Chapter 88
“Excuse me? Pavilion Master?”
What’s with this guy’s eyes?
What could he possibly be thinking to suddenly space out like that?
The story was just getting good.
If my grandmother suddenly appeared at the brink of his death at the hands of those assassins, shouldn’t he now be going on and on about Tang Yeong-ryeong’s heroic feats as the Thousand-Hand Fragrant Poison?
He rambled forever about things no one even asked, but now that we’re at the important part—what is this?!
I was so dumbfounded and speechless, I almost shouted without meaning to.
“Pavilion Master? Master of the Ghostly Soul Pavilion…?”
Others also noticed something was off.
When Seo Ryeon called him a couple more times with concern, Gong Pae-cheon finally seemed to snap out of it.
“…Ah! My apologies. The shock from back then was so intense, I must have blanked out for a moment.”
“I would’ve too. You were alone, facing dozens of assassins from the Assassins’ Veil… I can’t even imagine how hard that must’ve been. You endured because of your own strength.”
Wow. Seo Ryeon really is good at empathizing.
She quickly poured a cup of water and handed it to Gong Pae-cheon.
“Here, please drink this.”
“Thank you.”
Gong Pae-cheon smiled faintly and gulped down the water in one go.
‘That’s suspicious… Something’s not right…’
To me, Gong Pae-cheon’s response felt more like an excuse to avoid the topic.
Why?
Because he just confessed he was suffering from psychological trauma—basically, PTSD.
But look at him.
Does that look like the face of someone shaken by trauma?
His flushed cheeks and the way he tried to cool himself down made him look more like a teenage boy reminiscing about his first love.
‘Honestly…’
He couldn’t quite compare to my grandmother, but Gong Pae-cheon was also a pretty handsome man.
He had that neat scholar aesthetic that’s rare in the Demonic Cult.
I had thought he was completely useless in battle, but turns out he wasn’t exactly weak either.
“Will you be able to continue the story?”
What do you mean will you?
Of course he must!
He stopped at the most crucial moment—don’t you agree, mister?
At Seo Ryeon’s question, I glared fiercely at Gong Pae-cheon.
Even when my grandmother told me about that incident in the past, she only said that thanks to Gong Pae-cheon she was able to escape into the Demonic Cult—she never explained in detail about him.
So I absolutely had to hear this story!
Was I the only one curious?
Even Jeok I-geon had set down the dumplings he liked so much and was listening intently—so how could you… huh?
I flinched as I looked at Jeok I-geon.
What’s up with him now?
When has he ever cared about someone else’s story?
‘Wait… don’t tell me that look in his eyes…’
Could he be thinking Gong Pae-cheon should’ve died that day?
Because it would’ve saved him some trouble?
It was just my own theory, but knowing Jeok I-geon, that kind of thinking wasn’t far-fetched.
“No need to bring up something so embarrassing.”
At that moment, my grandmother—who had been quiet—brought out the noodles and dumplings and offered a word of warning.
“What’s done is done. Let’s just eat and forget it, shall we? Seol-ha, you should eat too.”
“…Tch.”
No one else probably noticed.
But I could tell that Shin Geum was putting pressure on me.
If I didn’t drop it here, my back would surely be shredded the moment the guests left.
Maybe now that she’s back to her true self, she’d discipline me differently this time.
“I don’t want any dumplings.”
I was scared of being scolded, so I backed off for now—but that didn’t mean I was giving in completely.
I poked at my noodles in silent protest.
Even in that state, the broth was outrageously delicious, which made it all the more frustrating.
“Pavilion Master, please promise you’ll tell the rest next time.”
I didn’t forget to whisper that to him secretly behind my grandmother’s back.
But then, one day passed, two, three, four… even eight days went by— and Gong Pae-cheon never said a word.
He visited the noodle shop every single day without fail, but the moment the past was mentioned, he clamped his mouth shut.
As if he’d been ordered under pain of death never to speak of that day.
“Seriously, how petty can he be? Why won’t he say anything?”
Chop chop chop chop!
I squatted down next to So-ok, who was busy chopping, and started ranting with no subject.
“Maybe he has his reasons?”
“Reasons?”
“Yeah, he doesn’t seem like the type to withhold something for no reason.”
That was true.
Gong Pae-cheon was the Grand Strategist of the Demonic Cult, after all.
He might act like a fool sometimes when my grandmother’s around, but his mind was undeniably sharp.
The fact that Jeok I-geon killed him before even his father, the Heavenly Demon, only proved how dangerous and competent he truly was.
“But why is there so much?”
So-ok and I were currently in a surprising place— a corner of the kitchen in Hyunma Manor of the Tak Family.
Why was So-ok here instead of at Yeong-eun Pavilion?
It was because of an order from the Heavenly Demon.
Since this was a feast being held at the Tak Family for the first time in over ten years, he had ordered more hands to help.
It must have been his way of atoning for what happened to my mother.
In any case, that’s why the maids from the main residence were summoned, and So-ok was cooking, putting her specialty to good use.
And I was sitting beside her gossiping about Uncle Gong Pae-cheon.
“This much food is totally necessary.”
So-ok responded to my grumbling while finishing the last dish.
As expected of someone trained at Jamigwan, she worked nonstop and laid out a full meal in no time.
“He’s your real grandfather, Seol-ha. Once again, congrats on finding your family. You know how I feel, right?”
“Why are you repeating yourself again? You’re gonna make my ears bleed!”
Honestly, I didn’t feel all that emotional about it, but So-ok cried for days after learning my situation, which threw me off.
Still, it made me happy that she treated me the same as always even after learning my true identity.
“Let’s see… there should be someone outside, right?”
So-ok strained to carry the meal tray and headed toward the exit.
The food had to go out before it got cold, but no one was available.
Everyone looked super busy because of the occasion.
On top of that, she didn’t seem to know anyone here well enough to ask for help.
That’s why I was here in the first place.
“Give it.”
“Huh?”
“The tray. I’ll carry it.”
The way she waddled around with a tray bigger than herself was weirdly irritating today.
“No way!”
So-ok flinched in panic and immediately refused.
“What if someone sees you?”
“Who’s gonna see? Everyone’s busy.”
“You’re going to get in trouble!”
I burst out laughing at her warning.
“The person who’s gonna get me in trouble is probably me.”
I took the tray and set it down on the floor.
“Besides, no one around here even recognizes me. I haven’t even changed into the formal clothes yet.”
I had decided to show up properly once the banquet officially began.
I figured Grandpa Tak must’ve been considerate, knowing my personality.
“You sit.”
I gently pressed on So-ok’s shoulder and made her sit in a chair tucked in the kitchen corner.
“You’ve been cooking nonstop, so take a break. I’ll be right back and then we’ll eat together.”
“Wait! You’re gonna eat here too?”
“If I eat out there, I’ll get indigestion. There’ll be a ton of people I have to greet. I need to eat well before all that.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“Let’s make bibimbap for old times’ sake. Sounds good?”
Slurp—just thinking about it made my mouth water.
When we were still maids, we used to sneak leftovers to make bibimbap together at Jamigwan.
Those were precious moments— something I couldn’t experience anymore after becoming the Heavenly Demon’s disciple.
“Alright, I’ll be back. Ah, if I take too long, just start eating without me! Got it?”
So-ok still looked conflicted about whether this was okay.
But I lifted the tray up onto my head and quickly left the kitchen.
“Will Grandpa Tak like this?”
I hope he doesn’t scold me for not dropping the maid habits.
Just in case, maybe I’ll hand off the tray when I get close.
Didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable because of me.
‘Still… So-ok made this with so much care. Please enjoy it, Grandpa.’
I muttered to myself as I briskly walked toward where Grandpa was.
Then—just as I was about to pass through the back alley used by the servants—
“Whoa! Tak Family really is something, huh? Even the maids are this pretty!”
A man standing in the path suddenly thrust his face close.
‘Ack!’
It was so sudden we almost bumped heads.
If I hadn’t quickly spun my body out of reflex, I would’ve spilled the entire tray.
“Ooh, pretty sharp reflexes, huh?”
The man flicked his tongue and grinned slyly.
“Hey cutie, I just finished my closed-door training. How about we go over there and have a little fun?”
Wait a sec.
Was this what they call wuxia-style catcalling?
I hated it when I read about it in novels, but experiencing it myself? I was fuming.
There was no one else around watching.
Should I just kill this bastard?
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