Chapter 108
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Within Relationships (3)
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“...”
“...”
“...”
“Ahem, are you alright?”
Though I had no idea what “alright” was supposed to mean.
At Seo Ryang’s question, the Seventh Young Mistress, Chae Yeomin, smiled brightly.
“Yes, I’m alright.”
When that bright smile appeared on her fair face, which still held its baby fat, it was an explosion of cuteness.
‘What a terrifyingly cute child.’
For a moment, the word ‘kidnap’ even crossed his mind.
Seo Ryang quickly erased the immoral thought that had popped into his head.
“Um…”
“Huh? Oh, yes! Go on!”
“...It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Chae Yeomin bowed awkwardly.
We already greeted each other, so why is she saying it’s a pleasure again?
In any case, she was certainly a difficult child. She looked young, yet her manner of speaking was so mature. It was a far cry from the petulant attitude of a typical child.
“A pleasure… yes. Hmm, right. It’s a pleasure.”
In the end, that was all he could say.
Perhaps she liked that reaction, as Chae Yeomin smiled brightly once more. That smile gently eased the unknown tension that had filled Seo Ryang’s heart.
A gust of wind blew between the two of them.
“...”
“...”
The tension that had stealthily crept away returned, transformed into the word ‘awkwardness’.
My mouth is getting dry.
‘What do I do? What do I do?’
Isn’t there some kind of manual? Something like, ‘How to Talk to Children.’
If he wasn’t doing anything, it was either martial arts training or drinking. Other than that, he was busy killing targets according to the orders he received.
Even his targets were mostly old men or young masters of the arts.
Chae Yeomin responded to the silent Seo Ryang with a smile.
Seo Ryang awkwardly smiled back, then happened to look at Chae Yeomin’s fingers. The child’s white, delicate fingers were tapping slightly.
‘…She’s nervous.’
Even a child would be mindful of the situation.
As a disciple of the Cult Leader of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon, her status was high enough for her to be arrogant.
The problem was, this wasn’t a place where she could run wild at ease.
Surrounded by grim demonic cultists, with no one daring to approach her, she must have been lonely too.
In any case, the problem remained a problem.
‘I need to do something to break the ice.’
He came up with a plan to shatter this awkwardness.
“Hmm, how about some tea… no, that’s not right. Alcohol… that’s even worse.”
After rolling his eyes in thought for a while, Seo Ryang clapped his hands.
“You, no, Yeomin!”
“Yes.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, I have.”
Right, at this hour, of course she would have eaten.
But Seo Ryang was determined. He couldn’t think of anything else besides food.
“When you’re young, you have to eat a lot of different things. That’s how you grow up big and strong.”
“Yes.”
“Aeng-hwa!”
Aeng-hwa, who had been standing to the side not knowing what to do, hurried over.
“Yes, Young Master!”
“Could you get us something to eat?”
“Understood, Young Master!”
“Ah, not a meal, but… is there something a child might like?”
Aeng-hwa beamed.
“I know exactly what you mean.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. I’ll prepare it quickly!”
And with that, Aeng-hwa left.
“...”
“...”
Chae Yeomin’s fingers tapped a little faster, and Seo Ryang’s back grew damp with sweat.
“Ahem, shall we go inside? It’s a bit cold, isn’t it? The weather is quite chilly.”
“It’s alright. I’m not cold.”
“...”
“...”
“Still, shall we go in? It’s a bit awkward just standing here. Your legs must be tired.”
“It’s alright. They don’t hurt.”
She’s a genius learning the Ten Great Demonic Arts at her age, you think her legs would hurt from standing for a bit, you idiot!
Cold sweat beaded on Seo Ryang’s forehead. Chae Yeomin’s fidgeting fingers moved even faster.
“Kehehehem! When Aeng-hwa brings the snacks… ah, that older sister… should I call her that? Her name is Aeng-hwa. When she brings them, it’d be a bit much to eat outside. Right. That’s it.”
“...”
“Ah, that older sister likes tea. Shall we brew some tea together while we wait?”
Only then did Chae Yeomin’s fingers stop tapping.
Chae Yeomin smiled brightly.
“Yes!”
Seo Ryang sighed in relief.
* * *
“Young Master, I’ve brought the snacks… eh?”
Aeng-hwa, who had entered the room, blinked her eyes.
The atmosphere between Seo Ryang and Chae Yeomin, sitting opposite each other at the table, was quite gloomy.
Whatever had happened, Seo Ryang was half-slumped in his chair, and Chae Yeomin was just fiddling with her teacup.
And next to the table, in a pot large enough to be mistaken for a washbasin, a massive amount of Tieguanyin tea was steaming profusely.
“Oh… you’re here.”
“Ye-yes!”
“Put them here.”
Aeng-hwa glanced nervously between the two as she placed the snacks on the table.
Seo Ryang forced himself to take a sip of tea. The taste and aroma were a mess, but the warm liquid entering his stomach gave him some energy.
Chae Yeomin nibbled on a sweet pastry, furtively glancing at Seo Ryang.
No matter how exhausted he was, how could he ignore that gaze? Seo Ryang managed a slight smile.
“Is it good?”
“Yes, it’s alright.”
Seo Ryang’s expression immediately turned sour.
“You say ‘it’s alright’ quite often.”
“Yes, because it is alright.”
Chae Yeomin started swinging her feet again and looked away.
Seo Ryang glanced at Aeng-hwa.
‘Is she always like this?’
‘I’ve never met her before, so I’m not sure…’
The conversation held with their eyes was brief.
Seo Ryang cleared his throat exaggeratedly and asked.
“So, what brings you here?”
“...”
“Ah, were you perhaps bored?”
Chae Yeomin didn’t open her mouth easily. She just kept glancing at Seo Ryang’s face.
Seo Ryang’s smile deepened. He didn’t know why he had to smile, but he forced one. His hyper-sensitive instincts were tingling.
“What is it? Is there something on my face?”
“...”
“...Is there really something on it?”
Just then, Chae Yeomin stood up from her chair and bowed her head deeply.
Seo Ryang scratched his head.
“Such impeccable manners…”
“Thank you, Brother.”
“Hm?”
Thanks? What is there to be thankful for?
Ah! Is she talking about the pastries?
“No, it’s nothing. I can give you this much any time…”
“I’m alive thanks to you, Brother. I really wanted to thank you in person.”
Alive? Were you that bored, to the point of death?
Seeing Seo Ryang tilt his head in confusion, Chae Yeomin continued politely.
“Thank you for burying that bastard, Hong Wi-mun.”
“...?!”
Hmm… a bastard, she says.
What a flavorful expression. A wonderful curse that demotes not only the person but also their parents to the level of dogs.
She even thanked him for burying him. I heard those beggars from the Beggars’ Sect cook dog meat by burying it in the ground, a smoking method.
I wonder if they really have to go that far, but they say it’s their traditional method or something.
‘That’s not what’s important right now?!’
Seo Ryang’s jaw dropped. Aeng-hwa, standing by his side, her eyes went wide as saucers.
He never imagined such harsh words would come from the mouth of this pretty and incredibly cute child.
“Uh… is, is that so?”
“Yes. That bastard was continuously poisoning me. If you hadn’t buried him, Brother, I wouldn’t have been able to hold on any longer.”
My, she’s so polite, but her mouth is surprisingly foul, isn’t it?
‘Ah! Come to think of it…’
The first time I saw her in the great hall, she looked completely ill.
It was obvious at a glance that she was poisoned. I was so preoccupied that I didn’t pay it any more mind.
‘I knew about it.’
I mentioned it to Hong Wi-mun when I intercepted his deal with So Yeonsim.
I asked him what kind of person kills his own siblings, openly and secretly, and if he wanted to lay a hand on even the youngest one.
Within the Divine Cult, there’s no one with the nerve to poison a candidate for succession. Except for the other candidates.
That’s why I was sure it was Hong Wi-mun’s doing. If he was willing to kill his older brother, would he leave his youngest sister alone?
Seo Ryang licked his lips.
“You don’t need to thank me. I just kicked him aside because he was annoying.”
Meaning, I didn’t do it specifically for you.
For someone who held goodwill towards her, his words were rather cold. A child, especially, might have been hurt by them.
But Chae Yeomin showed no sign of it.
“Still, it’s a fact that I survived thanks to you, Brother.”
“Uh… is, is that so?”
“Yes.”
Chae Yeomin spoke again with emphasis.
“You saved me, Brother.”
Unlike a moment ago when it was incredibly awkward, her eyes now sparkled. Under that burdensome gaze, Seo Ryang subtly turned his head away.
“Hmm… alright, let’s just say that’s the case.”
“It’s not ‘let’s just say,’ it’s definitively so.”
“Uh… well, I guess so.”
“It’s not ‘I guess so,’ it’s certain.”
“If that’s how you feel…”
“That is definitely how I feel, and it’s the truth.”
Bold and confident.
Seo Ryang cleared his throat without realizing it. In any case, she was a child who came all this way just to say thank you. It seemed some warmth still remained in this desolate martial world.
Well, she is just a kid.
“How are you now? Is your body okay?”
“Yes.”
“Right.”
She wouldn’t try to learn the Ten Great Demonic Arts without having recovered.
Anyway, it is strange. How can she attempt to master one of the Ten Great Demonic Arts at such a young age? The Cult Leader must have judged it possible and given her access to the Martial Archives, right?
Whatever the reason, this kid is no ordinary genius.
“You don’t have to be so grateful. After all…”
“No. Sodang told me that debts of gratitude and resentment must be clearly settled. She said if you receive a kindness, you must know how to be properly grateful.”
Those are some fine words.
“Who is Sodang?”
“My head handmaiden.”
“Aha? You’re very close with your head handmaiden?”
“Yes. Sodang prepares my meals and helps me dress.”
“She’s practically your mother.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. Something just occurred to me. You said if you receive a kindness, you must know how to be properly grateful, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then what did she say to do about resentment?”
Chae Yeomin smiled innocently and said.
“She said to tear them to pieces and kill them, no matter what it takes.”
“...”
“She also said to utterly destroy them so they can never crawl back up again.”
“...”
“...”
“What did this handmaiden, Sodang, call Hong Wi-mun?”
“A bastard.”
I think I get it now.
This is why education is so important. I don’t know what kind of person that Sodang is, but she seems completely unsuitable as a tutor for the youngest child.
‘No, that’s not it.’
Perhaps in an environment like the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon, that kind of teaching is actually correct.
Especially since Chae Yeomin was nearly killed by Hong Wi-mun.
It seems like an overly aggressive education on how to handle grudges, but such cruelty might be necessary to avoid being seen as an easy target.
“In any case, you don’t have to thank… no, that’s not it.”
Seo Ryang cleared his throat.
“I’ve received your thanks.”
Chae Yeomin beamed.
“Yes!”
She really is cute.
Without thinking, Seo Ryang patted Chae Yeomin’s head. It felt like patting Geumho’s head, making him feel languid.
“Hehe.”
Chae Yeomin giggled foolishly and squirmed.
Watching that lovely sight, Seo Ryang thought.
‘I should probably send her on her way soon.’
If her purpose was to give thanks, then that purpose has been fulfilled. He couldn’t keep entertaining her forever.
Thump, thump, thump.
Just then, the sound of carriage wheels rolling could be heard in the distance.
By now, he could tell where it was from just by the sound of the wheels. That roar, which alternated between heavy and brisk, was definitely a carriage from the Palace of the Demonic God.
“Oh? A carriage?”
Seo Ryang looked at Chae Yeomin.
Chae Yeomin was sucking her thumb, looking at the main gate visible beyond the window.
‘She’s certainly an amazing child.’
She was sensitive enough to hear the carriage from so far away. It meant her ki sense was that exceptional.
A moment later, a playful voice came from outside the gate.
“Young Master! It’s me!”
*Thud!*
As the gate opened with a heavy sound, Seo Ryang’s eyes wavered in confusion.
“What? It’s a carriage from the Palace of the Demonic God, so why are you…?”
“Surprising, isn’t it?”
Ho Yoseong grinned, waving a folded piece of paper.
“A message from the Cult Leader.”