Episode 3
Parenting Pro
[Chapter 1: Find a Way to Cure the Heavenly Demon's Weakness in the Demonic Cult]
"Wh-what's this?"
Suddenly, the words I muttered in bed a moment ago flashed through my mind.
"Father, if you're watching me, please tell me the answer..."
The scroll before my eyes was as if someone had answered my question.
'Could someone have heard me...?'
A chill ran down my spine, and I jumped up and looked around.
I even checked under the bed, but there was no one else there.
'It doesn't seem like anyone is watching me. Then who sent this scroll? It's gotta be someone who knows me... I mean, they know Dad's the Heavenly Demon and that he's not well...'
So, even if I had no clue where this scroll came from, it was worth checking out.
'Is this scroll like one of those status windows or quests you see in fantasy novels or games? Totally makes sense for a martial arts story. The concept's on point.'
'I'm in deep trouble here, so I can't afford to be picky.'
Compared to a few minutes ago when I was totally lost, this is a godsend. If I do what the scroll says, maybe I can actually survive this crazy martial arts world.
'Cure the Heavenly Demon's weakness, it said? Come to think of it, they said the Heavenly Demon has a chronic illness.'
He's always on the edge, super close to a Qi Deviation.
The novel just called it a 'chronic illness,' but I know exactly what it is, thanks to my past life.
Dad's got the same thing I had in my past life.
'Depression, panic disorder, insomnia.'
There were three names for the illnesses, but the root of all of them was in one place.
'The Sichuan Tang Clan...'
The Heavenly Demon's name was Tang Hwi. Before he joined the Heavenly Demon Sect, he was the Young Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan, and everyone called him the Unrivaled Poisonous Sword Emperor.
And he had a beautiful wife named Seolhwa from the Bukhae Ice Palace.
'Everyone said it was like the most beautiful woman and the most handsome man in the Central Plains got together.'
The child born between them was me, Seol Cheonseong.
'Now I get why Dad always looks so sad when he talks about Mom.'
My mother, Seolhwa, was murdered.
Not long after giving birth to me, while Tang Hwi was briefly away.
And it was all because of some scheme by the head wife of the Sichuan Tang Clan, right inside the Tang Clan.
Tang Hwi, my dad, immediately took me in his arms, abandoned the Tang surname, and left the Sichuan Tang Clan forever.
'After that, Dad couldn't sleep because he kept having nightmares about that day. And, of course, he was heartbroken from losing the woman he loved.'
What moved my dad, who was becoming weaker and weaker and falling into helplessness, was none other than me, who was just a baby at the time.
"Papa!"
"Did you... did you just call me Papa?"
"...Pa!"
Looking at me smiling brightly, Dad found the face of the woman he loved in me.
"You're the spitting image of Seolhwa and me. Yes, you're a gift. The most precious treasure Seolhwa left behind."
Dad said, kissing my cheek.
"From now on, your last name is Seol, not Tang. You're Seol Cheonseong now."
"Pa!"
"Guess you like your new name, huh?"
As I laughed with a clear voice and tightly grasped Dad's finger, Dad said in a voice more solemn than ever.
"Cheonseong, I'm going to give you the world. I won't let anyone hurt you."
After that, Dad mastered demonic arts, took down the old Heavenly Demon, and became the head honcho of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Then, like he promised, he built up the Heavenly Demon Sect. The Demonic Cult got stronger every day, and, of course, he made more enemies just as fast.
Having many enemies also applied to me, whom Dad cherished most.
"We're in too deep. Young Master Cheonseong is in danger. What if Young Master Cheonseong leaves the Demonic Cult for a bit? Just until you're strong enough to protect yourself?"
One of Dad's most loyal followers, who practically built the Demonic Cult with him, suggested it. Dad, worried sick about me, settled down in a remote village far from the Central Plains and raised me there.
'And that's where we are now.'
It's harsh, but the reason Seol Cheonseong was killed is basically because Dad was way too attached.
'The trauma from losing Seolhwa just got worse and worse as Cheonseong got older.'
He'd freak out if anyone even talked to Cheonseong, so people who tried to get close just ran away.
'Eventually, Dad got so bad that even Cheonseong felt suffocated.'
Cheonseong couldn't take it anymore and snuck out of the Demonic Cult, even though Dad told her never to leave on her own.
'And, like they were just waiting for it, those Sichuan Tang Clan jerks showed up, killed Cheonseong, and hung her head at the entrance of the Demonic Cult.'
Honestly, the Tang Clan jerks were like 99% of the reason Dad was so overprotective.
They kept sending Cheonseong stuff to remind her of Seolhwa's death, threatening to kill her, too.
The Heavenly Demon did not want Cheonseong to live in fear of being killed at any moment, so he did not tell Cheonseong about this situation.
Instead, he decided to protect Cheonseong himself.
'If Cheonseong had just listened to Dad, she wouldn't have died, but I get why she felt trapped, not knowing anything and being totally helpless.'
I could see both sides. That's why that whole episode just killed me.
'If Dad hadn't been sick, their whole father-daughter relationship wouldn't have fallen apart, and Cheonseong might have lived...'
That's what I was thinking, all bummed out.
'Wait a sec, if I fix Dad's weakness, doesn't that mean I won't die and we can all live happily ever after?'
I knew it! This scroll could be my ticket to survival!
If Dad's not freaking out about losing me like he lost Mom, we can actually be together without it being a total nightmare, and he can finally be free from all this pain, right?
I only want two things in this life.
"Dad, I'm gonna stay with you forever."
First, to keep the promise I made to Dad.
"Listen to me, you have to survive. I love you, sweetie."
Second, to survive without dying a dog's death.
"Alright! I'm gonna fix Dad!"
Clenching my fist and making a resolution, I soon faced another difficulty.
'But... how am I supposed to cure him?'
There's no modern medicine here, and none of the meds I used to take.
I turned my eyes back to the scroll.
'Demonic Cult.'
Since it says a specific place, there's gotta be a clue to fixing Dad there!
'I have to get to the Demonic C...'
"Byeol-ah, did you just wake up?"
"Ah, Dad!"
At Dad's sudden appearance, I tried to hide the scroll I was looking at behind my back.
Dad looked at me strangely.
"If you gotta go potty, Dad will go with you."
"No, I don't!"
He didn't even ask about the scroll, so I guess he can't see it. And he didn't seem to have heard me talking to myself earlier, either.
'That's a relief.'
"Where were you, Dad?"
Relieved, I naturally changed the subject.
"Just went to the outhouse."
'He's getting way too good at lying.'
"You're such a liar!"
Maybe a goldfish dad would have been better.
Feeling kinda ticked off, I dove under the covers.
"What was that?"
"Never mind!"
I yelled back, all sulky, and Dad, totally clueless, came over and sat next to me, just stroking my hair.
His hand was shaking, but he kept stroking my hair until I fell asleep. It was so sweet, I couldn't even stay mad at him.
* * *
Morning came.
I actually got up early, which is not like me, ate breakfast, and wiggled the purple ribbon Dad tied in my hair – it looked like bunny ears – while I kept an eye on him.
Dad always said he was 'working' in the mornings and spent time alone.
'Who knew? That "work" is actually training. And since he's the Heavenly Demon, it's gotta be some seriously scary training, right? Like, summoning souls or doing blood rituals... Even if Dad's strong, he's still got his weakness. Is he really okay doing that kind of training?'
Probably best to avoid Dad right now.
Just thinking about the training freaked me out, but it was also a perfect chance.
'This means I can sneak around without Dad noticing!'
So, while Dad was busy with his super scary stuff, I checked out the room where he kept his private library.
I'd only heard I shouldn't go in there because it had important stuff. And I'd always been a good girl and listened to Dad, so I'd never actually been inside.
But now I know. This is the Heavenly Demon's personal library! If there's any info on the Demonic Cult, it's gotta be in here.
I made sure Dad wasn't around, then I snuck in like a ninja, opened the library door real quiet, and slipped inside.
"Whoa, it's all books?"
Dad's library was crammed with bookshelves, and they were packed with these old, stiff books.
'Are these about the Demonic Cult? Or, like, secret martial arts techniques?'
I gulped, my heart pounding, and started reading the titles on the spines, one by one.
'How to Be a Parenting Pro, 100 Ways to Win at Parenting, Making Super Nutritious Baby Food, Cute Hairstyles for Your Little Girl.'
Seriously?
