Chapter 225
Chapter 225
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 225
Chapter Title: The Lie
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Hearing the Heavenly Demon's words sent chills racing down my spine. I quickly assured my wives that it was nothing—that she really was just a friend—before heading into the room with her.
Even as I guided her to a seat, my heart was pounding like mad.
What had this woman just said?
She'd clearly asked if I wanted her to call me "husband," right?
Did that mean she'd seen through my lie?
No. Maybe she was just teasing. Her personality's always been odd, and she seems to have some romantic interest in me, so perhaps that combined into a mischievous prank...
Thump-thump-thump-thump.
Even as my body somehow managed to show her to a seat, my heart felt like it was about to burst, and my mind was going blank.
I had no idea what words were coming out of my mouth.
I couldn't even hear what the Heavenly Demon was saying to me.
Thud!
Startled!
The dull clunk of her setting her glass down on the table jolted my fading consciousness back to awareness.
"You don't look well. Is it because I dropped by so suddenly?"
"N-no, it's not that! I've just been feeling a bit under the weather lately..."
"That's no good. Health is the most important thing for a person, isn't it?"
In truth, her sudden visit was the cause, but how could I say that in this situation?
"Here, this is different from regular liquor—it's made with things that are good for the body, so it'll actually benefit your health."
With those words, she handed me a full glass. I stared at it blankly for a moment before taking it.
It was sudden, offering drinks in a situation like this, but considering her personality, maybe she really had just come to drink.
I do enjoy a good drink myself, after all.
'But in my current state, I wonder if it'll even go down...'
My head still a jumbled mess, I brought the glass I'd taken absentmindedly to my lips.
Gulp.
'...!'
The moment I took a sip, the rest of the liquid in the glass poured straight into my mouth.
"This is incredibly refreshing."
"It's refreshing and tastes great, right? You think I'd come all this way for nothing?"
She wasn't exaggerating—it really was excellent liquor.
On par with the drinks we'd had at the Demonic Cult that day. Had she brought it from there?
From the way she spoke, it seemed like something she'd found afterward.
'She went out and happened to discover it...'
Clink.
As I pondered the liquor’s origin, something in the glass caught my eye.
A clear, cold solid.
'...'
Ice.
In this world, where there were no refrigerators.
Chill.
Liquor with ice in it.
And it hadn't melted at all yet, which meant it wasn't ordinary ice.
Naturally, the matter of the Ice Palace that I'd briefly forgotten in the chaos resurfaced in my mind.
Gulp.
"...Divine Cult's Heaven. May I dare to ask a question?"
"What need is there to ask permission for a question between friends? Of course you may."
"...Have you perhaps visited the North Sea Ice Palace recently?"
I couldn't easily hide the trembling in my body as I spoke.
Just moments ago, it hadn't felt real, but now that the possibility loomed right in front of me, guilt came crashing down.
Even if the Ice Palace was in such a frigid region that few people lived there, this world was vast with a huge population. Even if their numbers were small, that was still hundreds—maybe even thousands—of people.
And they'd all been wiped out in an instant.
Because I'd run my mouth.
'...'
I was already convinced in my heart that the Heavenly Demon had done it, so why was I even asking?
Deep down, I hoped she'd say it wasn't her.
But what could I do?
"Mm. I visited a few days ago. Didn't you say my fated partner might be there?"
Shudder!
Reality had already unfolded.
Tremble-tremble-tremble.
"I-I only described his appearance. I never said he was at the Ice Palace."
"But nine out of ten men with that look are from the Ice Palace, aren't they?"
"That means one in ten is outside!"
"And those one in ten are scattered all over the Central Plains. How long would it take to search them all one by one? I just went to the place with the most candidates first."
"...Ahh."
...Wait, did I just yell at the Heavenly Demon?
"...Forgive me for raising my voice."
"That can happen in a conversation between friends. No need to tremble like that. Someone might think I'm about to eat you alive."
Flinch!
Tremble-tremble-tremble.
"Goodness, what can't you say around here."
"S-sorry..."
"A little liquor should loosen you up. Here, there's still plenty left—have some more."
Seeing the ice in the glass brought on more thoughts, but I couldn't refuse the drink she'd offered, so I meekly accepted and drank.
And there was still one really important question left.
Well, at this point it felt like the truth, but I still needed to confirm it for sure.
Exhale...
I took a deep breath first...
"...I heard the Ice Palace was wiped out. Do you know anything about it?"
Squeeze.
As I asked, I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed inwardly.
I hoped it had been some freak disaster after she'd left peacefully that day.
"It was my doing."
"..."
Reality was never kind.
I slammed my face into the table and screamed internally for a moment.
What the hell is this?
How was I supposed to accept that hundreds or thousands had died because of the excuse I'd thrown out to escape that situation?
Should I have given a description that didn't exist in reality?
Red hair, green hair—something like that, to make sure no one matched?
Then what if she tore the Central Plains apart looking for it?
Should I have gone with a super common look instead? Black hair, healthy young man?
Then the entire Central Plains would be in chaos.
'Arghhh...'
It was in the past now—nothing I could do to take it back or fix it.
But at least I knew her true nature now.
She was a walking natural disaster.
One that could move of her own volition.
Depending on how I spoke to her, she might stay quietly holed up in one room... or rampage across the entire Central Plains.
Was it right to let a woman like this roam free?
Shouldn't I find some way to lock her down in the Demonic Cult for good?
Some way...
'...'
...Not yet.
There was still too much I had to do.
I'd only just reunited with my master. And I still had to deal with those vampires somehow to keep the world safe.
Being by her side might protect me, but... I didn't even know how this "Transcender of Death" had driven men to extinction.
No matter how powerful the Heavenly Demon was, she might not be able to shield me from world-ending might.
'...So not yet.'
Later.
Much later. Once I decided she needed to lose interest in the outside world.
For now... no.
She must have misinterpreted the guilt-ridden expression on my face amid these heavy thoughts.
"Why the face full of guilt? You bear no responsibility for what I did."
"...Didn't I divine for the Divine Cult's Heaven?"
"That's exactly why it's not your fault. You simply read the heavens and told me the traits of my husband-to-be."
"...!"
"You only reported what the heavens revealed. Where did you go wrong?"
'...!'
"Unless you'd lied, of course."
Grab.
Suddenly, she drew close, reaching out to grip the back of my chair.
I wasn't restrained, but I couldn't move a muscle.
She brought her face right up to mine, almost nose-to-nose.
"What's so terrible about such a handsome face?"
Smooth.
Her other hand caressed my cheek and jaw.
Come to think of it, I'd taken off my hat to relax at home and hadn't put it back on. Since she wasn't surprised, she'd clearly seen my face before.
"There's something I haven't told you yet. I despise lies."
"..."
"I do hope the promise you made to visit again wasn't one of them."
Smooth.
With that, she stroked my cheek once more, then turned and stepped away from the table.
"I'll leave a few bottles of the liquor. It's good, so share it with your ladies."
"...Yes."
"Oh, and one last thing."
She paused at the door, turning back to me.
"Still no children?"
"......Yes."
"I see. Then I'll be waiting at the cult."
She flashed that usual enigmatic smile and stepped out.
"A-are you leaving now?"
"Hm..."
"Wh-why? Is there something you need from m-me...?"
"Well, I'll let you know the Demonic Cult is quite spacious."
"...Pardon?"
"Interpret it as you will."
While the others stood speechless, it was Dang Ayoung—the one with the lowest cultivation—who somehow managed to speak to the Heavenly Demon. An absurd scene. Then she truly vanished from the house.
"Hah...! Hah...!"
"Huff..."
"...Mm."
Once she was gone, Yeo Sochen, the Sword Empress, and my master all gasped for breath.
"Wh-what's wrong with everyone?"
"...It's nothing."
"There was an overwhelming pressure. You and So-yeon probably weren't affected much because your cultivations are lower... but it was hard to even breathe."
"..."
My master silently pulled out her fan and fanned her face, pretending nothing was amiss.
...Well, we'd gotten through this without incident, at least for now.
Though I was seriously worried about a few months from now.
"S-so... what did you talk about with that woman? She blocked all sound, so we couldn't eavesdrop..."
"...Just..."
"Hm?"
"...Just let me sleep for a bit..."
I dragged myself to the bed without even washing or changing, collapsing face-first.
...I was exhausted, but somehow, I didn't feel like I'd sleep well like this.
Squish.
"Mm..."
It was my master, as expected.
She knew without me saying.
Feeling that familiar soft embrace, an endless wave of sleep finally overtook me.
My vision went dark, and consciousness sank deep.