Ch.237Side Story 2: When I Met Him (11)

#02_When I Met Him_11

Dexter jumped to his feet at the sight of the snorting Heavenly Demon and Blood Phoenix following behind him, rushing toward the Heavenly Demon in one bound.

They hadn’t changed much in the past ten years; if anything, the Heavenly Demon and Blood Phoenix seemed to have fewer wrinkles than before. Dexter embraced them both tightly.

“Hey now, what’s with the hugging from a grown man!”

“Ah, it’s been ten years. Please understand. Have you both been well?”

“Yes, Aduk. My goodness, you’ve really grown up.”

After briefly feeling the warmth of the two, Dexter stepped back and said:

“These are my wives.”

At Dexter’s words, four women stood up abruptly to greet them and introduce themselves. Blood Phoenix couldn’t close her mouth, while the Heavenly Demon frowned.

“What could possibly be so good about this fellow that four women would stick with him?”

“Well, they say heroes deserve three wives and four concubines…”

At Dexter’s joke, the Heavenly Demon poked his body with a finger and said:

“You dare say that with your own mouth? Are you claiming to be a hero?”

“Well, I did save the world once, so I could be called a hero, right?”

“Such childishness from a man in his twenties!”

“D-do you really have four wives? You haven’t done anything wrong, have you?”

Seeing genuine concern in Blood Phoenix’s eyes, Dexter looked at her incredulously.

“What do you mean by ‘wrong’? Blood Phoenix Grandmother, I can’t believe you’d trust me so little after not seeing me for so long.”

“This isn’t some marketplace novel—it’s hard to believe you have four wives. Please sit down, my new daughters.”

While polygamy is permitted in the Central Plains, it’s rare to see anyone with more than one wife unless they’re the Emperor of the Central Plains.

Since he couldn’t avoid introducing them, Dexter sat down with a subtle smile.

“So, I heard you’ve been doing some modest work in your homeland lately. How is it going?”

“In Central Plains terms, I work while eating the nation’s salary. What’s it called here… constable? Something like that. I also occasionally do work similar to the Podo Office or bounty hunters.”

“Using your excellent abilities to be a bounty hunter?”

“I said similar, not exactly the same.”

“Anyway… if you had stayed in the Central Plains, you would have been guaranteed a position as high as the Guardian of the Divine Sect.”

“Come on, isn’t it nice to live on my homeland’s soil?”

“Hmph, that’s true.”

“By the way, do you know someone called the Twin Bird Demon?”

At Dexter’s question, the Heavenly Demon nodded lightly and asked:

“Of course I do. Isn’t he a remnant of the Blood Lotus Sect?”

“Huh? Remnant? Did the Blood Lotus Sect fall?”

“Before stepping down from the position of sect leader, Master personally beheaded the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect.”

At Seon Woo Dan’s brief explanation, Dexter nodded.

“Well, they were getting too arrogant, weren’t they?”

“They committed so many atrocities in the Central Plains that it was inevitable. Wasn’t it the righteous factions that proposed bringing down the Blood Lotus Sect?”

“Wow, those stiff-necked guys?”

“You should have seen how funny it was watching Hwang Oh-seong, the Alliance Chief, treading carefully, kahahat!”

“Well, the righteous factions are always desperate for help, but it seems you really crushed the Blood Lotus Sect.”

“Of course! I knew from the beginning that sending a demon agent to Seonghwa County was just a means to show that the Blood Lotus Sect’s power was still intact. If you’re going to crush them, do it properly!”

“Anyway, I was really surprised back then.”

“My new daughters, do you know what this fellow said at that time?”

“What did he say…?”

“‘Heavenly Demon Grandfather, no! Master! Please teach me properly!’ He said this while kneeling before me! Uahahaha!”

“What? Dexter kneeling?”

“I don’t know what he’s done to make his wives react like this, but you should have seen how serious his eyes were when looking at me!”

The Heavenly Demon continued to laugh heartily, while Dexter had to endure endless torment, his face reddening at the childish act from his younger days.

Soon, the Heavenly Demon calmed his laughter, cleared his throat, and spoke while drinking the tea placed on the table:

“Apart from being a bit mischievous and occasionally throwing tantrums, he was certainly a good disciple. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have welcomed him so warmly.”

“What do you mean ‘was’? I’m still your disciple.”

“I heard from the Golden Merchant. After defeating a mere peak master, you were sick and groaning for two weeks. Struggling with just a peak master—can you still call yourself my disciple?”

“For someone without internal energy, I did pretty well!”

“If I had been born with your body, I would have conquered the world even without internal energy!”

As they raised their voices at each other, Seon Woo Dan didn’t know what to do, so Blood Phoenix stepped in to calm them:

“Your Excellency, please calm down. How can you still be fighting with Aduk the same way after ten years?”

“This fellow treats his master like dirt, that’s why!”

“The former Heavenly Demon should maintain his dignity. What’s this talk about dirt?”

“You, you, you!”

“Aduk, you’re going too far as well. Even if it’s been a long time, you shouldn’t get too excited.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“He barks at his master but immediately yields to his master’s wife. Oh my… I’ve raised my disciple in vain.”

As the Heavenly Demon groaned, Judy laughed lightly and said:

“But he bragged about you a lot on our way here. When he described how you took down a demon agent in one strike, he was even trembling with excitement.”

Thanks to Judy revealing unexpected information, the Heavenly Demon looked at Dexter with surprise, and Dexter turned his head away in embarrassment.

“Ahem, what strange things to say.”

“It’s true. He also talked a lot about his brother, and just a while ago, he was worried whether you’d like the gift he prepared.”

“Himena, why are you telling them that?”

“Are you trying to maintain your pride even in front of your master? Give it up.”

“Geez, really.”

Yet Dexter continued to avoid the Heavenly Demon’s gaze.

“Such an unmanly fellow.”

“Dexter seems to get shy at times like this, doesn’t he?”

When Jesse spoke boldly, the Heavenly Demon lightly tapped the table and said:

“Without your wives, you would have been scolded all day! Uahahaha!”

“So embarrassing…”

Seeing Dexter blushing up to his neck in embarrassment, Seon Woo Dan added:

“You can brag about Master and your senior brother anytime. What’s embarrassing about that? It’s all done out of respect.”

“Dan is right. When else would you brag about your master? You shouldn’t hide such things from your wives.”

As his true feelings were unintentionally revealed to others, Dexter felt embarrassed. Since this was rare, even his four wives, who were on his side, joined in and revealed every detail.

Dexter ended up involuntarily exposing all his feelings and, unable to hide his flushed face, briefly left the room.

Not long after, he returned with a large box.

“Enough about me. Now, please accept your gifts.”

“Look at him. Now he’s trying to bribe us.”

“It’s not a bribe. It’s a gift of goodwill. Please accept yours first, Heavenly Demon Grandfather.”

The first thing Dexter took out was several small paper boxes.

“What’s this? From the sloshing sound, it seems to be liquid.”

“It’s alcohol. Some made in my homeland, and some I requested from that guy Eliya.”

As soon as the word ‘alcohol’ was mentioned, the Heavenly Demon’s expression changed completely.

Dexter had gifted the Heavenly Demon with Earth-made whiskey, wine, gin, and even famous liquors from other planets.

Carefully placing the boxes of alcohol under the table as if determined not to let them be taken away, the Heavenly Demon managed his expression and said:

“Hmph, it’ll stick to my tongue.”

“This is for Blood Phoenix Grandmother.”

The next item Dexter took out was a small metal box about the size of a jewelry case.

Blood Phoenix immediately opened the box at her seat, and her expression brightened.

“These are… acupuncture needles?”

“They’re made from a metal that’s incomparable to eternal iron or cloud iron. They probably won’t rust even after a thousand years.”

Dexter had gifted Blood Phoenix with needles made from a special alloy that bends well but doesn’t break or rust.

“I never expected such a thoughtful gift…”

“It’s nothing. This is for Brother.”

“You have something for me too?”

“How could I not prepare something for my senior brother?”

The next item Dexter took out was a box the size of a fist.

“It’s smaller than I expected?”

“But it might be the most helpful thing here.”

“Really?”

What Dexter gifted to Seon Woo Dan was none other than a 24-hour pocket watch.

It was a specially made pocket watch calibrated to the twelve-hour system of the Central Plains, with accuracy close to that of an atomic clock.

“As the sect leader, you need to manage your time well.”

“Quite a nice gift. Thank you.”

“This is for Sister-in-law.”

“Oh my, even something for me?”

“This isn’t from me but from my wives here.”

Jin Ran-ying also received high-end cosmetics, a beauty set, and a necklace.

“I’ll use them well. Thank you so much.”

“I was originally going to give them before going home, but if I kept getting teased, I might have died of embarrassment.”

“Your wives have excellent taste. Just the aroma of alcohol seeping from the box is amazing.”

“Don’t gulp it all down at once; sip it slowly and savor it.”

Dexter said with a grin.

Though trying to maintain his composure as the former Heavenly Demon, the corners of the Heavenly Demon’s mouth were slowly rising, while Jesse explained what kinds of alcohol were included.

Blood Phoenix, sitting next to the Heavenly Demon, was delighted about how many people she could save with these needles, with Emily beside her showing a subtle smile.

Jin Ran-ying was receiving instructions on how to use the cosmetics from Judy and Himena.

Seon Woo Dan was carefully observing the automatically moving second and minute hands, comparing them with the sun outside.

Dexter looked at everyone gathered in the room and took out a camera he had prepared to capture these moments.

It felt like quite a nice homecoming.

* * *

A few days later.

After staying at the Divine Sect’s Ten Thousand Mountains and receiving all kinds of hospitality, Dexter’s group was standing in front of their spaceship.

“We’ve eaten well and had a great time, Master.”

“When will you come again?”

The Heavenly Demon was looking at Dexter with his hands behind his back, appearing displeased.

“Maybe I’ll come once for the Divine Sect’s anniversary. I’ll visit if time allows.”

“Next time I see you, I’d like to see grandchildren.”

At Blood Phoenix’s subtle hint, Dexter’s eyes widened.

“What grandchildren? You should ask Brother Seon Woo Dan for that. It’s still too early in my homeland.”

“Too early? Nonsense! A man over twenty with no children yet—you’ll be punished by heaven! Do you think you can live like a child forever? You should have them while you’re still young!”

When the Heavenly Demon burst out, Seon Woo Dan tried to calm him but added:

“Master, please calm down… But you know I think the same, right? I’m just waiting for the right time due to my busy official duties, but you’re different.”

“Oh my, now even Brother is scolding me. I’ll handle it myself.”

At Dexter’s words, the Heavenly Demon pointed at his face and said:

“It should be a chubby son like a rice cake!”

“Your Excellency, that’s not how it works these days. Aduk, we’d be fine with a daughter too. How pretty would she be if she took after your wives?”

At the adults’ explicit conversation, Judy’s face turned bright red.

“Look at Judy blushing. You’re saying too much.”

“We’re trying, but Dexter doesn’t give us the chance to… mmph!”

As Jesse was about to speak in a subtle voice, Himena stopped her.

“Oh my, Jesse! Hoho, what are you saying in front of your husband’s master?”

“I’m not sure what’s going on, but I’ll try my best.”

Emily, who had been quiet, bowed her head to Blood Phoenix, who hugged her lightly and patted her back.

“Such a good girl. Aduk, make sure you treat your new daughter well.”

“Hey, what do you know about this?”

“If Dexter would just stop using cond—”

This time, Himena covered Emily’s mouth and forced an awkward smile.

“You’re like parents to us, and I feel like we’re taking too much. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to my brother-in-law.”

As Himena bowed to Seon Woo Dan and spoke, he waved his hands.

“I feel I haven’t been able to provide proper hospitality to my sister-in-law. This is a small gift prepared by the Divine Sect. Please open it when you arrive.”

With those words, disciples of the Divine Sect who had been waiting loaded a large gift box into the spaceship’s cargo hold.

“Well, we’ll be going now.”

Dexter said, looking at the Heavenly Demon, Blood Phoenix, and Seon Woo Dan.

“Go carefully and don’t cause trouble.”

“Yes, be careful on your long journey.”

At the words of the Heavenly Demon and Blood Phoenix, Dexter hugged them both lightly and said:

“Thank you always, Heavenly Demon Grandfather, Blood Phoenix Grandmother.”

“That’s enough.”

The Heavenly Demon cleared his throat once and gestured.

“I’ll definitely come back! With sons and daughters—I’ll bring a whole baseball team… mmph!”

Himena covered Jesse’s mouth, showing a forced smile as she hurriedly entered the spaceship. Judy and Emily also bowed their heads in greeting before going inside.

“I’ll keep in touch often.”

With those final words, Dexter entered the spaceship, and the engine sound gradually grew louder.

Though invisible, even the Heavenly Demon, ignorant of science, could tell that a large object was about to take off.

“I’m already looking forward to next year, Your Excellency.”

“What’s there to look forward to?”

Despite his cold words, the Heavenly Demon, still with his hands behind his back, kept his eyes on the spaceship soaring into the sky until the end.

‘See you again, you rascal.’

The Heavenly Demon smiled as he gazed at the sky.