Chapter 17

The carriage halted at the mouth of Demon Valley.

Stepping out, the entrance to Demon Valley—one I had seen in my past life—filled my sight.

‘No matter when I come, this place never changes.’

In my past life I came here years later than now, yet unsurprisingly it looked little different then or now.

Mysterious mists packed the desiccated valley, thick Demonic Qi clinging viscously to them, and strange flora fattened on that Qi.

To put this plainly, this place was unpleasant.

“Not getting down?”

I asked, glancing toward the carriage.

At that, Im Yeon hesitated, then dismounted.

“I-I had to check something.”

“What did you check?”

“Uh, what was I trying to check…?”

Good grief, she’s already rattled.

It wasn’t just Im Yeon. The escorts who came on horses looked frozen stiff as well.

Having come to a place of such ill reputation, the fear must be visceral.

I knew it well. I reacted much the same my first visit.

“Relax. Demon Valley is a place people live too.”

“People live here…?”

“Yes, I’m telling you. I even lived here. Ten days or so.”

“H-ha…”

Im Yeon forced a smile, like at a superior’s unfunny joke.

But I was serious.

After a pause, she spoke.

“Um, Young Lord.”

“Yeah?”

“I understand your prowess is high, Young Lord. Forgive me, but there are surely many in the Cult with higher prowess than you… so…”

“In other words, you don’t know why I was chosen for the dangerous task of stopping a demonic fiend breakout?”

“Y-yes.”

The escorts, too, looked at me, eyes puzzled.

Seems none of them understand, like Im Yeon.

That was natural.

If this were truly the situation, I wouldn’t get it either.

The Demon Cult swims in masters. Would the Heavenly Demon be mad enough to send a fledgling new disciple?

I hid that thought and said,

“I know Demon Valley well.”

“How do you know it well?”

“I told you earlier. I literally lived here.”

“Ah. Right.”

The look you give a compulsive liar.

‘Honestly. I can’t even explain it.’

On my second attempt to flee the Cult, I hid in Demon Valley.

To shake my pursuers.

It was insane, but I was desperate.

I wanted out of the Demon Cult no matter what.

Yet the place itself was far from common belief.

There were residents here, and they had a certain order.

“Alright, shall we head in? We can’t stand here forever.”

Jjak! Jjak!

“R-right. I’ll take point!”

Im Yeon forced her voice higher.

Still, she was trying to do her duty.

Reassuring enough.

“St-stop! A-a-a corpse, Young Lord!”

I take ‘reassuring’ back.

Pale-faced, she stammered out a cry.

We’d gone barely a hundred paces, yet corpses lay strewn everywhere.

Most had rotted to bare bone, though some had turned like mummies.

Im Yeon gulped audibly and scanned the area.

She likely suspected an ambush.

Then her gaze fell on the masterless weapons lying near the corpses.

“T-those look like the weapons they used when they were alive. They’re rusted, but the marks show. This blade bears the Violet Lightning Yuk Clan’s mark, this spear is the Demon Bell Geuk Clan’s, and this sword…”

Her voice shook.

“I-it bears the mark of the Guardian Hall.”

Im Yeon drew a huge breath as if it were her own weapon.

The other escorts’ faces all went pale.

“Don’t be so scared. Let’s keep moving.”

“Y-Young Lord, ambushes may occur from here. Shouldn’t we slow down?”

“And when would we ever finish and get back? I’ll take point. Just follow.”

As soon as I finished, I strode forward.

With a heavy sigh, Im Yeon hurried to stand before me.

A smile touched my lips.

Rookie vibes aside, her bearing as an escort wasn’t bad.

‘It should be around here.’

I kept scanning as we moved.

Within Demon Valley there’s a boundary stone.

Beyond it lies the true beginning of the valley, and before it, ‘he’ would always be there.

A human gauge that decides who enters or not.

‘There.’

Before long I found the boundary stone.

Almost at the same time, Im Yeon cried out as if screaming.

“Young Lord, look atop that knoll!”

Where she pointed, a wild-haired madman stood.

‘Finally.’

This journey.

The second crisis I’d foreseen revealed itself.

Eyes unfocused, no trace of reason.

A terrifying killing aura pouring from his whole body.

Hair in wild disarray, clothing torn all over.

He looked, as if—

“I-it’s a demonic fiend, Young Lord!”

Right, he looked like a demonic fiend, the Demon Cult’s terror.

“W-what do we do, Young Lord? No, I’m the escort, I should…d-does the manual have a clause for encountering a demonic fiend? Article 3? No, it was 6? Or 2…?”

“Captain! A demonic fiend is beyond us. W-we must retreat!”

Im Yeon and the escorts fell into panic.

They were so-called warriors, yet not one even reached for a weapon. Every last one just trembled.

To be reduced to this by mere appearance, demonic fiends must truly terrify them.

‘I get it, but it’s too much.’

There was only one reason why I brought them.

And that was to make them fight that madman.

But like this, can they even swing a weapon?

Not a chance.

They were already cowed upon entering the valley. The madman’s appearance nailed it in.

Left alone, their fear won’t subside. If it gets worse, they might just flee.

I have to break this first.

The method is simple.

Their fear’s source is the demonic fiend.

Then, all that needs to be done is to remove the source.

“Calm down. That person isn’t a demonic fiend.”

I put force into my voice.

And then.

“The escort code says—”

“At this rate we’ll all die!”

…It had no effect.

Well, they ‘are’ in panic, so I guess no words would get through to them.

‘I’ll use another way.’

As the old saying goes, seeing is better than a hundred hearings.

Better to show once than speak a hundred times.

I had one thing to do.

Without hesitation, I walked toward the madman.

“Huh? Y-Young Lord?”

Finally, a sane reaction.

Im Yeon noticed my odd move.

“I-it’s dangerous! Stop, Young Lord!”

“It isn’t. Just watch closely.”

I kept walking.

Step by step, I drew closer to the madman.

“Are you in your right mind?! Even if you’re strong, a demonic fiend is too much!”

Soon the madman and I were but ten paces apart.

Then he charged with astonishing speed.

At the same time I heard Im Yeon kick off the ground to guard me.

‘Too slow.’

She’ll never reach me before him.

His realm is at least two stages above hers.

And of course, I can’t take his blow either.

One strike would likely tear me apart.

“Younnng Loooord!”

Im Yeon screamed as if I’d already died.

“Geez, just watch.”

I nullified the attack simply.

I took one step back.

The madman halted hard, then returned to where he’d stood.

“…Huh? H-how did that happen?”

Im Yeon asked, dumbfounded.

Looking back, the escorts’ mouths were hanging open too.

I pointed with my chin at the boundary stone.

“That guy over there isn’t a demonic fiend. If you don’t cross that boundary stone’s line, he does nothing.”

“If you don’t cross there…”

“Right. Nothing happens.”

“Ah!”

An exclamation burst from Im Yeon.

Then, eyes round, she asked,

“How in the world do you know that?”

“How many times must I say it? I’ve lived in Demon Valley.”

“I—I thought you were just joking.”

Yep, she took me for a compulsive liar.

“I never speak pure nonsense. I might, ah, occasionally—no, perhaps a bit more than that—but every time there’s a deep reason.”

“Yessir!”

Proved it wasn’t a lie, and she answered obediently.

“From here on, listen closely.”

Staring at her and the escorts, I continued in a low voice.

Sensing the shift, they met my eyes, serious.

I turned to Im Yeon.

“Escort Im, what did you tell me earlier?”

“Earlier…?”

“You said you’d protect me in any situation. That that’s an escort’s duty.”

“Ah.”

Her eyes widened.

Before leaving Silver Cloud Pavilion, I’d asked her.

Whether she’d protect me even in extreme danger.

That was her answer.

This time I spoke to the escorts.

“What are you? Escorts, or just watchers?“

“…”

“Just now, when the madman charged, Escort Im at least moved. What did you do?”

Without answering, they stared at the ground.

They’d have nothing to say if they had ten mouths.

I didn’t not understand. When superiors give you an order, you obey.

But why must I excuse it?

If I’d refused escorts, would they have withdrawn quietly?

I doubt it.

They’d have clung on regardless of my will.

“I’ve proven my words. Now it’s your turn to prove you’re escorts. I won’t tolerate any more sloppiness.”

“…We’re sorry. We showed conduct unworthy of escorts.”

On everyone’s behalf, Im Yeon bowed deeply.

She looked genuinely ashamed.

“From now until we leave Demon Valley, follow my orders. That’s how we get back in one piece. All clear?”

“Yes, understood!”

“We will follow your word, Young Lord.”

Only now did their expressions become usable.

“Good. Focus, everyone.”

I swept my gaze over Im Yeon and the escorts.

“I’ll assign you temporary call-signs now.”

“F-for what reason?”

“For efficient combat.”

My plan was simple.

Just as the Heavenly Demon directed me at the Heretical Alliance’s Nanzhou branch, this time I would command them.

I laid out the concrete operation.

“…So, do it like this. Can you do it?”

“Yes!”

Im Yeon and the escorts answered with vigor.

At last, recovering the Demon-Gathering Stone was a few steps closer.