Chapter 283
Chapter 283
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 283
>Chapter Title: Return in Glory (5)
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After that, they continued with some light conversation.
“Hahaha. Still, we've recently finished compiling the four-year curriculum and textbooks for the Elementary Demonic Academy, so now we're starting to prepare the Middle Academy's program.”
Like company men buried in their work, Wi Jin-hak and Jong-ri Chu—swamped with Demonic Academy duties—mostly talked about business matters.
And Il-mok could follow their conversation to a degree.
After all, he was the one who had outlined the broad framework of their operations in the first place.
‘…They're not all pulling all-nighters because of me, are they?’
As Il-mok felt a pang of inexplicable guilt, Wi Jin-hak's ramble—complaint or boast, hard to say—continued.
“By the way, I haven't told you this yet. It's about that hymn you spread in the Central Plains.”
“Are you planning to include the hymn in the curriculum?”
“We do intend to, but not right now. It could spread through the Central Plains because of what you did.”
Il-mok breathed a quiet sigh of relief inwardly.
Not because the risk of the Maitreya Illuminating Cult and Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's connection being exposed had lessened.
‘They didn't add the hymn to the curriculum, so at least the Demonic Academy's workload hasn't increased.’
Il-mok had hoped to ease his guilt a bit, but Wi Jin-hak's next words left him speechless again.
“Master instructed us to prepare a separate revised curriculum in advance, so we can add it anytime later. The revision draft is already fully prepared.”
At his senior brother's words—sounding like a brag about how hard they were working—Il-mok promptly escaped into denial.
‘Yeah. It's not my fault. It's all Master's doing.’
He'd never told them to include the hymn in the curriculum, nor had he ordered them to prepare a future-proof revision when it couldn't be used now.
The Demonic Academy folks getting ground to dust was entirely Master's fault.
He himself was being dragged off to the Western Regions because of Master right now, wasn't he?
‘Phew. Feeling better already.’
Blaming the flexible guy truly was the ultimate mental stabilizer.
With his mind at ease, he chatted a bit more with Wi Jin-hak and Jong-ri Chu.
“Oh. Has it gotten this late already?”
Wi Jin-hak muttered in surprise, and Il-mok asked,
“Are you heading back now?”
“Seems we have to.”
“Wishing you a peaceful night.”
At Il-mok's goodnight, Jong-ri Chu—who had been staring blankly—gave a wry smile for some reason.
“We're going back, but sleep won't come.”
“…Are you suffering from insomnia?”
When Il-mok asked the overworked Jong-ri Chu, he shook his head.
“As a warrior of the Divine Cult and Master's disciple, how could I neglect my training?”
“Hahaha. Well said indeed! Little brother, your sixth senior brother has grown so admirable.”
“Hahaha….”
Il-mok laughed awkwardly, and only then did he realize the Demonic Academy's biggest problem.
More precisely, the biggest flaw in the administrative system run by cult warriors.
‘These lunatics aren't skimping on sleep every day to keep training amid all their work, are they?’
Already prone to mental breakdowns, and now juggling work and training with less sleep?
‘I might need to go recruit some manpower somewhere….’
He felt uneasy that a riot of crazies might erupt at headquarters.
* * *
The next morning.
Il-mok headed to the Heavenly Demon Hall with a stack of papers.
“I've come regarding the tasks Master assigned me. I have a few requests.”
“Requests? Speak freely.”
With the Heavenly Demon's permission, Il-mok first explained his plan.
Rather than crossing the Heavenly Myriad Mountains to open the grassland route, he was thinking of prioritizing the desert path from trade with the Western Regions.
“Hmm…. Since trade with the Western Regions might fail anyway, it makes sense to open the Heavenly Mountains North Road later.”
As the Heavenly Demon seemed to accept his view, Il-mok swallowed a sigh of relief and continued.
“Also, to open trade with the Western Regions, we need far more information.”
“Information? You mean on the Western Regions? But we don't trade with them, so we have no specifics.”
“We may not trade, but surely some Central Plains folk have sailed there?”
“Central Plains, hm. We could gather some intel using the branches and Maitreya Illuminating Cult.”
“Exactly. Especially, we need to find out what goods the Westerners prefer most, from merchants who've traded with them. We can't just show up empty-handed and start dealing, right?”
Having ruled from the top for decades, the Heavenly Demon had envisioned the grand 'Silk Road' framework but overlooked these details.
Moreover, if not for Il-mok, he was the type to value training and cultivation over economics or money—so even thinking of the Silk Road was a huge shift.
“Then, for the first trade in the Western Regions, we should gather information while buying their preferred goods in the Central Plains and bringing them here first.”
“Yes, Master. Departing for the Western Regions should wait until we've prepared everything needed.”
Il-mok had worried he might be told to leave immediately, but.
The Heavenly Demon, stroking his beard in deep thought, nodded.
“Thinking on it, you make a good point. I'll order the Dark Shadow Leader to prepare Central Plains intel on the Western Regions and goods to sell there. Depart once ready. Il-mok, you prepare as best you can.”
“I shall obey your will, Master.”
Having bought some time, Il-mok returned to Wind Rock Hall with a lighter heart.
And just then, a guest arrived at Wind Rock Hall.
“Greetings, Oppa.”
“Come in.”
Il-mok greeted Seon-a, who had come in the morning, then asked in a worried tone,
“You've only just returned home after nearly a year—wouldn't it be better to spend more time with your clan?”
“Mother and Father are busy tending to my newborn little brother, so it doesn't matter much.”
The words sounded like an eldest sibling robbed of parental love, but Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a spoke without a hint of regret.
No, she even seemed relieved they were focused on her sibling instead.
As Il-mok pondered how to respond.
A voice came from the entrance.
“Seon-a's right, so Young Master Eight needn't worry.”
Turning, Il-mok saw a familiar old man's face.
“Greetings to the Hyeok-ryeon Family Head.”
Il-mok bowed with clasped hands, and Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang—the family head and Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a's grandfather—nodded.
“Sorry for showing up unannounced. As Seon-a said, my son and daughter-in-law are busy with the newest grandbaby, so I came along with my granddaughter instead.”
Il-mok felt something off.
Compared to their first meeting over Seon-a's issue, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang's demeanor seemed softer somehow.
“I'd like to speak privately inside, if that's alright?”
“We'll go in.”
As Il-mok replied, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang looked at his granddaughter and said,
“Sorry, but stay here a moment while I talk with Young Master Eight.”
“Yes, Family Head.”
Even to her own grandfather, Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a was impeccably polite.
Watching the odd scene, Il-mok soon turned and led Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang to the main hall.
No sooner had they entered than Jin Ha-yeon brought refreshments and teacups.
After Jin Ha-yeon set them down and left, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang spoke.
“I'll be frank. When you first meddled in our clan affairs, if His Supremacy hadn't stopped me, I planned to kill you.”
“…….”
Il-mok nearly spat out his tea but managed to swallow and asked,
“Have you changed your mind now?”
It was a life-or-death matter. Transcending Demon loomed, but it was still too soon to face this old man.
Fortunately, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang nodded.
“As you said, it seems we failed to trust Seon-a. If we'd just locked her away over side effect worries, she wouldn't have grown like this.”
Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang recalled yesterday.
The moment he reunited with his granddaughter after nearly a year.
She had returned far more grown than when she left, showing no anxiety despite being apart from her obsession's target, Young Master Eight.
It meant she'd fully controlled the side effects.
‘When Seon-a ran off to follow Young Master Eight, I worried she'd failed to manage them.’
If her condition looked dire, he might have come today to take Il-mok's head, per his old pact with the Heavenly Demon.
“Of course, I'm still worried how she'll change after two years in the Demonic Path Academy without seeing you. But if Seon-a graduates safely, I'll stake my name as family head to actively support your actions.”
At words that could be threat or promise, Il-mok smiled softly and replied,
“Seon-a can handle it.”
While thinking something else inwardly.
‘I absolutely have to tell her to join the meditation club.’
Plus throw in some dolls and gifts.
If Seon-a lost it at the Demonic Path Academy, this old man would come for his head.
Not that it was just about his own neck, of course.
He didn't want the girl who followed him calling “Oppa, Oppa” to go mad either.
At Il-mok's reply, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang downed his tea in one gulp and stood.
“I came today just to say this. Staying longer would disturb my granddaughter's rest, so I'll take my leave.”
Il-mok clasped his hands toward the departing Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang and said,
“Safe travels, Family Head. And congratulations on the new grandson.”
“Thank you. Tell my son and daughter-in-law that.”
Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang replied, hiding his true feelings.
‘Sigh. If only my son took after Young Master Eight even halfway.’
Thinking of his severe daughter-obsessed son, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang's head ached.
In truth, he'd lied to Il-mok about one thing.
That Seon-a's words were true—it wasn't.
A new son hadn't changed Hyeok-ryeon Hwan's doting on his daughter.
- ‘Family Head! I'll go! I won't let that youngest young master who bewitched our precious daughter get away with it!’
His rage at the youngest young master who ‘egged on’ her elopement burned as hot as ever. That's why Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang had come himself.
Sending Hyeok-ryeon Hwan would lead to a disgraceful scene.
His son, neglecting even training to tend his newborn grandson and Cheong-hwa Madam, would surely drop cultivation entirely now that his daughter was back.
Meanwhile, what of the youngest young master?
A mere twenty-year-old on the cusp of Transcending Demon.
- ‘Shut up and don't step foot outside the clan!’
One reason Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang restrained his daughter-obsessed son was Il-mok's realm.
Last evening, summoned to the Heavenly Demon Hall, he'd instantly sensed it: the youngest young master had already surpassed his own son.
‘If I'd sent that fool, he'd have tarnished the clan name coming back.’
If he picked a fight out of doting stupidity and lost, it'd be utter humiliation.
That Il-mok's attitude toward him had softened was, in a way, because of this.
‘Better to leave her with the youngest young master than entrust her to my son.’
Before long, Hyeok-ryeon Cheon-gang's mind ranked the near-stranger Il-mok higher than his own doting son.