WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Chapter 22: Mysterious Association

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Life with the Eight-Foot-Tall Ghost... or rather, Eight-Foot Sister, continued without any major problems.

I was already used to living with Gari, so what was the big deal about living with a 2.4-meter-tall giant anomaly?

Eight-Foot Sister was surprisingly well-behaved.

Every morning when I woke up, she would crouch down like a proper young lady and beam at me.

She even cooked for me.

And it was good, too.

She crouched down with ridiculously tiny cooking tools in hand and somehow whipped up meals with ease. It was honestly fascinating.

They said the altered version of the Eight-Foot-Tall Ghost urban legend had formed across the sea in Japan, but what kind of urban legend produced such a perfect young lady?

What the hell were the Japanese fantasizing about?

"Eight-Foot Sister, were you cooking?"

【Po~】

Today made four days.

Breakfast was rice, miso soup, braised mackerel, and rolled omelet.

Mm, she did well.

It was the classic breakfast I had eaten when I traveled to Japan. I couldn't believe she had made something this good with the frozen mackerel that had been sitting in my house.

Gari's washbasin-sized food bowl was filled to the brim with boiled chicken.

Considering how much Gari ate, that must have taken forever. No wonder I had smelled something delicious since dawn.

"You worked hard."

【Po~】

Eight-Foot Sister smiled as though it were nothing.

Her obsidian-black hair flowed down to her chest.

"Oh, you're back to long hair today?"

【Po~】

Monday was long hair.

Tuesday was a ponytail.

Wednesday was twin tails.

Thursday was a side ponytail.

Friday was braids.

Saturday was an updo.

Sunday was a bob. I had no idea how she managed that one.

Even though she was an urban legend, she seemed to have her own tastes. Her style changed every day. Pretty amazing.

"Was cooking difficult? You couldn't have had many ingredients."

【Po~ Po, po!】

Eight-Foot Sister said it was no problem because I had bought ingredients for her.

Ever since I made a familiar contract with her, communication had become fairly smooth.

It seemed my words as her master were conveyed to my familiar, while Eight-Foot Sister's emotions and thoughts were faintly conveyed to me.

Jjaekjjaeki, Decarabia's sparrow familiar, felt similar.

I had wondered how Decarabia gave orders to an animal that couldn't speak. It was a relief that it worked like this.

Chirp!

Jjaekjjaeki pecked at the nuts in its bowl while Gari scooped boiled chicken out of the washbasin beside it.

Jjaekjjaeki was one thing, but Gari was another.

"I could give you raw chicken, you know."

【Po?】

"Isn't this a hassle? Gari, aren't you fine with raw chicken?"

Clack? Clack!

Gari shook its head.

No, you liked cooked chicken better?

How much did you eat in one meal? You expected her to cook all of that for you?

Maybe it would be different if we had equipment for cooking in bulk, but Eight-Foot Sister was working way too hard like this.

We should split that work later.

"Do I need to feed Jjaekjjaeki too...?"

It was a ghost, so did it even eat?

I considered not feeding it, but Jjaekjjaeki reacted fiercely, as though it had read my mind.

Chirp! Chirp chirp! Chirp chirp chirp!

Mm, that was a clear refusal.

It was easier to tell what the familiars liked and disliked now that their intentions reached me.

【Po...!】

While we ate breakfast, Eight-Foot Sister stared at me again today.

How should I put this?

Her gaze was a little burdensome.

Wolryeong Bodhisattva said obsessive-type urban legends like the Eight-Foot-Tall Ghost often latched onto one person.

The usual problem was that their targets died horribly without a sound.

Eight-Foot Sister, an urban legend altered through becoming a meme, wasn't the type to kill people. But then what did she do after becoming obsessed with someone?

I had no idea.

【Po~ Po! Poo~?】

In the middle of eating, Eight-Foot Sister stared at me again.

"Uh..."

【Po......】

Eight-Foot Sister played with her hair as though there was something she wanted.

The knot I had given her was tied prettily into her long, straight hair.

"Ah! The food is delicious."

【Po......】

For some reason, Eight-Foot Sister looked dejected and only kept playing with her hair.

* * *

The urban legend tracking request was completed that day.

Apparently, it was supposed to keep us employed for two or three weeks, but we had dealt with all the dangerous urban legends too quickly, so there was nothing left to do.

They said they would deposit 450 million won: 20 million for the base fee, 380 million in rewards, and another 50 million bonus for completing the request quickly.

Four hundred and fifty million.

I felt like my sense of money was about to break down...

"Man..."

What was I even supposed to spend all this on?

Of course, there were plenty of things to spend money on if I had enough of it, but I couldn't think of anything now that such a huge sum was suddenly coming my way.

Ah, the money hadn't actually been deposited yet.

I had received a message from Team Leader Joo of the Mystic Association, but they recommended that I come to the Mystic Association and open an account there if possible.

"The Mystic Association handles the tax side and launders the source of your income appropriately."

An exorcist's income wasn't something you could report normally for taxes.

If a tax accountant asked, "Your income exceeded 200 million won this year. What did you earn it from?" I couldn't exactly say I made it by exorcising ghosts.

So exorcists cooked the books a little and reported it as ordinary taxable income.

"Wait, is that allowed? Isn't the Mystic Association a public institution?"

"They are civil servants, but... well, it's a secret organization, like the National Intelligence Service."

It had actually been founded by people from intelligence agencies, so apparently its way of faking paperwork was similar too.

"Once you become more active, you should probably create some kind of business for tax purposes. If you join the Five Great Lineages, they will handle everything for you."

The Five Great Lineages were major private exorcist groups.

Since they had handled exorcism work in place of the government for a long time, they were apparently skilled at all kinds of administrative work too.

Come to think of it, Gangnam Holy Temple Church was one of the Five Great Lineages.

I should meet with them and get some advice soon.

"Bodhisattva, I'm thinking of visiting the Mystic Association. Could you give me the address?"

I got the Mystic Association's address from Wolryeong Bodhisattva.

"The Mystic Association is in a place like this?"

I arrived at Seoul Station.

Apparently, there was an entrance to the Mystic Association underground.

"Can I bring Gari and Eight-Foot Sister with me?"

Clack?

【Poo~?】

Well, it should be fine.

In the basement of Seoul Station, between Platforms 1 and 2, there was an emergency passage marked Staff Only beside an old advertising display.

I lightly touched it, and it opened without resistance. Even when I stepped inside, nobody around me looked my way.

They said there were barrier techniques that interfered with people's awareness. It seemed one had been installed here.

Machines and people stood side by side inside.

There were CCTV cameras, biometric scanners, and even security checkpoints like the ones commonly found at airports.

I set down my phone, Spirit Blade, and other belongings before passing through. The checkpoint staff checked them over and nodded.

When I headed farther inside, a security officer who seemed to be handling the final inspection spoke in a bored voice.

"Please show your pass."

"Sure. Eight-Foot Sister, the knot."

【Po......】

Eight-Foot Sister hesitated for a moment before handing over the knot tied in her hair.

Apparently, this was the pass that let me enter the Mystic Association.

The security staff jolted in surprise when I took the knot from Eight-Foot Sister and it suddenly appeared in midair.

"Are you... commanding a shikigami?"

"Huh? Ah, yes."

"Shikigami must receive a separate pass and pass a safety test."

There was something like that?

I was flustered by the procedure I had never expected, but the security staff remained firm.

"You cannot enter without a pass."

"Really? Then where do I get one?"

"You must apply for a separate safety quarantine test... Huh, a Black Knot?!"

Then the security officer saw the knot in my hand and shot to their feet.

"W-We will escort you inside!"

"Huh? You just said I needed a separate pass..."

"I failed to recognize an honored guest! I will guide you inside!"

An honored guest? Since when was I one of those?

...

...

...

"Whoa... a Black Knot. It's my first time seeing one."

"I thought knot ranks only went up to Azure Knot?"

The checkpoint staff made a huge fuss.

It made sense.

The knots that also served as Mystic Association passes were divided into five ranks.

The lowest was the White Knot.

It was the knot first given to beginners who had just entered this world.

After gaining experience and becoming established, they could be promoted to a Red Knot.

Next came the Azure Knot. To receive it, one had to resolve numerous Mystic Association requests and have completed at least three Grade 2 or higher requests.

Then came the Black Knot.

From this rank onward, only some of the most renowned people in Korea received one.

It was proof of ability granted to practitioners ranked at least quasi-Grade 1 and at most Grade 1.

The highest rank was the Yellow Knot, but it was an administrator rank granted only to the heads of the Five Great Lineages and the association's highest-ranking executives.

So the Black Knot could be considered the practical highest rank.

"Who is that? I've never seen him before."

"Most Black Knot holders are people whose very existence is classified. Small fry like us probably don't even have clearance to approach them."

"Whew... was that innocent-looking face all an act? Well, there's no way a Black Knot holder wouldn't know that shikigami need passes."

Every Black Knot holder was either crazy or eccentric.

If the security staff had failed to notice, they might have assumed I would retaliate for daring to demand a pass from me.

Realizing how close they had come to death, the security staff repeatedly breathed sighs of relief.

* * *

After passing through the security checkpoint, I took an elevator down for what felt like forever.

The farther we descended, the more I couldn't help being amazed by the enormous facility.

You know those movies where a Black agent works for a secret organization managing aliens?

Vast underground facilities that looked like they belonged in a place like that gradually came into view.

"Wow..."

"I-Is there anything making you uncomfortable?"

"Huh? No."

The security officer, who had seemed bored earlier, had become extremely cautious.

Was this knot really that impressive?

I thought Madam Park had just given it to me.

"W-What business brings you here today?"

"Ah, that is..."

"Ah! I-I'm sorry! I wasn't daring to pry into an honored guest's purpose!"

Let me speak, will you...?

The security officer's attitude was beyond cautious. It was practically submissive, and I almost felt sorry for them.

Maybe it was because they were civil servants. They seemed extremely careful around complaints.

"I'm here to receive my request reward and open an account. I also want to pick up some other requests while I'm here."

"I-I see! Then I will guide you to a place where you can handle your banking!"

"Personally?"

"Of course! I will do everything I can to ensure your business today goes smoothly!"

They were doing all that for me?

Was this knot some kind of VIP certificate?

Anyway, the Mystic Association I was visiting for the first time was far larger than I had imagined, and I had been worried I might get lost.

Since they were offering to guide me, I decided to accept gratefully.

"Please do."

"It is an honor to serve you!"

I followed the overly helpful employee.

The Mystic Association had built an underground world, complete with separate bank counters where they handled account consultations and tax-related work.

Maybe because of that, there was a long line. The waiting number was backed up by at least a hundred people.

"There are a lot of people."

"This month is the comprehensive income tax filing period..."

That was a more realistic reason than I expected.

"It's fine. An honored guest does not need to wait in line."

"Huh?"

The employee took me to the bank's second floor.

There was a separate VIP counter there, and as soon as I entered, the employees bowed so deeply their heads nearly touched the floor.

"Welcome, customer."

"What can we help you with?"

"This honored guest wants to open an account, so process it immediately."

"A Black Knot...! Yes! Yes, of course! We will take care of it right away!"

What was going on?

"Customer, would you like to apply for the reward payment to this account?"

"Yes... please do it now."

"Certainly. Your application for 450 million won is complete. Yes, the deposit has been processed."

That fast?!

"That was really quick."

"The VIP counter has staff on duty twenty-four hours a day. You may visit whenever you wish."

They also said they handled flexible tax processing for Black Knot customers.

An expert who seemed to be a tax accountant appeared and said they could process up to ten billion won, even guiding me through setting up a business for laundering money.

Could the government really do this...?

"Then, shall we proceed to the next counter?"

"Ah, yes..."

The next stop was the request counter operated by the Mystic Association.

Last time, I had participated through Wolryeong Bodhisattva's introduction, but this time I could choose and complete requests myself.

What kinds of requests were there?

How was the ecosystem of this world organized?

I wanted to avoid getting dragged into dangerous work if possible, but I couldn't help being curious.

I was about to start by looking through the easiest requests first...

"Those are far too trivial for an honored guest to handle, aren't they?"

"Huh?"

"Here are the Grade 2 and higher requests for true masters. I will guide you there immediately!"

"Uh..."

This wasn't what I wanted.

I came here to do things like kill ten orange mushrooms or gather herbs.

Before I knew it, I had been led to the second floor again.

Unlike the busy first floor, which was packed with ordinary requests, the second-floor counter was remarkably quiet, with only high-risk requests gathered here.

A few people with Azure Knots looked at me with clear curiosity.

"Come, come this way."

They did not even have me take a number before leading me straight to the VIP counter.

An employee who appeared to be a team leader was already waiting inside.

"Welcome, Gari Bodhisattva. We have been expecting you."

The employee must have said something over the radio and contacted them in advance.

This Black Knot VIP treatment was intense...

"We have prepared requests suitable for Gari Bodhisattva. Would you like to take a look?"

"Ah, yes..."

The requests were laid out like the menu of some fancy fine-dining restaurant.

[Request Catalog for High-Risk Grade 2 and Higher Practitioners]

Request No. HK-009

《Incheon Port Pier 7 Quarantine Request》

Location: Jung-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City

Classification: Illegal immigration / Nonhuman race / High-risk security

Overview: Investigation into the illegal entry of a high-grade nonhuman. High risk of combat with Grade 2 demihumans.

Request No. HK-031

《Support Work for the Hwagok-dong Mystic Serial Murder Case》

Location: Hwagok-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul

Classification: Nonhuman race / Administration / Concealment

Overview: Support and concealment for the investigation team handling serial murders caused by mystic phenomena.

Request No. HK-063

《Resealing the Mountain Lord of Taebaek Mountain Territory》

Location: Undisclosed, Gangwon Region

Classification: Sealing / Ancient species / Disaster

Overview: A seal created by an unlicensed special-grade barrier practitioner during the late Joseon period has weakened. Chang-gwi are running rampant. Appropriate equipment and preparatory work will be provided.

The terminology alone looked alarming.

Every one of them seemed dangerous...

Then Gari tapped something with its teeth.

"Hm?"

Clack!

Gari clicked its teeth toward a particular page.

Request No. HK-011

《Suspected Dream Demon Infiltration of Itaewon Clubs. Investigation and Extermination》

Location: Itaewon area, Yongsan-gu, Seoul Special City

Classification: Nonhuman race / Dream demon / Disguised infiltration type

Overview: Fifty-three disappearances over the past eight months. Traces of a dream demon found. Infiltrate clubs to investigate and eliminate it.

Special Note: As it is a servant of Asmodeus, the thirty-second of the seventy-two demons, a high-ranking exorcist or holy water is recommended.

Footnotes:

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