By Zephyria 
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t prevent your father’s death. No, I let your father die.”
Trying to accept as reality the things he had dismissed as false was incredibly overwhelming, and his eyes burned with heat. But having decided to accept it, he had to acknowledge what needed to be acknowledged.
“I thought it was right at the time. That it was my role, and that this was the right path for you to grow. Saving you was for the same reason. It’s not that you were especially precious, so I saved you. So, even if you call me your benefactor, I am not, and though I didn’t stain my hands with your father’s blood, I am still your father’s enemy.”
His trembling voice began to pour out like a dam bursting, without him even realizing it. At the same time, a single tear fell.
Jin Geum-ryeon watched him with unwavering eyes.
“…Even if I say this, if I could go back to that time, it’s hard to say I wouldn’t kill your father again. Because…”
Ak Mujin laughed self-deprecatingly as he said that, but his voice grew increasingly choked. He took a breath and continued.
“Because, I thought that was the only way… I could return to where I originally belonged….”
Tears fell without him even realizing it. Ak Mujin could no longer act as if he were truly Ak Mujin, composed and aloof.
Jin Geum-ryeon understood half of Ak Mujin’s words and couldn’t understand the other half. If he wanted to return to where he originally belonged, shouldn’t he just do that? But the way he spoke now, it sounded like he could only return if his father died, which was somewhat strange. Where on earth was such a place?
But it didn’t matter. Jin Geum-ryeon was pleased with this situation where he was confessing his wrongdoings. Some might call him ungrateful, but he had long since shaken off all hatred for Ak Mujin in his heart, and he now knew well what kind of heart he had.
Jin Geum-ryeon took a step forward, gently grabbed Ak Mujin’s cheek, and made him lift his head, which was bowed towards the ground. Only then did his relentlessly trembling eyes look into Jin Geum-ryeon’s eyes.
A quiet, low voice echoed through the night air.
“…You always give me certainty.”
A firm arm seemed to wrap around Ak Mujin’s shoulders, and soon Jin Geum-ryeon’s chest touched Ak Mujin’s cheek. Even so, he didn’t press too close, as if ready to pull away at any sign of Ak Mujin’s discomfort, his gaze fixed on Ak Mujin’s face as he spoke.
“The certainty that you are a person worth giving my whole heart to.”
No sooner had those words fallen than Ak Mujin felt a warm tide flooding his heart. He finally buried his face in Jin Geum-ryeon’s chest and swallowed his sobs.
“Even if… I killed your father?”
“Even if I already know such a shocking fact?”
Jin Geum-ryeon replied playfully to his tearful voice, smiling at him. In the end, Ak Mujin couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh even as he cried.
Ak Mujin swore he had no intention of excusing his actions or daring to ask for forgiveness from Jin Geum-ryeon. But actually feeling that he was completely within his heart like this, he felt so stable that he couldn’t leave for a while.
*
Joo Mu-jeong, having failed to capture Chun-wol but instead seizing Seo-mok, who followed her around like a goldfish’s poop, could smile. Although there were occasionally stubborn ones, thanks to spending a long time in Heavenly Mountain, getting people to talk was a piece of cake.
However, he had not anticipated that Seo-mok would be one of those ‘occasionally’ stubborn ones.
Joo Mu-jeong inflicted all sorts of tortures he knew, but Seo-mok endured to the end. Given her close relationship with Chun-wol, he couldn’t kill her privately.
“It seems you don’t value your life….”
“…I do, value it… I, have, debts, I can’t, fully repay… to, her…”
Seo-mok kept repeating the same words. The Demon Cultists who were torturing her were tired of this line, so they jeered annoyingly and kicked her affected area.
“…Enough. Stop and eat your midnight snack. Don’t starve her either.”
“Yes, Vice-Leader.”
Joo Mu-jeong looked at the Demon Cultists who were exhausted from torturing Seo-mok, clicked his tongue annoyingly, and went outside. The last rays of the sunset were already hanging in the sky.
The place where they were holding Seo-mok was a cabin in the woods, a house they had taken by killing the family who lived there. Joo Mu-jeong didn’t want to stay in such a shabby house, but he had to find accommodation urgently, so he thought this time it couldn’t be helped and kicked the firewood that was only half split.
“Did I foolishly accept that old man’s proposal?” I only caught the tails of the runts, but there’s no substance. I wonder if I’ve unnecessarily given the Martial Alliance any excuse.”
He was annoyed because Ak Mujin still hadn’t fallen into his hands. He cursed the nameless old man and put his hand on his waist.
“Don’t worry, Vice-Leader. What can a guy who couldn’t even show his face do?”
Beon-hu, who was following a step behind Joo Mu-jeong, replied as if trying to reassure him.
“Well…. He was pathetic. If it weren’t for the information he had, I would have spread the rumor that the Martial Alliance Lord came to me to ask for someone’s death.”
Joo Mu-jeong chuckled and seemed to be reliving the day the old man had come to him. Indeed, who wouldn’t feel gratified if the Martial Alliance Lord, who usually acted refined and noble in front of others, came to him, the Vice-Leader, not even the Cult Leader, and asked him to eliminate Jin Geum-ryeon in exchange for information?
It was fortunate that their intentions aligned, otherwise Joo Mu-jeong would not have readily accepted the proposal. That guy must have known that and approached him.
Honestly, Joo Mu-jeong was quite pleased at first. At this time when the Cult Leader’s trust in him was at rock bottom and seemed impossible to recover, a guy who would provide information came rolling in on his own. But now that the information the Martial Alliance Lord offered turned out to be all news that was one step behind, how do you think Joo Mu-jeong feels?
“The guy inside… are you going to continue torturing him? No matter how I look at it, it seems like he’s prepared for death.”
“…Hmm.”
At Beon-hu’s question, Joo Mu-jeong frowned as if contemplating for a moment and looked up at the sky once.
“I’ll watch him until tomorrow morning, and if he still doesn’t open his mouth, I’m going to kill him and invade the Sandow Union.”
“…Are you really going to do that?”
“They took that bitch without hesitation, so what’s to stop us from crossing the line? If I act without guts, the Cult Leader will rebuke me.”
Joo Mu-jeong’s attitude as he said that seemed somewhat anxious. Beon-hu felt uneasy for some reason, but he didn’t have the courage to argue with his master, so he just nodded and agreed with him.
*
Ak Mujin, who had recklessly set out, didn’t know Seo-mok’s exact location, but since the Demon Cult and Chun-wol were heading north, he decided to head in that direction for now. In any case, the Demon Cultists who had captured someone would try to get him to talk quickly, so they wouldn’t bother moving the location far.
Jin Geum-ryeon had now learned that Seo-mok, whom they were going to rescue, was the one who had killed his father, but he still didn’t change his mind about rescuing him with Ak Mujin. Ak Mujin was just grateful to him for forgiving even someone he didn’t care for, for his sake.
He was unfailingly attentive throughout the journey. The problem was with Ak Mujin’s change of heart.
Ak Mujin had recently gained a series of realizations, so he was a little burdened by traveling alone with Jin Geum-ryeon. No, to be honest, he was embarrassed.
When he looked at Jin Geum-ryeon’s face, strangely, his smile seemed even more beautiful than usual, and when that voice called his name, his heart trembled so much that it felt like a huge bell was set up in his head, ringing loudly.
Strangely, Ak Mujin thought it was a good thing he had told him his real name. He suddenly had the thought that he would have felt resentful if Jin Geum-ryeon had called him Ahn Do-hyun’s name instead of Ak Mujin’s and acted like he was in love.
No. Why am I having these crazy thoughts again?
Of course, Jin Geum-ryeon’s endless courtship was continuing, and Ak Mujin knew that he could no longer just ignore it. But still… he was a little hesitant to accept that heart right away.
No, just because Jin Geum-ryeon likes me doesn’t mean I have to accept him unconditionally, right?
A, and I’m heterosexual.
Hmm…. Does it matter anymore?
Do I really have to take responsibility for Jin Geum-ryeon like this?
Well…. It’s not like I can’t…
No, when I think about it, there’s a difference of over twenty years?
Hmm… The difference between Mae-yeong and Jin Geum-ryeon is even greater.
Thus, Ak Mujin was busy going back and forth with disjointed thoughts throughout the journey, so Jin Geum-ryeon had to stop walking and check if he had a fever. Every time, Ak Mujin felt Jin Geum-ryeon’s touch on his forehead and even had to dredge up the Lord’s Prayer he had memorized in Sunday school from his memory and recite it.
But suddenly, Jin Geum-ryeon grabbed his arm and hid behind a tree, lowering his posture among the bushes. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong, he could clearly feel someone approaching from afar.