The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

"What? Is it okay for me to take on that role?"

Soyeon Sang asked, looking a little surprised.

Because he had just been told by Bang Gitae to be Cheon Myeong's exclusive escort.

Strictly speaking, Soyeon Sang's mission was to escort Cheon Myeong outside the main headquarters, so after Cheon Myeong returned to the main headquarters, he had been on standby without any mission.

"Why, do you not want to?"

Bang Gitae asked after sipping his tea.

Then, Soyeon Sang shot up from his seat.

And he said to Bang Gitae as if he were in a hurry.

"No! Please let me take on that role!"

Soyeon Sang had thought that his mission was over, so he had been away from Cheon Myeong.

Originally, he had wanted to be by his side and be a source of strength for Cheon Myeong as before.

But since he was a member of the Guardian Hall, he could not act as he pleased.

'I can watch Young Master Cheon Myeong's growth from the side again, just like before.'

But just in time, Bang Gitae was saying that it was okay to be by Cheon Myeong's side.

And as Cheon Myeong's exclusive escort.

Since it was a position where Soyeon Sang could openly help Cheon Myeong as he wished, there was no reason for Soyeon Sang to refuse.

"That's surprising."

"What?"

"I didn't know you wanted to be by Young Master Cheon Myeong's side that much."

Bang Gitae said with a chuckle.

The sight of Soyeon Sang reacting so urgently was quite a rare sight.

Doesn't that mean that Soyeon Sang wants to be Cheon Myeong's exclusive escort that much?

Bringing Cheon Myeong to the main headquarters, and now this reaction.

Bang Gitae was a little curious about what aspect of Cheon Myeong had fascinated Soyeon Sang so much.

"T-that's... since I've been escorting him until now, I just want to fulfill my duty to the end."

"Well, let's just say that."

"..."

Soyeon Sang sat down again, looking embarrassed.

Then, Bang Gitae looked at Soyeon Sang with a slightly serious face and said.

"As you know, becoming the Young Master's exclusive escort means that there will be a considerable amount of danger."

"..."

"Perhaps various dangers will befall the Young Master's well-being in the future."

Soyeon Sang immediately understood the meaning of what Bang Gitae was saying.

Currently, the Demonic Cult was in a whirlwind of invisible strife.

But the leader, who should have calmed that whirlwind, was showing an indifferent attitude to everything, so the whirlwind was not getting smaller, but was only getting bigger.

And Bang Gitae was now telling Soyeon Sang that that whirlwind would soon swallow Cheon Myeong.

"You, as his exclusive escort, will by no means be safe either."

Rather, it could be said that Soyeon Sang was more dangerous than Cheon Myeong.

Because an escort is that kind of role.

Even if he died, if he could save his master, he would have sufficiently fulfilled his role as an escort.

"Will you still accept this role?"

Bang Gitae confirmed one last time.

There was no need to think for a long time.

Because he had already made up his mind a year ago, when Cheon Myeong had shown him his potential.

Soyeon Sang said to Bang Gitae with a determined gaze.

"I will do it."

"..."

Seeing Soyeon Sang answer him, Bang Gitae became even more curious.

What on earth had changed about Cheon Myeong?

From the moment Cheon Myeong had come out of the leader's palace safely, Bang Gitae had unknowingly started to pay attention to Cheon Myeong.

And to think he had captured Soyeon Sang's heart so much.

'I'm quite looking forward to the Young Master's future actions.'

As expected, is the son of a tiger a tiger?

Bang Gitae thought it would be good to watch with interest what kind of true colors Cheon Myeong, who he had thought only knew how to eat grass until now, would reveal in the future.

* * *

About ten days had passed since Cheon Myeong had returned to the main headquarters.

Cheon Myeong also did not show any particular movement in the meantime, with the feeling of adapting to this place rather than moving right away.

If there was an incident, it was only the commotion with Jang Hyeon at the beginning.

Except for that, there were no particular incidents.

'Ah, there was also a little incident with Cheon Seong.'

After that, Cheon Myeong had not seen Cheon Seong.

Although he wanted to restore the relationship, he felt that if he hurried, he would make things worse, so he did not approach him from this side.

'Well, that side doesn't seem to be a problem that can be solved just by my efforts.'

Since the emotional rift towards him seemed to be quite deep, wouldn't it be better to just watch quietly rather than trying to touch it rashly?

It seemed that a proper catalyst was needed, but time would be the greatest medicine.

Since Cheon Seong's side was all worked up now, it seemed better to wait for him to cool down a little.

'Now I seem to have adapted to this life to some extent.'

After spending about ten days at the Socheongak, he was able to roughly figure out how the Demonic Cult was flowing.

The Demonic Cult could be said to be in a Warring States period right now.

The power that should have been united around the leader felt quite scattered.

Of course, it was not revealed on the outside.

But if you opened the lid and looked closely at the inside, you would be able to see that the Demonic Cult was currently divided into several factions.

'I roughly expected it, but... as expected, this is a time when the leader's authority is on the decline.'

Since Cheon Myeong roughly knew the future, he could roughly predict what would happen to the Demonic Cult if it continued to flow like this.

The endlessly falling authority of the leader, and in contrast, the growing prestige of the Five Great Demonic Families.

On top of that, since there was no one among the leader's bloodline who was worthy of succeeding as the next leader, the division of the Demonic Cult began from this point.

Of course, the last problem was a problem that would be solved if he built up his strength in the future.

But the other two problems were not problems that could be solved just by Cheon Myeong building up his strength.

'Suppressing the power of the Five Great Demonic Families is not a problem that I can do anything about now.'

The one who played that role was Cheon Jin, the leader.

However, Cheon Jin, for some unknown reason, was just leaving the Five Great Demonic Families alone.

On top of that, he only drank alcohol and had an attitude of not being interested in the affairs of the world.

So naturally, an environment where the power of the Five Great Demonic Families could naturally grow was bound to be created.

'What on earth is this damn leader doing right now?'

Does he even know how important this time is?

No, he probably didn't.

That's why he was letting the Five Great Demonic Families run wild like this.

'Should I try to persuade him?'

If I tell him that he needs to keep the Five Great Demonic Families in check, will Cheon Jin understand?

No, come to think of it, it doesn't seem so.

Would Cheon Jin even listen to his words in the first place?

Rather, he might try to kill him again for speaking rudely to him, the leader.

'It can't be helped. I have no choice but to play that role.'

If Cheon Jin didn't do it, he had no choice but to do it.

If he could just suppress the power of the Five Great Demonic Families, the Demonic Cult would not be divided as he knew it in the future.

Of course, it would not be as easy as it sounded, but that was the fastest shortcut to prevent the division of the Demonic Cult.

'For that, there are two conditions that must be prioritized.'

Becoming strong himself, and building a force that would be his strength.

Currently, there would be quite a few factions divided within the main headquarters.

The faction that supported Cheon Jin and Cheon Seong, the faction that supported the Five Great Demonic Families, and the faction that did not belong to either.

Sadly, there was no faction that supported him.

Well, that would be natural.

He had lost all his internal energy due to Qi Deviation, and his personality was like that, so even he wouldn't want to follow him.

'As expected, the task is to build my own force at the main headquarters first.'

That's why he had come to the main headquarters in a hurry.

To slowly build a force that would be his strength.

Then, the power to keep the Five Great Demonic Families in check would naturally be created for him.

'Whatever I do, becoming strong is the priority.'

Power naturally follows those who have it.

That was a lesson in life that Cheon Myeong had learned while living until now.

Since that would be the same now, the effort to become stronger would have to be continued in the future.

"Young Master."

While Cheon Myeong was thinking that in his room, Mihwa's voice was heard from outside the door.

"I've brought your meal."

Ah, is it time to eat already?

Even if he was worried, he had to fill his stomach first.

Since one's head doesn't work actively when one is hungry, Cheon Myeong was planning to eat first.

"Come in."

When Cheon Myeong said that, the door opened and Mihwa came in with a small dining table.

Wait... a small dining table?

Seeing the smaller dining table, Cheon Myeong began to feel anxious from that moment.

Thump-.

Mihwa put down the small dining table in front of Cheon Myeong.

And the moment he saw what was on that small dining table, Cheon Myeong knew that the anxiety he had felt was not wrong.

"Mihwa..."

Cheon Myeong called out to Mihwa in a slightly trembling voice.

"...Something seems to be wrong with the side dishes."

He could understand that there were few side dishes.

But why were all the side dishes he could see just vegetables?

Since a dining table that seemed to be for monks was placed in front of him, Cheon Myeong couldn't help but be bewildered.

"Is there no meat by any chance?"

Mihwa would surely know well that he liked meat more than vegetables.

Putting breakfast and lunch aside, to have vegetables even for dinner...

Although he didn't want to complain about the side dishes to Mihwa if possible, seeing the dining table that had become drastically simple compared to yesterday, Cheon Myeong couldn't help but blurt out those words.

"Young Master."

"..."

"I'm sorry, but it seems we can only have meat once every three days from now on."

"...What?"

Once every three days?

Cheon Myeong wondered for a moment if he had misheard Mihwa's words.

"W-what on earth does that mean?"

"..."

When Cheon Myeong asked, Mihwa did not say anything for a while.

Looking at that, it seemed that there was a situation she couldn't talk about.

Cheon Myeong decided to calm himself down first and asked Mihwa.

"Did something happen to the Socheongak?"

"...Actually, we're short on money."

"Short on money...?"

What on earth is this ridiculous joke?

The place where the son of the leader lives is short on money?

Unless the Demonic Cult itself was ruined, that was absolutely impossible.

"Doesn't the money come from the Finance Hall?"

It wasn't just the Socheongak.

All the institutions within the main headquarters received a designated amount of money from the Finance Hall.

With the amount designated by the Finance Hall, each institution used it where it was needed.

And since the Socheongak was also classified as an institution, money came in from the Finance Hall at regular intervals, just like other places.

"It did come in..."

When Cheon Myeong asked, Mihwa said in a small voice.

"How much came in?"

"That's..."

"..."

"...One gold tael."

"O-one gold tael?"

In the martial world, one gold tael was by no means a small amount.

However, the story changes if that is the money to be used for three months.

And even more so if it is the money that the entire Socheongak has to use.

At an amount less than the living expenses of a decent commoner family for three months, Cheon Myeong was at a loss for words.

(End of Chapter)