The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 252

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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 6

Though it was a sudden picnic, the preparation and execution went smoothly.

“Leave the food to me!”

Especially Sook, who rolled up her sleeves and took charge as if it were her own business upon hearing the news.

“Pack some snacks to take along. And alcohol too!”

The members moved in perfect coordination following Sook’s instructions.

“But where are we going?”

While the other maids were helping the members, Sook quietly approached and asked about the picnic location.

“Cheon-gui Dam or Hyeol-un Waterfall?”

Both places were ones I had visited before under the pretext of dates with Eok I-geon. I remember them being quite scenic and atmospheric.

“How about Cheong-ma Grassland instead?”

“Cheong-ma Grassland?”

“Yeah, since we’re going as a group, wouldn’t an open area be better?”

“…I suppose so?”

Now that she mentioned it, that did seem right.

Cheon-gui Dam had relatively rough mountain terrain, and Hyeol-un Waterfall was quite far away.

In comparison, Cheong-ma Grassland was at a reasonable distance and being a field, it was perfect for running around freely.

“Oh, that’s a recommendation worthy of my left arm!”

“I’ll bring lunch at the right time.”

“Thanks in advance!”

Having Sook around was truly reassuring.

I shouldered my share of the bundle and looked around. While we had been chatting, the members had already finished preparing to depart.

But why are they all frozen like that?

Do they not know what a picnic is?

Looking at their faces that seemed like they would shatter rather than fall if poked, many thoughts crossed my mind for a moment.

After much deliberation, I gave my first order.

“Everyone seems too stiff, so shall we run to our destination to loosen up our bodies?”

“Where is the destination… ma’am?”

Yang Ha-rin, who was used to casual speech, somehow managed to add the honorific at the end as she asked.

“Cheong-ma Grassland. You’ve been there once before, right?”

“Yeah! I mean, yes! That place was nice! Ma’am!”

Right, speech habits aren’t easily changed.

Seo-ryeon was the only one who laughed at Yang Ha-rin’s strange way of speaking.

The day when we can all laugh together needs to come soon.

“I’ll take the lead. Please make sure no one falls behind!”

Hup!

It wasn’t an environment that would improve just by continuing to talk. As soon as I finished speaking, I kicked off the ground and shot forward.

“Whoa…!”

I heard sounds of confusion, but I didn’t slow down.

This was a shallow scheme to assess the members’ lightness skill abilities.

About an hour later.

“Your name?”

“Im Cheong.”

“You ran well. Is it because you’re from Ghost Spirit Hall?”

“I am confident in lightness skills. Thank you for the compliment.”

Everyone arrived without much difference, but among them, only Im Cheong had followed closely behind me as if in pursuit.

With his skinny frame and flour-white skin, he looked weak at first glance, but I could sense quite a bit of grit in his attitude and speech.

If I had used Mabang Bicheongang to its fullest, it wouldn’t have been close, but honestly, it exceeded my expectations.

Seo-ryeon and Yu-un arrived last, seemingly to prevent anyone from falling behind.

Seeing the two already looking after the members, a pleased smile naturally formed on my lips.

“Shall we sit down and have some snacks first?”

As they say, even Diamond Mountain comes after a meal.

Since we had expended energy, now it was time to fill our stomachs.

“I wonder what Sook packed for us.”

When I unpacked, the first thing that caught my eye was yakgwa.

“Mmm, this is the taste!”

There lived a yakgwa master at Jami-gwan.

During my maid days, I had tasted it just once thanks to Sook, but now it was a snack that was always piled up in a corner of Yeong-eun Hall.

“…What are you doing? Not eating?”

After quickly finishing one yakgwa and reaching for a second snack, I paused and looked around.

The members weren’t touching the snacks at all and were all just watching me.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“It’s not that…”

“…Is it okay for us to share a meal with First Miss like this…?”

“Of course it’s okay! We’ll be doing this all the time when we go out to Gangho, right? And I’m not someone who cares about status and rank like that!”

I pointed at Yang Ha-rin in my unfair frustration.

“That Yang Ha-rin even curses freely in front of me!”

“Sister, I mean First Miss! When did I ever curse?”

Yang Ha-rin, who was just bringing a piece of fruit to her mouth, shouted.

“Please refrain from false accusations in front of people I’m meeting for the first time! First impressions are so important.”

“Since when do you care about such things?”

“Are there people who don’t?”

Yang Ha-rin made an unbelievable statement and then smiled brightly at the members.

“Let’s all get along well. I’m Yang Ha-rin from Mujeophwa.”

“I’m Jeon Hye-yun.”

“Baek Jin-seo.”

The two members right next to Yang Ha-rin introduced themselves in bewilderment. They were Yeom-wang Unit members that Seo-ryeon had brought.

Is she about 150cm tall?

Jeon Hye-yun, with her petite stature and cute appearance, carried a greatsword as tall as herself.

In contrast, Baek Jin-seo next to her had a burly frame that seemed well over 2 meters tall.

The two looked so contrasting that they caught my attention for a moment.

“Instead of this, shall we all have a drink together?”

“Shall we?”

At Leader Seo-ryeon’s suggestion, I eagerly picked up the bottle.

And I went around pouring drinks for each member one by one.

“There’s no one who can’t drink, right?”

“I drink well!”

“I like it!”

Was it because alcohol was placed in front of them?

The members who had been keeping their mouths shut began to speak little by little.

At this rate, we might become quite close by the end of today.

I raised my cup high and shouted a toast.

“May there be only victory in Phoenix Corps’ future! Cheers!”

Starting with me, ten cups were quickly emptied.

“Leader, let me pour a round.”

Following me, Seo-ryeon, and then Yu-un poured drinks in succession as if they had made a promise.

It felt good that everyone accepted and drank well without exception.

‘If we played a game at a time like this, we could become close instantly, right?’

I raised my voice boldly.

“Now, pay attention!”

I explained once again why we had come to this picnic.

“The reason we came here today is purely to foster friendship. For us who just finished introducing ourselves to quickly become close, alcohol is good, but if we add games to it, it’ll be the icing on the cake!”

“Games? What kind of games?”

“We’ll start with handkerchief drop!”

I pulled out a handkerchief from my chest.

“Everyone knows what handkerchief drop is, right?”

I asked just in case, but the response was silence.

They just blinked blankly, seeming like no one knew.

Well, that was fine.

I could just teach them.

Handkerchief drop wasn’t that difficult a game anyway.

“The method is very simple. First, everyone sits in a circle. Then one person who’s ‘it’ takes this handkerchief and walks around the outside of the circle. Meanwhile, the seated people will sing a song, and the person who’s ‘it’ sings along while walking around, then drops the handkerchief behind someone.”

“…Is that the end?”

“What do you do after dropping the handkerchief?”

“What about the person who has the handkerchief placed behind them?”

I answered the flood of questions earnestly.

“The person who has the handkerchief placed behind them must pick up that handkerchief and chase after the person who’s ‘it’ to catch them before they sit in their spot. If they can’t catch them, that person becomes ‘it’ again.”

“What if they don’t notice the handkerchief was placed?”

“If the person who’s ‘it’ goes around once and catches them, they’re out! After that, they have to drop out of the game. It’s not difficult, right?”

The explanation was long, but the rules were very simple.

Everyone was nodding, looking like they understood quickly.

“Let’s have fun and play excitedly!”

Up until this point, I had no idea that handkerchief drop would become such a brutal game.

“I am Song Mu-hyeon from the Hyeon-ma Tak Family.”

Song Mu-hyeon was a tall, handsome man with well-defined features. He clasped his fist respectfully while holding the handkerchief.

“Isn’t it that you were from the Hyeon-ma Tak Family, not that you are?”

When a man in white clothes pointed out Song Mu-hyeon’s mistake like a joke, people’s attention was drawn to him.

Then he introduced himself.

“Ahem, I am Yun Ha-ram from Ghost Spirit Hall.”

“You’re right. My affiliation changed in just one day.”

Song Mu-hyeon scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, then opened his mouth again.

“Song Mu-hyeon, formerly of the Hyeon-ma Tak Family, now of Phoenix Corps. I’m burdened to be the first person who’s ‘it’, but I’ll do my best.”

Song Mu-hyeon hid the handkerchief behind him and stepped outside the circle.

Tap tap—

Huh? He’s starting right away like this?

Starting was one thing, but Song Mu-hyeon was suddenly using footwork techniques.

What did footwork techniques have to do with handkerchief drop?

I clearly said to just run slowly and casually drop the handkerchief, didn’t I?

Excuse me? Why are you closing your eyes?

The other members were just as ridiculous.

They were all concentrating seriously, trying to heighten their senses.

‘Did they already forget my explanation about clapping and singing?’

This was supposed to be a game to laugh and chat, but it felt like being in the middle of a battlefield.

‘No, what the hell is this supposed to be?’

While I was too dumbfounded to say anything, Song Mu-hyeon’s movements gradually became faster.

Tap tap tap, thump!

It was then that a subtle off-beat appeared in his previously regular footwork.

He was even meticulous enough to drop the handkerchief in time with that sound.

His target was Yun Ha-ram from Ghost Spirit Hall.

He snatched the handkerchief before it even hit the ground and immediately leaped into midair.

He looked like an innocent scholar who sat at a desk reading books all day, but his movements were as agile as a leopard.

Swoosh!

Realizing he’d been caught, Song Mu-hyeon clicked his tongue low and fled using movement techniques.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

A whirlwind swept through where a gust of wind had passed.

It was qinggong so fast that it would be hard to follow with the eyes without enhancing one’s vision.

Would he be caught, or would he catch him!

The result was Song Mu-hyeon barely managing to sit in the empty spot, avoiding elimination.

“….”

Yun Ha-ram’s eyes turned cold.

He seemed to have hurt pride from failing to catch Song Mu-hyeon.

Even so, he was faithful to his role as the person who’s ‘it’.

Unlike Song Mu-hyeon, Yun Ha-ram’s steps made no sound.

Like a quiet butterfly flying in the silence, he placed down the handkerchief.

This time the target was Jeon Hye-yun from Yeom-wang Unit.

She, who had been holding a greatsword, immediately kicked off from her spot and stood up.

‘She’s not going to swing that thing, is she?’

Another chase began.

At this point, I seriously considered whether we should stop playing handkerchief drop.

Contrary to starting this to have fun, everyone was putting their full skills into the game.

We were clearly all on the same side, but somehow the situation looked like watching a three-way battle.

Hyeon-ma Tak Family, Ghost Spirit Hall, Yeom-wang Unit.

I could even feel the determination that none of them would absolutely be eliminated.

‘Fostering friendship my ass.’

It would be fortunate if this didn’t lead to bloodshed.

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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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