"Where were you?"

"Number 29."

I shared everything I had learned with her, my voice heavy with the implications.

"If it’s all true…"

"We have to confirm it."

We revisited the Financial Pavilion under the pretense of reviewing additional ledgers, borrowing the most recent records. Then we headed to the Sama Family’s warehouse—a massive, tightly secured structure. Two guards blocked the entrance.

"No entry."

"We’re conducting an investigation on behalf of the Blood Demon Division."

"We’ve received no such orders. This place is off-limits. The warehouse holds rare and precious goods. It’s not to be opened lightly."

The guard drew his sword.

"If you insist on entering, you’ll have to get through us first."

Their sharp gazes and resolute demeanor were telling. These men were prepared to die if it meant protecting the warehouse.

I rested a hand on my sword’s hilt, pondering their motives. Were they complicit in wrongdoing, or was this unwavering loyalty to the Sama Family?

Before I could act, a deep voice interrupted from behind.

"Stand down."

"Choo Euikyung, sir!"

"The Blood Demon Division is investigating the Sama Family. I’ll supervise personally. Let them in."

Choo Euikyung, the Sama Family’s head guard, stood behind us. Number 29 eyed him suspiciously.

"What’s your angle?"

"If you search here, you’ll see the Sama Family has nothing to hide. The sooner this is over, the better for both of us."

Choo Euikyung unlocked the doors and stepped aside.

"We have no guilt to conceal. See for yourselves—there’s nothing amiss here."

Inside, the warehouse was packed with goods, meticulously organized. Grain was piled neatly in one section, while other supplies were sorted into clearly defined partitions.

"Inspect it thoroughly, Blood Demon Division."

With Choo Euikyung guarding the entrance, we began our examination. The inventory seemed intact at first glance. We carefully counted and cross-checked every item, ensuring nothing was missing.

Deeper into the warehouse, we approached the last stack of goods, marked with a label: Tribute Goods.

The very items Cheonak Gate had mentioned.

These crates, meant for transport to Majeon, the Demon Sect’s headquarters, were all securely sealed. We checked the locks—solid and unbroken. But there was one simple way to verify the contents without breaking the seals.

I lifted one of the crates and shook it.

Nothing. No sound.

It was far too light to contain anything substantial.

"…Number 30."

Number 29’s whisper mirrored my thoughts. We exchanged a glance, then continued checking other crates.

One after another, they were all the same: empty.

"......."

After silently acknowledging the discovery, I turned and walked back to Choo Euikyung.

"Finished?"

"We’re done."

"Then let’s go."

Choo Euikyung’s face betrayed no emotion. If he knew the crates were empty, would he have allowed us to enter in the first place? It seemed unlikely.

His demeanor suggested genuine confidence in the Sama Family’s innocence.

Still, the absence of goods confirmed Cheonak Gate’s claims: the tribute had been diverted. This was treason—a betrayal of the Demon Sect’s leader.

Behind us, the warehouse doors shut with a resounding clang. The guards locked them with a clear air of hostility.

Number 29 whispered urgently, "Number 30, we need to send a message to the Blood Demon Commander. The Sama Family is definitely dealing with the righteous sects. That alone is enough to charge them with treason. But we can’t handle this alone—we need to report immediately!"

"That’s true, but…"

"What’s there to hesitate about?! Look around, Number 30! Everyone here is hostile! They’re furious that we’re even investigating! And now the goods are missing from their warehouse, where only they have access!"

She wasn’t wrong. All evidence pointed to the Sama Family’s wrongdoing.

Back in our lodgings, I sat on the floor, gripping my sword. I stared at the wall, a lingering sense of unease gnawing at me.

Everything was too perfect, too aligned to be coincidence.

"......."

The next step was obvious: report our findings to the Blood Demon Commander. There was no way we could subdue a family as powerful as the Sama Family on our own. Our task was simply to uncover the truth and relay it.

It was an easy decision—just one message, and it would all be over.

"…Can you wait a little longer?"

Instead, I walked into the garden, leaving Number 29 behind to cool my head. My instincts were pulling me in a different direction, warning me that something was off.

"…Daein."

"……?"

In the vast estate, there was only one person who would call me that. Turning, I saw a young boy staring up at me. Too young to be a servant, yet unmistakably the child who had guided us on our first day.

"How’s your cheek?"

"It’s fine. What were you doing?"

Unlike the other members of the Sama Family, this child’s eyes held no malice. I slowed my pace to match his small steps.

"Thinking about work."

"Daein, the Sama Family has done nothing wrong."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, really! Please believe me."

"Hmm."

Walking leisurely, I looked up at the sky, my curiosity piqued.

"Little brother."

"Yes?"

"Is the Sama Family’s head always so harsh?"

"…What?"

"He yelled at me the moment we met, mixing in insults. It was quite the spectacle."

"That’s because you’re from the Blood Demon Division…"

"What do you mean?"

The boy fidgeted, wringing his fingers nervously.

"I overheard the warriors saying the Blood Demon Division is like wild beasts that poke their noses everywhere. Not you, of course! But they said at least the Blood Execution Division should’ve come. Sending the Blood Demon Division to investigate was a terrible insult to the Sama Family…"

Considering the division’s reputation, it wasn’t an entirely unreasonable perspective.

I softened my tone. "I see. That’s fair. After all, we are here to investigate."

"What were the results?"

"Nothing particularly strange."

"See?! I knew it! Our family head is so meticulous—he wouldn’t let anything slip!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes! He’s very kind and considerate. He always looks out for us, even people like me."

The boy grinned.

"Originally, there were more workers like me. But when things got tough, the head sent away everyone who could find work elsewhere."

"......"

"The ones who stayed are people like me or Grandpa Baek, who have nowhere else to go. The head even told us not to worry about cleaning unused areas."

"So the rundown pavilion…"

"Yes! Oh, and I’m sorry about that. I was really upset at the time. Hearing people outside call us traitors…"

"It’s understandable. Don’t worry about it."

"You’re very kind, Daein."

A family head respected by his servants.

"And the warriors? Do they feel the same?"

"Of course! Anyone who works for the Sama Family does. The head treats everyone like family, even if he hides it behind a gruff exterior."

"......"

The boy hesitated before pulling something from his pocket. I leaned down to see.

Sweets.

The same kind Number 29 and I had eaten earlier.

"What’s this?"

"Grandpa Baek brought them back today. Everyone shared, and I saved some. Here, take it!"

"......."

The boy’s innocent smile disarmed me. I accepted the treat.

"You’re kind, Daein. And our family head is kind too. Everything will work out, right?"

"......."

I held the sweet to the fading sunlight and slipped it under my mask. It was surprisingly sweet.

"…Yes. Everything will work out, little brother. Take the rest to my companion in our room. She’ll appreciate it."

"Do you think she’ll like it?"

"She will."

"Are you coming back soon?"

"Go ahead. Tell her I might be a little late."

I patted the boy’s head, my thoughts churning.

"Tell her I have something to do first."

***

The lantern flickered softly.

Sama Ak, the head of the Sama Family, blinked. He glanced outside at the darkened surroundings and only then realized his condition.

He had dozed off.

And deeply so.

When had he last slept properly? He couldn’t recall. Sama Ak reached for his sword, pulling it from its scabbard and giving it a slow spin.

The treasured blade of the Sama Family, held exclusively by the family head.

The Bloodless Blade. (Muheol Geom)

Even unsheathed, it emanated a sinister aura. A mere touch would cause deep lacerations. The blade was infamous as a cursed sword, causing wounds that would never stop bleeding.

The chilling energy made even his hair stand on end. Sama Ak returned the sword to its scabbard with a sharp clack and opted instead for the plain steel sword leaning against the wall.

Slipping on his shoes, he stepped out into the night. The stillness was absolute, a serene calm enveloping everything.

The moon shone brightly, and a faint chill lingered in the air.

It was late. More early morning than night.

Sama Ak strolled along the path, reciting poetry to shake off the lingering sleep as he headed toward a secluded spot.

The vegetation grew denser, leading him to an area only accessible to the bloodline of the Sama Family.

Amid the rustling leaves, he stopped. Before him stood a solitary gravestone in an open clearing.

Tall.

Sturdy.

This was a tomb, though it held no bodies—merely a memorial stone engraved with the names of previous Sama Family heads.

A resting place for names alone.

Sama Ak’s gaze drifted upward. He stared silently at the stone, his thoughts lingering on the last name engraved there. With a determined motion, he drew his sword.

The blade pointed at the final name inscribed on the stone. He fixated on it for a while before swinging the sword.

The technique belonged to the Sama Family—a swordsmanship practiced exclusively by the family heads. But even this art was on the brink of extinction, its manual lost to time.

The One Sama Sword. (Sama Ilgeom)

The sword slashed the air.

Sama Ak halted the movement abruptly, his gaze falling to his trembling hand.

“...Damn it.”

His muttered curse was answered by another voice.

“Sama Family Head.”

Sama Ak turned toward the voice.

A figure sat perched on a tree branch, dressed in a black mask and uniform. A warrior he had glimpsed several times before.

"You're quite diligent this late at night."

---It was one of the Blood Demon Division’s members.

Sama Ak clicked his tongue. Beneath the warrior’s politeness lay a blade.

The atmosphere was different from their first meeting. Quieter, heavier.

...It felt similar to the presence of the Bloodless Blade—as if being struck would result in an endless flow of blood.

What was this person after, following him all the way here?

Sama Ak’s grip on his sword tightened instinctively.