“Do you think the Poison King is trapped in his own world?”

“Don’t you?”

I naturally asked back, assuming the answer was yes. Did my father not think so? What kind of person did my father imagine the Poison King to be?

But my father didn’t say that to explain who the Poison King was or what his world was like. He said it for this very reason:

“How open is your world?”

My father looked at me for a moment, then silently entered his residence.

I stood there thinking about his words—and then I understood their meaning.

He was asking me this:

What’s the difference between your cry for a new demon way and the Poison King? From an outsider’s perspective, aren’t you also trapped in your own world?

Of course, this wasn’t to say I was like the Poison King who disliked meeting people and preferred solitude.

He meant my approach to the Poison King was wrong. If I approached from that viewpoint, the Poison King would never open the door to his heart.

The Poison King must have felt it—that I was viewing him as if trapped in his own world, just like countless others before. I was no different from them. The memorandum demanding he come out of Cheondok Forest was a mistake.

“Thank you, Father! As expected, you are the wisest and most generous person in the world…”

Before I finished, the lights inside the house went out.

“...and also cold.”

I bowed politely at my father’s residence and turned to leave.

If he gave me clues, it would be a disadvantage to him. But my father enlightened me. Beyond the bet, it was a love for a child seeking help.

The next day, when I went to Cheondok Forest, the Poison King wasn’t at his residence.

I searched the surrounding woods and finally found him deep in the forest.

He was lying face down on the ground, locked in a staring contest with a snake.

When the Poison King conversed, he was good at it, but once absorbed by something, he could be oblivious even if someone died beside him.

He was so lost in ecstasy that he didn’t even know I had come near. Seeing this, I thought he was trapped in his own world. I thought him an eccentric and unknowingly considered myself superior.

This was what my father had enlightened me about: Don’t think like that. He’s not trapped; he’s living his life.

As I approached, it wasn’t an ordinary snake.

It was the Flower King Seven-Step Snake (花王七步蛇), one of the most venomous and spiritual snakes. Named ‘Flower King’ because it liked flowers, and ‘Seven-Step Snake’ because even the most strong-willed martial artist would die within seven steps after being bitten.

Then the Poison King spoke to the snake.

“Hey, you’ve gotten cocky lately. Since when did you start raising your head at me like that?”

The Flower King Seven-Step Snake flicked its tongue and bowed its head. It was unlikely, but it really looked like it understood.

“I told you not to eat the fruits of the Guihwa Grass recklessly, didn’t I? Why don’t you listen? Maybe a soak in Fire Wine (火酒) will sober you up?”

The snake coiled up and put its head in the wine. Could it really understand human words? Must be a coincidence.

I was old enough to have seen everything, but this was a first.

Then another snake passed nearby. This one was the Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake (陰陽血毒蛇), equally venomous and rare.

“Wola!”

The Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake stopped and stared at the Poison King. Seeing its flicking tongue, the Poison King said:

“You know that guy’s a womanizer, right?”

The Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake flicked its tongue at the Flower King Seven-Step Snake as if shushing it.

“If the king bothers you, come tell me, okay?”

I couldn’t tell if the snakes understood or not, but «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» after the Poison King finished talking, the Yin-Yang Blood Poison Snake disappeared into the bushes.

“You should go now too!”

Then the Flower King Seven-Step Snake vanished into the forest.

It was truly a sight hard to believe even when seen.

The Poison King stood up and looked at me, surprised.

“Oh! You startled me!”

“I’m more surprised. How can a Poison King be so shocked if someone is just nearby?”

Of course, if someone approached with ill will or hostile intent, the Poison King would immediately notice. You must never underestimate those who have reached the Ma Jon rank by martial skill alone. Ma Jons are Ma Jons. If they go berserk, no one can say who would win. They simply don’t reveal their true power.

“If assassins were asked who among the Eight Demon Lords to kill, they’d all line up behind you, Poison King! Even the first assassin sent would succeed and leave.”

“Then he’d be bitten and killed by the snakes.”

“Surely you didn’t even name the snakes?”

“First time seeing a Poison King who names his snakes?”

The Poison King strode off. Naturally, I followed him and asked:

“When did you become friends with the snakes?”

“I started catching snakes when I was seven. Wang-i and Wol-i were already around then.”

“You were young.”

“Back then, everyone started at that age.”

In his eyes, recalling his childhood, there was melancholy. That helped me understand why he hated leaving this place.

“If you’ve been here since you were seven, then this truly is your world.”

The Poison King stopped and glanced at me.

“You want to take me out of this world?”

“No. I regret saying that now.”

“Why?”

“My desire to show you the outside world remains the same, but I shouldn’t have said it that way. I sincerely apologize for being so arrogant.”

When apologizing sincerely, I did not add reasons why. Reasons belong to the forgiver, not the apologizer.

But whether he heard me or not, he had already stopped and was looking at a poisonous insect clinging to a tree.

I smiled involuntarily at his being absorbed again.

What might he be thinking now? Maybe trying to talk to that insect.

This is his world, and it is an open world.

Several days passed again.

I worked silently, focusing on my tasks, and the Poison King still liked immersing himself in his world.

What changed over those days was my attitude toward his world. I tried to understand it now — the world where a seven-year-old child caught venomous snakes.

Today, the Poison King was staring at poisonous mushrooms growing in a wooden box, deep in thought.

Suddenly, he turned his head and shouted:

“Whoa! You startled me!”

Because I quietly stood beside him, looking at the box of mushrooms he was watching.

“Do you want to keep startling me?”

“Seeing these mushrooms grow so well gives me peace of mind. Am I already becoming a poison master too?”

“How long have you been whining about being a poison master?”

“Maybe I’ll just live here. Cheondok Forest feels like home now.”

“Don’t think being friendly will change anything.”

“It’s better not to change. I like the Poison King as he is now.”

“What?”

The Poison King shouted at me.

“No way! That trick won’t work!”

His voice grew louder denying me. That was proof I was getting closer to him.

From the entrance of Cheondok Forest to the Poison King’s residence, Sangseon always guided me.

“Now you can go in alone.”

“Still, there could be dangerous poisons.”

That wasn’t necessarily the only reason. He still led me by confusing paths and kept his guard.

I felt it came from deep loyalty to the Poison King. The gaze of someone who truly likes and is loyal to a person always shows somehow.

“I want to ask you something, sir.”

“Speak.”

“When did you first see the Poison King?”

“Since he was a child.”

“What was he like as a child?”

Sangseon stopped walking.

“Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

“He wasn’t much different from now. Intelligent, considerate, cheerful, bright. He had the qualities of a leader.”

I swallowed the urge to say, “He’s very different now, isn’t he?”

I feared Sangseon wouldn’t take it as a joke. His affection for the Poison King was not mere loyalty but like that of an uncle or parent.

He reminded me of Blood Heaven Butcher.

Whether the Poison King was intelligent, considerate, cheerful, bright, and fit to lead, one thing was certain: he was adorable. Not just because of his youthful looks, but for example—

The Poison King carried twelve pouches at his waist, each painted with a picture. The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, but drawn in a bright, cute style like on children’s clothes. At first, I overlooked it, but now I understood.

“You chose these yourself?”

“I drew them.”

I was surprised. He had drawn them all himself?

“No one would ever know. Who would guess such cute pouches hold the Poison King’s deadliest poisons?”

Usually, Poison King’s poison pouches would have scary images of evil spirits or engraved words like “Demon,” “Kill,” “Evil,” or “Death.” If all those pouches opened, hell would break loose. That’s why it felt even stranger and scarier.

“Which pouch holds the most deadly poison? Surely not the cute rabbit one?”

“Want to check?”

He tried to reach into the rabbit pouch.

“I’ll pass!”

I waved my hands and quickly backed away. The Poison King laughed but then suddenly turned serious. It was the first time I saw him smile broadly at me. Even he seemed surprised by his own smile. I pretended not to notice all that.

The next day, there was an important poison mixture.

The Poison King explained today’s poison production with a serious expression unlike usual.

“This Cheonsim Poison (天心毒) here is one of the ingredients for the Amhon Jeoldok (暗魂絶毒), one of my deadliest poisons. A single drop can kill dozens. Now, you’re already far back over there…”

I stood by the door, ready to dash out anytime.

The Poison King searched his desk for something.

“It was here, but where did it go?”

“What are you looking for?”

“My gloves.”

He was looking for his green leather gloves used when handling poison.

“Is this what you mean?”

I showed him the gloves I was wearing.

“Why are you wearing those?”

“You said the poison is so dangerous.”

“Then what about me?”

“Why do you need gloves, Poison King?”

“Bring them here now.”

I quickly took off the gloves and handed them to him.

“What’s in your mouth?”

I took out the two vials of blood poison I had been holding between my cheeks and showed them to him. The Poison King shook his head with an exasperated look at me holding two vials of poison.

“With this much, even I couldn’t kill you.”

Of course, it was a joke. If the Poison King wanted to kill me, no matter how many blood poisons I held, he could not be stopped.

It was also my playful effort to get closer to him. If he was truly young, bright, and cheerful, those parts must be somewhere in his heart.

The Poison King put on his gloves and began making poison in earnest.

“If the quantities are even slightly off, blue smoke will rise. Then it’s a failure. Be very careful and focused. Only I know this recipe.”

He showed me how to make Amhon Jeoldok by mixing Cheonsim Poison. Since I couldn’t identify other ingredients anyway, it was more about showing me how cautiously the process proceeded.

He could have done it alone, but it seemed he wanted to show off to me.

“See? How careful and focused you have to be.”

“Yes.”

Suddenly, blue smoke rose from behind.

“Poison King!”

“Get out now!”

I quickly rushed out. After the Poison King drank an antidote from his bosom, he poured liquid onto the smoking place.

The smoke rose even thicker.

“Poison King! Poison King!”

I hesitated, wondering if I should rush back in to save him.

Then the Poison King waved the poisonous smoke around and came out.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

He fanned away the plume of smoke with his hand.

“The path of poison techniques is truly not an easy one.”

“I failed on purpose. To warn you to be careful.”

“...”

“...”

“You surely failed on purpose. Surely the Poison King, who handles poison best in the martial world, wouldn’t fail at making poison every time...”

“Enough.”

“Yes.”

I smiled brightly at him. The Poison King looked at me, not knowing how to react.

Poison King, you don’t know yet who will stand on the martial stage.

Just then, Sangseon ran up and quickly reported.

“Investigator Seo Dae-ryong of Hwangcheon Pavilion urgently came looking for E-Gongja.”