The inner hall of the Leader's Hall.
Cheon Jin was sitting on the grand master's chair, and Cheon Myeong was standing opposite him.
Although it seed no different from usual on the outside, in reality, the atmosphere flowing between the two had changed quite a lot.
'...Sohow, it's burdenso.'
Looking at Cheon Jin, who was looking at him, Cheon Myeong thought.
Although he had vaguely felt it when they had t last ti.
Should he say that he had beco sowhat gentle... it seed that there was a considerable difference between the gaze of Cheon Jin he had known until now and the gaze of Cheon Jin who was looking at him now.
"..."
Perhaps the starting point of this change was from that ti.
Before he had led his troops and had invaded the Jeonsu family, hadn't Cheon Jin told him all of his hidden true feelings?
After that, his gaze had changed like now.
Although he had not accurately recognized that fact at the ti, he had been able to accurately know that fact when he had reported to Cheon Jin after returning from the Seoha branch.
'Is it a good... change?'
Of course, it could be said to be good.
Because Cheon Jin himself had said that he would give him all kinds of support from now on.
However, it was inevitable that he was not used to that affectionate gaze of Cheon Jin.
"..."
Yes, the awkwardness will be resolved as ti passes.
It is always awkward to suddenly receive a complint after always being scolded.
Isn't it similar now?
It was just awkward because he had not been treated as a proper son until now, and he was suddenly being treated as a son.
Thump-
Leaving that awkwardness behind, Cheon Myeong perford a fist salute as he usually did.
"I greet the Leader."
"...Are you calling Leader again?"
"...?"
As Cheon Jin suddenly asked in that way, Cheon Myeong raised his head with a puzzled face.
You, you are the leader, right?
Cheon Myeong seed to be asking that with his expression now.
"Did I do sothing rude?"
"...That's not it."
"...?"
Then why on earth is he making such a sullen face?
If other people were to see that face of Cheon Jin now, they would be really surprised.
Because the case where Cheon Jin showed such a feeling of being upset on his face was almost unprecedented in the history of the Demonic Cult.
No, it was just unprecedented.
Therefore, Cheon Myeong was also not a little flustered, seeing that expression of Cheon Jin now.
"Father..."
"...?"
"You haven't called father even once since then."
"..."
For a mont, no words ca out of Cheon Myeong's mouth.
Don't tell ... is this the cause of the upsetness that had been revealed on Cheon Jin's face?
For a mont, Cheon Myeong thought that sothing was wrong with his ears.
And very firmly.
Otherwise, the person nad Cheon Jin that he knew would not have spoken in that way.
"Don't tell ... are you wishing for to call you father, Leader?"
Cheon Myeong asked Cheon Jin, half in doubt.
A question that could be said to be really absurd, even if he thought about it himself.
It seed that he would not be able to say anything even if Cheon Jin were to get angry at him like a fire for this.
"...No."
"..."
"It's not that I want it... but since you are my son, wouldn't it be natural to call that?"
Cheon Jin said that and avoided Cheon Myeong's gaze.
An appearance as if a girl were shyly avoiding the gaze of the person she liked.
At that mont, Cheon Myeong beca unable to say anything, as if he were a frozen person.
'Am I now... seeing sothing wrong?'
It was not unreasonable for Cheon Myeong to think so.
Was it even possible for Cheon Jin, of all people, to be shy and to have avoided his gaze?
He was the master of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains and the one called the Nine Provinces Heavenly Demon.
Rather, he would be able to believe the statent that Baekjo had quit at... no, although that also did not make sense.
Anyway, if he had not seen it with his own two eyes, it seed that Cheon Myeong would never have been able to believe this situation now.
"..."
After taking a breath for a mont, Cheon Myeong decided to calm down for now.
After barely calming the turmoil in his heart, Cheon Myeong cautiously opened his mouth.
"Leader, although what you just said is also correct..."
"..."
"Didn't I et you for a public matter now? So even if we are in a blood relationship, I think it is right to call you Leader."
At least the etings in the Leader's Hall should all be considered as public matters.
No, to tell the truth, it was very difficult for him to call Cheon Jin father.
Because from the ti he had co of age, hadn't he been calling Cheon Jin Leader?
He couldn't seem to find any mory of calling Cheon Jin father in between, no matter how much he searched his mory.
Swish-
As Cheon Myeong said that, Cheon Jin finally turned his head back to its original position.
"...Yes, you are right."
"..."
"Then if we et in a private setting, will you call father?"
"Uh..."
His words, which were blocked again for a mont.
Seeing him ask so persistently, it seems he really wants to hear the word 'father' from him.
Yes, although it seed that he would not be able to call him father right away, as ti passed, wouldn't he get used to this title?
Because the fact that Cheon Jin was his father was true.
In the end, Cheon Myeong decided to give the answer that Cheon Jin wanted.
"...Yes, I will do so at that ti."
As Cheon Myeong answered, the corners of his mouth, which were slightly raised.
Although it was still not used to that reaction, it was not that he was not in a good mood.
"But Leader, for what matter did you call ?"
Although the private talk seed to have been quite long, now it would be ti to get to the main point.
It was unlikely that Cheon Jin had called him here just because he wanted to hear the word 'father' from him.
No... don't tell that's really the purpose?
For a mont, Cheon Myeong felt a chill and waited for Cheon Jin's answer.
"I have a proposal for you."
Phew... fortunately, that really wasn't the reason.
Cheon Myeong sighed with relief in his mind and asked Cheon Jin.
"A proposal, you say? What are you talking about?"
"..."
Cheon Jin, who did not answer imdiately at Cheon Myeong's question and paused for a mont.
Is the story he is about to tell now quite heavy?
Looking at Cheon Jin, who was maintaining his silence, Cheon Myeong naturally had that thought.
"...Young Leader."
"...!"
"How about you officially becoming the Young Leader of this cult from now on?"
At Cheon Jin's question, this ti, it was Cheon Myeong's turn to be speechless.
It was certainly a heavy story. And quite a lot.
As if he had not expected that Cheon Jin would make such a proposal to him, Cheon Myeong was lost in thought for a mont.
"You have already won both of the two ranking matches and have defended the position of number one. In fact, for more than half a year, no one has challenged you."
"..."
"And even the matter of exterminating the Jeonsu family this ti. I think that the mbers of this cult already know well who should beco the Young Leader."
Cheon Jin's words had a point.
Through his actions until now, it could be said that Cheon Myeong had sufficiently proven his qualifications as the Young Leader.
A strong person becos the Young Leader.
If you apply the law of survival of the fittest of the Demonic Cult, no one would be able to refute Cheon Myeong becoming the Young Leader.
Moreover.
"Also, you have even received the choice of the Heavenly Demon Sword."
"..."
"In fact, I think that that alone is enough for you to be qualified to beco the Young Leader."
This could be said to be the biggest reason why Cheon Jin had made a decision like now.
Cheon Myeong, who had awakened to the ultimate of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, which had been missing in the past.
No previous leader, except for the first leader, could have achieved the sa thing as Cheon Myeong.
Of course, the sa went for Cheon Jin himself.
Since he had the thought that Cheon Myeong might have already surpassed him, Cheon Jin was able to say that to Cheon Myeong without any hesitation.
"You have sufficiently proven your strength, and you are also sufficiently qualified."
"..."
"Wouldn't it be okay to officially recognize you as the Young Leader now? No, I want to do so."
Cheon Jin said that, looking straight at Cheon Myeong.
And after a while. Cheon Myeong, as if he had finished his thoughts, slowly began to open his mouth.
"I... don't think I can rise to that position yet."
An answer that was contrary to his expectation.
Although Cheon Jin's voice was about to rise in an instant, as if he couldn't understand, he soon said with a calm voice.
"...Why do you say that?"
"..."
"There is a clear difference between a Young Leader candidate and a Young Leader. No matter how much you are number one, as long as you remain a candidate, those who covet your position will continue to appear."
"That is why I am trying to stick to my current position."
"...?"
Cheon Jin could not understand Cheon Myeong's words.
So was he saying... that he wanted to continue to fight with the other candidates like now?
And in a place where all sorts of tricks were rampant, like the incident in the North Sea.
Cheon Myeong's statent just now felt as if he wanted to drive himself into more danger.
"Leader, there are still many rotten roots left in this cult. The Jeonsu family is just the tip of the iceberg."
"..."
"I cannot rise to the position of Young Leader before I pull out all those roots."
"...Are you saying that you will beco the bait yourself?"
"Well, depending on how you hear it, it could be."
Cheon Myeong answered and gave a light smile.
"If I were to rise to the position of Young Leader, I might not be able to carry out the sa kind of eradication as now."
"..."
"Being in an ambiguous state like now will further encourage their actions."
In fact, the biggest reason why he had been able to exterminate the Jeonsu family this ti was because that side had provided a pretext first.
In other words, it ant that if there had been no movent from the Jeonsu family, the sa thing as now would have been impossible.
Cheon Myeong was thinking of creating such a pretext by drawing out the opponent's actions, just like with the Jeonsu family this ti.
'The guy who controlled the Jeonsu family from behind... I must completely pull out that guy.'
If he were to beco the Young Leader without doing so, sothing would happen soday.
Then it would be more difficult to handle the situation.
Since any matter becos more difficult to handle the more you postpone it, Cheon Myeong was trying to finish the cleanup at the beginning.
And the key to that was the Young Leader.
As long as he was not confird as the Young Leader, that guy would be trying to seize that opportunity.
On the contrary, if he were confird as the Young Leader, he would hide his true intentions again.
From that mont, he would have to wait for an indefinite opportunity again.
"Although I am grateful for your proposal, Leader, I don't think now is the ti."
"..."
Cheon Jin, who was looking at Cheon Myeong without a word.
He understood all the aning of those words.
But... to be able to throw himself away like that without any hesitation.
The reason why he could do that would be because he had that much confidence.
The confidence that he would never be defeated, no matter what the enemies did.
Those things were now being felt from Cheon Myeong's words and actions.
'As expected, there is a reason why the Heavenly Demon Sword chose him.'
The Heavenly Demon must always be confident.
As the words that Cheon Myeong had said to him in the past ca to mind, Cheon Jin could only laugh.
"Good. Then I will put that matter on hold."
"Thank you."
"And... in fact, there is also this reason why I was trying to appoint you as the Young Leader."
Cheon Jin said that and took sothing out of his bosom.
Cheon Myeong, who was looking at what was in Cheon Jin's hand with a puzzled face.
In Cheon Jin's hand, there was a neatly folded letter.
'What is that?'
What on earth did that letter have to do with him becoming the Young Leader?
With that question, Cheon Myeong looked at the letter carefully.
And at that mont, he could discover a pattern stamped on the outer surface of the letter.
'That is...'
A pattern that he seed to have seen sowhere.
He had no mory of seeing it recently.
However, since it did not feel unfamiliar, as if he had seen it at least once before, Cheon Myeong looked at the pattern and continued to search his past mories.
"...!"
He rembered.
That pattern that resembled the character '正'.
"...The Martial Alliance."
Cheon Myeong was muttering that na without realizing it.
(End of Chapter)
User Comments
0 comments from readers