Chapter 77
“It’s my fault.”
Namgung Jin lowered his gaze as he spoke in a subdued voice.
“I think I made things worse by carelessly mentioning the Gold-Robed Divine Maiden.”
“No, that’s not true! If we’re assigning blame, then I’m at fault too for blindly healing people without thinking.”
“How could there be any fault in one person healing another? Your treatment was flawless. But when the crowd started cheering about the Gold-Robed Divine Maiden, I should have warned them properly.”
Soso also thought that would have been for the best.
But it was already done. What had happened could not be undone.
Dwelling on the past and sighing over it would only drain her spirit.
That was why Soso wanted to discuss what to do next, rather than regret what was already over.
“Sir Namgung. You can’t pour spilled water back into the bowl. Let’s think about what we should do now.”
“First, we need to prevent any information about your identity from spreading. I’ll send a message to my father about that.”
“Yes, I’m just glad that only the trusted martial artists of the Namgung Clan know about who I really am.”
“Trusted…”
Namgung Jin repeated the word as if savoring it, brushing his lips with his thumb.
The Namgung Clan had been the first and the last to witness her healing ability in front of so many people.
And since she left the clan immediately afterward, there was a good chance word about her hadn’t spread far yet.
“It may actually be easier than expected to keep your identity hidden.”
Still—she would need to be careful from now on.
Unless the situation truly required it, she shouldn’t reveal her healing ability in front of many people.
But just as she made that firm decision, an unsettling thought suddenly surfaced.
If Young Master Eunwoo has become the Heavenly Demon, and if he is suffering from demonic mania…
What was she supposed to do?
Should she follow the Heavenly Demon the moment she saw him… and try to cure him?
What if Namgung Jin or Jegal Haesu condemned her for it—what if they turned their backs on her?
It was a dilemma painful enough to give her a headache.
But in the end, Soso knew she could never abandon Eunwoo, who was always her first priority.
Even if everyone else turned away from her.
Jegal Clan – Treasury Pavilion (Jaegyeonggak)
Lately, the Pavilion Master, Jegal Sochu, had been shouting the same words over and over:
“Again… again the treasures are missing!”
He had only just realized that the Jegal Clan’s valuables had disappeared.
It happened while he was away from the clan for a short time under the clan lord’s orders.
A fan made from the hide of the Everlasting Venom Python, heavenly silks… so many treasured items had vanished!
Had a thief infiltrated the Jegal Clan?
No—impossible.
Jegal Sochu knew exactly who had taken them.
Jegal Haesu, you little brat…!
It was undoubtedly the work of Jegal Haesu, who had vanished months ago without a trace.
Very few people knew where the treasure storeroom was located, and even fewer had permission to enter it.
And all the items had still been there—right up until the day Jegal Haesu disappeared.
“If I ever find that brat…”
Jegal Sochu slammed the table with his fist in fury.
But just a few minutes later, his expression darkened, and he ran a trembling hand over his face.
Haesu, who had wasted away as a shut-in for years, had left the Jegal Clan without a word—and even stolen the clan’s treasures on top of that.
Sochu was deeply worried about him.
Because he had a guess as to why Haesu had done such a reckless thing.
Haesu had likely left the clan to search for the Fourth Young Master, who had been kidnapped by the Demonic Cult.
Without even understanding how terrifying the Demonic Cult truly was.
Jegal Sochu knew well how deeply Haesu cared for his cousin.
And he also knew Haesu had been secretly practicing martial arts in his room ever since the kidnapping.
Sochu had assumed it was a phase.
That Haesu would train for a bit, hit a wall, and then return to his usual idle ways.
But unbelievably—the boy actually left the clan for real.
Haesu… You should’ve just stayed in your room… Why…
He had a chronic illness. If he collapsed and was brought back as a corpse—
How could Sochu bear it?
He feared such a future was approaching.
Of course, Haesu had no idea Sochu worried this deeply. He probably thought everyone in the clan saw him as a useless fool.
And to be fair—most did.
People worried the shameful title of “Idle Young Master” would stain the Jegal Clan’s name.
Some had even suggested stripping Haesu of the surname Jegal.
But Jegal Sochu—Haesu’s uncle—was not among them.
Outwardly, he showed nothing, but inwardly, he had always pitied Haesu.
It’s not Haesu’s fault he was born with an illness.
And Sochu knew exactly how hard Haesu had tried.
He wasn’t gifted in martial arts, and he was sickly—but he still trained to the point of vomiting blood.
Yet almost no one acknowledged that effort.
The Jegal Clan valued visible results over hidden effort.
And because of that, they had now lost all their direct heirs.
Brother Jegalcheon… You should’ve at least embraced Haesu while you still could.
Or perhaps he himself should have acknowledged Haesu sooner?
The foundation of the Jegal Clan felt like it had crumbled.
The clan he cherished now stood precariously at the edge of collapse.
Jegal Sochu let out a deep sigh.
“Haesu… If you return safely, I’ll take care of you properly this time.”
But before that—he still had to punish him for stealing the clan’s treasures!
“Jegal Haesu, you little ra—aaah!”
Thinking about the missing valuables again turned his face beet red with renewed rage.
Right then, a neatly dressed man appeared behind him.
“Pavilion Master, please have some tea.”
A clear, pleasant voice—like jade beads rolling on a jade plate.
Even another man would admit it was a beautiful voice. Sochu brightened instantly.
“Garin?”
“Yes.”
Baek Garin, dressed in scholar-style silk garments, set a teacup on the table Sochu had just been pounding.
The fragrance alone made Sochu feel his troubles melt away.
“Having you around is the only thing keeping me alive.”
He drank the tea like it was alcohol—loudly and gratefully.
Baek Garin smiled brilliantly, then—snap!—opened his fan.
“There is still heat rising from your head, Pavilion Master. I’ll fan you.”
He respectfully brought both hands together and began fanning.
“Ohhh! More to the right!”
“Yes~~ at once!”
“And the left!”
“Yes~~ I shall obey!”
“Ahh. Refreshing. Good.”
The rage that had turned Sochu’s face red and blue faded, returning him to normal.
The guards often wondered how Baek Garin had managed to completely win over the Pavilion Master…
But the greatest secret was simple:
Flawless flattery, delivered exactly when needed.
