Chapter 561: I Want to Live Like This Person

TL: FoodieMonster007

Geom Mugeuk quietly observed as the Blood Heaven Blade Demon prepared the tea. The Blood Heaven Blade Demon had brewed tea for them on many occasions, yet today carried a different feeling than usual.

"I'll do it."

Dan Ah, unable to simply watch, offered to take over the task.

"It's fine."

His words were gruff, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's gaze towards Dan Ah was gentle.

Dan Ah assisted the Blood Heaven Blade Demon at his side. She put in great effort to make a favorable impression on him. Having spent her life as a mercenary, she could not bear to be seen as someone who lacked proper manners.

"You lived with your sisters as a mercenary?"

"……"

"You must have gone through a lot."

The words felt foreign to Dan Ah. She had never heard such a sentiment from an adult before. The people in her life, both young and old, were all just fighting desperately for their own survival.

"If that rascal gives you any trouble, come and tell me anytime."

Geom Mugeuk could sense it. He understood what was in the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's heart on this day.

For the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, today was the day his son had brought home the woman who would become his daughter-in-law.

Unlike Seo Daeryong, who fidgeted anxiously a short distance away, the Flower Sword Supreme silently watched the Blood Heaven Blade Demon's back.

What could she be thinking at this moment?

Was she remembering the Blood Heaven Blade Demon of his youth, reciting poetry to her? Or was she recalling her own younger self, listening to that poetry? She might have been thinking of the days when her father and the Fist Demon roamed the Central Plains, a time when they were all young.

As the Flower Sword Supreme started to turn her head toward the window, her eyes met Geom Mugeuk's.

"Young Cult Leader."

"Yes, Sword Supreme."

"Looking back, the years feel so fleeting."

"Aren't there still many days left?"

"Is that really so?"

"You could even undergo Rejuvenation."

The Flower Sword Supreme just shook her head with a dismissive look.

"Don't think it's over. In about ten years, you might look back on today and regret not doing things, thinking, 'I was so full of life back then.'"

She turned her gaze back to the window. With such a deepened expression, it was impossible to guess what she was thinking.

In the meantime, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon and Dan Ah finished preparing the tea and brought it over.

"The aroma is wonderful."

Geom Mugeuk savored the fragrance as he brought the cup to his nose.

The first to cry out in admiration was Dan Ah.

"It's so delicious. It's the best tea I've ever had."

Geom Mugeuk then spoke to her.

"Of course it is. This is the tea he said he'd only serve to a precious guest, one he never gave to us."

Dan Ah thought he was joking, but Seo Daeryong nodded with an expression that confirmed it was true.

Even the Flower Sword Supreme added her own comment.

"This is the first time I've had this tea as well."

Dan Ah's face naturally turned red.

She was truly happy. The joy she had felt until now mostly came from the simple fact that she had survived. It was the relief of finishing a contract without incident or the knowledge that her sisters were safe.

The happiness she felt now was a different kind of joy.

She was drinking tea prepared especially for her by the Master of the man she loved. Seated before her were the Flower Sword Supreme, whom she had always admired, and the Young Cult Leader, who had saved her and her sisters. Most importantly, Seo Daeryong was right by her side. The moment felt like a dream.

When was the last time she had not been tense and on guard around other people?

When was the last time she had felt the security of being loved and protected by someone?

The vibration resonating deep within her heart was a feeling she was experiencing for the very first time.

"Thank you so much."

All of her emotions were poured into Dan Ah's trembling voice.

"You can stay here while Daeryong is training."

Since Seo Daeryong trained late into the night after his daily duties, it was an invitation for them to spend time together.

Just as Seo Daeryong was feeling even more moved than Dan Ah, the Flower Sword Supreme suddenly interjected.

"She's a sword user. What help would it be for her to watch him swing that brutish blade?"

"Brutish!"

"Watching that frustrating master-disciple pair will just make you angry. So…"

She then said something completely unexpected.

"Come to me when you have time."

Dan Ah's eyes widened in shock. The person she admired was telling her to come and visit. The Flower Sword Supreme was someone she wouldn't dare meet eyes with, someone whose presence in the same room felt unreal.

"Is it really okay?"

The Flower Sword Supreme nodded.

"Thank you so much. I'll be sure to go."

Geom Mugeuk could tell that the winds of a new destiny had begun to blow for Dan Ah as well.

Geom Mugeuk turned to Seo Daeryong.

"You're buying the drinks tonight!"

Han Seol was crossing the lake in a small boat.

The person rowing the boat was Yeo Bin of the Three Drunkards.

Han Seol had instructed the Cold Ice Dual Swords to wait on the other side of the lake and had boarded the boat by herself. Sa Han had argued against it, but So Bing had sent her off, telling her it was fine.

"Why are you doing this?"

Sa Han could not understand his wife. At first, she had been even more concerned about her bodyguard duties than he was.

"The Demonic Cult Leader, the Young Cult Leader, and even the Extremely Evil Smiling Demon we saw. Did any of them have an opening?"

Even the cultists they had seen while passing through the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were remarkably well-disciplined.

"In the end, if someone were to target the Princess, it would surely be with the Demonic Cult Leader's permission. Could we possibly stop them?"

"Are you saying we should just give up being bodyguards?"

"It's not about giving up. It's about letting the Princess see and enjoy things freely."

Sa Han guessed this was the real reason she was acting this way.

"You trust the Young Cult Leader."

"I don't trust the Young Cult Leader."

Her gaze, as she answered firmly, was fixed on the distant boat carrying Han Seol.

"Han Seol isn't the little kid we used to know anymore. I'm trusting the Princess, who is about to become an adult."

The boat Han Seol was on reached the island in the center of the lake.

Guided by Yeo Bin, she ascended to the Drunken Dream Palace.

The Drunken Demon was inside the Drunken Dream Palace, drinking by himself.

"Greetings, Demon Supreme."

"Princess, welcome! I heard you had arrived."

Having come to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, she felt she had to visit the Drunken Demon, even if she skipped the other Demon Supremes. He was, after all, the one who had saved the North Sea Ice Palace alongside the Young Cult Leader.

"The lake is so beautiful. This pavilion is beautiful too."

"The problem is that an incorrigible drunkard lives in this beautiful place."

Han Seol smiled at the Drunken Demon's joke.

"You suit this place well."

The Drunken Demon felt that she had changed since he last saw her at the Ice Palace.

"Here, have a seat."

Han Seol noticed the cup hanging from the Drunken Demon's waist.

The Drunken Demon placed the cup on the table in front of her.

"Do you know what kind of cup this is?"

"Yes, it is our Cult's treasure, the Ice Palace Chalice."

"Have you ever drunk from this cup?"

When Han Seol shook her head, he poured wine into the cup for her.

"It's a clean cup, so have a drink."

"I'll drink it gratefully."

Han Seol drank the wine from the Ice Palace Chalice. She was not someone who particularly enjoyed alcohol, but her eyes widened in surprise.

"The wine tastes amazing."

"That's because good wine and a good cup have come together."

The two of them exchanged a few cups of wine like that.

After gazing at the lake for a moment, she spoke to the Drunken Demon.

"I never thought I would end up coming here."

The Drunken Demon wore an expression of understanding.

"You were with the Young Cult Leader, and the next thing you knew, you were at our Cult, right?"

Han Seol gave a faint smile and a slight nod. It was an exaggeration, but it was close enough to the truth.

"When I'm with him, I find myself thinking things I've never thought before in my life."

"For example?"

She paused for a moment, lost in thought.

"I want to live like this person."

The Drunken Demon refilled her empty cup and spoke.

"That's normal."

"Pardon?"

"Because I've thought that dozens of times."

His words were unexpected, and Han Seol stared at the Drunken Demon with a surprised face.

"You compare, you get jealous. Then you get angry and want to make excuses. But you know what? The moment you get angry and want to make excuses, that's the moment you can understand yourself best."

So, who I am is revealed in what makes me angry and what makes me argue?

She felt as if she understood, and yet she did not.

The Drunken Demon laughed and drained his cup.

"The conclusion is, we can't live like the Young Cult Leader. Because the Young Cult Leader is crazy!"

Han Seol laughed and drank her cup with him. The word 'crazy', she thought, was something you could only hear from the Drunken Demon.

"Now, let's have a drink, comrade!"

She felt she had done the right thing by coming to see the Drunken Demon. In truth, she had hesitated a little. She only came because of what Geom Mugeuk had said.

See a lot on this trip.

One way or another, she felt it was not easy to escape Geom Mugeuk. She thought that if she came here, she would only talk about herself and the Drunken Demon, but here she was, talking about the Young Cult Leader again.

Still, the reason she could converse so comfortably with the Drunken Demon was because they shared the topic of Geom Mugeuk.

"You'll be drinking at the Alluring Inn tonight, I take it."

"How did you know?"

"It's related to alcohol, isn't it?"

The Drunken Demon gave Han Seol an entire box of liquor that was sitting in a corner of the Drunken Dream Palace.

"Tell the Young Cult Leader this is to congratulate him on his safe return to the cult."

When Han Seol arrived at the Alluring Inn, no one else was there yet.

"Welcome!"

Jo Cheonbae greeted her politely. Having been introduced earlier, he knew she was the Princess of the North Sea Ice Palace.

"This way, please."

"Before that, please take this."

She had the Cold Ice Dual Swords hand him the box of liquor they were carrying.

"It's a gift from the Drunken Demon for the Young Cult Leader."

"Yes, I will serve this liquor today."

It would have been natural for him to be displeased by liquor being brought in from outside, but Jo Cheonbae did not mind at all. She did not yet know how strong the bond between Geom Mugeuk and Jo Cheonbae was.

Jo Cheonbae guided her to the reserved seats on the second floor.

The Cold Ice Dual Swords did not follow her up and instead waited on the first floor.

Normally, Sa Han would have gone to the second floor and taken a seat in a corner, but this time So Bing suggested they just wait here. She even went a step further.

"Honey, let's have a drink too. We haven't had a proper drink since coming to the Central Plains."

"Let's do that. If something happens to the Princess and we end up dying too, we might as well have one last drink."

He said it as if he were giving up, but that was not how he truly felt.

Whenever something major happened, he trusted her intuition and judgment, and they had survived well until now. He trusted his wife's judgment now as well.

As Han Seol was about to sit down at her seat on the second floor, she was startled to see writing carved into the wall.

"Is this really writing left by the Cult Leader and the Chairman?"

Jo Cheonbae answered with pride.

"Yes, it is. They left it during the Three-Party Meeting."

There was also writing left not only by them but also by the Demon Supremes.

It was the first time she had seen such writing left on the wall of a tavern. It was both refreshing and surprising.

The words, 'Princess, please write something as well,' lingered on Jo Cheonbae's lips, but he did not dare to voice them.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk and Seo Daeryong entered the tavern.

"Innkeeper, this person here is buying the drinks today, so take good care of him."

"Why are you doing this? I have people to feed now, you know?"

"They'll eat and live well even without you."

The Dan Sisters followed behind them. Starting tomorrow, they would be joining a new organization, so tonight would be the last time they could drink with a relaxed heart for a while.

Dan Yeon took Seo Daeryong's side.

"Don't bully my brother-in-law!"

Dan Ah, surprised, scolded her for being rude, while Seo Daeryong beamed with a huge smile.

"You're too much, youngest Young Lady! How can a man without a sister-in-law live with such sorrow?"

Jo Cheonbae, coming down from the second floor, spoke to them.

"Don't worry about the cost of drinks today. The Drunken Demon sent some over. As for the food, it's my treat for a change."

Seo Daeryong's expression brightened. He looked at Dan Yeon and said in a whisper.

"Since I saved money, I'll give you some allowance, sister-in-law!"

Geom Mugeuk could not help but laugh. It was the first time he had seen Seo Daeryong look so happy.

Yes, he thought, laugh like that.

The reason he had regressed was to protect this smile. So laugh and have fun to your heart's content.

Just then, someone else entered the tavern.

"Young Cult Leader!"

The person who had arrived this time was the Demonic Army General, Jang Ho.

"General Jang! Have you been well?"

"Young Cult Leader! I'm so glad you've returned safely."

The two had a happy reunion. Jang Ho, who always looked dependable, seemed to have gotten even more muscular.

"General Jang!"

The person who was truly happy to see him was Seo Daeryong. He was filled with the desire to find a private moment to boast about Dan Ah.

After all, besides Geom Mugeuk, the only people he could comfortably boast to were Lee Ahn and Jang Ho.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk saw someone peek inside from the doorway and then try to walk past.

"Manager Kang!"

It was Kang Dal. He had come because Geom Mugeuk had invited him, but he had hesitated several times about whether to come or not. The invitation could have just been a courtesy. Even now, he had been about to just pass by and go back.

"Hey, where are you going!"

Geom Mugeuk greeted him so warmly that his tension eased.

"I wasn't sure if this was a place I should be."

"This gathering started with you, Manager Kang! If it weren't for Manager Kang, this gathering wouldn't exist in the first place."

Hearing that made Kang Dal happy. After coming to the Headquarters, he had been so busy adjusting that he had not even realized he was feeling good. Now that Geom Mugeuk was back, he was starting to feel like he was truly living.

"Greetings, my Lord!"

Kang Dal politely greeted Jang Ho. He never imagined the Demonic Army General would be at this drinking party.

"Good to see you."

Was it because Geom Mugeuk was next to him? The Demonic Army General he saw here had a different feel from when he saw him within the cult.

The last person to arrive was the successor to the Fist Demon, Cheon Sohwi.

"It's been a while, Young Cult Leader."

Knowing that she had been focusing solely on her martial arts training since becoming the Fist Demon's successor, he had deliberately invited her today.

He had not invited her for Han Seol's sake, but for Cheon Sohwi's. He wanted to let her see people and take a breather.

With everyone gathered at the entrance, Geom Mugeuk looked up to the second floor.

"Everyone's here now."

Han Seol was looking down at them with a surprised expression. He had said he had friends from the Cult to introduce, so she had expected one or two people.

She never imagined he would bring so many people. Why not just invite everyone from the Divine Cult at this point?

The Drunken Demon's words came to mind.

That's right, this person is crazy.

Geom Mugeuk took the lead and walked up the stairs.

"Innkeeper, close the doors and set the tables!"