Chapter 880: If the Celestial Killer Star Had Attacked Today

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Young Lady Lee."

Lee Ahn blinked in confusion. Did I hear him wrong?

No, she hadn't misheard. She knew exactly what those words meant. She instinctively understood that Geom Mugeuk was standing before her as himself, not the Young Cult Leader.

She felt as if fireflies were glowing all around her. Her heart pounded, threatening to burst. She had never been so surprised or nervous in her life.

Still, she couldn't simply be happy. Her subconscious conjured negative scenarios, and the light of the fireflies that had brightened her heart went out.

Lee Ahn! Get a grip! You could be mistaken. Could this just be another one of his jokes?

However, Geom Mugeuk's eyes were serious as he looked at her. If this were a joke, he would have already made her laugh with some silly remark.

Could it be?

Her surprise turned to anxiety. He was acting so unfamiliar.

"Are you trying to send me away?" she asked worriedly. The Young Cult Leader had tried to send her away before. Was this final journey meant to be their farewell?

Geom Mugeuk nodded. "That's correct."

Lee Ahn was shocked. She wouldn't have felt this dazed even if her own father had punched her in the head.

He's clearly looking at me as a man, so why is he saying that he'll send me away? Is he angry at me?

She had contradicted him on every point after he had listed her strengths, so it was understandable if he was. On them other hand, he wasn't the type to send her away for such a reason.

She was extremely confused, but nevertheless, she had to be sure of one thing.

I can never leave the Young Cult Leader.

She forced a smile and spoke jokingly, throwing her pride aside. "Why are you being like this? I told you, didn't I? I'm going to stick right by your side and live comfortably for the rest of my life. I'll cling to your leg. You know me, when I say I'll do something, I do it."

However, Geom Mugeuk was firm. "You must leave."

Lee Ahn despaired at his resolute attitude. His words stabbed her like a sword. "You said I was your heart, didn't you? Can you live without a heart?"

"I will replace it with a new heart."

"!" Lee Ahn's heart sank. Geom Mugeuk was still speaking so formally, which made him feel like a stranger.

Why would he make me leave so suddenly, especially in this beautiful place?

"Please tell me the reason," she said. "If I can't accept it, I won't leave. You said I have a persistence that doesn't give up? I trained late into the night to fight back in times like these."

Geom Mugeuk revealed his reason. "Because that's the only way for us to move on to the next step."

Lee Ahn couldn't understand what he meant. She waited for his next words.

"Ah, I didn't say I was sending Young Lady Lee away physically," Geom Mugeuk explained.

Lee Ahn went blank. His answer was still incomprehensible. "What does that mean? You were just trying to send me away a moment ago, weren't you?"

"The one I'm sending away is the Lee Ahn who calls me 'Young Cult Leader'."

"!" Lee Ahn's eyes widened.

"The one I'm sending away is the Lee Ahn who is formal with me." After a brief pause, Geom Mugeuk calmly added, "The one I'm sending away is the Lee Ahn who believes she can never be with me. The Young Lady Lee who is left after those Lee Ahns have departed will be my new heart."

Finally, Lee Ahn understood. Just as she had first felt, Geom Mugeuk was standing before her as a man.

Geom Mugeuk, who was usually an eloquent speaker, shuffled his feet nervously. "It doesn't matter if you can't tell jokes, and it doesn't matter if you only pretended to agree with me because I'm the Young Cult Leader. It doesn't matter if you lack willpower, and it doesn't matter if your kindness was a survival strategy. I…"

"Wait! Don't! Don't say anything!" Lee Ahn screamed.

Geom Mugeuk paused at her shout. "But… I want you to hear this."

"I don't want to. No, I'll listen, just give me a moment!"

Like a child, Lee Ahn covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. She knew what he was about to say, but the moment Geom Mugeuk spoke those words, they could never go back to how they were.

She liked Geom Mugeuk. She had liked him from the day she first stood before him as a little girl until now.

He had called her his heart and cherished her more than anyone. He never hesitated to call her his heart, no matter where they were or who they were with. He never once compared her to anyone else, nor was he ever ashamed of her.

Still, they had always maintained an invisible wall between them.

Geom Mugeuk planned to break that wall now. Grabbing Lee Ahn's wrists, he gently tugged her hands from her ears.

Lee Ahn slowly opened her eyes.

Geom Mugeuk met her gaze. "I like the Young Lady Lee standing before me now as a woman."

Lee Ahn trembled. A whirlwind of joy, nervousness, fear, excitement, and happiness enveloped her.

If she accepted his feelings, she would become the wife of the future Heavenly Demon, the next Demon Queen.

She stood at the most important crossroads of her life. Her answer would change her future, and Geom Mugeuk's.

She was confident she could overcome any hardship that came with this choice, because she genuinely liked Geom Mugeuk.

She had only one concern.

"Will you not regret choosing me?" she asked.

Geom Mugeuk replied awkwardly, "I'm not as perfect a person as Young Lady Lee thinks. I'm a darker person than I appear. I may seem to get along well with people, but I prefer to be alone, and I'm someone who worries about things I don't need to. Because I've stained these hands with so much blood, a lifetime of bad luck may follow me." He returned her question. "Are you okay with a man like me?"

The two looked at each other without a word as a single firefly passed between them.

Finally, Lee Ahn conveyed her feelings. "I was entrusted to the Divine Cult at a young age, and I've survived to see this moment. No amount of bad luck will ever overcome my good fortune."

Understanding that she was accepting him, Geom Mugeuk smiled brightly. "You've protected me until now, so for the rest of our lives, I will protect you."

Lee Ahn stepped closer to him. She stared quietly at his face, then spoke in a low but firm voice. "No, I'll protect my dark and worrisome man."

Her face drew closer to his, and her soft lips touched his. Her heart pounded, and her face turned beet red.

She didn't know where she found such courage. She had always stood behind him, but this must have been her will to step forward with confidence.

Blushing, she tried to pull back in embarrassment, but Geom Mugeuk pulled her close.

This time, he kissed her, a sweet and deep kiss.

The fireflies around them lit up all at once, and that night, they did not go out for a long, long time.

The next morning, the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman went to the kitchen early. She rolled up her sleeves where the Thousand Flower Palace cooks, who had worked late into the night, had just left. She intended to show off her skills for Lee Ahn, who had said she wanted a home-cooked meal.

Just as she put a pot on to boil water, Lee Ahn entered.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Why are you up so early? It seemed like you came back late last night. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I slept very well."

Lee Ahn hadn't slept a wink. She had learned last night that one can't sleep not only from being troubled or worried, but also from being too happy.

"How was that place?"

"It was wonderful."

That place had become unforgettable for her. How could she ever forget it and what happened there? Lee Ahn was truly grateful to the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman for telling her about the beautiful spot.

The Chairwoman smiled. She could tell that the Lee Ahn of yesterday and the Lee Ahn of today were different. Not because she received prophecies, but because she was a woman.

"I'll help too."

"Would you?"

Lee Ahn brought the requested ingredients from storage and washed them in clean water.

As the two prepared food together, Geom Mugeuk poked his head in. "Something smells delicious."

The Chairwoman opened the pot lid and showed it to him. "I haven't even started boiling anything yet."

"Does one need to draw a sword to know a master? You can tell just by their stance." Geom Mugeuk marveled at the ingredients sliced to one side. "As expected! Our Lee Ahn is really good at her work!"

"I did that," the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman said.

Geom Mugeuk sat down next to Lee Ahn with an awkward smile as she cut the vegetables. "I'll help too."

"Here you go, Young Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk sat down as usual, but it didn't feel the same. He kept glancing at Lee Ahn, and she felt his gaze but deliberately pretended not to notice.

"I need to go get something for a moment," the Chairwoman said, leaving the kitchen for a moment.

Lee Ahn whispered, "Why do you keep staring at me? And why are you even here?"

"Why do you think? I wanted to help."

"I don't need your help. Go out and play with the Smiling Demon, and please speak to me informally."

"I don't want to."

Usually, people in a secret relationship would speak formally in front of others and informally when alone, but the two of them were the opposite.

"The Lee Ahn who was formal with you has already left far away. See? I'm calling you 'you' right now, not Young Cult Leader. So please be informal."

"Then Young Lady Lee should also be informal when we're alone."

Lee Ahn sighed. In truth, she had been worried about this morning.

What if it becomes awkward? What if last night feels like it never happened?

As it turned out, it was a needless worry. The tension had continued into the morning, and she actually liked this secretive, clandestine feeling.

"Should I really?"

"You should."

Lee Ahn was about to retort but couldn't. "This is the one thing I can't do."

"Then I can't either."

"Please, just do it." Lee Ahn gently tugged on Geom Mugeuk's sleeve, signaling for him to stop being stubborn.

Geom Mugeuk let himself be pulled toward her like a doll. "Did you want to hold me that badly?"

"I barely pulled you!" Lee Ahn protested. She hadn't even used any strength, yet his body flitted back and forth. "Stop playing around. You wouldn't even budge if the Celestial Killer Star pulled you."

The two of them joked and laughed.

Just then, the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman returned with a small jar.

In an instant, Geom Mugeuk teleported back to his original spot, washing vegetables as if nothing had happened.

He's fast!

Lee Ahn was inwardly amazed that a person could move so quickly.

The Chairwoman looked at the two of them. "Did you two have a fight?"

"If she dared to fight with me, she'd be sent straight to our Cult's underground prison," Geom Mugeuk replied. "Why do you ask?"

"There's just a strange, awkward air between you two…"

Geom Mugeuk tensed, but just in time, he sensed the presence of a savior outside. "It seems the Smiling Demon is here! I'll go out and wait," he said, scurrying out the door.

The Chairwoman smiled teasingly. "He seems unusually flustered today, doesn't he?"

Lee Ahn didn't answer. She stared at the door through which Geom Mugeuk had disappeared, lost in thought.

The Chairwoman smirked watching her. "And you as well."

Lee Ahn spun around at the speed of lightning. "Pardon? What did you say?"

"I said, it's a shame. If the Celestial Killer Star had attacked today, you would have won."

Understanding her meaning, Lee Ahn's cheeks turned slightly red.

The Chairwoman didn't embarrass her further and began to cook. "Now, bring the cut vegetables over here."

"Yes."

Lee Ahn learned how to cook properly from the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman. She was already decent at making noodles and a few other dishes, but she was no match for the Chairwoman, so she learned from the very basics.

Despite holding a sword for so long, she learned anew how to hold a kitchen knife. She learned how to prepare ingredients, when and in what order to add them, how to control the heat, and how to season the food at the end.

The Chairwoman's cooking skills were excellent, and Lee Ahn learned diligently.

A short while later, the food was served, and the four of them sat down together.

Because Lee Ahn was present, the masked Extremely Evil Smiling Demon joined them at the table but didn't eat. He just valued being there together.

"This is truly delicious!" Geom Mugeuk marveled. "We need to release a revised edition of the Central Plains' Guide to Cuisine. We must feature the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman on the very first page."

The Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman laughed, "When you feature her, don't forget to include Martial Artist Lee as her assistant!"

"I only did as I was told. Do you think it would taste this good if I made it?" Lee Ahn mumbled.

"You have skilled hands, so you'll learn quickly."

"I should ask you to properly teach me sometime, Chairwoman."

WHOOSH!

Suddenly, a breeze from the window blew Lee Ahn's hair.

Geom Mugeuk, sitting next to her, unconsciously raised his hand to fix it, then caught himself and moved his hand toward his chopsticks instead.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon looked at the Chairwoman, who gave a slight nod.

Behind the mask, his eyes smiled brightly.

"Allow me to pour you a drink." He first poured a drink for Geom Mugeuk, then filled Lee Ahn's cup. "Martial Artist Lee should also have a drink."

From his demeanor, Lee Ahn could tell that he had realized the nature of her relationship with Geom Mugeuk. His gaze and attitude toward her had changed, becoming more polite and gentle.

"I look forward to your guidance," she replied politely, knowing better than anyone about the relationship between Geom Mugeuk and the Smiling Demon.

"From what I have seen of Martial Artist Lee until now, I believe you can become a wonderful Demon Queen."

"Those are words I dare not yet bear."

Lee Ahn humbly bowed her head. The weight of the words 'Demon Queen' was the heaviest she had ever felt.

Geom Mugeuk poured drinks for the Smiling Demon and the Chairwoman, as the Smiling Demon's courtesy was also a sign of respect toward him. He then made an official announcement. "Today is our first day together."

"……" Lee Ahn bowed her head again in embarrassment.

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you."

They all toasted in celebration.

The Chairwoman said cheerfully, "It's an honor to be able to share this historic first day with you."

She could feel that this moment wasn't just changing the fate of two people. It was a moment that would greatly influence the fate of the murim.

The Crescent Moon Faceless Warrior and the Seventeenth Bridge, who stood guard outside, looked at each other with emotional eyes. To think they were here at this historic moment, at the very place where the Young Cult Leader, who had brought their own love to fruition, was now finding his own.

Geom Mugeuk looked at the two of them seriously. "How on earth did you know? Was it that obvious?"

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Chairwoman laughed together.

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon answered, "It was more than obvious. It was written all over your face."

"It's not something you can hide just because you want to," the Chairwoman added with a smile.

Geom Mugeuk confessed honestly. "To be honest, I wanted to brag about it."

Lee Ahn looked at him. "Even though you possess such incredible martial arts, you've never once bragged about that, but you brag about this?"

The four of them laughed together.

After breakfast, Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn left the Thousand Flower Palace. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Chairwoman didn't try to make them stay longer, nor did they ask where they were going.

"We'll visit again next time."

"Come anytime. The gates of the Thousand Flower Palace will always be open for you two."

Geom Mugeuk bid farewell to the Smiling Demon through telepathy. [I will trust you and be happy, Smiling Demon.]

The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon was incredibly grateful to Geom Mugeuk for taking his advice. [Yes. Just trust me and be as happy as you can be.]

The two faced each other and shared a bright smile.

Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn left the Thousand Flower Palace. The Extremely Evil Smiling Demon and the Thousand Flower Palace Chairwoman stood side by side, watching them go.

The Crescent Moon Faceless Warrior and the Seventeenth Bridge watched from a large tree branch extending over the Thousand Flower Palace wall, perched side by side.

Once they were far from the Thousand Flower Palace, Geom Mugeuk held out his hand to Lee Ahn, and she shyly took it with a bright smile.

Hand in hand, the two of them disappeared, melting into the dazzling sunlight.