The Heavenly Demon Who Reigns

Sip-.

Cheon Myeong was drinking tea in the reception room inside the Finance Hall.

'I've managed to get inside, at least.'

He had almost been treated like a madman by the gatekeeper and had not been able to get inside.

Of course, if he suddenly told him to deliver such a message to Hong Yeorin, he would be treated like a madman.

However, after Cheon Myeong revealed his identity, the gatekeeper's attitude changed, so he was able to pass through the main gate somehow.

So he was waiting for Hong Yeorin here now, drinking tea...

'...She's late.'

It seemed that it had already been half an hour since he had been waiting for Hong Yeorin in the reception room.

No matter how much he hadn't made an appointment in advance, wasn't this making him wait too long?

'Just by looking at how she's neglecting me, I can tell how that woman thinks of me.'

But still, the thirsty person has to dig the well.

Since Hong Yeorin's side was in the advantage now, Cheon Myeong had no choice but to wait quietly.

As he was waiting with a somewhat resigned heart, the door opened and someone came in.

'She came herself, at least.'

Cheon Myeong thought so as he looked at the person who had come in.

He had thought that perhaps Hong Yeorin would not come herself and would send someone to refuse the meeting.

But it seemed that he was not at that level yet.

Thanking Cheon Jin for now, Cheon Myeong got up from his seat.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

A middle-aged woman with gorgeous accessories all over her body came in and said.

Perhaps if he sold all the things there, he would be able to cover all of the Socheongak's budget and still have some left over.

As he thought that those accessories had been bought with the Socheongak's budget, Cheon Myeong felt bad for a moment, but he smiled without revealing that emotion on the outside.

"It's okay."

"It may sound like an excuse, but I had something to take care of right now."

"Is that so?"

It was highly likely that it was an excuse, as Hong Yeorin had said.

If there had really been such a thing, she would have sent someone in advance to explain the reason for being late.

The fact that she hadn't even done that meant that there was a high probability that she was just ignoring him.

'She's a cunning woman.'

Although Hong Yeorin's skin was white and flawless for her age, it felt more artificial than natural.

How much money had she spent on that face?

Just like the thick makeup on her face, it seemed that Hong Yeorin would not easily reveal her true feelings.

"Rather, since I came without contacting you in advance, you don't have to worry about it."

"If you think so, Young Master, I am just grateful."

"For now, let's not stand there and sit down and talk."

Cheon Myeong said that and sat down first.

And Hong Yeorin also came close to Cheon Myeong and sat down on the chair opposite him.

"By the way, Young Master, for what reason have you come to see me?"

As soon as she sat down, Hong Yeorin asked.

Hearing that, Cheon Myeong was about to burst out laughing, but he barely held it in and maintained his expression.

"Do you have no idea why I have come here?"

"I don't know."

Hong Yeorin answered without a change in her expression.

Cheon Myeong, of course, did not believe those words.

Does it make sense that the person who had reduced the Socheongak's budget now said she didn't know the reason?

Although she was telling a very blatant lie, Hong Yeorin's expression did not change at all, as if she had an iron plate on her face.

'Is she coming out like this?'

The so-called playing dumb.

In other words, it is also called denying.

Since it was a reaction he had expected to some extent, Cheon Myeong said with a calm face.

"I have been living at the Socheongak since a while ago."

"Wasn't that place originally where you resided, Young Master?"

"Are you pretending not to know even that fact?"

"..."

"Even if it was not officially known, as the Head of the Finance Hall, you would know that I had been exiled from the main headquarters until now."

It would be stranger not to know.

With the information power of the Finance Hall, they would know most of the things happening in the Demonic Cult.

Because where money gathers, information also naturally gathers.

In other words, the information power that Hong Yeorin had could be said to be considerable within the Demonic Cult.

"Isn't that right?"

Cheon Myeong pressed Hong Yeorin once again.

Then, Hong Yeorin answered Cheon Myeong with a meaningful smile.

"Yes, as you said, Young Master, I knew that fact."

"..."

"But since it was a part that the leader had not officially revealed, I said that earlier, so if you were offended by my lie, please forgive me generously."

"Then I will listen to one more thing and decide whether to forgive you or not."

The initiative of the conversation was now with Cheon Myeong.

In order to deal with Hong Yeorin, he would need to continue the initiative he had once grasped.

In order not to lose the initiative, Cheon Myeong continued to push Hong Yeorin.

"Then you must have also known that someone else had come to live at the Socheongak while I was away from the main headquarters."

"..."

Cheon Myeong did not mention Jang Hyeon directly.

Even if he didn't mention it, if Hong Yeorin agreed to that, he would be able to naturally continue the conversation to Jang Hyeon.

And from then on, he could also press her about whether she had reduced the budget at Jang Hyeon's instigation.

'If she just admits this fact, no matter how cunning Hong Yeorin is, she won't be able to pretend not to know anymore.'

That's why the answer now was the most important.

Depending on what Hong Yeorin answered here, the future aspect would change.

If he had asked about this out of the blue, Hong Yeorin would have naturally played dumb, but since Cheon Myeong had induced the conversation to flow in this way, he had some expectation that Hong Yeorin would answer as he wished.

"...I didn't know about that."

"..."

"I thought there were only servants at the Socheongak until now."

As expected of the Head of the Finance Hall.

Hong Yeorin did not easily fall for what Cheon Myeong wanted.

"Is that really true?"

"Yes."

Hong Yeorin answered with a calm face.

Looking at that, it seemed difficult to change her answer.

'It can't be helped.'

He had hoped that Hong Yeorin would fall for what he had intended as much as possible.

She is a difficult opponent, indeed.

Cheon Myeong thought so to himself and decided to act as he had originally thought.

"Head of the Finance Hall, no, Hong Yeorin."

Cheon Myeong suddenly called out Hong Yeorin's name openly.

At the same time, his gaze and voice changed.

As the prayer from Cheon Myeong changed to be completely sharp, unlike before, there was a slight reaction on Hong Yeorin's face as well.

"Are you telling me to believe that now?"

"...I don't know what you are misunderstanding, Young Master, but I really did not know that fact."

"Really? Then I'll ask. Why did you reduce the Socheongak's budget this quarter?"

"..."

"And you reduced it very openly. Yes, right after I returned to the Socheongak."

When Cheon Myeong said that, Hong Yeorin did not say anything.

Although she was trying hard to maintain her composure on the outside.

Hong Yeorin's heart was fluctuating considerably, like a rough wave.

'What is this? It's completely different from the appearance I knew.'

To think that that Cheon Myeong would emit such a sharp aura.

No matter how much it was Hong Yeorin, she couldn't help but be shaken by this.

Since he had always used honorifics and had never called her name directly until now, this appearance of Cheon Myeong felt quite unfamiliar to Hong Yeorin.

"..."

But still, a person doesn't change easily.

Moreover, didn't she know well what position Cheon Myeong was in within the Demonic Cult?

Hong Yeorin was not afraid at all, even if Cheon Myeong, who had been abandoned by the leader, got angry like this.

Rather, since he had nothing, she thought that he was just getting angry and bluffing.

"It seems there was some misunderstanding."

Hong Yeorin said, regaining her composure inwardly.

"Misunderstanding?"

"I just reduced the budget because the number of servants working at the Socheongak had decreased."

"So the budget, which was two hundred and fifty gold taels last quarter, became one tael this time?"

"I just thought you were not there, Young Master. I thought that one gold tael would be enough for the servants to live on anyway."

"..."

"Since we had allocated two hundred and fifty taels each time, frankly, I thought it would be okay not to pay the budget."

Hong Yeorin said with a shameless smile.

"Is the misunderstanding cleared up a bit now?"

"...Yes, I understand that."

"..."

"I have now returned to the main headquarters and am living at the Socheongak. Now that you know that I am staying there, it would be okay to return the budget to its original state."

Judging from Hong Yeorin's words, it would be so.

Since she had just said that she had reduced the budget because she didn't know that Cheon Myeong was at the Socheongak.

Now that she knew that fact, wouldn't it be only right to return the budget to its original state?

However, as soon as Hong Yeorin heard Cheon Myeong's words, she shook her head.

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

"The reason is confidential, so I can't say."

"..."

"Let's just say it's due to the internal affairs of the Finance Hall."

The internal affairs of the Finance Hall?

That's a convenient thing to make up.

'It's not the internal affairs of the Finance Hall, but your affairs.'

With this, the thought that Hong Yeorin had been instigated by someone became more firm.

And the person who had instigated her would be Jang Hyeon.

Although he had tried to reach a peaceful conclusion through conversation, it was a futile effort against an opponent who had no intention of doing so from the beginning.

If he had come here without preparing anything, he would have had to retreat as he was at this point.

'I have no choice but to use that card.'

The conversation was now over.

What he would do from now on was not a conversation, but a deal.

Cheon Myeong thought that now was the time to use the card he had prepared.

'It's over.'

Hong Yeorin thought so as she looked at the silent Cheon Myeong.

Would a dog soaked in the rain be scary, no matter how much it barked?

To Hong Yeorin, Cheon Myeong was such a being.

Of course, she had been a little surprised when he had barked loudly earlier.

But in the end, that was all.

Since the advantage of power was with her, the result was already decided.

"I am just sorry that I could not be of help."

Words without heart.

Hong Yeorin said that with the thought of quickly kicking Cheon Myeong out of this place.

"Hong Yeorin."

At that moment, Cheon Myeong called out Hong Yeorin's name.

What else is he trying to say to me for the last time?

Hong Yeorin looked at Cheon Myeong without a word, as if to say, 'go ahead and bark'.

"Let's make a deal."

"...?"

"I can give you what you want. So you also give me what I want."

"What I want...?"

Hearing that, Hong Yeorin couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.

To say he would give her what she wanted.

Although she didn't know if Cheon Myeong knew what that was and was saying that, Hong Yeorin did not think that Cheon Myeong could give her what she wanted.

"To say you will give me what I want..."

"..."

"Let's hear it. What can you give me?"

No matter what Cheon Myeong proposed, he would not be able to change her mind.

Hong Yeorin asked, using this as a pretext to kick Cheon Myeong out.

However.

"Pung-yu-hwan."

"..."

As those words came out of Cheon Myeong's mouth, Hong Yeorin's impregnable composure crumbled.

A face close to horror.

Seeing this, Cheon Myeong knew that he had properly hit Hong Yeorin's weak spot.

'It was really true.'

When he had heard this from Soyeon Sang, he had been half in doubt.

But seeing that, it seemed that Soyeon Sang had investigated properly.

"You've been looking for it desperately, haven't you?"

Cheon Myeong asked with a very relaxed smile.

Just by looking at the faces of the two, one could easily tell who had the initiative.

(End of Chapter)