The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family Chapter 156
Finally, the hour of the decisive battle had arrived.
Jin Yu-ri woke up at dawn and sprang up immediately.
“Ughhh…”
Hair, makeup, dress—there’s so much to do. If I want to get it all done, I have to start moving right now.
“No time to waste.”
While drinking water gulps, Jin Yu-ri quickly pulled herself together and headed to the bathroom with determination.
Yu-ri, known for her usual laziness, was up and about this early for one reason: Park Ki-hyuk. More specifically, a text message she received from “Mom,” Kim Yeon-hee.
– “I’ll do my best, Mommy♡”
Yu-ri, the aristocrats’ side wants to meet Ki-hyuk. Auntie knows how much you like her, right?
At first glance, the message seemed unrelated to anything, but Jin Yu-ri, who always understands Ki-hyuk’s hints perfectly, quickly caught the meaning behind it.
The aristocrats want to meet Ki-hyuk.
= They’re trying to mess with things.
Auntie knows how much you like her.
= Auntie trusts you.
“Of course, Mom. You can trust me.”
With a determined look, she slapped her wet cheeks in the mirror and lit up her combat spirit.
And all this heightened combat energy was going to…
“Mom! MOM!!”
…wake up her mother.
Jin Yu-ri shook Yoo Hae-ryun, who was still sleeping deep into the predawn hours, without any mercy.
It’s no surprise—Hae-ryun, after all, was used to living in the field, so she has sharp senses. Her eyes, hidden under the sleeping mask, were already open when Yu-ri opened the door.
“Mom! Get up!!”
She pulled the mask to the side and stared at her daughter.
“Why.”
“Mom, it’s time to wake up!”
“…”
Yoo Hae-ryun glanced at the clock.
5:55 AM. Incredible.
“Jin Yu-ri, what time is it?”
“Almost 6.”
“…Are you kidding?”
“Why would I kid about this? Listen, if we go out now to fix my hair, do my makeup, and shop for clothes, it’ll already be around 3 PM. We’re tight on time if we want to meet Spring when she takes Ki-hyuk. Mom, hurry up! You promised, remember!!”
“…”
Jin Yu-ri was right— Hae-ryun had indeed promised.
There was an important occasion, but she had absolutely nothing to wear. And there was no one else to go along, so she had simply asked, “Mom, could you come with me?”
Who could refuse that? Of course, she’d go along.
But…
Who would’ve thought she’d suggest going so early in the morning?
‘Will I k*ll her or let her live?’
Though the situation was exasperating and almost maddening, it was her own doing.
Bear with it, Hae-ryun. You have to endure.
“Alright. Go wait outside. I’ll get ready and come out.”
“Okay! I’ll just brush my teeth and wait! Anyway, we’re going to the shop, right? I’ll prepare everything beforehand~.”
“Alright.”
Yoo Hae-ryun’s expression was clearly asking “How far are we going today?” But does Jin Yu-ri care about such details?
Not a chance. So, off they went, mother and daughter, early in the morning from Jin Long Mountain.
“So… you mean, all of this is because of that text from the old lady?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Let me see. Let me check it out once.”
“Ah! Mom! Why do you want to look at someone else’s phone?”
“Tsk! How can I understand if I don’t look? Just wait a minute…”
Hae-ryun repeatedly said “just a minute” while insistently snatching her daughter’s phone.
“I’ll do my best, Mommy♡”…
She downed a bowl of Kimchi broth with a deep sigh. Truly, how did someone like her become so shameless?
“The content’s nothing special.”
“How about this? Did I have it right?”
“Yes.”
Though Jin Yu-ri suspected it purely based on intuition, Yoo Hae-ryun was familiar with Japan’s closed aristocratic culture.
“100% marriage alliance.”
“So it is! I said it smelled fishy!”
“That’s just how they work in Japan. They only trust their own family.”
“So they’re trying to tempt my Ki-hyuk?”
“From their perspective, he’s the best option.”
Currently, the Japanese aristocratic alliance in the country was in a precarious position, like a duck on a lonely river. In terms of four-character idioms, it’s a situation of being isolated with no assistance.
“They’ve abandoned all the family’s foundation in an unfamiliar land where they have no connections. It’s confusing, no matter how well they speak the language or how similar the cultures might be.”
“It isn’t confusing. Aren’t the aristocrats famous for being rich? If they have money, what’s the problem?”
“It’s not just about money. No matter how much wealth they have, that’s a standard for regular people. Will they be able to reclaim the prestige they once had ruling like kings? Moreover, in this hurried situation, they might not have properly organized their assets. If so, their situation must be truly dire.”
“So are you saying the solution to all this confusion is Park Ki-hyuk?”
“Ki-hyuk is a Sword Master.”
Jin Long and the Sword Master.
The representative bloodlines of Korea.
If they could forge a connection through bl**d ties, there’d be no issue in establishing a foundation.
“Ugh, why don’t they just go back to Japan? After all, the issue they faced was because of Celutis, and now that Celutis is gone, can’t they just go back?”
“Hm, you’re not wrong.”
But that’s not the right answer.
In Yoo Hae-ryun’s eyes, seeing the external affairs as the housekeeper of the Jin Long family, the resentment the Japanese people felt towards the aristocracy had already reached a peak.
It wasn’t as if the aristocrats were unaware. They probably thought that they could manage the local community thanks to their deep roots, blending discipline with rewards to control the situation.
But, how about now?
All their foundations have been shattered.
Can they return and reclaim their omnipotent power as they had before?
Certainly not easy.
“The things done by Celutis were merely a spark that ignited a long-simmering resentment. It’s all karmic retribution.”
Karmic retribution.
There’s no one for them to blame.
They reap what they have sown.
The cold expressions of Yoo Hae-ryun reflecting on the car window spoke volumes.
*
“We are the victims!”
“I truly do not understand. What have we done wrong so badly? Is having money a crime? Is being born into a bloodline a crime?”
Nonsense.
“Yes, it is infuriating to be born into such circumstances. But we’ve merely inherited the wealth passed down from our ancestors. Can’t we enjoy what we’ve been given? Isn’t that right?”
“What nonsense! Look how much the bloodlines do.”
Still nonsense.
“Correct! We contribute to national security and the development of superhumans. The bloodlines are the driving force behind the advancement of the superhuman industry.”
“Pathetic non-superhumans don’t understand that. Instead, they accuse us of greed while they, ironically, demand more from us with tiny tax contributions. That’s why it’s impossible to reason with those without roots. Ugh.”
“We believe that Mr. Park Ki-hyuk, as a member of the Sword Masters, will understand us better than anyone.”
Absolute nonsense all the way through.
Even while spewing nonsense, they expect agreement.
The people in front of me now are members of the aristocratic alliance. They claim to be high-ranking officials within the aristocratic alliance, grabbing onto me and venting their grievances about how “unjustly treated” they feel.
And the most stunning aspect at this moment is that they genuinely believe they’re completely in the right—even to the point of charging forward with unwavering conviction.
At this point, one can only feel sorry for the dogs.
This isn’t just my thought. Song Saebyeok, sitting beside me, feels the same way.
With sunglasses on, Saebyeok seems utterly fed up with the aristocratic alliance’s disgraceful behavior, which only reveals how disgraceful they truly are.
Apparently, they’ve followed through on their promise to show everything, even if it’s at their lowest point.
As their grievances continued, I was beginning to lose patience, wondering just how far they’d go, but fortunately, there were a few who knew when to stop.
The young man among them stood up.
“Alright, seniors. This is inappropriate. You’ve invited a guest and now you’re only speaking among yourselves. What a disgrace.”
I would’ve praised the quick-wittedness of this young man in normal circumstances, but given the situation, I couldn’t view him favorably. After all, he’s the current head of the Oni family, the family that abandoned Saebyeok’s mother.
In any case,
“Good job. You’re Oni Yoshinao, isn’t it? Thanks.”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
“Thanks aren’t necessary. I’ll see you separately later.”
“…?”
Leaving the puzzled young man behind, my eyes drift to the others.
There are elderly people, middle-aged women and men, someone looking like they’re in their thirties, even those somewhat in between. However, to me, they’re all the same.
Screwed-up individuals. Age means nothing to these screwed-up individuals.
“Are you done with your speeches?”
“…?”
“Are you done?”
“Um… Mr. Park Ki-hyuk, no matter what, talking down to someone isn’t proper…”
“Yes, age does matter, and speaking respectfully would be…”
“Ha?”
When they speak, it’s like a motor runs continuously, but now, they suddenly remember their manners with me. Is this Japanese etiquette, or the “common sense” among aristocrats?
If it’s the latter:
“Disgusting.”
“…!!”
“Let me ask you something. Aren’t you ashamed? Why are you so confident?”
Many misinterpret my fighting style as reckless, but I’m quite cautious. Before engaging in battle, I thoroughly investigate, identify allies and enemies, and if there’s an issue, I clearly judge the right and wrong before taking action.
From my perspective, the aristocratic alliance I’ve observed is:
Evil.
“You keep saying you’re the victims, but to me, you and Celutis are identical.”
Based on my extensive experience, it’s unnecessary to distinguish between degrees of bad guys. No matter what, bad guys are bad guys.
Whether it’s Celutis, who manipulates faith and belief to mock people,
or the aristocratic alliance that monopolizes power, money, and strength, exploiting others,
it’s all the same.
“What kind of nonsense is that!”
“We’ve finished speaking!”
“Nope, we haven’t even begun. Shut up and listen.”
During the journey from Fukuoka to Tokyo, not a single person in the areas we passed spoke kindly about the aristocrats.
Not a single one.
“Some people called you rulers. Others called you kings. Some even referred to you as ‘my lords.'”
“But there was one common theme that never got left out. That is…”
“You’re bastards.”
People claim they couldn’t talk back due to complaints. Even voicing concerns would mean risks—minor being ostracism, and major being unjust termination, threatening their livelihood.
Suppressing with force, using money to control—this was a despicable method.
I’ve seen numerous similar kinds of people. They’re exactly like the nobles of the old empire.
They despise and exploit the weak while groveling to those stronger than themselves.
They prove their superiority through the suffering of the weak, while hypocritically kowtowing to the powerful.
This is exactly what the old nobility was like, and this is why I despise the nobility.
“All the citizens stood up in hatred. Don’t you think some reflection is necessary?”
“Blame others, blame others. All of it is the fault of the foolish people. What did you just say? We’ve kept you afloat, yet people talk nonsense without understanding.”
“Is this the pride and honor you spoke of? Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Of course, there are honorable nobles.
There are those who know how to give, share, and fear people.
However, the ones sitting in front of me now are definitely not those people.
“You wouldn’t be sitting here if you were among them. You wouldn’t still be in Japan.”
“You all know too well that you won’t be welcomed if you return. So, you’re just biding your time here, waiting for things to calm down so you can return, right?”
“Why? Am I wrong? If I am, speak up. Let me hear your side.”
My merciless truth bomb left the room freezing cold.
At first, there were fervent objections and disagreements with what I said, but eventually, everyone just fell silent, listening to me.
They had no choice but to listen.
Because my mana was pressing down on them.
“Why am I even here? I’m curious about your true faces. I genuinely wanted to know what kind of people defecated all over Japan.”
“To be honest, I thought when you said you wanted to meet me, it was to apologize. How much have I suffered cleaning up after you? If you had any shame, you’d be down on your knees.”
“I came with those expectations, only to hear nothing but nonsense, nonsense… all of it nonsense. Ah, d*mn it, I’m getting angry.”
The anger mixed with sincerity sharpened my mana. The objects in the room began shaking, and eventually, even the furniture in the room was swaying.
Then a voice came from behind.
“Teacher.”
Hearing Song Saebyeok’s voice, I exaggeratedly sighed and retracted my mana.
Then,
“You. You stay. All of you leave.”
Everyone but one person was asked to leave.
Inside the room now remained only me, Saebyeok, and the one who had just been referred to as the head of the Oni family.
“Why do I have to stay…”
“Because… you still have to apologize.”
“Apologize, you mean…”
As I gestured with my eyes, Saebyeok removed his sunglasses. The man’s eyes widened in shock when he saw Saebyeok’s eyes, identical to his own.
An unusually black pupil.
It was the “Yoan” of the Oni family.
