Chapter 60

----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: uly Chapter: 60 Chapter Title: Lightning ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Seol Advisor, I'm really fine.... It's just that this old man can't even take care of his own body.... I'm sorry." Wearing the scarf, Five Elements apologized to me while coughing lightly over and over. 'He must be feeling really unwell.' I looked at Five Elements with concern. In the end, the scarf I'd received as a gift from Golden Immortal Lotus had gone to Five Elements on the very ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first day. 'Technically, I just lent it to him.... But why do I feel like I've been tricked?' Eh, the Young Cult Leader might pull something like that, but Advisor Five Elements wouldn't team up with him to mess with me. Advisor Five Elements is such a kind and gentle person.... I shook my head side to side, telling myself not to think nonsense, when Five Elements approached holding a scroll. "Seol Advisor, I'll place the materials for the Young Cult Leader and yourself on the podium, so please put the scrolls on the seats for the eleven elders." "Yes... Yes? Wait a minute, Advisor Five Elements!" 'Did he just say podium, not my seat?' There was only one podium in this place. I stared at the podium standing alone in the center of the conference hall. 'Right in the middle... Just looking at it feels burdensome.' It seemed like the podium where the person leading the meeting would stand.... There's no way that's my spot. But it wouldn't hurt to confirm precisely. "What's wrong, Seol Advisor?" "I was just wondering where my seat is." "Didn't I just tell you? Your seat is over there." Five Elements kindly extended his finger to point out my seat. My gaze followed his finger and landed exactly on the podium. 'Is that really my seat?' "You don't mean the podium in the center of the elders' seats, do you?" "That's right. Today, Seol Advisor, you will be leading the eleven elders' meeting. Didn't the Young Cult Leader tell you in advance?" 'Not at all?' "Now that you've heard, that's fine. Leading a meeting is simple anyway. That's why he didn't mention it." While I was flustered, the Young Cult Leader's voice came from behind me. 'Why is he so brazen about it?' Plus, this is my job! "Leading the eleven elders' meeting—how is that simple? You should have told me about something this important ahead of time!" "It's nothing much. Just read the agenda and ask for opinions, and it's done." 'Yes, yes! Everything's simple for you, Young Cult Leader.' As I fumed, the Young Cult Leader snatched one of the scrolls Five Elements was holding and handed it to me. "This is your scroll. Open it up." "They're all the same scrolls anyway, so..." I couldn't finish my sentence after unrolling the scroll. My scroll was densely filled with notes on the elders' characteristics, key agenda items, and simple conducting phrases. 'This handwriting is definitely the Young Cult Leader's.' As I stood there bewildered, the Young Cult Leader continued in an indifferent tone. "I've summarized the necessary information simply, so you should be able to lead the meeting without issue by following that." "Why would you, Young Cult Leader.... You're already busy enough with your own ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠duties—how?" When I asked him doubtfully, he replied as if it were no big deal. "You're busy with your training too. Don't worry about it. This much is nothing to me." 'Filling it out this densely must have taken at least a full day....' Did he notice how tired I get the day after training and prepare this out of consideration? In fact, whenever I dozed off exhausted during work hours, the Young Cult Leader would drape his outer robe over me or let me rest comfortably slumped over. 'I didn't ask for it, but there were times I was grateful before....' "Thank you..." I tried to thank the Young Cult Leader, but he had already walked far away. 'When did he get all the way over there? ...

He's really impossible to read.' "Five Elements, it seems the Young Cult Leader truly cherishes Seol Advisor. He may be clumsy at expressing emotions, so his actions might seem rough, but please don't hold it against him. This old man would love to see the two of you getting along well."

Five Elements soothed my flustered self with a warm smile. 'The Young Cult Leader cherishes me...!' He could say that because he didn't know the hardships I've endured because of the Young Cult Leader before he arrived! But I ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't want to worry Advisor Five Elements, who was already not feeling well.

"Yes, I'll try."

I gave him a formal reply, then began placing the scrolls one by one on the eleven elders' seats.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "There's still time before the meeting, so go rest."

Finishing up the conference hall arrangements went faster than expected. As promised before I became an advisor, the Young Cult Leader let me use the remaining time as personal time. 'I'm not really sleepy.... And it's an awkward time for training.' As I pondered what to do, one idea came to mind. 'Right, I have to do it anyway, so let's get it over with quickly.' I headed straight to my room and pulled out the scrap of fabric I'd received from Gwang-yu.

"Why are you back so soon? What's that?"

Perhaps tired of rolling around on the bedding, Golden Immortal Lotus welcomed me and bombarded me with questions.

"I had a bit of free time. This needs mending to return to someone. But I don't have any tools..."

As I looked troubled, my eyes fell on Golden Immortal Lotus's fabrics and sewing tools. 'Right! She has those.' I pointed at them without hesitation.

"Yeon-hwa, can I borrow those?"

"Sure, whatever."

Golden Immortal Lotus handed over the fabric and tools as if it were nothing.

"Now that I have all the materials, shall we get started for real?"

I rolled up my sleeves and picked up the needle and thread, and Golden Immortal Lotus watched the process with interest.

"So, cut the new fabric to the right size, then sew it with needle and thread so the fabric doesn't fray.... Ow!"

"You idiot human! That's sewing your finger, not the fabric!"

Golden Immortal Lotus grabbed my stabbed finger in horror.

"It's fine. I can apply some medicine later."

"No need for medicine."

Golden Immortal Lotus wrapped her hand over the injury, and a golden light appeared as the wound on my ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠finger vanished cleanly.

"Huh? The wound's gone! How did you do that?"

"I told you. This body is a healing spirit beast!"

Seeing my admiration, Golden Immortal Lotus puffed up with pride. 'This is better than any red medicine—practically a cure-all.' No wonder she's so confident.

"Amazing! Then I'll have to ask you a few more times!"

Taking comfort in Golden Immortal Lotus's presence, I picked up the needle again.

"Human, what are you..."

"Ow!"

It didn't take long for Golden Immortal Lotus to realize the implication in my words. 'By the time I got this far, I must have stabbed my finger over ten times....' I looked at the somewhat completed handkerchief and the exhausted Golden Immortal Lotus, who had collapsed after healing me.

"Stop holding needles, human...."

Golden Immortal Lotus shuddered just at the sight of me picking up the needle. 'I feel bad for making her go through all this trouble.' "Don't worry. It's done now. Look!"

I held up the handkerchief with the black snake embroidery I'd poured my heart into for Golden Immortal Lotus to see.

"Doesn't this snake look pretty fierce?"

"Where's the snake?"

At Golden Immortal Lotus's genuinely confused question, I pointed at the embroidery as if it were obvious.

"Right here. The black snake."

"... I thought it was a depiction of black lightning."

"Who embroiders black lightning on a handkerchief? That's ominous."

Golden Immortal Lotus stared at me silently. 'Now that she mentions it, it does kind of look like a black lightning bolt....' I carefully set down the needle and asked Golden Immortal Lotus seriously.

"Should I do it again?"

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Stop! If you do that twice, you'll kill both yourself and this body!" I'd only suggested remaking the handkerchief, but Golden Immortal Lotus tried to stop me as if we were about to fight a great war. 'In the end, I couldn't remake it....' "Oh, everyone's here early. Is there anything I can help with?" Returning to the conference hall, I was organizing scrolls when a woman entered just in time. 'Silver hair and blue eyes.... Just like my hair and eye color.' Daddy said people with my hair and eye color are rare—how amazing! The difference was that she had short hair and was a mature, elegant beauty. 'I want to grow up like her.' It felt like I'd found a role model. As I admired her inwardly, Five Elements greeted her warmly. "Oh, Lady Ryu-on has arrived. You're always busy raising the children, so please rest now that you're here." 'Huh? She has kids?' And children, plural—not just one. 'She doesn't look like a mom at all!' She's too young and beautiful; I almost called her big sister.... "If even you, Five Elements, are working diligently, how can I sit idle? Could you share some of those scrolls with me?" Unable to hide my surprise, the pretty big sis.... no, Ryu-on, called out to me. "Ah, it's fine. I can handle it myself!" I politely declined Ryu-on's offer to help, as only a few scrolls remained in my arms, when... "Wait.... You wouldn't be..." Ryu-on's hand trembled as she faced me. "Cheon-seong?"

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Chapter 60

Chapter 60

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