The Heavenly Demon Cult’s Strongest Maid - Chapter 52

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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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Chapter 52

“…Who are you?”

Shin Geum, who had opened the door and entered, flinched and trembled.

An old man was sitting alone in the ownerless shop, drinking tea.

“Well now, I thought you were a ghost.”

Though bewildered, Shin Geum didn’t blame the old man.

“If you came for noodles, it’ll take a bit of time to prepare the broth. Would that be alright?”

“I am called Tak Joong-hak.”

In response to Shin Geum’s question, the old man suddenly introduced himself.

“It seems you didn’t come for noodles, but have business with me.”

Shin Geum, who had been heading to the kitchen, trudged over and sat across from Tak Joong-hak.

“But when you say Tak Family, is it the Tak Family I’m thinking of?”

“It would be.”

“How did such an esteemed person come to meet an old woman like me?”

“I have something to ask, so though I know it’s rude, I came here.”

“Obviously it’s about my granddaughter again.”

Shin Geum let out a deep sigh and poured herself a cup of tea from the tea set in front of her.

“Because of this recent incident, martial artists keep coming and going. They say my granddaughter is a genius who appears once in a hundred years – do you think so too, Family Head Tak?”

“I haven’t crossed hands with her yet, so I don’t know.”

“Seeing that the head of the Hyeon-ma Tak Clan says so, I suppose it was an exaggeration after all.”

“Your granddaughter became Cheonma’s disciple – aren’t you happy?”

“You felt that way?”

Then you have quite good insight.

Just as Shin Geum chuckled, finding Tak Joong-hak impressive for seeing through her feelings,

Tak Joong-hak suddenly asked a strange question.

“Where did you bring the child from?”

“…?”

“I did some background investigation on you. You’ve been doing business in the same place for 17 years. But before that, you moved around quite a lot from place to place. However, not a single person from any of those previous places recognizes this face.”

What Tak Joong-hak took out from his chest and unfolded was a portrait of Shin Geum.

“Strangely, there were people who remembered the name Shin Geum. Naturally, they were people with the same name.”

They said Hyeon-wol-dang’s information handling skills rivaled those of Ghost Spirit Hall, and she was completely caught.

Shin Geum honestly hadn’t even imagined they would prepare a portrait and investigate her background.

“What’s more interesting is that Shin Geum had no children.”

Tak Joong-hak’s voice gradually rose.

“At first, I was furious beyond measure. How dare they drag my daughter into such vile schemes!”

“Daughter…? What are you suddenly talking about?”

“I want to ask you. Who told you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know that you deliberately raised a child who looks exactly like my daughter and offered her up to catch the Sect Leader’s eye?”

Shin Geum carefully observed Tak Joong-hak’s expression.

Though this was their first meeting, the Family Head Tak known to the world wasn’t such an emotional person.

‘Is he acting?’

She had reasonable doubts, but his anger felt too genuine for that to be the case.

Most of all, there was something that bothered her.

‘…Did Family Head Tak have a daughter?’

This was news to Shin Geum.

Tak Joong-hak, even more angered by her quiet reaction, burst out in his aged voice.

“You must confess who told you about the relationship between my daughter and the Sect Leader!”

Tak Joong-hak was certain that person was also a spy planted by the Martial Arts Alliance.

He didn’t know how that bastard had learned about Cheonma and Seon-hwa, but he realized it while watching today’s martial arts competition.

The suddenly appeared disciple of Cheonma who looked exactly like his daughter.

That child must surely be an assassin raised by the Martial Arts Alliance.

She must have received orders to approach Cheonma and assassinate him.

No matter how much they were like enemies, he had never wished for Cheonma’s death.

After all, he was the master of the Main School and his lord.

“Oh my.”

Shin Geum, having grasped the situation, sipped her tea.

It seemed she would have to start a long story she hadn’t expected, and she worried whether she could manage it all the way through without getting excited.

“The misunderstanding is so deep, I don’t know where to start explaining…”

Actually, Shin Geum had known of Tak Joong-hak’s presence even before entering the shop.

She also knew that his subordinates had already surrounded the area.

So she had been somewhat mentally prepared, but suddenly found herself caught up in a strange misunderstanding.

“First, let me ask just one thing. Did Family Head Tak have a daughter?”

“It’s useless to pretend ignorance now.”

“I heard the Tak Family has no direct descendants – do you mean there originally was one?”

It was a fact known to most demons that he had adopted his nephew as heir and made him the young family head.

“No matter how much you rack your brain, there’s no escape. If you honestly confess to being a Martial Arts Alliance spy even now, I’ll at least spare your life.”

He was determined not to listen to anything she said.

Tak Joong-hak, who reacted violently whenever his daughter was mentioned, was clearly abnormal.

“You asked about my past history earlier?”

Shin Geum decided she had no choice but to reveal some facts.

“My records were fabricated because I joined the sect 17 years ago.”

“The one who told you about my daughter must have helped with the identity forgery.”

“There was no such person to begin with. I’m not a Martial Arts Alliance spy.”

“Ha, will you continue?”

Tak Joong-hak sneered as if he had heard nonsense.

At this, Shin Geum unconsciously flared up. She didn’t care about herself, but the face of her brightly smiling granddaughter came to mind.

“I was actually being chased by the Martial Arts Alliance! I chose to become a demon myself to survive!”

As memories of that day surfaced, killing intent flowed from Shin Geum.

At that time, she had to endure pain worse than death.

“It seems you’ve practiced how to get out of it if discovered.”

“Listen to me until the end!”

If Shin Geum’s true identity were revealed, it would be difficult to preserve her life.

But Seolha had to be saved. Her granddaughter was completely innocent.

“I was extremely exhausted. With an injured body, I had been fleeing for over ten days without proper rest.”

Her destination was the Demonic Sect.

To survive, Shin Geum ran crying, turning her back on the place where she was born and raised.

“Then, when I was almost reaching Cheonsan, my tail was finally caught. When I had no strength left and thought I would surely die, a benefactor appeared like a miracle. Thanks to her, my life was saved.”

“Was that benefactor a demon?”

“Probably.”

“So you arrived at the Main School together with this benefactor?”

“…It would have been good if we had.”

Shin Geum’s eyes grew heavy and sank.

“My benefactor was also being chased by someone like me. She seemed to help because she felt sympathy for a fellow sufferer.”

“She must have been a defector from the Main School.”

“That wouldn’t be it. Her destination was the same as mine.”

“…She?”

“She was a young woman. Carrying a newborn child on her back.”

“…!”

Tak Joong-hak’s eyes widened. Looking straight at him, Shin Geum continued her story.

“The ones chasing me retreated when we entered Cheonsan, but those attacking my benefactor were persistent. We joined forces to resist, but it wasn’t enough. We were exhausted to the point of barely clinging to life.”

“…What was that woman’s name?”

“I don’t know. We didn’t have time to ask each other’s names.”

“Then where is that woman now?”

“Didn’t I say she couldn’t come back with me?”

“You abandoned your benefactor and fled alone!”

“She entrusted me with her child!”

Sadness welled up in Shin Geum’s eyes.

“When her deep wounds made it difficult for her to move, she begged me. Please save her daughter at least. A life not even a month old.”

Shin Geum refused several times, saying she couldn’t do it, but in the end, she couldn’t abandon her benefactor’s final request.

“I suppose that’s what maternal love is. In the end, she mustered all her remaining strength to block the path, and I ran like mad while holding the baby. I never looked back once. If I had, I felt I wouldn’t be able to save the child in my arms.”

Tak Joong-hak’s body trembled. He seemed to belatedly realize what Shin Geum was trying to say.

“You said Seolha resembled your daughter?”

Tak Joong-hak’s breathing became rough. Longing flickered in his shaking eyes.

“The child I saved 17 years ago was Seolha. Watching her grow to look exactly like my benefactor, I often reflect on that day. Who was that woman? What circumstances led her to so earnestly beg me to raise the baby as an ordinary person? I was always curious, but I still don’t know.”

From the circumstances, Shin Geum’s benefactor was undoubtedly Tak Joong-hak’s daughter.

But why didn’t she reveal to me that I was a descendant of the Tak Family?

Wasn’t the Hyeon-ma Tak Clan respected by all demonic practitioners?

“You weren’t the one chasing her, were you?”

It was a decision made to prove Seolha’s innocence.

If Tak Joong-hak intended to harm his own granddaughter, Shin Geum would never stand for it.

“There was a child… there was a child…!”

“…You didn’t know?”

“How could I have known! I lived for three years not even knowing where or how she was spending her days!”

“Then you don’t know the location of her grave either.”

Tak Joong-hak shot to his feet.

“Do you know where Seon-hwa is?”

“After joining the sect, I went back immediately, leaving only the child behind. Just in case my benefactor might still be alive.”

But that was a vain hope. She had succeeded in blocking the escape route, but she couldn’t avoid her own death either.

“I recovered her body and made a grave nearby. I visit from time to time to express my gratitude.”

“Where is that place? Guide me there immediately!”

“Wait.”

Shin Geum readily agreed. She went up to the upper floor to gather something, then hung a ‘closed’ sign and gestured.

“Follow me.”

Shin Geum’s form shot forward like an arrow.

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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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