The Terminally-Ill Side-Character Inside of a Martial Arts Novel

When I was lying quietly on the bed resting, someone knocked on the door.

Tap, tap, at the faint sound, I responded in a small voice, and the door opened to reveal a cute, unfamiliar face.

She came in and calmly bowed before speaking.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Miss Moyong Sowol. I’m Joo Hwarin, your maid.”

How old is she? She must be around fourteen, fifteen at most.

Her small face with big round eyes was adorable. While lying on the bed, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I am Moyong Sowol.”

In response to my answer, Joo Hwarin lifted her bowed waist and looked at me calmly.

“I’ll do my best to make you comfortable in the future.”

Seeing her cute demeanor, a smile naturally formed on my face. I shifted my body, leaned against the wall, and took a deep breath.

This is tiring too. My body is definitely not what it used to be.

I lowered my gaze, staring at my trembling hands, then turned my head.

Joo Hwarin, standing awkwardly and pondering what to do, shifted her gaze around until it met mine, then quickly moved her legs.

I said with a faint smile because probably she was unfamiliar with my appearance.

“It hasn’t been long since you became a maid, right?”

“I just heard about it yesterday, so it’s still awkward… But don’t worry! I’ll do my best to assist you.”

Her clenched fists and tight-lipped determination seemed quite resolute. I couldn’t help but smile at her passionate and cute appearance.

As I chuckled softly, Joo Hwarin blushed as if embarrassed. I pointed to the empty chair.

“Please sit. Since the room was already cleaned up, there’s nothing for you to clean.”

“But how can I…”

“Don’t you know how? Bend your knees, push your waist back slightly, and gently sit on the chair by taking your weight off your hips. Easy, right?”

“…I know that.”

As I teased Joo Hwarin playfully, she hesitated and then approached slowly with her lips pouting.

After sitting down slowly, she glanced at me before quickly averting her gaze. With a slight smile, I opened my mouth.

“How old are you?”

“I’m fourteen.”

As expected. Still quite young. But isn’t she too young? When I was at Moyong clan, most of the servants were adults, so I didn’t realize that there were teenagers as well, especially fourteen-year-olds…

“Aren’t you too young to be a maid?”

“It’s early for me, but there are issues at home…”

Is it a family matter?

It was bitter. It’s sad that a young girl has to be the breadwinner. And it’s even more heartbreaking to accept it nonchalantly and talk about it casually.

I closed my mouth while looking at her disdainfully. It was difficult to speak easily, so silence lingered.

Meanwhile, Joo Hwarin also glanced awkwardly, rolling her eyes as if considering something. When she caught my gaze, something suddenly occurred to me.

The Joo family… Now that I think about it, just as there are Five Great Clans in the Righteous Sect, there must have been influential families in the Demon Cults as well.

Among them, there seemed to be the Joo family… But it couldn’t be, right? A member of the Joo family would hardly engage in my maid’s duties…

I stared at her intently. She seemed too young and excessively fair-skinned to engage in such work.

It felt like she had grown up very delicately, as if she had never experienced anything like this. Moreover, her clothes didn’t seem like maid attire, and the fabric felt fine and expensive.

Narrowing my eyes, I scanned Joo Hwarin’s body, then finally looked into her eyes.

As my gaze made her uncomfortable, just as she was about to open her mouth with a hesitant expression, my voice popped out first.

“By any chance, Joo Hwarin, are you from the Joo family, the Blood Soaked Joo clan?”

“Yes? Oh, yes. That’s right, Miss.”

“…That’s right?”

“Yes. I’m the youngest of the Blood Soaked Joo clan.”

Her casual response made my brow furrow. Joo Hwarin tilted her head as if asking what’s the matter, but I couldn’t muster any response.

I raised my head and leaned it against the wall, closing my eyes.

The Blood Soaked Joo clan. They were the only ones in the Demon Cult who used martial arts instead of blades and swords.

While others would cut through enemies’ flesh with sharp blades, they shattered bones and destroyed limbs. Because of this, their hands were often soaked in blood, earning them the nickname ‘Blood Soaked.’

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

They were known for their brutal and ruthless martial arts, and the heads of influential clans were often quite powerful figures in the Demon Cult. And Joo Hwarin was the youngest of that bloody family.

It was perplexing. I had imagined a girl from a poor and unfortunate family taking on the responsibilities of a maid. But that wasn’t the case. Why would the youngest of the Blood Soaked family be serving me?

As I opened my eyes and looked at Joo Hwarin, she hesitantly spoke in a cautious tone as if she had been waiting.

“…Miss, by any chance, do you not like me?”

“It’s not that. It’s just awkward for the youngest of the Blood Soaked Joo clan to serve me.”

If she were to return to her clan, she would live as a miss and be served. A child like her, serving beside me…

Something felt wrong. And perhaps sensing my thoughts, Joo Hwarin immediately spoke up.

“You don’t need to worry about that, Miss. Serving the person who will become the wife of the Young Cult Leader is a meaningful task for me and an honor to my family. So please don’t worry too much.”

‘Don’t worry,’ she said, but how could I not worry? After a moment of silence and contemplation, I slowly nodded.

Only then did Joo Hwarin’s stiff expression soften, and she let out a gentle, relieved laugh. Perhaps because she was still young. Her pink cheeks, glowing like ripe peaches against her fair complexion, were fragrant and sweet.

To ask such a child to serve… It made me feel guilty. I let out a small sigh before slowly speaking up.

“Joo Hwarin, do you happen to know anything about our schedule for the nearest future?”

“As far as I know, Miss, you’re here to rest for the time being.”

“Anything else? Like meeting someone or having meals, you know, that sort of thing.”

Joo Hwarin shook her head.

“The Young Cult Leader has canceled everything.”

“…Canceled?”

“Yes. Actually, starting today, the schedules to meet the heads of each clan and the elders of the Demon Cult were all filled. But the Young Cult Leader deemed those schedules unnecessary and canceled them all. So, for the time being, you can rest comfortably.”

At her words, I hesitated for a moment before urgently speaking up.

“But is that really okay?”

At my question, Joo Hwarin chuckled and then casually replied after a brief pause.

“There might be some backlash. Most of the clan heads and elders have eccentric personalities, so there’s a high chance of getting caught up in trivial matters. Of course, they won’t openly oppose the Young Cult Leader’s orders, but I think there will be some discussions later.”

“Haa…”

This useless body. Why did it have to collapse at such a crucial moment and worsen the situation?

I don’t desire admiration from others, but I didn’t plan to spend the remaining six months in agony either.

As I gnawed on my lips, Joo Hwarin’s mouth opened once again.

“But you don’t need to worry about it.”

When I turned my head, she gave me a pure smile.

“After all, the Young Cult Leader Hyuk Dojin is here.”

“But…”

“I don’t know what Miss may think, but people are afraid of him not just because he is the Cult Leader’s son. Despite his young age, he has reached a level that few can reach even in the Demon Cult, and he is considered capable of breaking through the walls of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult that haven’t been crossed for a long time. So even if someone has complaints, no one can speak out against him.”

Joo Hwarin smiled calmly.

“That’s right. Power is the law, and in the Demon Cult, the only person who can go against the Young Cult Leader’s words is the Cult Leader.”

* * *

Hyuk Dojin glanced at the man sitting in front of him, scratching his chin before narrowing his brows. The mild-looking man subtly smiled at Hyuk Dojin’s change of expression.

Hyuk Dojin clicked his tongue slightly, displeased with his smile.

“So, you found nothing… Is that so, Joo Jonghak?”

Joo Jonghak, the head of the Blood Soaked clan.

Joo Jonghak, with his gentle nature, always wore a slight smile on his lips. Because of that, people gave him the nickname ‘subtle’, but Hyuk Dojin always thought it was absurd. 

Calling a man who brutally peeled off people’s skins with his bare hands ‘subtle’?

Hyuk Dojin argued that people spread such nonsense because they hadn’t seen Joo Jonghak’s true face, but Joo Jonghak seemed indifferent whether they did or not.

“For now, yes, Young Cult Leader. Haven’t you summoned Hwa Ui to check the blood yesterday? Although Hwa Ui, the most famous doctor in the world, examined young lady Moyong Sowol for poisoning or other injuries, he confirmed it wasn’t the case. Didn’t the Young Cult Leader confirm it too?”

Last night and this morning, Hyuk Dojin had infused his inner energy to examine Moyong Sowol’s physical condition. Moyong Sowol’s body was clean. There wasn’t a single issue to be concerned about.

But Moyong Sowol collapsed and bled. What could be the reason?

“Perhaps it’ll be difficult to find out unless the Moyong clan provides an answer. Or… ask young lady Moyong Sowol.”

As Joo Jonghak spoke, he chuckled with interest, tapping the armrest with his fingers. He sat back, lowering his gaze and speaking quietly.

“By the way, it’s fascinating. Pure white hair. Not even an old man, but I’ve never seen such snowy white hair. I’ve seen countless colored people, but never someone with hair like that. And to have fairer skin than colored people… Haha, it’s amusing.”

“Are you laughing now?”

Hyuk Dojin frowned at Joo Jonghak’s laughter. As Hyuk Dojin growled lowly, Joo Jonghak closed his mouth tightly and bowed his head.

Seemingly displeased, Hyuk Dojin clicked his tongue, leaned back and sighed.

“Joo Hwarin was assigned as a maid, Joo Jonghak.”

“She’s a quick-witted kid. She should be able to serve well. And besides…”

“She’s immune to poison as well.”

At Hyuk Dojin’s words, Joo Jonghak smiled faintly again.

It was unknown to others, but Joo Hwarin was a somewhat special child. Born with innate immunity to all poisons, nothing affected Joo Hwarin.

“I think Joo Hwarin will become a shield for Moyong Sowol.”

Hyuk Dojin turned his gaze away silently. He had told her there would be no problem, but in fact, the atmosphere within the cult was currently tense.

Many were outraged that the position of the wife of the next Cult Leader was occupied by a woman from the Righteous Sect.

Even if he was the Young Cult Leader who was above them all, he couldn’t control everyone.

She was a woman who had a nosebleed and collapsed, saying she was tired, and she slept all day. Even if a small amount of poison entered her body, she might not be able to wake up for the rest of her life.

To Moyong Sowol, this place was infested with enemies. She was nothing but a butterfly caught in a web spun by poisonous spiders.

Looking at Hyuk Dojin, who was organizing his thoughts, Joo Jonghak spoke up.

“But it’s still surprising, isn’t it?”

Hyuk Dojin raised his head to look at Joo Jonghak.

“You seem rather interested, despite appearing to have no concern, don’t you?”

In Moyong Sowol.

The existence of Moyong Sowol was nothing more or less than a tool to be used briefly, according to the man who drew the line.

But as soon as Moyong Sowol arrived, Hyuk Dojin urgently began gathering information about her. To Joo Jonghak, who had always seen Hyuk Dojin as quiet, this was unfamiliar.

Hyuk Dojin looked directly at Joo Jonghak with a subtle gaze, then lifted his chin and slowly spoke.

“Why.”

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly upward.

“Isn’t it not allowed then?”