Chapter 11: The Head of Wolsigak

Now, only Hyeonwol and Seol Cheon-yu remained in the alley, along with the child who still watched them with a bewildered expression and Kang Ryun, who had positioned himself behind them, having given up on understanding the situation.

Hyeonwol, forcibly suppressing his instinctive tension, slowly turned his head toward Seol Cheon-yu.

He was looking expressionlessly toward Hyeonwol’s feet, but when their eyes met, he gently lowered his eyes and smiled softly.

That smile was truly serene.

It didn’t forcefully grab one’s attention, but for some reason, his subtle expression kept seeping into the mind, giving the feeling of stirring one’s heart.

‘Have I always been this weak to beauties?

As expected, the protagonist is extraordinary….’

Forcibly scattering his wandering thoughts, Hyeonwol carefully opened his mouth.

“Aseol, I’m sorry for the suddenness, but I have an important proposal….”

“Please speak comfortably.”

“Before that, I have something to reveal first.

It’s incredibly embarrassing that I, who just spoke with my own mouth about not interfering in martial world grudges, am saying this… but would you entrust the investigation regarding this child and the Blood Cult to me?”

Letting out a breath and composing himself, Hyeonwol continued calmly.

“Of course, I will investigate with all my effort, and it goes without saying that I will hide no information, and I will gladly accept any request.

Just allow me to manage this child’s personal affairs from my side.

I propose this not as a palace official, but as a fellow member of the martial world, Biwol, the head of Wolsigak.”

At those words, the Blood Cult child, who had been quietly listening while watching expressions, opened her mouth in surprise.

Even the child had heard the name Wolsigak through rumors passed along indirectly.

Although Wolsigak was a newly emerging organization just beginning to carve its name into the current martial world history, in the few years since its establishment, it had gained influence in handling information that rivaled even the Beggars’ Sect or the Lower Gates, which were considered the best in the martial world!

Kang Ryun was also taken aback.

He had recognized that this person named Seol Cheon-yu, whom his lord had been searching for so desperately, was a potential ally to jointly deal with the enemy called the Blood Cult.

However, he hadn’t expected Hyeonwol to reveal his status as the head of Wolsigak right here on the spot just to secure one Blood Cult child.

Having uttered words with no small repercussions, Hyeonwol maintained a calm attitude.

Kang Ryun, who had been looking at him before turning his gaze away, discovered that Seol Cheon-yu appeared flustered.

Although it was a subtle change, considering Seol Cheon-yu’s exceedingly relaxed attitude until now, this too was surprising.

His wavering made one feel that this seemingly flawless young man was human after all.

But true to reputation, Seol Cheon-yu concealed his agitation faster than Kang Ryun expected and opened his mouth again with a gentle expression.

“…So hyung-nim was that head of Wolsigak.

This younger brother has admired hyung-nim’s resourcefulness and martial arts without a shred of doubt, but I never expected you were also exercising those abilities in the martial world.

In fact, while tracking the Blood Cult until now, I’ve received much help from Wolsigak branches throughout the martial world… and when I came up to the capital and couldn’t catch their trail, I intended to request information from Wolsigak.

Since the head is hyung-nim himself, there’s no doubt about the organization’s capabilities.

However….”

Even as Seol Cheon-yu trailed off, Hyeonwol didn’t press him.

He simply waited quietly for the next words with his original expression.

At that, Seol Cheon-yu curved his eyes as if embarrassed.

He soon continued with a respectful yet unyielding attitude.

“I am also in a position where I’ve received orders from the elders of my sect.

Even if you were to share all information openly with my side, it seems difficult to hand over the captured Blood Cult connection’s personal affairs.

However, if hyung-nim would permit this younger brother just three questions, I will do my best to ensure no complaints arise even if I entrust that girl’s personal affairs to Wolsigak.”

Three questions.

Though simpler conditions than expected, they were by no means light words.

Nevertheless, Hyeonwol needed to protect this girl’s personal affairs as much as possible within the bounds of not opposing Seol Cheon-yu, and he had no choice but to accept any conditions.

While calmly composing his expression, his mind ached from imagining all sorts of scenarios about what Seol Cheon-yu might actually ask.

“Of course.

Feel free to ask.”

From the moment he began voicing his proposal, Hyeonwol had been displaying a thoroughly serious demeanor.

However, upon hearing Seol Cheon-yu’s ensuing questions, his composure couldn’t help but waver.

“May this younger brother call you sworn brother?”

“……?”

…This is very different from what I expected……?

“……Is that your first question?”

“Yes.

If hyung-nim is displeased, this younger brother will naturally withdraw this form of address and….”

“No!

No… I was just completely unprepared for that.

Naturally… since I call you sworn younger brother, there’s no reason for you to hesitate either, is there….

Ha, haha….”

Can this really be considered a question?!

Hyeonwol caught sight from the corner of his vision of the Blood Cult girl’s pupils vibrating as if performing a folk dance, but he forced himself to look away.

Anyone who knew Seol Cheon-yu’s original personality would probably react like that….

As expected, the original story had definitely changed.

Seol Cheon-yu’s face showed genuine joy at having received permission for the form of address.

Hyeonwol, feeling inexplicably drained, smiled while pulling his tension back up.

Just because the first was like this, would the second be the same…?

“Then I will ask my second question, sworn brother.”

“Yes.”

“Do you like tuna?”

“…….”

Hyeonwol fell into an illusion that even his own pupils had gained independent consciousness and were running wild.

In the nearly forty-plus years he had lived combining his previous life and current life in Hyeonwol’s body, he could confidently state that he had never experienced such difficulty controlling his pupils!

Meanwhile, the eyes of Seol Cheon-yu, the very one who had put Hyeonwol in this state, sparkled like shimmering light reflected on a clear lakeshore.

Because of that, Hyeonwol was receiving an even greater shock.

Right, this time it’s definitely a question.

It is a question.

Barely managing to repeat that to himself, Hyeonwol had to exert extreme concentration to keep his own voice from trembling.

“…Well… yes.

I do like it.”

“That’s fortunate.

I like it too.”

“Uh… yes….”

He was certain that Kang Ryun’s gaze, standing guard behind him, was no different from his own.

Perhaps unable to laugh at this situation either, the trembling presence behind him was vivid.

Hyeonwol newly immersed himself in the sentiment of wondering if this was what cultivating the path felt like.

Every moment he had lived as Hyeonwol until now had become cultivation, sustaining him.

Yet even Seol Cheon-yu, the root cause of all this, seemed aware that his questions weren’t quite proper—naturally—and his ears appeared slightly flushed.

In his daze, Hyeonwol thought even that might be an illusion.

“Then the last question… no, this should probably be called a request.

May I speak it?”

At the word ‘request,’ Hyeonwol barely managed to grab and hold onto his half-flown tension.

But Seol Cheon-yu’s face had now relaxed to the point where Hyeonwol could clearly discern it, like that of a boy at that awkward age, hesitant to express himself.

When Hyeonwol nodded for him to ask, Seol Cheon-yu, as if bashful, slightly averted his gaze and opened his mouth.

“…Would you be willing to buy me candy once every three days?”

“…….”

This time, Hyeonwol failed to control his expression entirely.

***

The sun had set, and the cool night air thoroughly saturated the atmosphere.

A shady area on the outskirts of the capital, where darkness had begun to shallowly settle.

Barely a few people passed by on the road.

And beyond that, on a dirt path, walked a young martial artist.

Strolling leisurely on his straight legs, he soon stopped once he was completely alone.

Within mere seconds, a man in black night attire appeared behind him and prostrated himself with utmost reverence.

“…I failed to secure the one we were tracking in advance.

I beg forgiveness.”

The black-clad man, prepared to have his head fly off at any moment, carefully raised his head.

The night wind blowing around him swirled more peacefully than expected.

He lifted his gaze to his lord’s back and began to gauge his mood.

His lord, unlike usual when he frequently wore black, was wrapped in a white long robe.

His appearance blended astonishingly into the capital scenery, harboring a tranquil aura.

A low, resonant voice mixed calmly with the wind.

“It’s fine.

I’m in a good mood today….”

“…I am honored.”

Quickly composing himself, the black-clad man felt immensely fortunate, yet unable to suppress his curiosity, he eventually opened his mouth again.

“However… is it alright to hand over the prisoner like that?

I couldn’t discern what the head of Wolsigak intends to do with a Blood Cultist.

Moreover, our side also lacks sufficient information on the Blood Cult….”

If his colleagues had seen this, they might have asked if he was crazy enough to want to die.

Though the black-clad man was usually bold, this eccentric behavior was possible only because, very rarely, his lord seemed to be in a good mood.

Beneath the night sky tinged with blue light.

The young man, silent at his subordinate’s question, suddenly took out a fan from his bosom, observing it and carefully opening it, starting some meaningless fidgeting.

“You’re adding many words for your station.”

“I beg forgiveness.”

In contrast to his usual tone, the air turned terrifyingly cold, and the black-clad man’s head reflexively hit the ground.

However, what he feared didn’t happen.

The young man, having withdrawn his aura, began leisurely stargazing again.

Sweating coldly as he prostrated himself, the black-clad man grew increasingly dazed and bewildered.

Surely, on a normal day, the moment he reported mission failure, he would have met his end, or even with light punishment, he would have lost the use of one of his limbs for several weeks.

His lord was far too merciful today.

That atmosphere was as if… he had been reunited with a long-lost lover.

Even as a metaphor, it was an absurd delusion.

Shaking off his wandering thoughts, the black-clad man listened to the words of the one before him.

Still gentle in demeanor, the young man was stroking the sword at his waist—Sahyo—with his straight fingers.

“If it’s information, we need only visit Wolsigak frequently.

Naturally, we’ll come to know what the head of Wolsigak is thinking.”

His lord, saying he would personally handle what was surely a troublesome task, somehow seemed genuinely joyful, and the black-clad man began to feel a certain chill.

He instinctively sensed that if he spoke any further, he would cross his lord’s precarious line.

The black-clad man quietly prostrated himself, and as he withdrew, he murmured with reverence.

“New cult supreme, Heavenly Demon immortal.

All things according to the cult leader’s will.”

Seol Cheon-yu, at eighteen the youngest Heavenly Demon ever to bring tens of thousands of cult members to their knees, looked up at the moon hidden behind clouds and smiled faintly with an eerily beautiful face.

A gaze resembling longing and joy, and even a certain sorrow, mingled with the moonlight.