Time passed in an instant.

Since there was no need for special preparations, days went by as usual, and before I knew it, it was the day of the banquet.

The banquet, which was scheduled to start in the evening, had been busy since the previous day and continued until this morning. There was such a shortage of hands that even the other maids Hyuk Dojin had assigned to me had to lend a hand there.

Fortunately, since Joo Hwarin was the daughter of the Blood Soaked Joo clan and not a maid, she had no reason to be summoned to such a place, but she too couldn’t stay by my side the whole time as she had to prepare for the banquet separately.

After obtaining my permission, Joo Hwarin left early in the morning, and Cho Hong filled her place beside me.

She smiled brightly, saying there was no need to move busily from the morning like on the wedding day, and it wasn’t too late to start preparing leisurely around the evening.

When Cho Hong was by my side, I could hear quite a few stories about the internal affairs of the Demon Cult, which I hadn’t heard from Joo Hwarin.

Cho Hong tilted the tea she had brewed herself and brought up stories from the past that she had witnessed.

“The Young Cult Leader has received a lot of attention since childhood as the only child of the Cult Leader Hyuk Muhyeol. In fact, many clans that thought it would be good to have ties with the Hyuk clan made tremendous efforts to show their daughters’ faces to him at least once.”

“Is that so?”

“I don’t know if it was popularity for the Young Cult Leader or interest in that position, but there were a few people who openly expressed their affection for the Young Cult Leader.”

Well, that was understandable. It wasn’t just any position, but the one beside the man called the next heaven.

The fact that I was here now was seen as a disgrace by the Righteous Sect, drawing a line. Even if their power had weakened, the Moyong clan was a prominent clan and one of the Five Great Clans.

The fact that the daughter of that clan would sit as the wife of the Young Cult Leader of the Demon Cult, a daughter of the Righteous Sect, was enough to cause outrage. And thinking the opposite way, it was the same position for the Demon Cult, not the Righteous Sect.

It wasn’t strange when I recalled the eyes that were wary of me or the still vivid memory of Do Seokhwi.

“The head of the Blood Soaked Joo clan, Joo Jonghak, has a total of three sons and two daughters, and among them is the second daughter named Joo Hwaryeon. She is a woman who has just turned twenty, like a flower in full bloom. Naturally, as the Blood Soaked Joo clan supported the Young Cult Leader, it was expected that the Young Madam would come from the Blood Soaked Joo clan, but the result was different.”

Hearing her words, a question suddenly came to my mind.

The Blood Soaked Joo clan was Hyuk Dojin’s right-hand man in name and reality. Starting from placing Joo Hwarin by my side, I could clearly see it whenever I occasionally saw the head of the Blood Soaked Joo clan, Joo Jonghak.

As such, there must have been a sense of reward, and at the same time, what the Blood Soaked Joo clan wanted wasn’t simply gold and treasures.

As Cho Hong said, what the Blood Soaked Joo clan wanted was the empty seat beside Hyuk Dojin. It wouldn’t have been strange for them to aim for that vacant position.

Cho Hong lowered her teacup and spoke quietly.

“Although most people know it now, ironically, it was the Holy Stream League, who are currently showing the most displeasure that Miss Sowol was chosen as the Young Madam. I don’t know how much someone like me who can’t use martial arts knows, but even if I don’t know, the elders of the Holy Stream League thought that by placing the daughter of one of the Five Great Clans beside the Young Cult Leader, they could tarnish the Young Cult Leader’s reputation.”

“Why? Do they dislike Dojin?”

“It’s a bit complicated. It’s true that the Young Cult Leader has achieved remarkable accomplishments among the successive Young Cult Leaders. In fact, if time passes like this, it’s certain that he will be able to break the barrier of transcending the Demon Realm, which has only been surpassed twice in the history of the Demon Cult when he succeeds the Cult Leader. However, that doesn’t mean all the clans favor the Young Cult Leader.”

Why? I couldn’t understand.

In a place that revered strength, it was natural to follow someone stronger than themselves. Moreover, Hyuk Dojin was the Young Cult Leader, and above him, only the Cult Leader existed. The Cult Leader wouldn’t abandon his only successor.

Considering that, the clans should naturally bow their heads to Hyuk Dojin. If they didn’t bow their heads, it would be tantamount to betraying their own beliefs.

Cho Hong glanced around as if gauging the situation and carefully opened her mouth.

“The Young Cult Leader extremely dislikes the people involved in the incident 10 years ago, including the Holy Stream League.”

“10 years ago?”

“It’s about the matter with Lady Geum Soso.”

I faltered, stopping my hand that was moving towards the teacup. I raised my gaze that had been directed downward and faced her.

Cho Hong chewed her lips as if trying to judge whether she could say it or not, then met my eyes and smiled awkwardly.

“The Young Cult Leader is the undisputed future supreme leader. It’s only natural for all the members of the Demon Cult to bow their heads and bend their knees before him. However, the ones who took Lady Geum Soso away from the young Young Cult Leader’s side and furthermore tried to make the Young Cult Leader their own puppet are none other than the Holy Stream League and the clans that are currently out of favor. Because of that, they can neither bend their knees nor openly bare their fangs.”

Cho Hong quietly gazed at the cooled tea and closed her eyes.

“Even if they outwardly express their reverence for strength… The Demon Cult has been stagnant in one place for a long time. It’s also true that the values that were once revered are not what they used to be. Those who lack the power they possess but have a lot of greed gather, and in the process, they covet what they couldn’t have.”

Her lips crossed diagonally.

“For example, the heavens.”

“…”

“Anyway. From their perspective, they thought the existence of the Young Madam would benefit them, but in reality, when they opened the lid, it wasn’t the case. By now, their lips must be parched. Because if time passes like this, it’s certain that the Blood Soaked Joo clan, which has always been inferior in martial arts, will become the top clan at once, supported by the Young Cult Leader.”

I brushed up my flowing hair and narrowed my eyes. In the meantime, Cho Hong’s voice didn’t stop.

“Young Madam. The reason I’m saying these dangerous words is not because I’m a gossiper. It’s because I know that as long as you’re in this position, it’s a truth you’ll definitely have to face, and furthermore, if you don’t know, it will become a reality that will inevitably strangle your neck at any time.”

Cho Hong quietly opened her mouth while scanning the ceremonial attire hanging on the wall with her eyes.

“Although the Young Cult Leader must have taken measures, today’s banquet is not simply a place for celebration. It may also be a place to test you, Young Madam. So…”

Her hand carefully covered the back of my hand.

“You have to be careful. Especially of the elders of the Holy Stream League. And even more so with the Snow Willow Sword, Lee Seonghak, who is rumored to be the most greedy among them.”

As Cho Hong’s words continued, my face slowly stiffened.

* * *

“Are those just polite words?”

Night quickly fell.

Hyuk Dojin, who had left his seat saying he had to finish his work, had also returned at some point. When he left, he was dressed in ordinary clothes, but now he was dressed in neat ceremonial attire.

As soon as he returned to the room and saw me, he smiled and spoke to me.

“I feel it every time, but it seems like Sowol looks good in any outfit.”

“How could that be?”

Dojin approached me as I was receiving a final check from Cho Hong’s hands in front of the mirror. He lightly placed his hand on my shoulder and said:

“Everything I say is sincere. Isn’t that right, Cho Hong?”

“That’s right, Young Cult Leader. I don’t know about others, but in my eyes, the Young Madam is the most beautiful. Transparent and fair skin, and snow-white hair that looks like it’s from a mythical tale. Isn’t it a charm that no one else can imitate?”

Cho Hong’s voice and attitude became very elegant, to the point where it was hard to believe she was the same person who giggled like a comfortable older sister next door when the Young Cult Leader wasn’t around. As I glanced at her, Cho Hong received my gaze with a bright smile.

I narrowed my eyes with my lips pursed. Cho Hong shook her head as if that shouldn’t be done, firmly pressed my brow, and added a bit more powder on top of it.

“Today is a day full of reasons to smile, Young Madam. Isn’t it a place to celebrate none other than you? You should smile.”

“…”

I sighed inwardly at her carefree words and nodded. In the meantime, Hyuk Dojin picked up the necklace case on the table.

He lightly lifted my hair with the back of his hand and gently hung the necklace from the case around my neck. The red jade shimmered, emitting its own light.

Hyuk Dojin placed his hand on my shoulder, lowered his head to match my eye level, and looked in the mirror. He quietly gazed at my neck and smiled brightly.

I let out a chuckle at his smile. Cho Hong checked my final appearance and nodded. All preparations were complete.

And just in time, the door opened, revealing Man Do, Joo Jonghak, and Joo Hwarin. Man Do, who was at the forefront, lightly greeted me and then looked at Hyuk Dojin.

“Shall we go, Young Cult Leader?”

“Alright.”

Hyuk Dojin nodded and stepped back slightly, extending his hand to me. I glanced at his palm and raised my eyes to meet his gaze.

Hyuk Dojin smiled as if telling me to hold it. After a moment of hesitation, I placed my hand on top of his. I rose from my seat and stood beside him.

The path to the banquet hall wasn’t too far. As I strolled through the quiet corridor, I slightly rolled my eyes. Joo Hwarin, who was walking behind me, flashed a bright smile at my gaze in her dressed-up appearance. After nodding to her, I looked ahead again.

In the meantime, Hyuk Dojin’s voice dropped clearly.

“Are you nervous?”

“No. Not really.”

I answered quietly. I heard a sound of exhaling from above and raised my gaze. I saw the corners of Hyuk Dojin’s lips slanting upward. He glanced at me and calmly spoke.

“Come to think of it, I’ve rarely seen Sowol looking nervous. Are you usually calm by nature?”

“Rather than that…”

It would be more accurate to say there was nothing to be nervous about. Even if I were to face something that everyone fears and dreads not once but twice, this feeling wouldn’t even amount to trivial. I slightly closed my mouth that I had opened to speak.

“…I just don’t feel nervous.”

“I see.”

Hyuk Dojin didn’t pry further. He calmly nodded and looked ahead. It seemed like noisy sounds were gradually reaching my ears. Hyuk Dojin quietly gazed forward and opened his mouth again.

“Father said he couldn’t come.”

“The Cult Leader?”

“Yes. I sent an invitation, but he said something came up today, and he had to leave the cult urgently.”

“I see…”

I answered quietly and tilted my head. But why is he telling me that? Is it a big deal that the Cult Leader isn’t coming? With many things I still didn’t know, I looked at him again with a puzzled thought. Hyuk Dojin glanced down at me and grinned.

“In other words, if you find the banquet tiring and exhausting today, you don’t have to say anything and can leave. Don’t force yourself to stay and harm your health. Just tell me, and you can go back right away.”

“But it’s a place to celebrate us.”

Hyuk Dojin shook his head.

“What’s more important than receiving their congratulations is Sowol’s health. It can’t be compared to anything else. So, you don’t need to worry. And what’s so important about congratulations?”

The guard standing in front prostrated upon seeing Hyuk Dojin. Hyuk Dojin clicked his tongue. The guard quickly rose from his position and pulled the handle of the huge door with all his might. The pouring light intensified. Hyuk Dojin quietly held my hand.

“It’s enough if I can just hold your hand like this.”