Chapter 19
“Why, why are you doing this?”
Terrified by Jeok I-geon’s glare, I mustered all my strength to push Yang So-baek away.
This action, however, was misunderstood by the maids, who giggled and threw teasing remarks my way.
“Come on, what’s the big deal? Aren’t you two getting married soon?”
“Yeah, no need to be shy in front of us. If you haven’t seen each other in a while, a hug is the least you can do!”
“Sheesh, so envious, I swear!”
Married, my foot!
I couldn’t even refute them now—admitting the truth would only make everything worse.
“I… I didn’t know you felt this way, Seol-ha…”
What nonsense was he spouting now?
“If you want, I could marry you today!”
Have you lost your mind? What’s wrong with your face? Why is it red?
I decided I had to separate him from the other maids before he said anything crazier.
“Oh my gosh! This is wild!”
“Seol-ha just got a proposal, didn’t she? Incredible!”
“Let’s hurry up and spread the word!”
Fortunately—or unfortunately—the maids scattered before I had to intervene further.
Finally, I was alone with Yang So-baek, exactly as I wanted.
“Married?!”
Oh right, Jeok I-geon was still here.
His ominous tone and slow steps toward me felt like the buildup to a storm.
Did I do something wrong again?
The way he looked at me was anything but ordinary.
“I, I greet the Second Young Master!”
Yang So-baek stepped forward and greeted Jeok I-geon, as though trying to shield my frozen self.
“State your affiliation.”
“I’m Yang So-baek, a member of the 10th Strike Squad of the Blood Shadow Corps!”
“The 10th Strike Squad? A rookie, I assume.”
“Yes, sir!”
“But this isn’t the Blood Shadow Corps.”
Jeok I-geon gave him a disapproving once-over.
“Ah, I… I just wanted to see Seol-ha for a moment.”
“My personal maid? Why?”
“Since we’re both assigned to the Main Sect, I thought I’d drop by and say hi… you know, catch up a little… ha ha…”
For crying out loud, read the room, will you?
Yang So-baek, oblivious as ever, seemed to think Jeok I-geon’s question stemmed from his concern for me.
“You just proposed to my maid. Are you seriously planning to marry her?”
“Well, actually…”
“S-second Young Master! Please, allow me to explain. It’s all just a misunderstanding, really. I can clear this up!”
“Is that so?”
I nodded furiously and signaled to Yang So-baek with my eyes.
For heaven’s sake, get out of here. The exit is that way.
I’ll explain everything later—just stay quiet until then. Got it?
Being my childhood friend, he caught on instantly.
“I’ll take my leave now, sir.”
Yang So-baek bowed deeply to Jeok I-geon and quickly exited through the back gate.
As soon as he was gone, I felt like a ticking time bomb had been defused.
“Now, let’s hear your explanation. Are you… getting married?”
Daring to make such a declaration about my maid!
The latter part of that sentence must’ve been my imagination.
Yet, it felt as if I’d actually heard it.
Jeok I-geon’s mood was bound to be foul.
After all, he’d invested time and effort into training me, only to hear that I might run off and get married. No wonder he looked livid.
This incident taught me a valuable lesson: I needed to ensure my replacement was well-prepared!
I’d even draft a menu plan for the next maid responsible for Jeok I-geon’s meals.
Once he realized he could rely on someone else, surely his obsession with me would fade.
Time was running out; I needed to start selecting candidates immediately.
“And here you are, distracted again.”
Jeok I-geon’s icy gaze pinned me in place.
Feigning hesitation, I decided to lay it all out, no sugarcoating.
“…So, to cover up spending the night here, I made up a fake lover. That’s… what happened.”
“I see. So, you thought the Elder Physician’s involvement would solve everything, but it didn’t fully dispel suspicion. That’s why you dragged in your friend, Yang So-baek?”
“Yes. I had no idea he’d show up here of all places, especially at such a time…”
“And you’re saying there’s truly nothing between the two of you?”
“Of course not! Yang So-baek and I have been friends since we were kids. He’s like a brother to me—no, more like a sister!”
The mere thought of marrying Yang So-baek made my skin crawl.
“But did you really have to go that far?”
“Sorry, what?”
“It’s just gossip. Was it truly necessary to go to such lengths and fabricate lies?”
“That’s because I wanted to live and protect the Young Master’s honor…”
“Who’s trying to kill you?”
Jeok I-geon’s expression turned ice-cold in an instant.
Worried that innocent people might get caught up in this, I immediately responded.
“No, not at all! What I meant was that I’d become the target of jealousy from the maids who admire you, Young Master! That’s all. It would just get exhausting. Didn’t I tell you before how popular you are among the maids?”
The reality was much worse, but I tried to make it sound like it was no big deal.
“And besides, what’s more important than me is the Young Master’s honor. To have rumors tying you to someone like me, a mere maid—it must have been upsetting. Everything I did was to make you feel better, Young Master.”
Because I really, really wanted to live.
“Making someone feel better is what you do when they’re angry.”
“…That’s true.”
“But I wasn’t angry at all. So, everything you did was unnecessary.”
Wait, what?
“Are you two close?”
“Two… as in Yang So-baek?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, we’re very close. He’s my best friend, actually.”
Was Jeok I-geon planning to put in a good word for him in the Blood Shadow Corps?
It didn’t seem like something he’d do, but just in case, I added more detail.
“My parents passed away, so I was teased a lot as a child. Yang So-baek always stood up for me. He may be a bit of a slacker, but he’s loyal.”
Although it was before my possession, I’d heard about this from Madam Shin Geum.
Because of that, Yang So-baek still enjoys free bowls of noodles and dumplings from our shop.
“You live alone with your grandmother, don’t you?”
“Yes. She’s my only family.”
But wait, had I ever mentioned my grandmother to Jeok I-geon before?
“What’s she like?”
“She’s just an ordinary person. She runs a noodle shop.”
Why was he suddenly asking about my grandmother?
I nervously studied Jeok I-geon’s expression, but it gave nothing away.
“I’m curious about how the noodles taste.”
Oh, that’s all it was?
I’d tensed up for nothing.
Jeok I-geon was currently on a mission to try every kind of noodle for lunch.
It seemed he was curious about the taste of street-side noodles.
“To me, it’s the best noodle shop, but it’s a bit shabby for someone like you, Young Master. I’ll do my best to ensure your meals here suit your tastes.”
My mind was already buzzing with countless menu ideas.
From Korean dishes like spicy cold noodles, festive noodles, and buckwheat noodles, to Chinese-style jjajangmyeon and jjamppong, even pastas and udon—I could make them all.
Wow, just thinking about it made me hungry.
In any case, I was confident I could keep Jeok I-geon satisfied until the day I retired as his personal maid.
“If it’s noodles, I happen to love them. Where is this best noodle shop of yours?”
The unexpected voice made me turn my head, and I immediately dropped to the ground in a bow.
“Greetings to the Heavenly Demon!”
The Heavenly Demon himself had appeared once more, without so much as a whisper of his presence.
Even after unlocking my Eight Extraordinary Meridians, I hadn’t sensed him at all.
As expected, the Heavenly Demon was on a completely different level.
“Father, what brings you here?”
“I make occasional visits, as you know. But I hear you’re the one responsible for her current state?”
The Heavenly Demon helped me to my feet and glanced at Jeok I-geon, seemingly surprised as he examined me.
“The scattered energy has settled well into your dantian. I’d been a little concerned, but this is good.”
He knew about my condition all along?
“What kind of martial arts has she learned?”
The Heavenly Demon’s gaze toward me was filled with expectation.
He must have assumed I’d learned some martial art worthy of my internal energy.
I wanted to meet that expectation, but I decided to be honest.
“I’ve learned the Demonic Life Sword and Demonic Life Steps from the Second Young Master.”
“That’s it?”
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be teaching her the Five Element Demonic Sword.”
“Oh, really?”
The Heavenly Demon chuckled as if amused by Jeok I-geon’s response.
Then, out of nowhere, he leaned closer to me.
“What about me?”
“…Pardon?”
“How about learning martial arts from me?”
Excuse me?
Did the Heavenly Demon just offer to teach me martial arts?
Are both father and son insane?
I’d once heard that there’s no such thing as a free favor.
Caught off guard and unable to speak, the Heavenly Demon’s tempting voice whispered in my ear.
“I’ll teach you just one martial art of your choice. Of course, excluding the Heavenly Demon’s exclusive techniques.”
“…My choice?”
It felt like being hypnotized by a devil.
His low, resonant voice completely captivated me.
If I could choose one skill, there was only one answer.
“Lightness Techniques. I want to learn incredible Lightness Techniques!”
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