-Tap. Tap.-

I was staring at the campfire Hwa-eun had lit when she came closer and whispered softly.

[So-ryong, please look after Gun Hye-rin.]

When I followed her gaze past the campfire, beyond the flickering flames, Gun Hye-rin was sitting sullenly, poking at the fire.

A terribly gloomy expression.

No, she was muttering blankly with a dazed look.

“I... to think I’m worse than a third-rate hack...”

In Japanese anime, there are many words used to describe the character types of heroines.

Yandere, tsundere, megadere, and so on.

A yandere is a crazy woman who loves the male protagonist so much she wants to kill him, a tsundere is a woman who likes him but pretends not to, a megadere is a word that encapsulates someone who likes the protagonist in a mindless way.

Among them, there is the term menhera.

Menhera means the heroine is suffering from something like depression or bipolar disorder, and if her mind takes even the slightest damage, her mentality collapses—it’s essentially like being in a sunfish state.

What? You want to break up? Okay, I’ll just die.

What? You say you love me? I’m so happy I’ll just die.

What? You say you’re full? I feel like I won’t be this full tomorrow, so I’ll just die.

That was exactly the state Gun Hye-rin was in now.

She wasn’t saying she would die right away, but her vacant eyes and muttering lips—

She was completely broken mentally.

I sighed inwardly, then nodded to Hwa-eun.

Because it seemed her condition had gotten worse rather than better.

She clearly needed care, and during the move to the Beast Palace, she must have been brooding on her own until it got this serious.

[Understood.]

[Then I’ll step away. I should go help Ji-ryeon.]

[Be careful.]

[Yes, So-ryong.]

[Kids, follow Mom. Let’s give them some space.]

Hwa-eun quickly disappeared with the children in the direction the princess had gone hunting, and at the hint, Hwanji and Hwana ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) turned their heads and closed their eyes.

It seemed they were pretending to sleep so they wouldn’t disturb Gun Hye-rin by moving.

I sidled up beside Gun Hye-rin and sat down next to the rock she was perched on.

Then I put my arm around her waist and spoke gently.

“Hye-rin, it’s fine. Why are you so downcast?”

Gun Hye-rin looked at me blankly, then her eyes welled with tears.

“Master, forgive me. To think I’m such a wretch... I am the Lord of the Heavenly Demon Cult, master of all the demonic hordes, and yet my body was worse than that of a third-rate martial artist, unable even to serve my master. Sob...”

“No, I told you, it’s fine.”

The reason Gun Hye-rin was grieving like this—

It was because she hadn’t been able to properly consummate the first night.

Three days ago, I had spent the morning with the princess, and by that evening I had dragged myself into the Charyeonjeon exhausted.

The day after the princess, it was supposed to be Gun Hye-rin’s turn.

'The Charyeonjeon is supposed to be where lower ranks fight higher ones in rotation, so why are they holding one against a lowly guy like me? That’s so cowardly, cowardly!'

To be honest, I had been a little worried after being worn down by the princess until morning. But unlike the princess, who knew everything, Gun Hye-rin was completely ignorant, so I had a little hope.

After all, the first time is usually just painful, so without prior knowledge like the princess, she wouldn’t feel pleasure easily, right?

In sex education back in my past life, they taught that a couple’s love was about turning pain into joy, so I had hung onto that hope.

I figured if I just did well once, it would be fine.

But then something unexpected happened.

With Gun Hye-rin, we hadn’t even really gotten started.

No, to be precise, we had started, but never made it to the main event, only the warm-up.

Should I say we did nothing but warm-up until dawn?

'I thought my tongue was going to wear out, seriously.'

It wasn’t like the last time when there was nosebleeding or anything like that.

Gun Hye-rin was a little nervous, but she didn’t have a nosebleed.

The kissing went smoothly, we moved naturally through the steps, and reached just before the final stage.

But apparently my assumption that she was only a little tense was wrong—her body was so tense it refused to open at all.

I’d heard in my past life that tension could prevent union, but martial arts created a new situation.

A body hardened by martial training, locked in tension, left no space for even a needle to go in.

“Gun Hye-rin, you need to relax a little...”

“I-I did relax.”

“No, a bit more...”

I tried various things to loosen her up, but every time my hand or tongue touched her, her tension only increased, and in the end the rooster crowed with things still in that state.

-Cock-a-doodle-doo.-

“M-Master, I’m sorryyy! Sob!”

At the rooster’s cry, Gun Hye-rin’s mind broke completely.

For a woman of this era, not being able to serve her husband was a grave flaw, so her mentality collapsed.

In a time when a woman unable to bear a child would naturally see her husband take a concubine, realizing she couldn’t even perform the act of making a baby made her feel like a failure as a woman.

That seemed to be what she was feeling.

Gun Hye-rin looked at me with tearful eyes and cried out.

“Master, don’t abandon me! Please!”

At that, I pulled her tightly into my chest.

And I told her gently.

“No, I told you I won’t abandon you. I’ll never abandon you. I’ll live with you until the day you beg me to let you go. So why do you keep saying I’ll abandon you?

I’ve never abandoned even a venomous creature I adopted.”

“Huh?”

When I repeated what I had said a few days ago, Gun Hye-rin asked again.

“R-Really?”

“Of course. As for the first night, we couldn’t try again because of going to Daewol, but I told you we’d try again once you’re more relaxed. On a good day.”

“Sob... Master.”

At my words, Gun Hye-rin burrowed into my chest, weeping with gratitude.

I patted her back and said,

“Don’t cry. Haah, seriously. It happens when people are nervous. It doesn’t mean you’re sick or anything. So, promise not to get like this again, okay?”

“O-Okay.”

It felt like things were finally patched up.

As I patted Gun Hye-rin, she lifted her head and asked,

“But Master.”

“Yes?”

“Then why have you been touching my chest all this time?”

'Ah, crap, without even realizing it.'

Honestly, there was no particular reason.

It’s just that when there are breasts right in front of you—especially your own property—your hand just naturally goes there, doesn’t it?

But I gave her a plausible excuse.

That this was a medical procedure.

“This is so you’ll get used to my touch and not be nervous when we try the first night again.”

“Ahh. Then touch them more. Touch them a lot.”

And so, per Gun Hye-rin’s request, I carried out a thorough medical procedure—

After which, we finished a day’s lodging in the wild and flew to the Beast Palace.

***

Tzrrr. 『Dad!』

Beeep! 『Baaap!』

Buuuuung.

“Have you all been well?”

When we arrived at the Beast Palace after ten days, the children who had stayed behind there came rushing out.

It was only natural since it had been months since they had last seen me.

They crowded around me, jostling to get closest.

Tzrrrt! 『Dad, you’re way too late!』

Bini’s sulky voice reached me first, so I hugged her warmly and patted her.

“Sorry, sorry. I missed you too, my Bini.”

Buuung!

“What? Ranghu, you want a hug too?”

Buuung. Buuung.

“Well, sure, it’s been a while.”

After awkwardly hugging Ranghu, a shadow loomed over me.

It was Cheongwol.

I quickly clung tightly to Cheongwol’s pincer.

Grrrng. 『You have come, So-ryong. Ah, no, I am fine.』

“Cheongwol, I missed you.”

Grrng. 『R-Really? I... I missed you too. Ahem.』

Shia. 『So-ryong, you have returned?』

“Cheong-yu Sojeo, you’re awake in the daytime?”

Siiia. 『I asked Golden-Crowned Queen Cheong-yu to let me take over briefly since you had arrived.』

Once I had greeted all the children in turn, I suddenly felt weight pressing on my ankle.

Bee-beeep!

Looking down, I saw Hwayang—now grown too big to perch on my head—among the welcoming crowd, clinging to my leg as if asking to be held.

He should have been inside the cabin licking Fire Crystal, yet here he was.

Frogs continue to grow even after metamorphosis, and it seemed in the months I’d been away he’d had a growth spurt.

“Oh! Hwayang!”

Beeep!

When I picked him up, his weight was solid in my arms.

He licked my cheek with his sticky tongue.

Maybe because I had chosen Hwayang as a spirit beast, our bond had grown closer?

His affection had increased.

“Hahaha. You’ve grown a lot. Look at this soft belly.”

I hugged him from behind and rubbed his belly, making him squirm, whether from shyness or ticklishness.

He started pushing me away with his front legs.

Beeeeep. 『Baaap. Baaap!』

But how could those short little legs possibly push me away?

“You little rascal, you little rascal.”

I was rubbing his belly furiously when he suddenly went completely still.

He must have given up, but then I heard a sound that made me jump in shock.

Beep. 『That’s enough.』

It was a cold, female voice.

Startled, I froze, and Hwayang slowly turned his head, fixing me with a chilling glare.

Then came the next words.

Beep. 『Put me down.』

“Y-Yes...”

Intimidated by his gaze, I set him down, and he immediately acted as if nothing had happened, tossing out his usual line.

Beeeeep. 『Baaap!』

This guy—just like before, this constant “baap baap”—it was clearly some kind of set routine.

***

“Have there been any other reports?”

After greeting the children, I immediately convened a meeting with the Martial Alliance leadership.

I had already heard from my father-in-law, but we needed to confirm the latest updates and fix the departure date.

At my question, strategist Zhuge Hu replied.

“Perhaps they’ve grown careless since they’re across the border. They’ve paid no attention this way, so we were able to send more scouts. For now, it seems everything near the border has fallen into the hands of the Blood Cult and the Five Venoms Sect. And...”

The meeting ended relatively quickly.

The Alliance’s reconnaissance had only checked areas near the border. Most small villages there were completely deserted, while in the larger cities, anyone with martial talent was being forced to join the Blood Cult under the pretext of a ‘Blood Rite,’ where they had to ingest refined blood.

Thus, my mission was set: to head further in and determine whether the capital of the Daewol Kingdom had fallen.

“It seems more serious than expected. Then I’ll head to Daewol as soon as possible.”

“Would you? Thank you.”

We decided to rest for only two days before departing for Daewol. During that time, I met with Uiseon and Yakseon, the two great masters of medicine.

“So, you said you had a request?”

“Yes. Is there perhaps a martial art related to healing that I could learn? Even if it’s not of the same sect?”

“A martial art related to healing?”

“Yes.”

The two elders exchanged a look.

Then Yakseon spoke, wearing the expression of someone staring at an impudent brat.

“When we offered to teach you our medical arts, you refused. But now you crave martial arts?”

Ah—that offer back then to teach me medicine must have included martial arts as well.

And now I was asking about healing techniques separately, so of course it looked like I was ignoring medicine but greedy for martial skills.

I hastily waved my hands.

“N-No, that’s not what I meant. I’m not asking you to teach me your martial arts. I just wanted to know if there are any healing-related martial arts I could learn.

The truth is, whenever I contract venomous creatures, I gain access to their abilities. As you know, my silver silkworm has healing power. So once I reach the Eight Venoms Realm, I might gain healing abilities too—but if there’s no martial art to channel it through, I won’t be able to use it.”

“Ah, so that’s the reason?”

The two thought it over briefly, then nodded.

“Since great battles may lie ahead, increasing the number of those who can save lives would not be a bad thing.”

“Indeed, brother. It certainly seems a great battle is imminent...”

It was clear they believed that, regardless of my reconnaissance results, war with the Blood Cult and the Five Venoms Sect was inevitable.

Soon they gave their consent.

“Very well. Though you are not our disciple, saving lives is reason enough. We shall teach you the Naega-yosang Art, a technique the two of us created together.”

So they would teach me one of their sect’s secret martial arts, the Naega-yosang Art.

I had only been hoping for information, but it seemed they truly intended to pass down their martial skill.

Autor’s Note:

Readers often ask, “Why call it the Seven Venoms when it’s clearly the Eight?” or “Why leave out Seol, Bing, and Dong?”

That’s not because of a difference between Poison Arts and the Beast-Heart Technique.

It’s simply because So-ryong only counts the Ten Great Venomous Beasts as part of the tally.

Seol, Bing, and Dong are not among the Ten, so he doesn’t include them.

Since people keep asking whenever Seven or Eight Venoms are mentioned, I leave this note.