Episode 231: The Daughter of the Palace
Kojima faced Sashimi. This look of intimidation, full of hostility. This situation was all too familiar to Jeokung.
Jeolgung glared at the boy holding the sashimi with his blue eyes. Kanggeomma’s expression was static, but his eyes were fierce.
‘This is a scalpel, not a knife.’
Jeolgung laughed inwardly.
‘Okay, I’ll give you that one bit of courage.’
He stormed into his hospital room with a Daiso knife. Just now, the bodyguards’ presence had suddenly collapsed, but he felt that his vital signs were still there, so he must have dealt with all of them in the ‘realm of the mind’. At this age, he can manipulate the realm so freely.
‘The Heavenly Sword is definitely a bad guy.’
To a genius, age is nothing more than a game of numbers. Those who consider age a privilege are those who have nothing else to boast about. The person who can empathize with the young genius the most is none other than Jeolgung himself. He too is a little over twenty and has become Chilseong.
‘But Cheon Geum and I are very different.’
This is the difference in power. Externally, they are the same Seven Star Heroes, but he himself is not even close to them. Jeolgung was aware of this. Kojima thought. If the Heavenly Sword were to ‘awaken’, if Manryuk were to bestow its essence upon him, how strong would he become?
‘The Heavenly Sword that has become an Awakened One.’
He would become a transcendent being who cannot even make eye contact, let alone be humble. He might surpass Balor Joaquin and step into the next realm. But even he was not a warrior. In the end, he faced an invisible wall.
“Strong sword horse.”
Jeolgung spoke that name instead of Lee Myeong. It was a voice that was between stern and cold.
“If you want, you can cut me with that knife. No, you can kill me.”
Jeolgung said as if giving advice. As mentioned above, Jeolgung is a seasoned politician. He reads and controls the psychology of his opponents. This is a blind spot of talent, an area of experience. Aside from his power, he is still mentally immature. A three-inch tongue would be enough to gently intimidate him.
“I won’t say such boring things as, ‘Don’t be swayed by emotions like everyone else.’ However, the responsibility for this is entirely yours. In other words, if you are swayed by emotions, you may end up making mistakes later. I will definitely take this situation to the national level… … .”
Before Jeolgung could finish his words, Ganggeomma’s hand moved. The sashimi he had caught in the opposite direction pierced through his thigh flesh. It was a swift sword.
Sigh.
Only after hearing the sound of a crash did Jeolgung lower his eyes. The plain, patternless quilt was slowly turning blood red. His solemn eyes wavered.
“Eww… Up…!”
Kang Geum-ma’s left hand muffled the scream.
“Did you pay the hospital rent? Be quiet.”
Empty pupils where emotions were dead. After a quiet stare, Kanggeomma turned the hilt of his sword clockwise. A sharp pain enveloped Kojima’s groin.
Kojima tried to scream again, but the salty taste of his hand remained in his mouth. He tried to fight back by extending his hand, but before he knew it, sashimi was stuck in his palm like a stake. Even the archer’s eyes did not notice it.
The pain that was pounding again made Jeolgung’s brain tangle. All kinds of negative emotions were rubbing together in his brain.
“Jeolgung, you’re right.”
Kanggeomma opened his mouth. His eyes, filled with light, were low and deep. And yet, they were rough and fierce like a wild beast.
“You broke your ankle by wagging your tongue, and now you’re wagging your tongue again? You’re just below Media in intelligence. But why is your learning ability so bad?”
“… Ugh… Ugh!”
Kanggeomma tilted his head as he watched Jeolgung struggling. There was something Jeolgung had overlooked.
A seasoned politician? Kanggeomma had been a drinking buddy of such people in his past life. Having dealt with all sorts of political thugs, Kanggeomma was used to dealing with such types. The phrase they always used was ‘what happens in the future.’
To avoid the present moment, to avoid trouble, they lie and sweet talk.
Plan for the future?
‘This is crazy.’
On Earth, I dreamed of a blind future and worked hard to save money. I didn’t want to live a comfortable old age, a better home, or a miserable life. But this world is not a strong swordsman. War will break out soon. It’s foolish to wait for the distant future. Even now, Permish is about to invade.
In dark times, the future is like a candle. It would not be strange if it were to flicker out at any moment when storms came.
So, don’t look far ahead. Think only of the present and completely trust the judgment you have made in the present.
The biggest reason why the Ganggeomma of this world has survived until now is because of their belief in themselves. Thanks to that, they have been able to respond flexibly at every moment.
‘I’m a swordsman, not a politician.’
Kanggeomma took his left hand away from Jeolgung’s mouth. Then he shook his wrist and said.
“Do you know what writers like you are saying at this time? How can you handle this! How dare you insult me! Words like that. Well, judging from your face, it looks like you were going to say exactly that.”
Kanggeomma took back three sashimi sticks one by one. Then he put his hand up and poured the ‘protection of regeneration’ into them. New flesh began to grow from the wound.
Jeolgung lifted his palm. The pain was still there, but the sword wound had completely healed. I knew that he could handle the sword like a ghost, but he was using it with a healing protection? And why did he bother to treat it? Jeolgung, lost in thought, suddenly felt a sense of desolation.
“Could it be that you cured me… … .”
Only now did Jeolgung look at the monster in front of him.
“You’re quick-witted.”
Kanggeomma nodded. Jeolgung guessed what would happen to him in the future. At the same time, he realized why the sword was called a scalpel.
‘This guy has no intention of killing me.’
Cutting with sashimi, suturing with uncanny ability – he will perform this brutal surgery.
It was a palace far from morality. But even he couldn’t help but be terrified by this devilish idea. This kind of person is not a hero. It was questionable whether he was even human.
‘Did the Inspector know the truth about this evil spirit and succeed to the throne of Chilseong?’
He must have known. The sword master’s insight easily sees through the essence. He knew that Kanggeomma was like this and gave him his position.
Kanggeomma said while watching the shocked palace.
“Jeolgung, you have a face that looks like you’re looking at the devil, but in my eyes, you look even more evil. At least, someone who treats my daughter like an object shouldn’t make that kind of expression on me.”
“Why on earth are you doing this!? Because Ryozo is your friend? Are you thinking of turning Japan into your enemy for that simple reason?”
“no.”
“Then for what!?”
Kang Geum-ma took out a bundle of sashimi from his outer pocket. He answered while selecting a suitable knife.
“What I denied was the question, ‘Are you thinking of turning me into an enemy of Japan?’”
I picked up some sashimi. It was sharp and shiny.
“Just Japan? No, even the United States can be turned into an enemy.”
It was a bluff. It is impossible for him, who has only one minute to deal with an entire country. He just spat it out to break the spirit.
One, Jeolgung’s face turned pale.
Wasn’t Kang Geum-ma a hero sent from heaven who had defeated two army commanders? This Baekjeong had the power to change the geography of the world. Judging from this, these words could not have been so heavy for Jeol-gung. Of course, this was all his own delusion.
Kojima felt his heart sink. The composure he had always maintained was broken. Lying in a hospital bed is a weak human being.
“… You’re crazy, you’re really crazy. Your thinking is just like that of a demon.”
This is a demonic idea. I would be shocked if I knew what the entity that is supposedly possessing me is. Ganggeomma snickered.
“I guess now you understand what I felt for you earlier.”
“stop……!”
At that moment, two hands suddenly appeared and grabbed Sashimi. It was Hina, who was pretending to faint. Because she was holding the blade tightly, drops of blood were spotted on the blanket.
“As your daughter, I apologize. Your Majesty, please show mercy to my father. I will accept whatever you ask.”
“Hina!”
A sudden outburst of anger. Hina glared at Pack with moist eyes.
“Prime Minister. No, Father! Stop it now! You, who usually tells me to be rational, are the most foolish person in this room.”
Hina felt a sharp pain in every joint of her hand. She tried hard to avoid the gaze of Kanggeomma, who was tapping the side of her face. She was so scared that she would die. Still, she raised her voice.
“And how could you do that to Ryozo!? If you become an Awakened One, your name will be engraved in history? You’ll be grateful later? That’s just your father’s selfishness. Are you saying that after having a proper conversation with Ryozo? I didn’t expect a normal family, but you don’t need to do that!”
The daughter of the palace poured out her anger, sadness, and disappointment to her father.
“Tell me, Father. Shouldn’t your children fulfill your ego? Why should we, your children, fight each other because of your greed? And you even think of Ryozo, the heir apparent, as a tool for your wrong desires!”
Her tears melted into drops of blood.
“… Is that… Is that important enough to risk your own life right now? If your father gets into a more critical condition here, what are we, no, what are we supposed to do with me! No matter how disorganized your father is… .”
Even though I can’t call my father ‘father’. Even though he’s far from being kind. Even though he takes on all the dirty work.
In the end, I stayed by his side because… even though he begged like this, he was my father, he was still family, and I still respected him.
“I don’t want you to be kind, Dad… … . I just want you to realize that you have a family… That’s all I want.”
Saki Hina collapsed to the ground. She began to sob, holding the blade with her bare hands.
Kanggeomma glanced at Hina like that, then took a bite of the sashimi. Then he grabbed Hina’s two injured hands.
“… This, this is.”
Hina stared blankly at the halo of light surrounding her wrist. It felt warm. After finishing the treatment, Kanggeomma turned his gaze back to Jeonggung.
“Originally, I was going to completely mentally slaughter you here.”
Jeolgung was half-listening. His face had lost its color and his focus was out of focus. He seemed shocked by Hina’s voice. Kanggeomma let out a sigh.
“I’ll stop here for today because of your daughter. Instead, I’ll add two things to what I said. In addition to the generous support for the Heavenly Class you mentioned earlier, I’d like you to deploy a large number of Japanese heroes to Gehenna Gate.”
Jeolgung looked up at Kanggeomma with desolate eyes. Kanggeomma stared back at him and urged him on.
“If you understand, nod.”
“… … .”
Jeolgung nodded with a half-mad look. A few strands of hair stuck out from his forehead.
Kang Geum-ma scratched his head and walked toward the door. Just before leaving the hospital room, he suddenly turned around.
“What, what is it? Saki Hina? Was it?”
Hina opened her eyes brightly. Her eyes were swollen.
“Instead of using strange temptations, show your true self like you are now.”
“… Yes, yes?”
“You’re beautiful, so you don’t need to use any kind of seductive charm. On the contrary, I find that objectionable. Anyway, since I’m going today thanks to you, ask that old man for something. If he has a conscience, he’ll drop something.”
Hina didn’t listen to the gossip. Her face just turned red like a persimmon in late autumn.
I wondered why Kang Geum-ma was like that, but I soon turned it off. He had somewhere to go right away.
