Ascension of the Heavenly Demon - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6

 

 

A daily routine repeated for several days.

After breakfast ended, Zhuge Munhyeon would head straight to the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.

Always at the same time.

“I’ll be going now.”

Did his son seem admirable after finishing his morning greetings?

“Mm, let’s go together today.”

Out of nowhere, the unwelcome guest called Father said he would escort him.

“Pardon?”

“Why are you so surprised? I just want to stop by briefly on my way to work.”

I don’t want to…

Whether he knew of his reluctant feelings or not, Zhuge Doyun, who left the pavilion with Mother’s farewell, walked side by side matching his son’s pace.

How could one describe such contentment?

On the first day his son visited the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion, he had casually asked.

What did you read today?

Then his son, saying it was nothing special, indifferently recited the Language Chapter of the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror.

It really was nothing special.

Among the descendants of the Zhuge Family, there wasn’t a child who couldn’t do that much at age seven. After Zhuge Munhyeon showed academic stagnation, children his age had already finished the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror and started the Four Books.

But!

At this moment, Zhuge Doyun envied nothing.

He was simply delighted that his son, who seemed stagnant, had taken an academic step forward.

He had secretly given up, but his intelligence had returned.

In that intense emotion, he almost forgot his dignity and burst into tears.

How proud he was.

He felt terribly sorry for being disappointed and suffering.

Everything has its time…

Looking at his son’s adorably clenched hand, he somehow wanted to hold it.

When his stealthily extended hand made contact, Zhuge Munhyeon looked up in surprise.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Hm?”

“No, I was wondering why you suddenly grabbed my hand…”

At his son’s sleepy-eyed stare, Zhuge Doyun felt somehow embarrassed and laughed.

“Heh heh, what’s so strange about a father holding his son’s hand?”

“It’s strange.”

“Hm?”

“How old am I that I should hold Father’s hand?”

“No, you’re only seven…”

“Only? I’m plenty grown up.”

Zhuge Doyun couldn’t help but feel flustered at his son completely hiding his hands.

He holds his mother’s hand just fine…

Even this morning he was rubbing cheeks and being affectionate…

“Ahem! Son, still, since we have this rare chance to intimately hold hands…”

“I don’t want to.”

“…”

“The path to the Military Strategy Hall is different anyway, and you’ve already gone out of your way to escort me, so this is enough. Sohye is here too, and I know how to find my way alone, so Father should hurry to work.”

Standing at the crossroads and firmly refusing, an emotion beyond disappointment appeared on Zhuge Doyun’s face.

Though still a child in his arms, he found it admirable that his son was reading and learning on his own, and wanted to at least hold his hand.

At his son’s appearance of already acting like an adult, he felt like being stubborn for no reason.

“You rascal! Don’t throw a tantrum.”

“Ah, really!”

“Now, now!”

Zhuge Doyun instantly caught up to his fleeing son and tried to snatch his hand.

But would he be caught!

He nimbly avoided his father’s hand…

“Ha ha! Got you, you rascal!”

Damn it.

Using the Golden Catching Hand just to hold his son’s hand?

Of course, he could see the movement clearly.

How could he, who had been the Heavenly Demon, fail to grasp how his father’s hand with mouse-dropping level skills was moving?

But now he was seven years old.

Even those mouse droppings were burdensome.

Countless martial arts slept in his mind and he had newly learned the Small Heavenly Star Technique, but knowing and doing were completely different.

Only his mind was that of the Heavenly Demon. Since his body wasn’t trained, he couldn’t move as he wished.

“Look, isn’t this nice?”

“…I don’t like it.”

His lips immediately jutted out and his face scrunched up.

What a childish father, would an adult really be happy about beating a seven-year-old?

“Father is just happy. Come, let’s go. Ha ha ha!”

Zhuge Doyun burst into hearty laughter and walked while firmly gripping his son’s hand.

“Munhyeon.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know the saying ‘great talents mature late’?”

“I do.”

“I think our Munhyeon might be that kind of person.”

“Pardon?”

“Yes, what does it matter if it’s only the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror now? Just keep at it steadily. If you do that, even if slowly, you’ll eventually reach great aspirations.”

At Zhuge Doyun’s gentle words, Zhuge Munhyeon couldn’t help but feel absurd.

G-great talents mature late?

Slowly?

He really couldn’t understand the Zhuge Family.

Wasn’t the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror at age seven incredibly fast?

Anywhere other than the Zhuge Family, he’d be called a genius and more. Meanwhile, in martial arts, he was already… rapidly maturing talent.

When the father and son were walking intimately(?) and nearing the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.

“Isn’t that Doyun?”

At the heavy voice heard from behind, Zhuge Doyun quickly turned around and bowed his head.

“I greet the Family Head.”

“Ha ha! So formal. What Family Head… In private, just call me Elder Brother.”

“Still, there are watching eyes, so how could I be careless with titles?”

Zhuge Doyun smiled while maintaining proper etiquette.

It was Zhuge Dowon, the current head of the Zhuge Family.

He was with several retainers, apparently on his way to the Great Hall.

“Munhyeon, what are you doing instead of greeting the Family Head and retainers?”

Still unable to free his hand, Zhuge Munhyeon, whose cheeks were puffed up, curtly bowed his head.

“I greet Uncle and the various elders.”

“Ahem! You little rascal. You should call him Family Head.”

Zhuge Doyun immediately scolded his son for the improper address, but Zhuge Dowon waved his hand dismissively to stop him.

“Heh heh! The son is better than his father, I see. Well now, Munhyeon, it’s been a long time. This uncle has been too busy to visit often. I heard you’ve been absorbed in music lately, and I was planning to ask you to play something for me sometime. How have you been?”

“Yes, well…”

Zhuge Dowon smiled kindly at Zhuge Munhyeon’s response and patted his nephew’s head as he spoke.

“That’s right, being skilled at anything is good.”

It was praise, but his mood was terribly sour.

‘This damn uncle…’

Touching the top of his head?

Even being generous, that was a place he only allowed his parents to touch.

Though he was born as a descendant of the Zhuge Family, originally he was of the same generation as the great-great-grandfather of the current family head.

Yet he dares!

It was something that deserved immediate rebuke, but having no power and considering his father’s position, he barely endured it.

Also, his uncle had no children.

How precious must a child look to him?

“Hmm, but what brings you toward the Great Hall? Today isn’t a day for reports from the Military Strategy Hall, is it?”

“Ah, not the Great Hall, but we’re heading to the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.”

“Ten Thousand Books Pavilion?”

“Munhyeon has been visiting the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion for the past few days. So I’m going to escort him there.”

In that moment, Zhuge Munhyeon saw a strange glint pass through his uncle’s eyes.

Why?

It wasn’t just the family head.

The retainers behind them also showed surprised expressions for some reason when they heard about studying at the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.

“Ahem, I see. But isn’t the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion too advanced for a seven-year-old? There wouldn’t be any books suitable for reading.”

“I also sent him there half-doubtingly, but ah, would you believe this boy came back from the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion and immediately started reciting the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror fluently, which had been stalled all this time?”

“The Bright Heart Treasure Mirror?”

“Yes.”

It was an exaggeration.

It wasn’t quite fluent.

He had just memorized a very small portion.

But the moment those words were spoken, the retainers began murmuring among themselves.

Everyone had joyful expressions.

Regardless of the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror, their reaction was clearly due to hearing that his talent was blooming again.

Having a household member with outstanding talent was always a good thing.

Also, a father’s desire to boast about his son was more than understandable.

But on the other hand, he felt uneasy.

He had heard from Sohye.

About how his talent was affecting his other cousins.

“It seems my method of teaching the boy all this time was wrong.”

“I see. This is truly commendable. I was quite worried that Munhyeon’s talent might be blocked. It’s fortunate to hear he’s started studying again.”

“Exactly.”

At his father’s smile, his uncle knelt down to meet his gaze.

“Munhyeon.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“You must work hard. Remember that your talent can greatly benefit the family clan.”

“I will do so.”

“You little…”

His uncle made another kind expression and patted his head.

Stop doing that.

Though he was his father’s elder brother, this was the second time, so he endured it.

“Ahem, well then, you should get going.”

“Yes, Family Head.”

Soon, Zhuge Munhyeon glanced at the retreating figures of his uncle and the retainers heading to the Great Hall and frowned.

Their encouragement toward him was sincere.

It was the gaze of family elders looking at a promising junior with outstanding talent.

The problem was when someone among them expressed their feelings in a twisted way toward their own children.

What if they went home and said, ‘Munhyeon studies alone at the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion! What exactly are you doing?’ in comparison?

It might create competitive spirit.

But that’s only when things flow in a good direction; usually, it goes in an unwanted direction.

‘Sigh, I wonder if this will make my cousins hate me again.’

At seven years old, he wouldn’t have known such things, but having already lived one lifetime, he seemed to clearly see what would happen in the future.

 

* * *

 

“You wench!”

“…?”

“A lowly servant girl daring to sleep sprawled on a desk where scholars study!”

“I’m, I’m sorry, Young Master. This girl has committed a mortal sin.”

“Where is your master! Not properly managing even his own servant girl in the scholars’ library!”

“Oh my, Young Master. Please forgive us. Our Young Master has done nothing wrong. It’s all because this girl is incompetent.”

“Shut up, you wench!”

It was around the time Zhuge Munhyeon had completely transformed the Small Heavenly Star Technique into something entirely different through great effort and was memorizing it.

An untimely loud voice rang thunderously through the quiet Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.

A dark blue scholar’s robe.

As if to show he was indeed a descendant of the Zhuge Family, a little boy wearing even a square cap was shouting with his face bright red.

‘Sigh, I had a bad feeling about this.’

Zhuge Munhyeon, who had been too focused on memorization to pay attention to his surroundings, frowned.

A few days after meeting the family head.

The first floor of the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion had suddenly become overrun with children.

The rumor must have spread.

That Zhuge Munhyeon was studying at the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion. From what he heard, he could recite the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror fluently.

Then some of them would snicker and say it was just the Bright Heart Treasure Mirror. But some with children slow in learning would surely start hovering around the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion.

‘Adults really…’

He understood the parental desire to immediately follow suit when hearing that the neighbor’s kid started something and suddenly improved in academic achievement.

But wasn’t this a bit much?

Education should be tailored to the child’s level and interests, so what progress could there be from blindly forcing them just because others do it?

He didn’t want to care.

Whether those children glared at him with resentful eyes or not…

But the one kneeling and bowing her head, begging to be killed in front of that boy, was Sohye.

‘That damn little brat should manage his own servants properly instead of yelling at Sohye. I’ve never even raised my voice at her once.’

She must have dozed off.

Afraid she might fall if she dozed standing up, she sat down for a moment and unknowingly leaned on the desk.

But was that something to be scolded for?

It was just venting frustration.

How pleased he must have been to see a servant girl dozing when he was forced to study at the Ten Thousand Books Pavilion against his will?

That little brat was really living in a blessed world.

Living comfortably under good parents had even increased his understanding. In the past, he would have grabbed her by the hair and beaten her until she begged for her life.

Thud.

Zhuge Munhyeon closed his book, stood up with a sigh, and spoke toward the boy.

“Hey, stop it. She could doze off for a moment, so why are you getting angry over something like that?”

“…?”

The boy who turned his head at Zhuge Munhyeon’s words frowned.

It seemed he hadn’t known that he was in the Martial Arts Section.

Well, there was no reason he would have looked at the Martial Arts Section left abandoned in the corner.

Besides, with someone smaller than the bookshelf crouched in front of it, it wouldn’t have been visible. He had been quietly concentrating the whole time too.

But the boy’s face turned bright red.

“Hey? You bastard! What kind of way is that to speak to your elder brother!”

The boy even pointed his finger while shouting at the top of his lungs.

Ah, so he was an elder brother?

Should have said so earlier.

“Anyway, cut it out. You’re being noisy because of all this.”

“What do you mean cut it out? You worthless bastard!”

“What?”

“Fine, since you seem to have been born with lowly blood and don’t know proper manners, I’ll fix that habit of yours today along with your servant girl!”

“…”

At the boy’s words, Zhuge Munhyeon’s eyes turned cold as deep furrows formed between his brows.

“Hmm.”

Since he was going to live as a descendant of the Zhuge Family, he had planned to just give him a few beatings for treating Sohye carelessly and be done with it… but now it seems like he’s crossed the line a bit too much?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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