The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master

The woman—the owner of the Kaiten Auction House—opened her mouth with difficulty.

“Y-you’re…”

The sweat accumulated on the tip of her chin dripped onto the blade of the sashimi knife.

In the reflection of the droplets sliding down the edge, the face of the masked man appeared.

“…Heavenly Sword.”

“Why are auction houses always the same?”

Ryozo spoke with arms crossed.

“They pretend to be legitimate, but in the end they can’t escape the shadows of illegality. Is it that hard to live honestly?”

“I guess since auctions work at market price, they’re quite useful for moving illicit funds.”

At Kang Geom-Ma’s reply, Ryozo’s eyelids behind her mask blinked.

“Who are you?”

“Huh?”

“There’s no way my Geom-Ma is smarter than me!”

“That’s way too self-centered! You’re going to hurt me!”

“Even so! The only thing I’m useful for is thinking with my head! And now you want to take even that from me! Out, out! Get out of my husband’s body!”

Kang Geom-Ma and Ryozo exchanged an almost everyday banter. Meanwhile, the blade of the sashimi still gleamed in front of the woman’s throat. One wrong move, and her carotid artery would be cut.

It was the same model as the ones displayed on the podium—a Daiso sashimi. But the purpose was completely different. Those on the stage were for sale; this one was to kill.

‘E-even so…’

Heavenly Sword was only pointing it at her. He hadn’t actually harmed her. And everyone knew it—Kang Geom-Ma was a hero beyond human, a demigod.

His hand was cruel, but he always drew a clear line between enemy and ally.

‘If he hasn’t even touched a hair on my head, it means… I must have some card in my hand, even I don’t know about.’

“Lord Heavenly Sword.”

“Mm?”

He turned his head, and his black eyes pierced her. The woman nearly had a heart attack.

‘Those eyes… are they human? They’re the eyes of a sword-wielding demon!’

With her heart trembling, she spoke.

“I’m Maki Kaiten, owner of Kaiten Auction House. And… I’m from the same region as Lady Ryozo.”

“So you say.”

“Seems she’s trying to use her origin as a sentimental excuse.”

Ryozo brought her mask close to Maki Kaiten’s face. The bluish flame in her eyes flickered fiercely.

“Didn’t you know I even changed my nationality to Korean?”

“……!”

“Yes. Ryozo always preferred kimchi jjigae over sushi.”

Abel, crossing her legs, added with irony.

Meanwhile, the agents of the Hero Association moved with precision. The metallic clinks of handcuffs echoed around the room, snapping onto the wrists of customers.

“Let go of me! You think you can do whatever you want just because you’ve got a warrant?!”

“Please say that during the interrogation.”

Speedweapon led the procession of masked individuals toward the exit. Handcuffed and bound with ropes, they were expelled one by one.

Kang Geom-Ma received a nod from Speedweapon, then turned to intimidate Maki Kaiten once more.

“The Kaiten House is nothing more than that. A place to launder money for nobles and tycoons.”

“No, that’s not true. We run a legal business…”

“Hmm.”

It was Ryozo.

“Don’t lie to my husband.”

Shiing.

Even Abel unsheathed her sword. The bluish steel reflected the woman’s pale face.

“Miss Maki Kaiten. I, with direct ties to the Nibelung family, have already traced every money laundering operation your auction house has carried out up to now.”

“H-h-how is that possible…?”

Kang Geom-Ma answered her doubt with a cruel kindness.

“The Family of Order. Auditore da Sicilia.”

“They specialize in corrupt nobles. Just one look from them, and you’ll confess everything—legal or not.”

Geom-Ma whispered coldly.

“Ah.”

“I caught a glimpse myself, and whew, best not to talk about it. It was quite a spectacle. I think it’ll come in handy—and that moment is now.”

“T-tell me what you want.”

“Oh. Quick to understand, isn’t she, Geom-Ma?”

Ryozo’s exclamation drew a slight nod from Abel.

“An auction is, at its core, a family business. But you built yours up in no time. At least you’ve got an eye and a merchant’s wit.”

“Those are the kind of enemies I like. The ones who know the value of words.”

“…I might not be your enemy.”

“That depends on what you do.”

Kang Geom-Ma withdrew the sashimi.

Maki Kaiten let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.

‘I-it’s over. Heavenly Sword wants something from me. He won’t kill me…’

But then, the hair on her nape stood on end.

The eyes of three people—Kang Geom-Ma, Ryozo, and Abel—were boring into her all at once.

“I can hear your mind turning.”

Kang Geom-Ma warned.

“If it spins too much, you’ll end up like him.”

His gaze shifted to the stage. The red, dark killing intent struck like lightning over Pertinax X.

“Kr-ah…”

A stifled groan, and suddenly Pertinax X’s eyes rolled back. Had he fainted? Or died? To the naked eye, he looked like a corpse.

“Keu-ugh!”

Though she wasn’t the target of that killing intent, Maki Kaiten let out a strangled scream. Just being nearby, it felt like her lungs were tearing, as if a bomb had gone off inside her chest.

‘How can a human being’s killing intent be this lethal?’

In an instant, Maki Kaiten’s face was covered in dark circles.

“Since I became an adult, what changed in me is that I learned to overlook first mistakes with a bit of human leniency.”

Kang Geom-Ma spoke to her coldly.

“But the second time… I treat my enemies more cruelly than I did in my youth.”

“Haa…”

Maki Kaiten felt her mind go blank.

“This isn’t a deal I’m offering. It’s an interrogation. All you have to do is answer with the truth.”

“…Yes…”

Ryozo leaned toward Maki Kaiten’s ear and added.

“You know why I like Geom-Ma? Because he’s not a hypocrite. He never looks at anyone twice.”

The muscles across Maki Kaiten’s body went slack. A sour smell began to rise slowly.

And she thought:

‘If I become the enemy of these three… I’d be better off begging for death.’

***

The vacant soul of Maki Kaiten confessed everything she knew.

As she spoke, her hair went limp as though wilted at the root, and her face grew completely wrinkled.

Leaving behind that woman whose energy had already been drained, I spoke with Ryozo and Abel.

“The Kaiten Auction House was a stage the Emperor set so the nobles could move capital, right? Even if he didn’t publicly invest or attract funds.”

Ryozo summed it up. By then, the number of clients in the room had already dropped drastically. Only about five people remained.

I calmly examined those present and looked back at Ryozo. She was biting her lower lip, analyzing the whole scene.

“Then why did the Emperor put one of his items up for auction in a place like this?”

Abel tilted her head in doubt.

“He probably wanted to give it to someone specific.”

“…The Emperor… He could’ve given it directly, so why use such a cumbersome method? What a pain.”

“On the contrary. It’s just the opposite.”

At my words, Ryozo and Abel both turned their eyes to me. Even though I had their attention, I looked elsewhere—toward the middle-aged man in the owl mask.

“It was to bother me. That’s why he exposed the item in this vulgar market for his subjects.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ll have to ask the person involved directly.”

I approached the owl-masked man with firm steps. Despite my closeness, he didn’t turn his head. My killing intent must have crawled across his skin like thick oil, but he showed no fear.

“…Why are you doing this?”

I fired off suddenly.

“As far as I know, we settled our accounts long ago.”

“Who knows.”

The man removed his mask and slowly looked at me.

Then Maki Kaiten opened her eyes in shock.

“Y-Your Majesty…!”

“I heard you well, Maki. You even confessed in detail things I didn’t know about my own affairs.”

“I-it wasn’t like that…!”

But before finishing, Maki Kaiten collapsed, clutching her head, faking a faint.

I glanced at her and then addressed the Emperor.

“She’s faking it.”

“I know.”

……!

“Handle that traitor yourself. Now it’s your turn to answer my questions. Why do you keep interfering with me?”

“Interfering?”

“There’s an item among your possessions that can save my friend. I don’t know how you knew, but you were aware of it.”

“Yes, I knew.”

“That item isn’t disposable. If you’d offered to lend it to me, I would’ve politely requested it.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“But putting it up for auction like this—no matter how I see it, it looks like you did it to put me in a bind.”

“Haha.”

The Emperor let out a restrained laugh.

“You’re the one with too much self-importance, Heavenly Sword.”

“What?”

“I wasn’t trying to trouble you. It was the Auditores I wanted to trouble.”

“That’s the same as attacking me.”

“Haa… Heavenly Sword…”

The Emperor shook his head, as if speaking to someone slow-witted.

“Whether you admit it or not, you’re already one of the sovereigns who divide this world with me.”

“I don’t admit that.”

“That’s your choice. But the world sees it that way. Anyway, as a precaution, let me say this—hounds should only think of themselves as hounds.”

“Hounds?”

“This world is structurally based on hierarchies. Ever since you bore the insignia of the Heavenly Sword, you became a sovereign. And the Auditores became your dogs.”

How unpleasant.

But there was no way to refute it.

In this world, I was a heretic for preaching equality.

A country where everyone is equal—here, that would be an alien world.

The Emperor continued.

“The Auditores have been sniffing around my pawns. They were useful hounds. But even the most loyal hounds, when hungry, bite their master.”

“So to bait them… you tried to collar them with that auction?”

“From what I see, you understand faster than even Ryozo.”

From afar, Ryozo’s shoulders twitched a bit. Abel simply watched the Emperor in silence, her sword drawn.

Even they didn’t seem to want a direct confrontation with the Emperor.

As long as I was present, the Empire couldn’t be our absolute enemy.

But the Nibelung and Saki families had centuries of history.

It was inevitable that hidden ties with the throne existed.

A direct conflict with the Emperor would drag everyone linked to his bloodlines.

‘What I lack against the Emperor…’

Is an understanding of this world.

Even after ten years here, I still couldn’t fully grasp the ecology of this society.

That’s why nobles—decadent and debased—could continue to rise.

“What a shame. If you and the Auditores had tried a legitimate bid, I had no intention of stopping you.”

The Emperor brushed the dust from his clothes and stood up.

He looked at me eye to eye.

“That item is property of the Empire. If you try to take it by force, the world will see you as a common thief.”

“……”

“In that case, I’ve already achieved my goal. I don’t want to be bothered by the dog of a thief.”

“…So you insist it belongs to the Empire.”

One of his eyebrows arched mockingly.

In his eyes, a twisted smile shone.

“If it’s Imperial property… then it also belongs to whoever has succession rights, doesn’t it?”

“You…?”

At that moment, firm and graceful footsteps echoed through the silent auction hall.

“Lord Heavenly Sword.”

It was Victoria.

She held a small chest in both hands.

“I’ll put it to good use.”

I passed by the Emperor.

“You may have all the power, the money, the whole world. But you couldn’t even win your daughter’s heart. How pathetic.”

Before walking away completely, I added one more line.

“Poor man.”