Chapter 118: Chapter 118

Chapter 118: Reform (4)

Jin Hayeon, who had been looking at me for a moment, returned to her usual calm expression and looked at Master.

"Those are overly generous words of praise."

“Hahaha. I don't think Il-mok said anything untrue.”

Master, stroking his beard with the relaxed face of a country elder, suddenly turned serious and looked at me.

"Very well. I'll follow your opinions regarding the Hall of the Demonic Way and the children's education. However, that’s not the most pressing issue at hand, is it?”

Only now did the Hall Master of the Demonic Way seem to regain his senses, his surprised face returning to its usual stern expression.

"That's correct, Young Master Il-mok. We must first deal with Instructor Chu Il-hwan's matter."

Right. The original topic wasn't the fucked up education policy of the Demonic Cult.

It was about how to handle Chu Il-hwan who had attacked me, and whether Chu Il-hwan was truly a mole.

The only problem was...

'This goddamn side effect.’

My head was already spinning from the side effects, and once again it was starting to wring out every last drop of knowledge and wisdom I had.

And it was all connecting back to that damn education policy.

"Instructor Chu Il-hwan's matter can also be handled in connection with the Cult's educational system, Master."

Even Master looked at me with a face full of questions, as if he hadn't expected this.

"What do you mean by that?"

“Didn't we just decide to reform the Hall of the Demonic Way over the next three or four years before we raise the entry age? We can solve this problem through that reform.”

"Most of the students in the Hall of the Demonic Way have already learned Demonic Arts from a young age, leaving their minds unstable. And this applies to the instructors as well. Therefore, we should now station a physician from the Pure Mind Hall permanently at the Hall of the Demonic Way. For regular counseling and treatment."

"While that's a sound idea, I don't understand what it has to do with Instructor Chu Il-hwan's matter."

Master asked on everyone's behalf, but they all wore equally puzzled expressions.

"First, maintaining Chu Il-hwan's instructor position without holding him accountable in the current situation would be problematic."

I added an explanation for Master, who was tilting his head.

“If Instructor Chu really is the mole, then expelling him solves the problem. But if he's not, then we're playing right into their hands. If we bring in another of the Hall Master's associates to fill Chu Il-hwan's vacant position, wouldn't that also be problematic? So, why not give the role of a secret agent to the physician from the Pure Mind Hall instead of a new instructor?”

Even with my additional explanation, Master looked puzzled.

“This old man could simply say, I personally selected the new instructor. Is there really a need to go through such a troublesome process?"

Spoken like the true leader of a fanatic cult. A classic move from a pope who wields absolute power, completely oblivious to the possibility of anyone disagreeing. But because of that very mindset, there were things he couldn't see.

“On the contrary, Master. We can use the new instructor position as bait.”

“I see! A scheme to monitor whoever takes the new position, is it?”

"It would be difficult for me alone, but with the physician dispatched to the Hall of the Demonic Way, it should be quite possible, shouldn't it? Furthermore, the physician will conduct regular counseling sessions with cadets and instructors. When people talk for long enough, they inevitably make a slip of the tongue.” ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ N0velFire.ɴet

Master stroked his beard.

“Hahaha. And on top of that, by investigating those who recommended the new instructor, we might even be able to root out the entire conspiracy.”

Master nodded with a satisfied expression and asked me, "To use the instructor position as bait, it seems best to dismiss Instructor Chu Il-hwan first. Don't you want to impose any punishment other than dismissal?"

"Rather than additional punishment, it would be better to send him to the Pure Mind Hall, as was done with Warrior Kwan Mu-yeol."

“Will that be sufficient?”

“Yes, Master. This all happened because he couldn't control the side effects of his art, so he is in need of counseling and treatment. Also, if Instructor Chu Il-hwan is indeed a mole, we might catch some clues during the counseling process."

"Truly meticulous work as always."

At Master's praise, I almost gritted my teeth without realizing it.

"...I believe it's because I learned the Soul-Stealing Heartless Sword. Ahem."

All I wanted was to lie down and rest, but my brain refused to shut up. In a way, the side effects of Demonic Arts were a lot like school bullying.

'Side effects! Stop!'

You could scream it all you want. They weren’t going to listen.

Did he sense my condition?

"Well then, it seems we've decided on the direction for Instructor Chu Il-hwan's matter."

My Master looked at me, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.

“Besides sending a physician to the Hall, do you have any other ideas for reform? Hahaha. Even if they're just thoughts that sprang from your side effects, speak your mind freely.”

He looked like a greedy farmer staring at the goose that laid golden eggs.

And the damn side effects took the bait. "That's right!"

"For children who are still in their growth period, the Hall of the Demonic Way is too bleak. Since they're already suffering from side effects, they need some time to breathe. Therefore, I suggest we form clubs."

"Clubs? What are those?"

"As the name suggests, they're gatherings of people who like the same things."

I borrowed the concept from the clubs that existed during my middle and high school days.

Of course, in a system as obsessed with college entrance exams as Korea’s, they were mostly for show, but things were different here.

“In fact, among the current students, there are two whose mental states have stabilized and whose martial cultivation has even improved by immersing themselves in acting and theater.”

In a world , if you told them something helped with Demonic Arts, they’d make it mandatory. In fact, the reason I thought of clubs was precisely because the cases of Bang Mi-hwa and Baek Cheon had come to mind.

And since the topic was about students, Hall Master Yeom Ga-hwi jumped in like he knew something.

"Are you referring to Disciple Baek Cheon and Disciple Bang Mi-hwa?"

"That's correct, Hall Master. Currently, those two and several other students are meeting privately, but wouldn’t it be safer to formally introduce the concept of clubs and have them run with an instructor present?”

I rambled on, giving examples of various other clubs like a tea ceremony club or a doctrine study group, explaining how clubs could be operated irrespective of class year, creating a space for seniors and juniors to mingle. I rambled on about the operational plans and benefits of the club system.

"If each instructor takes charge of one club, it should be quite feasible to implement."

Sure, it meant the instructors would be saddled with extra work outside of teaching hours, but that wasn't my problem.

After spouting a few more opinions related to reforming the Hall, my side effects finally began to quiet down.

I felt exhausted both mentally and physically from talking nonstop.

“Oh dear, it seems I have overworked you when your body has not yet fully recovered.”

Only now did Master speak with concern, as a master should.

If he was going to worry, he should have stopped me earlier. It's absurd to say such things after hearing everything he wanted to hear.

“For now, we will proceed with your suggestions regarding Instructor Chu and the reform of the Hall. Hall Master Yeom has heard it all as well, so I trust he understands.”

The Hall Master bowed with his stern face.

“If the Supreme One commands it, this servant will obey with a joyful heart.”

He seemed to have finally accepted my argument; his attitude of absolute opposition had completely disappeared.

Pleased with the Hall Master's response, Master nodded and stood up.

"Since reforming the Hall of the Demonic Way and the educational system will take time, I should first issue the order prohibiting Demonic Arts education for those under sixteen."

He said it calmly, but it was a big deal.

To put it differently, he was issuing a ban on advanced learning.

If this were modern Korea, parents would have rioted, and illegal, secret tutoring would have become rampant.

But here, I didn’t have to worry about that.

'When you look at it this way, cults are convenient in their own way.'

This was an order from the Heavenly Demon, a man worshipped as a god by every member of the Cult. If you ignored his command and secretly conducted advanced learning, they could be branded as heretics and have their limbs severed or die.

Master and the Hall Master left to handle business, and the Demonic Physician also soon left the medical wing.

With only Jin Hayeon and me left in the room, a strange silence descended.

She was always quiet, but after what had just happened, the silence felt… uncomfortable.

And for some reason, Jin Hayeon spoke first.

"I didn't know you thought of me that way, Young Master."

I don’t know… maybe it was her uncharacteristically awkward expression, but her words sounded strangely sarcastic.

"Ahem. I'm sorry for talking about Miss Jin without permission. Still, my words were meant in a good way, so I hope you understand.”

With that, silence fell upon the room once more.

Just as I was about to speak to break the silence...

“I will leave you to rest.”

With her red face, she left the medical room, leaving a cold wind swirling around her.

She really must have been pissed.

'I didn't even insult her, so why is she acting like that?'

Honestly, I felt wronged.

The moment she stepped out of the room, Jin Hayeon let out a deep sigh with an unusually complicated expression.

'...I never expected him to say such things.'

She had never anticipated that he would praise her so highly in front of the great Heavenly Demon.

Of course, she had received countless compliments before.

Even when she lived in a rural branch as a child, the village elders had praised her countless times, and after entering the Hall of the Demonic Way, she often heard words of praise from Ouyang Mun, assistant instructors, and instructors.

The fact that Ouyang Mun’s compliments back then were delivered with a sarcastic sneer as he tried to hide his feelings was a slight issue, but still.

Anyway, even after graduating from the Hall of the Demonic Way, she often received praise at the Hidden Guard Pavilion, and Ouyang Mun.

But none of it had ever moved her.

Maybe when she was a child, but certainly not after she had learned the White Hand Demonic Art.

Ouyang Mun’s praise had always felt a little sickening, but otherwise, she strongly felt it was just something people said.

But why? Why had Il-mok’s praise made her heart pound ?

It might have been because she heard the praise in front of the Heavenly Demon, whom she respected immensely, or because, unlike Ouyang Mun's empty praise, it was praise about something she truly took pride in.

Maybe it was because she had finally received acknowledgment from Il-mok, a man she had truly come to see as her lord. Or maybe it was due to some emotion she herself did not yet recognize.

For her, who had been erasing emotions while learning the White Hand Demonic Art, such feelings were so unfamiliar that she couldn't properly recognize her own emotions.

However, one thing was certain.

'If I had stayed there any longer, my Demonic Arts would have been shaken.'

The single jolt of emotion had made it feel burdensome to continue facing Young Master Il-mok.

'Is this the joy of being recognized?'

She decided to categorize this feeling as nothing more than a subordinate’s joy at being recognized by her master and composed herself.

'The White Hand Demonic Art isn't a martial art that only discards evil emotions. I can't disappoint the Young Master.'

Only by being able to discard even a feeling like joy could one truly reach the state of Extremity.

She immediately sat down in the lotus position and began to circulate the White Hand Demonic Art.

To become a person useful to Il-mok, she would willingly freeze away every last one of her emotions.