“Who is that?”

Gong Son Wu instead asked Na Rin as if it was strange.

“You know Ja Ryong but how do you not know Ja Maeng?”

Na Rin shrugged her shoulders and replied brazenly.

“History does not remember second place.”

“Is that something you should say in front of the Second Demon Under Heaven (天下第二魔)?”

Oops.

Na Rin scratched her head as if feeling embarrassed.

Gong Son Wu glanced at Na Rin as if saying he’ll see about that, and briefly explained about Dokgo Ja Maeng.

“Ja Maeng is the second son born exactly one day later than Ja Ryong. Although Ja Maeng is also outstanding in talent, he hardly had a chance to be recognized since Ja Ryong was right next to him.”

A common story.

Even in private schools, if there is a genius who takes first place in every exam, the talented student who always comes second is bound to sharpen their blade.

“Did he think he could become the Junior Sect Leader if only elder brother Ja Ryong disappeared?”

“Who knows. These days, I heard he’s enthusiastic about hunting and indulging in wine and women, so I thought he had already given up on the competition for Junior Sect Leader.”

This is also a common story.

If the rival is too great, you just throw down the brush and say, ‘Nah, I’m out!’

“Actually, it’s not right to only consider Ja Maeng as a strong candidate. Any of the Ma sons and daughters can have the ambition to become the Junior Sect Leader. Rather than Ja Maeng who has lost heart, it could be another sibling who is currently fired up.”

Na Rin let out a groaning sound.

According to Gong Son Wu’s words, there were as many as thirty-nine potential suspects.

“Sigh. Why was the Sect Leader so vigorous…”

“There are no words you can’t say.”

At that moment, Bi Cha, who had been listening quietly, gently opened his mouth.

“Then how about directly confirming it yourself?”

“What do you mean?”

“Later at the Ma Daughter Inauguration Ceremony. If you ask the Supreme One that you want to exchange greetings with the So Myeong Palace family members, he will likely not refuse.”

Oh. What a move.

“Ha! You talk well. It’s not like Na Rin has a blood eye, so how can she identify the culprit just by looking at some faces?”

Bi Cha’s suggestion sounded tempting to Na Rin, but apparently not so to Gong Son Wu.

Despite Gong Son Wu’s blunt rebuttal, Bi Cha responded unfazed.

“That’s why you need to have a conversation. In this case, you ask a decisive question and observe the reaction. If they act noticeably unnatural or hostile, you upgrade them from a suspect to a strong suspect.”

Certainly, even just doing that much could filter out quite a lot of people.

“Sounds like a good idea. We don’t have any other leads at the moment anyway.”

“Hmm.”

Gong Son Wu also had no particular reason to object other than the fact that it was Bi Cha who suggested it, so he kept his mouth shut.

Na Rin pondered for a moment and then said cautiously.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t usually say this, but please be more open-minded. Your disciple is worried you might grow old as a stubborn old man at this rate.”

“What do you mean?”

“Pfft!”

Bi Cha covered his mouth and wriggled his whole body to hold back his laughter from bursting out. Gong Son Wu couldn’t get angry at Na Rin who said something annoying but true, nor could he scold her, so he just glared at Bi Cha next to him for no reason.

“What’s so funny!”

“Puhahaha! Hak! Please don’t say anything for a moment! My stomach hurts so much I’m going to die! Puhahaha!”

Na Rin thought to herself.

‘Hearing the sound of laughter that could tear his stomach, he really is a man after all.’

“Aunt!”

A woman in red clothes ran out barefoot, dashing across the courtyard of Hyeolma Palace.

Her face was full of a wide smile, no different from when she was young, making a smile naturally form.

“How can the Palace Mistress be so reckless?”

“I knew you would say that, so I sent away all the watching eyes. Right now, I just want to be aunt and niece.”

“Your cuteness and worries have both increased. Very desirable.”

The aunt and niece greeted each other warmly.

Just looking at them was enough to make one feel pleased.

Even though those two held quite brutal positions as the Demon Empress and Blood Demon.

Inside Hyeolma Palace.

Demon Empress Yang Ju Ran naturally sat at the head seat, and Blood Demon Yang Ga Ho sat right next to her, carefully pouring tea and said,

“I thought you would watch the New Year’s Rite first and then go to Myeong Palace. Why did you visit Hyeolma Palace first? If I had known you were coming, I wouldn’t have neglected the reception.”

The Demon Empress took a sip of tea, put it down, and said,

“The New Year’s Rite that happens every year, what is there to see? My son is not at Myeong Palace either. It’s only natural to visit my maiden home first.”

Yang Ga Ho showed a slightly embarrassed smile and gestured to the maid to take away the teacup the Demon Empress had put down.

“It’s so nice that Hyeolma Palace remains the same.”

“You flatter me.”

“The problem is that it’s too much the same.”

At the mention of a problem, Yang Ga Ho unconsciously straightened her posture.

No matter how close they were, she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the highest elder of the Yang family.

“Ga Ho. You know what I’m trying to say, right?”

“Yes, Aunt.”

“Do you have any sisters? Any nephews of blood relation? Or are you going to end the Yang family line at this point?”

“That’s an absurd thing to say! How could I!”

“Then why is there no news of you bringing in a son-in-law!”

Bam!

As Yang Ju Ran slammed her palm on the table, cracks appeared with a cracking sound and the stone table collapsed, breaking in two.

In fact, it was not strange for Yang Ju Ran to urge this much.

The Yang family, which has inherited the name of the Blood Demon for generations, is a matrilineal family that brings in a son-in-law to continue the lineage.

Given the nature of Hyeolma Palace, which uses blood-based sorcery, the discontinuation of the family line was no different from the disappearance of the name Blood Demon itself.

“I don’t know who you have in mind to drag this out for so long, but women and men are different. Late childbirth is too fatal to a woman’s body. If you are reluctant to hold a wedding, you should at least receive the seed first and give birth to a daughter…”

“I understand. Demon Empress.”

“Really?”

Yang Ga Ho nodded her head vigorously.

In fact, she had been thinking about it since the last time she looked into the Blood Mirror with Na Rin’s blood.

When she instantly lost vitality and transformed into the appearance of an old woman, what Yang Ga Ho feared the most was that she was not prepared for death at all.

‘Dealing with divine objects like the Blood Mirror. I was too complacent.’

To be replaceable whenever she dies. For the Hyeolma Palace family to live with peace of mind. Yang Ga Ho had the duty to continue the lineage.

“I’m glad you gave a definite answer. I hope to hear good news the next time we meet.”

“I will do my best. Aunt.”

Yang Ju Ran smiled with satisfaction and gestured to the maid. It seemed she was in the mood to drink tea again.

“Speaking of which. When receiving the seed, make sure to choose an excellent man. I saw the youngest Ma Daughter’s procession today, and ha. It was so absurd. I’ve never seen such an ordinary Heavenly Demon bloodline in my life.”

“…Pardon?”

“I heard the mother was the daughter of a humble family. I don’t know what wind blew for the Sect Leader to move, but there was nothing to see, from beauty to physique. A match that mixed bland water into the great bloodline. Don’t take my words lightly and keep it in mind.”

Yang Ga Ho just listened to Yang Ju Ran’s words for a long time.

If she was talking about the youngest Ma Daughter, it had to be about Na Rin. But what Yang Ju Ran was saying did not match Na Rin at all.

“Could it be that you mistook her for another girl?”

“How could that be? She was riding a flower palanquin and passing Yeongmyeong Road. How could another girl sit in that place?”

Riding a flower palanquin and passing Yeongmyeong Road.

Then one had no choice but to think it was Na Rin.

Yang Ga Ho carefully asked,

“Did you happen to see the child’s hair?”

“Why the hair?”

With the reaction just shown, Yang Ga Ho was convinced.

Yang Ju Ran had never seen Na Rin.

“If you had seen the hair, you wouldn’t have been able to call her ordinary.”

“What do you…”

“Demon Empress. The youngest Ma Daughter has white hair.”

Yang Ju Ran’s pupils shook greatly.

“Did you just say… white hair?”

“Yes. Demon Empress. The youngest Ma Daughter definitely has white hair. The same snow-white hair as the Sect Leader.”

Yang Ju Ran tried to recall the appearance of the girl riding the flower palanquin once more.

Due to the stereotype, she had assumed the hair would be black, but in fact, the girl was wearing a fancy hat, so the hair was not clearly visible.

‘They must have deliberately put forward another child.’

But why?

Being selected as the priestess for the New Year’s Rite was something every Ma Daughter wanted.

Just by the fact that there has never been a Junior Sect Leader who did not preside over the New Year’s Rite or Harvest Festival in the long history of the Demon Cult, one could tell it was important.

To have someone else substitute for such an important matter.

“Are you well acquainted with the youngest Ma Daughter?”

“…”

Yang Ga Ho hesitated for a moment on what to answer, then opened her mouth again.

“I know a little more than what is known to the public.”

Yang Ju Ran’s eyebrows slightly furrowed at the more cautious answer than expected.

It’s not that she doesn’t want to know. She investigated but doesn’t know enough to claim to know her well.

“What kind of child is she?”

“She is an extraordinary child in many ways. From beauty to physique. There is nothing to criticize, and she is so intelligent that she can surpass adults.”

“Are you saying there are no errors in what is written in this article?”

Along with the question, Yang Ju Ran presented the feature article on Na Rin from the Heavenly Horse Daily.

Yang Ga Ho had also read that article before.

“There is exaggeration in the wording, but they did not write any nonexistent facts.”

“How absurd! Where did such a monster suddenly come from?”

“…”

Yang Ga Ho had heard a story from Gong Son Wu about Na Rin’s birth, but she did not bring it up. She remembered that Gong Son Wu was going to tell the Demon Empress himself.

“Hmm. I think I might know the reason for putting forward a substitute.”

“Do you have any speculations?”

“What else could it be other than trying to avoid the eyes of this Demon Empress? They must have intended to divert attention by disguising her as an utterly ordinary child.”

Yang Ga Ho did not understand Yang Ju Ran’s words for a moment, but she just listened as it was the words of an elder.

“With this, I know for sure. The youngest Ma Daughter does not want the support of Bukmansan. No, I should say she rejected it. Does she intend to oppose this Demon Empress? What a cute idea.”

“…”

Something seems to be going wrong.

‘The bad habit has taken over again.’

Yang Ju Ran had a personality flaw. A minor flaw that anyone could have, but her high status made it show its fangs.

Excessive self-consciousness.

She often mistook that all things in the world revolved around her.

She especially showed a strong reaction to unfavorable things, such as saying ‘Did you just badmouth this lady!’ when maids were talking among themselves, and had to discipline them even though it was unnecessary.

In fact, those maids were just sharing their impressions of the rice cakes they had as a snack, but they had to suffer a nasty fate for the crime of catching Yang Ju Ran’s attention.

“I should get up now.”

As Yang Ju Ran got up from her seat, Yang Ga Ho quickly followed and stood up.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to Myeong Palace. They won’t be able to put a substitute for the Ma Daughter Inauguration Ceremony even if they could for the New Year’s Rite.”

Yang Ju Ran’s eyes flashed sharply.

“I’ll have to see with my own eyes how extraordinary she is.”