Surviving as the Heavenly Demon’s Concubine - Chapter 46

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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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[Miss Jegal. Can you hear me?]

 

“?!! What did I do wrong now?”

 

“Nothing. I was setting a trap in case you pretended to hear when you couldn’t.”

 

“Hmph. You scared me.”

 

Even as a joke, I shouldn’t call her ‘Miss Jegal’ instead of ‘Lin-ah’.

 

Perhaps because Riser only called her that when angry, Jegal Lin was reacting very sensitively to the title ‘Miss Jegal’. I’ll have to be careful from now on.

 

“How did you learn it so quickly? Sound transmission is something only masters do.”

 

“I read a book and followed along. It wasn’t that difficult.”

 

Riser handed Jegal Lin the 『One Hundred Life Martial Arts That Get Easier With Practice』 she had referenced, opening to the page about sound transmission.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Jegal Lin read the contents and smiled brightly.

 

[It’s true! It’s not that difficult.]

 

[Right?]

 

It was a scene that would make any talentless martial artist cough up blood and curse the heavens.

 

“Riser, what should we try next?”

 

“Hmm. Well…”

 

Riser and Jegal Lin had finished all their classes and were in the middle of review .

 

This term comes from the first phrase of the Analects, “learn and review in due time,” which basically means to review what you’ve learned.

 

However, for Jegal Lin, who could simultaneously memorize, analyze, and understand everything just by looking at it once, review held little meaning.

 

Because of this, their review time naturally progressed to application, advanced study, and preview.

 

‘But why do I have to do this?’

 

Meanwhile, Riser was just trudging along, following the rapidly advancing pace.

 

Her motivation to study had been depleted from the start, but Jegal Lin looked so happy that it was hard to suggest stopping.

 

“How about this? You and I could create a poison formation together…”

 

‘Gasp!’

 

Not wanting to become a martial world criminal, Riser quickly changed the subject.

 

“By the way, why didn’t you attend the ‘Mysteries of Defying Heaven – Introduction’ class?”

 

“Huh? Well, that’s…”

 

Fortunately, Jegal Lin was so startled by the sudden question that she forgot what she was talking about. That took ten years off my life.

 

“You’re acting suspicious.”

 

“No?!! I’m not!”

 

“Then why do you attend some subjects but not others? Even ‘Mysteries of Defying Heaven – Introduction’ was in the study guide you made for me. Did you compile that just by looking at the syllabus too?”

 

Jegal Lin fidgeted restlessly, then reluctantly nodded.

 

‘I brought up this topic randomly to change the subject, but she really is suspicious?’

 

I had thought she was busy, so I should attend classes in her place and take notes for her, but some subjects she attended directly while others she compiled just from the syllabus.

 

If it had been just the one subject 【Understanding Bedroom Arts and Conception Through the Harmony of Yin-Yang and Five Elements】, I would have believed it was because she already knew the content…

 

“‘Mysteries of Defying Heaven – Introduction’ is a subject you can only learn outside Mount Shiwandai.”

 

“…You’re right.”

 

Jegal Lin bit her lip with a pained expression.

 

“I’ll be honest. I don’t want to hide secrets from you, of all people.”

 

“Suddenly?”

 

Riser, who wasn’t prepared to hear secrets, rolled her eyes in bewilderment.

 

I never expected it to develop this way!

 

“Yes. It’s a secret from the other girls.”

 

“You don’t have to confess to me either…”

 

“Riser, I can trust you.”

 

Riser’s heart began to pound with the burden.

 

Every time Jegal Lin’s serious gaze flew toward her like an arrow, Riser felt like a small vessel unable to bear the weight of such a huge secret.

 

‘No, I’m not tight-lipped enough or mentally strong enough to keep your secrets!’

 

Warning alarms blared loudly in her head.

 

That moment of silence as Lin’s lips trembled pressed down on Riser’s shoulders like a weight of thousands of kilograms.

 

“I… actually…”

 

“I’m going to the bathroom!”

 

Unable to bear the burden, Riser shot up from her seat.

 

To Jegal Lin, who looked up with surprised, round eyes, Riser tried to appear as calm as possible as she spoke.

 

“Sorry. I’ve actually been holding it in for a while now.”

 

“Oh, really? Go quickly then.”

 

“Yes, I’ll be back!”

 

Riser hurriedly ran out of the room.

 

An inexplicable sense of defeat swirled through Riser’s heart.

 

【”By nature, you cannot trust others nor do you expect anything from them, so you won’t be betrayed or disappointed, but you also push away those who approach with goodwill, drawing lines. You may know many faces but share hearts with few. Remember that you must be willing to show weakness to form meaningful relationships. Do you understand?”】

 

‘You said it was nothing! You told me not to take it to heart!’

 

Riser, who had fled the pavilion and run along the corridor leading to the rear garden, leaned against the nearest pillar, panting as she caught her breath.

 

“Haa… Haa…”

 

Pitch-black darkness pooled like a well in the backyard of Cheonryeon-won.

 

‘Ah. I should have said privy instead of bathroom.’

 

I was so flustered that I used a word that didn’t fit the setting. Even though I’m always careful, it pops out when I’m panicked, which is embarrassing.

 

“Ha.”

 

At that moment, tears burst forth.

 

I realized painfully why I had run away without hearing Jegal Lin’s secret.

 

“…What do you know! Aaah!”

 

It was because Riser was destined to never be able to confess her own secrets to anyone.

 

* * *

 

‘Who does sister take after to have such a nasty temper? Mahu?’

 

Mujin climbed to the top of Myeolcheon Gak, thinking thoughts that would make Mahu quite indignant if he heard them.

 

“It seems about time.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, the bell announcing evening time (/6 PM) rang from below.

 

According to Yakseol’s third riddle, he had to look exactly west from here.

 

‘Like this, one step, two steps, three steps.’

 

Mujin took out his compass to confirm west, then carefully stepped forward.

 

As he advanced the prescribed steps in the prescribed direction at the prescribed time, the sun hung on the horizon as if it had been waiting, and the sunset crumbled.

 

As light poured at the exact angle, a small glimmer that hadn’t been visible before caught his eye between the broken roof tiles.

 

‘Found it.’

 

What was wedged between the tiles was a bronze mirror the size of a fingernail.

 

Looking closely, there was a crack on the side, and when he twisted it slightly, the mirror fell out with a pop.

 

When he flipped over the fallen mirror, tiny writing like millet grains was written on it.

 

 

 

“The character for rat . What does rat have to do with a person’s name?”

 

Mujin recalled the two characters he had found through the previous two riddles.

 

‘The first riddle was to cure Yakseol Dangju’s chronic illness.’

 

Mujin had grabbed Yakseol Dangju by the collar without warning and headed to Yakwang-jeon.

 

When a patient was delivered without notice, Museong was bewildered but diagnosed Yakseol Dangju on the spot.

 

【”Constipation. I’ll prepare Daeseunggi-tang (Great Qi-Bearing Decoction) for you.”】

 

The medicinal effect appeared before even two hours had passed.

 

When Yakseol Dangju hurried to the outhouse, Mujin followed and pounded on the outhouse door, shouting.

 

【”You rascal! If your illness is cured, give me the answer to the riddle!”</p】

“Huh? I haven’t heard anything about that.”

 

Incredibly, Yakseol Dangju’s words were true. He was just someone who had been dragged along without hearing any hint from Yakseol and received constipation medicine.

 

When the enraged Mujin started badmouthing Yakseol, Museong calmly said.

 

【”The medicine fee is five hundred coins.”</p】

“Why should I pay for that?”

 

“Isn’t he the patient you brought, hyung-nim? If you find it too precious, at least pay for the medicinal ingredients. These days it’s hard to obtain Tang General, so I can’t give it for free.”

 

“What general?”

 

“Tang General. That’s what we call rhubarb, the main ingredient in Daesunggi-tang.”

 

“Ah. This thing.”

 

Mujin let out an irritated sigh as he intuitively realized he had found the answer.

 

The answer to the first riddle was ‘Tang of Tang Dynasty’.

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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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