Surviving as the Villainess’s Servant in a Martial Arts Novel - Chapter 73

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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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Episode 73

I opened my mouth in a daze.

‘Pyeong Hyeon… Lee Sa-hyeon?’

What’s that supposed to mean?

No, wait. Before that, I’m sure I heard something incredible.

Lee Sa-hyeon, the only son of Lee Jin-won…

Lee Jin-won’s only son…

Only son…

“Son?”

I looked at Pyeong Hyeon… Lee Sa-hyeon while making creaking sounds like a broken robot.

Sa-hyeon turned his head away slightly as if embarrassed.

“You, you, you…”

I couldn’t hold back and shouted.

“You were a man?!”

Sa-hyeon answered in a voice that seemed to crawl into a hole.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?”

Is this something that can be resolved with an apology?!

I was genuinely flustered.

Really, I hadn’t suspected even for a moment that Sa-hyeon might be a man.

Wasn’t that natural? With that white face still soft with downy hair, those clear and pure deer-like eyes, and those gradually reddening cheeks that were just like a budding flower…

‘Wait a minute.’

Didn’t I do all sorts of things to him?

That’s right, I did.

Thinking he was a girl, I talked about breasts and such, saying he had one too so why be so embarrassed, and even subtly lifted his clothes saying I’d show him if he wanted to see.

And that’s not all? Since the kid was small and pretty and always snuggled up to me like a small animal, wasn’t I just now holding him in my arms and cooing over him?

But what?

A boy?

“…That can’t be right.”

“Huh?”

You, who seems like you were born with ‘girl’ written on your forehead from birth? You, who will become an absolutely stunning beauty in the future, are a man? You have one attached in the middle?”

“Attached… well, that’s right, but…”

“No, no no no no! My Pyeong Hyeon, my cute and lovely and pretty and adorable and cunning and charming Pyeong Hyeon couldn’t have such a thing attached. And when I carried you on my back, I didn’t feel anything behind you?”

“Wh-wh-what are you saying, Older Sister!”

“Older Sister~?”

Suddenly Sa-hyeon covered his mouth with both hands as if he had made a terrible mistake.

I rolled my eyes back.

“Older Sister? Even in this situation, you’re still calling me that? Look at this, this kid is really determined, isn’t he?”

“No, this is just habit…”

“Oh my, habit, you say. Just how much have you been going around acting cute for it to come out so naturally? Tell me, just how many older sisters have you charmed?”

“Huh?”

“No wonder the way you snuggled into my arms seemed unusual. It’s always like this, right? Pretending to be a pure, harmless girl who knows nothing, acting cute to older sisters to make them slaves of love!”

“When did I ever!”

“Oh, now you’re going to make excuses? Look at earlier too. Why did you run to me? Naturally snuggling into my arms and rubbing against me. Huh? Come to think of it, you even buried your face in my chest!”

“I-I-I didn’t do that-!”

“Hyeon-a, mind your manners!”

As Sa-hyeon finally let out a shriek, even Eom Father raised his voice. I teased Sa-hyeon a little more before finally bursting into giggles.

Honestly, I was still flustered inside.

Still, if it had been a hairy-legged man doing that, it would have been quite disgusting, but since Sa-hyeon was like such a pretty younger sibling, I didn’t feel much revulsion even after learning the truth.

Besides, since I myself had a history of cross-dressing as a man, I thought Sa-hyeon might have some reason too…

‘Still, I should be careful from now on.’

I finally stopped laughing and said.

“I’m just kidding, just kidding. Honestly, I was flustered, and even setting aside your gender, I’m a little hurt that you didn’t even tell me your real name properly…”

“I’m really sorry, really…”

“Anyway, whether Sa-hyeon or Pyeong Hyeon, you’re both you. The person I’ve been seeing is one person. Right?”

“…”

Sa-hyeon looked at me with a touched expression. He must have been quite moved, as tears were even forming in his large eyes.

I quickly changed the subject before the atmosphere became too sentimental.

“So why have you been cross-dressing until now? And why are you revealing it now?”

“That’s…”

Sa-hyeon looked at Eom Father hesitantly for a moment. Eom Father immediately nodded as if asking what was so obvious.

Soon Sa-hyeon confessed the situation.

“It was to hide my identity.”

“Your identity?”

“Yes.”

Sa-hyeon continued speaking calmly.

“As I mentioned earlier, Eom Father and I are from Gwangjin-gyo. Currently, Gwangjin-gyo is like traitors in the Central Martial Arts World. Everyone is desperately trying to kill people from Gwangjin-gyo.”

“Oh…”

“And I am the last remaining bloodline of Gwangjin-gyo’s previous leader. If they discover my identity, they’ll wage an all-out war to completely cut off Gwangjin-gyo’s lineage. Then not only I, but the remaining followers would also be in danger.”

“…”

“So originally I’m not supposed to go outside… but I threw a tantrum. Eventually, we decided that outside, I would play the role of Eom Father’s granddaughter…”

That’s how they diverted attention.

I found myself nodding.

It could be called a good strategy. Honestly, even I didn’t know Sa-hyeon was a man or a person from Gwangjin-gyo until he told me.

However, my questions still weren’t resolved.

The fundamental cause was…

“But what is Gwangjin-gyo?”

“…”

“And… why did you suddenly call me Leader? I don’t remember joining any religion…”

“…That’s connected to the reason I revealed my identity to you, Older Sister. First, let me explain about our Gwangjin-gyo. It’s something you need to know from now on.”

Sa-hyeon slowly began his story.

* * *

Gwangjin-gyo .

Literally, it’s one of the religions.

However, if there’s something unique about them, it’s that they believe in the ‘Father of Light.’

‘Not “Our Father who art in heaven,” but what’s this Father of Light?’

So according to Gwangjin-gyo’s doctrine, in the beginning, the world was created through the opposition of light and darkness.

Light and darkness created the world through three conflicts, and in the third conflict, light fell from heaven and the darkness of earth swallowed the light, giving birth to humans.

Therefore, humans became imperfect beings with both light and darkness existing simultaneously.

The Father of Light, Myeongbu , took pity on such humans and sent his son, Myeongja , down to the human world to lead them to the light.

Myeongja spread the doctrine to the world, and the first apostle that Myeongja gathered was…

“The founder of Gwangjin-gyo.”

After hearing that, I was impressed.

‘Wow, it sounds like a cult.’

I’ve heard this somewhere before. Like “Second Coming ×sus”… Oh, but here it’s apostle, so it’s a bit different?

Their eccentricity didn’t even end there.

They believed that all suffering humans experience is because humans possess both light and darkness simultaneously.

Therefore, to eliminate suffering, they thought one must nurture light and suppress darkness, and to do that, one should do good, pursue justice, and seek truth.

I was impressed once again.

‘They’re just saying to live righteously, aren’t they?’

When I listened to it, it seemed somewhat plausible?

“…If you live pursuing light like this, darkness will naturally be suppressed, and someday when you’re completely liberated from darkness, you’ll be able to go to the world of light.”

‘No, even hearing it again, it sounds like a cult.’

“I, I see…. But you know.”

“Yes?”

“So what does that have to do with me…?”

For a moment, Lee Sa-hyeon and Eom Father’s eyes met. I swallowed dry saliva. Whenever those two exchanged such meaningful glances, I always had a bad feeling….

Belatedly, Lee Sa-hyeon opened his mouth.

“Older Sister, how is your physical condition right now?”

“Huh? My body?”

I tilted my head at Lee Sa-hyeon’s sudden question about my physical condition.

“Of course it’s good. Eom Father treated me, didn’t he? I’ve felt incredibly light since I woke up. I was actually going to thank you for that….”

As I continued, I examined my body here and there, then suddenly paused.

My body was certainly fine.

But… it was too fine, even for being fine.

Clearly, my body right before I collapsed was in terrible condition. I could feel that too. It truly felt like my whole body was going to break apart.

But now my body didn’t have a single injured spot. There were no remaining wounds anywhere, and my left hand, which couldn’t properly exert strength, was perfectly fine. Even my body seemed more vigorous than when I was at the Seo Family Estate.

‘Even if he’s a divine physician, can he heal like this?’

Most importantly.

My eyes.

My eyes, which were definitely said to be incurable….

“My eyes… I can see.”

At my trembling voice, Lee Sa-hyeon smiled brightly as if genuinely delighted.

“Thank goodness!”

“My eyes, I can see? My eyes are fine? Why?”

“It’s really fortunate, it seems your body has safely completed its reformation.”

“reformation? What does that mean? No, didn’t Eom Father say so? That my eyes couldn’t be restored anymore…. Did you discover some miraculous medicine?”

“It’s not miraculous medicine. It’s because you….”

Lee Sa-hyeon, who paused to catch his breath, answered.

“It’s because you learned the Returning to Void Sacred Light Scripture.”

“Returning to… what?”

At Lee Sa-hyeon’s nonsensical answer, I opened my eyes wide.

Then Eom Father, who was beside us, stepped forward.

“All things return to nothingness, and only then shall they be formed of light.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s a divine martial art created containing the principles of The School. It’s also a supreme internal energy cultivation method secretly passed down only to successive leaders.”

“Pardon?”

“When you enter the introductory stage of the Returning to Void Sacred Light Scripture, your body is reformed to be suitable for learning the divine art. In that process, a miracle occurs where even dying people come back to life, so the followers call that process ‘molting.'”

“Pardon?”

“You die once as an imperfect human, and are reborn as light. A true ‘Apostle of Light’ liberated from darkness is born.”

“Pardon?”

I stupidly kept repeating “Pardon?” That was understandable, since I couldn’t understand even half of half of half of what Eom Father was saying.

However, I could understand one thing.

That I was apparently, tremendously × screwed.

“Wait, if I’m an Apostle of Light, then that…?”

“That’s right.”

Eom Father said.

“You are the Leader.”

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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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