Chapter 227
Chapter 227
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: Confession
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Hello, my name is Han So-yeon.
I'm just an ordinary disciple studying at the Mount Hua Sect.
I don't go around bragging about it because it feels burdensome, but my master is actually an incredible person.
She's none other than the Sword Empress, one of the heroes of the righteous faction—Shin Yu-wol.
After I lost my parents on the battlefield and was wandering alone, she saved me and took me in herself. She's my gracious benefactor and like a new mother to me.
Truth be told, my birth parents didn't care for me much.
So when I was left behind on the battlefield, I didn't hold out hope for them.
They probably didn't have the spare capacity to look after me as well.
But that's fine.
Thanks to that, I got to meet my master.
"Hum~ Hum~"
Today, as always, I finish my grueling training and wash my body.
In the old days, I couldn't even imagine bathing every single day, but things are different here.
Wiping away the sweat after training is just as important as the training itself.
Thanks to that, these days, washing up before bed at the end of each day has become my greatest pleasure.
It's not cold stream water—warm water every day to bathe and shampoo my hair. Why wouldn't I?
After a refreshing bath today, I lie down on the bed and wait for tomorrow to arrive.
Ever since meeting my master, every day has been nothing but joy.
Hoping tomorrow will be even better than today, I close my eyes.
-Splash
"...Huh?"
When I open my eyes, I'm staring at an unfamiliar floor covered in a massive amount of blood.
Did someone die here or something?
As that question crosses my mind and I try to sit up, I feel my hands bound behind my back.
In this sudden turn of events, I steady myself first and manage to stand, only to find a complete stranger staring at me with bewildered eyes.
"...Um... who... are you...?"
The owner of that gaze is a boy who looks about my age.
Unlike the kids I usually see at Mount Hua, he has a slender build and a cute face that almost makes him look like a girl, but he seems more boy than anything.
Definitely someone I've never seen before...
-Thump
For some reason, my heart starts pounding all on its own.
* * *
"...Haa."
I woke up clutching my throbbing head.
Because of the Heavenly Demon, my mental state had tanked about 80%, so I hadn't even thought about doing anything—just crashed straight into bed. It helped shake off some fatigue, at least.
But with the sudden heavy stress, the pounding headache was unavoidable.
"Does your head still hurt?"
"It seems... like it."
"Stay put like this a little longer. I'll cast a spell to clear your mind."
-Squish
My master, who had naturally sidled up before bed to serve as my pillow, drew me back in as her pillow again. Before her spell could even take effect, I already felt my mental state mending a bit.
This chest really is a cheat.
Over ten years living like this, and its allure hasn't diminished one bit. Is that even possible?
-Sniiff...
"It should be better now..."
"...Thank you."
Even after her spell cleared my head, we stayed like that in silence for another ten minutes or so.
"...Mm! Time to get to work."
Once I'd recovered my usual condition, I slipped out of bed and headed outside.
-Creak!
"Good morning!"
"Oh, you're up?"
"...You look a bit better."
Only Yeo So-cheon and Dang Ayoung were in the living room—no sign of the Sword Empress or her disciple.
"Where are those two?"
"The Sword Empress is bathing her. She couldn't wash properly while tied up, you know. Even if she shows her true colors midway, the Sword Empress can handle suppressing her, so she's taking care of it."
"Yeah, that tracks."
Bound up for days straight—she's gotta feel filthy.
Martial artists don't fall ill easily, but people are supposed to wash regularly to stay healthy, right?
No need to bring up the smell... manners and all.
"Just yesterday you were on death's door, and now you're recovered? I was about to ask you something when you up and collapsed in your room."
"Worried about me?"
"Wh-who said I was worried! I was pissed because you vanished right when I had a mountain of questions!"
I've gotten pretty good at handling Yeo So-cheon by now.
She could just be upfront from the start, but she never manages it.
Her mental game's a bit fragile too—if I push too hard, she might just burst into tears. What a tricky girl.
Looks like a kid, acts like one.
Just 1 cm taller than me, and she puts on all these airs, but her personality's even more childish than mine.
Her age is multiples of mine, though...
-Shing
"Wait, hold on! That's a real sword!"
"Then it's real. What, you think it's fake?"
"Aigoo, trying to kill your future husband!"
"Urk..."
Was it her martial instincts and woman's intuition kicking in at once? Terrifying how she picks up on even my inner thoughts.
She's no saint—reading my internal monologue is going too far.
[Did you call for me?]
'Out.'
[That's harsh after so long!]
She lives rent-free in my head—what's "harsh" about it.
'Find a way to block the Heavenly Demon, and I'll call you pretty.'
[Treating me like a dog! And it's not that simple! Even if I descended, there's no guarantee I'd beat that woman!]
'Who said anything about brute force? You've got tons of magic artifacts. Dig up something useful.'
[Ugh... At her level, resistance is sky-high—not many things would work... Fine, I'll look into it...]
'Who knows. Might grant a wish if I call you pretty.'
[I'll get back to you soon!]
"Anyway, food please. Something for a hangover if possible."
After fobbing off the saint appropriately, I seamlessly ordered breakfast in the real world.
"What's gotten into you? You, doing hangover remedies."
"...Feels like if I chug booze now, my liver might actually get a hole punched through it."
I didn't drink a ton, but my body's condition is far from "good" by any stretch.
Mind's bounced back some, but the body's not recovering that fast.
"Smart choice. I know you're freakishly tolerant of alcohol, but it still worries me watching. You're no martial artist—how much is too much?"
"You know I'm better with booze than you think?"
"Yeah, yeah. You beat me fair and square in that drinking bet before."
"If you love it so much, shouldn't you pour your master a glass too?"
"Huh, come to think of it, I've never poured one for Master. Grab a cup—I'll pour right now."
With all these women around, the vibe was downright boisterous.
This noisy without even the Sword Empress and her disciple here.
'Those two are the quiet types—probably wouldn't add much racket.'
Anyway, we've somehow become one big family.
Master's way of joining was unexpected, but still within the realm of what I'd figured...
The Sword Empress's disciple... I've nailed down "no interest," so nothing's gonna develop there.
'And I'm already tangled up with the Sword Empress—how could I go for her disciple too.'
Didn't I say it before? In this world, master and disciple are practically parent and child.
Not that I have much room to talk after getting physical with my own master, but point is, that's off the table too.
She's a full native of this world, so she's got that awareness. I just need to stay cautious.
And...
'Gotta say it.'
Time to spill about the Heavenly Demon too.
I mulled it over while sleeping—better to get it out now.
We're already up against a massive foe like the Blood Cult; feels bad piling on more stress, but dropping a bombshell right after we beat them would be even harsher.
Plus, unlike the Blood Cult, the Heavenly Demon isn't out to end the world.
Who knows. Might talk it out and part on good terms.
'...Explaining this to the wives feels kinda off, though.'
But I can't keep it hidden forever.
Better to lay it out early and brainstorm solutions together...
...Worst case, if the Heavenly Demon's a no-go, I can just sacrifice myself.
"Ah, you're up too. Having breakfast?"
"Ah, sleep well!"
In the meantime, the Sword Empress emerged with her disciple in tow, their hair still damp.
Now everyone who needs to hear it was assembled.
"Right, Sword Empress hasn't eaten yet either. Care for some?"
"I'm good. Just a portion for So-yeon, please."
-Clap clap!
"Attention!"
I clapped to draw all eyes to me, confirmed they were looking, then opened my mouth.
"You all probably have a ton of questions after yesterday."
"..."
"You already know this, but that woman who showed up? Demonic Cult's Heavenly Demon, confirmed. And you all know I visited the Demonic Cult a while back, right?"
"I didn't."
"Now you do."
I brushed off Master's objection and pressed on.
"Didn't go into details then... but the one I met at the Demonic Cult was the Heavenly Demon. She summoned me there from the start. Unlike my initial freak-out, things actually went pretty smoothly. No weird demands, decent personality, and get this—she loves booze too, so hobbies lined up. The problem came after."
-Gulp
Someone swallowed hard.
Might've been me.
I was pretty damn tense myself.
"Somehow, I ended up reading the heavenly secrets about the Heavenly Demon's fated partner... and there I was."
"...What?"
"Say what?"
"Huh?"
Reactions pretty much as expected.
I took a deep breath and spoke.
"...I'm the Heavenly Demon's fated partner."
The chaos that erupted right after my words was entirely predictable.