The Mistress of Cheonhwaru was deeply moved.
Far from getting angry, Extreme Evil Soma had said the very words she had longed so desperately to hear.
“Yes. I really want to see your room.”
She struggled to hold back the tears threatening to fall. As the mistress of Cheonhwaru, she had endured all manner of hardship, yet she had never cried. And now, at that one sentence from Extreme Evil Soma, tears were welling in her eyes.
She felt as though the bond she had built with Extreme Evil Soma, the affection between them, had been completed in this moment.
They had never once spoken to each other about love, but the words Extreme Evil Soma had just spoken sounded to her like a confession of love. He had merely said he would show her his room, and yet.
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru said to Geom Mugeuk,
“Thank you, Second Young Master.”
While waiting for Extreme Evil Soma to awaken, she had heard from Seo Daeryong that Geom Mugeuk had carried Extreme Evil Soma on his back and run a great distance. On top of that, he had even yielded the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, something any martial artist would desire.
“All I did was carry him and run. Your thanks should go not to me, but to the Demon Physician.”
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru expressed her gratitude to the Demon Physician as well.
“Thank you, Medical Immortal.”
“Not at all, madam. The Demon Venerable was so robust that there was no real danger, so there is no need to thank me. I will send the medicine he must take from now on to the Valley of Villains, so the two of you may go.”
Thus, Extreme Evil Soma and the Mistress of Cheonhwaru left the infirmary first.
Watching the two of them, the Demon Physician thought of his wife. We had times like that too, he thought.
And surprisingly, even though he had thought of his wife, he felt at ease, unlike before.
The Demon Physician said to Geom Mugeuk,
“There were times when I wondered if I might feel hollow after finishing my revenge.”
“Do you feel hollow?”
The Demon Physician shook his head firmly.
“Not at all. My heart feels so peaceful and good that I wonder if it is all right for me to feel this way.”
“You may feel even more exhilarated than that.”
“Could you spare me a little time? There is something I want to show you.”
The Demon Physician took Geom Mugeuk into his quarters. Passing through a secret door, he led him to the place he had shown him once before.
There, he had recreated the house where he used to live, but now it had changed.
Bookshelves had been placed on all sides, and it had been turned into a study where one could sit comfortably and read. He was in the midst of changing in order to live a new life.
“Oh, this has a fine atmosphere. Elder Saber Demon also loves books very much.”
“I know. That fellow and I often talk about books.”
To the Demon Physician, the Blood Heaven Saber Demon was the only person he could call a friend.
Just then, Geom Mugeuk noticed the wood placed in one corner.
“What is that?”
There was not only wood, but also tools for trimming and carving it.
“My father was a carpenter. When I think of my father, what I remember is the sight of him carving wood in the yard. Now I am thinking of trying my hand at it, even if only as a hobby.”
The Demon Physician let out a light sigh and added,
“There has never been such an unfilial son as I. Only now that my son has found peace in my heart do I think of my father.”
“Your father must have been the same.”
The two looked at each other and smiled pleasantly.
Geom Mugeuk was grateful. He was grateful that the man was trying to change like this, and above all, that he was showing him the changed version of himself.
Because of you, I am becoming this happy.
That was what the Demon Physician was saying now. Yes, this was how it had to be said. Only when it was said like this could he know it. If it was not spoken, one could not know.
Thank you, Demon Physician.
For making me feel that risking my life had been worthwhile.
And please, be happy.
* * *
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru was experiencing walking through the inner court of the Demonic Cult for the first time in her life.
The demonic practitioners they encountered bowed respectfully to Extreme Evil Soma in greeting.
They were all vicious-looking demonic practitioners. Those terrifying men, who looked as though they could overturn the murim if they emerged into the world, greeted Extreme Evil Soma as meekly as newlywed brides.
She whispered so that only Extreme Evil Soma could hear.
“I had forgotten what kind of person you were. You were this extraordinary.”
Extreme Evil Soma was a man too, so the words were not entirely displeasing to him.
“From now on, I should hang your mask in front of Cheonhwaru. You bastards, just try getting drunk and causing trouble!”
At her joke, Extreme Evil Soma merely smiled silently with his eyes. Since he was a man of few words even in ordinary times, she did not mind at all when he gave no reply.
I am so nervous right now, that building is truly unusual, are there martial artists lying in ambush over there? She chattered on about all sorts of things, then added one last sentence.
“I’m sorry. For coming here as I pleased.”
He had only listened to everything else, but to those words, Extreme Evil Soma answered.
“It’s fine.”
And then he added a sentence he would ordinarily never have said.
“I had intended to bring you here once, someday.”
Because Extreme Evil Soma was usually so taciturn, each of these sentences moved her deeply.
In the meantime, the two arrived at the Valley of Villains.
The sight spread out at the entrance startled the Mistress of Cheonhwaru.
There, countless Faceless Guests were lined up in formation.
At the news that Extreme Evil Soma had recovered from his injuries and was returning, all of them had gathered. They all wore white masks, and every mask was smiling. It was a frightening yet magnificent sight. Today was the first time she learned that Extreme Evil Soma had this many subordinates.
As the two passed, the Faceless Guests nearby bowed their heads. The greetings of the Faceless Guests continued like a wave. They were fervently welcoming Extreme Evil Soma’s safe return.
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru felt fear, but at the same time, she felt a certain excitement. In the gazes directed at her, respect for the leader’s woman and curiosity coexisted.
It was the moment Extreme Evil Soma, who had never once brought a woman here, came to the Valley of Villains with a woman for the first time.
She felt that from this moment on, her fate, and also her relationship with Extreme Evil Soma, would change.
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru whispered a question.
“But how do you recognize one another? You are all wearing masks like that.”
“You cannot recognize them, but we can all tell.”
“How fascinating.”
Now that she heard that, it did seem as though each mask had a slightly different shape. Some had unique patterns, or were painted with various colors.
After walking for quite some time, they arrived at his residence.
Upon entering Extreme Evil Soma’s room, the Mistress of Cheonhwaru was startled. She had not expected it to be a room with white walls on every side.
She placed her hand on the white wall and said,
“It is such a clean room.”
“It will be uncomfortable for you to stay here.”
She was someone who could endure anything if she was with Extreme Evil Soma, but when she looked at the room with not a single piece of furniture in it, her heart ached for some reason.
“Do you sleep here?”
She thought surely not, but Extreme Evil Soma nodded.
“There is no bed.”
“The only time I sleep lying down is when I go to Cheonhwaru.”
“Ah!”
Extreme Evil Soma liked to lie with his head on her lap. And yet when he was in the Demonic Cult, he lived in a place like this. She had thought he would sleep on a truly large and splendid bed.
Then Extreme Evil Soma brought up something unexpected.
“Why not take this chance to pursue your dream in earnest?”
At those words, the Mistress of Cheonhwaru was startled. Her dream was to become the Empress of the Night. To establish her own pleasure houses throughout the entire Central Plains.
“Now, with Yeo Bulgae dead and a vacuum in power having formed, should be an opportunity.”
It meant Extreme Evil Soma would back her. It was certainly an opportunity. And the Mistress of Cheonhwaru was not a woman who would let such an opportunity slip away.
“Yes. I will give it a try.”
The two looked at each other and nodded. She knew. When it came to work, Extreme Evil Soma was thorough and rational.
For the Mistress of Cheonhwaru to achieve her dream would be of great help to Extreme Evil Soma as well.
To rule the night was also to rule information. Secrets tended to lose their strength before wine and beautiful women.
This time, the Mistress of Cheonhwaru asked about the line drawn on the wall.
“What is that line over there?”
It was the line he had drawn together with Geom Mugeuk. Since it was the only thing that stood out in the white room, she had been holding back the question from the beginning.
“It is the line of my life.”
It was an answer she could never understand, but Extreme Evil Soma’s eyes as he looked at the line seemed more content than ever.
The Mistress of Cheonhwaru stood beside Extreme Evil Soma and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“That must be why it was drawn so beautifully.”
* * *
When I returned to my residence, Ian was waiting in the courtyard.
“What are you doing here?”
“What else? I was waiting for you, sleepyhead young master.”
“How did you know when I would come?”
“I was going to wait until you did.”
Through the Demon Physician, I had heard that when I fell asleep in the infirmary, she had come and cried her eyes out. How worried she had been, and why she had come now, were all written plainly on her face.
“Did you starve yourself? Your face looks gaunt.”
On top of that, perhaps she had cried again afterward, because her eyes were swollen.
“I thought you had gotten a little prettier, but you have become ugly again.”
“I lived just fine being a hundred times uglier than this, you know.”
“Come on. I’ll buy you something delicious. Today, the two of us will bankrupt Pungryu Tavern!”
“I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me on the way. I’m hungry.”
When I started walking ahead, Ian followed behind me.
She had been trailing after me like a shadow when she suddenly said,
“Take me with you from now on. I will be your guard again.”
I kept walking as I answered.
“All right.”
“I am not joking. I mean it.”
“I know.”
When I answered too readily, Ian quickly ran ahead and stared intently at my face.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Just as she was about to jump in joy, she flinched and asked,
“There is a condition, isn’t there?”
“Of course.”
“What condition?”
“Once you achieve great completion of the twelfth star of the Flying Heaven Sword Art, you may guard me.”
Ian looked disappointed, as if to say, I knew it.
“I have not even achieved ordinary great completion yet, so when am I supposed to reach great completion of the twelfth star? I might not manage it until I die of old age.”
“Otherwise, I would have to carry you back on my back too, wouldn’t I?”
“!”
Knowing very well what that meant, she could not continue insisting. If it was a situation where Extreme Evil Soma was on the verge of death, even if she had achieved great completion of the twelfth star, she might not be of any help.
“Please stop getting stronger!”
“‘I will become stronger’ is the correct answer, our dear Ghost Shadow Unit Commander.”
In that manner, we arrived at Pungryu Tavern in Maga Village.
“Pavilion Master, it has been a long time!”
Jo Chunbae welcomed me with the same unchanged manner as ever.
“Owner, have you been well?”
“I am always the same. I heard you have been very busy lately.”
“Even in the middle of all that busyness, I suffered because I wanted to eat your cooking. Please make everything I like.”
Leaving Jo Chunbae behind as he headed toward the kitchen with excited steps, we went up to our seats on the second floor.
“Did you know? The owner always keeps this seat empty.”
“For us?”
“Yes. So that whenever we come, we can sit here.”
“We only come once in a while. Why go that far? He must be taking a loss.”
“No. Word has spread that this is the seat where the Cult Leader and the Demon Venerables sat, so business is doing even better because of all the customers who come to see it.”
Ian lowered her voice and said,
“Do you think the owner planned it?”
“He is such a seasoned man that he might have.”
Ian and I laughed at the same time. The way she looked when she was worried and the way she looked when she smiled so brightly were so different that one could say they were different people.
In any case, seeing Ian’s smiling face made it feel real that I had returned to the cult.
“How is the work with the Ghost Shadow Unit going?”
“Blue Face is meeting several people. He said there are trustworthy ones. Things are going so smoothly that I am too worried.”
“About what?”
“I am the unit commander, but I have almost never met people, have I? The only person I knew was you, young master. Can someone like me really serve properly as a unit commander?”
“If you dealt with me, who could you possibly not deal with?”
“Ah, does it become like that again?”
Just then, Jo Chunbae came upstairs with wine and dishes.
“Owner, it has been a while, so receive a cup of wine from me.”
“No, no. Please continue your conversation.”
As always, Jo Chunbae declined, but I tugged him down by the sleeve and seated him.
“Just one cup.”
“Oh dear, I should not do this. Thank you, Pavilion Master.”
Jo Chunbae accepted my wine.
“I hear this seat has become a famous spot?”
“Somehow, that is what happened. It is all thanks to you, Pavilion Master.”
“Next time Father or the Demon Venerables come, I will ask them to leave traces of their martial arts on the wall.”
“Traces of their martial arts?”
“That way, the people who come to see this place will have something to look at, won’t they? Beside the mark Father leaves, Extreme Evil Soma can pierce a hole with the Blood Yang Finger. And on this table, I can ask Elder Saber Demon to write a poem.”
Jo Chunbae waved his hands, saying it was absurd.
“How could I make such a request of such esteemed people? And if they did, I would be unable to sleep for fear someone might tear off the wall or damage the table. Now then, please enjoy your meal.”
Jo Chunbae hurriedly rose from his seat and went downstairs. Though he had said it was absurd, the expression on his face as he went down to the first floor was delighted, as though just imagining it pleased him.
I said quietly to Ian,
“If you ever feel you do not understand human relationships well, asking the owner here will help.”
There was likely no one who understood human relationships better than Jo Chunbae, who had lived through every sort of person imaginable.
“I will.”
I drank with Ian and ate the food. Jo Chunbae’s cooking, which I had not had in a long time, was a taste I had missed terribly.
“Leave the cult together with Blue Face. Go meet Strategist Go and Cult Leader Pungcheon. Also bring back martial artists to bring into the Ghost Shadow Unit.”
Now it was time to send her out of the greenhouse.
“And before long, Father will choose his successor.”
At my words, Ian was startled. She knew better than anyone how important this matter was in my life, and how much attention I had been paying to it.
“Do you have a plan?”
“I have something in mind. I do not know whether it will go as intended, though.”
“What plan is it?”
“If I had to give it a name…”
I emptied my wine cup and said,
“I suppose it would be something like Operation Golden Grand Plan.”