Was sending away the guardian a mistake?
I sent them off because I was afraid the deception would be revealed.
In that moment, a note popped up in the corner of the monitor.
It seemed to be information entered by the guardian, belatedly.
‘Anger management disorder and heart demon.’
…I understand those symptoms all too well.
I knew it right away.
In the end, it was of no help.
For now, I’ll go about it my way.
“Of course. Someone like the Heavenly Demon would never waver.”
I nodded slightly and continued speaking calmly.
“However, even a mountain as solid as steel can crumble with just a single crack; sometimes even that fine line can act as a sign.”
“Is there perhaps someone recently that you wanted to hit?”
It was a question tailored to meet her gaze.
“…….”
A beat of silence.
Jahyewon’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“There was…”
She spoke in a tone that was rather deflated.
But I must not impulsively shout, ‘That bastard! That bastard is the heart demon of the Heavenly Demon!’
“Indeed.”
I nodded slowly and cautiously.
“Yet…”
Then I quietly continued to murmur.
“You did not punish that person.”
It was a slightly praising nuance.
A commendation for one who has held back their anger.
Jahyewon’s eyes shook slightly.
And she nodded, as if satisfied.
“That’s right. I am the rightful heir to lead the sect. I cannot expel a talent over a trivial personal anger.”
“Precisely.”
I immediately chimed in,
Gently, I opened that door.
“Then, Heavenly Demon. Could you kindly tell me who that person is?”
Jahyewon gazed at me silently for a while before suddenly raising the corners of her mouth.
“Alright.”
She spoke in a languid voice.
“Every endeavor needs a catalyst.”
The atmosphere was not bad.
No, it’s good.
Just like this.
“When I fell into this world, I was lost. Without a sword, without a sect, and in a land where I knew no one. But…”
Her eyes shone faintly.
“Miraculously, the lineage of my school remains here. Thin and weak, yet the roots have spread.”
Jahyewon spoke slowly in a low voice.
“It was Shiryuho that cultivated this. To be precise, it was my father’s left hand. Honoring his contributions, I ascended to the throne of the Heavenly Demon.”
… At this point, I began to feel something was off.
My mouth felt dry.
“But, from some point onward, Shiryuho began to change. Within the sect, he started to distance himself from me more and more. And…”
She paused for a moment, then added calmly, as if reflecting on daily life.
“Once… poison was placed in my food.”
“Excuse me?”
I unintentionally asked back at that statement.
“Do not make a fuss.”
She quietly raised her hand, silencing me.
“It is common in the sect. Shiryuho tested to see if my body had not rusted. It’s just regrettable that he didn’t inform even Golden River.”
“…….”
As her explanations continued, my head began to ache more and more.
So, Jahyewon’s situation is like this.
She came to this world and took the throne of the Heavenly Demon.
As expected of the bloodline of the Heavenly Demon, she wrapped up all transportation neatly.
Ultimately, the Shiryuho who had founded the Heavenly Demon Cult and played the role of the Heavenly Demon was forced to retire.
For her, Shiryuho was a mentor and a friend of her father, like an uncle.
The only adult she could rely on when she came to this world alone with overwhelming power.
Thus, she trusted him.
However, that very Shiryuho has been secretly, repeatedly trying to eliminate her since she ascended to the position of the Heavenly Demon.
Under the guise of ‘testing’.
‘….’
It seems to be more deeply entangled than I thought.
Innocent yet difficult to comprehend.
I can’t believe I didn’t notice this.
At that moment, unable to hold back any longer, I finally asked a question.
“… Heavenly Demon. If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask your age?”
“Are you asking me?”
She squinted her eyes as she stared at me for a while, then said clearly, as if somewhat proud.
“I just entered my blooming youth.”
Ah.
Blooming youth.
About 20 years old.
The time when flowers begin to bloom.
Our Heavenly Demon is at a flower-like age.
So… it’s not surprising she would be unaware of such political machinations.
From her perspective, it’s akin to her family trying to kill her.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.
That meant I wanted to. However, I couldn’t visibly sigh in front of her.
‘For now….’
After a short conversation, I quietly stood up.
“Alright, Heavenly Demon. I will fetch something to drink for a moment. Will you please wait a little?”
Then I took the brownies and cookies prepared on the tray and brought them to her.
A dessert I bake every morning as a habit.
Counseling is best conducted while enjoying something sweet.
Eating something sweet releases both the words and the heart.
“What is this?”
Jahyewon looked down at the treats with a somewhat wary gaze.
“It’s a snack. You can rest assured that there is no poison.”
I said with a gentle smile.
She still seemed suspicious, bringing a brownie to her nose for a sniff.
She tapped the cookie a couple of times with her fingertip.
Then silently took a big bite of the brownie.
“!”
As the sweetness of the brownie gently spread in her mouth, Jahyewon’s eyes widened and became clear.
I smiled inwardly and quietly exited the room.
Directly across the hall.
I headed to the guardian waiting room where Geumgang was.
The interior had soundproofing similar to the counseling room.
As I closed the door, a quiet noise filled the room, cutting off from the outside.
“Nice to meet you. I apologize for earlier. I felt it would be difficult to proceed otherwise.”
I bow politely first.
“… No. I understand.”
The large man replied in a low voice.
His body was subtly trembling.
He seemed hesitant about whether to speak or not.
I sat in a chair and quietly watched him.
“If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.”
He immediately asked as if he had been waiting.
“… Is it true that the young lady has a heart demon? Does it seem irreparable?”
His voice carried a sense of urgency.
At that, something came to mind.
[Geumgang]
[Main Stance]
[He is hesitating between Shiryuho and the young lady. He believes a host with a heart demon should not be served.]
[Appropriate Response] [Satisfaction Suitability 100%]
I took a breath and spoke calmly.
“To put it simply, it is highly likely that it isn’t a heart demon.”
From the conversation, I felt that Jahyewon did not seem to have a significant issue.
Her behavior and tone seemed intense due to her environment, and she was able to carry on a conversation smoothly.
Of course, that was because I guided it smoothly.
A light of relief flashed in Geumgang’s eyes, but soon turned to anger.
“Indeed… that bastard Shiryuho! Doctor, you must take a look at this…!”
He clenched his teeth and took something out of his pocket.
It was a crumpled piece of paper.
As he unfolded it, it was densely filled with names of illnesses and diagnoses.
[Schizophrenia / Intermittent Explosive Disorder / Borderline Personality Disorder / Antisocial Personality Disorder / Impulse Control Disorder / Emotional Dysregulation / Severe Impulsivity and Self-harm Risk]
[Indication of a Heart Demon present]
“…….”
‘What is this?’
It was an obvious false diagnosis.
They have turned someone without any major issues into a lunatic.
I checked the bottom right corner of the diagnosis.
In red letters, it read:
[Certified by the Hunter Counseling Association of South Korea]
Hmm… for now, it’s false.
First of all, there is no such association among Hunter counselors.
Why?
Because I’m the only Hunter counselor in the world; what kind of association can I make?
Currently, I am the only one with a certification as a Hunter counselor.
“… By any chance, where did you receive this diagnosis?”
When I asked, Geumgang began to speak.
“A few days ago, Shiryuho took the young lady somewhere. At first, I thought it was for training. But…”
His gaze dulled.
“A few days later, he returned to me with… shocking news. He said the young lady’s condition was dangerous, and we should confine her in a doctor’s facility and seal the gates for the sake of the sect’s safety….”
He lowered his head.
“To be honest, I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t trust Shiryuho, and I wanted to believe in the young lady.”
I quietly exhaled and looked at the diagnosis again.
If it was just from a counselor, it wouldn’t matter, but the seal distinctly stated ‘Hunter Counselor’.
“First, this diagnosis is not an official diagnosis. Because I am the only Hunter Counselor in South Korea. In other words, it seems forged.”
I quietly looked at him and added.
“And the term heart demon does not exist in modern diagnosis. There are various terms that bear similar meanings, but… it seems quite distant from the Heavenly Demon.”
Just at that moment, Geumgang’s face was a mix of anger and confusion.
– KWA-BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed from inside the counseling room.
Geumgang’s face turned as pale as a sheet.
“Y-Young lady…!”
Ah, did I talk too long?
It seemed our Heavenly Demon was quite irritated.
I signaled to the guardian to calm down and hurriedly opened the counseling room door.
Inside, a chilling aura lingered. Jahyewon was sitting cross-armed, glaring at me from her chair.
On the table where she had been sitting, there was a fist-sized crater where the brownie had been placed.
With her eyes closed, she murmured in an icy voice.
“How brazen you are, doctor.”
She mumbled with her eyes shut.
“To have dared waste time is a sin that must be punished according to the sect’s laws…”
The cookies and brownies on the plate had already vanished without a trace.
“Do you prefer the black ones? Or the brown ones?”
“… The black ones.”
I stood up silently and placed a few more brownies on a new tray before putting them in front of her.
Jahyewon still wore a sullen expression, but naturally brought one back to her mouth.
I took my seat again.
“…….”
And looked at the system floating above her.
“Yum yum.”
Behind Jahyewon, who stuffed her cheeks full with the brownie.
[Jahyewon]
[Main Stance]
[This black snack is quite delicious. It is soft and sweet.]
[Appropriate Response] [Satisfaction Suitability 50%]
[Plant seeds of distrust in Jahyewon.]
[Appropriate Response] [Satisfaction Suitability 0%]
[Just let it pass.]
I, too, had no intention of just letting it pass.
“It’s not good.”
She lied blatantly again, clearing the tray.
I placed another brownie and cautiously spoke.
“Heavenly Demon.”
“What is it?”
With a 50% suitability. This means success and failure are equal.
Now it was time for me to pave the way.
The objective indicated by the system before me was clear.
But if I directly targeted Shiryuho now, I would instead be the one who faced suspicion.
It was most desirable to make her see the truth with her own eyes.
To insert a sharp needle into the fibers of her convictions.
“Congratulations. There is no problem at all.”
“Of course it isn’t. I am invincible.”
Jahyewon raised her chin confidently. I watched that figure softly and nodded.
“Then.”
I pulled out the crumpled piece of paper that I had secretly extracted while talking with Geumgang and pushed it across the table.
“This is clearly a lie.”
Her gaze shifted from my face to the unfamiliar paper.
The very top line: Guardian, Heok Yeonbo. Her eyes seemed to be pinned to that name.
Her lips parted slightly in a daze.
“Shiryuho…?”
Within it were all sorts of strange diagnoses labeling her a lunatic.
But the terminal destination pointed to only one.
Heart demon.
A mental cancer that devours everything of a warrior and ultimately leads to destruction.
As a person from the central continent, she would understand more than anyone else what that word signified.
Guardian, Shiryuho.
Diagnosis, heart demon.
Jahyewon’s black eyes trembled.
Slowly, she raised her gaze to meet mine.
The sharpness of her eyes, now incomparable to before, pierced into my neck.
Cold as ice, she commanded.
“Explain.”
The tone of her voice had completely changed.
The pressure that seemed like one wrong word could take my life made me smile faintly as I responded.
“Doctor!”
“It is highly toxic.”
“…….”
“It is for assassinating the Heavenly Demon.”
“…….”
“Worse than anything your family could create, it is the most cunning kind of poison in the world.”
No sooner had I finished my words than—
– KWA-BOOM!!
An overwhelming force erupted from her center.
Again, the counseling room was filled with the sound of an explosion.
