Chapter 142
[Namgung Yeonhee]
[Mystery - Blood Demon Divine Art (血魔神功) (Initiation)]
- It is the Blood Demon’s divine art. It consists of a cultivation method, footwork, unarmed techniques (赤手空拳, bare hands), and weapon techniques.
Proficiency: 0%
‘Wait, wasn’t the Blood Demon Divine Art just something I made up?’
It wasn’t even something I had invented myself; it was a fictional martial art that Katarina and Cheon Ryuryeon had arbitrarily named between themselves.
After all, even Blood Arts were ultimately nothing more than [Blood Grace] skills.
All my own martial arts amounted to was swinging the Death Scythe.
Without the Death Scythe, my pathetic body would have made for a fair match even against an alley cat.
‘Could it be the former Blood Demon’s martial art or something…? Maybe?’
I had no idea.
Come to think of it, I knew nothing about Sera’s “Blood Demon School Swordsmanship” either; the system had created that on its own, too.
There was no reason the system could not have Blood Demon Divine Art in it as well.
‘Come to think of it, there’s a proficiency rating.’
Since she had only just begun, it was naturally at 0%. When I focused my gaze on it, an additional explanation appeared.
※ Proficiency increases as a servant gains mastery through combat or enlightenment, or it can be raised by consuming Blood Essence.
Combat or enlightenment. I understood those.
And raising proficiency by consuming Blood Essence—that was…
‘Pay-to-win….’
When I looked at the cost with cold eyes, I saw that one Blood Essence was required for every one percent increase in proficiency.
Then, to fill it to 100%…… 100 of them?!
‘Whoa. I’d better stick to playing for free whenever possible.’
Just then, Namgung Yeonhee, who had been bowing, finally rose.
I quickly moved the Blood Grace interface aside and looked at her with a serious expression.
“May I dare call you ‘Master,’ Blood Lord-nim?”
Namgung Yeonhee asked in a tense voice.
‘Master, huh.’
What did I possibly have to teach her? Maybe if this were a game, but still.
Honestly, it was embarrassing and awkward, but.
Well, some of them called me Lord or Master, so “Master” was relatively harmless.
“You may.”
“Yes, Master!”
I readily granted her permission.
And then.
“……”
“……”
The room fell silent.
‘Awkward…!’
Namgung Yeonhee stared at me with eyes full of expectation.
But although I had said I would pass on the Blood Demon Divine Art, I had only tossed that out to turn her into a servant.
How was I supposed to pass on a martial art that even I didn’t know?
It said proficiency could be raised through combat or enlightenment, but neither of those was something we could do in this room right now.
Should I just make something up for the moment?
“Hmm. Then I shall give you your first lesson. For today, begin with self-study—”
Ding!
Just then, a pop-up window suddenly appeared before my eyes.
[Master’s Grace Event!]
[50% discount on Blood Essence for your first proficiency increase!]
[If you do it right now, up to 100 points will be discounted to 50!]
‘What is this, some kind of first-purchase event?’
It was a pop-up that had appeared at an exceptionally opportune moment.
The system sure knew how to run a business; it had even offered me a loan when Siyeon was in danger before.
Then again, while raising my Blood Power to 400 this time, I had also accumulated quite a lot of Blood Essence as a bonus.
[Blood Essence: 210]
‘Hmm. Fifty should be worth spending.’
Fifty would immediately be enough to fill the proficiency to 100%.
All right, should I do it as though I were buying a present for my newest servant?
I pressed the confirmation button and paid the Blood Essence.
And then.
[The servant’s realm has risen!]
[Mystery - Blood Demon Divine Art (血魔神功) (Beginner)]
The rank that had been Initiation changed to Beginner.
‘Oh.’
At that very moment, Namgung Yeonhee, who had been standing still, flinched and trembled.
“Th-the formulas are appearing in my mind……!”
She muttered while staring into empty space with astonished eyes.
“Blood is thicker than water (血濃於水)……. Water cannot wash away blood (水不濯血)….”
‘Huh…? What is that supposed to mean?’
I could definitely recognize the characters for blood, 血, and water, 水, at least.
I could make a rough guess because I had read a comic-book version of the Thousand Character Classic when I was young.
And “nong” was……
‘S-surely it doesn’t mean that, right?’
Of course it doesn’t!
Man, seriously. Maybe the climber community has contaminated my brain, too.
Anyway, judging from the context,
it seemed to mean something like: blood is thicker than water, and water cannot wash blood away.
But wasn’t this more like a proverb emphasizing the bonds between family members?
I didn’t really know what it meant, but Namgung Yeonhee seemed satisfied regardless.
“…So this is the principle underlying the first step of the Blood Demon Divine Art. Thank you for the precious instruction, Master.”
She spoke in a trembling voice.
“Mm. Yes, yes.”
I nodded in satisfaction.
So this was what a click-to-buy enlightenment felt like.
But then.
“Kgh…! My head…!”
Suddenly, Namgung Yeonhee clutched her forehead and let out a painful groan.
“Are you all right?!”
When I asked in alarm, she answered while swaying unsteadily.
“It is too profound a teaching… My vessel as your disciple is inadequate, so I cannot yet absorb it all.”
‘Ah, no way. Is this that thing?’
Qi deviation.
The condition that so often appeared in martial-arts novels, in which the flow of internal energy became twisted or the body was damaged from being unable to withstand an enlightenment!
Could it be because I had raised her proficiency by so much all at once?
‘Uh-oh… What should I do?’
Then another system window appeared.
[TIP: Make contact with your servant to help stabilize her qi!]
Contact?!
“Calm yourself. This One shall help you!”
In my haste, I ran to the staggering Namgung Yeonhee and pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Just trust This One— Mmph.”
Because of our enormous difference in height, my face ended up almost buried in her chest, but I had no time to worry about such things now.
After I held her for a little while,
“Hoo, haa…….”
Namgung Yeonhee’s ragged breathing gradually subsided.
Her breathing had completely returned to normal.
‘Thank goodness.’
It was just as I let out a sigh of relief.
Stroke.
Suddenly, I felt something gently stroking the back of my head.
‘Huh?! I’m getting patted?!’
***
Namgung Yeonhee still felt her heart pounding as she recalled what had just happened.
The first formula of the Blood Demon Divine Art that had poured into her mind.
Blood is thicker than water (血濃於水); water cannot wash away blood (水不濯血).
It was an exceedingly profound principle.
Suddenly, she could feel the thickness of the blood flowing throughout her body.
She realized that this was not her own blood, but the blood of a “great being.”
Thick blood.
True blood.
The one and only true blood.
——.
‘Kgh…!’
As a profound enlightenment poured into her all at once, the blood throughout her body roiled and her head began to ache as though it would split open.
If she had been left like that, she would undoubtedly have suffered qi deviation.
But at that moment.
“Calm yourself. This One shall help you!”
The Blood Lord rushed toward her and pulled her into her arms.
No, to be precise, she had rushed into the Blood Lord’s embrace.
Yet astonishingly, the moment the Blood Lord’s body touched her, the energy raging within her calmed as if by magic.
A warm energy gently soothed the internal energy running wild and restored its stability.
‘Warm and cozy….’
In the tranquility that seeped into the depths of her heart, Namgung Yeonhee quietly closed her eyes.
And without realizing it, she reached out and gently stroked the head of the small, warm being held in her arms.
…In other words, the Blood Lord’s head.
‘?!’
Realizing what she had done, Namgung Yeonhee was startled out of her wits and snatched her hand back.
The Blood Lord, too, was flustered and stepped away.
“Y-you must not pat your Master!”
“I-I apologize!”
Namgung Yeonhee hurriedly prostrated herself on the floor and begged forgiveness.
‘What have I done…!’
How dare she treat her heaven-like master and the true ruler of the Blood Cult like a little child!
It was an insolence worthy of ten thousand deaths.
“Ahem!”
However, the Blood Lord cleared her throat several times, then crossed her arms in front of her small chest.
“You are still an inexperienced disciple, and you acted unconsciously. This One shall let it go this once.”
“……”
Namgung Yeonhee was plunged into thought.
Her Master was unquestionably a being of tremendous skill.
She had transmitted the mysteries of the Blood Demon Divine Art through mind transmission and rescued her even when she was on the verge of qi deviation.
Absolute martial power. Noble bearing. A merciful nature.
She was an unfathomable master who had attained a realm encompassing everything.
And yet, why was it?
“Ahem. Now go and calm your body and mind. Um… that is… Ah, yes! Go take a nap!”
She kept thinking her Master was cute….
Namgung Yeonhee blamed herself for her irreverent feelings and bit down hard on her lip to regain her composure.
‘I still have a heart demon (心魔) within me!’
***
“Phew.”
After telling Namgung Yeonhee to take a nap and sending her away, I was left alone and let out a sigh.
I never expected her to suffer qi deviation all of a sudden. It really startled me.
Still, it was a relief that I had managed to resolve it.
That said.
‘I actually got patted.’
I had patted my servants before, but this was the first time one of them had patted me instead.
Actually, it was the first time I had ever received that kind of affection.
I didn’t have any parents, after all.
I had no memory of anyone gently stroking my head when I was young.
‘……It wasn’t unpleasant.’
If anything, it had been a strange sensation that made my heart tingle.
But because [Noble Dignity] reacted, I ended up getting angry without meaning to.
Thanks to that, I seemed to have maintained the Blood Lord’s dignity quite well.
And then.
“It was so soft….”
I grew a little dejected as I recalled Namgung Yeonhee’s ample bosom, where my face had just been buried.
Between the difference in our heights and everything else, I somehow felt cheated.
It was fortunate the other servants had not been there.
“Bishop Cheon Ryuryeon requests an audience with Blood Lord-nim.”
“……”
I jolted like a startled snake!
Just then, I heard Cheon Ryuryeon’s voice from outside, and I jumped in surprise.
I calmed my startled heart and quickly corrected my posture.
I crossed my legs, took out my ebony fan, and opened it.
“Hehe. Come in.”