Chapter 46: Poison Demon, Jegal-hwi-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46: Poison Demon, Jegal-hwi-1
Life in the Black Sky Cult continued. Maebwa and Yeonhwa remained my constant companions, soothing my boredom with their conversation.
True to her appearance, Yeonhwa was a child brimming with curiosity. I don't know what she found so fascinating about me, but she would toss out a question every three steps.
— What’s your favorite food?
— When did you first meet the Sect Leader?
— Do you like flowers too, Young Sect Leader?
Questions like these flew at me at random, and I gave non-committal answers to each one.
My assessment of Maebwa as a seasoned veteran proved correct. Just as I was beginning to grow weary of Yeonhwa’s interrogation, she would step in and restrain the girl.
Whenever that happened, I would offer her a small nod of thanks, which she acknowledged with a slight bow of her head.
I was currently savoring this leisure.
My daily routine consisted of waking up, taking a stroll, eating at set times, playing with Yeonhwa, and then, at night, relieving my Master’s fatigue after she finished her official duties.
Master was busy. In particular, as the day drew near for her to depart for the front lines where the Sword Demon was stationed, the time we spent face-to-face dwindled.
To be honest, it was unexpected. Given the depth of her obsession, I thought she would keep me tucked under her arm whether she was working or sleeping.
Perhaps it was a display of the Heavenly Demon’s superhuman patience, but she rarely crossed paths with me outside of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime.
I suppose the burden of leading an entire organization kept her occupied.
Maebwa had once mentioned in passing that the weight of many lives within the Black Sky Cult rested upon the Sect Leader’s shoulders.
The Chief Steward was just as difficult to see as Master, but I could glean news of his current state through the idle gossip of the servants passing by.
Apparently, he had another nosebleed yesterday and dismissed all the servants from his office.
I couldn't help but think he was being a bit overly fastidious about his appearance.
Sigh. Still, he shouldn't overwork himself.
For some reason, memories of my life in the previous dimension surfaced.
I wondered how Lee Mina was doing.
I hoped she was doing well. Perhaps, with the existence known as "me" who possessed her world gone, she had forgotten everything and was living a normal life.
"Oh! So this is where you were?"
The Fist Demon approached with a sly grin. He was munching on something—undoubtedly a dumpling he’d swiped from somewhere.
I had never once seen the Fist Demon actually working.
Whenever I asked, "Don't you have work to do?" he would reply that he’d finished it all, but frankly, I didn't believe him.
"What is it this time?"
The Fist Demon always tried to hang around me. While there was surely a human desire to get close to me as the Young Sect Leader, there was a more practical reason.
"Since we’ve run into each other like this, how about a drink?"
"The sun hasn't even set yet."
I suspected this was his primary motive.
Since Master tended to dote on me, he likely wanted to use me as a shield so he could slack off and play.
It was a foolish thought, though. I wondered what he planned to do if Master sent me back and stayed behind just to beat the living daylights out of him.
As the Spirit Demon said, he was a man who didn't think even one step ahead.
"Ah, does one really need the sun to go down to drink? You just drink when you want to. Sometimes, alcohol tastes even sweeter under the sun."
Still, on a human level, he wasn't a bad guy. He had that "he's a good kid at heart" vibe.
I gave him a half-hearted response to his pushiness while scanning the surroundings.
It was about time for her to show up.
"Fist Demon. Slacking off here again?"
The Spirit Demon descended from a tree, her voice sharp with reprimand.
After she had emerged from my shadow last time, I had asked her to keep her surveillance—she called it "guarding"—from a different vantage point.
The Fist Demon’s face crumpled the moment he saw her.
"Ugh, you again? Why are you always sticking to the Young Sect Leader’s side?"
"I believe I told you it is the Sect Leader’s command. Return to your duties immediately. I am certain you have materials in the warehouse to organize."
"Ah, I finished all that."
"The Chief Steward probably did it for you."
A verbal sparring match began, neither side yielding an inch.
"Would you like some tea? I have refreshments as well."
As the two raised their voices in argument, Maebwa, who had been standing by, asked quietly.
When I nodded, she produced tea and snacks she had brought in a small bundle.
"Let's share."
When I offered the food to Maebwa and Yeonhwa, Maebwa declined, but Yeonhwa began eating the snacks with a beaming smile.
Maebwa’s eyes sharpened like a hawk's as she watched the girl, but I gave her a signal that it was fine.
Yeonhwa, Maebwa, and I sat under the shade of the tree, watching the Fist Demon and the Spirit Demon bicker.
"Wow. This is fun."
"They say watching a fight is the best kind of entertainment, Young Sect Leader," Yeonhwa chimed in.
True, you're right.
Crunch. The snacks were quite delicious.
*
The argument between the two showed no signs of ending.
At first, they seemed to maintain some semblance of decorum, but once they ran out of valid points, they began hurling raw insults at each other.
To think these two were high-ranking executives of the Black Sky Cult, the Three Demons who struck terror into the heart of the Central Plains... I didn't know much, but I was sure people from the Orthodox Sects would be horrified if they saw this.
"Hah! You got absolutely wrecked by the Thunder Sword, yet you're lecturing me about martial arts?"
"And weren't you the one who got kicked in the rear by the Thunder Sword last time? I still remember how you couldn't sleep for three days because of your swollen backside."
"Hey! That was...! Ahem, well, I was caught off guard, and the Thunder Sword has gotten quite strong."
"It was also because you drank so much the night before that you hadn't even sobered up."
The Spirit Demon curled one side of her lip into a smirk, causing the Fist Demon’s face to turn bright red.
"Fine, let's just settle this with a fight!"
The Fist Demon threw off his outer robe and took a stance. In response, the Spirit Demon drew the dagger at her waist, preparing to face him.
Hmm, this is escalating.
"That's enough. Colleagues should get along."
I stepped in to stop them, worried that we might get caught in the crossfire.
"I apologize for showing you such a pathetic display, Young Sect Leader."
At my words, the Spirit Demon bowed low, and the Fist Demon scratched his head, giving a quick nod.
"I've rested enough. Let's head back to the palace."
I spoke to Maebwa, and she began packing the plates away.
On the way back to the palace, we retraced our steps along the walking path.
As we passed through a lush tunnel of trees, a question that had been on my mind occurred to me, and I directed it at the Spirit Demon and the Fist Demon.
"By the way, what is the power hierarchy like in the Black Sky Cult? You know, like a ranking of strength?"
"The Sect Leader is the strongest, of course."
That much was obvious.
"And second?"
"The Sword Demon. He is a man who has mastered the sword to such an extent that even the Sect Leader acknowledges him."
"Aside from being so taciturn that he's no fun to be around, he's a great older brother. Though he doesn't drink much."
The Spirit Demon and the Fist Demon took turns answering.
"And third?"
"It's the Spirit Demon."
The Fist Demon pouted and pointed a finger at her. The Spirit Demon looked at me with a strangely triumphant expression, as if saying, 'See?'
"You're surprisingly quick to admit that."
At my surprise, the Fist Demon grumbled his explanation.
To ensure they didn't neglect their martial progress, Master apparently arranged periodic sparring matches between the Three Demons.
The Sword Demon had held an immovable second place, and the Fist Demon used to be third, but the ranking had recently swapped because the Spirit Demon managed to suppress him in their latest match.
"It is the result of him neglecting his training," she said, planting her hands on her hips. She seemed incredibly proud of claiming the third spot.
Then, it suddenly occurred to me to wonder why the Chief Steward didn't participate in those matches.
"But doesn't the Chief Steward participate in the sparring?"
"Uh... well, the Chief Steward is... a bit difficult to place in the rankings."
Ah, right. He had such a frail constitution that he'd have nosebleeds just standing still; it would be difficult for him to engage in a duel. I understood.
"I suppose so, given his weak health."
"Pardon? Ah, well, there's that too, but..."
The Fist Demon opened his mouth as if he had more to say, but he fell silent when the Spirit Demon nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.
What was that about?