Chapter 48: Why Would I Be Lonely Living Alone?
Chapter 48: Why Would I Be Lonely Living Alone?
The objects around me began to shimmer as if possessed. The desk, the display cabinet, and even the swords and fans leaning against the wall began to warp and melt, liquefying as if under intense heat.
The floor surged and rolled like waves. In a space where even standing was a struggle, performing footwork was utterly impossible. The walls and ceiling undulated, and lines resembling a Go board etched themselves across the air, further fracturing my vision.
The voice of the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord echoed with the depth of a hollow cavern.
“The world you lived in was merely an illusion. This place you see now is the true world.”
The Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art activated instinctively. Had I not mastered it, my mind would have already succumbed to his influence. However, I couldn't simply launch an attack to escape this crisis. The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord standing before me was undoubtedly an illusion himself.
Since he hadn't yet unleashed his most powerful sorcery, I still held the reins of the situation. I calmed my ghostly qi and spoke with practiced composure.
“This is a world where one can save a fortune on liquor. I feel as dizzy as if I were drunk, yet not a drop has touched my lips.”
Seeing me calmly joking when I should have already collapsed, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord’s expression shifted into one of surprise.
The next moment, a whisper reached my ears. It was a layered, discordant voice, like a crowd of people huddled together to pass along a rumor.
“The rumors were true, then. They said the Second Young Master had become a hidden dragon and begun his ascent.”
Before I knew it, he was standing right beside me.
I couldn't tell if the man next to me was an illusion or the real thing. I felt I would only know by cutting him, but doubt crept in—could I even land a blow? The fact that such a thought occurred before I even drew my sword meant that if a fight broke out, it would be an incredibly grueling one.
I finally understood why my father had come to warn me personally.
Even with the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Art active, my senses were this scattered. If he were to attack now, how could I possibly defeat him?
I turned my head toward the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord. His face was so ordinary that it appeared extraordinary.
“I have no intention of ascending. I want to live a long, quiet life and enjoy this world for as long as possible. That is why I seek to become strong.”
To be precise, this was the life the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord himself pursued. He was the one who had survived until the very end by staying low and living long. He had left many sayings before his death, and the following was one he repeated often:
— The reason I have strived for strength my entire life is so that no one can ever kill me.
He was a man who cherished his own life above all else. The Heart-Soul Great Law was a manifestation of that very self-love.
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord smirked at me.
“A fine sentiment.”
Simultaneously, the warping of the surroundings ceased. The world went dark for a heartbeat, and when the light returned, the scenery had transformed.
The maddening, distorted space was gone, replaced by a vast, sprawling plain. It was a sight that lifted the spirits just by looking at it. The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord stood far off in the center of the field.
I shouted toward him.
“It is truly a magnificent martial art.”
Normally, if I wanted to get under his skin, I would have called it "sorcery" or "trickery" instead of "martial art," but I chose not to. It was wise to yield a step while inside his world.
“It is a martial art that only I in this world can perform,” he said proudly.
But that wasn't true.
The Pungcheon Cult Leader could perform the exact same technique. I had discovered this in the past while searching for the Sound Thunder Bell. The roots of both their techniques lay in the Blood Cult Demonic Arts.
“What do you think? Would you not want to live in a world like this?”
He stood far away, yet his voice sounded as if he were whispering directly into my ear.
“If you would teach me, I would gladly learn.”
At that, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord appeared before me in an instant.
“You are more devious than I thought. Trying to get your hands on a world-class divine art for free.”
“In exchange, do you not gain me?”
He peered into my eyes. His dark pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks.
“I can see exactly what you are thinking. You might fool an idiot like the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, but you cannot fool me.”
“And what am I thinking?”
“You want to grab me by the hair and slap me across the face. You’re slapping my cheeks and saying: ‘You idiot, who do you think you are to disobey me?’”
“Close, but not quite. It’s: ‘You idiot, who do you think you are to kill people? Let’s rip out that heart of yours that lacks a conscience!’ How about that? A bit different, isn't it?”
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord did not get angry. Confident in his ability to kill me, he displayed the composure of the truly strong.
“It’s hard for the Cult Leader’s son to die, isn't it? Is that why you want to die by my hand?”
“Not at all. Is it not better to be a living third-rate martial artist than the world's greatest corpse?”
This, too, was something the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord had said often.
His expression shifted subtly. His pupils, which had shrunk to dots, returned to normal, and he withdrew all his ghostly qi.
The surroundings returned to their original state. We were once again facing each other in his room.
“What I just showed you was a mere taste. If I so desired, I could open a hellish place and trap you there for the rest of your life. Do you still not fear me?”
“I do fear you. I fear you greatly. That is why I said I would persuade my father, did I not?”
After staring at me blankly for a moment, the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord burst into laughter.
“Hahahaha!”
Even his laughter was far from ordinary. It was a bizarre cackle that raked through the mind. My insides churned, and I felt a wave of nausea.
“I suppose I must admit it. No wonder the Blade Demon was so desperate to align himself with you.”
As expected, he had been watching my relationship with the Blade Demon. Then again, the other Demon Lords were likely doing the same.
“Well then, Second Young Master. You should head back now.”
“For my father’s sake, please behave yourself for the time being. I shall take my leave.”
Since I had used my father as a threat, it would likely hold him off for two or three months.
“If you ever see me again, you will never return to this world.”
I walked out without a word. My conversation with him was over.
*
Seo Dae-ryong, who had been waiting outside, asked me, “Did things go well?”
“If you say they went well, they did. If you say they didn't, they didn't.”
“I think it was a good thing that you, Pavilion Master, even sought out that terrifying Soul-Seizing Demon Lord to find a solution. Whatever the outcome... it’s something no one else has ever done. I believe there is meaning in that.”
To think I’d receive comfort from this dark and cynical fellow.
“You were very angry, weren't you?”
“Do I look it?”
“Yes.”
“I was furious when I first saw the bodies, but I’m fine now. I’ve already made my decision.”
Seo Dae-ryong watched me for a moment before starting to walk again.
“Aren't you going to wait for an answer on what that decision is?”
“I’ve already heard it. It’s the same look you’ve always shown me. The look you have right before you achieve the impossible.”
I gave a sheepish laugh.
“This is why one must have a right-hand man.”
“You keep calling me your right-hand man, but isn't that martial artist your right hand?”
“Lee An? She isn't my right hand.”
“Then have I surpassed her to become your right hand?”
He looked slightly hopeful.
“You are my right hand, but you haven't surpassed her.”
“What does that mean?”
“Lee An is my heart. My very heart.”
“Now I’m actually offended to be the right hand.”
I laughed loudly, and Seo Dae-ryong laughed along.
“I’ll buy you a drink today.”
“Really? Are we finally going to a top-tier gisaeng house?”
“We’re going to the Pungryu Tavern.”
I pouted, and Seo Dae-ryong shouted about his meager salary.
“Fine. Since our stingy Investigator Seo is finally buying, let’s call the left hand, the heart, and even the left wing to join us.”
“The left hand would be the Demon Monarch, and the heart is that martial artist... but who is the left wing?”
“There is someone. Come on, let’s go.”
I strode ahead. After walking a bit, I looked back at Seo Dae-ryong.
“Aren't you coming?”
Standing where he was, Seo Dae-ryong spoke with an apologetic face.
“I’m sorry. This is all I can do for you. If it were up to me...”
“If it were up to you?”
He looked toward the Soul-Seizing Demon Lord’s residence. His eyes burned with the desire to go in, grab the Demon Lord by the hair, and drag him out. I could feel the heat of his conviction—that he would have done exactly that if only he were strong enough.
Our gazes met in the air. Lately, I had found myself relying quite a bit on this small, gloomy man.
“I’ll take the thought for the deed.”
“As you should!”
Leaving the Seohwan Formation, we headed toward the Pungryu Tavern together.
“It looks like it’s going to rain.”
Indeed, the sky was heavy with dark clouds, as if a downpour were imminent.
“You picked a good day. It’s raining, so the bill is going to be no joke.”
“It’s fine as long as it’s the Pungryu Tavern. There are no women there, so there’s nowhere else to spend money.”
“Ah... that’s such a sad story. Never mind. I’ll buy the drinks.”
“You don’t have a woman either, Young Master.”
“I have Lee An.”
Seo Dae-ryong blinked, apparently not expecting her name to come up.
“She’s your guard, isn't she? If we’re counting like that, then I also...”
“You have that junior of yours?”
Seo Dae-ryong’s face turned slightly red.
“I told you, it’s not like that with her!”
We took the largest table on the second floor of the Pungryu Tavern.
“Welcome, Pavilion Master.”
These days, I was the best customer for the owner, Jo Chun-bae. He said his sales had doubled thanks to the Huangquan Pavilion branch. Not only that, but he said life was worth living again now that the tyranny of rogue martial artists had largely vanished.
“Don’t worry today. No tables will be broken.”
“Haha, what if they do? As long as no one gets hurt.”
“Look forward to it. This friend of mine is dipping into his secret stash today.”
“I’ll make sure the food is delicious.”
Jo Chun-bae brought the alcohol first, before the main dishes. We sat in silence for a while, drinking quietly. Seo Dae-ryong was lost in his thoughts, and I in mine.
The Soul-Seizing Demon Lord came to mind. Thinking of him sparked a fierce competitive spirit alongside the urge to kill him.
If it had been the old me, I wouldn't be sitting here drinking on a day like this. I would have rushed to the training ground and swung my sword without rest. In my youth, whenever I faced frustration, I exhausted all my heart and soul in an effort to overcome the obstacle. Back then, I didn't realize that a desperate person could use "effort" as a form of escape.
But I don't do that anymore.
The more my anger seethes, the harder I strive to remain calm. I know now that drinking with my people is just as vital to making me strong as training is.
Then, Seo Dae-ryong spoke.
“But my mood feels a bit strange today. My heart keeps thumping.”
“Did you see a pretty girl? Where?”
As I playfully looked around, Seo Dae-ryong laughed.
“You don’t even like women, do you?”
“Who said that? That I hate women.”
“Is that not it? I always thought you had no interest in them.”
Women. In my past life, I lived alone forever. It was lonely, and yet, because of that, it wasn't lonely at all.
“Are you lonely these days?”
“Why would I be lonely living alone? I’m just bored. Isn't loneliness an emotion you feel when you’re with someone else?”
“Oh! I should use that line later.”
“Use it on that junior you like.”
“I told you I don’t like her. Besides, there’s no reason for us to meet.”
“Should I assign you to the same squad?”
“No, thank you. A connection should happen naturally.”
“See? You do like her.”
“It’s not that... forget it. Ugh, I shouldn't have said anything.”
He took a drink.
“Is your heart still racing?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe something fateful is going to happen today.”
“No way.”
In the meantime, Jo Chun-bae brought out the food. At that moment, Seo Dae-ryong had no idea. He didn't know how much his decision to buy drinks today would change the course of his life.
“Let’s drink until we’re wasted today!”
And this was coming from a man who couldn't even hold his liquor.