58. The Duchess has fallen into Qi deviation...
58. The Duchess has fallen into Qi deviation...
The Magic Tower Master and Adela, lying side by side in the same hospital room.
If the background weren't a hospital room, they might look like a close grandmother and granddaughter duo, but in reality, this was a Jang Ryu-o victims' gathering.
One suffering from Mana Backflow due to mental shock.
The other in shock from physical trauma.
But youth has its perks, huh—Adela gasped and bolted upright.
"Huuh! Kuugh..."
The core strength used in the process of sitting up.
Adela felt her stomach twisting as she looked around.
"Fuck... infirmary... I'm still alive, huh..."
For whatever reason she was so scared, Adela's teeth chattered as she got out of bed.
I figured she'd scream Ryu-o's name and throw a fit once she was up...
But Adela just picked up the bundle of her stuff next to her.
Just as she was about to head out, Adela's body froze at the Magic Tower Master's pitiful voice.
"No... don't... that's... no..."
-Halt!
"Haa..."
Adela turned back to the Magic Tower Master with a complicated expression.
"..."
"If it... forms... aaah... Ryu, Ryu-o... that stud..."
"...??????"
Ryu-o? No way, that Eastern spear guy from earlier...?
"The energy... the energy... aaah... this can't be happening..."
"Argh, fuck! This shitty world! Aaaargh! Aaaaagh!"
Who knows what she was thinking, but Adela's meltdown began.
-Bang!
"Aigoo, miss! You're awake? Priest!"
"Aaaaah! Get out! Don't touch my body!"
"Ah, miss!"
Adela threw a tantrum once, then slammed the door shut and stormed out.
The mages left in the room just shrugged.
"Ehew..."
"Why's she like that?"
"Who knows~"
The Magic Tower Master's child-rearing career is a bust...
The Martial Artist Who Performed Miracles, a book containing the enlightenment of an Easterner captivated by the allure of magic.
A circle's output comes from its rotation speed.
The book details research on that circle's movement.
The author claims to have shaped their internal energy inside the Dantian into a flow like a circle.
It lists the downsides too. If control is poor, the Dantian gets damaged...
And if excruciating pain hits, you'll fall into Qi Deviation, so be careful.
I tried circulating my internal energy like last time.
-Wooong...
Uncheon-yeohyeong on one side, Heavenly Demon Divine Art on the other.
"Huh... holy shit..."
Focusing my mind, I spun the energy inside my Dantian.
-Kiiiiing!
An enormous whirring sound ringing in my ears.
After a while like that... suddenly, the two Dantians started rotating in my gut.
-Wooong wooong wooong wooong!
"Ha, damn... Yuanshi Tianzun... please watch over my husband every single day."
Probably no one else in the world can rotate their Dantian itself like this, right?
The internal energy pushed out from my body started gushing forth, forming a circle...
-Weeeeeeng~
And began rotating outside.
The internal energies seemed to mix following the Dantian's movement.
But they didn't blend at all, like mixing water and oil.
Still, after reading this book, a massive change occurred.
I could now emit energy from both Dantians simultaneously.
No more drawing from one, resting, then the other.
I observed my body and looked at the circle that had formed near my heart.
The circle spinning like a waterwheel from the rotating energy in my body.
"Baby... isn't that enough already?"
I ramped up the output from the circle and the two Dantians.
-Weee eeeeng!!!
"Eek! P-please... Yuanshi Tianzun... Yuanshi Tianzun..."
Eventually, the circle outside my body shrank...
-Weeng!
And entered my body, but no second circle formed.
'Tsk... too bad...'
Well, if it were this easy, like kneading donut dough, I'd be at 9 circles in no time.
I couldn't even cast a single spell yet, so I figured I was being too greedy.
As I reined in my energy, Master staggered over and laid her head on my lap.
"Baby... every time I see it, I feel my lifespan shortening."
"Haha, Master, come on..."
I chuckled awkwardly and looked at Master, who rarely furrowed her brow.
"I'm not exaggerating. Where in the world is there someone with two Dantians and a circle!"
"Hmm... well, there is me..."
"Normally, what happens? Your energy pathways tangle, destroying your body, or one side corrupts and devours the other! Do you know how worried I've been... couldn't sleep last night... baby, you're really, really fine, right?"
Her sleeplessness was for other reasons.
But that's not the point...
I laid Master on the floor and proved my 'health.'
"I'll show you how healthy I am."
"B-baby? Don't joke... mmpf! Chuuurup! Uuung~! Honey!"
♥♥♥
"Healthy... very... healthy."
Master stared blankly into space with that dazed look from last time.
I straightened my clothes and covered the drifting-off Master with a blanket.
"I'll be back, honey."
"Come back safe♥"
Today was the day of the banquet.
The Duchy was handling preparations, so I headed there lightheartedly.
Honestly, I was a bit nervous.
I'd never been to a banquet in my life...
I'd have to ask about basic etiquette once I got there.
Lost in random thoughts while riding, I was almost at the Guild before I knew it.
From afar, I spotted a platinum carriage so dazzling it hurt my eyes, and my jaw dropped.
"Whoa... insane..."
Knights standing in front of the carriage, and the Master.
The knights bowed politely, gesturing to the carriage interior.
"Greetings. I am Bezel Edantine, knight of the Duchy, honored to escort Jang Ryu-o today."
With a family name like that, he seemed noble-born, yet so polite.
I could feel the iron discipline of the Duke's household.
The Master saw me like that, bit her lip, and bowed her head.
"Ryu-o-nim, you can board..."
Seeing the Master reminded me of last time.
Holding her naked, getting cockblocked at the Guild, awkward vibes...
We'd see each other often from now on, and things got super tangled.
Pretending nothing was up, I spoke warmly to the Master.
"Thanks for the arrangements, Master. Appreciate it."
The Master snapped her head up, eyes sparkling, and replied energetically, lips twitching.
"No problem! Have a good trip!"
"Y-yeah... thanks, Master."
I climbed into the luxurious carriage with its red cushions.
"Looks comfy enough to lie down?"
The coachman knight turned back from the driver's seat.
"Shall I set up the bed?"
"Set up the bed?"
"It can connect into a bed."
"...No need."
"Understood."
Didn't think it'd actually be possible.
Spacing out in the jolt-free carriage, we arrived at the Duchy villa before I knew it.
A knight spotted the carriage from afar and opened the gate, and we went in for a good while.
Always so flashy. The garden had a creepy precision, perfectly manicured.
This is the power of money...?
Knights lined up as I got off, and the grandma from last time approached, bowing to me.
"An honor to serve you, Jang Ryu-o-nim. I am Cecily Alman, head housekeeper of the Duchy villa, attending you today."
The housekeeper was way more deferential than last time.
She'd been polite before, but now it felt like she was serving top-tier nobility, with delicate care.
My shoulders puffed up childishly.
"Honor? Haha... nice to meet you, Cecily."
The housekeeper shook her head firmly with steely eyes.
"Serving the seed of a great hero is truly an honor. Allow me to guide you."
She bowed and pointed inside with both hands.
Following her lead, male servants swarmed in and bowed politely.
"""An honor to serve."""
"Ah, yeah..."
Overwhelming, but I played it cool to hide my country bumpkin vibes.
As I kept my mouth shut, the housekeeper explained.
"These are the boys serving Jang Ryu-o-nim today."
Her eyes flashed, sparks flying.
"Today... we will make you the brightest star in the banquet hall..."
She exuded massive determination, like fulfilling a lifelong dream.
I was speechless and just nodded.
-Nod nod...
The housekeeper glared at each servant, growling lowly.
"All together. Serve the hero without a single inch of mistake..."
"""Yes!"""
Was I heading to a battlefield or a banquet hall?
I just got swept away like driftwood in waves.
A pure white room overflowing with elegance.
The accessories weren't flashy but emanated a heavy presence, decorating the space.
The Gongnyeo sat gracefully on a luxurious sofa, sipping tea refinedly.
"Today's the day."
The Gongnyeo imagined Ryu-o's face falling over in shock and laughed delightedly.
An ultra-premium catch she absolutely, absolutely couldn't let slip away.
The day Arin moved personally, the Gongnyeo upgraded her evaluation of Ryu-o by three whole levels.
Building ties with Ryu-o would secure the East's public sentiment.
Rumors of Ryu-o were already quietly spreading from the capital.
Half-doubting the tale of him slaying the Orc Hero.
Announcing it at the Duchy today would make everyone know for sure.
The man named Jang Ryu-o.
The Gongnyeo praised her own luck and eye for talent, lost in self-admiration.
Then, a voice interrupted her tea time.
-Knock knock! Second Duchess, may I enter?
At the housekeeper's rare urgent tone, the Gongnyeo set down her teacup.
"Come in."
"Second Duchess! There's a problem escorting Jang Ryu-o-nim..."
"What?!!?!"
She shot up and headed outside.
"Explain in detail."
The trailing housekeeper spoke awkwardly.
"Jang Ryu-o-nim with the serving boys..."
-Thud thud...
"Tell me, housekeeper!"
The Gongnyeo's eyes were spinning.
She'd assigned elite attendants, and this happens?
Arriving at a nearby room, the Gongnyeo knocked.
-Bang bang!
"Jang Ryu-o! What's going on?"
"Second Duchess, it's..."
Suddenly, chaotic crashing noises from inside.
-I'm fine! Ah, get out!
-Huuuh! Sorry! So sorry!
-Argh! Gongnyeo-nim! Gongnyeo-nim!
The door flew open...
"G-Gongnyeo-nim!!!!"
Ryu-o stood there naked and dripping wet, clad only in a thin towel.
The Gongnyeo's mind went blank white.
"........."
Bubbles smelling nice slid down the curves of Ryu-o's body.
The soft white towel clung perfectly, accentuating his powerful build.
Below his flushed face, his thick Adam's apple bobbed dramatically up and down.
Ryu-o, with a pitiful expression, opened his mouth.
"I want to wash alone! And... they want to take my dirty stuff to check my health! And clean inside my body... urk! Urk! Gongnyeo-nim! You don't have to do this much."
For now, Ryu-o's shouts didn't reach the Gongnyeo's ears.
She just deeply empathized with the 'leaders who ruined countries over a man' from history books.
She thought she had no interest in men.
Makes sense—she'd always found building power and working more fun than guys.
But that was a misconception.
She just hadn't met a man who could steal a woman's soul.
Not just looks-wise.
The Gongnyeo already grasped Ryu-o's value and inner kindness to some extent.
And now this sight?
".............."
The Gongnyeo stared dazedly at Ryu-o's fantastical body.
Ryu-o yelled in frustration, oh-so-desperately.
"Gongnyeo-nim!! Please... I beg you... okay?"
Not understanding a word, the Gongnyeo just nodded.
"I'll grant... everything you want..."
"""We committed a mortal sin!!!!"""
The servants' voices prostrating on the floor didn't register.
She just blankly watched Ryu-o enter the bathroom alone...
The housekeeper waved the servants over.
The ones peeking at the Gongnyeo closed the door and resumed work.
-I'll wash alone. And no bathroom today!
-Yes! Noted!
"........."
"Second Duchess? It's time to prepare..."
"........."
The Gongnyeo fell into a mental Qi Deviation state, standing blankly at the door.
Just... blankly...