Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Formal Ritual
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"Th-the incense suddenly burst into flames?"
"Aaaah! It's hot! Save me!"
"What is this? Someone get me some water!"
Before the cultists could even pinpoint the spies' locations, the incense I had tossed erupted in flames, taking them all down.
"They have bags of Blue Death Grass powder—inhaling even a little is lethal. Seize the bags with the powder first!"
I shouted out everything I had figured out.
"Yes, Advisor!"
The first to respond to my orders were Jang-ryu and Chae-chae.
"There really is a bag with powder in it. Is this Blue Death Grass?"
"Don't touch it or sniff it recklessly—just take them all!"
While Jang-ryu pinned the spies down with brute force, Chae-chae snatched the powder from them.
In the meantime, the Secret King took one of the mysterious powder-filled bags and examined it.
"It's Blue Death Grass, all right. Even a tiny amount can be fatal, so everyone, fall back!"
"They were really spies?"
"How did that advisor know?"
At the Secret King's words, the cultists buzzed with murmurs and quickly distanced themselves from the spies.
"You damn demonic cult bastards! If I'm going down, you're coming with me!"
"Not a chance!"
The spies, their plans foiled, drew hidden weapons and lunged at Jang-ryu and Chae-chae.
"Bro, with skills like that, you'd need a lifetime more of training to take us with you to the afterlife."
But the twins dispatched the spies in the blink of an eye with eerily similar moves, then proudly waved at me while holding the confiscated weapons.
Good job! Chae-chae! Jang-ryu! My proud big brothers!
I beamed back at them and waved in return, but then I noticed the sun high in the midday sky.
If I waste any more time here, I might not make it home before Daddy wakes up!
"If you want to take your corpses home, hand over your weapons nice and easy."
"Here—these are all of them! Please, just spare our lives!"
"Kneeling to the demonic cult? You traitorous scum!"
Watching the spies turn on each other like they wanted to kill one another, I could tell cleaning this up would take forever...
I can't afford to stick around any longer!
The spies are all caught anyway, so I'll leave the rest to the Secret King and the twins!
"Young Leader, we might be late for prayer time, so I must hurry off. Forgive my rudeness!"
"Seol—!"
I ignored the Young Leader's call and leaped over the nearby wall with agile grace, racing toward the Golden Immortal Lotus.
Finding the Golden Immortal Lotus wasn't hard.
Thanks to the flower seed, I can sense exactly where he is even from this distance.
I headed straight to my room.
"Finally done?"
He's here, as expected.
The Golden Immortal Lotus spun around once on the bedding and looked up at me as I entered.
"It's not quite over yet, but if I delay any longer, I won't make it home before Daddy wakes up. I'm in a real rush, so... can you hide my power as quickly as possible?"
"Ah... right, we agreed to seal your power."
As if he'd forgotten, the Golden Immortal Lotus sat up.
"Come sit here."
He sat on the bedding and beckoned me over.
I quickly sat where he pointed—facing away from him.
"I meant sit facing me. How strange. This body's face is beautiful enough to make anyone want even a glimpse."
He muttered to himself, puzzled.
"You just said 'sit,' didn't you?"
When I turned my head to retort, his face was right there, close enough that our noses nearly brushed. He was staring at me.
Eek!
The moment I reflexively tried to pull back, his arm wrapped around my back, holding me in place.
"Stay still."
His tiger-like golden eyes gleamed vividly, reflecting my image.
It was like a spell—I couldn't move a muscle.
Then, his lips softly touched my forehead.
The Golden Immortal Lotus... kissed my forehead?
While I froze in shock, his lips pulled away.
"What... what was that?"
"You asked me to hide it."
Unlike my flustered self, he replied calmly and prodded my forehead with a long finger.
"The power of the flower seed."
"Oh! So that was..."
"Just a formal ritual to seal the flower seed's power."
No wonder... The Golden Immortal Lotus wouldn't kiss me out of nowhere unless his head was cracked open.
"You could've explained first! I thought—!"
"Eek!"
Relieved, I playfully punched his abdomen, and he clutched the spot, letting out a yelp.
"Why not think about your power before swinging?"
"Isn't my power supposed to be hidden now?"
"It means others can't sense the flower seed's energy—not that the power's gone."
"Ah...! Got it! Sorry."
"Honestly, humans have so much to learn."
He shook his head like it was hopeless.
You've got plenty to learn yourself.
I had more to say, but since I'd hurt him unintentionally, I swallowed it.
At least now Daddy won't notice my power, right?
"Well, I'm off home then."
"In that outfit?"
Only then did I notice—I was still in my cult robes.
Robes that scream I'm the Young Leader's advisor, no less.
Remembering everything that happened in the cult made my first day here feel like ancient history.
Not the time! I need to change first.
"Where did I leave my backpack...?"
"Here."
The Golden Immortal Lotus handed it to me, then stepped out into the hallway to give me space.
I thought it was my imagination, but now it's clear. Yeon-hwa acts cold-faced but is actually sweet.
The sweeter his actions, the colder his expression.
Not honest at all.
I found his tsundere side cute for a moment, but then hurried to change clothes.
The boyish Golden Immortal Lotus stepped into the hallway, clutching his chest and leaning against the door before sliding down to sit.
Thump, thump, thump.
Why is this happening?
His heart pounded loudly, refusing to calm.
A side effect of giving her the flower seed? He didn't warn me about anything like that.
As he curled up, an image flashed in his mind: Cheon-seong's eyes closed during the forehead kiss.
Far from soothing his racing heart, the memory only fanned the flames.
"Just a formal ritual to seal the flower seed's power."
That's all it was, exactly as I said... yet...
His snowy white ears peeked through his golden hair, flushed red like ripe fruit.
"Ppi! (Long time no see!)"
As I reached the cult entrance to head home, Ppippi was waiting for me.
"Where have you been all this time? You didn't show your face once, Ppippi!"
"Ppi ppi! (It's a secret!)"
"That's mean! I'm hurt!"
"Ppi? Ppi! (You came back, didn't you? Just hop on before I leave you behind!)"
Ppippi really might ditch me. To cross the broken bridge over the ravine, I quietly climbed onto his back and returned to Ik-seon's house after seven days.
"Cheon-seong! How could you go to your grandparents' without telling Auntie? Just leaving a note like that."
Ik-seon's aunt fussed over me the moment she saw me, checking me all over while voicing her worries.
Good thing I left that note before leaving for the cult.
Before departing for the cult, I'd left a note to stop Ik-seon's family from going to Daddy if I vanished.
Going to grandparents' without telling Daddy. Don't worry! Back in 6 days! —Cheon-seong—
"Everyone was fast asleep, so I didn't want to wake you. Oh, and this grandparents' trip is top secret from Daddy—absolute no-tell."
"Why keep it from Daddy? He'd let you go if you asked."
"I can't explain everything, but things are bad between my grandparents and Daddy. If he finds out, it'll be a huge fight."
"Well, if that's how it is, no helping it. Everyone has secrets they can't share."
Thank goodness Ik-seon's aunt understood.
She's so kind. Now I just wait for Daddy to arrive?
The moment I stepped out to the porch to greet him—
"Cheon-seong!!"
Daddy came running from the direction of home, desperately calling my name.
"Daddy?"
"Cheon-seong!"
The instant he spotted me, he pulled me into his arms.
Unlike usual, his body trembled.
Why is Daddy like this?
His sleepwear suggested he'd just woken up, but why was he so anxious?
Soon, just like the aunt, he thoroughly checked me over.
"Are you okay? No injuries anywhere?"
At those words, a chill ran down my spine.
...Did he find out?