Ch.3Chapter 3 – I Became the Terminally Ill Mentor of Heavenly Demon (3)

Bi-wol and I boarded a carriage heading west after leaving the sect. It felt like it had been quite a while since I’d ventured beyond the martial arts world.

“Master, what kind of place is the West?”

Bi-wol asked me with eyes full of expectation. She probably had some fantasies about traveling for the first time.

“Broadly speaking, it’s not much different from the martial arts world. That’s how it is wherever people gather to live.”

Unfortunately, I was also the original author who wrote this fantasy world.

Back then, I was immature and enjoyed creating gloomy, dark worlds.

It ended up becoming a dark fantasy setting where monsters infested the north, and above that was a separate continent called the Demon Realm ruled by a Demon King.

“If it’s not different, then…?”

“Wherever we go, there will be many hands seeking our help, Bi-wol.”

I sighed deeply, having to crush her expectations.

If I had known this fictional world would become reality, I would have created a brighter, more hopeful story.

“Is that really true?”

In the rattling carriage, Bi-wol pressed close to me and whispered softly into my ear.

“I’ve heard the West has mystics who use mysterious arts and swordsmen who infuse their blades with energy everywhere.”

Her warm breath tickled my ear, making me jump in surprise. As I moved away, she smiled broadly and followed me.

The closeness was sometimes frightening. Is this normal for a master-disciple relationship?

“Their ‘energy’ is replaced with ‘mana,’ and just as internal energy gathers in the dantian, they have a ‘mana core’ in their heart that allows them to manifest imagination into reality.”

I pushed her away by pressing my palm against her cheek. It felt soft and smooth, and she puffed her cheeks in disappointment.

“Master, why are you avoiding me?”

“You’re too close. What if others misunderstand?”

To be honest, Bi-wol is like a daughter to me. She was born from the words I wrote, a fragment of my soul.

“…I don’t mind being misunderstood.”

“But I do! I’m the leader of a sect with a title. What would happen if rumors spread that I was involved with my disciple?”

I grabbed both her cheeks and stretched them with my fingers.

She was as soft as rice cake and adorable, resembling a hamster with its cheeks full of sunflower seeds.

“Mather, pleathe let go.”

Seeing Bi-wol’s slurred speech, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Will you promise not to do that again?”

“Yes, so please stop touching me so roughly.”

Bi-wol rubbed her sore cheeks with both hands, pouting. Seeing her like this, she seemed like an ordinary girl rather than the Star of Heavenly Murder who had to kill to survive.

‘Looking at this, I might be able to change Verdandi and Azazel’s fates too.’

I smiled gently and brushed aside Bi-wol’s disheveled hair.

The fanatical hero obsessed with justice who kills people, and the saintess who made a contract with an Outer God seeking love.

The greatest glory for a creator is seeing their characters come to life, but…

‘I want to give them a happy ending.’

Now that fiction had become reality, I needed to do what I could. The best I could do as a writer rather than a reader, as a participant rather than an observer.

“By the way, Master, is this ‘sister disciple’ someone you’ve known for a long time? I didn’t get a proper explanation last time…”

Bi-wol looked up at me like a kitten gazing upward.

She wrapped both arms tightly around mine, refusing to let go, like a puppy trying to leave its scent.

“She’s like my daughter. Actually, there are two of them in this world.”

“…What?”

At that moment, a chilling killing intent emanated from Bi-wol. The horses pulling the carriage whinnied in fear, rearing up on their hind legs.

“…Bi-wol, suppress your killing intent.”

“But, but…”

I stroked her head gently while speaking softly. I dispersed negative energy around us to prevent her killing intent from spreading further.

Otherwise, not just the driver but even the horses would faint, ruining our journey to the West.

“Haven’t I told you not to reveal your emotions for such simple reasons? A blade without purpose and killing intent without direction only hurt oneself.”

I had no intention of scolding my disciple for showing killing intent.

For Bi-wol, who was deeply attached and dependent on me, the introduction of new sister disciples might make her fear abandonment.

“The reason I call them my daughters is because, like you, they’ve lived unfortunate lives due to my mistakes, Bi-wol.”

“Why do you say it’s your fault? You’ve done nothing wrong, Master.”

No, it’s entirely my fault.

“I had the martial prowess to save a child in despair, and the chivalry to feel compassion for them.”

A bitter taste filled my mouth. As the creator of this world, I could have given them happy endings.

“But in the past, I turned away from that injustice. I made excuses to myself, saying they were simply unlucky, because I was too busy with my own life.”

But I didn’t. For me, the final boss villain was someone who had to block the protagonist’s goal.

“The Ice Dragon who destroyed the cult that imprisoned me shouldn’t say such things.”

Someone who had to die at the hands of the protagonists.

“…I could have saved you sooner. I could have saved more children. If my feet had been faster, if my energy sense had been keener, I could have found you earlier.”

“It was an unavoidable situation. No one would blame you, Master.”

Bi-wol said it was unavoidable. Yes, making such excuses would ease my conscience.

They were just villains in a creative work, beings without soul or body until I was possessed.

But,

“Words are infinitely light and easy, Bi-wol. Do you know how many children would have been turned into blood and flesh if I hadn’t saved you?”

The situation has changed now. Everything in this world was breathing and had its own life.

All because of a few lines written by my unworthy hands.

“……”

“Bi-wol, my disciple who shines like the moon in the night sky. Never forget that the master you follow and serve is a pathetic human who is only now facing his past.”

I couldn’t tell Bi-wol everything about my circumstances, but I could explain as much as possible indirectly.

If I hadn’t stopped writing and had completed the story, this wouldn’t have happened.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind…”

Whether she understood my meaning or not, Bi-wol grabbed my wrists with both hands, encouraging me to pat her head more firmly.

The Heavenly Demon who had been emitting killing intent earlier was gone, replaced by a young girl seeking affection.

“The first sister disciple you need to meet is an unfortunate child consumed by justice.”

“By justice, you mean…”

“To put it metaphorically, she’s a powerful person who tries to kill anyone who violates chivalry.”

I explained about Verdandi to Bi-wol. She uses the Scales of Justice and Eyes that Know Truth to judge whether someone she meets is evil.

The problem is that her criteria for evil are as light as a feather.

“…Without question or trial?”

A child who steals a neighbor’s potato during a famine, a mother who strictly disciplines her child with a switch.

“Yes, for her, killing intent comes all too easily.”

To Verdandi, they were all evildoers who committed wicked acts. This was the setting I had given her.

The final boss in a novel needed to be stronger than anyone else and absolutely evil.

In Bi-wol’s case, I was just lucky enough to save her.

“I’m beginning to understand everything now.”

Bi-wol clenched her fists and nodded vigorously. Fortunately, she seemed to empathize after hearing about Verdandi.

“You want to show that sister disciple your boundless grace as well!”

“…?”

Though Bi-wol’s words, spoken with half-lidded eyes, were slightly off, she didn’t seem to misunderstand my intentions.

“This unworthy disciple thought they might be your illegitimate children. Of course that couldn’t be true! The person I follow and respect endlessly couldn’t possibly have shared intimacy with another woman…”

Bi-wol let out a giggling sound, the corners of her mouth turning up. She held her cheeks with her hands, looking happy.

“…Wait, Bi-wol. Do you hear something?”

Just then.

A scraping sound like chains dragging across the ground came from around us. It was too strange to be just the horses’ hooves.

“It doesn’t sound like anything good.”

When I cautioned Bi-wol, she also looked around, noticing something was wrong. She immediately adjusted her posture, preparing to jump out of the carriage.

“…It’s definitely the sound of chains being dragged. Bi-wol, can you tell how many are approaching?”

I asked Bi-wol, who had naturally excellent energy sensing abilities, to scout the enemy forces.

As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and you’ll win every battle. Understanding the opponent’s strength is crucial.

“Three sturdy men with iron flails, five well-built men with clubs, two men with large swords who look like guards, and finally… one man with an axe who appears to be the leader.”

Bi-wol closed her eyes slightly and detected the group of bandits approaching our carriage.

They seemed to be planning to block the path with chains, then seize valuables and people in the confusion.

“Eleven in total. Good.”

As soon as I heard Bi-wol’s answer, I jumped out of the moving carriage before she could.

Ice-White Divine Art, First Form. Ice Breaking Fist.

I spun my body once and struck the ground with my fist. With a cracking sound, pillars of ice shot up.

This technique concentrates all energy into the hand to condense cold energy, then releases it through the fist. If aimed at a person, it freezes their internal organs; otherwise, it can create platforms like this.

“M-Master?!”

Startled by my sudden movement, Bi-wol followed behind me. The demonic energy of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art surrounded her body.

Having quickly secured advantageous positions for battle, we faced:

“This area is under the control of our Green Forest 72 Gangs! If you want to pass through, pay the toll!”

We came face to face with a man whose bushy beard and mountain-like stature exuded intimidation just by looking at him.

“I am one of the Green Forest gang leaders, the Golden Axe, San-po!”

The bandit swung his large axe around, cutting through the air with a whooshing sound.

“Hahaha!! If you don’t want to be sliced by our boss’s axe, leave the woman and money here!”

“That’s right! Our toll is very expensive!”

San-po and the surrounding bandits couldn’t suppress their snickering laughter as they looked down on us.

However, I remained unshaken by their laughter and slowly raised the corners of my mouth.

“…It seems you haven’t heard the name Ice Dragon.”

As my cold voice cut through the air, the bandits’ laughter stopped instantly.

“Ice Dragon? The martial arts master who was active in the great battle between orthodox and unorthodox sects?”

“Wait, could it be…”

The bandits’ expressions showed confusion and anxiety, and seeing this, I smiled inwardly.

I needed money to travel to the West, and here was walking treasure that had come to me on its own.