/
Purple Clouds (2)
The Lesser Dragon was a supernatural being who went through long training to become a dragon but failed to reach the end. Young-no was one such being.
“My ex-husband was a Lesser Dragon who failed to ascend before me. And after a lot of training, I was on the verge of ascension. Was it because he was jealous, or did that man covet my Dragon Orb? In the end, he died by my hand. Then I also failed to ascend in the aftermath and fell like this. Well, it was all a long time ago.”
Young-no’s smile deepened. He thought it was just snakeskin, but was it the skin of a Lesser Dragon? Kim Bongpal looked at Young-no and asked.
“That’s enough with the small talk. I heard I could get information about the Celestial Demon Cult if I came here. And that I could entrust you with a request.”
“Oh. You’re already at that point, and you’re hasty. Is that why you killed the Blood Master?”
Young-no asked with a strange smile. She seemed to know him, but Kim Bongpal didn’t feel strange about it. He would have been disappointed if it had been the other way around. If this place was dealing with information, it was probably right for them to know his true identity.
“Right. I killed him for his arrogant gaze, and that’s why I like the hospitality here.”
Kim Bongpal said so after glancing at the table in front of him. It wasn’t like how this place was supposed to be, where female supernatural beings came out and poured drinks for him, but Kim Bongpal was facing a good dish for the first time since coming to the Shire. He didn’t know its name, but the dishes looked tasty.
As if she had guessed that Kim Bongpal and Maya would be looking for her, freshly prepared meals were set for three people at the table.
“What? Hmmm. Celestial Demon Cult, huh? I was curious since I couldn’t find anything about you in Moorim
so, it seems you’re from another new world, right?”
However, Kim Bongpal never touched the tableware, and he couldn’t ignore her next words.
“
How did you know?”
“You didn’t want to find out about that place just because you were curious, did you? The people brought in by the Shadowless Squad of the Celestial Demon Cult aren’t from Lupaine or Moorim. You’re looking for them?”
“
”
No matter how trivial information was to most, it was money for intelligence organizations. Kim Bongpal thought Young-no mentioned the Shadowless Squad intentionally. It was a sign of goodwill.
Or maybe that was how close she was to Maya. Of course, the fact that Kim Bongpal came from another new world was also a piece of information, so in a way, it was a fair exchange.
“What do you want? Their current location? Or if they’re alive?”
“I know she’s alive, so it’s okay.”
Kim Bongpal paused for a moment to think about what he should do. First, he’d find Seo Hayeon and, if possible, kill her kidnappers.
“The location, a way to get out, and which bastards did it? The Shadowless Squad? Is it those bastards?”
“Are you going to take revenge on the Celestial Demon Cult? Is it ignorance or confidence? I’m not sure.”
“Well, you can think of it as both. I met a few Otherworlders, and they all died when I cut off their head. I think the bastards from the Shadowless Squad are the same.”
Young-no smiled softly at Kim Bongpal’s boast. Not only in the Shire but anywhere in Moorim, there were only a few people who would lightly mention the Shadowless Squad. However, Kim Bongpal was included in those ranks. This man killed Shi Wu-yuan, the Blood Master of Dreimoor, and a bunch of vampires.
Young-no knew that, too.
“However, unlike the vampires you encountered last time, you won’t have to cut them multiple times. After all, nothing in the martial arts of Celestial Demon Cult enhances the ability to regenerate.”
Kim Bongpal’s eyebrows twitched.
‘But I clearly felt no sign of her presence.’
Kim Bongpal would have noticed if someone watched the battle with the vampires unless they were transcendental. If so, it meant they had another information collection method. Of course, Kim Bongpal didn’t feel particularly offended by Young-no’s knowledge of his whereabouts.
On the contrary, he felt a sense of trust in the ability of this group called the Frail Night Sect.
“I’m glad. Anyway, there is a woman who uses a sword among the people they take. She’s a human woman in her twenties, and her face looks like this.”
“Oh. What an interesting magic tool.”
When Kim Bongpal handed over his smartwatch with a picture of Seo Hayeon, Young-no fiddled with it in wonder.
“How much is required for your information? This is all I have now.”
With those words, Kim Bongpal took out his subspace bag and temporarily handed over the ownership of it to Young-no so that she could see what was inside. The Mana Stones he obtained from Dreimoor, the Great Spirit Pill, and even what he took from the vampires. If that wasn’t enough, he thought to find some work in Purple Clouds.
But fortunately, that didn’t happen.
“It’s fine. How can I get paid? I have received so much help from Maya’s mother.”
“
?”
“If I think about what would have happened without her help when my Dragon Orb was broken
.”
“What does this have to do with that?”
Kim Bongpal asked Young-no with a puzzled look. It felt like something wasn’t right with the flow of the conversation, but Young-no answered that question as if it was natural.
“I mean, I cannot receive money from a human who will become Maya’s husband.”
“
?”
What nonsense was this woman speaking?
“What kind of bullshit are you talking about?”
“Oh. Aren’t you?”
Young-no continued, pointing to Kim Bongpal’s black robe, the clothes made from her ex-husband’s skin.
“Because it was a gift I gave Maya’s mother to use as a wedding gift for Maya
.”
Kim Bongpal frowned, then he turned to Maya next to him. Young-no looked at Maya in the same way.
“Hmm?”

To Maya, who was frantically eating the food prepared by Young-no.
“Oh. So cute.”
“Uhm? Uh-um-yum(You called me)?”
“No. You eat a lot.”
“Uhm!”
As if she hadn’t heard what the two were talking about, Maya nodded vigorously and then began focusing on the food again. Kim Bongpal looked back at Young-no.
“
I should marry a child who doesn’t know that she has to swallow everything she chews before talking?”
“Haha. But isn’t she cute?”
Was everyone in the world weak against cute things? He thought so, but Kim Bongpal did not dare mention it.
“Maya, before she lost her power, was beautiful, but she still has her own charm. Ah! You are attractive, too. To be honest, I prefer rough men.”
“
That’s too bad. My taste is far from yours.”
“Oh, what a pity.”
Kim Bongpal snorted. Contrary to what she said, Young-no didn’t look sad at all. However, it was true that Young-no was actually attracted to Kim Bongpal.
A Lesser Dragon who dreamed of becoming a dragon even though she couldn’t ascend was attracted to a mere human? It could be said that Kim Bongpal, as Young-no saw, was no ordinary human. Young-no didn’t feel anything special about Kim Bongpal’s body as Johan and Maya did, and Maya’s sorcery had completely hidden him. However, a single skill remained for the Lesser Dragon, who had glimpsed transcendence.
That told Young-no about the strange danger in the man in front of her. Her instincts were screaming at the good and ill feelings he emanated, telling her to focus on the former.
Young-no said with a deep smile.
“Okay, I won’t accept your payment anyway. In fact, it’s hard to pay for it in the first place.”
Young-no said so and handed the subspace bag back to Kim Bongpal.
“It’s my pure kindness not to accept the payment, and I hope it will be a good impression on you.”
“A good impression?”
“Yes. Not only me but all the supernatural beings belonging to Frail Night Sect. When you can afford it one day, I ask you to look after us at least once.”
“I can’t say for sure. I plan to leave here as soon as I find her.”
“You may as well. I mean, one day
one day is enough. Anyway, until I get the information you requested
15 days, I think I’ll need about that long.”
Fifteen days. Considering that the opponent was the Celestial Demon Cult, it was a short time. But to Kim Bongpal, even fifteen days felt long.
“Fifteen days? It takes that long?”
“It can’t be helped, and it’s not easy for us to extract information about the Celestial Demon Cult. By the way, you can stay here for that time. What would you like to do?”
“
No, I will find a separate accommodation.”
Kim Bongpal rejected Young-no’s offer. He didn’t care about where he slept, but
it didn’t feel right to stay at a brothel that long. Then Maya looked at Kim Bongpal and spoke, fortunately after swallowing all the food she was chewing.
“Huh? Why? This place is good.”
“Then you can stay here alone.”
Kim Bongpal stood up.
“Should I come back here at the same time?”
“I will send you a separate message, so please return then.”
“Wait!”
Maya grabbed one of Kim Bongpal’s arms. Kim Bongpal turned to face her.
“Can’t we just go after I eat this? I haven’t finished it yet
.”
Kim Bongpal did not respond. Of course, he also didn’t wait for Maya.
* * *
After leaving the brothel, Kim Bongpal found a separate accommodation and was now having dinner there.
“Ew. It tastes awful.”
“
”
“Sister Young-no’s food was delicious
.”
Maya continued to grumble. However, Kim Bongpal, who had already finished eating, was lost in thought with his eyes closed.
15 days. In a way, it was like his first break since he came to the Shire. For that time, he wouldn’t be in a rush or need to be caught up in frivolous fights.
In the meantime, Kim Bongpal thought of checking his power again. He needed to re-examine the martial arts books he had learned and to think about the wall or whatever he needed to cross for transcendence.
According to Maya, only a few people had reached the point of transcendence even in the vast Shire, but there were four he’d heard of so far. The Leader of the Evil Alliance, Monstrous Immortal, Wargen, and the Celestial Demon. Some of them weren’t truly Transcendent, but Kim Bongpal didn’t like the fact that there were four people better than him.
Besides, one was an opponent he would have to face someday. Therefore, Kim Bongpal also needed to be strong. It wasn’t that he craved power but was interested in becoming stronger.
Above all-
‘The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get.’
Having to avoid someone, and how he couldn’t attack right away even though he knew where Seo Hayeon was. All of that was difficult for Kim Bongpal to bear.
So during those 15 days, Kim Bongpal thought of doing extensive training for the first time in his life.