Chapter 45:The Will of the Mother

The Hairpin and the Ticket

The atmosphere grew tense as Ha Eung-Eung and the prince froze, the jade hairpin resting between them.

But the audience? They were seething.

– Throw it away!

– Lol, you can buy a jade hairpin at the local market.

– Reject it! Absolutely not!

– Imagine the Silent Swordsman wearing a hairpin. That’s just too much.

– She should just accept it and dump it somewhere later.

– How about gifting it to a wandering merchant?

– You guys are so cruel, even Satan would cry at this.

– What if the Silent Swordsman and this random mixed-blood Yokai prince end up together? Would you be okay with that?

– I’d kill him first and then myself!

– But you need to see his face to kill him, right? Got the guts to cross the Great Forest?

– Lol, the revenge difficulty level is insane.

The prince of Yokai, a figure unreachable beyond countless dangers and trials, was an enigma none could touch.

Under the jealous eyes of 7,200 viewers, Ha Eung-Eung reached out and accepted the jade hairpin from him.

“!!”

Ha Eung-Eung’s thoughts raced.

It’s just a jade hairpin—a simple tool to tie one’s hair. Yet…

The prince had gathered fighters for her in a remarkably short time.

It felt wrong to reject this token, no matter how unsettling its implications were.

To turn down his kindness would be cruel to a prince so deprived of maternal love, who seemed abandoned by all.

At that moment, the donations came pouring in, each with its own commentary:

[ModestAngel donated 100,000 won!]

A hairpin doesn’t belong on an unmarried woman! Please, don’t do it!

[DemureLady donated 100,000 won!]

Hairpins are just practical tools for tying hair. How could they be anything improper?

[AlluringMama donated 100,000 won!]

You can’t resist the scandalous thrill of baring your pale neck to thousands!

As chaos unfolded in the chat, Ha Eung-Eung calmly raised her hands to tie her hair, revealing the smooth curve of her neck.

The soft, porcelain-like glow of her skin shimmered in the light, capturing the gaze of all present.

Down to her delicate collarbone, and just below, where her steady breathing teased glimpses of forbidden allure—

Gulp.

Both Maganom and the prince swallowed hard, unable to hide their reactions.

‘How could this possibly be a married woman?’

‘She is truly my mother. If not her, who else in the world could ever take that place?’

Radiant like pristine silk, ethereal like a sculpted masterpiece—Ha Eung-Eung exuded an air that combined maternal warmth with the sacred sensuality of a mythical maiden.

– Mama!!!

– Hair… perfection.

– I’ve finally understood the prince’s noble intentions.

– Starting today, the Human-Spider Fan Club officially supports the illegitimate prince’s claim to the throne.

– The Rhythm Game 8-Key Developers declare their intent to create a Level 12 Extreme mode featuring the prince.

– Forget the wandering merchant; we only have one true older sister!

– We acknowledge you as Mama’s second child.

– Who’s the first child? The Human-Spider?

– Me.

– Why would Mama adopt the Exploding Water Demon?! What heinous crime did she commit to deserve this?!

– Dude, I’m a great son! I earn good money, and I even bought premium capsules for Mom and Dad!

– [Great Son Chat History]: I want to dive into Mama’s chest and hug her.

– [Great Son Chat History]: Mama… why is space so cold?

– Lol, this guy’s a cosmic orphan.

– Oh, if he’s a cosmic orphan, then yeah, he qualifies.

While the chat descended into chaos and comedy, the prince was in turmoil, his heart racing wildly at the sight of Ha Eung-Eung’s radiant figure.

‘Foolish me. How dare I harbor such improper feelings for the gracious woman who has comforted me?’

Even as he tried to suppress these emotions, he couldn’t ignore the thunderous beat of his heart.

The exhilaration of seeing the most beautiful human woman accept his gift, the primal satisfaction of a male’s desire, and the overwhelming longing—

These were emotions he had never experienced before.

‘Why did I ever ask her to be my mother?!’

If only she were not his mother but just a woman—

If this were not a forbidden love but a normal, attainable relationship—

But he had made his choice. This was the path he had chosen.

Before him stood the epitome of beauty, the very pinnacle of grace across all realms.

All he could do now was mask his feelings and offer her a compliment with a steady voice.

“You look wonderful.”

After the commotion surrounding the hairpin settled down, the conversation turned to the tickets.

“The arena ticket is the first step toward becoming a champion invited to the palace. The two factions controlling the palace are distributing tickets exclusively within their circles,” the prince explained.

Ha Eung-Eung nodded for him to continue.

The prince drew a line across the shadow cast on the ground, dividing it in two.

“The current palace is ruled by two Yokai. The western wing belongs to my late father’s first wife, Queen Osotsu.”

He deftly sketched a toad’s silhouette on the western side of the shadow.

The drawing’s detail, from the basic outline to the intricate musculature, was so precise it could rival a professional artist’s work.

“Osotsu’s lineage is Ogami, a Yokai said to infiltrate men’s homes, drain their life force, and leave them gravely ill. She is the primary culprit behind my father’s assassination.”

“Hah. Human women can be terrifying, but Yokai women are something else entirely. Oh, please don’t take offense! I wasn’t speaking about any particular lady,” Maganom interjected hastily.

The prince shot Maganom a glare so icy it could freeze a volcano, his message clear: Say one more word, and I’ll make you regret it.

He resumed, “After my father’s death, Queen Osotsu blamed me for everything and tried to kill me. She will never part with a ticket willingly.”

“The general isn’t any different,” Maganom pointed out.

“You served under the general’s private forces, didn’t you? I understand you have personal feelings, but bear with me. I was just about to explain,” the prince replied calmly.

This time, he sketched the outline of a massive bear on the eastern side of the shadow.

“The eastern wing belongs to General Victro, a loyal servant during my father’s reign. However, he rebelled against Queen Osotsu’s rise to power and formed his own faction.”

“He sounds far more reasonable than the queen,” Maganom noted.

“We plan to obtain General Victro’s ticket. Once we enter the palace, he will summon us. But one concern remains.”

The prince’s expression darkened.

“Since I barely escaped the palace with my life, Victro has never extended a helping hand to me.

It’s clear he harbors ambitions for the throne. He won’t aid me willingly.

Still, if my mother—” The prince hesitated, glancing at Ha Eung-Eung.

“If you wish, I will approach him.”

The palace power struggle, with its web of alliances and betrayals among mighty Yokai, felt suffocating to Ha Eung-Eung.

‘As if the endless sect politics in the martial arts world weren’t enough, now I have to deal with Yokai faction wars in a game?’

The closer she got to the center of power, the more it drained her spirit.

She had no desire to endure this exhausting ordeal any longer than necessary.

Ha Eung-Eung made a firm decision.

The moment her goal was achieved, she would leave the palace without looking back.

“Prince? I’m sorry, but the elder’s orders are clear. I can’t give you the ticket…”

There was no way she would let something as trivial as a scalper’s ticket hold her back.

Leaping onto the counter, her cloak billowed behind her, concealing her human nature as she lunged.

Before the scalper could react, her sword was at his throat.

Only then did everyone around realize what had just happened.

“Mother?”

“Wow, the noblewoman has hidden an incredible skill beneath her graceful beauty.”

“Wendigo likes strong humans.”

“You think you’ll get away with this? Ugh!”

Amid the mixed reactions of her companions, Ha Eung-Eung’s focus remained solely on the scalper in front of her.

Her blade hovered just a fraction away from his throat—close enough that a slight movement would sever his vocal cords.

Her cold, violet gaze burned with an unspoken warning: Hand over the tickets, or you’ll never speak again.

The scalper, overwhelmed by fear, stammered, “I-it’s in my pocket…”

Ha Eung-Eung signaled to Maganom with a subtle glance. He quickly rifled through the scalper’s pocket, retrieving a stack of tickets, then held up one.

However, Ha Eung-Eung shook her head. With another firm look, she gestured for him to keep going.

“You don’t mean to take all the tickets, do you?” Maganom asked, stunned.

Ha Eung-Eung’s unwavering gaze answered him. Even the illegitimate prince was visibly taken aback.

“Taking all the tickets would make us enemies with General Victoro. Once we enter the palace, there will be no one left to shield Mother,” the prince warned.

She didn’t care.

To Ha Eung-Eung, the petty power struggles within this palace held no importance whatsoever.

Her sole purpose was to acquire the Mirror of Serene Reflection and return to the human world.

Everything else—this small world, its clashing ambitions, and the gears turning within it—meant nothing to her. Once her goal was achieved, she would sever all ties without hesitation.

– “Wow.”

– “That’s some serious charisma.”

– “So, does this still make her the ‘Mother Swordswoman’?”

– “Mother is strong, so yes, it fits.”

– “Does it really though?”

Unaware of Ha Eung-Eung’s true intentions, the audience buzzed with admiration, while her companions struggled with the implications of angering powerful figures.

In the end, the prince nodded.

Mother’s will was his will. His unwavering devotion silenced any doubts about the risks ahead.

Reluctantly, Maganom collected all the tickets.

This act left ten empty slots in the tournament’s lineup for the upcoming 32-participant match.

“Well, it’s been ages since competition sparked even before the arena battles began,” Maganom muttered, feigning nonchalance but unable to hide his unease.

Ha Eung-Eung paused while sheathing her sword, casting a sharp look at Maganom.

A chill ran down his spine.

Her stare, more terrifying than any beast, made his earlier bravado seem laughable.

How could a mere human woman emit such a deadly aura, surpassing even the Yokai?

Maganom swallowed nervously, suppressing the question that gnawed at him.

“Want to know how the competition usually plays out? Nothing too dramatic—just a little ‘ticket hunting,'” Maganom explained, trying to defuse the tension. “Some contestants eliminate rivals before the battles even begin.”

He was practically begging her to accept this tidbit as sufficient and let it go.

But Maganom soon regretted his words, realizing too late what Ha Eung-Eung might do with the information.

“Surely you’re not thinking about hunting down contestants for their tickets, are you? I mean, most of our team is made up of humans and half-Yokai!”

Desperate for sanity, Maganom turned to the prince, silently pleading with him.

You must realize this is crazy too, right?

But the prince’s response crushed his hopes.

“If that’s what Mother wishes, then it’s my duty as well. Everything shall proceed according to her will.”

Maganom learned a bitter, expensive lesson that day: There’s no reasoning with a mad ‘Mother Boy.’