Chapter 43

As soon as I finished my choice, sighs and exclamations burst out all over the Ten Thousand Demons Hall.

It was because subjugating the Heretical Cult looked like the most dangerous mission.

Perhaps for that reason, Wi Geum-myeong was clicking his tongue and Ju Ok-hwa was shaking her head.

They would never be able to understand my choice.

“Reconsider.”

At that moment, a small yet clear voice struck everyone’s ears.

“That mission is too much of a burden for you.”

The owner of that voice was none other than the Heavenly Demon.

Everyone looked back and forth between the Heavenly Demon and me with startled expressions.

The Heavenly Demon, who had kept silent through the entire Grand Sacred Flame Council, had spoken for the first time.

Because of no one else but the Seventh Young Lord.

These were people who attached every kind of meaning even to the Heavenly Demon’s smallest actions, so there was no way they would not be shocked.

‘Hehe. So the youngest disciple has you worried, does he?’

I felt pleased for no good reason.

So I answered with a smiling face.

“Do not worry. I can do it.”

“I was not worried about you. I spoke because I wonder if you will clumsily meddle in a complicated problem and ruin things.”

“Ahem, is that so?”

A cough came out by itself.

So much for worry.

I must have expected too much from the Heavenly Demon.

As I was feeling awkward inside, Gal So-ye asked the Heavenly Demon respectfully.

“May this subordinate add a few words?”

“Go ahead.”

Gal So-ye’s eyes, heavy with fatigue, turned to me.

I had not yet heard what she would say, but it was obvious what it would be.

As expected of the Grand Strategist, she had grasped the Heavenly Demon’s intent and was trying to make me choose another mission.

“Seventh Young Lord. You must not overlook the danger of the mission you chose. As you know, the Ghost-Face Unit, one of the ten strongest combat units in our cult, set out to subjugate them and returned heavily damaged.”

Gal So-ye paused for a moment and stared at me.

Her gaze carried the question of whether I could really succeed in an incident where even such a Ghost-Face Unit had failed.

“The number of people you may take along to carry out the mission is limited to five. Depending on each Little Demon’s capabilities you may compose this group wisely, but as for you, Seventh Young Lord…”

She trailed off, but the meaning was clear.

I did not belong to the Seven Demonic Houses, so unlike my other sahyungs, I could not easily receive strong clan-level support.

‘This would be the reasonable reaction.’

Gal So-ye’s logic was perfectly sound, so there was not a single part I could refute.

‘No, there was no need to refute it.’

In the end, I was the one who decided whether to withdraw my choice or not.

I simply had to show them with the results.

Because I knew very well why a Ghost-Face Unit that strong had returned battered.

“What will you do? Will you change your decision?”

“No. I do not think that will happen.”

I answered firmly.

The Heavenly Demon stared at me quietly with an unreadable expression.

Then he turned his head as if to say I could do as I pleased.

Seeing this, Gal So-ye slightly furrowed her brow and spoke.

“Very well. If that is the Seventh Young Lord’s will, please take on the mission of eliminating the newly active Heretical Cult forces.”

With that, I had been given the mission I wanted.

From all around came sounds that could have been admiration or sighs, but I did not listen.

The Grand Sacred Flame Council continued.

Only four Little Demons and missions were left now.

Just as Gal So-ye was about to take the next volunteer, Heuk Un-hwi shouted boldly.

“I will take the mission to patrol the border region with the Western Lands!”

The missions that suited him were the demonic beast subjugation or securing the special offerings for the Sacred Flame Festival.

But the reason the bastard had gone out of his way to volunteer for patrolling the Western border was, of course, me.

Some of its area overlapped with the Heretical Cult’s activity zone.

Using the mission as an excuse, he would legally hover near me and look for a chance to hit me from behind.

After that, the remaining missions were assigned quickly.

Gu Cheong-won, who had been dozing away without any presence the entire time, took the demonic beast subjugation, Wi So-rang took securing the special offerings for the Sacred Flame Festival, and Yuk Ja-heung took patrolling the border between Orthodox and Unorthodox Sects.

“Then, with this we will conclude the Grand Sacred Flame Council. I hope you will each do your utmost in the missions you have been given to bring glory to the Sacred Flame Festival.”

With Gal So-ye’s declaration, the long Grand Sacred Flame Council came to an end.

The Patriarchs of the Seven Demonic Houses and the heads of each institution began leaving their seats and filing out of the arena one by one.

“Will the Little Demons please remain for a moment.”

We stood quietly before Gal So-ye.

She delivered a few points of caution.

Things like how harming another Little Demon or intentionally interfering with their mission was strictly forbidden.

I snorted inwardly.

I wondered how many of those would actually be followed.

Heuk Un-hwi alone was probably already dying to kill me.

“That is all. You may now return. The detailed information about the missions you have been assigned today will be delivered to each of you by tomorrow morning.”

After finishing all her explanations, Gal So-ye turned, swaying.

From her as she walked away came a small voice.

– It is finally over. I really need to quit being Grand Strategist or something. Haah.

Wi So-rang burst out in a little laugh.

“Looks like the Grand Strategist is having a really rough time. Right, Sajae?”

“Seems that way.”

I turned my body to leave the arena.

As if he had been waiting, Heuk Un-hwi blocked my path.

“Have something to say?”

“You chose a mission beyond your station. Looks like you are dying to meet a miserable end.”

“Think whatever you like.”

“You should be careful. No matter how lowly a life is, it is still needed by someone.”

“For example, someone like you?”

Heuk Un-hwi smiled, his face overflowing with killing intent.

“Now that I think about it, our mission areas overlap. If you need my help during your mission, come find me anytime.”

“Worry about yourself instead of others. Your shoulder cannot feel that great.”

“You arrogant little bastard!”

No wonder he had been running his mouth so long, Heuk Un-hwi exploded in no time.

He shook his fist as if he would charge at me at any moment.

“Eudeuk!”

But he ground his molars and brushed past me.

Over his shoulder I could see the Elder Council Lord smiling.

‘Looks like he sent a sound transmission telling him not to act rashly.’

Seen like this, they really suited each other.

I looked at the Elder Council Lord and thought.

Grin all you like while you still can. Once my mission is over, you won’t be able to force even a fake smile for a while.

---

For three days after the Grand Sacred Flame Council.

I spent an extremely busy time.

I prepared essential items like sleeping bags and dry rations in preparation for the frequent camping I would face once I left the Demon Cult, and I also received Ju Ok-hwa’s help in getting effective Golden Wound Balm and Wound Healing Pills.

I secured a map of the region where the Heretical Cult was active and a list of nearby safehouses belonging to the Demon Cult.

And more than anything.

“Please forgive the discourtesy of greeting you while lying down.”

I met the Ghost-Face Unit Leader.

Before heading to the Heretical Cult’s territory, there was something I absolutely had to hear from him.

There was something I had to receive as well.

He was recuperating from injuries sustained during the expedition to subjugate the Heretical Cult.

“It is all right. I have no desire to force an injured man to stand just to greet me. The reason I came to see you today, Unit Leader, is because I have a few things to ask.”

I spoke with him for quite some time.

The Ghost-Face Unit Leader was tight-lipped. He did not answer my questions properly.

“This is all I can tell you, Seventh Young Lord.”

After a long talk, I stepped outside.

Im Yeon, who had been waiting outside, came running.

“Did the conversation go well?”

“Well enough.”

I did not tell her how it had gone.

The more Im Yeon knew, the more painful her position became.

She had to report my movements to the Elder Council Lord.

She said she adjusted what she reported according to its importance, but even that seemed hard for her.

By nature she was far from someone who could deceive others.

That was why there was something I was plotting without Im Yeon’s knowledge.

And that was..

“A-are you saying you want to depart right now?”

“Yes.”

“There are still two days left until the departure date you announced though?”

“I told you to pack your bags in advance because the schedule could change.”

“But it is so sudden…”

Of course it was.

She could not have imagined I would suddenly say we were leaving in the middle of the night.

Ever since the Grand Sacred Flame Council ended, I had gone around saying I would depart five days later.

Heuk Un-hwi would also leave the Demon Cult according to that schedule. He would chase after me like that and ambush me in some sparsely populated place.

However, everything had an order.

It was still troublesome to clash with him yet.

I planned to complete my mission first, and only then deal with Heuk Un-hwi.

“Bring your pack out quickly. We are going to the stables.”

“What about the stables…?”

“I want to trade the carriage for horses to make us more mobile.”

“A-are you saying you are going to sell this carriage?”

Im Yeon asked in fright.

A few days ago, after endless hardship, she had finally gotten a carriage from the Guardian Hall.

I smiled and reassured her.

“I am not selling it. I am putting it up as collateral.”

“We went through so much trouble to get this carriage…”

“We can just get it back later. We are short on money because of travel expenses. Or would you like to chip in some money, Guard Im?”

“How much are we talking?”

“Around fifty taels of silver?”

“…We can get the carriage back later!”

Im Yeon dashed to her quarters like an arrow and came back with her pack.

We had a hard time getting the carriage, but it seemed it was not more precious than fifty taels.

I let out a short laugh and went to the stables.

Me, Im Yeon and the bodyguards.

We secured a total of five horses.

“Are we leaving now?”

Im Yeon gulped and asked.

She seemed nervous.

“There is still one place we have to stop by.”

“Where would that be?”

“The Ten Thousand Demons Hall.”

The Heavenly Demon also believed I would leave in two days.

I could just leave, but it would not hurt to at least report that the schedule had been moved up.

You never knew.

He might toss me something for being admirable.

Riding the horses, we soon arrived at the arena.

As always, the Heavenly Demon was sitting on the bench in front of his quarters, drinking from a bottle alone.

“What is it?”

As I approached, he asked without even turning his head.

“I’m just dropping by for a bit before I leave. I wanted to at least see my master’s face before I go.”

“Is that so?”

That was it.

The conversation was so short it was almost bewildering.

“You did not mishear, right? I said I am leaving now?”

“Go.”

Still the same indifferent answer.

“That is all? Your precious youngest disciple is heading into a death ground.”

“You are the one who chose that death ground.”

“Well, that is true.”

Feeling awkward, I scratched my cheek.

“What is your reason for choosing that mission?”

A sudden question.

I pretended to think for a moment, then answered.

“I had a feeling.”

“You always try to gloss things over like that.”

“It really is the truth, what can I do?”

“I suppose so. Do you have any countermeasures prepared separately.”

Of course I did.

If not, would I have been crazy enough to choose the Heretical Cult subjugation mission.

But I could not go on and on about it to the Heavenly Demon, who was no regressor.

I drew the dagger tied at my waist.

“I do have this cold-iron dagger the Patriarch of the Iron-Gold Wi Clan lent me not long ago. How is it. Nice, right?”

“Not bad.”

“So about that, Master, will you not give me some sort of support?”

“I will not.”

“What, you are not even worried? Your precious youngest disciple is going into a death ground, you know?”

“I told you, you are the one who chose that death ground.”

Good grief.

Nothing got through to him.

It looked like I was going to leave without gaining anything.

But then, after quietly tipping his bottle for a moment, the Heavenly Demon suddenly spoke.

“Do you know of the great sparrow wasp and the yellow bees?”

“Of course.”

The great sparrow wasp is a type of wasp said to be as big as a sparrow.

Yellow bees are honeybees.

“But why are you suddenly bringing that up?”

“To raise its larvae, the great sparrow wasp constantly raids the yellow bees’ hive and carries off their grubs. How do you think the yellow bees respond.”

“I wonder. Do they not abandon the hive and run away? It feels like a yellow bee would die if the great sparrow wasp so much as nipped it.”

“Wrong.”

The Heavenly Demon spoke firmly.

“Dozens, hundreds of them cling to a single great sparrow wasp. They beat their wings like mad and generate heat. With that heat they steam the great sparrow wasp to death.”

“Wow.”

I let out a quiet exclamation.

It was a method I had never imagined.

“What do you feel from this?”

The Heavenly Demon’s gaze grew deep. It was clear he intended to teach me something.

“Are you telling me to learn a blazing yang qi art that can burn the enemy to death or something?”

“Wrong.”

“Or that numbers are everything?”

“That is wrong as well.”

The Heavenly Demon furrowed his brow at me as if I were pathetic.

“Think how many yellow bees die while they stop a single great sparrow wasp. Yet for the sake of the species’ survival they throw themselves in without a thought for sacrifice. That is called insect courage.”

Insect courage.

The courage of insects.

“I will now show you the subtlety of insect courage.”

The Heavenly Demon rose from his seat.

At the same time, the cold-iron dagger I was holding slipped smoothly from my grip.

Holding that dagger, the Heavenly Demon performed a sword dance.

‘No, it is not a sword dance.’

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Like the yellow bees that sacrifice themselves to burn the great sparrow wasp to death, the dagger the Heavenly Demon swung had not a hair’s breadth of hesitation or waste.

It ignored even the bare minimum of defense and focused solely on driving into the opponent’s vital points by the shortest path.

It was a sword technique that seemed to embody the extreme courage of the weak, insect courage.

“……”

I held my breath.

I carved each invisible line of death traced in the air into my eyes.

When I had even forgotten the flow of time like that, the Heavenly Demon’s movements stopped.

He spoke.

“The weak struggle in a wretched way. Yet that is precisely why they are lethal.”

“…!”

It felt like my mind finally snapped into focus.

The moment I left the Demon Cult, I would have to fight the Heretical Cult’s leader and Heuk Un-hwi with his whip.

Either one of them was a master far beyond my current self.

That was why the Heavenly Demon had shown me Insect Courage. So I could use it to face the strong.

‘During the Grand Sacred Flame Council he acted like he was not worried in the slightest.’

I had come wondering if he might give me at least something, but I had ended up receiving something much greater than I expected.

I looked at the Heavenly Demon and said.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“Thank you.”

“Enough.”

“I will be back.”

“Very well.”

I gripped the dagger I had gotten back from the Heavenly Demon tightly.

For some reason, I felt warmth in the chilly cold-iron blade.

‘Just let anyone come at me.’

With the confidence that I could cut down anyone in the world with this dagger, I left the Demon Cult.