Chapter 104: The Title of Number One Under Heaven (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 104: The Title of Number One Under Heaven (6)
“Master?”
My father-in-law stared at Cheol Su-ryeon as if the situation were utterly absurd.
She was a woman who had spread her infamy far and wide through countless atrocities and her formidable martial prowess as one of the Five Great Villains. It was only natural that he couldn't easily wrap his head around such a person kneeling before me in total submission.
My father-in-law started to send me a Secret Sound Transmission but stopped himself. He knew that Cheol Su-ryeon was capable of eavesdropping on them.
“...What is the meaning of this?”
“She has no choice but to follow my orders.”
I gave a vague answer, as it was difficult to explain that she had succumbed to the Heavenly Authority. I couldn't exactly show him the process of absorbing a Spirit Fragment, could I?
A startled Sama Yeong spoke up.
“She’s following the Young Master?”
The question was directed at Cheol Su-ryeon, not me. When Cheol Su-ryeon, who was prostrate on the ground, looked up with a frown, I spoke.
“She is the woman who will become my wife.”
“Wife?”
At those words, a strange light flickered in Cheol Su-ryeon’s eyes as she looked back and forth between my father-in-law and Sama Yeong. Then, she replied politely, as if submitting to Sama Yeong.
“I see. My greetings, Mistress.”
Sama Yeong’s expression softened considerably, seemingly not hating the title. She had been wary because of Cheol Su-ryeon’s rejuvenated, beautiful appearance, but my overbearing attitude and the woman’s reaction seemed to have cleared up any misunderstandings.
“Ahem. Why are you following the Young Master?”
At her question, Cheol Su-ryeon bit her lip slightly before answering.
“I cannot tell you that.”
She still had her pride, so she refused to answer. Who would want their weaknesses exposed to others?
I caught Sama Yeong’s eye, signaling that I would explain it to her privately later. Understanding my intent, Sama Yeong sighed and nodded, then turned to me.
“Now you’ve gone and taken such a formidable person as a maidservant.”
I racked my brain, trying to find the hidden meaning behind her words. I quickly thought of a way to keep her from getting upset.
“If you want, Yeong-ah, you can keep her as your own servant.”
“What?”
Sama Yeong’s eyes widened at my generous offer. It was only natural to be shocked; I was handing over a Great Villain who stood on equal footing with her own father as a mere servant.
On the other hand, Cheol Su-ryeon’s face was contorted in a grimace. While she had submitted to me, it seemed submitting to anyone else was a bitter pill to swallow.
I sent her a Secret Sound Transmission.
[Treat those I cherish, including my wife, exactly as you treat me. You don’t have to submit to anyone else.]
[...Is that true?]
[Yes.]
Cheol Su-ryeon’s expression relaxed significantly at my words. She prostrated herself before Sama Yeong and spoke with formal respect.
“I shall serve the Mistress according to the Master’s command.”
“Ah... um...”
Sama Yeong, clearly not expecting me to actually hand her over, let out a troubled groan and looked at her father.
My father-in-law, shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of the situation, looked at me. His gaze seemed to ask:
‘You’ve suppressed her completely, right?’
I felt like I had become quite quick-witted lately. I nodded in response.
My father-in-law stared at Cheol Su-ryeon with sharp eyes before speaking to Sama Yeong.
“It is a gesture of sincerity from your future husband, so accept it.”
“...Will it be alright?”
“If it isn’t, your future husband will have to answer for it.”
I swallowed hard at my father-in-law’s words. It was a warning. He meant that if any trouble arose, he wouldn't let it slide. Even though I had become stronger than him, I still found myself walking on eggshells around him, perhaps because he was Sama Yeong’s father.
I clicked my tongue inwardly at the Namcheon Iron Sword’s voice. I didn't know how that man, who never even had a lover, possessed so much "experience."
The Namcheon Iron Sword let out a dry cough at the Lesser Conversation Sword’s sharp remark.
Once her father gave his approval, Sama Yeong decided to go with the flow. She reached out a hand to the prostrate woman and said, “Fine. But since you once shared a reputation with my father, being a servant doesn't seem right. Please be my bodyguard and companion instead. I’ll call you Sister.”
“Ah...”
Cheol Su-ryeon’s mood seemed to brighten at Sama Yeong’s words, and she took her hand with a slightly more cheerful expression. Being treated as a bodyguard was certainly better than being a slave or a servant. Thanks to Sama Yeong’s wise handling, no further issues arose.
I smiled inwardly at the Lesser Conversation Sword’s comment. Her situation had only improved slightly from the worst possible fate of being a slave. The human heart is a strange thing; sometimes that tiny bit of consideration can feel monumental.
It actually worked out well. It was difficult for my father-in-law to always stay by her side. While Sama Yeong herself was a master of the Supreme Peak Realm, having someone like Cheol Su-ryeon—who had crossed the wall into the Realm of Superhumans—constantly with her gave me much more peace of mind, considering the level of our enemies.
Just then, Sama Yeong spoke to me.
“Oh! Young Master, we shouldn't be standing around like this.”
“Hmm?”
“The Young Lady has been looking for you... Ah!”
Sama Yeong cut herself off and turned her head toward the door of the lodging. She had sensed someone approaching.
Speak of the devil. Based on the presence and Qi Sense, it was my younger sister, Yeong-yeong. The person with her, whose presence was completely concealed, was undoubtedly Seol Baek. It seemed she had stayed close to Yeong-yeong as I had requested.
Knock, knock!
Unlike before, Yeong-yeong knocked on the door. She was likely being mindful of my father-in-law’s presence. The door opened, and Yeong-yeong and Seol Baek entered the room.
“Brother.”
Yeong-yeong let out a sigh of relief upon seeing me. She must have been worried since I hadn't returned all night. Perhaps feeling self-conscious because of the others, she tried to speak in a calm tone.
“The city is in an uproar right now...”
It happened at that exact moment. Before she could even finish her sentence, a figure flew toward Seol Baek like a bolt of lightning. Seol Baek pushed Yeong-yeong aside and met the attack.
Clash! Clash! Clash!
The one who had lunged at her was none other than Cheol Su-ryeon. In an instant, the two women’s palm and claw techniques collided, each viciously aiming for the other’s life. Yeong-yeong stood dazed as the air pressure from their clashing hands and the sound of the atmosphere tearing filled the room.
Thud!
After exchanging about five martial forms in a split second, the two stopped. More accurately, they were forced to stop because I had stepped between them and grabbed both of their wrists.
Both women shouted at me simultaneously.
“This wench is that man’s confidante!”
“This woman once served the Golden Emperor!”
Ugh, my ears. They shouted right into my left and right ears at the same time; I felt like my eardrums were going to burst. I hadn't anticipated this situation.
Come to think of it, Seol Baek had served the Golden Emperor as a close confidante for nearly three hundred years, so she knew Cheol Su-ryeon’s true form. Meanwhile, Cheol Su-ryeon, with her superhuman hearing, could identify someone by their heartbeat regardless of any Human Skin Mask.
Tell me about it. I hadn't intended for this, but even I thought it was a mess.
Yeong-yeong, startled, spoke to me urgently.
“Brother! She said that woman served the Golden Emperor!”
“Stop for a second and listen to me.”
As things were getting noisy, I tried to calm them down first. Seol Baek, radiating an even colder chill, glared at Cheol Su-ryeon and warned me.
“Do you know who she is? She’s one of the Five Great Villains...”
“I know. She’s Wicked Heart Granny Cheol Su-ryeon.”
“Wicked Heart Granny?!”
Yeong-yeong was the one who couldn't hide her shock at my words. It was only natural. Wicked Heart Granny Cheol Su-ryeon was an old monster of the martial world who had been infamous for a long time. How could she have known that such an old monster would look like this peerless beauty? Of course, that was secondary; she was likely more shocked by the woman's identity.
“That woman is Wicked Heart Granny? But Brother, you clearly said...”
“She didn't die. And this is her original appearance.”
“Original appearance?”
Yeong-yeong looked completely bewildered. On the other hand, Seol Baek, unable to understand why Cheol Su-ryeon was here, asked me:
“Are you saying you brought her here knowing who she was?”
Judging by her attitude, it seemed they hadn't been on the best of terms when they were both under the Golden Emperor. Cheol Su-ryeon also spoke in an annoyed voice.
“This woman was a confidante who served the Golden Emperor for over three hundred years. She is more dangerous than you think, Master.”
“Both of you, calm down.”
The internal power of the two women whose wrists I was holding was rising. It felt like they would engage in a life-or-death duel the moment I stepped away. My father-in-law was just watching the scene with his arms crossed, as if saying I should handle the mess I created.
“Whew...”
I released my energy just enough for the two of them to feel it as a warning.
“I said, stop.”
Flinch!
It was quite effective. Both of them, suppressed by my intimidation, withdrew their energy and took a few steps back. I clicked my tongue, thinking that even before being women, they were martial artists who let their hands do the talking. I spoke to them in a soothing tone.
“Neither of you is with the Golden Emperor anymore, so you aren't enemies.”
“Not with the Golden Emperor? This wench is not the type to do that. She’s deceiving you, Master...”
“Who’s deceiving whom?”
Seol Baek cut Cheol Su-ryeon off with a sharp voice. Then, she asked in confusion:
“Cheol Su-ryeon. Why have you been calling Un-hwi ‘Master’ this whole time?”
Cheol Su-ryeon bit her lip hard at the question. Although she had agreed to serve me, it seemed awkward to admit to someone who knew her past that she had thrown away her pride and submitted. However, after glancing at me, she spoke in a small, mulling voice.
“I... decided to serve this person.”
“What?”
One of Seol Baek’s eyebrows shot up. Meanwhile, Yeong-yeong asked me, still not understanding the situation.
“What does that mean? She decided to serve you, Brother?”
“She decided to serve me and Yeong-ah.”
Yeong-yeong’s eyes went wide. Sama Yeong nodded and added, “That’s how it turned out, Young Lady.”
“...One of the Five Great Villains... is going to serve my brother and sister-in-law?”
Judging by her voice and expression, she looked like she had lost her soul. She couldn't believe that one of the Five Great Villains had ended up in such a position. Even I thought it was absurd.
Then, Seol Baek’s lips curled into a smirk. She suddenly linked her arm with mine and said to Cheol Su-ryeon:
“Oh my. So you’re our husband’s servant? You should have said so earlier.”
“!?”
Cheol Su-ryeon’s face froze at Seol Baek’s taunting words. This was clearly a situation she hadn't expected. She asked back in a dumbfounded voice:
“Our husband? You, what on earth...?”
“You didn't know? Sister Sama Yeong here is the first wife, and I’m the second wife.”
“Wife?... Ha!”
As Cheol Su-ryeon stood there in disbelief, Seol Baek smiled brightly and said, “Now that the hierarchy is clear, you should serve us properly, shouldn't you?”
“What did you say?”
Grind!
Cheol Su-ryeon gnashed her teeth, her face flushing red. Come to think of it, since Cheol Su-ryeon once had a deep relationship with the Golden Emperor, his confidantes might have actually had to walk on eggshells around her back then.
I suppose so. Seol Baek was thoroughly enjoying this moment. She continued to provoke her.
“You should call me Mistress. Go on, try it.”
Cheol Su-ryeon ground her teeth, trying to suppress her rage. If I hadn't been there, a disaster would have already occurred.
...Indeed.
Looking at them, it seemed this atmosphere would persist for a while. It would be better to separate them. I needed to change the subject.
“Yeong-yeong.”
“Huh? Oh!”
Yeong-yeong, who had been staring blankly at their confrontation, snapped out of it and answered. I asked her:
“You said the city is in an uproar. What did you mean by that?”
Yeong-yeong clapped her hands together as if remembering.
“Right! The city is in total chaos because of you, Brother.”
“Because of me? Why?”
Was it because of what happened in the city last night? If things had gone as intended, awareness of the Golden Emperor would have spread, and rumors would have circulated that I, as the Lesser Sword Immortal, had joined forces with the Blood Demon to drive away the enemy. That would have made it easier to promote friendly relations between the Orthodox and Evil factions.
However, unexpected words came out of Yeong-yeong’s mouth.
“Everyone in the Martial Alliance is calling you the Number One Sword Under Heaven!”
“...What?”
What was she talking about? Suddenly, the Number One Sword Under Heaven? This wasn't what I had intended.
“Number One Sword Under Heaven?”
“The former Alliance Leader publicly announced that after seeing you pierce a mountain with your sword, he didn't have the confidence to win against the world's greatest master, so he’s resigning from his position as Alliance Leader!”
“!!!”
...This is driving me crazy.
Because that man, Baek Hyang-muk, dumped his responsibilities on me, my true strength has been completely exposed.