Chapter 101 The Five Tasks
Twenty years ago.
A girl with silver eyes, her hair completely hidden under a thick hood flipped backwards, glanced around cautiously before speaking.
"Hey, if you play with me, you won't get in trouble, right?"
It was the young Yi Se-ryeong.
The boy in front of her—Sado Hwan—asked back.
"Why would I get in trouble?"
"Well... I'm a foreigner."
"A foreigner?"
"Yeah. The adults called me that. Said I look different because I'm a foreigner."
"Is that why you cover your hair when you go out?"
Yi Se-ryeong fiddled with her hood shyly and nodded quietly.
Sado Hwan let out a snicker.
"I think your hair color is nice, though."
"...Nice? Really?"
"Yeah. It looks just like the snow piled up on those peaks. Your hometown back home is covered in snow all year round, right?"
Sado Hwan pointed to the summit of one of the distant Ten Thousand Great Mountains peaks. The eternal snow there resembled a person's hair.
"Right. It was li—ah!"
As Yi Se-ryeong turned to follow his gaze, by the time she looked back, Sado Hwan was right in front of her eyes.
"Look at this. Your eye color is gorgeous too."
"......"
"The adults probably don't look closely. Up close, they're so clear and pretty. Hehe."
Yi Se-ryeong's face flushed at Sado Hwan's bright laugh.
"Hey. So, can I go around without the hood?"
"Of course. And if anyone says anything, ah! Right."
Sado Hwan placed a hand on his waist and declared,
"Just get stronger than anyone else so no one dares say a word. That's what makes a proud Heavenly Demon Divine Cult disciple."
"What makes a cult disciple proud......"
"Yeah. My brother said the words of the strong are the truth."
Yi Se-ryeong shuddered as she recalled Sado Hwan's 'brother'.
He looked just like the Sado Hwan before her—uncannily so—but was uncannily different. Just seeing that gaze sent chills down her spine.
Whether he knew it or not,
"I just had a great idea. Let's make a promise."
Sado Hwan stuck out his pinky finger.
"When we grow up, whichever of us becomes the strongest in the cult—"
"Becomes the strongest?"
"Grants the other's wish!"
"......What kind of promise is that?"
"Why, don't like it? Ah-ha~ Scared I'll win?"
"No way? I'll win."
Yi Se-ryeong reached out her hand, her face still red.
"Okay, promise. Grant a wish. What wish will you make?"
"My wish is for you and—"
Just as the young Yi Se-ryeong was about to voice her wish,
"Sado Hwan!"
A voice called from afar. Sado Hwan startled at the sound.
"Ah! It's probably my brother. What do I do? I think I have to go."
"That scary brother?"
"Yeah...... Sorry. I'll head out."
The young Sado Hwan vanished in a flash, using lightness skill as if flying away.
Staring at the empty spot, Yi Se-ryeong—
Swish.
removed the hood covering her head. Her silver hair sparkled in the sunlight.
Yi Se-ryeong wiggled her pinky finger secretly. It still felt heavy.
'......Even though I pretended not to know.'
So it stung.
He'd acted like he'd forgotten the whole memory.
But no.
Sado Hwan clearly remembered. He just conveyed it.
'You don't have the qualifications yet.'
The qualification was probably being the head of the Sado family.
That had always been the case.
Sado Hwan hated losing more than anything, and Yi Se-ryeong herself was already the Heavenly Demon.
He must have thought at least head of one of the Six Demonic Families would match.
'Now you have the qualifications......'
That's why Yi Se-ryeong declared it.
From now on, you are my fiancé.
That this was the wish she'd cherished for over twenty years.
'What will you say, Sado Hwan?'
Yi Se-ryeong steadied her pounding heart and awaited Sado Hwan's response.
"I am grateful, Your Excellency. However."
Sado Hwan, who had been silent for a long while, replied.
"I am still lacking."
"Lacking?"
Yi Se-ryeong's eyes sharpened.
Just that changed the atmosphere in the Heavenly Demon Palace. The air grew heavy, as if freezing solid.
Everyone else felt the weight and wore stunned expressions, but only Sado Hwan kept the same face and tone.
"The minor fame I've gained cannot compare to Your Excellency."
"Even if it's my long-cherished wish?"
Sado Hwan flinched at her words. He definitely remembered. Yet he refused?
As Yi Se-ryeong's eyes narrowed further, Sado Hwan spoke.
"Thus, may I make a small request?"
"What is it?"
"In accordance with the cult's traditions, grant me tasks. So I may prove myself a fitting spouse to Your Excellency."
Pfft—
Yi Se-ryeong barely suppressed a laugh.
It was because the him from their pinky promise overlapped with the current him.
Yes. She'd endured the promise with Sado Gwang, whom she despised to her bones, because of that very side of him.
"Very well."
If you haven't forgotten, but are just sulking from losing the bet,
"I shall grant tasks befitting it. Prove yourself."
I'll wait here for your return.
......Fuck.
The curse slipped out on its own.
Anyone else might not know, but I did. The faint longing in the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
She was probably off in her head writing a wuxia romance novel.
Romance with her as the protagonist, but from my view, it was horror with a yandere obsessive Heavenly Demon chasing me. At this rate, Cheon Gi-ja or no, I'd end up confined in the Heavenly Demon Palace.
'At least I bought some time.'
Becoming her fiancé outright would've led straight to the engagement ceremony.
That's why I specifically requested 'tasks'.
It was one of the cult's traditions.
With constant infighting leaving no one alive, they proved strength through great feats instead.
Like quests in a game. Hunting harmful spirit beasts or capturing fugitives—all tasks.
What are you thinking with these tasks? You actually planning to complete them?
'Normal tasks are three or four, so clear one or two quick as possible.'
Show enough to check the boxes.
Then slip out to the martial world. Using the tasks as excuse.
'Find Cheon Gi-ja along the way.'
You pulled that off nicely.
The problem was facing the Heavenly Demon's clear silver eyes made my soul feel like it was unraveling. Not just a metaphor.
Especially when her eyes narrowed mid-way—it really felt like my soul was slipping out.
I had to question my sanity every blink, reaffirm every word I spoke.
If Pa Cheon hadn't kept talking to me...... Just thinking about it was terrifying.
The gap between her and me was that vast.
The Heavenly Demon, seemingly gathering her thoughts, spoke.
"I shall give you five tasks."
Five?
Even better.
"I shall accept them."
"First, I declare."
I barely moved my trembling legs to kneel and prostrate.
"Subjugate the fire bird that appeared in the Red Dragon Realm."
"As Your Excellency wills."
Suddenly, a grinding of teeth echoed beside me. No need to look—I knew who.
But no one would dare challenge Yi Se-ryeong, hailed strongest since the Four Lords.
"Rise."
The Heavenly Demon commanded. I obeyed.
"Any who object to my decision, step forward."
Of course, none did—and Yi Se-ryeong had aimed for that. Satisfied, she lifted the corner of her mouth slightly and declared,
"Thus ends it."
"Heavenly Demon Reigns Supreme! Myriad Demons Bow in Reverence!"
Everyone chanted in perfect unison again, bowing. I stood alone awkwardly, enduring the Heavenly Demon's gaze once more.
You idiot.
'Can you hold off on the criticism? I'm about to lose it.'
Pa Cheon fell silent at my words.
Soon, the Heavenly Demon rose from the jade throne and departed.
"Hoo—."
"Ha!"
Sighs of held breath erupted everywhere.
"That pressure is unreal......"
"No exaggeration—even all the family heads together couldn't touch a hair on her."
I overheard Cheol So Pyeong and Kwak Ri Yeon murmuring nearby.
I disagreed.
Not just the family heads—from rank one to ten, all together, they'd still lose. Maybe 'beyond rankings' could put up a fight?
As I gathered my weary mind,
A bandaged grotesque figure stormed in fuming.
Hyeok Mun, head of the Red Dragon Revolution Family.
"Sado Hwan!"
Red sparks flew nonstop from his eyes.
"You dare!"
"What did I do?"
"You dare eye our Red Dragon Realm? Insulting the Red Dragon Revolution Family!"
Ridiculous. What had I even done?
Kwak Ri Yeon tried to intervene.
"Hey, Hyeok family head. Calm down—."
"You Kwaks are the same scum. Oh ho, I see. So you all conspired to topple our Hyeok family?"
"That's a bit harsh, no?"
"Harsh are you! I'll admit you're clever. Seducing the young Heavenly Demon—."
That moment.
Tsring!
A chilling metallic ring echoed from somewhere.
Turning toward it, Gu Jin-gyeong—already ramrod straight, now with a fearsome glare—stared this way.
Iron chains poured from Gu Jin-gyeong's body. Of course, no one sprouts chains. Just his simsang.
But so firm it felt real.
"Red Dragon Revolution Family head, Hyeok Mun."
Gu Jin-gyeong growled, furious.
"Choose your next words. Carefully."
He bit out each syllable.
Hyeok Mun didn't back down.
Pazzzzt—!
The red sparks from his eyes spread over his body, forming a red dragon shape.
"Life-Death Judge, huh? Think you can judge my life and death?"
Cult folks were all hot-blooded, young or old. Always brawling over nothing.
'Perfect timing.'
Hyeok Mun had come for me, but aggro switched to Gu Jin-gyeong.
I slipped out between them.
Even Cheol Mu Geuk, who'd normally grab and chew me out, cleared the path.
Good. I was exhausted.
Truly fucking exhausted.
Pa Cheon dragging up forgotten childhood bets for wishes, Super Peak masters grinding teeth and flashing simsang at every turn. Their constant yelling was giving me tinnitus.
My mind, threatened all day—no, months—screamed for rest.
Stepping out of the grand hall,
'......Ha.'
I ran into the one person I least wanted to see right now.
— Can we talk for a moment, Sado family head? —
It was Chu Tae Su.
In my dazed state, the last person I wanted to deal with.
"I don't believe we have anything to discuss."
— Even about the fire bird? —
An offer I couldn't refuse.
Acting as the Heavenly Demon