Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 62
>Chapter Title: Jealousy (1)
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Afternoon education time.
The instructor in charge of non-combat training, Eun-ryeo, furrowed her brow and asked the three huddled in the corner.
“Why do you look such a mess?”
The trio, who had been beaten by Il-mok, unconsciously turned their gaze toward him.
Zing.
Under Il-mok’s murderous glare, they hurriedly averted their eyes and answered the instructor’s question.
“W-We had a, a minor squabble among ourselves.”
“Hmm? Didn’t Instructor Il tell you that sparring between cadets is forbidden?”
“I-It wasn’t a s-spar. It was just a minor squabble, that’s all.”
“Y-Yes. We didn’t even use weapons. It was just a little fistfight, Instructor.”
At their frantic excuses, the instructor clicked her tongue and said.
“Tch. Since it’s the first day, I’ll let it slide. But if it happens again, I won’t overlook it.”
“We’ll keep it in mind, truly keep it in mind!”
A brief commotion arose due to the three idiots, but Instructor Eun-ryeo quickly regained control of the atmosphere and calmly continued the lesson.
The non-combat education handled by Instructor Eun-ryeo was a bit unique.
It wasn’t education for avoiding combat, hence not non-combat. Yet it wasn’t combat either, but education necessary for combat, hence non-combat.
“As martial artists of the Demonic Path Academy, after graduation, you will face various missions. And among those missions, there are many that cannot be resolved solely by the superiority of your martial arts.”
Camping, infiltration, disguise, tracking skills, and so on. It was time to learn skills needed in the field.
“Today, we’ll conduct training on the most basic of these: infiltration techniques.”
Instructor Eun-ryeo, with a stern face like a strict female teacher, wore form-fitting black night clothes—perhaps for the infiltration training—and continued with explanations and demonstrations.
Her apparent age was mid to late thirties, but she too was a martial artist of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. The lean, muscular build subtly revealed through her night clothes exuded a healthy allure.
And Il-mok, who had been half-heartedly going through the morning classes with a bored attitude, now watched Instructor Eun-ryeo’s every move with sparkling eyes.
It wasn’t because of her outfit. It might invite misunderstanding, but for Il-mok, this class held a far more important stake.
‘Infiltration techniques! If I master this properly, I can slack off even more comfortably!’
Il-mok was someone who wanted to become as lazy as possible.
* * *
After finishing the enjoyable third class. The fourth period that followed was doctrine education.
It was only natural, really.
This was the Demonic Path Academy, where the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult trained its talents.
Religious schools invariably have what’s called chapel classes. The Demonic Path Academy was no exception.
No, to Il-mok, this was still relatively tame.
In a cult, they were running eight hours of training a day, yet only one hour for doctrine study.
For a cult, this schedule was pretty generous, wasn’t it?
‘A true cult would fill more than half of the twelve hours a day with doctrine study and worship. Obviously.’
In any case, for such reasons, Il-mok dubbed this fourth class by another name.
Brainwashing time.
But contrary to those thoughts, doctrine class was truly enjoyable time for Il-mok.
For one thing, it was the only class where he didn’t have to move and could just sit and listen.
There was a risk of being swept up in the brainwashing, but he had countermeasures for that too.
‘I’ve been tempered by Jin Ha-yeon for a whole year already.’
Il-mok had now reached the level where he could study the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s doctrines as ‘theory’ while simultaneously cursing their outrageous nature in a corner of his mind.
Just like deploying the rumored Mount Hua Sect’s Dual Mind Technique.
‘Hmm? If the Dual Mind Technique really exists, it might actually be advantageous for learning demonic arts?’
Split the mind into two using the Dual Mind Technique. One remains a sane mind, the other becomes a lunatic tainted by demonic arts—what if?
‘…Now that I think about it, I already started with a split personality? So was the Dual Mind Technique a demonic art?’
As Il-mok entertained such trivial thoughts while listening to the class, the one-hour lesson quickly passed.
* * *
Even after the total eight hours of classes ended, the sun hadn’t set yet.
The Demonic Path Academy’s official classes were just those four hours a day. Afterward, aside from dinner time, it was pure free time.
However, with the gathering of talents who bore the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s high expectations, hardly anyone just played around during free time.
Except for one person.
“Yawwwn.”
Il-mok, who had sweated practicing infiltration during the third class, as always finished bathing and stepped out of the bath while stretching with a big yawn.
But he had no intention of going to sleep right away.
“Guess I’ll eat first.”
Sauntering toward the cafeteria like a layabout, he caught sight of people intensely training here and there on the training grounds.
Some were practicing martial arts, others external arts or infiltration techniques.
‘Everyone’s working hard.’
Thinking of it as someone else’s business, Il-mok arrived at the, as expected, empty cafeteria.
And just as Il-mok started eating.
Once again, two people approached the table where Il-mok sat.
‘Sigh. Again?’
Recalling the lunch incident, Il-mok sighed inwardly, but fortunately, it wasn’t something that would make him want to vomit like at lunch.
Not because the approaching pair were women.
It was because they, like Il-mok, had finished training and bathed, emitting no sweat smell.
“Mind if we join you?”
At the question from one of the two women, who carried a clean scent of agarwood, Il-mok answered with a nonchalant face.
“I don’t mind, but there are plenty of empty seats?”
It was an answer that could offend, but the two women just smiled faintly.
“Becoming classmates at the Demonic Path Academy is fate, so we wanted to chat with you, Young Master.”
It was only natural.
Il-mok was the disciple of the Heavenly Demon, whom the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s followers revered as a god, and known as a genius who had taken first place at the academy entrance after just one year of joining.
On top of that, in that one year, he had caused all sorts of incidents.
With rumors so rampant, the majority wanted to at least converse with Il-mok.
Excluding Dugopa, who had needlessly harbored rivalry against him.
Even the trio who approached at lunch had initially aimed to build rapport with Il-mok.
They only picked a fight after Il-mok wrinkled his face at their stench, hurting their pride.
Il-mok also realized these women weren’t here for a duel and felt relieved.
“If that’s the reason, feel free to sit.”
No sooner had Il-mok given permission than the two sat before him and spoke.
“I’m Bang Mi-hwa.”
“I’m Ha Yeong.”
“I’m Il-mok.”
“We’ve heard a lot about you.”
“My stories, you mean?”
And so, after entering the Demonic Path Academy, Il-mok began his first normal conversation.
And not long after, Il-mok belatedly realized something utterly unexpected and crucially important.
The conversation started off fine.
“Of course. Rumors spread like wildfire in the cult that the Heavenly Demon had found an outstanding youngest disciple.”
“Hahaha. You’re gilding my face; I don’t know where to put myself.”
They offered light compliments based on the rumors they’d heard about Il-mok, and he responded appropriately, creating a warm atmosphere.
The problem started after that.
“Actually, Mi-hwa’s father is the leader of the Red Ghost Unit.”
“Hehehe. Ha Yeong’s father is the leader of the White Dragon Unit.”
“In fact, since the two were classmates at the Demonic Path Academy, that connection led us to play together since childhood.”
“To think they were leaders of the Divine Cult’s militant units. Truly impressive figures.”
Il-mok offered sociable praise as well, but he had nothing more to say.
He had holed up in Wind Rock Hall for a year, preparing only for the academy entrance exam.
During his studies, he learned about various organizations and groups within the cult, but not in detail about their leaders. He had no reason to get involved anyway.
Naturally, the conversation stalled, and to break the awkward air, they brought up another topic.
“By the way, Young Master, which passage from the Divine Cult’s doctrines do you like most?”
The topic of doctrine.
When strangers meet, the easiest way to bond is finding common ground.
Thus, those sharing a religion can easily get close. No need to pry into hobbies or tastes.
Discussing doctrines or scripture passages naturally blooms conversation.
The problem was.
‘What is this? A trap from the Public Security Bureau?’
Il-mok wasn’t a fanatic.
Still, he managed to hold his own.
Just like in the earlier doctrine class, outwardly praising the doctrines while cursing inwardly was now routine.
The real problem came late.
In the midst of a lively discussion on the Divine Cult’s doctrines and the Heavenly Demon’s glorious deeds, with the atmosphere warm.
“Hahaha.”
“Hehehe.”
As Bang Mi-hwa bloomed a smile befitting her flower-like name at Il-mok’s light joke.
Il-mok, his gaze fixed on her face as if sucked in, thought.
‘…I want to touch it.’
He hadn’t noticed until now.
‘…She’d probably hate it?’
Only after seeing her full smile did he realize.
‘…Please!’
That she had severe facial asymmetry.
Not that she was ugly. No, if anything, she was quite beautiful.
Even modern celebrities had it—beauties who complained their faces weren’t symmetrical, obsessing over the perfect angle and only photographing from one side.
It hadn’t stood out before, but her full smile made the asymmetry glaringly obvious.
And unfortunately, Il-mok’s OCD latched onto that asymmetry.
‘If I forcibly correct the bones to match, she’d hate it, right?’
The urge to break her bones and realign them, restoring her face’s balance, surged wildly.
The existence of Bang Mi-hwa had become a trigger for Il-mok’s demonic deviation.
As Il-mok suffered from OCD, unable to act or not act.
A saving voice pierced his ears.
“Young Master Il-mok!!”
Pop!
Dramatically freed from his OCD, Il-mok looked toward the voice.
“You’re here! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
The woman who seemed a follower of Jin Ha-yeon approached with the same mad smile as yesterday.
Normally, he’d avoid such a lunatic, but the situation was different now.
“C-Come on in!”
Il-mok hurriedly stood and welcomed her.
“Th-This is Lady Bang Mi-hwa. And Lady Ha Yeong.”
While introducing them, Il-mok couldn’t bring himself to look properly at Bang Mi-hwa.
Staring at that face would reignite his OCD.
“And this is… Sorry, what was your name again?”
When he asked the savior whose name he didn’t know, she answered briskly without minding.
“I’m Ju Seo-yeon, Young Master!”
“Y-Yes, right. Anyway, this is Lady Ju Seo-yeon. Since we’re all seated together by fate, why don’t you chat?”
Thanks to the demonic deviation crisis, Il-mok began babbling incoherently.
* * *
Bang Mi-hwa.
She had approached Il-mok purely out of curiosity.
In the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the sole object of awe was the Heavenly Demon alone. His disciples were respected, not revered.
This stemmed from the cult’s doctrine of strength supremacy.
After the current Heavenly Demon ascends, the strongest claims the leadership. Only upon fully mastering the Heavenly Demon Divine Art does the leader become called Heavenly Demon.
Thus, being the Heavenly Demon’s disciple didn’t make one the next Heavenly Demon, so no need for reverence.
In any case, Bang Mi-hwa, who approached out of curiosity, felt a strange sensation during their warm chat.
At some point. After she smiled broadly, Young Master Il-mok stared at her without looking away for a while.
At that blatantly obvious gaze, Bang Mi-hwa thought.
‘Heehee. The genius youngest Young Master has fallen for my beauty after all.’
Not a bad feeling.
Anyone else might be different, but wasn’t this the youngest Young Master whose rumors filled the cult lately? Not a bad match for her.
But she couldn’t permit his affection too easily.
As she pondered how to play this man. An interloper appeared.
“Young Master Il-mok! You’re here! I’ve been looking everywhere!”
A woman, less attractive than her but decent-looking, suddenly acted familiar with the youngest Young Master.
And after she arrived, for some reason, Young Master Il-mok focused his gaze only on her.
But Bang Mi-hwa didn’t get angry.
Glance.
Mid-conversation, the youngest Young Master would turn to look at her, then hastily turn away.
Seeing that, Bang Mi-hwa was convinced.
‘Heehee. He’s a Young Master lacking boldness despite appearances.’
That Il-mok, smitten with her, was simply shy.
‘Then maybe I should be a bit more aggressive.’ Bang Mi-hwa thought.
Bang Mi-hwa.
The side effect of the demonic art she cultivated was narcissistic personality disorder.