Chapter 11
"Attend to me!"
My blood ran cold at the Young Master's casually spoken words.
'This guy really talks about killing people like it's nothing.'
It suddenly dawned on me that I had entered the Demonic Cult.
Maybe it's a miracle that I'm still alive, blocking the path of the Vice Leader...
Thinking about my past self, who fearlessly barged into the Demonic Cult, my mouth went dry.
"With the Heavenly Demon absent, the Young Master already has so much work, and now adding this child..."
The Vice Leader showed genuine concern, but the Young Master still looked at me with eyes as calm as a still lake and replied.
"Adding one more task to the many won't make much of a difference. It just so happens that I needed someone to attend to me."
"Attend to you?"
My eyes widened at the unexpected role, and the Young Master frowned.
"The Demonic Cult does not allow anyone to set foot here if they have nothing to do."
'It sounds like he's saying he'll kill me right away if I don't attend to him?'
"To be caught by the Young Master of all people, he's unlikely to get out of here alive."
"He's still young, what a pity."
Judging from the disciples' reactions, it seemed like I didn't have a choice here from the start.
'But why is everyone assuming I'm going to die? My prophecy will eventually be proven true!'
But the problem is that I'm the only one who knows that right now.
"Fine, I'll give you a choice."
Perhaps my resentful feelings were showing, as the Young Master said he would give me a choice.
The Young Master is more flexible than he looks?
I perked up my ears, full of anticipation, towards the Young Master.
"Will you attend to me? Or will you leave the Demonic Cult right now?"
The Young Master's eyes were fierce as he asked if I would leave the Demonic Cult.
It was as if he would immediately chop off my head if I said I would leave.
It wasn't a choice; it was coercion.
I have no choice. Right now, surviving in the Demonic Cult until my prophecy is proven true is the priority.
"I will attend to the Young Master."
"...Not a good choice."
The Young Master turned away from me, looking genuinely disappointed.
'Would you have felt better if you had killed me then?'
I glared at the back of the Young Master's head with narrowed eyes, but he turned back to me again.
I quickly changed my expression and looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, as if I knew nothing.
"Let's go."
Fortunately, it seemed I had safely avoided the Young Master's gaze.
"Where to?"
I asked, secretly sighing in relief, and the Young Master answered, pointing somewhere carelessly with his chin.
"To my chambers."
* * *
"I thought I brought a servant, but it seems I brought a snail."
It was my first time entering a house of a boy my age, especially his bedroom, so I was lingering uncertainly at the door, and the Young Master's mocking voice reached me.
"A snail? Seriously?!"
Even though I might be a little short for my age, I take after my dad, and I'm super fast!
When he sees me running all over the place, my dad always says I'm like a cute rabbit.
So, calling me a snail really rubbed me the wrong way.
"I hear I look like a rabbit quite often."
"I clearly said a snail, though?"
So what?
Just because you say I'm a snail, I'm a snail?
I wanted to argue back, but the person in front of me was the cruel Young Master who's known for killing (though it's just my guess).
'It's not good for a seven-year-old child who just makes prophecies to argue back.'
I pretended not to hear the Young Master's words and strode into the chambers.
Then, the Young Master started to loosen his outer robe.
What?
Why is he suddenly taking off his clothes?
Flustered, I quickly turned my gaze elsewhere.
"Ah..."
The Young Master made a sound as if he belatedly realized something and tucked a new outer robe back into his robes.
'Ah, he was going to change his outer robe! I was embarrassed for no reason.'
"If you go to the building right next door, there are servants preparing meals."
The Young Master tucked a wooden flute back into his robes.
Come to think of it, he had a flute when I first saw him too?
He must cherish it a lot.
But that Young Master playing the flute quietly?
'Ugh, that's so not him.'
I couldn't imagine the Young Master, who casually talks about killing people, playing the flute and performing emotionally.
As expected, a sword suits the cruel Young Master much better than a flute.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Huh?"
"That expression, I don't like it for some reason."
'He's like a mind reader when it comes to insults.'
"N-no, I wasn't thinking anything in particular?"
I quickly pretended to be looking at something else.
"Then move now."
With a look that said he didn't care if it was true or not, the Young Master ordered me.
"Yes?"
"I said if you go to the building right next door, there are servants preparing meals."
"...And?"
When I asked back, the Young Master said as if it was very obvious.
"Go get my meal."
"Me?"
"Who else is here besides you?"
'Even my dad, the Heavenly Demon, gets his own food...'
I had a lot to say, but since I decided to serve as the Young Master's attendant, I had no choice but to swallow my complaints and shut my mouth.
"I'll be back."
"Okay."
Leaving behind the Young Master, who was smugly seeing me off, I headed to the next building to get his meal.
* * *
"Hngh... Huff..."
A little while later, I was staggering down the hall, struggling with a huge tray, as big as I was, piled high with all sorts of delicacies.
"I've come to get the Young Master's meal."
"Did you come alone?"
I didn't know why the servant was asking if I came alone.
Until I received this huge tray!
'This thing weighs a ton!'
Did the Young Master tell me to carry this alone?
This is totally child abuse!
And I can't even report him!
I had only just set foot in the Young Master's chambers, but I had a strong feeling that my life as a servant was not going to be smooth sailing.
No, I have to endure it.
Once it's revealed that the Sichuan Tang Clan is behind the attack on the Demonic Cult, this rough time will be over!
Pulling myself together, grunting with effort, I placed the meal in front of the Young Master.
"Meal... I brought it. Hngh..."
The Young Master, who had been watching me panting, turned his gaze to the meal.
Only then did I naturally notice the variety of dishes laid out on the table.
'What a feast!'
I was so focused on coming to the Demonic Cult all day that I forgot to eat breakfast.
So I was hungry, and the delicious smell made my mouth water.
I couldn't take my eyes off the feast fit for a king.
'Especially those savory-smelling braised potatoes - they look so fluffy and perfectly cooked, like they'd melt in your mouth! And the rainbow-colored sweets for dessert look evenly baked and super crispy. Yum!'
It's too painful to just swallow my saliva in front of this feast!
Should I ask? Or not?
I was torn between whether to voice the question filling my head or not.
While I was hesitating, the Young Master picked up his chopsticks.
Ugh, whatever!
It's all about eating and living, right?
"Young Master!"
I confidently called out to the Young Master.
Then he looked at me with chopsticks in his hand.
His face was asking why I called him.
"When do I get to eat?"
At my bold question, the Young Master let out a short laugh.
'He's so harsh in his words and actions, I thought even his laugh would be fierce...'
Surprisingly, his smile is kind of cute?
Mesmerized, I was looking at his smile when the Young Master looked at me and tapped the table laden with delicacies with his hand.
'What? Why is he tapping the table when I'm asking when I'll get my food?'
When I looked at the Young Master with a face full of questions, he reluctantly opened his mouth.
"Sit down here."
At the words to sit in front of the table, smacking my lips, I sat in front of it.
Then, the Young Master put his chopsticks and spoon in my hand and said.
"Eat."
He's telling me to eat this?
It was an eye-opening offer, but there was something bothering me.
"Then what about you, Young Master?"
"I've got a lot of work to do. It'll just go to waste if I don't eat it. Don't worry about it and eat."
At that moment, I saw a familiar face in the Young Master.
It was Dad.
Dad also used to skip meals saying he was working.
It got much better after I started taking care of him.
Do people in the Demonic Cult have no appetite?
Come to think of it, the Young Master's face was also pale and bloodless, just like Dad's.
'Dad must have skipped meals like this while working in the Demonic Cult.'
With only the desire to grow stronger to protect me.
Thinking that way, my nose tingled.
"Young Master."
At my call, the Young Master, who was looking at a scroll, raised his head.
"Open wide!"
"What... are you doing right now?"
The Young Master asked, bewildered, looking at me handing him a dumpling.
"To have breakfast! You'll get sick if you starve. My father also skipped meals and only worked, and he got chronic illnesses. So, if you don't want to end up like that, eat quickly!"
I brought the chopsticks holding the dumpling right in front of the Young Master's mouth.
"Come on, say 'ahh'!"
"...I think I'm starting to see why the Lord is such a pushover for his daughter."
"Eat quickly, I'm telling you? You need to eat to have the energy to do your work! Say 'ahh'. Ah!"
The Young Master, who had been muttering something incomprehensible to himself for a moment, gave up on arguing with me and obediently accepted the dumpling I offered.
Both my dad and the Young Master.
There are more than one or two people in the Demonic Cult who need a lot of care.
"Here, have another one!"
"I said it's okay..."
"Tsk...! Ah!"
Even though he refused with words, the Young Master ate every single dumpling I gave him without missing one.
Playing hard to get!
Only then could I enjoy my meal in peace.
* * *
"Your room is right next door to the right when you go out."
After the meal, the Young Master told me the room I would be staying in.
Honestly, I thought they'd stick me in some storage closet since I'm just a servant...
It's as luxurious as the room the Young Master is staying in?
Moreover, the floor is warm and they even gave me a thick cotton blanket, so I bet I'll sleep nice and warm tonight, too.
Maybe the Young Master isn't such a bad person after all, seeing as he gave me his meal and such a nice room!
I washed up briefly and lay down on the bedding, feeling refreshed.
My whole body ached after a day like that.
'I'm tired, but I can't fall asleep easily.'
Perhaps because I was used to sleeping with Dad, lying alone in a large bed felt somewhat empty and lonely.
'Dad, I miss you.'
"Are you sleepy, Cheon-seong?"
"Yeah, sleepy."
When I rubbed my sleepy eyes, Dad would notice like a ghost that it was time for me to sleep and ask.
"Then shall we go to sleep now?"
"Yeah!"
"Come to Dad."
Dad, who was already lying in bed, would fold back the blanket and pat the spot next to him, and I would snuggle into Dad's arms without hesitation.
'Cozy! Dad's arms are like a warm stove.'
Feeling my body relax in that warmth, I rubbed my face against Dad's chest.
Seeing Dad's face smiling happily at my actions, I would slightly raise the corners of my lips, and Dad's soft hand would playfully poke my cheek.
"Want me to read you a story?"
"No, sing me a lullaby."
"Didn't you say I was a terrible singer the other day?"
"But Dad has a nice voice."
'Actually, it's just that I like Dad.'
"Since Cheon-seong says so... Sleep tight. In our star's garden, birds sing..."
Dad's singing was still awkward as ever, but listening to it made me feel comfortable.
'Good thing I didn't inherit his tone-deafness.'
Thanking for the small happiness, when my heavy eyelids blinked, Dad would always pat my back with his big, soft hand until I fell asleep, just like he always did.
'Thinking about Dad makes me feel even lonelier.'
Thinking about Dad, I felt my eyes getting hot without realizing it.
That's when it happened.
Bang, bang, bang!
