‘Our’ Definition

Having won the battle of wills against Master, I met two attendants that very day.

“I am Maehwa.”

“I am Yeonhwa.”

A middle-aged woman and a girl who looked like she had just entered high school greeted me politely.

“Okay, I look forward to working with you.”

I felt uncomfortable with someone much older than me being so deferential, but after being scolded by Master for not speaking informally to the Chief Manager last time, I had no choice but to use informal speech.

Ugh, I feel guilty.

“Yes, we will strive to serve you without any shortcomings.”

Maehwa, the middle-aged woman, bowed her head even lower, and Yeonhwa, who had been standing blankly, belatedly followed suit.

“Maehwa has been in the Cult for a long time, and Yeonhwa joined recently.”

I examined the two people who would be helping me, listening to the Chief Manager’s additional explanation.

As explained, Maehwa seemed to have a lot of experience.

I hate to admit it, but she was showing neither excessive nor insufficient respect in front of the Young Cult Leader, the second-in-command of the Black Heaven Cult.

On the other hand, I could see that Yeonhwa was still clumsy.

She seemed to have trouble maintaining a still posture, and she kept looking around, like a curious little kid.

I don’t want to evaluate the people who will be helping me. It’s just that’s how it is.

“Young Cult Leader, I will step down now.”

“Ah, do you have urgent business?”

The Chief Manager seemed to be busy.

“Yes, I do. I will see you at dinner time. Maehwa, serve the Young Cult Leader well.”

“Of course.”

The Chief Manager bowed and headed somewhere. Probably to his office.

A few days ago, I had nothing to do, so I followed him and stayed by his side all day, and I was surprised to see the stack of documents on his desk piled up as high as a desktop computer case, without exaggeration.

He might have been bothered by my presence, but the Chief Manager silently processed the documents.

Then, he had a nosebleed, probably from overwork, and when I saw that, I asked Master to assign him attendants.

Come to think of it, he told me to leave as soon as he had the nosebleed, but I don’t know why.

Well, he might just be the type who only wants to show a clean image.

“Young Cult Leader, where are you planning to go now?”

A cheerful voice hit my ears.

I turned my gaze and saw Yeonhwa looking at me with sparkling eyes.

“Uh…”

“Young Cult Leader, I’m sorry. She hasn’t been properly trained in etiquette yet.”

I was about to answer, but Maehwa stepped forward and prostrated herself on the floor.

“Asking a question isn’t a big deal. There’s no need to apologize.”

“You can ask anything you’re curious about from now on.”

“Wow~ Really?”

“Yeonhwa!”

Maehwa slapped Yeonhwa on the back when she smiled brightly, having been intimidated by Maehwa.

The sight of them looked like a close mother and daughter, so I smiled along with Yeonhwa.

“I was going for a walk. Do you know any good courses… no, any good paths?”

“I will guide you to the decorated garden.”

I was walking along a path suitable for a leisurely stroll, guided by Maehwa, but unlike when we started, the number of people had increased by two.

The two who joined were…

“Wow~ I’ve only seen this garden being decorated, but I’ve never actually been here. It’s so pretty when you see it like this.”

Youngma and…

“That’s because you’re always drinking.”

Thunder Sword.

While walking along the road, Thunder Sword, who found me, flew over and suggested joining me, and when I accepted, Youngma wriggled out of my shadow.

-Was he hiding in my shadow the whole time?

When I asked this, Youngma turned his head away and exercised his right to remain silent.

He’s similar to Master in this regard. No, you have to have that level of shamelessness to become an executive of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

“Hahaha! I pity you for not knowing the joys of alcohol.”

“I pity you for always spouting nonsense, as always.”

But no matter how I look at it, these two seem to be really close.

“Are you two close?”

When I asked abruptly, they both looked at me in shock.

“Young Cult Leader, no! Who would be close to such a rude and drunken person?”

“Me, close to such an uncute guy? I didn’t think you were like this, Young Cult Leader. I’m disappointed.”

Hmm… these two are definitely going to date later.

Heavenly Demon, who was leisurely drinking tea and listening to the Chief Manager’s report in a pavilion of the Black Heaven Cult, turned his gaze outside at the sound coming from afar.

“Is something the matter?”

“Do you see that?”

Heavenly Demon said, pointing to the things that looked like dots in the distance, and the Chief Manager turned his gaze to the tip of her finger.

“It seems they are taking a walk. Why are Thunder Sword and Youngma there?”

The Chief Manager muttered.

“I assigned Youngma to protect and monitor the Young Cult Leader, but why is Thunder Sword there? Did he finish the weapon maintenance I ordered him to do?”

“When I asked this morning, he said it would be finished soon.”

In fact, he hadn’t done any of it, so the Chief Manager finished it himself, but the Chief Manager was the type of person who covered up for his colleagues.

“Huh, the sun will rise in the west tomorrow. For Thunder Sword to finish his work on time.”

Shaking his head, Heavenly Demon took another sip of tea.

“The Young Cult Leader… seems to be adapting well.”

“Of course, he has to adapt. He’ll be living here from now on.”

Heavenly Demon chuckled, and the Chief Manager laughed along.

“He said ‘we’.”

The Chief Manager opened his mouth, looking at the receding dots with Heavenly Demon for a moment.

“‘We’?”

“Yes. It was a word I hadn’t heard in a very long time. It was nice.”

The Chief Manager, who covered his mouth with a folding fan, smiled kindly.

Heavenly Demon, who was momentarily stunned, realized the meaning of the words and giggled.

“Haha, for the Young Cult Leader to already embrace his subordinates. He’s indeed something.”

-As expected of my disciple. Heavenly Demon added.

“I was so caught up in work that I had forgotten the meaning of the word ‘we’, but thanks to the Young Cult Leader, I was able to recall it.”

The Chief Manager said politely but firmly. Heavenly Demon listened to his words in silence.

“The Black Heaven Cult is a place where the abandoned gather. A place where we join forces to fulfill each other’s wishes and comfort each other’s wounds.”

“That is the ‘we’ that the Cult Leader spoke of. In other words, the Young Cult Leader reminded us of what the Black Heaven Cult is.”

Heavenly Demon showed a deep smile, as if satisfied with the Chief Manager’s words.

“Yes, that is our definition.”

Heavenly Demon was satisfied with the Chief Manager’s accurate explanation.

Dang Yooyeon of the Sacheon Tang Clan, belonging to the White Tiger Unit.

She was currently worried sick about her friend.

Namgoong Soyeon’s behavior had changed since the incident where she killed a doctor in the training room.

Her eyes, which used to be smiling, had become sharp, and her tone had become harsh.

The Alliance Leader and the Divine Doctor said that there was nothing wrong with her body, but she did not easily believe it.

“Thunder Sword. Are you really okay?”

“Yes. There’s absolutely no problem. I feel refreshed.”

She said brightly with a “Eusha!” sound, but Dang Yooyeon’s expression darkened even more.

“Tell me honestly. Where have you been going lately?”

“Where?”

“I’m Dang Yooyeon of the Sacheon Tang Clan. Do you think you can hide anything from me? You’ve been going into that strange stone chamber periodically lately.”

“Ah… you saw? Were you allowed to see? Well… I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s not like I’m doing anything bad.”

“Are you training there or something?”

“Do you want to come with me? I’m getting hungry anyway.”

Dang Yooyeon hesitated slightly at Namgoong Soyeon’s suggestion.

She felt like if she followed her, she would be crossing a river from which there was no return.

As a scout, she knew that it was right not to go, but…

She chose friendship.

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Great. Follow me.”

Dang Yooyeon followed her into the stone chamber.

It was a cramped stone chamber, and she wondered what she was doing here, but the question didn’t last long.

Namgoong Soyeon opened a door in the floor, revealing stairs leading down.

“What’s… what’s down there?”

Dang Yooyeon asked, chasing after her as she strode down, and Namgoong Soyeon giggled.

“There are very vicious criminals.”

“Criminals?”

The women went further and further down.

Soon, when they reached the underground prison, a great commotion arose from inside the bars.

“Wow… she’s here!”

An old man’s voice.

“Heeek… save me! Please!”

A young woman’s voice.

“Aaaaaah…”

People’s screams were heard along with the clanging of iron bars.

“What… what is this place?”

Namgoong Soyeon did not answer Dang Yooyeon’s question, who was standing in the middle of the pandemonium.

-Creak

She opened the door of the prison and grabbed the neck of a young woman inside, lifting her up.

“Kyaaaaak! Let go! Let go, cough…”

“That person is from the Black Union…?”

Dang Yooyeon was startled when she saw the face of the woman struggling with her neck grabbed.

Why was a martial artist from the Evil Sect here?

“Be quiet.”

Namgoong Soyeon shone golden eyes and put strength into her hand.

-Crack

At the sound of bones breaking, the woman from the Evil Sect died instantly.

“Thunder Sword! What are you doing?”

Namgoong Soyeon did not answer Dang Yooyeon’s shout.

-Fwoooooosh

Blood flowed from the neck of the dead woman.

The boiling blood soon turned into steam, which slowly flowed into Namgoong Soyeon.

Namgoong Soyeon, who had absorbed the steam in a short time, turned to look at Dang Yooyeon with a refreshed face.

“Haa… this one wasn’t very good.”

“Wh, what are you doing… Energy Absorption… is this perhaps… a Blood demon?”

Namgoong Soyeon clapped her hands at the word Blood demon.

“Wow! You know about Blood demons.”

Namgoong Soyeon took a step closer.

“Then it will be easy to explain. You know about Energy Absorption, right? I’m absorbing Energy from criminals every day.”

“How! How can you take a life…”

“Life? These people are criminals who have rebelled against the Alliance, right? I don’t know how serious their crimes are, though.”

Namgoong Soyeon pouted as if it were nothing.

“Heavenly Demon is strong. I can feel the gap even after doing Energy Absorption like this.”

She stroked her stomach and continued.

“If I use Energy Absorption, I can become stronger in a short amount of time.”

The hand stroking her stomach moved further down.

“If I can use the criminals who are eating away at the world to gain the power to kill Heavenly Demon… wouldn’t they be receiving a meaningful role?”

Namgoong Soyeon let out a hot breath as she stroked herself with a secretive hand.

Dang Yooyeon screamed at the lewd behavior.

“This is not a righteous act!”

“Righteousness?”

-Thud

Namgoong Soyeon, who had already approached Dang Yooyeon, grabbed her neck lightly.

“Cough…!”

Namgoong Soyeon squinted as she tightened her grip on her neck, bringing her face close and making eye contact.

“That’s for us to decide.”

-Listen carefully.

Namgoong Soyeon, now exuding a completely different person’s atmosphere, whispered in Dang Yooyeon’s ear.

“We are justice.”