"Tomorrow, I must give the sect leader a once-in-a-lifetime gift. From what I've observed so far, it seems that fighting against the strong, whether winning or losing, is the only solace in life. That will be the gift."
The scholar in white, having listened to my words until the end, nodded his head several times even while lying down.
"I understand now that we’ve fought. It certainly felt that way."
I turned to the scholar in white, who was gazing at the night sky.
"Are the stars plentiful?"
"Indeed, they are."
I lay down nearby and looked up at the night sky.
Just as the scholar had said, the stars were densely packed.
Cheonak asked me, "As expected, you have no plans for how to fight, right?"
"How did you know? I have no brilliant ideas. I can only do my best. Isn't that right, Senior Mabu?"
The senior Mabu, caught off guard by the question, cleared his throat and replied, "That seems to be the case."
"You must have had a hard time serving the sect leader."
At this, Senior Mabu smiled slightly.
"Do you really think so?"
"Weren't you troubled?"