WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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Episode 4: Demon Monk (2)
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Crunch!
A middle-aged man with a scar beneath his left eye sat on the wooden floor, biting into candied fruit as he sighed and looked toward the pavilion leading to the main building.
The pavilion, which should normally have been guarded by bodyguard warriors, was empty.
‘Will this really be all right?’
His name was Jang MyeongIn.
He was the Estate Manager and Head of the Guards for Yeonmok Sword Manor's main building.
In his youth, he had been a saber art master renowned around Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Nineteen years ago, he had formed a bond of fate with the Manor Lord while suppressing pirates in the Haiyan region, then entered Yeonmok Sword Manor.
‘Manor Lord.’
The Manor Lord had truly been a hero in his youth.
Jang MyeongIn had admired him and believed everything he did was right.
But how had things turned out this way?
[Estate Manager... Surely you do not wish for the day to come when that lowborn gisaeng woman's brat inherits Yeonmok Sword Manor?]
[That is...]
[Think carefully about what is truly right for Yeonmok Sword Manor.]
At first, Jang MyeongIn had intended not to involve himself.
Yet he could not help being swayed by First Madam Seok's words.
Even if the youngest young master, Mok YuCheon, possessed overwhelmingly superior martial talent, he had no foundation and no allies within the Clan. If he succeeded the Clan, it would eventually lead to Yeonmok Sword Manor's division.
‘Yes. This is the right thing.’
Though the eldest, Mok YeongHo, was somewhat violent, he was the eldest son.
His maternal family was none other than Jinhua Seok Manor, more than sufficient to support him.
In many respects, it was right for the eldest son to become the successor.
Yet one matter troubled him.
[Even the physicians could do nothing. How could a mere Taoist occultist possibly...]
[It will not take long. You only need to pretend not to notice for about two hours.]
[...]
[He is a capable Taoist occultist from Mengcheng. If he finds it, there will be no need to clash with the retainers or the second child, Mok EunPyeong.]
The Manor Lord's official seal.
With that seal, they could appoint a successor as they pleased.
They could also prevent a split among the retainers.
‘Is it possible?’
Still, he could not erase his lingering doubts.
How could a mere Taoist occultist who dealt only in sorcery learn where the official seal was from the lips of a Manor Lord who stood at death's door?
He wondered if they were simply wasting time on something pointless.
‘They call it occult arts, but surely they are not planning to threaten the weakened Manor Lord in his sickbed with medicine or something like that?’
No matter how much someone wanted the eldest young master, Mok YeongHo, to become the successor, that would be going too far.
It would be an insult to the Manor Lord to whom Jang MyeongIn had sworn loyalty.
Clench!
Jang MyeongIn's hand tightened.
‘Yes. That cannot be it.’
He had been told to clear the area for about two hours, but he should check just in case.
They had told him not to interfere, but there should be no issue if he only took a look.
With that, Estate Manager Jang MyeongIn passed through the pavilion and headed for the main building.
* * *
Mok GyeongUn placed a hand on the neck of the Taoist occultist Myo Shin, whose veins bulged grotesquely.
Myo Shin's pulse had stopped.
After confirming it, Mok GyeongUn returned with an impassive expression.
‘Good.’
No one would think Myo Shin had died at human hands.
It was an inexplicable death.
That was what Myo Shin's death had been.
Then, a pale giant monk appeared above the dead Myo Shin.
A rosary made of rattling skulls hung around its neck.
Mok GyeongUn reached out and touched it.
At that, the white eyes filled with ghostly energy, eyes that gave off a chilling glare, trembled.
“You wear something interesting around your neck.”
...
The reason was simple.
Mok GyeongUn could directly touch its spirit body.
As Mok GyeongUn idly handled the skull rosary, he asked, “You said you would become a loyal slave. What should I call you?”
The giant monk, which had remained still, quietly muttered something.
It looked as though only its lips were moving.
...
Human ears could not hear it.
Yet Mok GyeongUn heard it clearly.
“Demonic Monk? That sounds like a title rather than a name. Still, it does not matter as long as I can call you something.”
The aberration called itself the Demonic Monk.
Mok GyeongUn gave a faint laugh as he looked at it, then turned to the Manor Lord, who lay unconscious with one arm severed.
Mok GyeongUn rubbed his chin.
“Hmm.”
He had to decide whether to kill the Manor Lord or let the Manor Lord live.
The deliberation did not last long.
If Mok GyeongUn killed the Manor Lord now, it would put him in an awkward position.
So it was better to spare the Manor Lord.
“Then we will have to alter the scene a little. Demonic Monk, can you move that person in front of the Manor Lord?”
...
The Demonic Monk shook its head.
Mok GyeongUn muttered as if slightly disappointed, “Do not tell me you cannot?”
...
He had thought it could exert physical force since it had killed the Taoist occultist, but unexpectedly, it could not perform such a simple physical task.
Or was it only pretending that it could not?
Furthermore,
The portions of its body that had materialized vanished like a heat haze the instant sunlight touched them.
The phenomenon resembled a shadow disappearing in the light.
‘It is difficult to understand.’
It was interesting, but hard to grasp.
Mok GyeongUn's gaze turned to Myo Shin's bookcase.
Several books on occult arts stood on its shelves.
Would studying those allow him to understand a little more about an aberration like this?
Step. Step.
Then he heard footsteps crossing the wooden floor outside.
Soon, Guard Go Chan's voice came from beyond the door.
“Are you done yet?”
“Come in.”
At those words, Go Chan opened the door and entered.
His eyes widened the moment he stepped inside.
“W-what is this...?”
Go Chan was shocked by the dead Taoist occultist Myo Shin.
He had expected Myo Shin to be performing occult arts, so he could not help being bewildered to find the Taoist occultist dead in the meantime.
Oddly enough, Guard Go Chan did not seem able to see the Demonic Monk.
Mok GyeongUn gestured toward Go Chan's left and asked, “Do you see anything here?”
“Pardon?”
“It seems you cannot see...”
...
“Ah... Is that so?”
“Pardon?”
“No, I was not speaking to you, Guard Go Chan.”
‘!?’
Go Chan frowned at that.
Did that mean he had been talking to himself just now?
As Go Chan wondered, Mok GyeongUn looked to Go Chan's left and said something incomprehensible.
“No. I do not think there is any need for you to reveal yourself.”
...
“Young master? What do you mean?”
Mok GyeongUn smiled at the flustered Go Chan.
“Do not worry about it. More importantly, would you move that Taoist occultist over there, in front of the Manor Lord?”
“No, young master. Why is the Taoist occultist...?”
Myo Shin's appearance was bizarre beyond measure.
The veins across Myo Shin's face bulged so horribly that it was sickening, and the expression was filled with pain, shock, and terror.
‘How was he killed... Is this even what someone killed looks like?’
Poison?
That did not seem right either.
It was too bizarre.
‘Did this fellow not kill him?’
Even if Mok GyeongUn's blood was toxic, this was entirely different.
Nor did it appear that Myo Shin had been killed physically. What had happened?
While Go Chan was unable to make sense of it, Mok GyeongUn said, “Rather than stare at him, would you move him?”
“Y-yes.”
Having been told the same thing twice, perhaps feeling pressured, Go Chan hurriedly moved the dead Taoist occultist Myo Shin in front of the Manor Lord.
Mok GyeongUn said, “Lay him down as naturally as possible in front of him. Make it look as though he went mad and died on his own.”
‘What?’
How was he supposed to lay him down so that it looked like he had gone mad and died alone?
At a loss, Go Chan simply dropped Myo Shin's corpse however he could.
He had done as told, but what was Mok GyeongUn intending?
‘Does he plan to make it look as though the Taoist occultist did all this?’
Considering the room's wrecked state, it did look possible.
At least one thing was fortunate.
The Manor Lord was still breathing.
The Manor Lord's arm had been severed, but that was better than dying.
“Young master... What will you do now?”
“Ah, I forgot something important.”
At Go Chan's question, Mok GyeongUn picked up the sword lying on the floor.
Holding it, Mok GyeongUn approached the bed where the Manor Lord lay and swung it about.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
“This is what we will say. The Taoist occultist treating the Manor Lord with occult arts became possessed by an aberration, cut off the Manor Lord's arm, and tried to kill him. We stopped him.”
...
Go Chan was inwardly astonished at those words.
Even in this situation, Mok GyeongUn had devised a plausible excuse to escape blame.
Certainly, when one saw how Myo Shin had died, bizarrely as if possessed by something, it sounded believable.
However,
‘Will she believe it easily?’
First Madam Seok was not a woman who could be fooled so easily.
Go Chan had considered saying nothing, but then cautiously spoke.
“Young master... If we try to deceive her too clumsily, it may only make her suspicious.”
“Is it clumsy?”
“It truly was a coincidence, but if we claim we appeared at just the right moment and saved the Manor Lord, First Madam Seok will not easily accept it. Moreover, she hired this Taoist occultist, so all the more...”
“I see. It must look more plausible.”
Then Mok GyeongUn gripped the sword hilt in reverse.
As Go Chan wondered what he intended, Mok GyeongUn suddenly brought the sword's tip to his own thigh.
“Y-young master? What are you trying to do?”
“It has to look plausible. This should be enough.”
“W-wait...”
Before Go Chan could stop him,
Thud!
The sharp sword pierced Mok GyeongUn's thigh.
‘!!!!!’
Go Chan's expression stiffened at the sight.
He was not merely pinching himself. He had driven a sword into his own thigh without the slightest hesitation.
What was even more absurd was that, despite how painful it must have been, he did not let out even a groan.
No, his expression did not change at all.
‘Does it not hurt?’
Even Go Chan would have clenched his teeth or grimaced terribly to endure such pain.
Yet Mok GyeongUn showed barely any change in expression, as though he felt no pain whatsoever.
‘What a vicious bastard...’
Go Chan could only marvel in disbelief.
It was astonishing enough that Mok GyeongUn stabbed his own thigh without hesitation to avoid suspicion, but he was truly vicious to the core.
“Th-there is no need to go this far...”
“This is the most effective way.”
“I will stop the bleeding!”
“No. More blood needs to flow so that I will look a little pale.”
“...”
He was no longer merely afraid of Mok GyeongUn. He was terrified.
‘A madman like this must never be made into an enemy...’
Bang!
At that moment, the door burst open and someone rushed in.
Go Chan started in shock upon seeing the intruder.
“Estate Manager?”
The middle-aged man with a scar beneath his left eye was none other than Estate Manager Jang MyeongIn.
In truth, it was not surprising.
As the Estate Manager and Head of the Guards for the main building, he should have been stationed here from the beginning.
It was stranger that he had left his post.
Shing!
Estate Manager Jang MyeongIn drew his saber and pointed it at them.
“What have you done?”
Go Chan waved his hands in denial. “Estate Manager, you misunderstand. The young master and I...”
Before Go Chan could make an excuse,
“B-before that, please attend to the Manor Lord first...”
Thud!
‘!?’
Mok GyeongUn swayed and collapsed beside him.
Go Chan was momentarily left speechless as he watched.
Was Mok GyeongUn pretending to faint?
And while saying it in a way that made it seem as though the Manor Lord's safety mattered more than his own?
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