Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Like Family
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"Kiddo! Are you really okay?"
"I was so shocked when I heard you collapsed, Seol-i."
As soon as day broke, the room grew noisy with Jang-ryu and Chae-chae's voices.
"The Young Cult Leader said to set aside all duties today and focus on recovery."
It was possible only because the Five Elements Elder, who served as the Young Cult Leader's advisor and a Heavenly Demon Cult elder, had granted me the day off.
'Me of all people, mistaking a Heavenly Demon Cult elder for some powerless old man being exploited for labor...'
It was no different from reporting the cult's dirty secrets to one of its power holders.
The silver lining was that the Five Elements Elder didn't seem to take issue with anything I'd said or done that day.
'If word had reached the Young Cult Leader's ears, my head would've been gone by now...'
The lack of any reaction suggested he hadn't reported it.
'He's a Heavenly Demon Cult elder, sure... but he doesn't seem like a bad grandpa?'
Something about his gentle demeanor and warm tone stirred a nostalgic feeling.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Did you lose your voice or something?"
Unable to bear my brief silence lost in thought, Chae-chae shook my shoulders with a serious look on his face.
"Ow, dizzy! Stop shaking me! My head hurts!"
"Cut it out, Chae-chae! Seol-i's still recovering. Shaking her like that could make it worse!"
As I staggered, feeling the world spin, Jang-ryu restrained Chae-chae.
"Humans... are those our enemies? Or allies?"
The Golden Immortal Lotus, who had naturally supported my stumbling form, shot a sharp glare at Jang-ryu and Chae-chae.
"Allies. So stop glaring like you're about to kill them? You don't even have the strength to turn someone into a cripple anymore, right?"
"...Yeah."
The Golden Immortal Lotus's response sounded displeased.
'Can't blame him. Losing his divine powers overnight must be frustrating.'
"Alright, tell me. What do you need help with?"
"Protect me."
"......"
"You."
It must have taken great courage for a spirit being like the Golden Immortal Lotus to ask me for protection.
"Fine. I'll protect you as best I can."
That was why I couldn't refuse his request.
"But to survive in the Heavenly Demon Cult, you'll have to do exactly as I say. Can you manage that?"
"Eh, sure. Since you're protecting me, this body will graciously follow your lead."
'I set that condition, but there's no end to the things he needs to be careful about.'
I decided to teach the Golden Immortal Lotus step by step.
"Yeon-hwa, first off, it's best not to call people 'humans.' We can't let anyone know you're a spirit, so let's keep it normal."
"Don't call humans 'humans'?"
As he made a wronged face, I gave him a pointed look, and he obediently backed down.
"So what should I call them?"
"By name."
The Golden Immortal Lotus tilted his head at my words.
'Oh right, things have been so chaotic I never told him my name.'
"My name's Seol-i. Yours will be Yeon-hwa, like I called you before. Okay?"
"Seol-i..."
He murmured my name softly, then nodded in response.
"I just wanted to check if you could speak because I was worried about you, Seol-i! Jang-ryu, I hate you!"
"No way. Stay away from Seol-i."
Even after I finished talking with the Golden Immortal Lotus, Jang-ryu and Chae-chae kept bickering.
"Brother Jang-ryu, I'm fine, so you can stop. Brother Chae-chae was just worried about me."
"As expected, only Seol-i understands me!"
The moment I spoke, Chae-chae slipped away from Jang-ryu's grasp and plopped down right next to me.
"Who's the older brother and who's the younger... jeez."
Jang-ryu sighed deeply, looking troubled by Chae-chae's childish antics.
'Well, technically I'm the 9-year-old big sister, so it doesn't matter.'
Truth be told, I preferred this lively chaos over silence.
"By the way, who's this guy? Never seen him around the cult before."
'Knew it wouldn't pass that easily...'
Chae-chae asked about the Golden Immortal Lotus supporting me.
"Well... he's my relative, Yeon-hwa."
I hastily fabricated an identity for him on the spot.
"Oh, so he's Seol-i's relative."
Chae-chae eyed the Golden Immortal Lotus warily, scrutinizing him.
"But..."
His gaze sharpened for a moment as he studied him closely.
"You two don't look anything alike, even for relatives."
'Oh, forgot about that.'
The Golden Immortal Lotus's unnecessarily flashy, beautiful appearance!
There was no way I, a mere human, could match a spirit's beauty.
'Chae-chae's sharper than he lets on.'
But I couldn't let his true nature be exposed!
"Th-that's... because he's from my maternal side."
Chae-chae stared suspiciously for a while before suddenly clapping his hands.
'Did he figure it out?'
I tensed up.
"Got it. Maternal relatives might not resemble each other. If he's Seol-i's family, he's basically mine too. Let's get along from now on."
Innocent as ever, Chae-chae approached the Golden Immortal Lotus amiably now that his curiosity was sated.
"This body, family with some...!"
"Yeon-hwa must really like it. He acts prickly because he's shy."
Whether he disliked mingling with humans or was about to snap, I clamped his mouth shut with all my strength and smoothed things over.
"Anyway, it seemed noisier outside than usual. What's going on?"
"Oh, that!"
'Smooth transition.'
I changed the subject seamlessly and breathed a sigh of relief.
The Golden Immortal Lotus, looking annoyed, grudgingly peeled my hand off his mouth.
'He's sulking now.'
But now wasn't the time to worry about his mood.
'This building houses only the Young Cult Leader and me. And last night, a group of five or six passed through the corridors stealthily.'
It must mean those moving covertly in the cult had business to report to the Young Cult Leader.
Judging by Chae-chae's reaction, he knew about the outside happenings.
"Big Bro's back. He's such a terrible sense of direction, he gets lost periodically. He vanished for a few days again this time."
'Chae-chae's 'Big Bro' is the Secret King!'
From what he said, the Secret King disguised his periodic Three Secret Squad missions as getting lost due to his poor direction sense.
'What a lame excuse... at least make it believable. Anyway, his return means the investigation into what I said is done.'
Time to escape servant duty for the Young Cult Leader!
I secretly grinned at the rising joy when a shadow fell over the paper screen door.
"Everyone, withdraw."
The visitor was the Young Cult Leader.
'It's time!'
"Everyone except Seol-i, follow me out."
The Five Elements Elder led Chae-chae and Jang-ryu outside.
The Golden Immortal Lotus stubbornly stayed by my side, ignoring the order to leave.
"May Yeon-hwa stay? He's family."
"Family?"
The Young Cult Leader furrowed his brow at the word.
"Yes, a maternal relative."
"Even for maternal kin, you don't resemble each other at all."
'I know, right?'
"Distant maternal relative."
His expression soured further, but unable to find a reason to eject him, he turned his gaze to me.
"State what you want."
'Asking what I want means everything I said checked out?'
I wasn't particularly fond of the Young Cult Leader, but I appreciated how he cut straight to the point without preamble.
"First, to see the future, I must visit the sacred site every six days for a week of prayer. If impure thoughts follow me, visions may not come clearly, so please don't tail me."
"Very well."
'I figured he'd suspect me as a spy and refuse outright... but he's agreeing so readily?'
"Next?"
Stunned, I heard him prompt for the next condition.
"Officially recognizing me as a Three Secret Squad member was already promised, so nothing more there..."
I glanced at the Golden Immortal Lotus.
"Please accept Yeon-hwa into the cult."
"I told you, the cult doesn't take in those without assigned duties."
He hadn't said it outright, but his whole body language rejected the Golden Immortal Lotus.
"You've heard, I assume. Only Yeon-hwa can heal my body. Without a healthy body, I can't see the future, right?"
"...Fine. Those are your conditions."
Reluctantly permitting the Golden Immortal Lotus's entry, the Young Cult Leader showed no intent to yield further.
"Now, my conditions."
"Pardon?"
"Letting an unverified potential spy into the Three Secret Squad means I have terms too."
'Knew there was a catch to agreeing so easily.'
But I'd already gotten what I wanted.
One demand from him was no big deal.
"Yes, speak."
"Three Secret Squad members must keep their identities hidden from the outside. Live disguised, like the Secret King."
I nodded without resistance, already aware.
"You."
His red lips curved into an alluring half-moon as he regarded me.
"Serve as my aide. Within my line of sight."