From what I later heard, unlike earlier, they subdued Yeomhwa by force.
They pinned Yeomhwa down and, with a bright smile, spoke to the Process Overseers.
“Forgive us. If we caused you any trouble, I offer my apologies. We’ll deal with this bastard properly and throw him in a cell, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Hmhm! I won’t mention today’s matter to my elder brother.”
“Thank you.”
“Then we’ll be on our way.”
The Process Overseers hurried away, barely even acknowledging the Guard Corps troopers’ salutes as they left the scene.
“That’s not right! You have to take those swords back from them. Guard Corps troopers! Those swords belong to a guest of Heavenly Martial Castle. You have to find them.”
“Shut it, you bastard. So now you’re even trying to pin a false accusation on those gentlemen?”
“Shut your mouth before I show you how hard I can hit.”
“Guard Corps troopers! You have to catch them!”
“This bastard. Talking won’t work on you, huh?”
THUD—.
“Urgh! Khak—! Khak!”
They rammed the end of a scabbard hard into Yeomhwa’s abdomen, and he gasped in pain, his breath ragged.
“N-no...”
Moaning, Yeomhwa was dragged away by the Guard Corps trooper.
Tears rolled down from his eyes.
If only there had been someone for him, they would have saved him.
*****
The next day.
No matter how long I waited, Yeomhwa didn’t show up, so I asked the surrounding trainee smiths if they knew where he’d gone.
But nobody knew where he was.
Some even scrunched up their faces just at the mention of his name.
It looked like the trainees here didn’t think much of Yeomhwa.
I had a rough guess why.
From what I’d seen, Yeomhwa was a genius.
And geniuses always attract a lot of jealousy.
Since I hadn’t accomplished anything big in front of anyone else, I decided to go look for him myself.
I followed Yeomhwa’s scent and moved slowly.
The place I ended up at was the Hall of Righteous Swords, where the Guard Corps was stationed.
“What brings you here?”
At the Guard Corps trooper’s question, I glanced around and answered,
“Ah, this is my first time in Heavenly Martial Castle, so I was just looking around. What is this place?”
The trooper answered, chest filled with pride,
“This is where the Guard Corps that’s responsible for Heavenly Martial Castle’s security is stationed.”
“Then if someone commits a crime in Heavenly Martial Castle, they’d be brought here.”
“That’s right. There are cells under the Hall of Righteous Swords’ basement, and they’re imprisoned there.”
So he’s in an underground cell.
No wonder his scent was so faint.
But what did he get arrested for?
If he was taken in because he’d actually done something wrong, I’d have no grounds to pull him out.
“Is it possible to visit someone imprisoned in the underground cells?”
“Do you know someone who was locked up?”
“I’m wondering if someone named Yeomhwa is being held here.”
“I’ll go check. Please wait a moment.”
He was polite.
So that put me in a good mood.
The impression of this place my grandfather governed had been good all the way from Heavenly Fire Road.
After a short while, the Guard Corps trooper came back and told me,
“Ah, he was brought in yesterday for a minor offense. It’s a light punishment, so he should be released sometime today.”
So it wasn’t a serious crime.
I still wanted to know what had happened, though.
“Can I see his face?”
“Yes. He’s only in for a minor offense, so you can visit anytime. Please follow me.”
I followed the Guard Corps trooper inside.
“We’ll need to check your identity here.”
“Will a regular identity plaque do?”
“You’re not affiliated with Heavenly Martial Castle?”
“No.”
“Hmm. Then that’s a bit difficult. Only people connected to Heavenly Martial Castle can go in.”
I figured it would be like that.
They weren’t going to just let any random person into a prison full of criminals.
When I showed my disappointment, the Guard Corps trooper spoke up,
“It’s only a minor offense, so you don’t need to worry too much. He’ll be released this evening, so how about you catch up with him then?”
“I suppose I’ll have to. Thank you.”
“Not at all. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
“If that’s Heavenly Martial Castle’s law, I have to respect it. You’ve been plenty of help.”
I exchanged farewells with the trooper and was about to head back when I heard some other Guard Corps troopers talking.
“Where’s the guy we brought in yesterday?”
“He’s in cell eight. Why?”
“Someone wants us to keep him in longer.”
“Who?”
I looked toward where the voices were coming from and saw three men huddled together, glancing around as they spoke in hushed tones.
I was just going to ignore it and leave, but something about it bothered me, so I decided to listen a bit longer.
“It’s a request from those Process Overseer people we met yesterday.”
“On what charge are we supposed to hold him? Someone’s bound to come looking for the guy.”
“Nobody will. I checked, and he’s got no connections, no master, no friends. Even back on Heavenly Fire Road, he was an outcast. Even if he disappears, nobody will care.”
“Yeah? Then what charge are we locking him up on?”
“They say a whole pile of fine swords was found at his place.”
“What?”
“Where else do you think those fine swords came from? They came from the Heavenly Forge he works at.”
“He didn’t make them himself?”
“You think some trainee is forging fine swords now? Does that make sense? He stole them all.”
“If that’s the case, that’s plenty for a charge. We can process it as theft, then?”
“What are you talking about? He stole from Heavenly Martial Castle. That’s not simple theft, it’s special theft.”
“When you put it like that, you’re right. Then he’ll be in here for at least ten years.”
“That’s the perfect length.”
From the sound of it, the swords I’d left with Yeomhwa at his house had become a problem.
I’d kept them at his place because I thought they’d be stolen again if I left them by the furnace.
I hadn’t expected it to turn into this.
I hurried off toward Yeomhwa’s house.
*****
Just as I was gathering up the swords at Yeomhwa’s place—
BANG—.
Guard Corps troopers burst in and spotted me.
“Stop right there.”
I asked in an even voice,
“What seems to be the problem?”
“We received a tip that things from the Heavenly Forge were being hidden here. Put down all those swords you’re holding.”
“These swords are mine.”
“Hmph! We’ll find that out once we investigate. Put them down right now. If you don’t, we’ll assume you’re involved in the crime too and bind you.”
Part of me wanted to just knock them all away.
But this was Heavenly Martial Castle, where my grandfather was.
I held back.
When I set the swords down and stepped aside, the Guard Corps troopers came over and examined them.
“These are incredible fine swords.”
“There are dozens of swords of this quality.”
After looking over the swords, the troopers turned to me with looks of disbelief and asked,
“You look like some bookish scholar who couldn’t even swing a sword. And you’re claiming these fine swords are yours? Say something that makes sense.”
“They are my swords. If you really don’t believe me, ask the Metal Inspector at the Heavenly Forge.”
I spoke firmly, and even the Guard Corps troopers showed a hint of being thrown off.
Just then, someone walked in from behind and said,
“What are you all doing? Why aren’t you moving faster?”
“Captain! There’s a man here claiming all this evidence belongs to him.”
“What?”
A man in a red commander’s coat looked straight at me.
“You’re the one claiming to be the owner of these swords?”
“Yes.”
“Who are you? I’ve never seen your face before.”
“I’m a guest of the Heavenly Forge.”
“A guest?”
The Guard Corps captain picked up a sword and turned it this way and that, then let out a murmur of admiration.
“Oh-ho. What a magnificent sword.”
Greed flashed in the captain’s eyes.
“Anyone can see you look like some scholar, and yet you’re pretending to be the owner of top-grade fine swords... Isn’t that strange?”
“I’ll say it again. I’m a guest of the Heavenly Forge.”
“Fine. We’ll confirm that. In the meantime, you’ll have to come with us for a bit.”
I sighed and nodded.
I had to endure.
I had to endure.
I kept repeating that to myself.
*****
“They say nobody at the Heavenly Forge knows anything about a guest.”
“Oh?”
The Guard Corps captain looked at me.
“That’s impossible. Did you ask the Metal Inspector?”
At my question, the captain looked toward one of the troopers.
“The Metal Inspector isn’t there at the moment. They say he left to procure new iron.”
“Damn it, so he’s not there.”
“Then please ask the Master Smith.”
“Ha ha ha! Well, well. Next you’ll be telling me to go ask Master Smith Cheon himself, won’t you?”
The captain’s tone was mocking.
I couldn’t help but sigh.
They already seemed convinced I was Yeomhwa’s accomplice.
Just then, a sword caught my eye.
There were supposed to be eight of them, but one was missing.
“One of the swords is missing. Where is it?”
At my question, the captain smirked and said,
“You should be worrying about your own situation. This isn’t the time to worry about swords.”
“I asked where one of the swords is.”
“There were only seven from the start.”
When the trooper behind him said that, the captain grinned.
“Hear that? There were only seven from the start.”
My expression twisted into something vicious.
“Ha ha! That’s scary. Look at that face. Keep it ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) up and you might actually jump me.”
“I asked you where one sword went.”
As my tone turned cold, the captain’s face turned cold as well.
“You little shit, you think you can talk to me like that just because I’ve been playing nice? Do you even know where you are?”
“The sword... I asked where one sword went. Do you not understand words?”
At my question, the captain glared and said,
“This bastard’s an accomplice. Lock him up with the other one.”
“Yes, sir.”
The troopers came over to bind me.
As they were tying me up, the captain walked over, leaned in close to my ear, and whispered,
“I took that sword. Just in case you were still wondering about it in your cell.”
Then he tapped my shoulder twice.
“You won’t see sunlight for at least ten years. So start preparing yourself to get used to the dark.”
Before the captain even finished his sentence, I began murmuring an incantation.
“Murky night stretches across the heavens, benightedness sealed and bound, myriad worlds fall silent.”
The captain frowned when he heard me muttering.
“What the hell are you babbling about?”
In that instant.
The room seemed to ripple, and a faint dizziness washed over it.
The captain, startled, looked around with a shocked expression.
Luckily, nothing seemed obviously wrong.
“Did I drink too much last night?”
He decided it was just a momentary dizziness from overdrinking.
Something about it still bothered him, but he ignored it and was about to head out when—
TAP TAP—.
I heard something snapping.
KABOOM—!
There was a sound of something shattering.
When he turned around, he saw that I’d snapped the ropes and smashed the heads of the two Guard Corps troopers in front of me into the floor, and I was glaring straight at him.
Startled, he hurriedly leaped back and drew his sword.
“W-what the—? You knew martial arts?”
Ignoring the captain’s words, I spoke in a voice full of anger,
“You don’t belong in Heavenly Martial Castle. The ones who should be upholding Heavenly Martial Castle’s laws are this rotten.”
I was angry.
Grandfather trusted people like this.
Should I kill him?
For a moment, a terrifying killing intent exploded out of my eyes.
“Eek!”
Feeling my killing intent, the captain cried out in fright and stumbled backward.
Meanwhile, I kept debating whether to kill him or spare him.
No.
Judging from his nature, he isn’t that deeply evil.
He’s just a weak human swayed by his greed.
I’ll make him into as much of a proper person as I can and turn him into someone who can be of use to Grandfather.
How many people in Heavenly Martial Castle are like this man?
If rotten bastards like these keep people who ought to see the light from ever seeing it, that’s an even bigger problem.
Looks like I’ll have to stay in Heavenly Martial Castle longer while keeping my identity hidden.