Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Descent!
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I learned of the Heavenly Decree Record's existence the year Baek Yeonhwa turned twenty.
It was back when she was one of the Ten Great Masters, known as the Yin-Yang Twin Veins.
Up until then, she'd believed the harmonious yin and yang filling her body were simply a matter of talent.
But on the day she turned twenty, while training in martial arts...
Sudden changes overtook her body.
The shock of azure dragon markings—something that should never appear on a human—emerging on her skin was still vivid in her memory.
From that moment, she realized she wasn't an ordinary human, but a half-divine being who had swallowed azure dragon scales.
And with her life granted, she also understood the fate that demanded she dedicate her existence in return.
Especially shocking was...
At seventeen.
The death of her closest friend, Mi Sohwa.
When she realized even that had been the azure dragon's will, it felt like the ground was crumbling beneath her.
Tragedy striking her life.
Her resolve to grow strong.
Training that flayed the flesh from her bones.
Growth born from overcoming tragedy.
The burden of fulfilling her departed friend's dream of becoming a supreme master.
And finally, standing before her friend's grave, smiling brightly and bidding her to rest easy—
"Not by my own efforts."
All of it.
Had been "originally" destined to unfold that way.
* * *
Lately, there'd been no customers.
The beastkin surprisingly got along well among themselves, so every match I made clicked right away.
Thanks to that, the holy marriage fees were piling up, and my daily routine involved investing the surplus into stocks.
"Yawn."
I was earning enough not to tremble when buying cigarettes, so it was a satisfying life, but...
Even with this, the only way to afford a Seoul apartment was for the stocks to hit the jackpot.
Life sure was rough.
"Is slaving away my whole life, dumping it all into stocks, and praying the only path to buying an apartment?"
Wasn't there something wrong with society at this point?
"B-Boss."
"Yeah?"
"B-Bored?"
"Huh?"
I glanced sideways, and Kim Yang was beckoning me. She had her phone on a stand, filming something.
"What're you doing?"
"D-Dance."
"You're kidding? No work, so you're slacking? Go clean then."
It was a leisurely day with no complaint calls coming in.
The main event—if you could call it that—was Baek Yeonhwa's matching day today.
But that was her business to handle.
I'd lined up a good guy for her.
Rank B.
Luca, the mercenary captain from the fourth floor.
This guy's personality was a bit unique—he was a mercenary captain who loved fairy tales and heroic legends.
When I told him the story of a woman manipulated by a book called the Heavenly Decree Record, he bit immediately.
Not that I'd planned it that way.
Since we took "anyone," all sorts of oddballs came through.
But among those oddballs, miracles happened—perfect matches.
Like puzzle pieces from different sets fitting together flawlessly.
That's how I could connect Baek Yeonhwa and Luca.
"His strength might fall a bit short... but whether the azure dragon's satisfied or not isn't something I can control."
If you want marriage, compromise.
Life's a series of compromises anyway.
"B-Boss! Come here! Dance with me! No work anyway."
"You nuts? I'll dock your pay."
"Th-There's nothing to do."
"Doesn't mean you dance."
"M-Meracle promo too, right?"
"..."
Tempting?
If famous influencer Kim Yang promoted us...
Wait a sec.
"Hey, Kim Yang, don't you take ads? Influencers live off sponsorships."
They get sponsored trips, eat at hot spots, post pics, and get paid.
Not much different from YouTubers.
"I-I don't take ads."
"...Why?"
"Pr-principle."
"Pr-principle?"
"D-Don't copy."
"D-Don't copy?"
"Exactly."
She chucked a file folder at me right away. Giggling, I stood next to her.
"How you gonna promote?"
"D-Dance. I'll intro you as our boss."
"Hmm, but are you really famous? I lurk your stuff sometimes—lots of comments, sure—"
"I-I get five ad offers a month. St-starting at two mil won."
Huh?
More than the minimum wage I pay her?
"...Kim Yang."
"Yeah?"
"How about I manage you? Let's rake in some ad cash for us?"
She flipped me off instantly.
Nothing she wouldn't do to her boss.
"S-So, not doing it? I'll promo if we dance."
"Nah, you're famous enough. Don't wanna show my face."
Who knows what trouble fame brings.
Like my dad seeing it, for instance.
"That'd be hilarious, though."
A runaway son dancing on SNS with some girl? I'd be baffled too.
Not that it'd happen.
"Tch."
She really seemed disappointed.
Snippets of songs played as she pondered what dance.
Then the door opened, and Reneah walked in.
"Lunchtime!"
"Oh yeah!"
Lately, I skipped breakfast and lunch.
Because Reneah brought a full basin of discarded food.
Grandmas, man.
Big hands are their trademark.
Did she see me—about 1,875 years younger—as some great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandkid?
"...Why do I suddenly feel patronized?"
Reneah stared at me blankly.
But she'd already handed me the lunchbox.
Some habits ingrained in the body don't change, even if you want them to.
As I microwaved the lunchbox, Kim Yang rummaged through the bag, asking worriedly.
"Y-You brought a ton? Y-You okay?"
"Ah, yeah, a bit much? The manager said something, actually. But I packed it anyway!"
"T-Touching."
What?
She just started part-time, already getting side-eye from the manager, but still brings for us?
Feels kinda guilty now.
"If it's interfering with work, no need to bring it."
We weren't scraping by like before; no need to live off discards.
"Hm? Nah, no."
But Reneah smiled kindly and handed over a triangle kimbap too.
"When I lived on Daebongsan, I kept thinking of feeding the pigeons. It's vicarious satisfaction."
"..."
"..."
Were we the pigeons now?
"If it's okay, could you coo 'gu-gu-gu-gu' for me?"
"Never bring discards again."
"I-I'm a sheep. Not a pigeon."
Patronized out of nowhere.
By a 1,901-year-old grandma hunting for a Cha Un-woo lookalike.
"Anyway, looks slow today?"
"Yeah, well... it is. This is normal."
Lots of special clients, but slow days outnumbered busy ones.
Ding!
The microwave finished just as my phone rang.
A totally unfamiliar number.
"What the?"
Spam? But my gut said no, so I picked up.
"Hello?"
- Ah, sir. It's me.
"Baek Yeonhwa? You got a phone?"
- Bought one. Only works on the third floor, though.
Sounded normal, but her voice wasn't great.
- Heading to meet the Luca you introduced me to.
"He's solid. Might even be that big ocean who understands everything, surprisingly?"
She wouldn't know I knew about the Heavenly Decree Record or told Luca, so it was a natural pitch.
Baek Yeonhwa hesitated, then cautiously got to the point.
- Um, sir.
"Yes?"
- I heard there's something called an ambulance here. They come to you, not the other way around.
"..."
The mood chilled.
Sudden ambulance?
- I don't know how to call one, and you're the only one I can ask. The card only has this Meracle number.
"Why do you suddenly need an ambulance?"
- Well...
After agonizing how to explain, she circled around it.
"Th-the clan sent assassins after Luca."
"Assassins?"
To kill him?
- Not really assassins—more like a play. To test if Luca can protect me...
"Hah."
I wanted to ask if this was in that Heavenly Decree Record too, but held back.
- Truth is, I must marry by twenty-three. But without a duel marriage, just meeting, they can't challenge to a fight suddenly.
"So he has to handle the clan's 'assassins' as a minimum condition?"
- Even that's a compromise, sir.
Baek Yeonhwa mumbled embarrassedly.
Clan, sure—but probably the azure dragon's desire.
"Sigh, got it. Luca's been through it all; he won't just get brushed off."
The address she sent was an abandoned complex, eerily empty.
Blatantly obvious setup.
"Not eating?"
"...Gotta step out for a bit."
Bad vibes.
Outside, the sky was thick with storm clouds.
"N-No umbrella needed. R-Rain's not forecast today."
Kim Yang's words sounded like a forecast for rain.
* * *
It felt like rereading a story whose ending I already knew.
And those usually lose their spark before you even finish.
The key point?
Baek Yeonhwa didn't like this story much.
"Don't worry, Miss Baek. I'll protect you."
The man called Luca was a good guy.
Aside from overdoing the cologne, the bushy mustache, and his looks not being my taste.
"Whoever you are, don't think of touching Yeonhwa."
Lines straight out of a fairy tale knight.
Despite appearances, he was refreshingly pure.
Not bad.
Just... weak.
"He's not the one."
A few exchanges made it painfully clear.
Luca fought hard, but the assassins were leagues ahead.
In the end, the clan—no, the azure dragon's assassins easily felled him.
"Gah!"
A dull thud, and Luca passed out.
A cold wind blew.
No sunlight, bone-chilling.
"That's enough. Tell the matchmaker to send someone much stronger next time—"
Shing!
A sound like wind brushing past.
Sword drawn.
Seeing it, Baek Yeonhwa frowned.
"Stop. What are you doing? Going to kill him?"
Ineligible or not, that's far enough.
She stepped forward, halting the assassins.
"We've confirmed enough. He's unqualified, so let's end it here—"
Stab!
Hot agony surged.
Before she finished, searing pain pierced her abdomen.
...What?
Thought couldn't catch up.
Clutching her belly, sharp pain and sticky blood coated her hand.
Blood?
Stabbed?
Me?
Why?
Questions piled up, but the assassin silently withdrew the blade.
"Ah..."
Baek Yeonhwa crumpled limply.
Upside-down vision showed the sky.
"These weren't the azure dragon's men..."
Not the clan's choice.
Nor the azure dragon's will.
Then why?
For what?
The answer came quick.
"He's coming."
One assassin looked up at the storm clouds.
The thick clouds swirled like a vortex.
Not tearing—they were ripped open.
A massive hole punched in the sky.
Kwaaaaang!
Azure lightning rained down like a hailstorm, shaking the earth.
The god of the Old Martial World.
The being called the Azure Dragon.
He was descending to the third floor now...
To save his child.