Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Time
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"Ah, got it. I'll try to handle it somehow for now. If it's already too late, there's nothing I can do about it..."
I scolded Yeo So-cheon a bit, made him take some action despite his trembling, and slipped out of the Murim Alliance.
I headed straight for Dang Ayoung's place, figuring the rumors might have already spread and it was best to lay low.
The words I'd overheard that morning about her looking forward to tonight were worrying in all sorts of ways, but it still felt safer(?) than wandering around outside in this situation.
Just as Yeo So-cheon had said, Dang Ayoung's side was a place where safety was pretty much guaranteed.
-Knock knock
"S-So-je... I'm he..."
-Whoosh!
Before I could even finish speaking after knocking, the door flew open and Dang Ayoung yanked me inside.
-Bang!
In the blink of an eye, I was inside the house with the door slammed firmly shut behind me.
-Click!
I caught a glimpse of the lock engaging in real time.
"You got here quick. Lucky."
When I came to my senses, Dang Ayoung was standing right in front of me.
-Gulp
"O-Of course. I promised, didn't I? I'd come right away."
"Honestly, I was worried you'd say that and run off again, so I had people watching... but you came straight home. Good boy."
-Stroke stroke
"Haha..."
I couldn't just laugh it off at her soft hand gently petting my head.
Didn't that mean I'd been under surveillance without even knowing it?
-Gulp
'Get it together...'
I couldn't forget that I was the one managing the fish pond here.
To pull that off, controlling information was essential.
If I couldn't resolve this stalking issue, it'd all come out in a flash.
"So, are you ready to give me an answer now?"
Just like Yeo So-cheon, she had me cornered against the wall and was demanding a reply.
Pretending I didn't know what she was talking about wouldn't fly.
Especially not after meeting her father and having marriage brought up.
'Whew...'
-Tap tap
I thumped my chest with my hand, took a deep breath, and prepared to speak.
My voice shook and my heart raced even as I rehearsed it, but I had to answer now.
I couldn't put it off any longer.
"So-je... actually..."
And so, with trembling lips, I spat out the prepared response.
I knew it was a terrible thing to do.
I knew it was utterly selfish.
But I couldn't give her the answer she wanted.
So this was my prepared line.
"I don't have family... but I do have someone who's like family. I told you before, right? My master who's gone into secluded training."
"...Yeah. You did."
"As her disciple, I can't decide something as major as marriage without telling her..."
-Gulp
I could see Dang Ayoung's eyes narrowing in real time.
Proof that she didn't like my answer.
"Just wait about a year to a year and a half... until my master comes out of seclusion."
"..."
"R-Right? As a disciple, I can't decide something that important without telling the one person who's like family to me. It'd be unfilial!"
It might sound like an excuse, but by this world's common sense, it was perfectly acceptable.
In this world, master-disciple bonds were practically parent-child, sometimes even closer.
To put it simply, it was like saying I couldn't get married without telling my parents.
It was persuasive enough even by this world's standards, but
-Drip drip
whether Dang Ayoung would buy it was another question.
Having a solid argument didn't guarantee it'd convince her.
"...You're really close with your master, huh?"
"Huh? Yeah. She took in a kid like me, abandoned in some alley with no skills, fed me, clothed me, taught me knowledge and techniques. She's my benefactor."
"...Haa. Yeah. Of course. You'd be close with your master. Sure you would."
Dang Ayoung sighed and pressed a hand to her furrowed brow.
Her expression didn't look pleased at all.
As I debated adding something more,
"...Ugh, fine. Really. It's a cowardly excuse, but it's one I can't help falling for even knowing it."
Dang Ayoung raised both hands and spoke.
"Th-Then..."
"Yeah. Do that. Marriage is a big deal, like you said. You have to tell your master. But you can't drag someone out of seclusion, so all you can do is wait."
"...!"
Things went so smoothly I almost let out a cheer before barely holding it back.
It would've been insane to do that.
"But what if your master opposes the marriage?"
"Uh..."
I hadn't thought that far.
Honestly, my plan was to buy time like this and then bolt into the mountains at the first chance, vanishing without a trace.
But since she'd asked...
'Master, huh...'
What would Master do if she came out of seclusion and suddenly heard I'd gotten married?
..........
"...She'd probably be okay with it?"
"Really?"
"Yeah... I don't think she'd object..."
I couldn't tell the truth.
For starters, I'd ignored her order to wait and rushed out while she was in seclusion—I'd get an earful for that alone, and marriage on top of it?
-Tremble tremble
She rarely lost her temper, but I was certain she'd erupt like a volcano.
"W-If she opposes it, I'll convince her."
"For real?"
"O-Of course. I can't make you wait a year and then back out."
Truth be told, I hadn't planned that far ahead.
I'd only thought about buying time right now.
It might seem irresponsible, but I had no choice.
Nothing else came to mind, and if I couldn't come up with a proper excuse, I'd be marching to the altar as is.
And if we did marry, no matter how hard I hid it, word would reach the Sword Empress eventually.
'...It'd be over.'
Future or no future, my life would end right there.
So my top priority was stalling Dang Ayoung somehow right now.
It was like juggling credit cards.
A shortsighted move, paying off one debt by taking on another, but that's what people on Earth did when desperate.
No other options when you're backed into a corner.
-Shiver
"Why are you shaking so much? Are you cold?"
"N-No. Just... a bit under the weather..."
My head throbbed again at the thought of needing countermeasures during this bought time, but for now, relief washed over me that I'd survived.
'Yeah... just rest a bit for now...'
Today's been rough enough, and I'd finally cleared one hurdle, so I planned to call it a night.
"Um... but hey..."
"...?"
"So... marriage is on hold, but we're basically... engaged now, right?"
Dang Ayoung's words snapped me back to attention.
"...W-Well..."
'Gotta answer this right.'
This response could render all the time I'd just bought worthless.
My brain spun furiously, searching for the optimal reply.
Denial was out immediately.
It'd only make things worse after catching my breath.
'Delaying this too...'
I briefly considered stalling on this like the marriage, but that was risky too.
It might get me past the moment, but in managing her to prevent future outbursts, telling her to wait again wasn't smart.
So only one option left.
"...Yeah. I guess so."
Affirmation.
A step back for the greater advance. Like dangling a carrot after the stick.
I needed to yield here once.
-Grip!
The moment I answered, she grabbed my shoulders.
Dang Ayoung panted in my face, her expression flushed with excitement.
"Th-Then... if we're engaged..."
"..."
"...It's okay to do it... right?"
Her eyes, so clear that morning, were now clouded with desire.
Her flushed cheeks—were they from her emotions,
or the red sunset visible through the window?
I couldn't tell,
but
-Rustle
as she carefully undressed me, I thought:
Looks like tonight's going to be a rough one too.
-Tap... tap...
A barren land far from the Central Plains.
A place the Central Plains scornfully called the Demonic Cult.
Here, known as the Heavenly Demon Cult, its strategist frowned as he reviewed the intelligence report.
'Is this even possible?'
He sifted through all reports from spies, but this one was hard to believe even for him.
'Prophecy-level future foresight...'
Plenty of con artists had claimed future sight since ancient times, and he'd initially dismissed this as another scam.
p>But he couldn't brush it off so easily this time.
The source was none other than the Orthodox Faction's Sword Empress.
Even in the hypocrisy-filled Orthodox Faction, she was a rare paragon of justice. In a place where they doubted every Orthodox word on principle, she was one of the few deemed credible: "If it's her, we can believe it."
'I know she's not one to lie... but still.'
A strategist had to doubt every piece of intel.
No matter how spotless her reputation over decades, he couldn't take it at face value.
"Whew..."
He sighed deeply while cleaning his glasses.
His head ached, but lately he felt deep disillusionment with his role as the Cult's strategist.
It was only natural.
The Heavenly Demon Cult was inherently domineering, harboring ambitions to conquer the Central Plains for centuries.
The previous Lord, and those before—every Heavenly Demon Cult Leader had unquestioningly pursued that goal.
Some had come perilously close to subjugating the Central Plains.
But this Leader was different.
[Boring.]
She holed up in her residence, bored with everything, showing zero interest in conquest or the Cult.
She ignored Division Leaders' pleas, rarely appearing even at Cult events, let alone showing herself to followers.
She paid no heed to whether he or others pursued Central Plains ambitions,
only occasionally summoning high achievers for "rewards" that were really just forced drinking sessions.
She didn't even burn time in training like past Leaders.
It ill suited a group's supreme ruler, the Cult's exalted one, but none dared voice complaints or rebel directly.
No one could defy the absolute being who'd torn apart the previous Leader to claim the throne.
'Is there meaning in my work like this?'
He set the report down and sighed.
She showed no interest in conquest for decades, but he couldn't defy her orders.
Bring intriguing tales,
to fill the time of the bored absolute one.