her without protest.

****

“He is the sole heir of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. In time, he will be the Heavenly Demon who leads the great Cult.”

That was the first thing Seolhwa heard upon entering the Demonic Sect the White Shadow had brought her to.

When a man arrived with a dozen servants and asked her to hand over Yu Gang, she refused. This was the answer she received.

When she still refused, he took her along to show her how they were treating Yu Gang with utmost courtesy.

Even in hindsight, Seolhwa could only let out a laugh of disbelief.

“The Heavenly Demon... huh....”

Because Yu Gang wore a ring graven with the No-Trace Unit’s sigil—an organization under the Heavenly Demon—she had assumed one of that Cult’s members, perhaps his parents, belonged to the No-Trace Unit.

The Heavenly Demon.

The Cult Lord of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

And Yu Gang had been pre-designated as the Little Cult Lord, the successor.

She still could not believe it.

That Yu Gang was the Heavenly Demon’s son.

Which only raised more questions.

“In the previous life, what was the Heavenly Demon doing while Yu Gang lay dying?”

No—if he was the Heavenly Demon’s child, why had he been abandoned on the street?

If they were going to treat him with such courtesy, then why—

—Seolhwa!

Lost in thoughts of him, Seolhwa felt her heart drop with a thud at his Voice Transmission.

She took a short, deep breath and turned.

From a little distance away, Yu Gang was pushing past the servants and running toward her.

“Are you okay? You’re not hurt anywhere?”

He checked her condition the instant they met.

His concern was familiar, but today even that familiarity felt strange.

Seolhwa stepped back a pace and looked him over, as if seeing him anew.

The luxurious clothes and shoes he wore, the sheen in his hair from whatever had been applied, the smooth skin.

Only yesterday he had seemed a hardened, rough martial man; overnight he had become a refined young lord.

“Awkward... right...?”

Yu Gang let out an embarrassed little laugh.

“They said all my clothes and shoes were being washed, so—I had no choice but to wear what was here. Even I felt ridiculous putting this on....”

“It suits you.”

“Huh...?”

Smiling, Seolhwa lifted a hand toward his head.

Yu Gang reflexively bent a little, looking at her.

Seolhwa smoothed down the strands that had sprung out when he’d tied his hair in haste.

“Done up like this, you look like the heir of a very wealthy merchant house.”

“Uh-uh... I mean... this kind of thing doesn’t suit me.”

“No. It suits you quite well.”

When she finished his hair and lowered her hand, Yu Gang straightened °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° and looked down at her.

“Really? Ah, that reminds me....”

Glancing at the servant standing back at a distance, he spoke to Seolhwa in a near whisper.

“This place is weird. They call me young master. When they greet me, they bow. And everyone I meet greets me! I’ve never seen them before in my life!”

At his look of utter bafflement, Seolhwa stifled a chuckle.

“What on earth is going on? Where are we?”

“This is the Demonic Sect. The Cult’s main base.”

“This is the Demonic Sect? Weren’t we literally camping out in the open last night?”

“We were. And a certain someone, without realizing it was sleeping poison, drank away and fell asleep.”

“Uh—uh??”

Yu Gang gaped, mouth working soundlessly.

“T-then that... that someone... was me... right...?”

“Who else?”

“Who... poisoned me?”

“The White Shadow.”

“...!”

At Yu Gang’s jaw-dropping reaction, Seolhwa let out another soft laugh.

“W-why...? Why would he...?”

“He said he meant to take you. You’ll hear the details shortly.”

Yu Gang’s face was a picture of confusion.

Why would the White Shadow take him; why were these people treating him like this; the rich clothes and ornaments—

None of it made sense.

Seolhwa clearly knew something, but she didn’t seem inclined to tell him.

It was maddening.

Perhaps his unease showed on his face.

Seolhwa’s hand came up to cup his cheek, gentle and warm.

Yu Gang looked at her, eyes a little wide.

“Don’t worry too much. You’ll know everything soon.”

Come to think of it, both she and Yu Gang had shed their Human-Skin Masks at some point.

Judging by how at ease Seolhwa looked, this clearly wasn’t a dangerous situation.

“Okay.”

Because he trusted Seolhwa, Yu Gang nodded.

At her words, his needless anxiety felt as if it melted away.

“The Strategist requests to see you.”

A servant approached the two.

Seolhwa lowered the hand on Yu Gang’s cheek and nodded.

Yu Gang saw her expression harden.

“I’ll go.”

“Together.”

He caught her arm as she turned.

“Can’t we go together?”

Isn’t this dangerous?

You said this is the Demonic Sect.

Is it okay for us to move separately like this?

“There’s someone else you have to meet. He’ll summon you soon.”

“Someone I have to meet...?”

“Yes. That ring....”

Her eyes dropped to Yu Gang’s chest.

The ring engraved with the No-Trace Unit’s sigil still hung from his neck.

“The one who left you that ring.”

“...”

Yu Gang knew exactly what those words meant.

Because of that, he couldn’t follow after her.

Seolhwa slipped her arm free from his slackening grip.

Once he learns the Heavenly Demon is his father, Yu Gang will—

“...”

Seolhwa forced herself to stop thinking.

The conclusion that had been tormenting her was not hers to render.

She turned and started walking.

It was time for Yu Gang to meet the Heavenly Demon—and for her to meet the long-scarred bamboo-hatted man.

“Seolhwa!”

This time it wasn’t a Voice Transmission; the live sound of his voice halted her steps.

Seolhwa turned back to him.

“Food...! We can still eat together, right?”

We’re... we’re okay, right?

“We’ll meet again in a little while, right?”

We’ll keep staying together, right?

At his desperate questions, Seolhwa felt a small sadness.

His anxious look pained her.

Even she could not guarantee what would happen after this meeting.

After he met his father, and after she met the long-scarred bamboo-hatted man, she couldn’t even guess how she and Yu Gang might change.

But—

“Mm.”

Seolhwa nodded.

She waved to him as a promise to meet again.

Yu Gang’s face didn’t brighten, but Seolhwa turned away.

After walking for some time behind the servant, she glanced back on impulse. He was still there in that spot, watching her.