We headed for the Blue Moon Hall at once—just the Small Moon Commander and me.

No escort was needed.

With the Small Moon Commander there, what guide would we possibly require.

Either way, that wasn’t the important part.

‘This is insanely uncomfortable.’

On the way, the Small Moon Commander didn’t so much as glance at me, let alone say a single word. I know he doesn’t like me anyway, but—

In every sense, it was bothersome and needling.

‘Tch.’

Of all people, the Small Moon Commander. If it were someone else, I could have just ignored them back and been done with it.

With this man, that was a little tricky.

‘How should I handle him.’

Having come this far into the Small Moon Unit, it wasn’t good to get tossed out of his eyes.

For the road ahead, I needed to shift the relationship a bit.

‘Not that I’ve got an immediate way to do it.’

Nothing obvious came to mind, so there was nothing I could do right now.

‘Mm...’

I walked and thought in silence.

‘There is something.’

Not “nothing at all.” There were one or two levers I could use.

‘Not yet.’

Too risky to pull them carelessly. For now I’d hold back.

For now.

Thinking that, I stepped into the Blue Moon Hall.

Inside, Moonlit Sword was already waiting.

“I greet the Sect Master.”

“...I greet the Sect Master.”

While we paid respect, I almost froze without meaning to.

‘...What’s with his eyes?’

Moonlit Sword’s gaze was ice-cold.

It’s not like he’s ever soft, but today it was keen to an extreme.

‘What is it?’

Did something happen today? He looked thoroughly ill at ease.

“...”

The Small Moon Commander’s expression was the same upon seeing him.

The difference from me was that he looked like he knew why Moonlit Sword was like this.

“Small Moon Commander.”

“Yes.”

“A reply has arrived from the Tang Clan.”

“...!”

At the words Tang Clan, the Commander’s eyes widened.

‘Tang Clan?’

At that, a question mark popped up in my head.

‘Why the Tang Clan out of nowhere?’

The Tang Clan—one of the Five Great Clans in Sichuan—famous for poisons and ironwork.

“...A reply, you say?”

Moonlit Sword handed him a letter.

The Commander received it with care and unfolded it.

“...Huh...?”

By the end of the contents, every negative emotion washed over the Commander’s face.

What in the world could it say to make him like that? And—

‘Why was I called.’

What was the point of calling me in on this.

Just then, while I was still wondering—

“This is absurd.”

The Small Moon Commander spoke in disbelief.

“To name such a condition...!”

“I’d say they have sufficient grounds of their own.”

“Sect Master...!”

Even at the Commander’s heated reaction, Moonlit Sword stayed even.

“It isn’t strange.”

He took the letter back and added,

“From their side as well, they’d want confirmation. Only then is it certain.”

“Even so—!”

They were beating their drums and gongs among themselves, worked up to a clamor.

What was I supposed to be doing? Picking my nose?

I was honestly considering it when—

“That’s why you were called, too.”

“...Pardon? Ah, yes.”

Moonlit Sword looked at me as he spoke.

Seemed he’d decided to drop the formalities now that I was in the Small Moon Unit.

“...But what do you mean?”

From the flow, it felt like this concerned me somehow.

‘What ties could I possibly have to the Tang Clan.’

They’re one of the Five Great Clans under heaven. My family is a wreck—embarrassing to call a clan at all.

The Tang Clan? I had no connection whatsoever.

‘Namgung... hmm.’

Maybe Murong, at a stretch.

Either way, the Tang Clan felt like no tie of mine.

Moonlit Sword regarded me and said,

“The Tang Clan says they will take on the repair of Full Moon.”

“...Excuse me?”

Now it was my turn to widen my eyes.

Full Moon? If Full Moon, then...

‘The old man’s beloved blade.’

A broken, time-worn relic.

Made of cold iron, yes. But with half the blade blown off, useless, a thing with only symbolic value left.

And yet—

‘They’ll repair it?’

The Tang Clan themselves?

“Sir... Sect Master, what is this about.”

“You know the Tang Clan was the one that forged Full Moon.”

“...Yes. More or less.”

Truth is I was hearing it for the first time, but I pretended to know.

‘Full Moon was ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ forged by the Tang Clan...?’

Well then.

‘If it’s the Tang Clan, that tracks.’

I’d wondered where it was made, given it used ten-thousand-year cold iron.

If it’s the Tang Clan, possible.

‘There’s no one better with metal than they are.’

Whenever the Martial Alliance held a festival, the freebies they threw around were swords the Tang Clan made. Most famous masters’ prized blades were Tang work.

That much meant the Tang Clan was preeminent in working steel.

And in that situation—

“They’re going to repair Full Moon.”

“Yes.”

Hearing that Moonlit Sword had commissioned the Tang Clan to repair Full Moon, I caught on to the intent at once.

“Restoring the symbol?”

“...”

At my words, a glint moved in Moonlit Sword’s eyes.

“Correct.”

He nodded and confirmed it.

After Yoo Cheongil died and the family power slowly waned, Full Moon, his beloved blade, had been recovered.

Naturally the Blue Moon Sect would want it repaired.

The point that mattered here—

“I never gave permission.”

—was that Full Moon belonged to me.

“How dare you...!”

The Small Moon Commander flared at my statement, but Moonlit Sword raised a hand and stilled him.

“You’re right. Full Moon is yours.”

Knowing that, he’d put in the commission without my consent?

Was he just spitting on me? The thought flashed, then I judged no.

‘He wouldn’t do it that sloppily and loud if that were it.’

I hadn’t seen him many times, but the Moonlit Sword I had in mind wouldn’t do something this crude.

There had to be another reason—another intent.

And of course—

“Hence, I’d like to make a deal with you.”

Moonlit Sword addressed me.

“A deal?”

“Yes. A deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“As you heard—simple. Go to the Tang Clan and have Full Moon repaired.”

“If that’s what the Sect Master wants... what do I get?”

If it’s a deal, there must be something for me.

What would it be? Just as a bit of hope rose—

“In exchange, I’ll be your shade once.”

“...Sir?”

What did that mean—shade? He’d be on my side?

“I don’t really need—”

“The Namgung Clan. The Little Azure Sword.”

“—or so I thought, but perhaps I do.”

At Moonlit Sword’s follow-up, I answered with a rotten smile.

‘Ah, hell.’

I’d almost forgotten.

‘That.’

Cold sweat trickled.

What Moonlit Sword brought up was nothing else than—

‘The fact that I smashed the Little Azure Sword’s balls.’

And because I’d targeted a vital spot after the duel had ended, if the Namgung Clan made an issue of it, I was cooked.

To solve that—

‘...I asked Cheon Eujin’s help to enter the Blue Moon Sect.’

I’d planned to slide by by attaching myself to a sect even the Five Great Clans wouldn’t touch lightly.

‘Tsk...’

For Moonlit Sword to bring this up now meant—

‘There’s a problem.’

The Namgung Clan had lodged an objection.

“I’ll grant what you want, as you want it. In return, we plan to have Full Moon repaired—what do you say.”

“...I find that proper.”

I had to accept. In truth, the terms weren’t bad.

‘It’s all smashed and useless anyway; fixing it only helps.’

It’s not like I’ll use it, but as said—it’s good to repair it. And if this makes the Namgung issue fully safe—

No loss to me.

So I thought, but—

“However, there’s one condition on repairing Full Moon.”

“A condition?”

“That is the true reason you were called.”

“What do you—”

“Seems they’ve already heard the news. If they’re to take the job...”

Moonlit Sword’s blue eyes settled on me.

“They demand the Sword Saint’s successor personally bring Full Moon to the Tang Clan.”

“...!”

I frowned on reflex.

I didn’t need to ask what “the Sword Saint’s successor” meant.

“...Me?”

I was to carry Full Moon to the Tang Clan?

“That would be your mission, I expect. What do you think?”

“...”

What did I think—what could I think.

“Just to be thorough—if I refuse? Is ‘no’ an option?”

“Hard to say.”

“That’s a terrifying answer.”

“I don’t know for certain, but it would likely push you a bit farther from what you dream of here.”

“...”

In short, I had to go somehow.

‘My first mission starts as long-distance?’

To Sichuan, at that? I’ve never even been—and on top of that...

‘I heard the recent rumors weren’t great.’

I’d heard a few things about Sichuan lately. I wanted to avoid going if I could.

‘What to do...’

What should I do with this. The one being who’d know the right answer just happened not to be at my side now.

‘It feels like an important mission, but is it really right to leave the Blue Moon Sect now?’

Not to mention, it sounded dangerous.

Honestly, if it weren’t dangerous I’d say it wasn’t bad, but...

“If you say you’ll go, I’ll attach personnel and you’ll depart soon.”

‘Huh?’

While I was hesitating, something flashed in my head at Moonlit Sword’s words.

Attach personnel?

The moment I heard that, I spoke.

“Sect Master.”

“Speak.”

“Do you remember the wager from last time?”

We’d bet on whether I could enter the Small Moon Unit.

If I got in, Moonlit Sword would grant me one favor within reason.

“I remember.”

Thankfully, he answered.

Hearing that, I smiled.

“May I spend it now?”

“...”

Moonlit Sword’s brow furrowed.

****

After Bang Sungyeon took his leave—

Left alone together, the Small Moon Commander spoke to Moonlit Sword at once.

“Sect Master, this is unacceptable...! Of all things, the elder’s Full Moon.”

On this matter at least, the Small Moon Commander refused to yield and burned hot.

“Rather than Young Master Bang, let me go.”

“No.”

A flat refusal.

“...”

Even at the Commander’s reaction, Moonlit Sword only looked at him, calm.

“He’s already entered the Small Moon Unit. Still ‘Young Master Bang’?”

He prodded the form of address, but the Commander did not change.

“...I cannot recognize him.”

“What can’t you recognize.”

“That he is one of the Small Moon Unit—”

“No.”

Moonlit Sword cut him off.

“That’s not what you can’t recognize. It isn’t that you can’t accept that boy’s entry into the Small Moon Unit.”

Moonlit Sword’s gaze slid aside—to Full Moon, set at the room’s center.

“It’s that you cannot accept that the boy is the elder’s successor. Isn’t that it.”

“...”

The Small Moon Commander did not refute it. He could not.

Because, in truth, that was correct.

“Small Moon Commander.”

“...Yes.”

“I know you respect the elder, but this is public business. You know the condition was set by the Tang Clan themselves.”

In other words—don’t be ruled by feeling. Moonlit Sword laced force into his words and gave a cold warning.

“...My apologies.”

The Commander bowed his head at once. He knew full well that any further, and he would cross a line Moonlit Sword had drawn.

That didn’t mean his heart accepted it.

There was still a dissatisfied air about him.

Moonlit Sword did not press further.

He knew the man’s heart, and—

“Small Moon Commander.”

“...Yes.”

“Today, the Martial Alliance’s Commander of the Guards died by my hand.”

“...!!”

It was also because this wasn’t the time to belabor it.

The Small Moon Commander’s face, which had just been complaining, changed in an instant.

“...You mean—?”

“Heaven-Breaking Palace.”

“Ha...! How can a man called Commander stoop so low...!!”

The Commander clenched his fist, his expression twisting. His eyes were filled with contempt.

“It likely means they’ve sunk deep into the Alliance’s high ranks as well. So—”

Rrrroll.

Moonlit Sword rolled an unknown small bead from his hand to the Commander.

The Commander caught it by reflex.

Watching, Moonlit Sword said,

“You have work other than Full Moon.”

A task of his own. And a very important one at that.