CHAPTER 216: SERPENT’S HEAD (9)

“I apologize, I apologize, I apologize!”

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The woman slammed her forehead into the ground hard enough to break through it.

Kwon Oh-Jin swallowed nervously as he looked down at Cassia, who trembled violently as she pressed her head to the floor.

They say the Serpens Queen fanatically worships the Heavenly Demon.

If that was true, did she genuinely believe that he was the Heavenly Demon?

But why?

Sure, it would’ve made sense in the past timeline. However, he didn’t possess great power deserving of such a lofty title in this life, nor had he done anything to earn it.

According to Isabella, the Heavenly Demon was a transcendent being who created the Black Star Celestials. Cassia had just witnessed him nearly getting killed by the Star Spirit, who had inherited the fragment of a Black Star Celestial’s soul. Why would she make such a ridiculous assumption?

Wait a minute, no way...

Kwon Oh-Jin placed a hand over his left chest where the Black Heaven rested. Could it be that she mistook him for the Heavenly Demon because of it?

No, that doesn’t make sense.

If she confused him with the Heavenly Demon because of the Black Heaven, then that would mean the Heavenly Demon also possessed the Black Heaven.

So... there’s not only one Black Heaven, but two?

What was going on? Kwon Oh-Jin continued to think as he bit his lip.

So does that mean I only have half of the Black Heaven, and the other half belongs to the Heavenly Demon? Am I the Heavenly Demon’s reincarnation or something? Or maybe it wasn’t me who destroyed the world in my past life, but the actual Heavenly Demon?

Kwon Oh-Jin shook his head.

No.

Whatever theory he came up with at this stage was a wild guess.

Don’t think about it.

In situations like this, indulging in speculation only led to the most plausible theory being mistaken for truth. He had seen it happen too many times. People trapped themselves in their own assumptions, unable to consider any other possibility.

That’s not what matters right now.

Kwon Oh-Jin turned to Cassia, who was still lying flat on the ground with her head bowed low. While he was deep in thought, she hadn’t stopped banging her head against the ground.

Anyway, the fact is that she thinks I’m the Heavenly Demon.

Kwon Oh-Jin smirked as he recalled the first time he met Vega.

“Raise your head,” he bluntly said while coldly looking down at the Serpens Queen.

“Yes, my lord, Heavenly Demon.” Cassia slowly raised her head from where she had been pounding it against the ground like a hammer on a nail.

Despite the force she had used, not a single wound could be seen on her fair forehead.

“Ah... Heavenly Demon...” She trembled as she made eye contact with him.

What filled her emerald eyes wasn’t affection or loyalty, but a fanatical faith with unfathomable depths. She looked up at him with the reverence of someone seeing a real God.

“How did you find me?” he asked.

“I first caught a trace of you at the docks.”

The docks?

Kwon Oh-Jin let out a short breath of surprise.

The Living Armor.

Maybe the Black Heaven’s energy had leaked out when he destroyed the creature she had created.

“At first, I wasn’t sure. Now, I know.” Cassia, still on her knees, began crawling toward him. “You’re the one... The Heavenly Demon I’ve been desperately searching for.”

With a radiant smile on her face, she kissed the top of his shoe. Feeling the soft sensation through his shoe, Kwon Oh-Jin swallowed again as cold sweat trickled down his spine.

Shit.

The situation was the same as with Vega, but the difficulty of it was something else entirely.

I think there’s something wrong with her head.

He heard the Serpens Queen was insane, but he hadn’t expected it to be this extreme. Regardless, standing still like this started to feel awkward and uncomfortable. He looked down at Cassia as she kissed his shoe.

“How dare you kiss me without my permission?” he scolded her.

“A-Ah! Forgive me, my lord!” Cassia hurriedly raised her head and returned to a kneeling posture.

With a deeply anxious expression, she bit her nails nervously. She looked like a soldier who had just accidentally shredded top-secret military documents.

W-Was I too harsh?

Kwon Oh-Jin nervously watched her. She acted all reverent now and called him Heavenly Demon, but she likely knew better than anyone that she was far stronger.

I have to do something.

He had to disarm the bomb that could go off at any moment.

“Stand up.”

“Y-Yes!” Cassia sprang to her feet.

Despite her slender build, she wasn’t particularly short.

Kwon Oh-Jin slowly extended a hand toward her.

“Hhk!” Cassia shut her eyes tightly.

Did she think he would slap her or something?

Kwon Oh-Jin lightly brushed off the dirt clinging to her forehead.

“Ah.”

“Hold still.”

Then, he dusted off the dirt from her knees as well.

“Ahh... T-The Heavenly Demon is touching this lowly servant...” Cassia trembled as her face filled with awe.

Without warning, she dropped to her knees and slammed her forehead to the ground again.

Thud!

“T-Thank you for your boundless grace!”

Seriously? I just brushed you off.

“Stand up.”

“Yes, my lord!” Cassia quickly stood up and looked at him with her sparkling emerald eyes, full of anticipation.

Kwon Oh-Jin continued without brushing the dust off of her this time. “You haven’t forgotten our goal, have you?”

“Ah, of course not, Heavenly Demon.”

Really? Because I have no idea what it is.

“Then say it.”

“To devour all those arrogant stars scattered across the night sky and turn it pitch black. That is the Heavenly Demon’s grand plan.”

I see. Well, that’s new to me. Wait, no—it’s not entirely new.

He immediately dismissed it as crazy nonsense, but began to understand.

She basically means they plan to consume all the Celestials.

That goal would actually make sense if the Heavenly Demon really did possess the same Black Heaven as he did. He had never experienced such ecstasy and thrill when he absorbed the fragment of a Celestial’s soul.

In other words, the Heavenly Demon plans to use the Black Star Society to devour all the Celestials.

He narrowed his eyes. If that was really the case, he hadn’t met a single Black Star Society faction that actually seemed interested in fighting the Celestials.

Though I guess fighting a Celestial makes no sense.

It didn’t make sense for the factions to be so separated with their own agendas if the Heavenly Demon founded the Black Star Society for that purpose.

He looked back at Cassia and coldly said, “I haven’t seen much action for someone who claims to know the goal so well.”

“T-That’s because...!”

“Can your loyalty not be shown with action?”

“N-No, not at all!” Cassia frantically shook her head, her face drained of color. “While you were away, my lord... some dared to doubt your existence. Some even blasphemously went around calling themselves the Heavenly Demon.”

She must be talking about Juan Sukhothai.

“I personally executed those who defied your will to restore the separated factions to their rightful form.”

Cassia’s eyes sparkled like a puppy expecting praise.

“Of course, it’s not over yet. The Felis and the Musca... Oh, and the Leech, too. They’re still left.” She smiled eerily as murderous intent emanated from her. “Don’t worry, my lord. Soon, I will offer up the heads of those blasphemers who have forgotten your will.”

“Wait.”

Hold up, you crazy lady.

“Leave the Leech alone.”

“Excuse me?”

“She’s currently by my side, assisting me.”

Cassia’s eyes widened.

“I see.” She seemed to lose all enthusiasm.

I think I’ve got the gist of the situation now.

The Heavenly Demon founded the Black Star Society, but suddenly disappeared for some reason. This led to the Black Star Society’s current state.

Which means even the Serpens Queen doesn’t know what happened to him.

If she did, she wouldn’t have mistaken Kwon Oh-Jin for him in the first place.

Maybe... if I play my cards right in this situation...

Just maybe, he could recruit Cassia to become his ally like he did with Isabella.

“I will follow your will, Heavenly Demon.” Cassia bowed deeply.

She didn’t look entirely satisfied, but she didn’t argue or ask questions when it came to the Heavenly Demon’s orders.

If I handle this well, I might actually be able to bring her over to my side.

Of course, he would have to keep fooling her and make sure she never learned about the Black Heaven. She could be useful with her fanatical loyalty.

If I can bring the Serpens Queen over...

His lips curled up into a faint smile. He recalled how Cassia had killed a Star Spirit with just a few words. If he could get her on his side, she could be a powerful tool against the Black Star Society and even against the real Heavenly Demon.

Sure, she seems a little unhinged right now...

Then again, wasn’t Isabella the same when they first met? Maybe Cassia had a gentle nature hidden beneath the surface as well. Perhaps Cassia could become like Isabella if he could somehow persuade her and change her before it was too late.

“Oh! That reminds me. I have a gift for you, Heavenly Demon!”

“A gift?”

“Yes!” Cassia, looking a bit down, suddenly perked up as if she had thought of a brilliant idea.

She extended her hand to the side, and a green serpent slithered out from an elongated shadow beside her. The serpent emerged from the darkness with something in its mouth and gently placed the gift in her hand.

“Hehe. It’s a humble offering from your lowly servant.”

Cassia respectfully held the gift out to Kwon Oh-Jin with both hands. His face completely froze the moment he saw what it was.

“Please, taste it, my lord.” Cassia looked at him full of anticipation, flicking out her long tongue like a serpent.

Drops of crimson blood trickled between her slender fingers.

Drip, drip.

“It’s the heart of the Avaricious Wolf."

Thump, thump.

The heart pulsed rhythmically in her hands as she held it out toward him with a cheerful giggle.

Kwon Oh-Jin stared at the heart resting in her palms and dryly laughed.

Did I really just think I could win her over like Isabella?

He sneered at himself.

It’s too late for that.

Cassia was nothing like Isabella. The Serpens Queen was already too far gone to ever come back.