“Kh—!”

In the dim room, a man hacked up blood in harsh spurts.

He looked to be around forty.

“Huff... khuk...”

Even as he kept vomiting blood in pain, the man couldn’t move.

Because someone stood before him where he knelt.

In the not-wide room, the man couldn’t even lift his head; all he could do was let out a low groan.

Then—

“Commander of the Guards.”

“...!”

At the low summons, the man jerked his head up.

There, the being who had made him like this stood lofty, looking down.

In the lightless dark where not a single lamp was lit, only a pair of blue eyes gave off light.

Facing that chilling gaze, the man stammered in a rush.

“M-my... apologies...”

At that barely squeezed-out apology, the blue-eyed figure—

Moonlit Sword slowly bent down.

At that motion, the man’s body went even more rigid.

As if he meant to meet the man’s eyes.

Rrrrumble—!!!

An overwhelming pressure swept the room.

“You’re mistaken.”

Moonlit Sword, face expressionless, looked at the man and went on.

“I didn’t come to hear an apology.”

“Kk... kkgrrr...”

Clack-clack-clack—!!

Under the pressure his body was crushed; in fear his teeth crashed together like mad.

Watching that, Moonlit Sword asked, flat and mild.

“Why did you do it.”

“Kk... hu...”

After a long fit of trembling, the man forced words out as he endured the pressure.

“About... about Pungyeon... it’s true... this happened because I failed... to supervise...”

At the excuse-like words, Moonlit Sword’s brow moved a hair.

Pungyeon.

At that name leaving his mouth, the Commander of the Guards’ body shuddered.

One of the Guard Corps who shielded the Sect Master’s bloodline.

Moonlit Sword had come here precisely because of that bastard.

‘...Useless fool...!’

An idiot who knew nothing had dared betray the one he guarded, scheme, and try to kill him.

The instant he heard the report, the Commander of the Guards should have felt his skin crawl.

When the Guard Corps moves, they must report, without exception.

If you go somewhere, you report you’re going. If you do something, you report what you’re doing.

Pungyeon reported nothing and acted on his own.

Proof from the outset that he meant to attempt something.

And what he then committed was—

‘He chose to lay hands on Moonlit Sword’s son?’

You can be stupid, but not that stupid.

The man ground his teeth and tried to find a move.

There was only one method anyway.

“...I am sorry. It is all my fault.”

He prostrated flat.

Knowing full well who the other was and what kind of being he was, this was the best choice he could make.

‘Damned bastard.’

Even as he pressed his forehead tight to the floor, he cursed Pungyeon inside.

‘Whose handiwork is this.’

It wouldn’t have been done entirely on his own.

And Mountain Ghost?

‘He said that one was an accomplice.’

The man knew him too—a thug famed for deep bad blood with the Namgung Clan, and Pungyeon joined hands with him?

‘That can’t be all.’

The man was certain of more than that.

There was too little connective tissue for Mountain Ghost to bother taking Pungyeon’s hand.

Which meant—

‘...There’s someone else.’

There was another who had shoved Pungyeon’s back and tied him to Mountain Ghost.

‘Who?’

The man had no way to know.

Because the report written by the victim, Moonlit Sword’s son Cheon Eujin, did not include that part.

Which was why Moonlit Sword had shown up like this, rampaging.

So the man thought.

“...Sect Master. Including responsibility for my subordinate, I will see Young Master Cheon’s matter handled cleanly, so please, your anger—”

But—

“Wrong.”

Again Moonlit Sword denied him, firm. And then—

Press.

“...!”

He lightly set his foot atop the bowed man’s head.

“Commander of the Guards. In your eyes, do you think I came to you over just that sort of petty matter?”

At Moonlit Sword’s words, the man swallowed dryly.

To call it “that sort of petty” when it concerned his own son.

Moreover, with a voice so cold it clogged the throat all the more.

A strongman who has led the Blue Moon Sect since Yoo Cheongil.

A being assessed as colder and more ruthless than anyone when he takes a sword in hand.

Indeed, his words fit.

He was a being like a drawn, sharpened blade.

“Then why...”

If not that, why was he doing this to him?

The man asked with a trembling voice.

“Commander of the Guards.”

Hearing him out, Moonlit Sword spoke to the man in an even tone.

“You are one who must protect the Alliance from the shadows. Is that not so?”

“...It is.”

The man answered. At that answer, Moonlit Sword nodded.

“Then why did you do it?”

“...Do what?”

“Why did you join hands with the Heaven-Breaking Palace. That is my question.”

“...!”

At Moonlit Sword’s question, the man’s body shook hard.

A flicker of silence passed. Then the man hastily piled on words.

“I don’t know... what you—”

“Your answer just now was sufficient.”

“W-wai—!” 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Crunch—!

Moonlit Sword pressed down with the foot he had set, and mashed the man’s head as it was.

It crushed; blood sprayed.

Even with his foot fouled, Moonlit Sword turned his back as if it didn’t concern him.

His eyes as he turned blazed more savagely than ever.

Creak.

When Moonlit Sword opened the door and stepped out, armed martial men were already waiting beyond it.

“Carry word to the Alliance Leader.”

At his words, the men snapped their bodies taut.

“Tell him it seems we’ll need to choose a new Commander of the Guards.”

The man in front answered with a devastated face.

“...Understood.”

No protest. Moonlit Sword’s words and the blood spattered on his body conveyed the meaning.

Squelch.

Brushing blood from his foot, Moonlit Sword walked off; only after he passed did the martial men move inside.

Just as the situation was wrapping up—

“Sect Master.”

A Blue Moon martial man addressed him carefully.

“A letter has arrived from the Tang Clan.”

“...”

At that, a strange light passed Moonlit Sword’s eyes.

He took the letter the man handed over and unfolded it.

“...Hm.”

Having checked the contents, Moonlit Sword narrowed his eyes.

A long, long letter, stuffed with needless courtesies for the sake of form.

What he needed to see was, in the end, written in the last line.

Summed up, it was this:

—We approve the commission. However, there is a condition.

The condition the Tang Clan named.

“...”

Confirming it, Moonlit Sword—

“Ha.”

—let out a short laugh, as if something had piqued his interest.

****

A strangely quiet room.

With the weight of all eyes and an unreadable air, I had to narrow my own.

‘What’s with them. Why are they like this?’

Something was off. Big, widened eyes were staring holes through me.

‘...What?’

Did I do something weird? Why is everyone looking at me like that.

Ah.

I thought I knew.

‘Because I’m late, is that it.’

Everyone gathered and I show up only now. If there’s a problem, that’s it.

Sure, I was told to start coming from the next day, but I got caught up by this and that, and I was late after fighting Cheon Hyein from the morning.

‘Honestly, if not for the nightmare...’

I might have been a bit quicker, but it feels like I wrecked my first impression.

Well, if I were them, I’d find it absurd too if the youngest showed up the latest.

‘Tch, should’ve skipped the nonsense and just come quickly.’

I’d slowed down trying to copy their movements for nothing and only made it a hassle.

And on top of that—

‘It’s damn hard.’

I could more or less imitate Cheon Hyein’s gait, but that geezer Yoo Cheongil’s movement was too hard.

Controlling the body’s center—that essence I’d grasped—looked the same, but—

‘First off, the frame is different.’

I was a head shorter than Yoo Cheongil.

‘...Even aside from that, it’s strangely difficult.’

Even if I forced myself to account for the differences and acted it out, something was off.

‘What is it.’

Hands clasped behind the back, walking at leisure.

It looked a touch like a slight out-toed walk, yet in result it sat in perfect balance.

The flow of muscle you could see then.

The breath-movement that seemed a habit from life, though he’s a ghost.

I had felt that part when I was possessed, so I could apply it.

So, watching, I tried them one by one, but—

‘No, it won’t do.’

Just trying to copy a walk doesn’t suddenly make you a master.

‘Hm.’

Sloppy conduct and tardiness besides.

No matter how I think on it, there’s nothing to give a good impression.

‘...Tch.’

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I loosened my hands.

At that instant—

—...!

For some reason, I felt people around me flinch.

What the...?

I wondered why they were like that, but this wasn’t the time to nitpick; I should just do what I meant to do.

“I apologize.”

I bowed my head as I spoke the apology.

“I have no excuse. I’m sorry for being late.”

At times like this, it’s fastest to apologize without excuses and take whatever scolding comes.

If I added pointless words, it was obvious only I would lose.

Except—

‘...What?’

Even with my head down, no words came.

Because of that, I snuck a look up at the man in front of me.

“...Ha...”

The man facing me—Small Moon Commander—was frowning deep as he looked at me.

Naturally, I figured it was because he was angry, but—what to say—there was surprise soaked into his eyes too.

As I kept looking at him, thinking what the hell—

“This is truly unbelievable...”

He addressed me in a sigh-laced voice.

“Are you playing some sort of prank?”

“...Pardon?”

“Really, I wonder how laughable you must find us to pull a stunt like this.”

“No... I—I’m sorry.”

I started to spit an excuse and just apologized. As I said, on being late I had nothing to say.

If I tried, the only proper line would be to sell out Cheon Hyein...

‘But then I’ve got no ally.’

Judging by the look of things, even if I sold her out it would only hurt me.

“Young Master Bang.”

“...Yes, Small Moon Commander.”

“I cannot recognize you.”

“....”

At the firm tone I swallowed.

Ah, damn it.

‘Looks like I’ve really stuck a thorn in his eye.’

In office life terms, I got marked by the department head on my first day? And big.

Which is to say—

‘Social life is screwed.’

It meant the path to smooth days ahead was already shot.

“Projecting your presence is all well and good, but to flaunt it even in this situation means, in the end, you refuse to bow your head under any circumstance.”

“...Huh...? No. I’m very good at bowing. If you wish, I can fold myself into a paper crane.”

“Planning to play with words again using what you don’t mean?”

“That’s not—uh.”

“Know this.”

The Small Moon Commander spoke, face wrinkled tight.

“Whatever power you hold and whatever presence you carry, so long as you refuse to cast off that attitude and thinking, I will never acknowledge you as one of my unit.”

“...”

What power and what presence does he mean. I’ve got jack, and it’s killing me.

‘...What a damned old man.’

Looks like the duel mess piled with my tardiness and made it worse. All thanks to that wretched ghost.

‘Ugh.’

Putting on a front with a weak body is truly hard.

‘And of all times, the geezer’s not even here.’

In such a situation, the Small Moon Commander distrusting me this hard and pushing me away was not ideal.

“By the Sect’s orthodox line and the Sect Master’s will, we draped that glorious uniform upon you—”

He pointed at the Small Moon Unit garb I wore.

“But unless you truly hold courtesy and respect for our Sect, then no matter that you are the Sword Saint’s successor—”

Bang!

While the Small Moon Commander kept on at me, the closed door swung open.

“S—Small Moon Commander! A message from the Sect Master.”

A Small Moon Unit martial man rushed in, and at the ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) sight, the Commander’s anger chilled from his face at once.

“What is it.”

“An order to come at once to the Blue Moon Hall.”

“...Tch.”

Hearing it, he twisted his face.

Cut off right when he was in full swing; it didn’t sit well.

“At any rate, I cannot recognize you, whatever may come.”

He glared at me as he passed.

“Accordingly, until I recognize you, I have no intention of granting you the treatment or regard due a Small Moon man—much less assigning you a mission—”

“Ah, he also said to bring Bang along. He said there’s something to say concerning a mission.”

“...”

“...”

At the follow-up, the Small Moon Commander made a face like he’d swallowed a bug.

I, with nothing to say, could only watch his mood to the hilt.

What to call it.

A situation mortifying beyond words.