Chapter 99: You Said You’d Raise Me!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: You Said You’d Raise Me!
The position of Priestess in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was not one you could attain just by wanting it.
Baek Seol-hwa was the Cult Leader’s sister, but such a position could not be obtained through blood ties alone.
The reason she was able to become the Priestess was simple.
She had the ability to back it up.
She possessed a predictive power that could be called prophecy.
In particular, the prophetic dreams she had boasted such accuracy that they had never once been wrong.
Her sister, Baek Yeon-yeong, also possessed some of that power.
However, Yeon-yeong had focused on her innate martial prowess to become the Cult Leader, while Baek Seol-hwa had focused on her unique ability to become the Priestess.
Baek Seol-hwa had many duties within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Her most prominent role was cleaning up the messes made by the willful Cult Leader.
In truth, this had less to do with the duties of a Priestess and more to do with the fact that she shared the same face as her sister.
Aside from that, using her power of prophecy was her most important responsibility.
The Priestess’s power was to be used for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
And most of it was being used to find the cult’s god, the Heavenly Demon.
However, at some point, the power she possessed began to weaken.
It had likely started in earnest about three months ago.
While her power was still formidable, it had grown weaker compared to before.
It had become nearly impossible to obtain any information related to the Heavenly Demon.
The only piece of information the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could currently use was this:
The Heavenly Demon will be born in the 100,000 Great Mountains.
It was an abstract piece of information.
But it was hardly a prophecy, considering the very origin of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was the 100,000 Great Mountains.
To say the Heavenly Demon would be born in the 100,000 Great Mountains might as well be stating the obvious.
It was no different from saying:
A Poison Master will be created in the Sichuan Tang Clan.
The power of prophecy had weakened.
But strangely, her abilities worked perfectly fine as long as it wasn't related to finding the Heavenly Demon.
No matter how much she thought about it, Baek Seol-hwa couldn't understand.
Using the Chastity Mark and a unicorn’s horn might be meaningless.
But shouldn't she at least try?
And so, she had personally come to the 100,000 Great Mountains and encountered a unicorn.
She had even prepared for battle with the unicorn, but for some reason, the creature had simply offered its horn of its own accord.
Thanks to that, she completed her mission without even having to call upon the Left Guardian hidden in the shadows.
It was anticlimactic, but there was nothing she could do about it.
She wasn't so depraved as to call back the docilely retreating unicorn for a fight.
The moment she saw the unicorn's horn, she realized it had nothing to do with her ability.
Her prophetic power would surely grow stronger, but she knew instinctively that it would be of no help in finding the Heavenly Demon.
A sense of frustration washed over her.
What on earth was the problem?
As Baek Seol-hwa was lost in thought, she suddenly sensed a presence from somewhere nearby.
Something was parting the bushes, approaching at high speed.
It was small.
But the internal energy it contained was extraordinary.
At least the Peak Realm.
No, if you included its unrefined internal energy, it was on a level that could rival a master of the Supreme Peak.
Baek Seol-hwa didn't enjoy hunting, but she wouldn't just let a charging Spirit Beast be.
Before being a Priestess, she was a martial artist.
It seemed an opponent had appeared to help her vent her frustration.
Finally reaching her location, the Spirit Beast leaped with incredible speed.
But what was this? It was different from the Spirit Beast Baek Seol-hwa had imagined.
It was a tiny lizard.
And it didn't seem to have any hostility.
It simply landed on her finger.
Baek Seol-hwa observed the lizard intently.
A strangely humble-looking face.
Contrasting with it were beautiful, black scales.
The lizard was focused solely on the finger before it.
It opened its mouth wide, trying its best to gnaw on her finger.
Could it be that this tiny body was trying to swallow her finger?
Baek Seol-hwa smiled faintly.
Wanting to see how far this lizard would go, she remained still, not stopping it.
Just then, the lizard raised its head, and its eyes met Seol-hwa’s.
As if realizing something was wrong, the lizard leaped to the ground.
Seol-hwa realized what this lizard was.
It was the very same one Baek Yeon-yeong had bragged so much about.
Honestly, she still didn't quite understand the part about it being handsome.
How handsome could a lizard possibly be?
Of course, its glossy scales and its simple yet sharp face did have a look reminiscent of a mythical dragon.
But that was it.
Fundamentally, the word "handsome" was not something one could use to describe a lizard.
And yet, for some reason, she couldn't stop staring at the lizard's face.
Not as Baek Seol-hwa the martial artist, but as the Priestess of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Her suffocating frustration eased somewhat.
When it came to finding the Heavenly Demon, this lizard would be incomparably more effective than the unicorn's horn.
Baek Seol-hwa knew this instinctively.
*
Fair, apricot-hued hands.
Like Baek Yeon-yeong, the term "Delicate Jade Hands" was no exaggeration for her.
She had the same blue eyes as Yeon-yeong, but unlike her, her gaze wasn't emotionless.
A small mole under her eye.
Its position was the exact opposite of Baek Yeon-yeong's.
To describe her face, I had to compare her to Baek Yeon-yeong.
That was because Baek Yeon-yeong was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and the woman before me was her equal.
Her chest was magnificent.
Baek Yeon-yeong was probably not on the small side either.
But this woman was simply majestic.
Moreover, perhaps because she was sweating there, she wore an outfit that was open only in that area.
I don't know who designed it, but what a truly commendable choice of attire.
My overall impression was Baek Yeon-yeong.
But the texture was different.
And what's more, upon seeing me, she used the words "handsome lizard."
A sane person, for the first time in a while.
…I wanted to think so, but unfortunately, that probably wasn't a normal reaction.
There were only two humans who would use such words.
The suspiciously suspicious Tang Soyeong, and Baek Yeon-yeong.
Her appearance aside, other things also told me this woman had some sort of relationship with Baek Yeon-yeong.
Only one thing was important.
This woman showed no hostility toward me.
Which meant communication might be possible.
"...Is it okay to talk to a lizard?"
On top of that, she seemed to possess a degree of common sense.
Better than Tang Soyeong.
"Should I just call you lizard?"
Or maybe not.
I should give her a proper answer.
"Gekgek!"
"No, that's not right. Should I call you Hui?"
Hui.
That was the name Baek Yeon-yeong had given me.
The fact that she knew it meant she was probably Baek Yeon-yeong's family.
Judging by those... internal energy pouches, she must be the older sister.
The white Baek Yeon-yeong extended a finger toward me.
As if bewitched, I walked onto her finger.
There was a difference, but this finger also had a pretty good chew to it.
"Gekgek."
A person who allows me to chew their finger.
You must be a pretty good person.
I grabbed the single finger with both my hands and put it in my mouth.
There's a reason I'm so focused on the finger.
Biting it is a kind of ritual.
A solemn ritual to see how far I, who trains with Baek Yeon-yeong as my goal, have grown.
This woman's hand, just as soft and firm, would make for excellent training material.
Nom, nom.
"Your scales are harder than I thought."
The white Baek Yeon-yeong stroked my dragon scales.
Since she let me have her finger, I'll let this much slide.
"And your belly is so soft."
"Gek..."
Touching my belly is a bit uncomfortable, but I'll let this slide too.
"Your tail is plump and looks quite deli— no, I mean, it looks dashing."
I'll even let her touch my sleek tail.
"Your claws are sharp, but your paw pads are soft."
"Ge-ek!"
Stop touching me.
At this rate, you'll touch my reverse scale.
I let out a "gek" of displeasure.
I had been biting the white Baek Yeon-yeong's finger for a while, but nothing changed.
If I undid my miniaturization, my teeth would probably sink in, but that would put me in danger.
Her current favorability might just be because she thinks of me as a tiny lizard.
Knowing Baek Yeon-yeong's personality, she had likely just introduced me as a small lizard.
So far, it had been fine.
I didn't know the woman's intentions, but she seemed content with just touching my body.
And I was, in a way, training with her finger.
But I couldn't just hang onto this finger forever.
The reason I came here wasn't to bite a finger.
It was for the unicorn's horn.
And to negotiate with the human who took it.
I only bit her finger because I mistook her for Baek Yeon-yeong and decided to do it while I was at it.
"And the internal energy dwelling within you is extraordinary. She wasn't just bragging for nothing."
Actually, there was another reason I kept biting this finger besides training.
What kind of idiot lizard would be mesmerized by a single finger, walk over, and cling to it?
I am an intelligent and smart lizard.
What looks like foolish behavior is all part of my plan.
There was one more reason I kept biting this woman's finger.
It was to gauge the white Baek Yeon-yeong's power.
In fact, I knew she was a strong person from the first bite.
I had bitten down assuming she was Baek Yeon-yeong, but I couldn't even leave a scratch.
In my shrunken state, my teeth couldn't even scratch her level of durability.
I tried biting from different angles to see if there was a weak spot, but there was no change.
In other words, even if I threatened her with my "gekgek"s, it wouldn't work in the slightest.
Threats are useless.
The only option I have left is negotiation.
"It was worth coming all this way."
Fortunately, this woman had a certain degree of fondness for me.
Being a subspecies of Baek Yeon-yeong's, it might be natural in a way.
I'll ride this momentum and get her to hand over the unicorn's horn.
"Gekgek."
"Even your cry is fascinating."
She has some common sense and holds some favor toward me.
"If I had my way, I'd love to take you home and raise you."
Using my experience from communicating with humans several times, let's try to have a conversation.
Even if we can't talk, I should be able to communicate sufficiently using gestures.
First, I need to get out of this grip to move my body.
"Gek."
Alright, now let me go.
"...Gek?"
Something was strange.
The white Baek Yeon-yeong's grip tightened considerably.
As if she intended to prevent me from escaping.
"With this lizard, I think I might be able to find the Heavenly Demon."
The white Baek Yeon-yeong muttered something incomprehensible.
"Yes. It would be perfect to use as a material for the Chastity Mark."
...Chastity Mark?
"Geeeeeeek!"
No, I don't care how much you look like Baek Yeon-yeong.
How can your way of thinking be exactly the same?
You're going to lure me with that soft-yet-firm finger and then turn me into material for a Chastity Mark?
You said you'd raise me!
You said you'd raise me!
"That would be alright, wouldn't it, Lord Hui?"
Baek Yeon-yeong said that normal people don't talk to lizards.
I can understand Tang Soyeong talking to me.
She was someone who communicated with Spirit Beasts from the start.
She probably doesn't even know that talking to a lizard is strange behavior.
But what on earth is this woman?
She knows it's strange to talk to a lizard.
And yet, knowing that, she still uses honorifics.
WEEEE-OOOOH, WEEEE-OOOOH.
The danger and killing intent detection sirens in my head are blaring.
This is an emergency.
She's even weirder than Tang Soyeong!
"Gegegegegek!"