Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

In So-ryong’s subconscious—where he remained unaware—three women were secretly conversing. And now, a voice filled with fury burst forth from among them.

“Is that true!?”

“...Yes.”

“What kind of ridiculous— Are you saying he really said that?”

“I’m furious! How could he!”

“Of course we’re angry. But everyone, please calm down first.”

“Do you think I can calm down right now!?”

Not all three were shouting.

Only the princess and Gun Hye-rin were seething. Hwa-eun, in contrast, remained composed.

There was a clear reason why those two were so enraged.

Last night, Hwa-eun had met with So-ryong to try helping them out.

Since So-ryong had practically zero interest in women, Hwa-eun decided to give the two a little push.

He’d leap out of bed for a spirit beast or venomous creature, but when it came to emotions, he wouldn’t notice even if they threw themselves at him. So she gave them a hand.

The three of them had agreed they were all aboard the same boat. Rather than fight out of jealousy, they would cooperate.

But the result had left the other two stunned and furious.

Because when So-ryong had been asked about the princess’s and Gun Hye-rin’s feelings... he’d said they were just side effects of the Beast-Heart Technique.

Of course they were pissed.

At first, hearing that they’d confessed their feelings directly to So-ryong was shocking. But the more she heard, the more Hwa-eun understood how it happened.

That frustrating obliviousness So-ryong displayed from time to time—it was in full force.

When it came to venomous beasts and spirit creatures, he was a genius. But when two women had clearly been pouring their hearts out right beside him, he treated it like it wasn’t even on the radar.

But to say those feelings were fake? That was crossing the line.

To say that their sincere hearts were just illusions caused by martial arts... That was more painful than outright rejection.

Because it wasn’t just their confession being denied—it was the existence of their love being invalidated.

Being told your most precious feelings are artificial? Of course that would make you furious.

“I’ll go to him right now and rip open my chest to show him what’s in my heart!”

Gun Hye-rin shouted, charging toward the sleeping So-ryong, threatening to slice open her own chest if that’s what it took to prove her feelings.

If she could expose the truth within her heart—the raw emotion she felt for So-ryong—she’d have no problem cutting open her chest. Hell, she’d cut her own neck if she had to.

“Miss Gun! Princess! Stop her!”

“She’s pulling me with her!”

The princess grabbed onto Gun Hye-rin’s legs, clinging desperately, while Hwa-eun lunged and barely caught her around the waist, yelling out,

“Calm down! If you cut open your chest, you’ll die! And besides, So-ryong likes big chests—if you leave a scar, he’ll probably dislike you even more!”

Dragged along with her, Hwa-eun finally said the magic words. At the mention of So-ryong disliking damaged breasts, Gun Hye-rin froze.

With a disbelieving look, she asked,

“R-really?”

“Yes. I mean, the whole reason I transformed my body was to get bigger breasts—So-ryong’s the one who made them grow. If I sliced them open and ended up with half a chest, he’d definitely love me half as much.”

“He already likes me less than a venomous beast... and now I’m supposed to be half that? Ngh...”

Gun Hye-rin groaned as she looked down at her own chest.

It wasn’t that they were small.

Sure, they were currently wrapped in cloth, but once that came off, they weren’t that small.

Not bigger than Hwa-eun’s, maybe, and they had shrunk a bit during her Bone-Shedding and Marrow-Cleansing, which left her a bit anxious...

But the point was, right now, there was no way to prove their sincerity.

The princess straightened herself and asked,

“So what exactly did he say he’d do about our ‘condition’?”

“Well... he said he’d gather the Ten Great Venom Beasts, reach the Life-and-Death Stage, and then try to ‘cure’ us...”

At that, Gun Hye-rin muttered,

“So we should sabotage his beast gathering?”

She seriously considered whether they should prevent him from completing the Ten Great Venoms.

Because if he did gather them, he’d try to “treat” their condition.

And if someone tries to treat your genuine feelings like they’re a disease, how could you not be infuriated?

But the princess shook her head.

That would be the worst option.

“No, we should help him finish as fast as possible. If he gathers the Ten Venoms and tries to treat us but nothing changes, he’ll realize our feelings are real. We have to help him finish quickly.”

“You’re right. We should make him complete the collection as soon as possible.”

Yes. The princess was absolutely right.

If he attempted the treatment and it failed, he’d have no choice but to acknowledge their feelings as genuine.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

But then Gun Hye-rin, who had also been nodding along, suddenly caught the flaw in the plan.

“But wait. What if he can’t gather all ten? What then? There’s no guarantee they’ll keep appearing like they have so far, right?”

Exactly. What if he never completes the collection?

Were they supposed to just wait forever?

Sure, it might happen tomorrow... but it could also take ten, twenty years.

Spirit beasts weren’t something you just stumbled across—or captured easily.

Even if her instincts were a bit dulled by not being at So-ryong’s side, she knew full well how rare they were. Most people never encountered even one in their whole lives.

“Well, that’s true. But So-ryong’s luck isn’t normal. I’m sure he’ll finish soon,” Hwa-eun offered.

But Gun Hye-rin shook her head.

She couldn’t rely on uncertain luck.

She was from the Heavenly Demon Cult—someone who carved her own path with power.

She wanted to claim what she desired.

Even if that hadn’t been going well so far.

“I won’t rely on luck alone. We need a plan.”

“Hm... you’re right. There must be something we can do.”

“Right...”

The three of them sat deep in thought.

Then suddenly, Hwa-eun sprang to her feet.

“Ah!”

Her expression and voice made it clear—she had remembered something.

Gun Hye-rin and the princess both leapt up with her.

“What is it? Did you think of something?”

“Do you have a plan?”

To Gun Hye-rin’s question, Hwa-eun nodded brightly.

She’d remembered something So-ryong said just the night before—a small detail that could crack the case wide open.

With this method, they’d be sure.

“So-ryong said this to me yesterday: ‘Responsibility? Just the thought of it makes me sick. It’s not like I have to take responsibility just because I saw someone naked.’”

Hehe.

At that line, the princess and Gun Hye-rin’s eyes widened.

Wasn’t this... absurdly simple?

“If he said it himself, then he won’t go back on it.”

After all, a true man does not speak twice with the same mouth.

“I’ll strip and sneak into So-ryong’s bed right now!”

“It really is that simple, isn’t it? It’s a body I’ll have to show my husband eventually anyway. No harm in showing it a little early. Let’s go, Gun Hye-rin. I’ll yield the order to you.”

Gun Hye-rin and the princess looked ready to strip and charge into So-ryong’s sleeping quarters at once, but Hwa-eun quickly grabbed both their arms and stopped them.

“P-please calm down, both of you! That method won’t work!”

“It won’t?”

“Of course not!”

Traditionally, if a woman showed her naked body and the man refused to take responsibility, it was the woman who bore shame and would have to commit suicide.

Because her chastity had been ruined by a man.

So if a man ignored a woman after seeing her body, it was considered as good as driving her to death. That’s why the righteous thing to do was to take responsibility.

Of course, not every man took responsibility for seeing a woman’s naked body, and not every woman demanded it either.

A martial artist could avenge her honor by killing the man instead. Or they might simply chalk it up to bad luck and keep it a secret between the two.

In short, it was a somewhat outdated way of thinking derived from Confucian ideals. But if So-ryong himself held that mindset, then this method would’ve worked best.

He’d even said so out loud, so there shouldn’t have been a problem. And yet—why wasn’t it working?

The two looked confused, so Hwa-eun wagged her finger and explained, like she was teaching children.

“Think about it. Right now, So-ryong believes your feelings for him are fake—just a side effect of the Beast-Heart Technique.”

“Yes. That part makes me furious, but we’re aware.”

“Right, we heard that already.”

“Now imagine—if, in that state, you suddenly show him your naked body and demand he take responsibility. Don’t you think he’ll blame it on the technique?”

He’d say the technique had intensified your fake feelings, leading to bizarre behavior.

Just like Hwa-eun said—if they went and exposed themselves now, So-ryong would just assume it was the fake emotions from the Beast-Heart Technique acting up again.

Suddenly, two perfectly normal women stripping and demanding he take responsibility?

No one in their right mind would see that as normal. Of course he’d think they’d gone mad.

“It’s clear these ladies are suffering from emotional instability. I’ll treat them... Could we perhaps erase their memories?”

Just imagining that made them shudder.

“Urgh. You’re right.”

“Damn it. She’s right.”

Hwa-eun had nailed it.

After a moment of silent frustration, the princess asked,

“Then what do we do? Should we make it look like an accident?”

“That’s it! We need to accidentally show him our bodies!”

As soon as the princess suggested showing their naked bodies by coincidence, Gun Hye-rin perked up.

But Hwa-eun frowned and asked,

“And how exactly do you plan to make that ‘accident’ happen?”

“Hmm... Like, being caught while changing clothes? Or while bathing?”

“Can you actually do that?”

Faced with Hwa-eun’s question, Gun Hye-rin and the princess looked at each other.

They were trying to come up with ways to ‘accidentally’ reveal themselves, but in all honesty—they weren’t confident.

“Hmm... I’m not sure I can do that.”

“Me neither.”

Faking an accident to show their naked bodies wasn’t going to be easy.

Even when they were traveling together, they’d always wash and change clothes in separate places, and there were always children around watching.

Slipping past the kids and exposing themselves to So-ryong by accident was practically impossible.

And suddenly appearing from somewhere, or him waking ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) up with a naked woman beside him? That wouldn’t feel like an accident—it would feel off.

He would definitely feel something was wrong.

“Then what? This plan sucks too?”

Gun Hye-rin muttered irritably.

Just then, Hwa-eun smiled.