The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 71

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 071
I opened my eyes.
The moment they opened, I pushed myself up. Crack! As I stretched, my bones popped loudly.
“Ah.”
Refreshing. My body felt unusually light. Perhaps it was thanks to sleeping soundly in a comfortable bed? The stiffness that had plagued me throughout the journey seemed to have completely dissolved.
“…I finally feel alive again.”
Even my haggard face seemed to have brightened a bit.
With my exhausted body recovered, everything felt manageable.
My mood was excellent. The cheerfulness I hadn’t felt in ages, combined with waking from such a cozy bed, lifted my spirits.
Today seemed like it might be a decent start.
With that thought, I rose and opened the door.
Creak.
“Oh my, good mor-”
Creak- Click.
“…”
I’d opened it, seen something I shouldn’t have, and quickly shut it again.
That was strange.
“Am I still half-asleep?”
That seemed to be the case. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and opened the door again.
Creak.
“Why are you closing the-”
Ah, so I hadn’t been mistaken. I tried to shut the door hastily.
Creak- Slam!
“door?”
This time, I couldn’t close it. Her hand blocked the door from shutting.
Grrgh.
I tried desperately to close it, but it wouldn’t budge an inch.
I’d felt it yesterday too, but this woman’s strength was no joke.
“Young Master. Good morning. Isn’t it?”
Dang Yeeran spoke with a bright smile.
Her grip remained firm throughout.
“…Yes. It was a good morning until just now.”
Not anymore, though.
“Oh my, did you have a nightmare?”
“I suppose so.”
Though it felt like I might still be having one.
In any case.
“…So, what brings you here?”
I asked, applying more force to close the door. What was her purpose in coming?
Still, it wouldn’t shut.
“Ah, it’s nothing much.”
Dang Yeeran spoke with her characteristic bright laugh.
“I mentioned it yesterday, didn’t I?”
“….”
“That you should marry me.”
At those words, a sudden throbbing pain shot through my head.
“That wasn’t a joke, was it?”
“Oh my? I don’t do jokes like that.”
If it wasn’t a joke, that made it even worse.
What could possibly be her intention in bringing up such an absurd proposal? It was ridiculous yesterday, and it remained ridiculous now.
“…I’ve already given you my answer to that.”
At my words, Dang Yeeran’s eyes widened slightly as she looked at me.
“Ah, you’re saying no?”
“Yes.”
I had already answered.
Though I had stammered at words I didn’t expect, fortunately my answer wouldn’t change.
I had rejected her proposal.
Upon hearing my refusal, Dang Yeeran responded like this.
“Why?”
She asked back as if she couldn’t understand, much like I couldn’t understand her absurd proposal.
Just like now.
“Why, you ask?”
I was even more bewildered. Why, indeed.
“…Do you like me, sir?”
I asked just in case, and upon hearing it, Dang Yeeran waved her hand lightly.
“Ah, of course not.”
Her answer was far too confident.
What is this…? What is she trying to do right now?
“Then why are you doing this to me?”
“Young Master. Marriage isn’t always done out of love, is it? Especially not in my case.”
“….”
It was a coldly realistic statement. And it was true.
Among those called prestigious families in the current Central Plains, every single one would be the same.
But.
“Just look at my parents, for instance.”
“…Pardon?”
Why was she suddenly bringing up Dokuou?
An ominous premonition sent a chill down my spine.
“My mother is still entranced by your father and can’t break free, yet she married our father….”
“That’s enough.”
I released my grip on the door and covered Dang Yeeran’s mouth.
“Mmph….”
What in the world was she saying?
It was something that would have been shocking if heard.
I hastily silenced her, fearing someone might overhear.
Slick.
Recoiling at the unpleasant sensation against my palm, I withdrew my hand.
“This is insane…!”
I stared at my palm with disgust.
I could see a faint trace of moisture remaining on it.
Needless to say, this was not water.
“Your hand is saltier than I expected, Disciple.”
“…Have you lost your mind?”
“No. I’m perfectly fine. Don’t I look it?”
If I thought you looked fine, I wouldn’t have asked.
“Why are you really doing this to me? We’ve only just met.”
“If we’ve met until today, that makes it twice.”
“…Do you know how old I am?”
“I don’t. Do I really need to know that? Age doesn’t matter.”
I’m going to lose it. I really am.
‘…What kind of person is this?’
She was a human archetype I’d never encountered before in my life.
Even as we conversed, my mind was filled with a sense of alienation.
Not only does she approach me so brazenly.
‘Marriage, of all things.’
If she had at least fallen for me first, it might make sense. But to suddenly propose marriage without that was simply absurd.
“Sigh.”
I exhaled deeply. Simultaneously, I gathered my scattered thoughts and spoke.
“What is your reason?”
As I asked while staring at her clearly, Dang Yeeran finally hesitated for a moment.
“This has gone beyond impropriety. If you don’t explain your reason, it’s simply rude.”
I straightened my disheveled clothing.
It was an action to calm myself, and thanks to it, my mind was gradually becoming clearer and colder.
“Hmm….”
“Did discovering my hobby become the reason?”
I didn’t think that was the actual reason, but Dang Yeeran’s behavior had changed from that moment onward.
Upon mentioning this, her eyebrows narrowed slightly.
It was an expression of discomfort.
“Before I tell you the reason, there’s something I must say first.”
“I’m listening.”
“First, what I do is not a hobby.”
“Not a hobby?”
Pottery isn’t a hobby? Looking at me with evident confusion, Dang Yeeran continues speaking.
“It’s my dream and my goal.”
As Dang Yeeran spoke, the smile that had always lingered on her face vanished, leaving her expression blank and serious.
“….”
Dream and goal.
Hearing those words, I pondered them carefully. I gazed into Dang Yeeran’s eyes as she spoke them.
Soon after, I reached a conclusion.
“My apologies.”
“…!”
Straightening my posture, I offered my apology, and Dang Yeeran’s eyes widened.
“Ah, no. I wasn’t asking for an apology or anything….”
“No. It’s true that I took your intentions lightly, so I offer this apology sincerely.”
“….”
I spoke with utmost courtesy. Dang Yeeran, flustered, also straightened her posture.
Over her composed bearing, the dignified grace of a noble house suddenly emanated.
“…I accept it. Thank you for your words.”
So she could carry herself like that too.
That was somewhat unexpected.
“…Then, are you saying that your goal is connected to the current situation?”
“…Yes.”
“Why is that?”
“….”
At my question about her reasons, Dang Yeeran hesitated for a moment.
I waited for her answer to come. Then.
“Earlier… you said it would be rude if I didn’t explain my reasons.”
“Yes.”
“Then, what if I just accept being a rude person, and you agree to marry me…?”
“Why would I marry someone rude?”
“Well, I suppose that’s true.”
Dang Yeeran laughed sheepishly and nodded.
“Still, I’m quite beautiful, aren’t I? Couldn’t you just take me with you?”
“….”
I’d heard something like this before. Do all people who know they’re beautiful speak like this?
Wol Muhui from Cheonwol Gate was the same.
‘I made myself look really pretty today…! So couldn’t you look at me more favorably…?’
“….”
Someone who stubbornly insisted on unnecessary things came to mind.
I shook my head slightly and spoke.
“I’m not the one being taken care of—shouldn’t I be the one getting married?”
It seemed like I’d definitely end up as a live-in son-in-law.
“…That’s… also true.”
Dang Yeeran didn’t deny it.
“Still, couldn’t we work something out…?”
“I’ll get up first.”
“Oh.”
Dang Yeeran tried to say something, but I simply ignored her and stood up.
It was clear she found it awkward to speak her mind.
‘Then there’s no need to listen.’
There was no point in paying further attention to her words.
‘Troublesome from the morning.’
Dang Yeeran tried to say something again, but I ignored her.
“I’m changing clothes. Leave.”
“Ah, no….”
“If you don’t like it, just watch then.”
I ignored her and began undressing. I thought she’d understand and leave by now.
“…Wow….”
“….”
But instead, she stared with obvious interest.
…I didn’t expect this.
I narrowed my eyes and glared at Dang Yeeran as I spoke.
“…Are you really trying to watch?”
“Ah…! I’m, I’m sorry.”
Only then did Dang Yeeran snap back to her senses and hurried outside.
It seemed she’d simply been lost in thought, not actually intending to watch.
“…Phew.”
I was finally alone again. I slowly changed into fresh clothes.
[Becoming a man, tsk tsk.]
The Demon who’d been watching beside me spoke up.
It was Yoo Cheon-gil, who’d reappeared late last night.
When I asked where she’d been all day, what did she say?
That she’d taken a long walk?
It was the same meaningless answer as before.
[A true man, they say, never refuses a woman who approaches him—that’s proper etiquette.]
“That sounds like something my father would enjoy hearing.”
Never refuse a woman who approaches? That was ridiculous.
Looking at my father, I could see exactly where that philosophy led.
[Tsk tsk, you young fool, dodging like that. Enjoying such things is only for the young. Back in my day….]
“…If you met me when I was young, would you really say such things?”
I cut her off before she could spout nonsense.
Dang Yeeran even mentioned that she’d met Yoo Cheon-gil when they were young.
Would I really want to say such things to someone I’d seen back then?
[Well, I’ve seen her before.]
As if recalling something, Yoo Cheon-gil let out a soft chuckle.
[Even then I thought it—she’s certainly grown into something impressive.]
“…Ugh.”
I looked at him with disgust at his words.
[…Why that look in your eyes? I’m not talking about appearance or anything like that.]
Oh, wasn’t it? I naturally assumed that’s what you meant.
“…Then what are you talking about?”
[Looking at that child, I thought the Dang Clan’s future was bright. Even that fool Dokjon thought his granddaughter had remarkable talent.]
Hmm.
That was quite a high evaluation.
Moreover.
‘Grown into something impressive meant.’
In Yoo Cheon-gil’s eyes, Dang Yeeran’s value was considerable.
‘He didn’t say such things even when looking at Socheongeom.’
Not bad.
Exactly that level.
Rather, when he looked at Wol Muhui, he’d called her a treasure.
‘Is Dang Yeeran on that level too?’
It’s a bit ambiguous to judge it that way.
‘Dang Yeeran shouldn’t be a Seven-Calamity.’
Though she was famous for Toxic Poison, this was merely an epithet she received as blood kin of the Dang Clan.
I’d never heard that she was strong for her generation.
Furthermore.
‘The strong one isn’t Toxic Poison, but rather….’
I believed it was one of her older brothers.
‘The epithet was probably….’
As I struggled to recall, vaguely thinking it over.
[Since she’s pleading like that, wouldn’t it be fine to at least meet her?]
At Yoo Cheon-gil’s words, I clicked my tongue sharply.
“She doesn’t follow because she likes me, and her intentions are obvious—why would I do that?”
I made it clear that she openly didn’t like me.
Yet she keeps insisting on marriage, and on top of that, she won’t even say why?
When I considered that, my instincts spoke loudly.
‘Getting entangled will become troublesome.’
She was a living disaster, a breathing calamity.
I shouldn’t needlessly get involved.
Especially if it’s a woman who looks strange.
‘My grandmother said this before.’
In my past life, my grandmother once told me something.
‘My grandson.’
‘What is it?’
‘You have great fortune with women.’
‘Oh… that’s good?’
‘But only crazy women get drawn to you. And it’s really excessive.’
‘Oh… that’s not good?’
‘Be careful of women who approach you. None of them will be normal.’
‘Why don’t you just curse me instead?’
I couldn’t simply dismiss her words—not after experiencing the consequences in my past life.
Of course, there’s a possibility things have changed in this lifetime… but who knows?
‘There’s no harm in being cautious.’
I calmed myself and grasped the door handle. I’d finished my preparations, so I needed to leave.
Cheon Euijin and Do-hyeong had probably already gone out.
Before I met those two.
‘First, I need to see Dokuou.’
I had an appointment scheduled with the patriarch of the Dang Clan.
Before he ended our conversation yesterday, he’d mentioned wanting to meet around noon today.
‘…Ugh.’
Just thinking about it made my face contort.
I genuinely didn’t want to go.
I already disliked him, but yesterday’s banquet incident made me despise him even more.
‘What if I actually die because of this?’
He seemed to need me for some reason, so I figured I wouldn’t die.
But there was a faint sense of danger.
‘…Tsk.’
Still, I couldn’t avoid going.
I had things I needed to accomplish here as well.
‘Get yourself together.’
No more complications. I’ll move forward pursuing peace.
Do what needs to be done and leave. With that thought, I grasped the door handle and opened it.
“Huh?”
The moment I opened it, there were strangely many people gathered outside. There were numerous martial artists who appeared to be from the Dang Clan.
I could see Dang Yeeran, who had left earlier, standing in confrontation with someone.
Her expression was quite different from when she saw me earlier.
“…Brother, what are you doing here?”
She was blocking the door as if she would never let me through.
Her furrowed face held both desperation and shallow contempt.
Who on earth could this person be to provoke such a reaction from Dang Yeeran?
Curiosity piqued, I shifted my gaze toward the source.
“I told you to move aside.”
‘Ah.’
The moment I laid eyes on him, his identity became unmistakable.
A crooked smile and piercing eyes.
A young man bearing the unmistakable features of both the clan head Dang Gyeong-ak and the deputy head Dang Jun.
‘So it’s him.’
It was him. Him, precisely.
The second son of Dokuou and one of the Seven Prodigies alongside Wol Muhui.
‘Toxic Dragon Dang Cheon-il.’
The one the Dang Clan called the reincarnation of Dokjon, hailed as a once-in-an-age genius.
So what was such a person doing standing before our residence like this?
I watched him with mounting questions.
“Move. I’ve come to see the successor of the Sword Saint.”
‘…What?’
At Toxic Dragon’s words, my eyes narrowed.
‘…Me?’
An ominous premonition washed over me.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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