WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Alyo
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Memoir of a Regressor ◈
Chapter 18: What Matters Starts Now
──────
The time had come.
Lady Sang had reached that conclusion.
She had spent decades with that damned bastard.
Even so, she had wanted to believe in him until the very end.
If possible, she had not wanted to use the Soul-Severing Demonic Poison her father had given her.
But not anymore.
She wanted to kill him with it right this instant.
“Jeong.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Tonight.”
“...”
“Tonight, the position of Clan Head will become vacant.”
Yi Jeong swallowed hard.
In national terms, this was rebellion. Whether it was called civil war or given any other label did not matter.
“His intention in delaying the decision on the Young Clan Head is far too obvious. We cannot wait any longer. We will skip the position of Young Clan Head and seize the position of Clan Head directly.”
“...Yes, Mother.”
“First, gather all those on our side. Then persuade the elders. No, I will persuade the elders myself.”
“Can we do all that today?”
Lady Sang’s lips curled into a smile.
When a woman harbored resentment, frost could fall even at the height of summer.
The frost that would begin falling tonight was far too sweet.
Now that she had made her decision, she wondered if she had taken far too long to get here.
Such an easy way had existed all along.
“First, tell the martial artists this. Once Yi Se-geuk falls, we will name the Yun Clan as the ones behind it.”
“...Do you intend to destroy the Yun Clan?”
“No. We will absorb what can be absorbed and discard what must be discarded. Everything must be handled quickly. Otherwise, the other clans of Jangnyeong County will come after us. Once this begins, you will immediately take the position of Young Clan Head.”
“Weren’t you saying I would become Clan Head?”
“Now, now. Why are you in such a hurry? If the position of Clan Head becomes vacant, it is only right for the Young Clan Head to act in the Clan Head’s place. You will be the Young Clan Head while serving as Clan Head, and the instant Yi Se-geuk’s life ends, you will become the Yi Clan’s Clan Head.”
To Yi Jeong, it sounded like a perfect plan.
His mother’s words about poisoning his father were cruel, but Yi Jeong never once considered his mother’s plan cruel.
Yi Se-geuk was his father, but he was also the man who had continuously refused to give him what he wanted.
His resentment outweighed his gratitude.
For an ungrateful beast like Yi Jeong, that was only natural.
“Now, let us begin.”
“Yes, Mother.”
* * *
After finishing his private discussion with his mother, Yi Jeong headed straight for the residence where his youngest brother, Yi Do, was staying.
Yi Do had been training. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and turned around.
Yi Jeong smiled brightly.
“Little brother.”
“What brings you here?”
To be honest, Yi Do held no good feelings toward Yi Jeong.
The days when he had been despised for being an illegitimate son were in the past, but Yi Jeong had led all of it.
Yi Won, the second son, had not played quite as large a part.
From Yi Won’s perspective, there was no need to do anything. Yi Do was the youngest and not even a threat. Everyone in the clan looked down on Yi Do, so Yi Won had simply followed along.
The eldest son had stood behind it all.
Perhaps shamelessness was the only word for it.
Yi Jeong spoke.
“What do you mean, what brings me here? Does the eldest brother need a reason to visit his youngest brother?”
Yi Jeong’s smile remained unchanged.
“It is truly surprising. You reached the Circulation Realm. I still can’t believe it.”
“Please get to the point.”
A crack ran across Yi Jeong’s smiling face, but he still maintained his composure for the moment.
“The point... Fine. What will you do from now on?”
“What do you mean?”
“If a civil war were to break out within the Yi Clan, I am asking which side you would stand on, mine or Yi Won’s.”
A smile appeared on Yi Do’s lips as well.
“Is there anything in it for me?”
“Something in it for you? Of course. Tell me what you want.”
“I need two roots of Hundred-Year Ginseng and one root of Five-Hundred-Year Ginseng.”
“...That is excessive. Everyone already knows you possess outstanding talent in martial arts. Hundred-Year Ginseng? If we had such things, it would naturally be right for me, the eldest son, to consume them. Do not be so greedy. Be satisfied with elixir pills. If you do, I might even bestow some upon you.”
Yi Do was dumbfounded.
“Ahem. Then let us do this.”
Before Yi Do could even ask what he meant by that, Yi Jeong continued.
“Swear loyalty to me.”
“...?”
“Kneel and swear that you will serve me as your lord. If you do, I will spare your life. You will become my man as well.”
A laugh escaped Yi Do.
The little bastard must have seen that sort of nonsense somewhere.
“Eldest Brother.”
“Yes, speak.”
“Stop making a fool of yourself and leave.”
“...What did you say?”
Yi Do walked toward him slowly, then silently reached out.
Yi Jeong had reached the Circulation Realm himself, yet he could not react.
How could he react to the Cloud Dragon Grappling Art, a marvelous technique of Great Kunlun, which had been destroyed in the past?
Thud.
Yi Do gripped his shoulder and tightened his hold.
“Eldest Brother.”
“...Yes.”
“There is a right time for everything.”
“...”
“I will give you one chance, only once, to cast off everything that happened in the past and move forward. Remember it. Only once.”
“...”
“Go and make the matter involving me disappear. If ‘that’ is carried out, then... I will leave the rest to your imagination.”
Yi Jeong swallowed hard. What was this overwhelming pressure?
“Just as I did for Second Brother, I am giving you one chance because we are blood relatives. Do you understand what I am saying?”
Did he understand?
Of course he did.
Yi Jeong shook off Yi Do’s hand and stepped back. Pointing at him, he shouted,
“You bastard! So this is it. You have been coveting the position of Young Clan Head!”
Yi Do only stared at him.
“You madman. How dare an illegitimate son like you covet such a precious position? Do you not know the saying that a useless person merely makes up the numbers? How dare you show me such ambitions? You are beyond saving.”
Yi Do still did nothing.
“You have crossed the line! Kneel now, take back your words, and apologize to me. Then I will let this pass.”
“Eldest Brother.”
Yi Do swept back his hair and continued.
“I clearly gave you a chance.”
“You arrogant bastard. You will regret this!”
Yi Jeong turned around and left.
Yi Do watched his retreating back. Once Yi Jeong had disappeared completely, he spoke quietly.
“Second Brother, you can come out now.”
Yi Won emerged from behind the wall, his face tense.
Yi Do turned to him.
His expression was resolute.
“I believe the time has come.”
“...Today?”
“Yes. Today. We will sweep them all up in one stroke, so gather every martial artist in one place. Once it begins, follow me.”
“...All right.”
* * *
It all felt too natural.
The Yi Clan’s atmosphere had sunk into silence, as though everyone had made an agreement.
As if something could begin at any moment.
The situation was on the verge of erupting.
The only one who failed to notice was the master of the Yi Clan, Yi Se-geuk.
“Husband, do you have a moment?”
Yi Se-geuk, who had been handling work, raised his head. His first wife stood at the door to his study, waiting with a cup of tea.
“...If you have come to speak about the Young Clan Head again, then no.”
“It is not that.”
Lady Sang approached and slowly set the tea before him.
“You must have your own reasons. I was simply too impatient.”
“Hm...”
“You can understand that much, can’t you? You know why I am so fixated on the position of Young Clan Head.”
“I know very well.”
“Thank you for understanding. I promise you, I will never bring up the Young Clan Head again.”
“I would be grateful if you did, but do you mean it?”
“Yes. Do not worry. Oh, and this is Snow Spirit Tea, which only the palace masters of the far-off Perennial Snow Palace drink. I heard it has the effect of calming one’s body and mind.”
“Hm... Thank you for saying that. I will enjoy the tea.”
Yi Se-geuk did not merely manage the Yi Clan’s affairs.
The Yi Clan belonged to the Martial Alliance. Its name might have been near the very edge of the alliance, but it was undeniably part of it.
Yi Se-geuk was both the Yi Clan’s Clan Head and the branch leader of the Martial Alliance’s Jangnyeong County branch.
He was a busy man.
He silently drank the tea.
After taking a sip, he seemed to find it agreeable and drank it down in large gulps.
Clack.
The cup he set down was empty.
Having finished it so cleanly, he had intended to say that it was delicious, that one cup had eased his anger.
He simply never got the chance.
Boom.
His heart was the first to pound violently. Then abnormalities spread through the meridians throughout his body.
“Cough... Urk...”
Black blood streamed from his mouth.
His bloodshot eyes glared at Lady Sang.
“You... bitch...”
Lady Sang approached Yi Se-geuk and gently stroked his head.
“I promised, did I not? That I would not speak of the position of Young Clan Head again.”
“...Cough... Poison... You poisoned me...!”
“Husband, do you think I would serve you precious tea brought all the way from such a distant place simply for your sake?”
“...”
“You would not make Jeong the Young Clan Head, so what else could I do? I have no choice but to take the position of Clan Head.”
His bloodshot eyes glared at her murderously, but Lady Sang only smiled.
“You have worked hard all this time. I will keep you alive for a few months, then let you die comfortably. So leave everything behind and go.”
Slowly, Yi Se-geuk’s eyes closed.
Thud.
Lady Sang seemed to have no intention of supporting his powerless body as it collapsed. She quietly stepped back.
She gazed down at Yi Se-geuk, then cried out loudly.
“Husband! Husband! Is no one outside? My husband has been poisoned!”
She dropped to her knees and began wailing.
It was an impressive performance.
* * *
Yi Jeong waited in his residence.
His heart raced.
At last, he would become the Young Clan Head of the Yi Clan.
No.
More precisely, he would become Clan Head.
No one in this family would be able to say a word against him anymore.
The Clan Head was the law. Who would dare argue with him?
A broad smile naturally spread across his face as he imagined the future ahead.
Before long, the door opened.
His mother stood there, her face flushed with excitement.
“Mother!”
“Yes. Have you made all the preparations?”
“Yes. Everyone is waiting at Peaceful Cloud Pavilion.”
Peaceful Cloud Pavilion was where the Yi Clan’s most elite martial artists resided.
It was both their training ground and their sleeping quarters, making it one of the most important places in the Yi Clan.
“What happened to Father?”
“He is lying in his residence now. Several physicians have gone to him, but they will not be able to do anything. Now then, as we discussed, what we must do from this point onward is...”
“Arrest Lady Yun and Yi Won.”
“You understand well. After that, we must arrest every martial artist and General Steward who supports them. I have persuaded the elders, so there is no need to worry.”
“Yes. Then let us begin at once.”
“Good.”
Just as the two were about to move, the closed door opened.
Creeeak.
Two men stood there.
Yi Do and Yi Won.
Mother and son stared in shock.
How could they be here?
Yi Do did not bother to explain.
There was no need for words.
He silently approached, grabbed Lady Sang by the head, then shifted the dagger hidden in his sleeve into a reverse grip and drove it down.
Stab!
Lady Sang could not even scream. Blood spurted out, covering Yi Do’s entire face, but neither his expression nor his movements changed.
He twisted the dagger.
Then he turned his head.
His eyes met Yi Jeong’s.
Yi Jeong stepped backward.
Something had gone wrong.
This was not right.
As Yi Jeong staggered back, he saw Yi Do slowly approaching after pulling the dagger from Lady Sang’s neck.
Yi Jeong’s feet stopped.
His mother had just died.
How could he run away as her son?
“You mad bastard!”
Yi Jeong drew the sword at his waist and charged at Yi Do.
The Clear Sky Sword Art, the Yi Clan’s secret martial art, unfolded.
But before the sword could even trace its path, Yi Do caught it in his hand.
Yi Do, silent until now, finally opened his mouth.
“Did I not give you a chance?”
“A... chance...?”
“That is enough. Farewell.”
The dagger Yi Do held had stabbed Lady Sang in the exact middle of her neck.
It was the same now.
The dagger pierced the same place, with the same force.
“Urk...”
Blood surged from Yi Jeong’s twitching neck. Yi Do silently twisted the dagger.
Crack.
His neck bones broke completely.
And just like that.
Yi Jeong’s body collapsed to the floor.
Covered in blood, Yi Do panted as though he felt refreshed.
Watching it all, Yi Won swallowed unconsciously.
...What could he even say?
At some point, his youngest brother had begun to seem different.
Yi Do turned around.
He slowly approached Yi Won and grabbed his shoulder.
“Second Brother.”
“Ah... Ah?”
His words came out strangely. They could not have come out any other way.
Yi Do was smiling.
Yes.
To Yi Won, Yi Do was... terrifying.
His legs trembled.
“What matters starts now. Do you understand?”
Hearing Yi Do’s emotionless voice, Yi Won nodded again and again.
Footnotes:
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