Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: It's Burning Up
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‘I figured it was strange that it hadn’t shown up yet.’
From now on, I had to participate in the event as the Young Cult Leader’s advisor.
As I withdrew the hand I’d placed on Golden Immortal Lotus’s head to start walking,
“I’ll be back, Lotus. You can watch the event or rest in the room. Do whatever you want.”
“Seol.”
The moment the words left my mouth, the Young Cult Leader’s voice urged me on.
‘Always in such a rush!’
“Coming! Let’s go!”
Unable to resist his urging, I ran toward him.
The Young Cult Leader then gazed down at me steadily.
‘He calls me urgently, then stares like this?’
“Aren’t we going?”
In response to my question, his hand brushed my hair.
‘What’s this now?’
“What are you doing?”
“It was messy.”
With those short words, he turned away from me as if it were nothing and walked on.
‘Since when has he been looking after me like this? What a weird guy.’
I smoothed the spot his hand had touched and hurried after him with quick steps.
“I’ll be back, Lotus. You can watch the event or rest in the room. Do whatever you want.”
Golden Immortal Lotus, who had been watching Seol Cheon-seong and Red Cloud recede into the distance, recalled her words.
“Do whatever I want?”
For some reason, Golden Immortal Lotus felt a pang of regret when Seol Cheon-seong’s hand, stroking his head, pulled away.
‘Enough to want to grab it and hold on again.’
Confused by the unfamiliar emotion, Golden Immortal Lotus returned to Seol Cheon-seong’s room and lay down on her bedding.
“Is it because of the flower seed?”
But he had never heard of anyone being drawn to the one who gave them a flower seed.
“Anyway, if I’m to do what I want... Seol.”
Golden Immortal Lotus folded his arms into a pillow on the spot where she had lain and sprawled face-down, whispering softly.
“You need to be by my side.”
Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Demon Cult, a memorial service was in full swing for those killed in the Tang Clan of Sichuan’s raid.
‘Honestly, I thought a heartless place like the Demon Cult wouldn’t care about a few deaths.’
Yet the cultists were placing flowers on coffins holding their comrades’ bodies, shedding genuine tears as they mourned their fallen.
“Surprised?”
‘Young Cult Leader, can he really read minds?’
Embarrassed that my inner thoughts had been guessed, I cleared my throat awkwardly. He glanced at me before turning back to those honoring the dead.
“It’s an event the Heavenly Demon created. Apparently, there was no such ritual in the old cult.”
‘Daddy made this event?’
“The Heavenly Demon did?”
“Yes. The Heavenly Demon doesn’t consider even a single cultist’s life wasted. He wanted to give their comrades and families enough time to remember and grieve. That way, they can find the strength to rise again.”
Suddenly, visions of all the deaths Daddy must have endured flashed before my eyes.
‘Did Daddy grieve enough to find the strength to stand again?’
No, maybe he hadn’t sorted through his feelings and had no choice but to keep going.
To save me. To raise me prettily, just like now.
For some reason, I felt sorry for Daddy.
“It’s a good event.”
At the same time, I thought Daddy was amazing.
‘Daddy must have been hurting too... But he still understands others’ grief. Daddy’s so cool.’
I’m so proud of whose daddy he is.
“The memorial’s ending soon. Prepare to go up.”
I was feeling proud for the first time that this place’s leader was my daddy when the Young Cult Leader turned to leave.
“Where to?”
To my question, he gazed indifferently down at the masses of cultists below the building and said calmly,
“Before everyone in the cult—everyone belonging to this Demon Cult.”
...What?
I’d expected a decent crowd since it was an announcement for the advisor position.
‘But I didn’t think it’d be this many!’
The banquet hall was packed so tight with cultists there was no room to step, making me instinctively press my forehead.
‘I didn’t want to get this famous...’
“Ready?”
As I let out a deep sigh, Five Elements appeared out of nowhere and spoke to me.
“There are so many people, it’ll take time to get used to it.”
“Makes sense. You’ve probably never seen the followers gathered like this before.”
“Yeah. More than that, I’m not sure I deserve a position like yours, Elder.”
“You’re too modest. With your power, you could handle something far higher.”
For a brief moment, Five Elements looked right through me as he spoke.
“You’re too generous. I don’t have that kind of power.”
“We’ll leave it at that for now.”
“Pardon?”
Before I could grasp his meaning, he pushed my back toward the platform.
“The Young Cult Leader will call you soon.”
“I will now introduce the one who will serve as my new advisor.”
As Five Elements said, the memorial had reached its final stage.
“A new advisor?”
“Didn’t Five Elements already handle that for the Young Cult Leader?”
The hall buzzed at the mention of a new advisor.
“Advisor Seol. Come forward.”
“Let’s go!”
Five Elements, more excited than me, urged me on with a booming voice.
‘Right. I decided to be the advisor anyway. I have to face this sometime.’
I straightened my clothes, put on a resolute face, and headed to the Young Cult Leader.
“Huh? That face?”
“Wasn’t she the Young Cult Leader’s servant girl just a few days ago?”
“Too young to be an advisor, isn’t she?”
“She’s got skills, though? Saw her struggling with a tray once.”
‘Stay calm. This is the reaction I expected.’
More than anything, I’d come here staking my life to cure Daddy’s illness!
I, Seol Cheon-seong, survived the flower seed’s trials.
That’s who I am.
Nothing scares me more than losing my father.
“Her name’s the new advisor Seol! Serve the Young Cult Leader well and contribute to the cult’s welfare going forward.”
“How’s a weak little thing like that supposed to protect the cult?”
“Yeah, as long as she doesn’t become a hostage for the cult!”
Despite my spirited words, those who’d seen me working as a servant began raising objections.
“Young Cult Leader, reconsider having a new disciple as your advisor!”
“Reconsider!”
As opposition boiled over, a familiar voice rang out from the crowd.
“It’s the Young Cult Leader’s own decision! Best wishes to Advisor Seol.”
“Long live Advisor Seol!”
The owner of that deafening, energetic voice was
‘Jang-ryu, Chae-chae!’
The chili paste twins.
‘You guys, making me tear up like this! With my comrades cheering me on, I can’t back down!’
With Jang-ryu and Chae-chae’s support, I quickly regained my composure.
The blurry faces in the crowd sharpened into focus.
At the same time, their voices rang clear, as if right beside me.
“Putting a kid who looks five or six as the Young Cult Leader’s advisor? The cult’s done for.”
“Good for us, though. Looks like the big shots are absent, and the cultists are divided and confused. Perfect for an attack, right?”
It was a whisper, but I heard it crystal clear.
‘Attack? Where’s that voice coming from?’
Come to think of it, ever since surviving the flower seed’s trials, my hearing had sharpened without me trying.
The flower seed’s power must have boosted that too.
“Got the Blue Death Grass powder? Deadly if swallowed, so no taking off the masks.”
“I know. Thinking of piling up cultist corpses here already gives me chills.”
‘Blue Death Grass?’
Planning to use Blue Death Grass meant they might be from the Tang Clan of Sichuan again.
‘To stop the attack, I need to find where that voice is coming from—fast.’
I focused harder on their voices to pinpoint them.
“Seol.”
“Shh, hold on. Be quiet.”
I signaled the calling Young Cult Leader to hush, then turned toward the voices.
There, five men in cultist robes and masks stood.
‘There! But how do I take them out from here?’
If I moved rashly, they could scatter Blue Death Grass powder and cause casualties.
Isn’t there a way to drop them all at once?
Scanning around, my eyes landed on a large table in front of the familiar maid who brought my morning meals.
At the same time, I remembered splitting a desk in two before the Young Cult Leader.
‘This is it!’
Without hesitation, I effortlessly lifted the massive table, hurled it at them with all my strength, and shouted,
“Spies!”
That was when
the airborne table burst into flames.