Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Episode 10 - Preview
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-Rustle, swish.
A room packed floor to ceiling with books and records, the only sound the faint movement of a brush.
-Flap, flutter.
A messenger pigeon with a note tied to its leg flew in through the window of a room that held an important position even within the Heavenly Demon Cult.
The strategist, who had been wielding his brush for quite some time, rose to his feet. He untied the note from the pigeon, fed it a couple pieces of jerky from the side, then unfolded the paper.
He set the note down and let out a deep sigh laced with relief.
The contents reported that the fortune teller from Shaanxi had received their letter and was now visibly preparing to head this way.
It would have been a problem if he'd ignored it or simply vanished. This was a relief.
He was a rare outsider to catch the Lord's interest. They'd even considered deploying force if he proved uncooperative. If he came peacefully, though, it couldn't be better.
'...Though it's a bit disappointing, in a way.'
They might have been able to forcibly drag him here with force, then use the incident to redirect the Lord's attention toward the Central Plains. But he quickly shelved the thought.
She might complain it was meddling without orders.
No—given her personality, which loathed unnecessary attention to the extreme, that was highly likely.
But with him coming of his own accord, it was good news either way.
-Tap, tap.
'From Shaanxi to here... it'll take quite a while.'
Even a transcendent-level martial artist flying non-stop with lightness skill would need weeks.
A mere fortune teller wouldn't have such prowess, so at least two or three months.
Reaching the Demonic Cult was no small feat. Once they tracked his route, it might be wise to send men ahead to prepare a carriage.
'First, I should inform the Lord.'
Perfect timing—he'd been on his way to see her anyway.
He gathered the reports for the Lord and headed to her chambers.
She never seemed to pay close attention anyway. Still, skipping this would undermine the Divine Cult's hierarchy.
He was the strategist, after all. Every decision in the Divine Cult had to flow in the direction she desired.
Even if she showed no interest in the Cult itself.
-Knock, knock.
"Lord..."
"Enter."
"...Pardon the intrusion."
-Creak.
As if announcing his name and title had become pointless, the permission to enter came immediately.
"Greetings, my Lord."
As always, the Lord merely flicked her gaze his way before sipping the last of the liquor in her cup.
Once, he'd wondered if she was deliberately putting on this disheveled display for some purpose.
Hoped she might be training in secret, away from their eyes. But that hope had faded long ago.
Not that he could even gauge whether she needed further training at her realm to begin with.
"How about dropping the bows every time you enter? You're at an age where you should start minding your body."
"If you command it, I shall obey, but..."
"Enough. Speak what you came to say."
"Yes. First..."
As usual, he reported the Divine Cult's affairs, saving the fortune teller's update for last.
"...And it seems the fortune teller you mentioned before has begun making preparations."
"Is that so."
She usually brushed off reports with curt, disinterested replies. But this time, words followed.
"How long will it take, then?"
"...!"
"Don't you know?"
"N-no, I do. Not exact, but it should be around three months."
"Three months..."
"Ah, well, the distance from Shaanxi to here..."
"Hmm... I thought I'd found a fine drinking companion..."
"Pardon?"
"Enough. Understood. Withdraw for today. Return when there's more news."
"...Understood."
It had been ages.
No, it felt like the first time he'd ever seen it—the Lord's expression tinged with regret—as he withdrew.
A few days later, he received word that the fortune teller had already neared the Divine Cult's territory.
The interesting books were running out, and my interest was waning.
In this boredom, I'd found a pretty decent way to kill time.
'First, I'll draw my sword but try talking before attacking.'
-Roll.
This game from Earth called TRPG was pretty fun.
With only me as the player, it was more like a dice-driven text RPG than a true TRPG, but it was something.
Way better than slogging through those dreadfully boring books.
The problem, though...
'Stop.'
'Don't drag me into your filth just because it happened to you.'
'Intentions too damn obvious. Rewrite it.'
It kept veering into ero-game territory.
Dungeon ero-traps, succubi bursting into inns, elf allies trying to kidnap me back to her village...
'No matter the circumstances, aren't you a saintess? It's getting more blatant by the day.'
'Wrong. You're disqualified as a saintess already.'
What did I even do?
And that's severe—go take a vacation or something. It's getting scary.
Eek.
'That's not just tiring, that's too much!'
Scary!
No joke—this was genuinely terrifying!
What the hell had I done to deserve this level of obsession?!
'Ah. Just keep watching.'
I shut off the screen amid her betrayed glare, cutting the connection.
'Ends the same way again today.'
Chats with the saintess always wrapped up like this.
She'd fish for any opening to drag me to her world...
'...When I'm still debating returning to Earth myself.'
Sorry, saintess, but her world wasn't even on my radar right now.
Sure, various things had happened, but I was on track for three wives already.
My master was still in the mountains but would emerge soon to chase me down.
I'd once desperately wanted to leave this world. Now, I'd adapted. Met good people. Life wasn't as grueling as before. With these bonds...
'Sigh.'
This was why I avoided romance.
Building ties only to suffer parting later—or weaken and be unable to leave. I'd resisted deep connections for that reason, yet here we were.
From what she'd said, dimensional travel wasn't easy for multiple people.
I wasn't ruthless enough to drag folks rooted here to another world just for my sake.
Earth was home to me, not them. This was theirs.
Returning to Earth was tough enough. A dying fantasy world? Not even a consideration.
I wasn't some paragon willing to sacrifice for strangers.
Especially not to live indefinitely as a glorified cumdump, not even dying.
Hell, handling my current wives was overwhelming.
"Why the endless sighs? Something wrong?"
"You heard?"
"Loud as day. How could I miss it?"
Apparently, I'd been sighing unconsciously while brooding.
"Just a complicated head."
"Yeah, looks it. Walking into the Demonic Cult voluntarily? I felt the same once."
"..."
That wasn't my worry, but yeah, it was complicated too.
Couldn't not go when the Heavenly Demon might pop out if I didn't.
"Don't over-worry, though. They say excessive anxiety makes it real. You're a skilled fortune teller—read your own future."
"Fortune tellers can't read their own."
"...For real?"
"If I could, would I be like this?"
Even Yeo Socheon couldn't read hers.
If she couldn't, no one could.
"Then... could you peek at mine?"
"...What're you curious about?"
"Marriage luck too, but first... romance luck."
"..."
Her reading said spinster till at least thirty. But I told her she'd meet a good match soon.
Sometimes, a white lie was necessary.