After meeting Cheonma, I wandered through the streets.

It wasn’t as though we agreed to walk together.

I was simply walking, and Cheonma followed me.

We still weren’t speaking.

I wasn’t in a place where I wanted to talk to her.

What would there even be to discuss? At most, I’d vent my resentment or curse her.

The fact that I refrained from even that meant I was exercising patience.

That’s what I told myself.

And I had to.

We walked for quite a while.

The distance wasn’t particularly far, but the time it took was significant.

That was because I maintained a slow pace, taking in my surroundings.

As always, the streets here were eerily identical to the halls of Mount Hua Sect.

“It feels like they recreated it perfectly.”

It probably wasn’t just my imagination. It seemed literal.

Quiet yet vibrant.

The streets were filled with the laughter and chatter of people.

Whenever I saw it, a thought crossed my mind.

“How much did he yearn for this?”

How deeply must Shin Noya have longed for these streets and this scenery?

How strong must his yearning have been to recreate it himself?

These thoughts surfaced from time to time.

Pathetic, perhaps? Or something else entirely? No words came to mind.

It was just... irritating.

I wasn’t sure if the irritation was directed at myself or someone else.

If I had to pin it down, I was probably irritated with myself.

“...”

The fact that Shin Noya found himself in this situation was likely my fault.

“Click.”

I clicked my tongue and continued surveying the streets.

Today wasn’t just about taking in the sights—I had to confirm something I missed last time.

“It should be around here somewhere.”

The /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ last time I wandered around, I remembered it being in this area.

Mount Hua Sect wasn’t particularly vast, so finding it shouldn’t have been difficult. Yet, strangely, it eluded me.

“Hmm.”

I narrowed my eyes and turned around.

“Hey, you...”

I was about to ask Cheonma when I caught sight of her and frowned.

“...What’s that in your hand?”

“Hm?”

At my question, Cheonma looked down at what she was holding. A skewer.

She stared at it for a moment before holding the end of the skewer out toward me.

“Want some?”

“...”

Who asked for it?

I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t even respond.

“When did you even grab that?”

Just a moment ago, I was sure her hands were empty. Apparently, she had snatched a skewer when I wasn’t looking.

“...Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you pay for that?”

When I asked if she had paid, Cheonma tilted her head.

“Pay?”

“...”

Judging by her reaction, it was clear she hadn’t. My head ached.

“They just told me to take it.”

“...Sure, I’m sure they said that.”

People here knew that Shin Noya had brought Cheonma and me.

From what I’d seen, Shin Noya’s influence in this area was considerable.

That was probably why they just gave her the food.

“Take it back right now.”

I didn’t want to accept charity like that.

I pulled some money from my pocket and handed it to Cheonma.

Incidentally, the money was taken from Gubong.

If this were in Sanseo, I might have just accepted the food, but this was Shin Noya’s territory.

I didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble.

Cheonma took the money I handed her without complaint, nodded, and ran off.

Watching her, I saw her approach a street vendor not long after.

That must’ve been where she got the skewer.

“...Sigh.”

I let out a deep sigh as I watched her.

The reason?

“...Is that really Cheonma?”

The question crossed my mind as I looked at her clueless figure.

Was that really the same Cheonma?

Her face, her body—it was undoubtedly her.

But her actions...

“Something about this is seriously wrong.”

There wasn’t a shred of dignity. Her voice and behavior lacked even a hint of gravity.

She was almost like Wi Seol-ah in her childhood. Was this truly the Cheonma I knew?

The more I observed her, the less I understood.

“Did something change her?”

At first, I thought her behavior was temporary, something that would shift once she reappeared after going through certain experiences.

I figured the Cheonma I knew would eventually emerge.

But...

“There’s only a couple of years left.”

At most, two years. That’s how long it would take for the timeline to align with when the original Cheonma appeared.

But if she’s like this now...

“Will she ever become the Cheonma I knew?”

I wasn’t sure.

“If not, that’s a good thing.”

If she doesn’t, it’s fortunate for me.

With the Blood Demon situation already giving me headaches, it would be a relief if Cheonma, my greatest concern, fell apart on her own.

Thinking about that, it would naturally be a good thing.

But...

“If she’s fallen apart, why?”

If the Cheonma of this life was different from the Cheonma I knew,

what caused that difference?

The answer was simple.

“It’s because of me.”

What else could it be? Most anomalies were likely caused by my actions.

“So, where did it all go wrong?”

Pinpointing the problem wasn’t easy with so many potential causes.

I’d done far too much.

“...”

Thinking about it, I shook my head.

“Dwelling on it now won’t lead to answers.”

Even if I figured it out, there was no way to bring the old Cheonma back...

“...Hm?”

As I thought this, my eyes widened.

“What the hell?”

What was I just thinking?

“Bring her back? What’s there to bring back?”

Am I out of my mind?

If that Cheonma is gone, that’s a good thing. Why would I even think about bringing her back?

“This is insane.”

Did getting hit by Noya last time mess up my brain? What kind of nonsense was I thinking?

It made no sense unless I’d completely lost it.

“...Is it because regression keeps bothering me?”

Maybe. Or at least that’s what I wanted to believe.

The turtle’s words were still weighing on me, and I couldn’t stop wondering what Cheonma had sacrificed to make me regress.

That’s probably why those thoughts crept into my mind just now.

At that moment, nothing could have made less sense than my curiosity about the Cheonma of that time.

‘She was one of the reasons my life fell apart.’

The biggest reason was myself, of course. But after me, Cheonma had the most significant impact.

“...Hah.”

I sighed again, trying to sort through the mess in my head.

“I’m back.”

Cheonma returned from paying for the skewer.

Her voice caught my attention, and I looked up at her.

She stood there, staring at me with clear, untroubled eyes. Her violet irises and pale skin glimmered under the light, making me instinctively frown. I reached out and grabbed her nose.

“...???”

Her eyes grew even wider, confused by my sudden action.

The strange part was that she didn’t resist.

Why wasn’t she reacting?

“What the hell are you?”

I asked, unable to process the absurdity of the situation.

“...”

Cheonma didn’t answer. She simply gazed at me with her usual detached expression.

Annoyed by her silence, I clicked my tongue and let go of her nose.

“Never mind. What am I even doing?”

This wasn’t the time to be playing around with her.

I ruffled my hair in frustration, my fingers trembling slightly.

I ignored the trembling and started walking again.

Then—

“Honored guest?”

A voice, unfamiliar yet somewhat recognizable, called out from behind me.

I turned to see a woman with white hair and cat-like ears.

It was Seol Yeong, the first disciple of Mount Hua.

“I called out on a whim, and it turns out I was right. But what brings you here?”

“What about you? Why are you here?”

“Oh, I...”

Seol Yeong held up the items in her hands. A basket filled with clean fabric and sewing needles.

“I needed to buy fabric and get some needles repaired, so I was heading to the blacksmith.”

“Ah, I see. Wait—what?”

It took me a moment to process her words.

“You’re going to the blacksmith?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Seol Yeong’s answer made me nod instinctively. It worked out perfectly.

The blacksmith was precisely where I needed to go.

“I need to go there too. Mind taking me along?”

I asked her cheerfully.

“Huh? Oh... sure, I guess.”

She agreed, though her expression was somewhat hesitant.

******************

Following Seol Yeong, I arrived at the blacksmith’s workshop.

As expected, it wasn’t far from where I had been.

Clang! Clang, clang!

The rhythmic sound of a hammer striking metal filled the air, accompanied by the faint metallic scent of iron.

Thanks to my heightened senses, both the sounds and smells were unusually vivid.

“Well, look who it is.”

As soon as we stepped inside, a short, elderly man noticed us and approached.

It was the blacksmith, who also seemed to double as the gatekeeper.

“Seol Yeong, is that you?”

“It’s good to see you. How have you been?”

The old man greeted Seol Yeong warmly, and she returned the sentiment with a smile. They seemed to know each other well.

“I need to get some needles repaired and pick up a few more. Would that be all right?”

“Oh, of course.”

The blacksmith let out a hearty laugh. Then his gaze shifted to me, his brow furrowing slightly.

“And who might this be?”

“Oh, him? He’s a guest brought here by our sect leader.”

“Ah, I see. Of course.”

The moment Shin Noya was mentioned, the old man nodded as if everything suddenly made sense.

I couldn’t help but wonder just what kind of person Shin Noya was to evoke this reaction everywhere.

As I pondered, the old man approached me.

“Pleasure to meet you. I’m Myung Song, the one in charge of this forge.”

He extended a hand toward me.

“Oh, uh, nice to meet you. I’m...”

I reached out as well, assuming he wanted a simple handshake.

Since I had business here, maintaining a good relationship wasn’t a bad idea.

I noticed something odd on his hand, but it didn’t seem worth worrying about. I grasped his hand without hesitation.

At that moment—

“Gu Yang...”

Ssshhhhh!

“...Ugh?!”

An intense pain shot through my hand, forcing me to release my grip.

Startled, I looked at my palm. My skin was blistered and sizzling as if it had been burned.

“...What the hell?”

I stared at Myung Song, bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

“...What...?”

But it wasn’t just me who was shocked. The old man looked even more startled.

No, startled wasn’t the right word.

“...A dragon...?”

Fear and resentment clouded his face.

And he wasn’t the only one.

“What? A dragon?”

“A dragon? What are you talking about...?”

Everyone in the blacksmith’s workshop turned to look at me, their gazes sharp and focused.

Each and every one of them.

“Hm...”

I sighed internally.

It felt like everything was going to hell right from the start.