Yawn-
Cheon Myeong yawned.
His face looked quite sleepy, as if he hadn't had enough sleep.
Although he had woken up at his usual time, the time he had gone to sleep was much later than usual, so it could be said that he was actually sleep-deprived.
"...I'm sleepy."
Cheon Myeong muttered, still tucked in his blankets.
The reason Cheon Myeong was so sleep-deprived was because of the meeting yesterday.
The meeting had continued until after midnight, so the time Cheon Myeong actually fell asleep was past the Hour of the Tiger (3-5 AM).
'The Five-Element Alliance (Owonmaeng)...'
Still in a slightly dazed state, Cheon Myeong recalled yesterday's meeting.
Owonmaeng, that was the name of the alliance formed yesterday.
After that, they had decided on the detailed parts through a meeting, and as that continued, the meeting had eventually lasted until late at night.
Of course, they could have split the meeting over several days, but the people there were individuals for whom every single day was important.
Since Cheon Myeong also wanted to end the meeting as quickly as possible, he didn't particularly have any complaints about it.
"..."
It seemed that all the main points had been decided somehow, but it was also true that there were still many parts that needed to be supplemented.
In fact, it could be said that the reason they were able to finish the meeting yesterday was all thanks to Jegal Jeong.
Thanks to Jegal Jeong pre-organizing the discussion points for the Owonmaeng, the meeting was able to proceed relatively quickly.
'The military part seems to have been concluded uncertainly... but I can worry about that part later.'
In fact, it could be said that the meeting had dragged on for so long yesterday because of that part.
How to form the military of the Owonmaeng, and in what way to handle the military's chain of command or recruitment.
Since there were many parts that all five members of the alliance could not concede on, there was some conflict, and in the end, it was concluded with the decision to review the plan at a later date.
Of course, if it were a situation where they had to form an army right away, they wouldn't have been able to end it so vaguely.
Since the Owonmaeng was still at the stage of needing to gather information about Pacheongyo, they did not necessarily make a conclusion right away.
'...I must have made the right choice.'
Cheon Myeong had agonized a lot until he raised his hand.
Would forming this alliance be beneficial to him, and furthermore, to the Demonic Cult?
In the end, what made Cheon Myeong raise his hand was the memory from Namgang.
"..."
Cheongmyeon.
Cheon Myeong knew almost nothing about him.
He only knew that he had aimed for the Three Sacred Treasures, and that he used the same martial arts as the one who had invaded the Demonic Cult in the past.
Although he himself couldn't know the exact reason, at that moment, Cheon Myeong suddenly thought of Cheongmyeon.
'That guy and Pacheongyo... there might be some connection.'
So Cheon Myeong had decided to participate in the Owonmaeng.
The audacity to aim for the Three Sacred Treasures, and Cheongmyeon's strength.
Cheon Myeong's thought was that the only place that could pull off such a thing was Pacheongyo for now.
"..."
At the point where they aimed for the Three Sacred Treasures, it would be safe to assume that Pacheongyo was also targeting the Demonic Cult.
It matched what Howonjae had said.
Of course, until he knew for a fact that there was some connection between Cheongmyeon and Pacheongyo, nothing was certain.
Cheon Myeong decided to trust his intuition for now and think in that direction.
'And if I use the Owonmaeng, I can more easily...'
It was then.
Feeling a presence approaching the door, Cheon Myeong raised his head.
"Young Master, are you awake?"
It was Heo Cham's voice.
When Cheon Myeong answered, Heo Cham soon opened the door and showed himself.
After a simple greeting, Heo Cham said to Cheon Myeong.
"A guest has arrived."
"Now?"
"Yes, the Young Palace Lord of the Ice Palace wishes to see you, Young Master."
Why on earth had Seol Baekmyo come to see him at such an early hour?
Since he had been in the same place as Seol Baekmyo until just about three shichen (six hours) ago, Cheon Myeong suddenly had that thought.
"Alright. Tell her I'm coming out."
As Cheon Myeong said that, Heo Cham went out and closed the door.
And getting up from his seat, Cheon Myeong roughly put on his outer robe.
As he was about to go out like that, Cheon Myeong happened to see the mirror placed in the room.
"..."
Cheon Myeong's hair was a bird's nest, so much so that Baekjo could have sat on it.
Although he would have just gone out normally, this was at a level that even he could say was a bit much.
He had a thought that if he went out in this state, Seol Baekmyo might be surprised to see his hair.
"...Should I wash up a bit."
It would be polite to at least wash his face.
Thinking so, Cheon Myeong opened the door and called for someone.
***
Seol Baekmyo was waiting for Cheon Myeong in the garden.
The reason Seol Baekmyo had come to see Cheon Myeong so early in the morning.
It was because Seol Baekmyo would be leaving this place soon and returning to the North Sea.
'The Young Master is a little late.'
Heo Cham had said that Cheon Myeong would come out if she waited a little.
Although a gak (15 minutes) had already passed, not even a trace of Cheon Myeong could be seen.
"..."
Seol Baekmyo was really happy to have met Cheon Myeong here.
Especially since it could be said to be a completely unexpected meeting, that joy was even greater, but on the other hand, her heart was full of regret.
'I don't think I've had a personal conversation with Young Master Cheon Myeong since coming here.'
If she had to pick one, it would be around the time she first met Cheon Myeong.
Other than that, she only had memories of being together in almost official settings.
Of course, Seol Baekmyo had wanted to approach Cheon Myeong and talk to him several times, but since she had come here as a representative of the Ice Palace, she could not act that way in the end.
That would be the same for Cheon Myeong.
So Seol Baekmyo had even thought of leaving the Martial Alliance silently, but in the end, she decided to act as her heart led her for the last time.
'If we part ways after saying goodbye like this today, when will we meet again...'
Since there was the connection of the Owonmaeng, they might be able to meet again.
But when that would be, or if she or Cheon Myeong might not come here at that time.
As she had that thought, Seol Baekmyo's complexion darkened.
"Nyaa-."
"...!"
At the sudden sound, Seol Baekmyo was startled and turned her head.
The ice tiger, which had approached Seol Baekmyo's side.
Discovering it, Seol Baekmyo soon calmed her startled heart.
"It was you, ice tiger."
"Nyaa-."
"Come to think of it, I don't think I've properly greeted you."
Seol Baekmyo said that and bent her knees to lower her posture.
Then, the ice tiger, which came closer to Seol Baekmyo and began to cry as if it were acting cute.
As Seol Baekmyo held out her right hand, the ice tiger even began to rub its cheek against it.
"Nyaa-."
The ice tiger was showing quite a bit of favor to Seol Baekmyo.
The reason was because of the Ice White Divine Palm that Seol Baekmyo was practicing.
The energy of the Ice White Divine Palm that was implicitly flowing from Seol Baekmyo's body was naturally leading the ice tiger.
"Yes, okay. I'm happy to see you too."
"Nyaa-."
"What? You want me to hold you?"
Although she couldn't understand the ice tiger's words accurately like Cheon Myeong, for some reason, Seol Baekmyo had that feeling.
In the end, Seol Baekmyo, who lifted the ice tiger with both hands.
Although it was quite heavy, it was not to the extent that she could not lift it at all.
"Nyaa-."
Being held in Seol Baekmyo's arms, the ice tiger felt the energy of the Ice White Divine Palm more strongly.
Then, as if its mood had improved, the ice tiger cried excitedly.
Seeing that, Seol Baekmyo smiled quietly.
"Do you feel the smell of the North Sea from me?"
It was then.
At the killing intent felt from somewhere, the smile on Seol Baekmyo's face disappeared rapidly.
"...!"
Seol Baekmyo, who immediately turned her head towards the place where the killing intent was felt.
Then, she could discover the figure of a tiger rushing at her from there.
'That tiger is...'
It was a tiger she had seen a lot.
No, in the first place, if it was a tiger of that size in the middle of the Martial Alliance, there would be only one.
Seol Baekmyo immediately recognized that that tiger was Cheongha.
'That tiger is definitely the one that Min Yeongyeong was taking around.'
Did that mean that Min Yeongyeong was also around here?
Thinking so, Seol Baekmyo looked around, but Min Yeongyeong's figure was nowhere to be seen.
"Grrr-!"
At the roar filled with Cheongha's anger, Seol Baekmyo looked at that side again.
At that moment, a sharp claw that flew towards her eyes.
Dodging Cheongha's attack by a hair's breadth, Seol Baekmyo was able to retreat.
'Wh-what is this?'
At Cheongha's sudden surprise attack, Seol Baekmyo was quite flustered inside.
Not only did Cheongha suddenly appear, but it was attacking her.
More than anything, the fact that Min Yeongyeong's figure was not visible in this place was the biggest problem.
Swish-
As long as Cheongha was continuing to show aggression towards her, she would not be able to just keep dodging like this.
Thinking so, Seol Baekmyo first placed the ice tiger she was holding on the floor.
"Ice tiger, it's dangerous here, so stay back."
Saying that to the ice tiger, Seol Baekmyo raised the Ice White Divine Palm in both hands.
Then, rather than retreating, the ice tiger, which stuck closer to Seol Baekmyo.
Seeing that, Seol Baekmyo said to the ice tiger, as if she were troubled.
"I-ice tiger, I told you to retreat..."
Krawang-!
At that moment, Cheongha roared again from the front.
A roar that was much louder than before.
Although she didn't know the reason, she could tell that Cheongha was more angry.
'I have no choice.'
Seol Baekmyo realized that she could no longer avoid a confrontation.
At that moment, her right hand, which was extended towards Cheongha.
Seol Baekmyo first aimed for Cheongha's legs to immobilize it.
Suuung-
A beam of light like a flash was shot from Seol Baekmyo's right hand.
The beam of light, which was heading for Cheongha's front paw, maintaining a sharp momentum.
Seol Baekmyo thought that if she could just freeze that part, she would be able to tie up Cheongha's feet.
Phat-
At that moment, Cheongha suddenly turned its direction.
A nimble movement that was unbelievable to have come from that size.
In the end, the beam of light missed Cheongha and froze the floor.
"Grrr-!"
As soon as Cheongha dodged the beam of light, it continued to rush at Seol Baekmyo.
Seeing that, Seol Baekmyo finally changed her mind.
As soon as she realized that Cheongha was not a simple tiger, she thought that she could no longer hold back.
Woong-
At that moment, the energy from Seol Baekmyo's right hand repelled more strongly.
And at the moment Cheongha was about to swing its front paw, Seol Baekmyo extended her right hand, which she had been pulling back, forward.
Suu-!
An enormous range of energy poured out from the right hand that Seol Baekmyo had swung.
Since the range was also the range, and since the energy had poured out right in front of it, Cheongha could not dodge it in the end, and at that moment, Cheongha's body was instantly frozen.
Jjeojeong-
In the end, Cheongha's front paw could not reach Seol Baekmyo.
Cheongha, which had frozen like an ice statue with its front paw raised.
Although it could be said to be a rather excessive response, thinking that if she hadn't done this, it might have been her who was attacked, a sigh came out of Seol Baekmyo's mouth.
'...What do I do now?'
As the situation ended, Seol Baekmyo was filled with worry.
No matter how much Cheongha's side had attacked first, if Min Yeongyeong were to find out that she had made Cheongha into this state, would she just stay still?
Thinking that it might have an impact on the Owonmaeng that had just been formed yesterday, Seol Baekmyo sighed even more.
'For now, it would be better for me to go and explain the situation first...'
Although she didn't know how the situation had become like this, she would have no choice.
Because the difference between her telling Min Yeongyeong first and not would be quite significant.
Of course, although she did not think that Min Yeongyeong would just stay still, Seol Baekmyo could not think of any other way besides that.
Jjeojeong-
"...Huh?"
At the sudden sound, Seol Baekmyo raised her head.
A crack that had appeared on Cheongha's head.
Discovering that, Seol Baekmyo's expression changed and she hurriedly raised both hands.
Kwang-!
At that moment, the ice that was enveloping Cheongha's body completely broke.
The remaining ice on Cheongha's body, as if it were covered in frost.
Although it felt as if its body had become a little dull due to Seol Baekmyo's attack, Cheongha rushed at Seol Baekmyo again, as if it were nothing.
"Stop!"
It was then.
A woman's voice from somewhere.
At that moment, Cheongha's movement stopped like a ghost.
"...Haa."
Looking at Cheongha, which was extending its front paw right in front of her nose, Seol Baekmyo took a deep breath.
At the same time, her head, which was slowly turning.
In the place where Seol Baekmyo was looking, the owner of the voice from just now was standing.
(End of Chapter)