Bong!!
The clear sound of a bottle cap popping echoed. The aroma wafting up from the bottle lightly tickled Wi Seoryeon’s nose.
It was just a fleeting scent, but it sparked an anticipation for the taste of the drink.
“Give me a glass.”
Wi Seoryeon quickly held out her cup to Tang Geun. The dazzling brown liquid poured from the tilted bottle into her glass. As soon as the bottle was down, Wi Seoryeon lifted her glass and took a drink.
“…Delicious.”
Unintentionally, Wi Seoryeon exclaimed in admiration. Even as the Heavenly Demon who had sampled the world’s finest wines, this was a kind she had never tasted before.
From the fresh flavor, more akin to raw sugar than liquor, to the deep taste of a decade-old Yeohahong—it felt as if all the flavors a bottle of wine could offer were packed into that one drink.
Proud of Wi Seoryeon’s reaction, Tang Geun opened his mouth.
“Isn’t this just the kind of skill that the Tang Clan is known for? With this kind of mastery, what’s a few bottles of wine to us?”
“One more.”
The other Tang Clan members chuckled as they watched Wi Seoryeon repeatedly empty her glass.
What kind of reputation did the Heavenly Demon hold in the world?
Given that she was a Heavenly Demon, many would expect a malevolent fiend who could unleash death with just a glance, yet the person they got to know through gambling was much simpler and more disinterested than that.
Just looking at her now, sitting on a plain mat, endlessly pouring and enjoying her drink, made that clear.
Having finished three glasses in quick succession, Wi Seoryeon spoke up.
“If you can create such delicious wine, why are there no rumors about it spread throughout the world?”
Tang Geun readily answered.
“Do you think there are many looking for medicine and poison in this world? Or do you think more are after wine? If the Tang Clan were to sell wine externally, we would have long ago become a brewing clan.”
“I see.”
“It’s just a matter of brewing a few bottles for the sake of learning about poisons and medicines while cooling our heads.”
Wi Seoryeon looked down at her glass. Ultimately, this wine was a limited edition crafted by the direct line of the Tang Clan.
Her hand quickened as she emptied her glass.
“This is good. Since I’m already traveling the world, tasting hidden wines isn’t a bad idea.”
“Are you planning to travel the world?”
“Yes. Not immediately, but at some point, I want to meet and sharpen my skills against gamblers from various regions.”
“Is that so… If they are worthy opponents you might associate with, there’s nowhere else to go in Sacheon besides Sacheon City.”
“Well, considering the Brain Knife Outcast’s grip on Sacheon City, I suppose they’ll manage fine.”
The conversation naturally shifted towards Ho Cheon-an.
“I’m curious how the Brain Knife Outcast will move in the future.”
“If they establish themselves in Sacheon City, it will completely become the Brain Knife Outcast’s territory.”
“However, having discarded the identity of an outcast, it won’t be easy for them to settle in Sacheon City.”
Wi Seoryeon glanced at the Tang Clan members who were getting heated up discussing Ho Cheon-an.
“You all seem quite interested in Ho Cheon-an.”
“Well, with the Brain Knife Outcast and the Tang Clan being close, it’s only natural.”
“Even if you aren’t close with the Tang Clan, the topic of the Brain Knife Outcast is a hot potato in the Martial World.”
Wi Seoryeon could sense a faint yearning in the eyes of the Tang Clan members.
“It can’t be helped. You, as a Heavenly Demon, might not understand, but is there anyone else in the Martial History who has accomplished so much at such a young age as the Brain Knife Outcast?”
“At a young age, they mastered martial arts, reached great heights, and made a name for themselves amidst countless influences.”
The final muttering from someone hit the nail on the head.
“Besides, they gamble well and have good-looking ladies by their side…”
The Tang Clan members clutched their cold sides and simultaneously emptied their glasses.
Just a moment ago, they were bragging about the colorful flavors of the fine wines, but suddenly the taste of the drink turned bitter.
“Jealous…”
“I wish I could wander the world with a Miss by my side… that would be my wish…”
The mood suddenly turned gloomy! Wi Seoryeon blinked a couple of times and pretended not to notice as she gulped her drink.
The more she interacted with others, the more skilled she became at dealing with people, and she was slowly starting to read the room too.
But man, this wine really is delicious.
Wi Seoryeon subtly reached for the Tang Geun liquor bottle and filled her glass. While she enthusiastically drank, listening to the Tang Clan members passionately discuss Ho Cheon-an,
Her eyebrows perked up at one of the Tang Clan’s words.
“With skills, fame, and a partner all in hand, all that’s left is to marry and settle down.”
Marriage?
Images of Ho Cheon-an and Black Cat, along with Ho Cheon-an’s companions, flashed through Wi Seoryeon’s mind. What had brought her closer to Tang So-yeol? Wasn’t it the sudden chaos in Ho Cheon-an’s romance due to Dokgo I-seol’s appearance?
Now that she thought about it, quite a bit of time had passed since then. Has it only been time? They had faced countless adversities, adventures, and incidents together, so even though the nature of relationships between men and women can be enigmatic, the idea of parting ways now felt unthinkable.
Thus, it wasn’t strange for the topic of marriage to arise.
Wi Seoryeon thought as she emptied her glass.
“Hmm. It really does seem like the right time.”
Who is currently the hottest figure in the Martial World? It’s none other than Ho Cheon-an. Even the famous successors of the Tang Clan envy Ho Cheon-an.
It’s best to ride the wave of good fortune while it’s high, whether it’s luck or misfortune.
In that sense, right now is a perfect time to pursue marriage with such an impressive group.
Actually, it would be wise to hasten things along; any further delay could take more time than expected, considering there are five of them to inform the family and get their approval.
“Is that guy planning to let this crucial time slip away?”
Now was the time to repay the group’s dedication, yet what were they doing?
Just as Wi Seoryeon pondered this, her hand suddenly stopped.
What is Ho Cheon-an doing at this crucial time?
He was helping Wi Seoryeon with her gambling adventures.
“…Oh?”
Could it be because of me?
Wi Seoryeon’s expression turned serious.
The next day.
“Sister, you just realized that now?”
Wi Seoryeon expressed her confusion as she felt cold sweat trickling down from Rye-ah’s incredulous gaze.
“Oh, I didn’t think they looked like that at all! If the marriage is truly urgent, they could have simply turned this down…”
“Oh come on! How could Ho, Older Brother Ho, refuse a request from the Heavenly Demon who moves the entire Heavenly Demon Sect? On top of that, didn’t the Heavenly Demon also suffer greatly during the Mosan Great War? If such a person offered help and you turned your nose up at your own marriage, that would mean you have issues with your character!”
“Is that so…”
Wi Seoryeon reflected on the situation. The Heavenly Demon Sect coming to the Central Plains was thanks to Ho Cheon-an restoring the original Heavenly Demon Arts, fulfilling the Sect’s long-cherished wish, so Ho Cheon-an shouldn’t feel indebted to Wi Ji-cheon or Wi Seoryeon.
But Wi Seoryeon had come to understand that relationships between people couldn’t simply be quantified by transactions or rationality.
‘Did I overestimate my contribution to the Mosan Great War and assumed they would naturally accept my stubborn behavior?’
“Hmph. That was unsatisfactory of me.”
Having thought about it, a pouty smile appeared on Wi Seoryeon’s face. When one realizes someone else’s consideration too late, the impact of that realization often feels magnified!
Thus, feeling twice as touched, Wi Seoryeon resolved to repay Ho Cheon-an and her companions doubly for the inconvenience she had caused them.
With fiery resolve, she stormed in on Ho Cheon-an.
“Leave.”
“…Huh?”
With her blazing motivation, she kicked Ho Cheon-an and his companions out of the Tang Clan in a single morning.
—
Clatter. Clatter.
We got kicked out of the Tang Clan because of the Heavenly Demon.
Just hearing this makes you wonder what kind of situation we were in, but that’s precisely the situation we found ourselves in right now.
Having thought Wi Seoryeon was just having fun with the Tang Clan members, I had relaxed a bit too much, only to be suddenly swept away by the Heavenly Demon’s actions.
Sitting dazedly in the driver’s seat, trying to process my confusion, I noticed Seo Gong’s tail hanging in front of my face.
Swish.
As I pressed down on that tail, a satisfied cry came from Seo Gong.
It seemed Seo Gong was quite pleased with the driver’s seat of the speedy vehicle that the Tang Clan had newly provided instead of the Bicheongmacha.
Sure, it didn’t match the ride quality or performance of the specially configured Bicheongmacha, but then again, it didn’t have the dangerous features either, so that was to be expected.
Stability makes all the difference.
The problem lies in where I’m headed in this adequately performing and stable vehicle.
Outcast Inn?
Well, I don’t know.
I was parading around donation requests to the Heavenly Demon Sect in Sacheon City. Even if it was revealed that my actions were part of a scheme to double-cross the Blood Sect due to the Mosan Great War, it didn’t erase what I did in Sacheon City.
I needed to clarify that I had no intention of selling Sacheon City to the Heavenly Demon Sect and that I wasn’t trying to bring the Heavenly Demon Sect in to dominate Sacheon City.
So it’s better to keep my distance from Sacheon City for a while.
Staying in Sacheon City, whether I wanted to or not, could lead to a power consolidation I did not seek, and if that happened, the Sacheon Outcasts would undoubtedly get swept up in it.
There’s a saying that one shouldn’t adjust their cap under the wisteria tree. For now, it’s best to be cautious.
That being said, where should I steer this cart?
The answer was already with me.
I just didn’t know the destination.
Clunk!
Just as those thoughts danced in my head, a noise interrupted me—it was the sound of the carriage door opening behind me. A seldom-possible event for a moving vehicle, but in actuality, the door of a carriage opens at any moment when wished.
“Whoosh!”
Leaping into the seat next to me was none other than Black Cat.
“Whoa! Quite a refreshing view here!”
“Right? I thought so too.”
The driver’s seat of the Bicheongmacha had been solely for Tang Do-yeon, so naturally, the scenery visible from that seat was exclusive to Tang Do-yeon.
Since the basic structure is the same, the refreshing view from this seat must have also been the view Tang Do-yeon always looked out upon.
And now, Tang Do-yeon must be traveling the world, delivering talismans while admiring such landscapes.
I wondered if Tang Do-gyeong was still alive, sitting in the cabin of the Bicheongmacha.
As I quietly paid tribute to Tang Do-gyeong, I noticed Black Cat petting Seo Gong as it rested on her lap.
A calm silence settled over us for a moment. In that silence, I felt anew just how naturally we had spent such a long time together.
And during that time, Black Cat had dedicated herself to solving my problems.
So now it was my turn to address Black Cat’s issues, and one by one, the problems my companions faced.
“Let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“To your hometown.”
For that first step.
I intended to solve Black Cat’s issues.
