Cheon Eujin and Do Hyeong looked like they had no idea what was going on.

Well, I wouldn’t either.

They probably got dragged out here first thing in the morning.

‘So the Poison King really didn’t tell them anything.’

There was only one reason the two of them were brought here.

It was because I’d included them among the conditions for opening the secret archive.

‘In exchange for helping open the Poison Sovereign’s secret archive, Cheon Eujin and Do Hyeong come with me.’

That was one of the conditions, and the Poison King had agonized over it when he heard it.

It made sense—anything about the archive was supposed to be handled in secret, and here I was insisting on adding two more people.

‘Either way, he agreed.’

Even so, the Poison King accepted.

He must have judged that adding two wouldn’t cause a problem.

So I brought them.

To be precise—

‘I needed Do Hyeong.’

I needed Do Hyeong of the Small Moon Unit. No—honestly, not even Do Hyeong himself. What I really needed was—

‘The guardian spirit.’

The guardian spirit circling around Do Hyeong—that was what I needed.

‘...That thing is my lifeline.’

No one knew what might happen once we entered the archive.

I needed a way to keep myself alive, and after thinking it over, that’s what I landed on.

‘With a mountain-spirit-rank guardian spirit at our side—’

At the very least, I wouldn’t die.

Based on my previous life’s experience, I was sure of it.

‘If I just stick to Do Hyeong’s side, I can live.’

No matter what blows up, the guardian spirit will try to keep Do Hyeong alive.

And I’d skim the luck that comes with that from right next to him.

That was the reason I brought Do Hyeong.

‘...As for Cheon Eujin.’

Cheon Eujin’s role, brought along with Do Hyeong, was nothing else but—

‘Contingency for whatever might happen.’

Calling only Do Hyeong could look suspicious, so I called them together.

“What exactly is going on here?”

Do Hyeong frowned and asked me. I looked at him like I couldn’t believe it.

“Senior. I got hauled in too.”

Why assume I’d know what’s happening? That part was absurd, but—

“There’s no way you don’t know.”

“Surely Young Master Bang knows.”

“...”

For some reason the two of them were convinced.

And... well... they weren’t wrong...

‘But the way they’re so certain is kind of weird.’

Why think I’d know?

It was flustering, but...

“...I do know, actually.”

Since I did, I couldn’t deny it.

And the moment I started talking, the two made faces that said “of course.”

Why, exactly...?

Annoyance nipped at me, but explaining took priority.

“The Clan Head has given me a commission...”

“A commission?”

“From the Clan Head himself?”

At my words, both widened their eyes.

They looked to the Poison King at the same time, and he simply nodded without adding anything.

“Thanks to Young Master Bang’s consideration, we can proceed with the work. It is a grave matter, and I must apologize for the unavoidable discourtesy to you two young heroes.”

“...May we ask what the matter is?”

Do Hyeong sounded slightly tense as he asked. The Poison King looked at me.

We met eyes; I gave a small nod.

“To open the secret archive left by the former Clan Head, we need Young Master Bang’s help.”

“...!”

Former Clan Head.

At the words “Poison Sovereign’s secret archive,” Cheon Eujin and Do Hyeong’s eyes went wide like lanterns.

Not just anything—the archive of a hero who lived in the same era as the Sword Saint.

Hearing that out of nowhere, being shocked was natural.

“And you require that friend’s help to open a place like that.”

“That is so.”

Wariness crept over Do Hyeong’s face at that.

Of course he wouldn’t understand. Why would my help suddenly be necessary to open the Poison Sovereign’s secret archive?

I understood that perfectly well. Honestly, I didn’t really get it either.

But—

“Strictly speaking, we need the help of the Sword Saint’s heir.”

At the next words, Do Hyeong’s expression changed.

“...What?”

“The archive that exists today was made by the former Clan Head, and the method of opening it was set by him as well.”

Saying that, the Poison King gestured toward the wall.

It looked like nothing but wall.

“However, there is a problem with that method.”

Only then did I cut in.

“...And that method requires me?”

“That’s right.”

To open the archive, the Sword Saint’s heir was needed.

That much I’d anticipated. That’s why they’d bothered to commission me.

Except—

‘Why is that necessary?’

Why specifically require the Sword Saint’s heir to open the archive? That part I hadn’t known.

And now I finally learned the reason.

“To open the archive, the Sword Saint’s heir is required. That is what the Poison Sovereign left in his words.”

“...”

Such a plain statement and reason.

Moreover—

‘He said “heir”?’

Not the Sword Saint himself, but the Sword Saint’s heir? That was odd.

On top of that—

‘Why insist the heir’s power is necessary to open my archive?’

That was the biggest question. Why insist on that?

No matter how I turned it over, I couldn’t tell. The Poison King probably couldn’t either.

It didn’t make sense, but—

‘If the Poison Sovereign said so, they believe it.’

That much I got. In that case—

“What do you need me to do...?”

What was I supposed to do? Fine, but what exactly was I helping with?

When I asked that, the Poison King’s brows twitched.

If I was needed to open the archive, what was I supposed to do? To that, the Poison King said—

“I do not know.”

...Huh? I frowned at the answer. Did I hear that wrong?

“...Clan Head?”

“I do not know.”

Ah. So I didn’t mishear. I’d hoped I did, but apparently not.

“You don’t know?”

He didn’t know how to open it? Then why was I necessary?

“Then how am I supposed to help...?”

Puzzled, I asked, and the Poison King added—

“The former Clan Head said that if Full Moon and the Sword Saint’s heir were present together, the archive would be openable.”

What kind of answer is that?

“He also said the heir would know the method. What do you think, Young Hero Bang?”

“...”

What do I think? Obviously—

‘Would I know?’

How could I know that? I’d never even heard of it.

I wasn’t even a real heir to begin with, so normally this would be a huge headache.

But I didn’t need to worry.

‘...Mm.’

I rolled my eyes and looked into empty air.

There—

[What does that even mean? What do you need to open the archive?]

—the real Sword Saint, not his heir,

and the owner of the archive, the Poison Sovereign, were having a chat.

When Yoo Cheongil asked why the talk of the Sword Saint’s heir came out of nowhere, the Poison Sovereign clapped like he’d just remembered something he’d forgotten.

“It’s fake. Don’t mind it.”

[Huh?]

‘...Sorry?’

At the Poison Sovereign’s words, Yoo Cheongil and I both blanked.

...Fake?

“I jotted down an excuse and you came to mind, so I wrote that.”

[You insane old man? What are you spouting?]

“Didn’t you swear up and down you’d never take a disciple? So I just scribbled something.”

“...”

I scrubbed my face with my hands.

What the hell am I listening to right now?

“Young Hero Bang?”

“...One moment. I’ve got a sudden headache.”

I held up a hand to stall the Poison King and steadied my breathing.

The two old men kept talking the entire time.

“Even so. Of all things, why write that?” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

[You think I expected an actual ‘heir of yours’ to show up? You said you’d never take one!]

[Even so—!]

They were loud. The discussion wasn’t moving; they were too busy bickering.

“...Ahem!!”

So I hurried out a big fake cough. My noise drew every gaze in the room, the Poison King included. I gave an awkward smile and waved.

“Ah, sorry. Air’s a bit stale.”

Obviously I did it on purpose.

Thanks to that, the feuding ghosts quieted down.

I flicked my eyes slightly.

So—

‘What am I supposed to do.’

I asked with my face how to handle this, and only then did the Poison Sovereign speak to me.

“Don’t worry. There’s a perfectly good way.”

[How am I supposed to not worry? Look at the giant mess you left.]

[You little—]

Oh, come on.

I thought they’d start up again, but thankfully the Poison Sovereign didn’t push it.

“Do exactly as I tell you. Then everything will be solved.”

“...”

I steadied my breath at the Poison Sovereign’s words and spoke to the Poison King.

“I’ll try it.”

“You know something?”

“Well... my teacher left no instructions, but...”

Dragging out the end to buy time, I looked at the wall.

“In the end, I’ll have to take a look.”

Saying that, I started walking.

****

I approached the wall.

They’d said this was right beneath the Clan Head’s office, hadn’t they?

‘How far down is it?’

Even at a glance, it had to be quite far below.

You could tell just by the extent of the cavern.

How did they carve such a deep, wide cave under the office floor? It was honestly impressive.

‘...Same as the old man’s pantry—no matter how many times I see it, it’s wild.’

The cave network that connected to the entire underside of the Blue Moon Sect’s buildings.

I’d felt it then, too—the Poison Sovereign wasn’t just a master smith, he knew this kind of thing as well.

Thinking of that, I kept on toward the wall.

“...We’re standing in the right place?”

I asked the Poison King.

“That is right. This is where the former Clan Head’s secret archive lies.”

“Have you ever opened it yourself?”

“No. The conditions were not met, so it was impossible.”

“...”

So they hadn’t opened it because of that fake condition about the Sword Saint’s heir?

Some kind of filial propriety, keeping the deceased’s words?

Even for that, it felt a bit strange.

“...Have you ever tried to force it open?”

Even if the conditions weren’t met, they could have tried. If they hadn’t even attempted it, I wouldn’t understand.

“We did try.”

Surprisingly, they had.

“...And you still couldn’t open it?”

I looked around the cavern and asked. The Poison King answered flatly.

“In the attempt to force it, eight people exploded and died.”

“...”

...Mm.

That was something I could have gone my whole life without hearing.

[Tsk, tsk... That’s what ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) you get when people who know nothing about mechanisms poke at them.]

[You stuffed useless contraptions in again, didn’t you.]

[Idiot. It’s an archive—what, you think I’d leave it bare?]

“...”

Should I call it off even now?

I had a very strong feeling that a single mistake would get me killed.

‘...Exploded?’

What did they do to cause explosions? Even looking around, I couldn’t see any traces of that.

No traces, but the incident had happened.

That was scarier.

While I stared at the wall in silence, the Poison King spoke to me.

“Dozens of formation masters and mechanism engineers couldn’t figure it out. We requested your help in accordance with the former Clan Head’s words, but if you need time...”

Just then—

[Boy.]

The Poison Sovereign spoke to me.

[Take eight steps back exactly.]

I obeyed without hesitation.

My sudden movement put a glint in the Poison King’s eye.

Exactly eight steps. As I back-stepped, the Poison Sovereign continued.

[There will be a pebble on the ground.]

I looked down. There really was a small pebble.

[That’s it. Pick it up.]

I picked up the pebble.

[Throw what you picked to the northwest. Not at the wall—onto the ground close to the wall.]

‘Ground close to the wall.’

I tossed it lightly. It landed with a tap on the ground near the wall.

Everyone watched my bizarre actions without a word.

The Poison King watched, expressionless.

Do Hyeong looked puzzled at what I was doing.

Cheon Eujin, for some reason, looked expectant.

[Now walk to where the pebble fell.]

I did as told.

[Extend your index finger to the wall.]

I reached out.

[A touch to the left. A little more. A bit more. There. Put your index finger to the wall.]

My fingertip met a rough, sandy texture.

[From that point, draw a cross downward.]

Scritch, scritch.

I traced a cross by feel.

In that instant—

Ggggggggggrrr—!!!!

Rrrrmmmbbbllle—!!!

“...Hm?”

The cave started to shake violently.

Rattle-rattle—! Dust poured from the ceiling.

Tang Clan warriors inside sprang into a sharp guard.

“What in—!”

“The cave is—?”

They moved to shield the Poison King, but—

“Calm yourselves.”

He calmed them instead.

Even as he spoke, he was watching me with a heavy, weighted gaze.

‘...This really okay...?’

Just as even I started to get rattled by what was happening—

Thud.

The rumbling that had been going wild stopped.

Skkkrrrrk—!

Then the wall in front of us shifted and reshaped itself like a door opening.

Anyone could see it was an entrance.

“...”

“Uh...?”

“Th-that’s...?”

For a beat, everyone just stared, stunned at the mouth that had opened in the wall.

[Oh. Well done.]

The Poison Sovereign sounded pleased.

[Good hands. A little slip and three of you would’ve blown to bits. Heh heh heh.]

[Right? He’s got a weird personality, but he’s decent at this sort of thing.]

“...”

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

‘Should I just run for it?’

I was genuinely tempted.