Chapter 127 - The Smell of Liquor on Him Always

The next person I visited was the Blood Heaven Saber Demon. After seeing Father, my feet naturally led me to him.

I had expected to find him reading by the window in his room, but he was in the courtyard, practicing his saber technique with the Heaven-Destroying Great Saber. When he noticed my arrival, he put away his saber.

"You're back?"

He greeted me casually, as though he had seen me yesterday. The very lack of emotion made his feelings palpable—a reunion typical of the Blood Heaven Saber Demon.

"You look impressive reading a book, but even more impressive wielding a saber."

"What's all this flattery for?"

"You saved my life, sir."

I opened the front of my clothes to show him the Ghost-Guard Robe he had given me. Several sword cuts had split its fabric. They were marks left by none other than the Sword Emperor, Baek Manggi.

"I survived thanks to you. Thank you, sir."

Of course, the supreme-grade heavenly silkworm silk had played its part as well. The two treasures, worn in layers, had saved me.

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon came closer to inspect the marks left by the sword. The emotion that flickered through his eyes was unmistakably relief.

"You were worried about me, weren't you?"

"Worried, my foot! I was checking whether you'd ruined a precious protective robe. It's fine. You can keep using it."

I knew without having to witness it: he would never have mentioned me to Seo Daeryong, despite being this worried.

"So the rumor was true."

"Which rumor do you mean?"

"That the Sword Emperor, Baek Manggi, is dead."

His death had not yet been officially announced outside the Cult.

"Were you familiar with his swordsmanship?"

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon shook his head.

"Then why do you think these marks were left by Baek Manggi?"

"Unless it was Baek Manggi, no one could have left sword cuts like these while facing a joint attack from you and the Wicked Demon."

"And how did you know I fought alongside the Wicked Laughing Demon?"

"Follow me."

He led me inside the house, took something out of a closet, and tossed it to me.

To my surprise, it was a white mask of the kind worn by the Faceless Wanderers. And not an ordinary one, either: it was the finest quality, just like the one the Wicked Laughing Demon wore. It was light and breathable, and, most importantly, no one outside could see the wearer's eyes.

"Did you fight the Wicked Laughing Demon and kill him?"

"Do you think that bastard would die so easily just because I wanted him dead?"

"Then why is this coming out of your closet?"

"Didn't the Wicked Laughing Demon say anything?"

"I haven't seen him since I got back. I went to Heavenly Demon Hall, then came straight here."

"You didn't go to Villains' Valley first?"

"Of course I had to visit you first. Why did you think I'd gone to the Wicked Laughing Demon before you?"

His answer was unexpected.

"The Wicked Laughing Demon came by."

"To see you? What did he say?"

"He left that with me. Told me to give it to you when you came."

"He left this with you? Why?"

"That's what I'd like to know. Why did he leave this damned thing with me?"

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon eyed me suspiciously.

Since Yi An had taken the mask he gave me, he must have made another. Once he returned to the Cult, he had apparently decided that if he was making me one anyway, he might as well make it the finest quality.

"What the hell are you two playing at?"

"You should have asked the Wicked Laughing Demon that at the time."

"I did."

"And?"

"He simply told me to give it to you and left. What in the world is he up to?"

"Perhaps he was afraid it would get lost if he left it with just anyone."

"Who in the Cult would lose something entrusted to them by that man? They'd put aside their family heirloom and set this mask in its place."

I laughed heartily, but the Blood Heaven Saber Demon did not. He had realized that something had happened between me and the Wicked Laughing Demon.

"Well, he went away with you, so something was bound to happen. What exactly happened?"

"He promised to give me a mask."

"Why?"

"It's a long story. I'll tell you all of it if you'd like."

"Never mind. What use would I have for that story?"

"He left the mask with you to flaunt how close we are and drive a wedge between us."

"Yes, but why?"

How could someone as perceptive as the Blood Heaven Saber Demon fail to recognize his intent? What he wanted to know was the reason behind that attempt to divide us.

"I don't know, either. How could I know what's going on inside his head?"

After a brief pause, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon said,

"Trust the Wicked Laughing Demon, and you'll regret it someday."

This was not jealousy speaking. It was a warning that bringing the Wicked Laughing Demon along on the road we had to take was dangerous.

"I don't trust him."

His small, narrow eyes fixed on the mask in my hand.

"Do you really..."

He said no more, but I could guess what he had intended to say.

Would things really go the way I wanted? When the Wicked Laughing Demon was responding so enthusiastically?

He had probably refrained only because saying it might make him look unnecessarily preoccupied with the Wicked Laughing Demon.

"Why do you dislike the Wicked Laughing Demon, sir?"

"Go ask that bastard whether he likes me. It's mutual. Why is the Cult full of people I can't stand?"

I laughed again. 'Isn't that because of your personality, sir?' rose to the tip of my tongue, but I held it back and swallowed it. It wasn't as though he had said that because he didn't know his own temper.

"Now I should talk about someone I can't stand. Has my brother visited you again while I was away?"

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon shook his head.

"I never answered him after his last visit. The First Young Master will have taken that as a clear refusal."

"You're as reassuring as ever."

"Don't let your guard down. I could go over to the First Young Master at any time."

"Then I'd go with you."

"What do you mean?"

"If a wing attached to my body flies off, wouldn't I go along with it?"

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon looked incredulous.

"Keep wearing that damned mask, and your wing will fall off soon enough."

Despite his words, he was not someone who would leave easily. Even when the Wicked Laughing Demon tried to drive a wedge between us, he took it in stride. That was why the Blood Heaven Saber Demon was the first person I had come to see.

"Even if you go over to my brother, I'll still visit you. I'll throw open the door while you're in the middle of plotting to eliminate me and come looking for you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to see you. I'll still want to see you then."

"More shameless flattery."

The Blood Heaven Saber Demon snorted, but he could not hide his pleasure. The door to his heart was now open wide enough for me to see him smiling inside. Yes, it was good to see. He ought to smile like that more often.

"Then I'll visit you again. Let's have a drink at the Merry Life Tavern sometime soon."

As I rose to say goodbye, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon asked,

"Are you going to the Wicked Laughing Demon?"

"Yes. He's given me a gift, so I should thank him."

"You would have gone even without the gift, wouldn't you?"

"I probably would have."

I did not bother lying to the Blood Heaven Saber Demon. Always be honest. No matter how uncomfortable or unwelcome the truth might be, always be honest. I believed that was my greatest strength in keeping him by my side.

That was probably why he, too, offered me such sincere advice.

"I don't know what happened while you were away, but in the end, the Wicked Laughing Demon is still the Wicked Laughing Demon. Never forget that."

"I'll keep it in mind."

After leaving the Blood Heaven Saber Demon's residence, I went straight to see the Wicked Laughing Demon. I entered Villains' Valley wearing the mask he had given me.

The Faceless Wanderers' gazes converged on me. Though their white masks all seemed alike, the Wicked Laughing Demon's was distinguishable. They were all startled to see me wearing their Demon Supreme's mask.

Under those astonished gazes, I was escorted to his room.

His room was just as it had been on my previous visit. The walls and even the floor were painted entirely white, and the room still contained nothing. No table, no display cabinet. Only the Wicked Laughing Demon stood alone in that empty space.

There was just one difference. On my first visit, he had been facing the wall. Today, he was looking out the window.

"I'm here, Laughing Demon."

He turned around. When he saw me wearing the mask, his eyes showed delight through its eyeholes.

"How is the mask?"

"Excellent. Incomparably better than the previous one."

"That's all that matters."

"Why did you leave this with the Saber Demon?"

"I heard the two of you were closest."

"And?"

"I can't stand seeing you close to anyone besides me, Second Young Master. I can't say for certain, but that petty old man is probably fretting over it."

I pushed the mask up onto the top of my head and asked,

"If you're close to someone, do you have to be their closest friend to be satisfied?"

"Exactly. That's my nature. From now on, you must be closest to me. If you can't manage that, I'll go over to the First Young Master."

"Your selfishness has been duly noted, Laughing Demon."

The Wicked Laughing Demon laughed loudly. The line between jest and sincerity was blurred.

At least one thing was certain. Winning over two of the Eight Demon Supremes instead of one did not take twice the effort. It took three or four times as much. They were oil and water, never to mix.

"How was your trip with your newly beautiful heart?"

"It was wonderful."

"Traveling is best with a beautiful woman, isn't it?"

"That beautiful woman enjoyed it so much that I felt guilty for taking her on a trip so late."

"Don't fall for a woman. She'll betray you in the end."

"The mistress of Thousand Flowers Pavilion would be hurt to hear that."

"She knows I don't trust her. You can't betray someone who doesn't trust you."

"Then you must not trust me, either."

"I don't trust human beings. Being close is one thing; trust is another matter entirely."

I appreciated his telling me openly what he was like. After all, what always caused trouble in relationships was the disappointment of discovering that the other person had been wearing a different mask.

"Has my brother been here?"

The Wicked Laughing Demon added another piece of information to his answer.

"Twice. It seems he's been diligently visiting the Poison King and the Fist Demon as well as me."

"Then we still have the advantage?"

"How do you arrive at that calculation?"

"Even supposing the Poison King and the Fist Demon have joined my brother, adding the Demonic Buddha makes three. Meanwhile, we have you, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon, the Single Flower Sword Supreme, and the Soul-Seizing Demon. Four to three. We have the advantage."

"It isn't four to three."

"Why not?"

"For a start, I'm on neither the First Young Master's side nor yours."

I had achieved my goal of making him side with neither me nor my brother, though emotionally, I felt closer to him than that.

"Then we're at a disadvantage. Our Soul-Seizing Demon is still too weak to count as a full person."

"Why stop at the Soul-Seizing Demon? Are you certain the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Single Flower Sword Supreme are on your side? Have you drawn up a joint pledge in blood? You mustn't dismiss what the First Young Master is offering. Money and power—very simple and clear. He even specifies the exact sums and positions. He knows he's at a disadvantage, so he's offering the most he possibly can."

That was also breathing room I had allowed him. Yes, Brother. Do your best, too. People who give their all have a language in common.

"When faced with complicated, troublesome problems, human beings ultimately choose what is simplest. At the very least, the First Young Master seems simpler than you."

Perhaps the Wicked Laughing Demon was trying to show me how easily people wavered. How easily relationships collapsed.

That was probably why he had left the mask with the Blood Heaven Saber Demon, too: to show me that even such a simple thing could put a hairline crack in a relationship.

Of course, it had failed because the Blood Heaven Saber Demon was more generous-hearted than he had expected.

He was warning me that I would fail if I approached this emotionally.

"I'll make extravagant offers, too. Whatever my brother offers, I'll double it! What do you think? Tempted?"

"Do you have that much money?"

"I'll have to start earning it now. If you've got any, lend me some."

The Wicked Laughing Demon immediately sprang away to the wall behind him.

"That's too much."

"Don't forget. It's always the person asking to borrow money who's asking too much."

We looked at each other and laughed at the same time.

"By the way, you said my brother was approaching the Poison King and the Fist Demon. Why would he leave out the Great Drunken Demon?"

At my mention of the Great Drunken Demon, his amusement vanished, and he abruptly asked,

"Do you like drinking?"

"I drink in moderation."

"The Drunken Demon has taken drinking to its very limits. It's not easy for a sober person to deal with someone who's drunk."

"Do you know much about the Drunken Demon?"

I knew a fair amount about the Demon Supremes myself, but that knowledge concerned the future more than the present. I knew the broad outlines of their lives, what they had been like around the time I came searching for materials for the great art, and how they had met their ends.

But I knew little about what sort of person the Drunken Demon was at this point in time. The same was true of the Wicked Laughing Demon, despite living in the same era.

"Not much. But seeing him puts me in a bad mood."

"If he puts the Wicked Laughing Demon in a bad mood, doesn't that make him a good person?"

"Perhaps. Or... he's an even worse bastard."

"That's a little frightening. Worse than the Wicked Laughing Demon?"

"The smell of liquor on him has always put me in a bad mood."

After that, the Wicked Laughing Demon said nothing more about the Drunken Demon. A peculiar gleam shone in the eyes watching me, as though he found the question of how I would deal with the man intriguing.

He clearly knew something more about the Drunken Demon. His nasty streak had flared up again, and he meant to withhold it and enjoy the show.

Laughing Demon, what do you know about the Drunken Demon?