Two days laterâjust another ordinary day.
The weather was as usual. Autumn had settled in, and winter was slowly creeping closer.
I walked with a more composed pace than usual.
For the record, I hadnât spoken with Moyong Hee-ah since the incident.
I tried to approach her, but Moyong Hee-ah refused to meet. Her avoidance was so clear that I even sought out her relative, the White Lotus Sword, to speak on my behalf.
[Hmm⦠This is beyond even me.]
Even the White Lotus Sword, who acted far less mature than her age suggested, raised her hands in surrender.
This situation was starting to weigh on my mind.
âLooks like I really messed up this time.â
It didnât seem like something that would pass as a minor grudge.
What should I do? How could I resolve this mess?
Everyone aware of the situation was against me, so there was no doubt that I was in the wrong.
âTch.â
To make matters worse, this wasnât the only issue hanging over my head.
That was the biggest problem of all.
It was also the reason I had to keep a level head despite the turmoil in my mind.
I continued walking quietly along the street.
The district was still under reconstruction.
Just like before, refugees and merchants were directly involved in the repairs. The progress was remarkably fast.
Of course, it had to be.
Not only were two of the largest trading groups involved, but even martial artists had stepped in to assist. There was no way it could be slow.
Since the first day of construction, the town had been rebuilt bit by bit with impressive speed.
The noise had been constant and overwhelming.
But today felt different.
ââ¦â
I glanced around.
Eyes were still on me.
Ever since my title changed, this kind of attention had become the norm.
But today, the atmosphere was far quieter than yesterday.
It was too silent.
The gazes directed at me, the air surrounding meâeverything felt unnervingly subdued.
Despite noticing this, I didnât stop walking. I simply looked forward again.
As I passed by, people quietly bowed their heads or offered silent greetings.
Not long ago, they had been falling over themselves to sing my praises.
Why the sudden change?
It might have seemed puzzling, but I knew the reason better than anyone.
Today was just one of those days.
Damn it all.
âItâs done.
Nahiâs voice rang out through a sound transmission as I walked.
Hearing it, I stopped momentarily.
âAs you instructed, the funds have been divided through Dae-Mokri. Anonymous deliveries will begin within four days.
âGood.â
I gave a slight nod.
Not long ago, I had spent more than half of my accumulated wealthâscraping together precious metals and rare resources.
It hadnât been a planned expense, but it was necessary.
âDonât follow me any further. Stay back and wait.â
âUnderstood.
With Nahi retreating as ordered, someone immediately approached me.
âGreetings, Star King.â
The man wore the uniform of the Martial Alliance.
That meant I had arrived at the Martial Allianceâs headquarters.
This time, however, I wasnât here to meet Ink Ghost.
It wasnât for personal reasons eitherâalthough, maybe it was, in a way.