Chapter 19: A Man Crazier Than the Mad Demon (4)
A short while ago, So-yeon had entered the dining hall for a meal. She had intended to find a quiet spot as she always did, but the boisterous atmosphere drifting from afar caught her attention.
‘Is something going on?’
So-yeon cast a sidelong glance in that direction. It was a spot in the dining hall packed tightly with more cadets than usual. Seeing unfamiliar faces that she hadn’t seen during the orientation for the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion earlier, she immediately realized they were cadets from the Thousand-Day Pavilion.
‘No reason to pay much mind to it. It’s not like anyone’s dying.’
Although the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion cadets had also received instructions regarding the cooperative exam and needed to form groups, she had assumed it wasn’t the time for that yet. Just as she was about to turn away, uninterested, she spotted a face that stood out among the crowded throng.
It was Hajin.
His face remained calm as he ate, indifferent to the surrounding commotion. At that moment, the voice of her father, the Blade Demon, flashed through So-yeon’s mind.
-Keep a close eye on the cadet numbered four hundred who was just carried away. That fellow might be the biggest enigma of this entire batch.
The Blade Demon was never one to speak idly, and his words always carried a plausible reason, so So-yeon pondered for a moment. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she rose quietly from her seat.
‘I should go and see for myself.’
She began to walk slowly toward where Hajin was. As she approached the noisy, murmuring cadets, the chatter grew louder.
“Why is Lady So-yeon here?”
“What is the Blade Demon’s daughter doing here?”
Unlike the regulations within the Demonic Path Academy that claimed everyone was equal, there was an unspoken hierarchy among the cadets.
As the daughter of one of the Demonic Sovereigns, the Blade Demon, her status was inevitably quite high. Of course, the surrounding murmurs had no effect on her.
She looked only at Hajin and asked plainly.
“Would you care to join my group?”
A silence fell for a moment. The cadets were dumbfounded, but the most bewildered of all was Hajin. He blinked a few times before asking back without thinking.
“Suddenly…?”
At his very innocent reaction, So-yeon realized only then that she had brought up the main point too hastily. Isn’t conversation supposed to follow a certain order? She spoke again.
“I am preparing to form a group in anticipation of the second-stage exam. That is why I am extending the invitation.”
“No, I understand that. But why are you proposing it to me all of a sudden…?”
Hajin’s question was natural. A proposal to join a group is usually made after getting to know someone, isn’t it? So, in a situation where they were essentially strangers, he couldn’t help but be deeply perplexed.
Sadly, So-yeon was even less eloquent than she thought. She had no talent for long-winded explanations, and because of that, few people knew that she was the type to always get straight to the point.
She simply stated the facts. Facts that were merely highly restrained.
“It is because I am interested in you.”
Leaving behind those words, So-yeon turned around and left without a shred of lingering attachment, as if there were no need for further explanation, telling him to think about it and let her know.
After So-yeon left, the dining hall was engulfed in chaos, as if a bomb had gone off. The cadets nearby swarmed Hajin all at once.
“Hey! What kind of relationship do you have with the Blade Demon’s daughter!”
“Interested? Did you two know each other before?”
“Following the Mad Demon, now the Blade Demon? Who on earth are you! Ah, you said you were the Ghost Soul Hand’s disciple…”
Amidst a flurry of questions, jealousy, and awe-filled gazes, Hajin simply stared blankly at the spot where So-yeon had vanished. Who on earth was that person to disturb his peaceful mealtime like this?
And what was that about being interested…
Meanwhile, the cadets surrounded Hajin in an excited state. Even if this was the Heavenly Demonic Cult’s Demonic Path Academy and a place of brutal competition, they were still hot-blooded youths in their twenties.
Furthermore, the interest of a beauty who could be considered one of the Three Flowers of the Demonic Cult was enough to pique their curiosity, and the dining hall instantly became as noisy as a marketplace.
Meanwhile, in the midst of this commotion, Do-gyeong was lost in a completely different train of thought.
‘So-yeon expressed interest directly…’
He chewed over So-yeon’s shocking remark from just a moment ago, trying to organize his chaotic mind. At the same time, Do-gyeong’s eyes shone sharply.
‘Why would So-yeon approach Hajin…’
So-yeon was naturally one of the leading candidates who would aim for the position of Cult Leader. Considering that situation, various possibilities crossed his mind.
‘Hajin has the symbolism of being the Ghost Soul Hand’s disciple. Since he applied to the Thousand-Day Pavilion, the possibility of him being a direct competitor is low. So, is she trying to make Hajin her own person in advance?’
Moreover, the very fact that she made such a proposal to Hajin in front of everyone was good for creating a plausible image. Some might even wonder if the two had a deep relationship.
As he reached this hypothesis, the broken pieces seemed to fit together to some extent.
‘It is certainly a quite wise judgment. Because of this, there will likely be those who give up on the idea of approaching Hajin.’
Do-gyeong revised his assessment of So-yeon inwardly. He had merely considered her a fairly skilled martial artist basking in the Blade Demon’s shadow, but it seemed her political mind worked better than he thought.
Do-gyeong, who had revised his evaluation from average to high, cautiously watched Hajin’s reaction. Hajin was a talent that should not be snatched away like this.
Of course, if you cannot have something, the best thing to do is to ensure the opponent doesn’t get it either. Do-gyeong carefully tapped Hajin on the shoulder. He judged that talking any further here was meaningless.
-Let’s step outside for a moment.
After he expressed this carefully with his lips, Hajin nodded. Soon, the two rose from their seats.
“What, where are you going?”
“Just going to get some fresh air. We have something to discuss between the two of us.”
Do-gyeong stared straight at the others and replied.
The cadets, who had been about to stand up following the clear dismissal, hesitated for a moment and sat back down. And so, only the two of them stepped outside.
* * *
Leaning against a cold wall, Do-gyeong didn’t beat around the bush anymore and threw out the main point.
“Do you intend to go with So-yeon?”
The intent of probing was layered throughout his tone. Hajin pondered for a moment.
‘It was a bit bewildering when I first saw her, but…’
Her tone wasn’t arrogant, and compared to Cheon Ha-rin, who had tried to slice him up immediately with a blade drawn…
‘She’s practically an angel, isn’t she?’
Was it because the comparison was so extreme? So-yeon felt like a truly decent partner.
‘It certainly doesn’t seem like a bad idea to be in the same group.’
Hajin reached a conclusion inwardly and answered calmly.
“I suppose I might?”
The moment this answer fell, Do-gyeong’s mind became even more complex.
‘Is So-yeon the one Hajin has decided to support?’
It was fortunate that it wasn’t Cheon Ha-rin, the worst-case scenario from the perspective of the orthodox faction, but So-yeon was also a formidable opponent.
‘This has become troublesome as well. If so…’
Do-gyeong’s eyes narrowed. He was ready to draw up a new board immediately. It was to make So-yeon and Yun-geom form a group and keep Cheon Ha-rin in check.
Of course, it was an extremely dangerous task. But since it was clear that both were aiming for the position of Young Cult Leader, there was nothing more likely to surpass Cheon Ha-rin than this.
So he fell into a dilemma. Yun-geom and So-yeon. Both were uncomfortable opponents. But since this was a time when choice and concentration were needed, he quickly reached a conclusion.
‘Even if I have to link the two, it is important to first make Yun-geom closer to becoming the Young Cult Leader. Keeping Cheon Ha-rin in check is the priority.’
Rather than Cheon Ha-rin becoming the Young Cult Leader, it was better to be tied in a group with Yun-geom, even if it meant carrying the variable that was So-yeon. Thus, Do-gyeong decided to steer toward grouping Yun-geom and So-yeon together.
He looked at Hajin immediately.
“In that case, I will go find Yun-geom and ask if he has any intention of forming a group. You answer that you intend to be with So-yeon. How about we form a group all together like that? We need two cadets from the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion and six from the Thousand-Day Pavilion, so we just need to fill the remaining four.”
Hajin nodded at the proposal, which seemed quite attractive. It was a proposal that wasn’t bad for him either.
‘Yun-geom is a bit bothersome, but seeing Do-gyeong’s reaction, I wonder if he’s a decent guy, and it’s better than being in a group with some Demonic Cultist I don’t even know.’
It was a quite reasonable proposal. He had to form a group to take the exam anyway, and with this composition, he would be able to pass without difficulty.
“Then, is our business done now?”
It wasn’t important for Hajin to pass the Demonic Path Academy with high grades. It was enough to just pass smoothly; instead, his mind was filled with only one thought right now.
‘When should I go see Master again?’
The Mad Demon had clearly said that if he entered the Thousand-Day Pavilion, she would give him additional medicinal pills, so he should come find her. Although his Mana Spring had recovered a little, it hadn’t fully recovered yet, so it could be seen as the most urgent and important problem right now.
And Do-gyeong took Hajin’s answer as a sign that trust had been built between them. He nodded with a satisfied smile.
“Yes, let’s see each other later. I have things to do, so I must be going.”
Do-gyeong also said this and disappeared with quick strides. His back looked somehow anxious for some reason.
Do-gyeong’s inner self was indeed anxious.
‘I must report the variable immediately.’
So-yeon’s intervention and Hajin’s choice. All of these were significant variables that had to be reported to the higher-ups immediately.
Afterward, Do-gyeong, who had parted ways with Hajin, no longer stayed at the Demonic Path Academy. His footsteps began to move toward the outside of the academy without the slightest hesitation.
The place he headed to was a small, inconspicuous inn located in a corner of Black Wood Cliff. Do-gyeong entered naturally as if it were his own home and opened a small door in the back.
With a creaking sound, the door opened, and a space that looked like an ordinary kitchen appeared inside. In one corner, an old man could be seen sitting on a worn-out chair, trimming vegetables.
The old man glanced at Do-gyeong and then lowered his gaze. At first glance, he was a cook at the inn, through and through. He didn’t stop the knife in his hand and asked in an indifferent voice.
“So, another matter has arisen to report.”
His voice did not sound like that of an ordinary cook. Do-gyeong closed the door, stepped inside, and bowed respectfully before the old man.
"Yes, Branch Leader. It seems there is a matter that must be reported to the Alliance, no matter how I look at it."
"……To the Alliance? What is it?"
At Do-gyeong’s grave tone, the old man set down the vegetables he had been trimming and, for the first time, looked Do-gyeong squarely in the eye.
"Due to the intervention of the Mad Demon, the content of this stage of the examination has been abruptly changed. Consequently, unlike the original plan, the Heaven-Surpassing Pavilion and the Thousand-Day Pavilion will be taking a joint examination, and I have been forced to move in a direction that puts Yun-geom and So-yeon in the same group."
The moment he heard this, the old man’s expression turned icy. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. He asked the most important question.
"Is the containment of the Heavenly Family proceeding without issue?"
"Yes, it should be fine. I must ensure it remains so. Oh, and regarding the disciple of the Ghost Soul Hand—he has chosen the Thousand-Day Pavilion and has been placed in the same group as me."
"Is that so? Wait a moment. As it happens, I have something for you regarding the Ghost Soul Hand."
After a moment of contemplation, the old man handed a small box to Do-gyeong.
Click. The moment the box opened, Do-gyeong’s eyes widened in shock.
"What on earth is this?"
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