The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 41
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 41
“Seolha has officially become the Sect Leader’s disciple.”
“What do you mean…?”
Singeum was bewildered.
She had guessed something had happened when he suddenly appeared in disguise, but she couldn’t understand what this sudden statement meant.
“An official decree will be issued soon. I thought I should inform you first, so I visited without prior notice.”
“Seolha is Prince Lee’s personal maid. How could such a girl become Cheonma’s disciple? She didn’t say anything to me until yesterday evening.”
“The Sect Leader has passed down Mahu’s martial arts to Seolha.”
“…!”
“It was before departing for Sichuan. Even I, the lord of Gwihongak, only learned of it today.”
“So that’s why…”
Something had felt a bit strange indeed.
“When I examined Seolha’s body last night, I felt a unique flow of inner energy. I simply thought she had learned martial arts from Prince Lee, but I never dreamed it was Mahu’s martial arts.”
“I suspected it was you who planted the internal energy in Seolha’s body.”
“Don’t tell me it was the Sect Leader who interfered with it?”
“No.”
“Then it was Prince Lee…”
When Gong Pae-cheon nodded, Singeum bit her lips.
Indeed, becoming a personal maid had been the problem.
To think that what she should have naturally done when the time came was stolen by some random fellow.
She had deliberately pretended not to know yesterday, worried that Seolha might be surprised.
She had intended to give her some time, but now she deeply regretted not discussing everything openly.
“There was a kidnapping incident today.”
“Kidnapping? Don’t tell me our Seolha was kidnapped?”
“Well, here’s what happened…”
Gong Pae-cheon calmed the excited Singeum and briefly explained the Geomun-gak incident that occurred during the day.
“…That’s how it happened. It was fortunate that Prince Lee arrived before Seolha came to harm. Through that incident, the Sect Leader decided to take Seolha as his disciple. I don’t know the reason, but he seemed to have taken a liking to Seolha from the moment he first saw her.”
“Absolutely not! Seolha must never be placed beside the Sect Leader!”
“I fully understand your feelings of concern for Seolha. But think carefully. From Seolha’s perspective, living as Cheonma’s disciple might be a much better life than living as a maid. She could spend her life comfortably learning only martial arts without any worries.”
“Who says Cheonma’s disciple has no worries? The demonic cult members will want to know. They’ll want to see what makes Cheonma’s disciple special. Why he only now took a disciple, and countless other questions will follow Seolha around. What about the tremendous responsibility Seolha will face because of that? I don’t want to make my granddaughter bear such things. This decision by Cheonma was far too reckless!”
How many people in the Demonic Sect would dare to criticize Cheonma so directly?
Singeum showed not a moment’s hesitation in uttering words that even Gong Pae-cheon wouldn’t dare speak.
That’s why he had always thought her magnificent.
The woman who had settled deep within his heart from the moment he first saw her.
That’s why Gong Pae-cheon wanted her to live.
“The problem is you.”
Gong Pae-cheon caught his breath for a moment before continuing.
“Though it’s before receiving the official decree, Seolha has become Cheonma’s official disciple as of today. Naturally, all attention will be focused on her, and they’ll want to know about you, her only family.”
“There were unusually many dinner guests…”
She had thought the frequent comings and goings of martial artists was odd compared to usual.
She had simply thought they were just passing by, but it was clearly her mistake.
Having lived peacefully for too long, her vigilance had definitely dulled.
“More will come flocking in the future.”
“Now I see you came because you’re worried about me, not Seolha.”
It was the moment when Gong Pae-cheon’s unexpected visit finally made sense.
“Your identity might be discovered. No, it will take some time, but it will definitely be revealed. There are limits to what I can prevent.”
“…I knew such a day would come eventually. Seventeen years is a long time to have lived in hiding.”
“How about leaving immediately? I’ll help you.”
“Just helping me until now is a debt I can never repay. I’m prepared, so it would be best if Military Advisor Gong pretended not to know me from now on.”
“I cannot do that! Have you already forgotten? I owe you my life!”
“That debt has already been repaid and more. With very generous interest too.”
Gong Pae-cheon felt suffocated by Singeum’s stubbornness, as if he had indigestion.
“What’s the reason? Don’t you truly know that you could die if your identity is exposed?”
“I know.”
Singeum looked at Gong Pae-cheon with straight eyes.
“But I can never leave Seolha behind.”
“She’s not even your real granddaughter! If you’ve raised and cared for an infant with no blood relation for seventeen years, I think you’ve done enough!”
“As Military Advisor Gong said, she’s a child I’ve raised for seventeen years. Seolha is my family. Abandoning family and leaving is something I only need to do once.”
She never wanted to experience such a thing again.
Though there were unavoidable circumstances at the time, Singeum had regretted that day over and over.
“So please, I beg you. Stop Seolha from becoming a disciple!”
“You know well that’s something I cannot do anything about. It’s something the Sect Leader has decided. I couldn’t find any reason to oppose it.”
“Then what about a way to escape?”
“You mean to take Seolha and escape from Headquarters?”
“Is there any other way for Seolha and me to survive?”
Regret washed over her that she should have done this long ago, but it was already too late.
Seolha becoming Cheonma’s disciple was beyond Singeum’s expectations, and she hadn’t known she would face the crisis of having her identity revealed because of it.
Currently, the only thing she could choose was to flee together with Seolha.
“If it were just you alone, it would be possible.”
“Seolha will follow well too.”
Though Singeum didn’t currently know that Seolha had learned the Mabang Bicheongang, the internal energy equivalent to sixty years would certainly be helpful.
“The Sect Leader is originally not a greedy person.”
“…?”
“But he has one unique trait – he values people.”
“What do you mean?”
“If he considers someone his person, he absolutely never gives up on them.”
“Are you saying he won’t let Seolha go?”
“Could you break through Headquarters’ Heavenly Net together with Seolha?”
“Surely not to that extent…”
“The Mukheoncham-milbae will probably be mobilized.”
The Mukheoncham-milbae, the Demonic Sect’s strongest military force, was a direct unit that only obeyed Cheonma’s commands.
Though their main purpose was to protect Cheonma, they were a group that possessed near-perfect skills in all aspects including combat, tracking, and assassination.
“Escaping would be impossible.”
Gong Pae-cheon advised with sincerity.
“You must also think about what punishment would be imposed if you were caught after fleeing. For Seolha, becoming the Sect Leader’s disciple is currently the best option.”
Singeum was angry that his words weren’t wrong.
Was there truly no way?
Must she hand over Seolha to Cheonma as a disciple like this?
She had also failed to keep her benefactor’s promise to never let her encounter Cheonma.
Until now, she had made good use of the fact that it’s darkest under the lamp, but now she had become like a bird trapped in a cage.
It felt like fate’s wheel was testing her.
“I’ll help you. At least you…”
“Shh!”
It was when Gong Pae-cheon was about to persuade Singeum again.
Suddenly, she put her index finger to her lips and pointed to the ceiling with her eyes.
“Someone is on the roof.”
“Has a rat already been drawn here?”
“Being Cheonma’s disciple must be quite something. To think surveillance would be attached even to an old grandmother.”
“It’s likely Hyeon-wol-dang.”
Even with the uninvited guests’ appearance, Singeum and Gong Pae-cheon didn’t panic and calmly conversed through telepathic transmission.
Hyeon-wol-dang was an intelligence organization operated by the Hyeon-ma Tak Clan.
Their movement meant that news of Seolha had reached Tak Joong-hak, the head of the Tak Family.
Since Tak Joong-hak’s relationship with Cheonma wasn’t very good due to losing his daughter, he could certainly harbor ill feelings toward Seolha.
“It seems we’ll need to assign guards to Seolha for a while.”
“Are you planning to interfere so she can’t escape?”
“No, it’s because Hyeon-wol-dang might target her.”
“Why would they target Seolha?”
“There are some complicated issues between the Tak Family and our leader.”
“Seolha has nothing to do with that.”
“I hope that explanation gets through to them too.”
“For now, it would be better if you don’t visit either, Military Advisor Gong. We should reduce anything that might arouse suspicion.”
I came today planning to tell you about Seolha’s situation. So don’t worry too much. If something truly urgent happens, I’ll send a letter through someone trustworthy. When that time comes, run away without looking back. Do you understand?
Singeum didn’t answer.
Gong Pae-cheon also knew that she wouldn’t be able to do that.
‘Seolha, where are you and what are you doing right now?’
Singeum’s mind was filled only with worry for her granddaughter.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————