On the way to Namgoong Mucheon’s quarters.

Everyone they met greeted Seolhwa with eyes brimming.

“Young lady, thank heavens you’re safe.”

“Young lady, we were so worried.”

“Young lady, you are beautiful today as ever!”

Every greeting was full of affection and concern for Seolhwa.

“Thank you.”

Seolhwa didn’t let a single greeting pass unacknowledged; she received each one.

As much as they had worried for her, she had worried for and missed them.

“It’s good to see you again.”

“I’ve missed you all very much.”

“Young lady...!”

Seolhwa turned at the attendants’ calls.

There stood the Chief Steward, eyes wet, and Namgoong Hyeok, Lord of the Black Dragon Unit, his face alight.

The two approached Seolhwa.

“It has been a while, young lady.”

“We pay our respects, young lady.”

It was the first time facing them since she had recovered her memories.

“It has been a while, both of you.”

Seolhwa remembered how much the two had looked after her when she had lost her memory.

Careful not to touch a reverse scale, yet wanting to tend to her in every small thing.

“I wanted to see you.”

The Chief Steward turned aside with a gruff sob and wiped his eyes.

Namgoong Hyeok, too, showed unhidden relief.

“It is... truly a blessing that you are unharmed.”

“I’m sorry to have made you worry, Lord of the Black Dragon Unit.”

“Please don’t say such a thing. As one who guards the house, I can only apologize for failing to guard you.”

How could a man who hadn’t even gone to the Dragon & Phoenix Gathering have protected her?

But because she knew what the Black Dragon Unit Lord felt, she was only grateful.

The Chief Steward seized Seolhwa’s hand.

“Young lady... truly not a single day passed that I did not pray to the heavens. That you might return safely.”

“Thank you, sir. Perhaps it’s thanks to you that I could come back like this.”

“Grk... What is an old servant like me to...”

But that was what Seolhwa wanted to say.

What was she, to them.

Once the Namgoong Clan’s enemy—someone who had made them curse her to death.

‘Now, truly...’

I have become a person of the Namgoong Clan.

Now, truly, I can’t leave this place.

“We’ll see to it that you recover your health quickly.”

“Please take care of your body.”

“Yes. Thank you, truly, both of you.”

Beyond the Chief Steward and Namgoong Hyeok, many others welcomed Seolhwa and rejoiced in her true return.

Receiving their warm welcome, Seolhwa headed for Namgoong Mucheon’s quarters.

In front of them, Seop Mugwang and Cheongun were talking.

“Ah, Seolhwa—you’re here.”

Cheongun spotted her and came over.

Seolhwa’s gaze dipped to his neck.

Knowing what lay beneath the white cloth covering his throat, her expression dimmed for an instant.

Sensing it, Cheongun brushed her cheek and tucked back a strand of hair.

“Your father is fine. Now that you’ve come back to us, I couldn’t be more glad.”

At his gentle smile, Seolhwa answered with one of her own.

Seop Mugwang cleared his throat—hmm, hmm—and stepped up.

“Go on in. The Alliance Lord is waiting.”

Perhaps still awkward about the morning, Seop Mugwang averted his eyes and jerked his chin toward the lakeside.

After greeting the two, Seolhwa went to Namgoong Mucheon.

Namgoong Mucheon was walking the garden.

Seolhwa went to him.

Come to think of it, it had been a long time since she’d been to the willow-lined lake.

“Grandfather.”

“You’re here. Did you rest a little?”

Seolhwa nodded.

“Not too tired?”

Namgoong Mucheon knew she had kept the whole night by Imoe’s side as he died.

Even if they had not been constantly close, the absence of one of one’s own always comes sudden and hollow.

And she had not been able to see off the subordinate she sent out to the end—how heavy must that sit on her heart.

“I’m all right.”

“Good. Shall we walk a bit?”

Namgoong Mucheon held out his hand.

Seolhwa took it without hesitation.

It was still a large, steady hand.

“Is the work of the Sado Union not too heavy for you?”

Before they realized it, a Qi Screen had closed around them.

Thinking how keeping a Qi Screen in place while walking was no small skill, Seolhwa nodded.

“Yes. I’m fine. There are many who help.”

“Good people at your side.”

“I’m grateful for it.”

“It’s said that around one of fine character people gather of themselves. You lead them well; that is why they trust you.”

“If that were so, I still failed to protect them.”

“If you had truly failed, they would have resented you. But that is not what I see.”

Seolhwa pressed her lips together.

Imoe’s writing came to mind, and with it Ilryong’s vow to carry that letter in his breast and remain loyal—and she felt tears coming.

She pressed down the swell and asked:

“Grandfather, can I do it?”

“Before you ask if you can, I would ask if you must.”

Seolhwa’s fingers tightened around his.

‘Grandfather is right.’

Facing the Blood Demon is not a matter of can or cannot.

‘Is it something that must be done—or something that may be left undone?’

No one knew why the Blood Demon was doing this, but because of a single person the fate of the world had been twisted.

Whether the twisted path or the former path was the right one could not be known—but one thing was clear.

The Blood Demon was wrong.

That was why the twisted fate had to be set right, and it was the answer to the fundamental question.

“It is something I must... do.”

“Then do it.”

Namgoong Mucheon stopped her and took her by both shoulders.

His straight gaze met hers.

“If it is something that must be done, then by any means—achieve it.”

His lips curved faintly.

“This grandfather will be at your side.”

As he had silently stood by her side as a Guardian Patrol in the Sado Union.

As he took the rough tasks first in her stead.

“You are a good child, Seolhwa. So trust yourself—and those at your side.”

Every word from Namgoong Mucheon gave Seolhwa great strength.

No— not only from him. The hearts of all in the Namgoong Clan made hers that much lighter.

‘Yes. This fight is no longer mine alone.’

Hadn’t they prepared for a long time for this very moment?

The Blood Cult’s power, unlike in the previous life, had lost much.

By contrast, the Central Plains had not collapsed.

‘If we gather all that strength...’

If they could cut down what remained of the Blood Demon’s force, weaken the Cult’s might, and leave only the Blood Demon—

‘There is... a chance.’

No matter how massive the boulder, under ten million hammer blows it will eventually break.

Even if hands blister, skin splits, and blood runs.

‘Something that must be done.’

I will set this twisted world to rights.

****

“Go in health and come back in health. If anything happens, send word straight to your father at once.”

“Yes, I will. Don’t worry too much. There’s a training hall there no less than the main house.”

A few days later, prepared to depart, Seolhwa set out for the Sado Union.

Within and without the main house, it had been said she was entering the Namgoong Clan’s training quarters, the Thousand-Curtain Lodge, for ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) recuperation—but Seolhwa chose to return to the Sado Union.

It was to put in order the unsettled interior after the war with the Flesh Curtain that had broken out while she was away, and to finish what remained.

Above all, word had come that the Immortal Physician, who had gone searching for herbs to help her recover her memories, had returned.

She meant to meet the Immortal Physician, show her condition, and in the Union Lord’s private training hall set her long-unsettled cultivation in order.

“You know, don’t you. Who I am.”

“Hahaha. Do I ever. Still... be careful.”

“Yes.”

Seolhwa stepped to Cheongun and hugged him tight.

“Thank you. Dad.”

Caught off guard by his daughter’s embrace, Cheongun froze.

But soon enough he hugged his daughter back, just as tight.

“No. I should thank you. Thank you for growing so well—this father is grateful. My daughter.”

My beloved daughter.

In his arms, Seolhwa grinned.

After exchanging their farewells, Seolhwa headed again for the Sado Union.

Ryeong followed at her side.

Shwik—

Rocking to the clatter of hooves, she rode on when, before she knew it, the Imoogi who had returned slipped a presence onto her shoulder.

Seolhwa let one hand off the reins and extended it forward; the Imoogi ran down her arm and settled in her palm.

Shwik— shwiik—

The Imoogi’s small black eyes met hers.

Even when she had lost her memories, the Imoogi had not left her side.

It was no exaggeration to say that she had been able to return to the Namgoong Clan thanks to the Imoogi.

Seolhwa brought her brow to the Imoogi’s round head.

A cool touch met her skin.

“Thank you.”

When she whispered low, the Imoogi hissed, shiiik—

It probably wanted to scold her a bucketful.

Why had she abandoned its power—stupid human, it would say.

She felt a small regret that she could no longer hear that voice.

“I’ll try. So I can hear your voice again.”

Shiiik—

“I will open the Heavenly Gate.”

Shiiik—

The Imoogi bobbed its round head once, holding her gaze.

As if to say she could do it.

Then the Imoogi’s eyes turned to the palm-sized pouch tied at Seolhwa’s waist.

It hissed—shik, shik—nudging its head toward the pouch.

“Ahahaha!”

Seolhwa burst into laughter.

Then she took out the candies she had stuffed the pouch with and popped one into the Imoogi’s mouth.