WeTried Translations

Translator: Joy

Editor: Joy

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◈ Damned Transmigration

Chapter 9

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Rutlan (1)

Contrary to his worries, the journey proved to be remarkably comfortable.

Haryeong handled the driving, and come mealtime, she would produce preserved food from a travel pack or serve game she had hunted along the way.

They slept under the open sky.

Elena had insisted it was fine for him to take the carriage, but Yuri couldn't bring himself to accept her offer.

In the end, she relented, pulling a large sleeping bag from her pack for him.

It looked far too bulky to have fit inside the container, so Yuri could only assume it was enchanted.

Haryeong, their escort, naturally slept outside as well, and each evening, as dusk settled, she would make her preparations around the carriage before resting expertly in the driver's seat.

Yuri made his bed on the ground beside the carriage, cocooned in his sleeping bag, surrounded by the crackle of the campfire, a sky littered with stars, and the ceaseless hum of the forest.

The unfamiliar sounds and sensations kept him awake on the first night, but by the second, he slept without any issue.

“I heard you were childhood friends,” Haryeong said suddenly on their third night.

As on the previous nights, she was sitting in the driver's seat inspecting a dagger, but this time she shot Yuri a sideways glance.

“You don’t seem that close. Am I mistaken?”

“No, you’re not.”

Yuri felt it was best to speak formally with her.

“We’ve only exchanged letters for the past ten years. That’s the extent of our friendship.”

“And yet you followed her so meekly.”

“I told her I didn’t want to come, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Stubbornness is one of Lady Elena's most prominent flaws.”

With her mask lowered, Haryeong's expression was as blunt as ever.

She angled the sharp blade in the firelight as she continued, “I was told you were with a group called the Black Snake Gang.”

“A dumpster for all the neighbourhood trash.”

“Does that mean you’re trash as well, Yuri-nim?”

“Pretty much,” Yuri replied, his own face unreadable.

“Haryeong-nim, surely you already know a little about my situation.”

“I know enough. When Lady Elena declared her intent to go to Oldor, it became my duty as her escort to understand the reason. My job is to accompany her if her purpose is sound, and advise her to reconsider if it is not.”

“So in your judgement, it seems the reason was valid?”

“I did.”

Haryeong nodded, finally setting her dagger aside.

“The journey would take a week, ten days at most. The road itself is safe, and she pleaded that she couldn't rest easy knowing her childhood friend had just barely escaped with his life. That was reason enough for me to agree.”

“She was that worried about me?”

“Oddly enough, yes.”

Despite her words, Haryeong’s face remained impassive.

“Frankly, I wasn't entirely convinced. If she was that concerned about someone, she should have kept them by her side instead of relying on letters.”

“...”

“Though it seems she plans to do just that from now on,” Haryeong murmured, glancing toward the carriage.

Not a sound came from within, but she knew Elena was awake, listening to every word.

“I’m asking this as her escort,” she said, her head tilting as her gaze locked onto Yuri.

“Yuri-nim, how do you truly see Lady Elena?”

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“Lady Elena is far more remarkable than you seem to realise. To become a 4th Circle mage at twenty is exceptionally fast, even for the Mage Tower, a place teeming with geniuses. And as you heard yesterday, the Master of the Dersia Mage Tower is personally considering her as one of his prospective disciples.”

Elena’s talent was just that exceptional.

In the game, levels capped at 99, but this world measured proficiency in ‘Circles’.

This system was the creation of the gods themselves: the slumbering Goddess of Order, the God of Chaos who had abducted transmigrators and scattered them across the land, and all the others.

They were the ones who had classified the power of lesser beings trapped in the mortal realm.

It was said that reaching the 10th and final Circle allowed one to shed their mortal coil and challenge for divinity itself. But so far, no one was known to have achieved such a feat.

Perhaps someone had, but that information was beyond the scope of what a thug from the Black Snake Gang would know.

“Is the 4th Circle really that incredible?”

“That’s a naive question.”

Haryeong shook her head.

“In the world of magic, you’re only considered a true mage at the 2nd Circle. For a typical person, that takes five years. The 3rd Circle takes another ten.”

“But Elena isn’t typical.”

“Hardly. Lady Elena achieved the 2nd Circle almost immediately upon entering the Mage Tower and beginning her formal studies. Within ten years, she reached the 4th. She is a true prodigy.”

Yuri didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on Haryeong.

The campfire blazed and a full moon hung in the sky, yet he could barely make out her form in the driver's seat. It was as if she wore the deep shadows like a cloak.

“I am Lady Elena’s escort. My duty is not merely to shield her from death, but to protect her from danger in all its forms.”

“That’s some dedication. Is everyone in Salhomun so devoted?”

“Once payment is made and a contract is signed, the loyalty of Salhomun is absolute until its term is complete.”

“So you're saying I pose a threat to Elena.”

“A physical threat, no. But a threat to her reputation? I believe so. And you should know, Lady Elena sacrificed a great deal to come here.”

“Sacrificed?”

“I cannot discuss my client’s private matters. Her Ladyship has no desire to speak of them, either.”

Yuri’s frown deepened.

He had no idea what Elena had supposedly given up, but Haryeong’s meaning was unmistakable. She didn’t want someone like him anywhere near her lady.

Sigh.

A muscle in his jaw twitched.

‘Fucking bitch,’ he thought, forcing the words down.

‘Did I beg to be brought here? I told her I was dragged along against my will, so why am I getting this lecture?’

He swallowed the rising tide of anger.

‘Putting on airs just because she’s a salsu. I oughta just…’

The thought died before it could even form.

What could he do? An assassin from Salhomun, Elena’s personal guard… she could probably handle ten of him without breaking a sweat.

“You’re right,” Yuri said, his voice flat and his expression carefully neutral.

“That’s why I told her to stop writing. I tried to keep my distance, but Elena wouldn’t have it. And so, here I am.”

Haryeong’s silence was heavy, her gaze unwavering. Yuri met it head-on and continued.

“So from now on, I’ll do my best.”

“Your best?” Haryeong tilted her head slightly.

‘Yeah, you motherfuckee. My best.’

Yuri kept his face a perfect mask of sincerity.

“Yes. Elena is going out of her way for me just because we were childhood friends. It would be a huge problem for her if I kept acting like trash. I’d just be a burden.”

“Hmm…”

“I understand your concerns, Haryeong-nim. I won’t bring shame upon her.”

And he meant it.

His primary goal, at least until he could support himself, was to avoid causing any trouble for Elena or anyone else.

“If you say so.”

Haryeong didn't offer any more warnings.

Her gaze flickered toward the carriage, certain that Elena was awake and listening.

‘This is a bond that would shatter if I tried to sever it forcefully, she concluded. To do so would be a failure of her mission.’

With a slight nod, she let the matter drop.

“Please don’t take my words too personally.”

“I’m not offended.”

“Then here’s a reward for your honesty. Lady Elena has her ear pressed to the door right now, listening to our entire conversation.”

Clang!

The carriage door flew open, revealing Elena dressed in a simple robe, a stark contrast to the elegant dress she wore on their first day.

“Who said I was listening in?”

“But you were, were you not?” Haryeong replied flatly.

“I… I just happened to overhear you!”

“By my standards, Yuri-nim’s answer was mediocre. A 60 out of 100, perhaps. Had you simply claimed to be close with her from the start, Lady Elena would have been far more pleased.”

“That’s ridiculous!”

Sparks of blue lightning crackled around Elena’s fingertips, at which Haryeong simply shook her head.

“Wearing your emotions so openly is a poor habit.”

“I agree,” Yuri chimed in with a nod.

Elena’s shoulders trembled. She let out a frustrated sigh, her anger deflating as she slumped onto the carriage steps.

“If no one is sleeping, why don’t we just travel through the night?”

“Even Yang-restoring pill has its limits. The horses ran all day; they need to rest.”

Watching the normally cold and aloof Elena be so easily handled by Haryeong was surprisingly entertaining.

Yuri let out a small snicker, and Elena’s head whipped around to face him.

“What’s so funny?”

“Just… enjoying the nice night,” he offered lamely.

Haryeong's earlier words still bothered him.

“What did you sacrifice to come here?”

He asked the question directly, but Elena’s expression remained perfectly composed, without a single flicker of emotion.

“I didn’t sacrifice anything.”

The conversation died there.

In the days that followed, they passed through several villages and cities, but only once did they stay at a proper inn.

His initial fear of being cooped up with Elena in a carriage all day proved unfounded; the journey was surprisingly tolerable. She rarely initiated conversation, preferring to spend her time lost in a book.

“You should read this, too,” she said one afternoon.

Unable to practise regulating his Qi, Yuri was growing restless. Elena’s steady supply of books was a welcome distraction.

<Basics of Magic>

Unlike the useless pamphlets he’d seen before, this was a genuine magic book.

“Becoming a martial artist doesn’t mean you’re forbidden from using magic. Read it. It might be useful later.”

“I’m not sure I can master one path, let alone two at once.”

“You might change your mind someday.”

He didn’t have the energy to argue with her persistence.

‘Oh…’

This book was far easier to understand than the others, which had been filled with vague nonsense.

True to its title, Basics of Magic didn't contain any complex magical formulas. Instead, it focused on the foundation, explaining how to comprehend mana, how to manipulate it, and how to channel it through one's own body.

Yuri already had an intuitive grasp of mana thanks to the Heavenly Art of Annihilating Evil, but that only made him more aware of the gaps in his fundamental knowledge.

This book was a welcome find.

‘Though I can’t actually try any of this out.’

Even with the Veil of Deception, practising Qi regulation in front of Elena would be reckless. So, he settled for reading it over and over until he had it memorised.

The occasional conversations they shared were also more pleasant than he'd anticipated.

“How many mages in the Dersia Mage Tower are a higher Circle than you?”

“Plenty. But I’m the only one who reached the 4th Circle by the age of twenty.”

“What about the other disciple candidates you’re up against?”

“There’s one at the 5th Circle and another at the 4th. Both are older than me. The 4th Circle is a senior named Arist, she’s twenty-three. She didn't reach this Circle until she was twenty-one.”

“So you beat her by a year.”

It was amusing to see the corner of Elena’s mouth twitch in a suppressed smile whenever he offered these little affirmations.

“Honestly, I don't consider her real competition. She’s got a foul personality and, well, I doubt she’s improved much since then.”

“What about the other sunbae?”

“Lacey-sunbae? She’s… formidable. Which is why I have to be wary of her. Reaching the 5th Circle at twenty-seven is faster than even the Tower Master. It just doesn’t add up.”

Having said that, Elena cast a nervous glance towards Haryeong in the driver's seat.

“You may speak freely, Lady Elena. I am not in the habit of spreading my client's private thoughts.”

“Ahem…”

Elena cleared her throat and leaned closer to Yuri, lowering her voice.

“I think… Lacey-sunbae might be a transmigrator.”

An alarm went off in his head, but outwardly, Yuri only let his brow furrow slightly.

“A transmigrator?”

“Yes! It’s the only thing that makes sense. A 5th Circle at twenty-seven!”

“You’re a 4th Circle at twenty,” he pointed out calmly.

“Well, that’s…”

“Maybe this Lacey-sunbae is just another genius, like you.”

He had no desire to explore this topic any further.

‘Like me…’

Elena chewed on his words for a moment before her expression smoothed over and she sat up straight.

“I suppose that’s possible. It’s not as if transmigrators are common.”

“What Circle is the Tower Master?”

“Do you really know nothing at all?”

“How am I supposed to know if no one tells me?”

“Honestly, even I don’t know for sure. Those in the upper Circles exist on a different plane, so they rarely broadcast their rank. But I know this much: the minimum requirement to become a Tower Master is to reach the 7th Circle.”

Thirty years had passed; Heavenly Thunder Orca had likely reached the 8th Circle by now.

‘His level in the game was 81,’ Yuri recalled.

The minimum requirement to challenge the hidden boss, the evil god, was level 99. Of course, you couldn’t just brute-force the fight with a high level.

It was merely the baseline; you needed a proper character build to even stand a chance.

Did that mean level 99 equated to the 10th Circle?

‘No.’

That kind of thinking was dangerous.

Lorelia had warned him not to blindly apply his game knowledge to this world. Besides, the God of Chaos, the game's hidden boss, never even had a level.

“Shouldn’t you be more curious about martial artists than mages, Yuri?” Elena asked.

“I already know the Heavenly Demon of the Demonic Cult is at the 8th Circle.”

“He might be even higher. Haryeong, what do you think?”

“I agree, he is likely higher than the 8th Circle,” Haryeong replied from the driver’s seat.

“The Demonic Cult is nothing more than a gathering of madmen obsessed with a human attaining divinity through demonic power. The Heavenly Demon is simply the strongest among them. He calls himself their leader because he believes he is the closest to godhood. Hence their name, the Heavenly Demon Cult.”

“Isn’t Salhomun part of the Black Dragon Society?”

“The Underworld and the Demonic Path are not the same. It's not a minor distinction, they are fundamentally different. The Underworld has no madmen who run around declaring, I am the cult leader, serve me and I shall become a god.”

Yuri, or rather Lee Su-hyeok, knew all about the Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon had been the final boss of the game. Level 95.

He was the kind of bastard who dropped no loot no matter how many times you beat him, and instead just sent you straight to a GAME OVER screen.

“Do not get involved with the Demonic Path is the unwritten rule of the Black Dragon Society. The Righteous Heavenly Alliance makes a great show of wanting to eradicate the Demonic Path, but they won’t go anywhere near the Demon Subjugation Palace, the main stronghold of the Demonic Cult.”

“But the Rudella Mage Tower is located in the Demon Subjugation Palace, isn’t it?”

“Lady Elena, that kind of comparison between martial artists and mages is one of your many flaws. Would you willingly associate with a mage from the Rudella Mage Tower? I doubt you’d even be seen in the same restaurant.”

Haryeong had won again.

Elena could only pout in silence, and Haryeong continued, her tone suggesting this was a familiar outcome.

“Personally, I also prefer to avoid any dealings with the Rudella Mage Tower. But if a formal request came through, I would have no choice.”

“Does Salhomun accept requests from the Rudella Mage Tower?”

“If they have the funds and meet our criteria, we must accept. That is the creed of Salhomun. However, the Rudella Mage Tower would never hire us. Why would they, when they can simply use the Demonic Cult’s own people?”

As they were speaking, the carriage slowed to a stop.

“We have arrived.”

The week-long journey was finally over.

They had reached Rutlan, a metropolis that made Oldor pale in comparison, the very city Elena had described in countless letters.

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