"......"
"......"
"Hey."
"......"
"Hey!"
"My ears hurt."
"What the hell are you doing?"
"What do you mean?"
"I told you I didn’t care whether you turned yourself in or not."
"That’s right."
"And I said I’d let it slide with just that one punch."
"That’s true."
"Then why are you causing such a mess, making life difficult for everyone? What’s this nonsense?"
"Just because."
Seo-ryang was speechless.
"Is this your choice?"
"That’s why I’m sitting here like this."
"What a stupid choice. If you hated living in this world so much, why didn’t you say so back then? I could’ve cut your head off myself."
"It’s my choice."
This conversation was going nowhere.
In the solitary cell, only Seo-ryang and Wi Hong-ryeon remained. Seo-ryang was dressed as usual, but Hong-ryeon was different. She was wearing a prisoner’s uniform, her wrists and ankles shackled with Forbidden Sea Iron, rendering her unable to use her internal energy. The cold air in the cell had turned her lips blue. Yet, she still managed to talk back to Seo-ryang without hesitation, proving that she wasn’t completely insane from demonic energy. At least she was still using polite speech, which was something to be grateful for.
"No matter how I think about it, I can’t understand. You turned yourself in because you fought with the Third Prince? If I admit the truth, your head will roll. You’re not just losing your job; you’re losing your life."
"If that’s what you wish, then do it."
"Wow, I’ve never seen a crazy woman like you in my life."
"...I’m not crazy."
"If you’re not crazy, then who is?"
Hong-ryeon, who had been glaring at Seo-ryang, turned her head away. The swelling on her face had gone down, but her multicolored bruises still looked somewhat amusing.
"Attempted murder of the Third Prince, and the crime of disrespect. Disrespect might not always be punished, but attempted murder is unforgivable. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
Seo-ryang, who had been staring at her intently, suddenly clasped his hands together. His expression grew serious, and a strange tension filled the air.
"Enough with the word games. Tell me what’s really on your mind."
"......"
"Why are you doing this?"
"There’s no reason."
"There is."
"There isn’t."
"If you look at it without prejudice, people are all the same in the end. Me, you, even the law enforcement officers who locked you up—we’re all the same."
Hong-ryeon’s eyes wavered.
For someone chosen by the gods to say that everyone is the same—it was unexpected and quite shocking.
"You’re not an irresponsible person, are you? From what I see, your subordinates seem to follow you well. Why would you suddenly drop a bomb on them like this?"
"......"
"What’s the reason?"
"Even if there is a reason, I don’t owe you an explanation."
"You do."
"Why? Don’t I have my own free will?"
This was getting ridiculous. Seo-ryang was just as surprised by her as she was by him. Specifically, he was surprised by her way of thinking. Despite growing up in the Heavenly Demon Sect, she had a surprisingly open mind.
‘And she’s not even agitated.’
Seo-ryang opened his mouth.
"Because you’ve implicated me."
"I didn’t implicate you. I just told the truth."
She was as resolute as ever. Her stubborn nature seemed like it would never change. But Seo-ryang noticed that her eyes weren’t as hard as they used to be.
"Is it because of the Fourth Prince?"
"......!"
"Are you keeping quiet about the money you took from him to keep your promise?"
"......"
"Of course, it’s hard to speak up when your subordinates are also involved."
Hong-ryeon’s eyes turned cold.
Seo-ryang tilted his head.
"I’m curious why you implicated me and turned yourself in... Ah!"
A sudden realization hit him.
Seo-ryang looked at Hong-ryeon with a strange expression. Naturally, Hong-ryeon felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"......"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You’re not telling me your reasons, so why should I?"
"......"
"Kid, I thought you were just a crazy woman with a sense of loyalty, but it seems you can use your head too."
"......"
Seo-ryang, who had been quietly watching her, pulled a string on the ceiling. Moments later, the cell door opened, and a law enforcement officer entered.
"Did you call for me, Your Highness?"
"Release her."
"Excuse me?"
"I said release her."
The flustered officer stiffened his expression but spoke as politely as possible.
"But the attempted murder and the crime of disrespect require clear evidence..."
"I’ve decided to personally teach this woman a lesson. Her face is a mess because I couldn’t control my strength."
"Excuse me?"
"Do you really think she tried to kill me? No matter how crazy she is, she’s still a member of the sect. Would she really try to kill the sect leader’s disciple? Does that make sense?"
"Well, that’s true, but..."
"You think so too, don’t you?"
"Of course, but considering the circumstances of the case and the testimonies of witnesses like Lady Ja-mi-ru..."
Suddenly, Seo-ryang’s expression twisted.
The change was so swift and natural that even Hong-ryeon was startled. Naturally, the officer’s face turned pale.
"Do I need to confront those people myself?"
"......"
"The person involved is saying it’s not true, so why are you pushing this? Did you take money from her or something?"
"N-no, of course not!"
"Then what? Do you not trust my word?"
"No! Absolutely not...!"
"Am I a joke?"
In the time it took to sip a cup of tea, the officer’s confident eyes turned into those of a dead fish. Even Hong-ryeon felt a pang of pity for him.
After his revival, Seo-ryang had become much softer, but he was still the Third Prince. The temperament of the tyrant he was known as hadn’t disappeared.
As the officer tried to part his trembling lips, Seo-ryang stood up.
"If that’s the case, call the head of the law enforcement. I’ll speak to him directly."
"......!"
"Can I just walk out that door? Is it to the left?"
The threat was more terrifying than a direct death threat. The officer quickly bowed his head.
"No! We will release the Demon Lord Wi Hong-ryeon immediately!"
Seo-ryang, who had been glaring at the officer with dagger-like eyes, immediately relaxed his gaze.
"Hmph, I got a little carried away."
"......"
"Sorry. I tend to go a bit overboard when I lose my temper."
"My apologies!"
"Enough with the apologies... Well, if we meet again, let’s greet each other properly."
"It would be an honor!"
Seo-ryang glanced down at Hong-ryeon.
"Do you like alcohol?"
"......"
"You seem to. Come over when you have time, and we’ll have a drink. I’ll make the snacks myself so the maids won’t be bothered."
Without waiting for her answer, Seo-ryang left. The officer hurriedly followed him out.
Left alone, Hong-ryeon looked at the door with a complicated expression before closing her eyes.
"Why on earth did the Demon Lord do such a thing?"
"She’s a crazy woman doing crazy things, what else?"
"......Of course, that could be the case."
The Hong-ryeon Ma Dong-pil had seen was someone who was so far gone that calling her crazy would be an understatement. No matter how much the Third Prince provoked her, as a member of the sect, she shouldn’t have acted so recklessly.
"Was she aiming for something?"
"Maybe she was just bored."
Ma Dong-pil glanced at Seo-ryang.
As he scratched Geum-ho’s chin, Seo-ryang asked, "What’s with that disrespectful look?"
"N-no, it’s nothing!"
"Are you curious?"
"Yes?"
"Are you curious why she turned herself in to the law enforcement?"
"So there was a reason after all."
"Of course. Do you think she became the Demon Lord by playing mahjong? No matter how strong you are, you can’t lead a group if you can’t use your head."
"That’s true, but... then why did Lord Wi turn herself in?"
"Why? To survive."
"What?!"
To survive by turning herself in? How does that make sense?
"Why? Doesn’t it suit her?"
"......Honestly, no."
"This isn’t about what suits her or not. She was just playing her cards."
"What do you mean by that?"
Seo-ryang chuckled.
"What could she have done?"
"Huh?"
"The fact that she took money from the Fourth Prince was exposed to me. A promise is a promise, so she couldn’t just blow it off. She probably distributed the money evenly among her subordinates, so she couldn’t drag them into this. Knowing her personality, she’d rather bite her tongue."
"Then why not just not turn herself in...?"
"Not turn herself in? How would she shut up Lady Ja-mi-ru and the others? Just kill them all?"
"......Ah!"
"Alright, let’s leave it at that. But there’s one threat she couldn’t ignore."
"One threat?"
"The Fourth Prince."
Ma Dong-pil’s eyes widened.
"She knows the relationship between me and the Fourth Prince is bad. If the fact that she had contact with him in Ja-mi-ru got out, what good would that do her?"
"......!"
"Being imprisoned by the law enforcement was the best choice for her. The Fourth Prince couldn’t touch her, and her subordinates wouldn’t suffer."
"But what about the attempted murder and the crime of disrespect against you?"
"That’s why she called me."
"Did she know you would act like this?"
"Of course not."
"So she risked her life without knowing how you would react?"
"Yep."
"But why would she take such a reckless gamble?"
"That’s how she’s survived until now."
"......!"
"Ruthlessly, crazily, living each day as if it were her last."
"But it’s still too extreme. It’s like relying entirely on luck."
"Why is it a gamble? Didn’t she win back her stake?"
"Her stake being...?"
"At least she protected her people, didn’t she?"
Ma Dong-pil let out a sigh of admiration.
Seo-ryang chuckled. The more he thought about it, the more amusing it became.
"She’s unique, but she cares deeply for her people. She might seem reckless, but she’s not just carrying her head around for decoration."
"......"
"Well, as you said, it’s quite extreme."
Ma Dong-pil looked at Seo-ryang with admiration.
"You’re amazing."
"Huh? At what?"
"It sounds simple when you explain it, but figuring it out must have been difficult."
No matter how close they were, it wasn’t something you could easily say to the Third Prince. It showed just how impressed Ma Dong-pil was.
Seo-ryang shrugged.
"I got lucky. I’ve known people who lived similarly, even if they were different in gender and age."
"Huh? Who?"
"You, and me."
"......!"
"We might seem more sensible, but once we lose our temper, we’re just as reckless as her."
Seo-ryang removed his hand from Geum-ho’s chin. The tiger had already fallen asleep.
"In the end, people are all the same."
Ma Dong-pil’s eyes wavered.
Though younger than him, there were times when Seo-ryang reminded him of the old wolves of the martial world. It was so natural that he had grown used to it. But now, it felt different. It wasn’t just the experience of the martial world; Seo-ryang himself seemed deeper, like a mature adult with keen insight.
‘As expected...’
No wonder the sect leader chose him as a disciple.
Ma Dong-pil was moved beyond admiration.
At that moment, Seo-ryang smirked.
"Hehe. Since I saved her, I’ll make her buy the drinks."
"......?"
"I’ll drain her salary dry. Let her learn how scary the world can be, this crazy woman."
Ma Dong-pil bowed his head deeply. No one could tell what he was thinking.
"Ugh! Anyway, today’s just another day passing by."
"Ah, yes."
"You should go home and rest too. You must be tired."
"I’ll come back tomorrow morning."
"Why bother? Enjoy what little vacation you have left."
"But still..."
At that moment, Seo-ryang raised his hand.
"Dong-pil."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Cherry blossoms are falling. Go to the kitchen and prepare some cups."
"Ah, are you planning to drink and sleep?"
"Not just any drink."
Seo-ryang stood up.
He looked out the window toward the gate.
Moments later.
Bang! Bang!
Seo-ryang shouted, "You’re going to break the door, you crazy woman!"
Grumbling, he walked over and opened the gate.
Outside the gate stood Wi Hong-ryeon, holding a large bundle.