"It's raining."
Wei Jeong-han thought the man suited the rain quite well.
No, perhaps the person before him right now might be the man in the world who suited rainy days the most.
He couldn't readily think of anyone who suited the rain better than this man.
The melancholy eyes visible through his long, flowing hair made the man's gloomy atmosphere even more profound.
The streams of rain falling outside the window showed no signs of stopping. As if it intended to wash away everything in the world, the rain continued to pour down relentlessly without pause.
"Will the blood wash away?"
Wei Jeong-han shook his head at the man's words.
"Hardly."
"Even with all this rain?"
"There isn't more rain falling than blood that's been spilled. No matter how much you wash and wash again, the blood doesn't all wash away. It seeps in, always."
In Wei Jeong-han's hands as well.
Along with the fishy smell from the rain, it seemed like the stench of blood was drifting from somewhere.
Thinking that the smell of blood had become more familiar than the smell of cooking rice, Wei Jeong-han lifted his cup and poured the liquor down his throat.
After the burning strong liquor washed down his throat, it felt like the stench of blood had lessened somewhat.
'Only for now.'
It doesn't fade, this stench of blood.
Because this isn't a smell coming from the body.
It was a scent emanating from his soul, soaked in battle and blood. A brand-like fragrance that wouldn't disappear even if a lifetime passed.
"Still, I like the rain."
"How romantic."
"I'm not sure if it's romantic. Rain makes me feel good. It feels like being washed away. Reality too."
Red-Eyed Rain was an unusual man.
Wei Jeong-han felt strange when looking at this man.
His appearance and the blade-like atmosphere flowing from him made people tense. But strangely, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being drawn to the person himself.
He was different from those who won others' favor with kind words and gentle actions. He was someone with the strange talent of drawing in those around him just by being there.
You couldn't really call it benevolence either.
'What does it matter anyway.'
At least when tilting wine cups with this man, Wei Jeong-han could forget reality.
Compared to those hypocrites who outwardly proclaimed righteousness while inwardly blinded by profit, this fool who showed his heart so openly was much more comfortable to be with.
At least in front of this man, he didn't need to struggle to control his contorting expressions. That alone was enough.
"It was a terrible fight."
"Yes, it was terrible."
Red-Eyed Rain quietly nodded and filled Wei Jeong-han's empty cup with liquor. Wei Jeong-han lifted the cup filled with liquor and drank it all at once, then set the wine cup down with a thud.
"…How long will this war continue?"
"Who knows?"
A bitter smile formed at the corner of Red-Eyed Rain's mouth.
"Until there are no more people to fight, or until there's no longer any reason to fight?"
"Then one condition has already been met."
Wei Jeong-han said while looking at the rain falling outside the window.
"No one has any reason to fight anymore anyway."
Red-Eyed Rain quietly gazed at his wine cup.
Whether he was looking at something else beyond the wine cup, or looking at his own reflection in the wine cup, was unclear, but Red-Eyed Rain looking down at the wine cup somehow seemed a little sad.
"A reason to fight…"
Red-Eyed Rain, who had trailed off slightly, raised his head and looked at Wei Jeong-han.
"Do you have no reason to fight?"
"I had one at first."
"At first?"
Wei Jeong-han leaned back fully against his chair.
His body stretched languidly and his voice became drowsy.
His words contained low regret.
"Was it the grand intention to protect the peace of the martial world, or was it a small wish to uphold righteousness that I could be satisfied with myself?"
He lightly pressed the empty cup with his finger and rolled it on the table. The wine cup spun round and round and stopped facing Red-Eyed Rain.
"Whichever it was, I'd have to say none of it remains now. I've become too exhausted to protect peace, and I've seen too many things I shouldn't have seen to uphold righteousness."
"So now you fight just because you're fighting? Without any reason?"
"Reason…"
Wei Jeong-han stared blankly at the ceiling.
It was a natural yet somehow fresh question.
Reason, reason…
The enemy attacked. So we fight.
Was there any reason beyond that?
'What a petty person I am.'
Other people, whether right or wrong, were all fighting with purpose.
Family honor, wealth, and fame.
Perhaps some wandered here because they couldn't satisfy their blood-boiling craving for battle.
But Wei Jeong-han, who had no particular reason to fight and felt sick of this long war, couldn't leave the battlefield.
Perhaps Wei Jeong-han was the one spending the most meaningless time on this battlefield.
"The Righteous Hero Sword's reputation will cry."
"I'd prefer if you didn't mention that embarrassing epithet in front of me. It makes me want to hide in a mouse hole."
"Isn't Righteous Hero Sword good?"
"It's terrible."
Wei Jeong-han shook his head vigorously.
"Then what about you? Don't you have a reason to fight?"
"Reason…"
Red-Eyed Rain lifted his wine cup. Bringing the wine cup right up to his face, he looked at it quietly without putting it to his lips. When he lightly shook the wine cup, the liquor inside sloshed.
"To survive."
"…A foolish question with a wise answer."
Wei Jeong-han laughed.
Where else could there be a greater reason than that?
The Demonic Cult attacked. If we stay still, we'll die, so we fight back.
War needed no greater reason than that. Those who attributed other intentional meanings to war would be those above or historians of later generations.
They were simply those who could only struggle desperately not to be pushed back by reality.
"To survive. Yes, to survive."
"Righteousness isn't anything special."
Red-Eyed Rain's voice was resolute.
"It's just not committing the inevitable wrongs I have no choice but to commit to survive. The reason people call you Righteous Hero Sword is because of that. Not because you have a warm heart, nor because you have a character worthy of respect."
"That sounds like you're subtly insulting me?"
"It's just because you don't tacitly turn a blind eye for the comfort of your own person. In this place, that alone is remarkable. The phrase 'to survive' sometimes justifies everything."
"Don't flatter me. That won't make me pay for the drinks. Today's the day you're treating."
"Oh no, I've been caught. You have sharp sides too."
Red-Eyed Rain quietly brought the wine cup to his lips. Unlike Wei Jeong-han who would gulp the liquor down his throat all at once, Red-Eyed Rain drank slowly… as if savoring it. As if he valued each and every sip very highly.
"Then if you survive… if you survive this war, what will you do? Will you live in the world again as a martial artist?"
"If I survive?"
"That's right."
Red-Eyed Rain smiled lightly.
"If I could survive… I'd like to wander the world. About ten years would be good. Wandering here and there, seeing the world with my own eyes, and if there's someone who knows martial arts, comparing martial skills through sparring, and sometimes drinking a sip of liquor under a tree where the rain falls atmospherically."
"A carefree wanderer."
"Yes, that's it. Chuckle chuckle."
Red-Eyed Rain laughed as if delighted.
"I want to wander in a place without duties, responsibilities, or threats. Just freely, freely… forgetting everything."
"I recommend joining the Beggar's Sect."
"Nonsense. Do you know how much work beggars have to do? If they don't beg for a single day, they have to starve, and from above they keep nagging for information. That would be impossible work too."
"You speak as if you've tried it."
"Isn't that the difference between you and me? One who knows only after trying, and one who knows without trying."
"How impressive of you."
Red-Eyed Rain straightened Wei Jeong-han's empty cup and poured liquor into it.
When the wine cup was overflowing, Wei Jeong-han lifted the wine cup and drained it in one gulp.
"You should savor liquor."
"Interfering with another's Way of Wine isn't proper etiquette."
"It's because I feel sorry."
Red-Eyed Rain laughed lightly.
"The only time you can forget your sorrows is when tilting wine cups like this, but you can't savor that time."
"Time is time, liquor is liquor."
"If you say so."
Watching Red-Eyed Rain fill the wine cup again without saying anything more, Wei Jeong-han quietly closed his eyes.
'How ridiculous.'
They're right in the middle of war now. But just because there's no fighting for a moment, they're calmly tilting wine cups like this—doesn't it seem like war has become a way of life?
"Will we be able to see each other next time?"
"Who knows, it's uncertain. The war might end before it rains next time, or one of us might die before then. But which unit did you say you were from?"
"Does that matter?"
"…Well, what difference would it make where?"
Wei Jeong-han said indifferently.
"Right. Now that I hear it, we might not see each other next time. If you have any last words to convey, speak up. If I hear that you've died, I'll deliver those last words."
"Hmm…"
Red-Eyed Rain spun his wine cup round and round as if amused.
"No, that's fine. Instead, let's grant each other one wish."
"Each other?"
"Right. The one who dies later grants one wish of the one who died first."
Wei Jeong-han contorted his face.
"What's the point of granting a wish for someone who's already dead?"
"Nonsense. Don't they say to grant even dead people's wishes? So granting a dead person's wish makes sense."
"You're being arbitrary. Fine, what wish do you plan to make?"
"You first."
Wei Jeong-han pondered and then spoke.
"If I die first and you survive, go to Guangdong and tell a woman named Han Sang-ah that I'm sorry I couldn't return."
"Is that all?"
"She's a very tender person. She'll be greatly shocked, so comfort her well. But if you try to woo her while pretending to comfort her, I'll become a vengeful ghost and come find you."
"I know a skilled shaman."
"Damn bastard."
Wei Jeong-han chuckled.
This man was unpredictable. Sometimes he seemed infinitely serious, yet sometimes unbearably heavy. His personality was impossible to predict.
"Then it's your turn. What's your wish?"
"A wish…"
Red-Eyed Rain quietly looked at the rain falling outside the window and then spoke.
"Go on a journey."
"A journey?"
"Right. Just as I said. Walk wherever your feet take you, have a drink when you see tree shade, cross swords with strong opponents, sometimes enjoy the scenery… just freely, freely…"
"For ten years?"
"Even a month would be good. Just go on a journey."
"That's a rather unpleasant wish."
"Don't worry. You'll never have to grant my wish."
"…Why not?"
Red-Eyed Rain smiled lightly.
"I heard a son was born. I've become a father now. When a child is born, a father can't die from being unable to endure something like this."
"A son…"
Wei Jeong-han smiled broadly and poured liquor into the man's cup.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"So what name did you give your son?"
"Well, I haven't thought about it yet, but if it's all right, would you name him?"
"…Me? Are you insane? Asking someone like me to name your eldest grandson?"
"What's wrong with that? It's not like there's any elder to name him. Let's leave it as a sign of friendship."
"You're crazy. Naming a child with something like that."
Wei Jeong-han chuckled and said.
"You don't have to use this name, but I do have a name I created to give if I ever had a child."
"What is it?"
Wei Jeong-han moistened his lips slightly with liquor and spoke.
"Yeon-ho, Wei Yeon-ho. If you name him, the surname would be different, of course."