At the branch entrance, they split three ways.
The carriage carrying his father and Hyeolcheon Doma went to the headquarters; Seo Daeryong and the three women went to the private residence; Geom Mugeuk and Chohui went to Cheonhwaru.
Shortly after his father's carriage departed, Jang Ho and the demonic soldiers finished preparing to depart. They would follow his father's carriage and return to the cult.
Before leaving, Geom Mugeuk exchanged farewells with Jang Ho. Jang Ho and the demonic soldiers had played a major role in this matter. After all, he was the one who had saved Seo Daeryong's life.
"Commander Jang."
"Yes, Young Cult Leader."
Their gazes intertwined in the air. Without speaking a word, they both knew well how much the other cherished them.
Geom Mugeuk always felt his spirits lift at the stable feeling filled with loyalty that Jang Ho gave him. Because this man was here, he felt he could entrust anything to him.
Jang Ho would surely understand his own heart from this gaze alone.
Geom Mugeuk's gaze turned to the demonic soldiers standing behind Jang Ho. Today, he conveyed his gratitude to them.
"You all are a wall. An iron wall that protects me, my father, and the cultists of the headquarters. Because that unbreakable wall was there this time as well, I was able to complete the journey safely. I thank you all."
Geom Mugeuk expressed his gratitude with a cupped-hand salute. It was the first time he had formally expressed his thanks in such a manner.
The demonic soldiers all returned the cupped-hand salute in unison with fierce gazes, showing their respect.
"We will devote our full loyalty!"
Jang Ho greeted him one last time.
"Then I shall see you at the headquarters!"
Jang Ho looked after Seo Daeryong until the very end. Because the Dana sisters were watching, he bade farewell to Seo Daeryong even more politely.
"If you come to the headquarters, let's have a drink. My treat."
"I'll send word once I return. Without fail!"
Seo Daeryong emphasized the words "without fail" with an expression that said he truly had much he wanted to say. Since he was so grateful, even if they drank, he should be the one to pay. He would drink with Jang Ho all night long.
Thus the demonic soldiers departed; next, Seo Daeryong departed; and finally, Geom Mugeuk departed.
Only Gang Dal and his subordinates remained. It felt as though a storm had just swept through. The events they had gone through earlier had felt like a dream; rather, now that everyone had left, it felt like a dream.
One of the subordinates spoke while watching the carriage disappear into the distance.
"The branch chief showed us in person how to get to the headquarters, but too many things are needed."
You needed women being pursued, the Hwangcheon Gakju and the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, demonic soldiers and their commander, a Majon and the Cult Leader—for something like that to happen. Ah, and a prepared branch chief too.
"We can't go. So please don't forget and come visit us for sure."
Gang Dal spoke as he went inside.
"We've all worked hard, so today we feast!"
Everyone cheered and went inside.
* * *
"I'll drive the carriage."
She had lived the life of a ranger for a long time, so of course she could drive a carriage well.
"No, it's fine."
When Seo Daeryong strongly refused, Dana eventually sat together on the driver's seat. She couldn't let a high-ranking figure of the Demonic Cult drive the carriage while she sat comfortably in the back.
"You haven't fully recovered from your injuries, so please rest comfortably inside."
"I'm fine. I'll be your talking companion at least."
Seo Daeryong was grateful and happy that she sat beside him. But the problem was that he was too nervous.
Seo Daeryong couldn't even look at her, keeping his eyes forward as he drove the carriage.
What should he talk about? Should he ask about ranger work? Or about her younger sisters? Would she find it annoying if he tried to talk?
All sorts of thoughts flitted through Seo Daeryong's mind. His usually excellent brain was completely useless right now. No, rather, it only produced more distracting thoughts.
Dana was the first to speak to Seo Daeryong.
"You drive the carriage well."
"Yes."
Seo Daeryong smiled shyly. His gaze remained fixed straight ahead.
He was someone who had driven the Cult Leader's carriage, was he not? Displaying the skills he had learned from Hwi, he drove the carriage skillfully. Had Geom Mugeuk seen him, he would have teased that Seo Daeryong drove more carefully than when he drove for his father.
But what good was it to drive the carriage well for nothing? He couldn't even say a word to her.
There were observers watching the two of them.
Had they been outside, it would have been a crisis, but the observers were inside. Through a small window between the driver's seat and the passenger compartment, Danbi and Danyeon were keeping an eye on the two.
The two whispered, expressing their frustration.
"He's just looking ahead and driving."
"He doesn't know the first thing about a woman's heart. If she's sitting beside him, he should at least try to start a conversation."
"Please look to the side!"
Once again, Dana spoke first.
"You seemed close to the Young Cult Leader."
If it had been any other topic, who knew? But he had much to say about Geom Mugeuk.
"He is the one who pulled me out of depression and pessimism. I will serve him loyally even if it costs me my life."
Dana covered the hole at the back of the driver's seat with her hand.
Because the sound of her younger sisters' grumbling was leaking out.
She could guess what they were saying without hearing. That he was telling a woman he had just started with that he would devote his life to someone else. What was so good about a man like that. They would be exchanging such words.
"Perhaps, Miss Dan, do you also have such a person?"
At Seo Daeryong's question, Dana answered.
"Not yet. I'll have to make one from now on, won't I?"
As she said this, Dana looked at Seo Daeryong. Seo Daeryong was still looking ahead, driving the carriage.
Clueless as Seo Daeryong was, the younger sisters understood their older sister's heart.
She definitely had feelings for Seo Daeryong. They weren't the most perceptive either, but a pure person like him didn't seem bad.
But the problem was this.
"He's a demonic human; will that be okay?"
And not just any demonic human, but a high-ranking demonic human at that.
As always, the youngest didn't worry.
"If unni is happy, I'm fine."
Danbi had the most cautious personality among the three, but she too nodded. If it had been any other matter, she would have said absolutely not to get involved with the Demonic Cult. She believed that getting involved with demonic humans ended badly.
But if it was for her older sister's happiness.
Having lost their parents at a young age, their older sister had sacrificed her entire life for her younger sisters.
Because of them, she had never properly dated a man. Whenever a good man appeared, she had avoided him.
"For unni's sake, I could let her go."
Could she really endure a life without seeing her older sister? She couldn't be sure. It would probably be difficult. But if her older sister could be happy, she would gladly choose that hardship.
Then the youngest, Danyeon, spoke.
"Why would we send her away?"
At Danbi's questioning gaze, Danyeon spoke.
"We can just join the Demonic Cult too."
Danbi's expression went blank before she soon smiled. It was something she had never considered before. Yes, her younger sister was right. They could just become demonic humans too.
They looked ahead again through the hole.
"Please look to the side!"
After driving for some time, Seo Daeryong suddenly spoke.
"I am actually shyer and less tactful in dealing with people than I appear."
As if to prove it, Seo Daeryong's gaze remained fixed on the road ahead.
"Thanks to the Young Cult Leader's influence, I've improved a lot just to get to this level. The poem I recited that day was something I had memorized by chance the day before."
He simply told the truth honestly.
Dana gave no response.
"Did I say something unnecessary?"
Just as regret began to well up in Seo Daeryong, Dana spoke calmly.
"I am very tactful, you know."
Surprised, Seo Daeryong looked at her.
"Having lived as a ranger for so long, I've learned too much tact. The Sector Lord might be disappointed in me if he saw."
"No! That wouldn't happen! I like it unconditionally!"
Seeing the excited Seo Daeryong, Dana smiled and spoke.
"Then... please memorize and recite another poem for me."
Seo Daeryong's pupils trembled as he looked at her.
Right then!
Rattle!
Because he had been looking only at her, the carriage failed to avoid a stone on the ground and shook violently.
The two younger sisters shouted from behind.
"Look ahead!"
* * *
The carriage carrying Geom Mugeuk and Chohui raced swiftly along the main road.
The carriage Geom Mugeuk had chosen was a small carriage that could not carry luggage and could only fit two people on the driver's seat, and accordingly, its speed was fast.
After half a day since departure, Chohui reached one conclusion.
"This Young Cult Leader is special."
Having dealt with many men as customers until now, she prided herself on having an eye for men second to none.
Yet there was more than one thing that defied her expectations.
First of all.
He drove the carriage too well. Not just well, but too well.
As if his sole purpose was to get there quickly, Geom Mugeuk focused solely on driving the carriage.
Dududududu.
The carriage left the main road and entered a narrow path. It was truly a path so narrow that a single carriage filled it completely. It was the kind of road where one wrong move would send them plunging into a ditch, yet Geom Mugeuk drove skillfully.
One would think the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult would only ride in luxury carriages driven by subordinates.
Chohui looked down at the side of the carriage. It was running truly no further than a sheet of paper from the edge of the road.
The second special point.
And more surprising than his carriage-driving skill was his sense of direction.
Geom Mugeuk knew the roads too well. He would weave off and merge back again. If there was a shortcut, he would definitely take it to shorten the time.
"Is this a road he travels every day?"
She thought to that extent. But surely the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult wouldn't have driven a carriage down this road every day?
"Is he really the Young Cult Leader?"
This was the reason for such doubt, and at the same time, the third special point.
"We're going just the two of us, right?"
While racing along like this, she hadn't seen any guard warriors following. She thought that even if they wanted to chase, they couldn't, having passed through all sorts of side paths.
"Yes, it's just us."
It was the expected answer, but Chohui looked at Geom Mugeuk with surprised eyes. She knew this person was no ordinary man, but really just the two of them?
"I like traveling alone normally too."
"Still, I thought you would at least bring a few guards. You are a nobleman."
"It is my father's philosophy. The more noble you are, the less you should spoil yourself. Raise yourself to feel your shortcomings."
Of course, some parents might raise their children that way. But you are the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult?
The fourth special point.
It was Geom Mugeuk's attitude toward her.
If he had known she was a gisaeng, his speech or eyes might have revealed a hint of contempt. Yet from the beginning until now, the Young Cult Leader had not lost his courtesy.
The more special the Young Cult Leader seemed, the greater her suspicions grew. She had seen the Cheonmado and the Majon at the branch.
"Are you really the Young Cult Leader? A Young Cult Leader escorting alone? And the Cult Leader permits that?"
Doubt begat more doubt.
"Could he be using schemes to extract the information I hold?"
Yes, there was no harm in being careful. Considering the importance of the information she possessed.
Chohui hid such negative feelings and spoke with a bright expression.
"Well. You don't need guards, do you? Who could attack us when you're driving through such complicated roads?"
"They could."
"What?"
"We're not alone right now."
Chohui made an expression asking what he meant. Then astounding words flowed from Geom Mugeuk's mouth.
"There is someone tailing us. They have been following us since we left the branch."
Chohui was startled.
"They are skilled in pursuit techniques."
The opponent possessed such skill that unless one were a considerable expert, they wouldn't realize they were being followed.
"Then does that mean they know the Young Cult Leader is taking me?"
"That may be, or it may not."
He had been monitoring the outskirts of the branch and then set out in pursuit. The branch where his father, Hyeolcheon Doma, and the demonic soldiers had taken positions earlier was not a situation where someone could infiltrate and assess things.
Monitoring from outside like that, when Chohui came out, he began tailing the carriage she rode.
Chohui felt that the danger had not yet ended.
Then the opponent could send people even stronger than the Chilro Chusaldde.
Realizing she was exposed to even greater danger, her nerves were on edge.
"Aren't you curious? About what I know?"
Given the situation, he should be urging her to reveal everything she knew.
"I am curious."
"Then why don't you ask?"
"If you could reveal it, you would have already told me."
Geom Mugeuk looked at her. His clear, deep eyes seemed to look into her heart.
"I know that Miss Cho is no ordinary gisaeng."
For a moment, Chohui flinched in surprise.
"What ordinary gisaeng would hire rangers to protect herself? What gisaeng would try to keep secrets in a situation where demonic humans are swarming? You must certainly hold special meaning to the Tower Master of Cheonhwaru. Or you are acting on his orders."
Chohui said nothing.
Geom Mugeuk asked her in a calm tone.
"Do you remember when I said I was acquainted with the Tower Master of Cheonhwaru?"
Chohui nodded.
"Then now it is time for you to ask me. How close I am to the Tower Master of Cheonhwaru."
She asked him using his own words.
"How close are you to the Tower Master?"
Then unexpected words flowed from Geom Mugeuk's mouth.
"Even if the entire martial world blocks this road, I will take you to the Tower Master. I am exactly that close to him."
"!"
He could get hurt or nearly die fighting alongside the Geukak Soma.
But the Tower Master of Cheonhwaru must not.
Because she was that Soma's woman.
Only then did Chohui understand. That the reason Geom Mugeuk was taking her was because of the Tower Master of Cheonhwaru. She let out a sigh of relief. Her greatest doubt disappeared with this.
"Then that is fortunate. What I must convey is information the Tower Master absolutely needs."
Chohui added with a cautious gaze.
"So even if the entire martial world blocks us, please make sure to take me there."