I Decided to Give the Contract to the Male Vassal - Chapter 7

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

Chapter 7

I looked up at the owner of the voice in bewilderment.

The man released his grip on my waist and brushed past me.

He wore a demon mask over his face. Below it, I could see his sharp jawline.

“The Paryeong Daejoo who should be protecting Cheonsan is trying to steal a believer’s qi. I suppose this is what you’d call apostasy?”

The killing intent emanating from him was extraordinary.

Strangely, his appearance didn’t seem unfamiliar.

If I looked closely at his facial outline beneath the demon mask, I might recognize him, but I didn’t have that luxury.

The cornered Absorbent Sword Demon had drawn upon his innate qi and unleashed a technique.

Absorbent Void-Cutting Blade.

A deadly technique that slashed people to absorb their life force flew toward the masked man.

The moment the Absorbent Sword Demon’s strike cut through the air, the man was already standing lightly on the back of the demon’s blade.

The blade’s killing intent couldn’t penetrate even an inch toward the man.

The internal energy rippling out from the sword at his waist was cold and precise.

His jet-black hair settled down like silk fabric.

It was lightness skill of such amazing level that my current eyesight couldn’t follow it.

“Trying to use Absorbent Demon Arts against me—how refreshing.”

The Absorbent Sword Demon swung his blade to shake off the masked man.

Clang!

An intense metallic sound struck my ears.

The masked man had somehow flown in and was crossing swords with the Absorbent Sword Demon.

Red energy flowed from the flat of his blade.

The masked man turned his grip and scraped against the flat of the demon’s blade.

With a scraping sound, a crescent-shaped white sword path unfolded.

As the Absorbent Sword Demon tried to withdraw his blade to block this, an opening appeared at his chest.

The murderous blade flew toward his chest.

It felt like lightning falling from the sky.

Crack!

In just one move, the masked man shattered the Absorbent Sword Demon’s shoulder bone with his blade and inflicted fatal internal injuries.

“Kuhek!”

The Absorbent Sword Demon vomited blood.

Truly overwhelming martial power.

The precision and destructive force of his techniques were extraordinary.

‘That martial art is…’

If my information is correct, it’s a technique from the Heavenly Moon Art.

A supreme martial art that the first sect leader of the Heavenly Sect, called the Heavenly Demon, conceived from observing the moon’s reflection on a lake.

It was a secret martial art that could only be learned by the sect leader’s disciples.

Now I understand. That person is…

“Th-Third Young Master… Wicheonso?!”

The Absorbent Sword Demon looked up at his opponent with a trembling expression.

Though Wicheonso’s face was still hidden by the demon mask, his presence alone was overwhelming.

His perfect physique looked like a master’s painting, and everything from his clothes to his shoes to the jade pendant at his waist was of the highest quality.

Even the blood droplets splattered on the fierce demon mask beneath his flowing black hair seemed like elements that completed his image.

“Paryeong Daejoo. You boldly committed corruption, but at least you have the sense to recognize me.”

Wicheonso twisted his lips into a crooked smile and strode toward the Absorbent Sword Demon.

The pendant at his waist swayed.

The moment he saw that pendant, the Absorbent Sword Demon’s face turned pale.

“Cheonjeon commanded that no mercy be shown to apostates.”

The killing intent in his voice was extraordinary.

The Absorbent Sword Demon stood his ground, facing Wicheonso’s murderous aura.

That fierce killing intent was strong enough to affect even me.

‘I need to leave this place.’

But my body wasn’t obeying me well.

My insides churned and I felt nauseous.

Was it a side effect of stopping time? My heart was beating rapidly.

My breathing became labored.

‘This isn’t good…’

Before I knew it, my body had lost its balance, beyond my control.

The ground tilted at an angle, and Wicheonso in his demon mask seemed to be staring at me.

I felt his eyes beyond the mask looking toward me.

“I need to go back…”

With those words, darkness covered my vision.

❖ ❖ ❖

It was a rainy day.

Baekah came to find me as I was holed up in the study, examining books about poisons.

“Master, you were here again?”

He approached me and draped his robe over my shoulders.

“Master, you should keep warm when it rains. You suffered from a cold before, remember?”

“I’m fine, so you wear this robe. The air is humid and you might catch a chill.”

“It’s okay. I’m probably ten times healthier than you, Master.”

Baekah’s clear eyes gazed at me affectionately.

After becoming a martial arts cripple, my body grew weaker and weaker. Especially on rainy days, my cough worsened, and this time I had unfortunately caught a cold too.

Baekah brewed medicinal herbs and brought them to me. They were herbs he had personally cultivated for me.

“If you drink this, your cough will subside.”

“…Alright. You go to your room quickly and get under the covers. I don’t want you catching my cold.”

“Yes. I’ll go in a little while.”

Baekah sat across from me.

Was it because of the rhythmic sound of rain? Drowsiness washed over me.

Perhaps it was because I felt languid after drinking the warm tea.

Before I knew it, I had rested my head on the desk and fallen asleep. Or so I thought I had.

Rustle.

I seemed to hear the sound of book pages turning at a steady pace.

Had Baekah still not returned to his room?

Until now, Baekah had never shown interest in books.

Rustle.

The sound of pages turning softly came again.

It was surprising enough that Baekah, who only did menial tasks, could read, but was he actually reading fluently through books full of technical terms?

I wanted to open my eyes and check, but my body wouldn’t move well.

The sound of turning pages stopped.

“I…”

Baekah’s faint murmur tickled my ears.

“I hope someday there will come a day when I can be honest in front of you, Master.”

Baekah’s voice sounded sorrowful.

I wanted to ask why he said that.

So when I suddenly opened my eyes, Baekah’s figure had already disappeared.

Instead, I saw a bed draped with thin curtains.

It had been a dream.

‘Did Baekah really say those words?’

I was curious, but I could no longer ask.

Baekah had died ten years ago.

Emptiness washed over me.

The pain gripping my chest reminded me once again of the weight of sorrow.

I had been maintaining my composure all along, but in truth, I was merely enduring.

For the first time, I sobbed as I truly realized that Baekah was no longer by my side.

The fact that I would never hear that child’s gentle voice again broke my heart.

Before that grief could even fade, the unfamiliar texture of the bed brought me back to reality.

‘Where is this…?’

This is not my residence.

‘I met Chung-rin and was leaving Sohongru when I got caught up with the Absorbent Sword Demon…’

Someone must have brought me here after I collapsed.

A chill ran down my spine.

‘How much time has passed?’

I carefully sat up.

My heart, which had been racing wildly right after I stopped time, was now relatively calm. However, perhaps as an aftereffect, I couldn’t put much strength into my body.

Just then, I suddenly noticed an unfamiliar figure sitting quietly to one side, watching me without any sign of presence.

A handsome man who seemed to have stepped out of a painting was sitting on a platform bed with his arms crossed, observing me.

‘Who?’

If a famous artist were to paint a perfect person, it would look exactly like this.

Through his loosely opened collar, I could see tightly built muscles without a single gap, and the red, luxurious robe draped over his broad shoulders accentuated his splendid appearance.

Beneath his flowing hair, blood-red eyes were emitting an eerie light.

‘Those red eyes…’

Those were the eyes I saw when I sank into the deep water.

There were cases where the body changed according to demonic arts, but such vivid red was rare to see.

He was the Third Prince, Wicheonso.

“Are you done crying?”

Wicheonso, who had been maintaining silence all along, finally asked me.

His voice was polite yet cold, unlike what one would expect from someone called a killing demon.

I was a bit flustered and wiped away my tears with the end of my sleeve.

“…I apologize for the discourtesy.”

In Mageyo, the sect leader is called Cheonjeon because he is the sole existence under heaven.

Therefore, his disciples are also in positions that cannot be carelessly approached. The same goes for Wicheonso.

If I carelessly raised my head, I could lose my neck.

I hurriedly lowered my head and tried to put on my blood-stained robe, but there was nothing at my fingertips. It seemed my blood-stained robe had been removed.

At that moment, I checked my left forearm just in case. Fortunately, there were no changes to my body.

“But who might you be, Young Master?”

I asked carefully, pretending not to know who he was.

Wicheonso chuckled and adjusted his posture to sit up straight.

“Miss. This isn’t our first meeting, is it?”

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