The Heavenly Demon Puts Out the Fire (1)

Even just watching those people argue among themselves, I could already picture tomorrow's chat window with perfect clarity. The thought of it descending into madness, filled with all sorts of nonsense and bizarre emoticons, made me feel dizzy.

<It's total chaos in here.>

Thinking back on it, it was rather presumptuous. How dare those who claim to be members of the Divine Cult talk back to me? No matter how much I enjoy this casual style for the sake of the broadcast, this was simply too much.

<Everyone's starving for the cool scenes Hwaryeong-nim shows.>

<Starving?>

<You haven't shown any fights against other strong opponents on stream lately.>

Was that true? Lately, I'd only been showing myself tormenting Enri's teammates.

<So when you try to keep all the cool moments to yourself, of course everyone's upset.>

<That's a reason to be angry?>

<Of course it is!>

<...Harin?>

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had a suspicion. Could Harin be one of the people fanning the flames in the community? When I asked with that doubt in my voice, Harin denied it, claiming it was just a joke.

<But I do mean it when I say it's a shame. Every single one of Hwaryeong-nim's fights is a masterpiece.>

<Is that so?>

<Yes! If streaming is too much trouble, I'd love it if you uploaded them to MyTube later!>

MyTube, huh. I understood the sentiment of wanting to see me fight even if it had to be that way, but it probably wouldn't be possible.

I had never recorded any footage separately. So even if I wanted to show the fight with Baek Hwaryeong or the subjugation of the Blood Cult Leader, I wouldn't be able to.

<That's fine! It records automatically!>

<What?>

According to Harin, VR devices automatically record footage unless you change the settings. Oh? So that's how it worked. I hadn't even known such a function existed, so the videos were probably still there. However, even if the footage existed, that wasn't the only problem. The conversations I'd had with others inside the game were also an issue.

For the people living in this game, it wouldn't be a big deal if I told them I was Baek Hwaryeong. After all, they were beings who lived in the world of Hwaryong Muin. At most, they would simply find me strange and wondrous, and it wouldn't escalate beyond that. I was also careful about who I spoke to. But modern people were different. If they learned of my abnormality, it would become an enormous topic of discussion. It would surely bring a massive storm to the leisurely life I was currently enjoying. I wanted no part of that.

<If you don't want to share the conversations inside, there's also a function to remove the voice.>

<...There's something like that too?>

<Yes! It's not difficult at all!>

The way Harin kept pushing this made it clear they really wanted to see me fight. But even if removing the voice was possible, I would have to handle it myself, and I wasn't sure I could manage it well. Perhaps it was because of my age, but learning new functions felt exhausting. Creating a video worthy of uploading to MyTube seemed even more daunting.

<If you upload a video to MyTube, it should calm the viewers' complaints! They're causing a ruckus because they want to see it.>

Harin's words made my ears perk up. In the end, their dissatisfaction stemmed from not being able to see me fight. So if I just showed them a battle scene, it would resolve some of their complaints? It was certainly an appealing idea, but it wasn't immediately helpful. No matter how I made and uploaded a video, it wouldn't help me navigate the ordeal I had to face tomorrow. Still, it was worth thinking about.

<Understood. Thank you for the advice.>

<No need!>

<As thanks, let's make this Saturday's training a bit longer.>

<...Yes?>

Even after closing the message window, messages kept coming from Harin, but I ignored them. They were probably things like "Thank you for working me harder," so there was no reason to read them. When I looked ahead again, I saw Baekju drooling and Baru licking her lips even while talking. Were they still discussing food? Weren't divine spirits supposed to be more lofty and detached? How could they be so driven by instinct?

As I looked at them with pity, Baekju turned her head toward me.

"Min-ga-nim. Was everything Baru said true?"

"If it's about food, then yes, it's all true."

"Goodness. To think so much progress was made while I was holed up in the mountains. Humans really are amazing."

"How long were you holed up in these mountains to say that?"

"...Hmm. Well, the last time I left this mountain and wandered around was before the Celestial Lord appeared, so it must have been quite a while."

Before that man, the Celestial Lord, appeared in the murim—that meant at least a hundred and fifty years ago. Come to think of it, Baru had said Baekju had lived longer than her. She looked about twenty on the outside, but in reality, she was an old hag who had lived for hundreds of years.

"I am curious how much has changed. The food especially."

"Once that old hag wakes up, let's go take a look together."

"That sounds nice."

*

The benefactor finally woke from his slumber around the time the crescent moon hung at the center of the sky. Beside the divine spirit who had returned to snake form to sleep and Baru, who was using him as a pillow while snoring, the benefactor staggered to his feet. Upon seeing my face, he immediately bowed his head and offered his thanks.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to surpass that wall."

"I was merely repaying a debt. Please raise your head."

"It wasn't my debt you repaid."

That was true. The one who had saved me wasn't the benefactor of this world. From the benefactor's perspective, it must have felt like he had incurred a one-sided debt.

"If you have any wishes, please tell me. As a user of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, I know my manners. If it's to repay this kindness, I'll do anything."

"Anything?"

"Yes."

"Then first, please speak to me casually."

Setting everything else aside, hearing you use formal speech makes my skin crawl. I can't stand it. When I made the request so abruptly, the benefactor looked flustered, but soon began speaking to me in a halting, casual tone.

"I... understand. Is there nothing else?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure."

Was there anything I wanted to ask of the benefactor? After all, anything the benefactor could do, I could already do myself, so even if I wanted to make a request, there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was nothing. But if I said I needed nothing, the benefactor would carry it as a burden on his mind. Hmm.

"I'll think about it and let you know."

"Very well. Take your time."

With that, silence filled the space. There were many things I wanted to say. The words I wanted to tell the benefactor were things I had accumulated over a lifetime, so there were bound to be many. But those were things I should say to the benefactor who had saved me, not to the benefactor of this world. Knowing that speaking without thought would trouble him, I held my tongue.

In the end, it was the benefactor who broke the silence.

"You said you were the Hwaryeong of another world."

"Yes."

"I don't think those words are a lie. There's nothing someone as transcendent as you could gain from connecting with someone like me."

"..."

"But it's hard to accept it emotionally. Honestly, I feel more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like I want to call you my master."

"That would be troublesome."

Setting everything else aside, being called master by the benefactor felt wrong. After all the years I'd spent bickering with that old hag, how could I allow this man to call me master? From my perspective, who still regretted never being able to call the old hag master, this was something I could never permit.

"I see."

The benefactor said that and stood up. Having reached a new realm and undergone a complete transformation, his body was far more robust than before. He had become one with the martial art he practiced, and even his physical form had reached an optimal state for wielding it. If he grew just a little more, he might even be able to perform phantom movements. The benefactor looked around at his body with wonder, then turned his gaze to me and cupped his fists.

"Even so, I'll shamelessly make a request. Could you give me a little more guidance?"

This man, who had once boldly declared he had no need to learn from anyone, lowering his head like this was clearly a major decision. Was I now giving guidance to the one who had once taught me?

"I can offer some advice."

Well, that much was fine. As long as he didn't call me master, I could do that much.

"Thank you."

In that case, he would have to enter the world of Hwaryong Muin and visit this mountain every day. ...No, there was no need for that. I could simply invite the benefactor to Mount Hua. As I thought that, a good idea suddenly occurred to me. The benefactor primarily used the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, but that didn't mean he didn't know other martial arts. He was someone who had studied and researched all sorts of martial arts to overcome the wall of enlightenment.

"I have a question. You know about the Mount Hua Sect's martial arts, correct?"

"You mean the orthodox Mount Hua? I know the basics."

"Then there's something I'd like to request."

*

"Hello, Queen of Firewood. Setting both the community and your own stream on fire—you really don't play around."

The next day, the moment Enri saw me, she said that. Even while teasing me, she looked at me with a somewhat pitiful expression, making it clear she knew my situation.

"I didn't really do anything wrong, did I?"

It wasn't like I had to broadcast every single thing I did twenty-four hours a day.

"Right?"

I had expected her to say I was at fault, but when Enri agreed with me, I was momentarily taken aback.

"It's not like Ara-ssi isn't streaming at all. You can turn off the stream and enjoy things separately."

"...Didn't you say something different when we met Baru last time?"

"Back then, Ara-ssi had already built up some bad karma."

"Did I do something wrong back then?"

"Yes! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠You said you wouldn't progress the story, but then you accepted a hidden quest!"

So the problem back then was making a promise and not keeping it, but this time, since no promise was made, it was fine? Then...

"If I didn't do anything wrong, why is there a fire?"

"They're throwing a tantrum. They want you to stream."

A tantrum? That reaction seemed a bit excessive for something like that.

"So I've brought a solution for Ara-ssi."

"A solution?"

"Yes!"

Since they want to see cool scenes, let's feed them a heaping serving. Enri said that and smiled.