The 44th Son of the Heavenly Demon is a House Husband!?

As a Househusband, Ensuring Security Is Vital (3.2)

…

Those damn pirates had the last laugh, as we found no trace of the child’s village in sight. Talking to neighboring villages confirmed my fears, in that they wiped her home off the face of the planet, literally leaving no one alive. Any hopes I had of finding a local sect to foist her off to were dashed, too, as they remarked that her talent and ability were too great for them to train. That if she was left with them, she would not reach her full potential.

Meaning that they didn’t have the resources to spare to raise her to her full ability without compromising their own people’s development.

Would you take in someone who’ll eat up precious resources and probably go to another sect after they’ve reached a certain age?

No, that’d be insane, so they dressed up their refusal nicely and told us that she’s our problem.

The one silver lining was that Seol was pleased with the result.

“Yes, very good. You learn quickly!” Seol hand-fed the girl the basics of the Namgoong school in a single week. If that sounds batshit insane to you… Congrats, you’re normal. Every single warrior with us was first-class, and their morale was in the dumps. What took them years to do with the support of their family, the mastery of the Namgoong’s fundamental arts, was being achieved by a 12-year-old given a stick. “You’ll have everything down within the year, I am sure!”

The crazier part was this was within Seol’s expectations.

“Lady Namgoong, the child requires rest.” I stepped in mostly for the sake of the guards. The kid was covered in sweat, panting, and red in the face, but she was obviously still capable of going. She’d been training for more than three hours, and it was obvious as to why. The Namgoong’s sword style cultivated Yang energy, while the child was pretty much filled to the brim with Yin. Training with the Namgoong style gave her balance. An intoxicating balance that made it necessary to enforce rest on her when she’d rather train. “Come along, dinner is ready. I hunted a beast, and it is ready for consumption.”

“Ah, I should have assisted you. Forgive me.” Seol gave a small bow, and I mustered all the grace I could to shake my head and wave the apology aside. I meant it, too. Hanging around a bunch of guys with their spirits broken was tough on me mentally. Hunting down a giant flaming boar, meanwhile, was almost relaxing. “A great display of skill. I had not noticed you had fought it and butchered it.”

“I have a deft hand in the slaying of monsters.” I told her evenly. One of the few things in my past life that gave me an advantage was my willingness to spend time understanding my enemies. Hunting giant animals that can use internal energy, or even demonic beasts, was far easier when you studied them. For example, the giant flaming boar I killed had only two attacks for me to fear. A charge propelled by explosive flame and a flaming breath attack. Everything else I could just avoid, and after piercing its heart I had to be mindful of a deluge of flame that would erupt thereafter. “This one had the courtesy of preparing itself once slain, too.”

The house-sized boar roasted itself upon death. I had to gut it and remove its entrails before it tainted the rest of the meat, but that was easy enough. Now the small town that was hosting us was upon it. The choice cuts and the core went to us, along with the hide, but the excess was purchased by the town at a steep discount. Already musicians were gathering, performers were plying their trade, and people were dancing with full bellies. Most of the peasantry ate meat once a year at most and only a small piece. Today they could all eat their fill and have plenty for the weeks to come if they properly stored it.

“You have outdone yourself.” Seol took in my work, and I gave a bow in gratitude while also handing her the proceeds. It was proper protocol for the head to receive everything first, and I adhered to it. I’ll end up seeing a cut of it for my own ‘purse’ later. Seol had no reason at all to deny me, so I had nothing to fear. “Will you join me for dinner, then?”

“Of course, Lady Namgoong.” The child watched our interaction but stayed close to Seol. She was fine with the Namgoong warriors. They were all refined and fair-skinned with slender bodies. “Good evening, child, may I have dinner with you this evening?”

Meanwhile, even though I wore finer clothes, I still had a more rugged body and fierce features.

My mother was a barbarian princess from faraway lands who I met exactly once, and she told me to survive with all my might before turning her back to me. I had sisters and brothers who were much stronger than me, so she was fine in the court. Hopefully, she was better off. The fact she visited me once in person at my mud hut probably saved my life a hundred times over.

Anyway, what I was getting at was that I looked closer to the pirates that stole her away than her rescuers.

Probably didn’t help that she picked up on my innate nature, too.

The child was quiet and looked away but gave a nod.

“I am grateful.” I told her honestly. The child latched onto Seol, and I had a bad feeling that she was going to be given the mentor role. I hoped that it’ll just be a few years and she’ll move onto her next grand adventure. Otherwise, the Namgoong might get wiped out and force her onto it. “May I escort you, Lady Namgoong?”

“You may.” Seol offered me her hand, and I led her to our table.

Hopefully, I’ll be able to find out what happened to this child, so she can go and find out her past on her own without having us get annihilated to start off her journey.

Seol’s a good person with a bright future, despite how she was raised as a weapon.

I won’t have her fall just because this child needed a reason to leave.

There were options involving the Demonic Cult that I could pursue, but I wouldn’t.

After all, Seol and the child were getting along well.

…

Interlude: The 7th Sword Saint of the Namgoong Clan, Seol

…

I knew I should not fault Lian for her innate nature, but still I found myself unable to stop myself from treating her harshly.

It was obvious with the way she stared at my husband that her thoughts were on how to secure him!

It was not the child’s fault, of course.

Her Qi was heavily Yin-aligned. Undoubtedly, the pirates intended to make her their champion and have her reliant upon them for Yang energy. They have left her untouched solely to ensure that her Qi would be concentrated and permeate her body. Mental contamination would have been used as a lever to ensure loyalty of a skilled cultivator, and they would have conquered the river until an elite of a true sect arrived to grant her mercy.

Now, though, even though I forced her through many techniques that would make Yang energy blossom within her… she was ingratiating herself towards Rui!

She was not yet a seductress or a temptress, but it was obvious.

With all the Namgoong warriors, she was cheerful and happy, eager to be seen as a young child. All our warriors are balanced in Yin and Yang. They are centered, strong, and of little use to someone with unbalanced Yin energies.

Rui was a font of Yang energy barely balanced by nodes of Yin to stabilize his Qi. It was the way of the Demonic Sect to reach for extremes and counterweight them only with what was needed. Rui’s many Yin nodes born of meditation and careful training were a testament to his conservative nature even when approaching his family’s martial arts. It was why he was so clear-headed and calm when so many of his family were so passionate in their actions.

Of course, still, he remained a font of Yang energy that was irresistible to a Yin-natured young woman.

Unconsciously, she stayed away from him, never being too close to be seen as an affectionate younger sister. When she would go to others without a word, she would avoid him and only go to his side with trepidation and never look his way. In the eyes of most, it was as though she feared him, and I had no doubt when we returned home, she would search for every reason to avoid him.

But once she comes of age and matures, it will change.

She will be a vixen prowling in the corner of my vision. Someone with innate charm and beauty, as well as the ability to weave illusions when trained. I will need to be careful, as she will connive to take him for herself. Rui was honorable, and I had no reason to doubt him, but he has reached his limits in cultivation and has modestly become an able steward in reflection of that fact. She will be stronger than him, and in time she will gather allies and influence… enough to suggest that she should perhaps become a concubine to be truly part of the Namgoong.

My hand almost twitched towards my sword at the thought.

Thankfully, Rui saw her deviancy and sought to address it through a myriad of ways after realizing she would stay with us.

“The flame boar’s meat will help in cultivating her Yang energy, but she will need more than that even with the training she endures. There are several smaller clans with heirs that would be good partners for her.” Even before I voiced my concerns, even before Lian began to move as a woman rather than a girl, Rui acted in accordance with his station as a loyal husband. “The flame-wielding Shifu clan would be the best fit, and perhaps a good place for her to stay once she is stable.”

Unerringly, he addressed my concerns with a proposal that hadn’t occurred to me thanks to my fears.

“She will benefit much from being around them.” The Shifu clan were passionate orthodox martial artists, but their path was close to the unorthodox faction. They used Yang energy to such a point that they were nearly unbalanced. Festive, filled with life, and eager, Lian will have her fill of Yang energy from the environment as a girl, and she will find a partner or even several as a young woman. I would give her my blessing in such a case, knowing the state of her body. “I approve of this plan, but I will not send her there without ensuring she is stable of mind and body.”

“I dare not imply that such will be the case. This child requires aid, and she shall receive it.” Rui bowed his head, and I realized what I implied. I made sure that he saw me nod in understanding and wave my hand aside. “I am sure in the future she will be a great boon to the Namgoong, but with her innate nature, she must find peace outside of it.”

His words scoured what was left of my concerns, and I gave him a nod while hiding my relief behind my mask.

It was unbecoming of me to fear such things from a child who needed help.

I must better myself and see solutions as Rui did, rather than lose myself and judge a child wrongly.

This is an opportunity for growth.

With that in mind, I went to the child, separating myself from the merriment done in the Namgoong’s name, and found her looking upon the river. My wish was to see her train in the Namgoong arts the instant I saw her, but I held myself back. It took more effort than I cared to admit, but I succeeded.

“What do you look upon, child?” I asked her as gently as I could, and she looked my way.

“There are more bad men out there. People who look at me… badly. Scared or… needy.” Lian confided, and she sank to her knees and held them close. The very picture of an orphan who spent her days leered at by river pirates. My heart suddenly ached. How blinded was I by her nature? “Lord Namgoong is the only one who looks at me normally. Like people from back home. Just me.”

I brushed aside the instinctive desire to brush her words aside, and I forced myself to see with my own eyes.

Not with my Qi senses.

Not with my knowledge of cultivation.

Not with my instincts sharpened for danger.

Like Rui did, I looked with my eyes alone and found a child who has lost everything and whose fate was to be a weapon wielded by the depraved. A life of violence and debauchery had awaited her, along with a violent end.

Knowing that, I reprimanded myself as I still struggled to reach for her shoulder and place a hand on her.

Still, I persevered and firmly assured her.

“I will teach you. You will grow strong. Strong until you need not fear the masses, and all those who could reach you are honorable and true.” It was not a promise, but I intended to follow through with my words, if only to remove the shame that I felt for thinking so poorly of Lian. “For now, though, you may rest easy. I and the others will stand watch, and none will overcome our strength.”

The girl was silent for a moment before she suddenly rose and stretched her arms towards me.

Her eyes were expectant, but her intention was clear.

I picked her up, and what little remained of my hostility to her faded at the lightness.

Truly, I had allowed myself to be guided by knowledge gleaned from scrolls and my own ability to sense Qi. Rather than seeing her and understanding her situation, I turned the child into a monster in my mind and blamed her for imaginary crimes.

Such foolishness was beneath a mortal, let alone the future head of the Namgoong.