WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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Episode 12: Manor Lord (1)
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A man in dark blue Taoist robes, a scripture case strapped to his back, paced near Yeonmok Sword Manor with a talisman in hand.
Flap! Flap!
Before long, a shadow with enormous beating wings appeared above him.
It gradually shrank, as though descending.
“Gujo. Did you find him?”
At his words, the eagle-shaped shadow shook its head.
The man looked puzzled, then pointed into empty air with a saber-finger hand seal.
He closed his eyes and focused.
When he opened them again, his brow furrowed.
‘What is this?’
Having received what Gujo had seen, he found the situation difficult to understand.
The entire Manor was obscured, as though surrounded by a pale mist.
Such a phenomenon did not arise easily.
It was caused by the powerful will of a high-ranking vengeful spirit, a kind of Ghost-Intent Domain.
‘...This is no ordinary matter.’
A Ghost-Intent Domain was akin to a barrier in occult arts.
Only a vengeful spirit of at least the Green Spirit rank could form one.
That was why the man took this so seriously.
‘What should I do?’
He had intended to observe the target from outside, but that had become difficult.
Even Sak, a Taoist occultist at the Skill rank whose occult arts were nearly equal to his own, had been defeated. He could not approach carelessly with spellcraft.
Nor could he easily enter the Manor after Ghost Shadow Pavilion had incurred First Madam's wrath.
“Hmm.”
Just as he was pondering the matter, he spotted a drunken young man approaching with women who appeared to be courtesans on each arm.
The staggering young man collapsed after vomiting on the ground, and the courtesans began trying to wake him.
“Oh my!”
“Young Master Mok? Young Master Mok? You should go home and rest. Didn't you say you'd show us around?”
“Mmm...”
After shaking him several times, the courtesans glanced around.
When the young man called Young Master Mok still did not come to his senses, they quietly began searching his clothes.
The man's lips curved into a faint smile.
* * *
According to the Fundamental Text of the Yin-Yang School, a Red Spirit, the lowest rank of vengeful spirit, was a type of earthbound spirit. It could only affect living beings enough to give them goosebumps or a slight chill.
Go Chan had become a vengeful spirit because of his desperate wish not to die, his resentment, and the deathly aura Mok GyeongUn had instilled in him.
And he was only a Red Spirit, the lowest rank.
Having only just become a vengeful spirit, he knew nothing.
He did not even understand possession, much less know how to perform it properly.
Still, with Blue Spirit's guidance, he had managed to take control of Ha Chae-rin's body.
As he suppressed her ego, fragments of memory seeped into him.
A room stained with blood.
A heart filled with bitter grievance.
[Grandfather? Don't tell me you're dead? Grandfather, you're the Flying Kill Flame Guest, one of the Four Great Assassins of the Central Plains. Get up. You can't die. Get up!]
[The Gate Leader's position is vacant, and you want me to complete Hundred Days, Hundred Killings? What kind of bullshit is that?]
[Then do it! Just do it!]
[Grandfather... I'll definitely inherit your position and avenge you. Whoever did this.]
By absorbing Ha Chae-rin's memories, he learned what had happened.
The Gate Leader had suddenly been murdered, throwing the Flying Kill Gate into considerable internal turmoil.
Ha Chae-rin was carrying out Hundred Days, Hundred Killings to become the Flying Kill Gate's next Gate Leader.
‘So that was it?’
It was quite shocking.
The dead Gate Leader, who bore the title of one of the Four Great Assassins, was a master who had reached the Master realm. As befitted the pinnacle of assassins, he had maintained an almost flawless success rate in his commissions.
Yet such a formidable assassin had suddenly been murdered.
From Ha Chae-rin's memories, it seemed that she and others within the Flying Kill Gate suspected one of the other Four Great Assassins might have been responsible.
If that was true, the Flying Kill Gate might have considerable difficulty taking revenge.
Of course, that was their problem.
Go Chan desperately wanted the matter resolved.
“Young Master...”
“Yes?”
“Please take me out of this body.”
Shiver!
Even as he spoke, goosebumps rose on his arms.
It was because of his own voice.
Anyone could imagine becoming the opposite sex at least once, but actually experiencing it was more than Go Chan could bear.
“If I take you out, I'll have to deal with that woman immediately.”
“...”
She had been an assassin after Mok GyeongUn's life.
He could not let her live.
“You said she's the granddaughter of the Flying Kill Gate's leader. The next Gate Leader, was it?”
“Th-that is true, but...”
“Ha Chae-rin came here because of retired Guard Gam too. Wouldn't it become even more troublesome if the Gate Leader's granddaughter died?”
“...That... is true.”
Go Chan's voice trailed off.
He could not deny Mok GyeongUn's words.
The Flying Kill Gate's disciples suffered because of Ha Chae-rin's temperament, but their loyalty and respect toward the dead Flying Kill Flame Guest remained great.
If his granddaughter died, the entire Flying Kill Gate would use every means possible to kill Mok GyeongUn.
To be honest, that was what Go Chan wanted.
‘I'd like him to die.’
But if Mok GyeongUn died, Go Chan would vanish as well.
Blue Spirit had explained that such was the fate of spirit familiars joined by a bond of fate.
‘Damn it.’
What a miserable situation.
He truly was no different from a slave.
Since his life and death were bound to Mok GyeongUn's, he could not even allow the man to die.
Go Chan felt conflicted.
Puff.
Blue Spirit, who had been smoking a long pipe and exhaling smoke, gave a derisive snort.
- Why do you look like death, newcomer? You're already dead. You should be grateful you managed to possess a living body.
Was this really something to be grateful for?
Could they not have put him in a man's body, then?
But he feared Blue Spirit, so he said something contrary to his true feelings.
“...That is true, but.”
- You were weak in life anyway.
“...”
- Retired assassin or not, you were only Second-rate at that age. You had little hope to begin with.
“...”
Blue Spirit's every word cut like a dagger, tormenting Go Chan.
Just as he found himself speechless for an entirely different reason...
Whoosh!
Go Chan instinctively leaned his head back.
“Young Master?”
Mok GyeongUn's shoe sole was right before his nose.
Had he been even a little slower, the kick would have struck his jaw.
Mok GyeongUn spoke to him.
“You certainly are fast. Even faster than Guard Go Chan was before he died.”
“What?”
Go Chan frowned at those words.
Now that he thought about it, that had not been his original movement.
He had merely followed where the body led him.
Ha Chae-rin's body, which had reached the Expert realm, possessed Ki sense far more sensitive than Go Chan's, who had only been Second-rate.
‘Ah!’
Blue Spirit smirked at him.
- Why are you so surprised? You possessed a powerful body. Naturally, that would happen.
“Is that how it is?”
- You should still adapt to it. Your own level is so low that it will take time before you can fully use that body.
Vengeful spirits also had ranks.
Blue Spirit, who had risen to the realm of spirits and goblins, could draw out strength exceeding that body's original power after possessing it.
But Go Chan, who was only a lowly Red Spirit, could not do so.
Even so, he had become far stronger than before by taking possession of an Expert's body.
‘Expert...’
Go Chan felt strange.
When he had trained in Martial Arts while alive, his goal had been to reach the Advanced realm.
But despite his desperate wish, he lacked martial talent and never crossed that threshold.
Yet now he possessed a body that had reached the Expert realm.
Once he became conscious of it, his feelings changed.
- It seems you like it now.
Go Chan came to his senses at Blue Spirit's words and waved his hands.
He had been tempted by the Expert realm, but the fact that the body was still a woman's made him uncomfortable.
- Perhaps because you're a newcomer, your mind is still so worldly.
Blue Spirit clicked her tongue.
Once someone accepted their death and accepted that they were a soul, the body was nothing more than a shell.
Of course, there was a difference between a shell one liked and one did not.
Still, she could not understand why he found it so repulsive simply because it was female.
- Tsk, tsk. You should be satisfied with gaining a young and beautiful body.
“I-I am a man. Being young is nice, but a woman's body is simply too...”
- If I catch you looking into the mirror where no one can see and grinning to yourself in satisfaction, I will kill you.
“Why would I do something like that?”
He did not have such tastes.
If he had to possess someone, he merely wished it could have been a man's body.
Mok GyeongUn spoke to him.
“For now, please adapt to that body. When an opportunity arises later, I'll move you to another one.”
Go Chan wanted to demand a change immediately, but he understood the circumstances and could say no more.
He could only nod dejectedly.
It seemed he would have no choice but to remain in Ha Chae-rin's body for a while.
But would this bastard truly move him to another body so readily?
For some reason, he felt uneasy.
Then...
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Footsteps ran down the corridor.
Someone knocked at the door.
Knock! Knock!
“Who is it?”
- Young Master! This is Bok Hyeon from the Inner Hall.
“Come in.”
At Mok GyeongUn's words, the door opened and a man dressed in Inner Hall attire entered.
After Bok Hyeon bowed lightly in greeting, he spoke in a voice brimming with delight.
“Young Master, rejoice.”
“Yes?”
What was he suddenly supposed to rejoice over?
As Mok GyeongUn wondered, Inner Hall warrior Bok Hyeon said,
“The Manor Lord has awakened!”
‘!?’
At those words, Mok GyeongUn and Go Chan, who possessed Ha Chae-rin's body, both showed surprise.
The Manor Lord had been dying from the Demonic Monk's malign force, not possession.
Although whatever it was had left his body, the Manor Lord had been greatly weakened. Yet somehow, he seemed to have survived.
‘Hmm.’
This was unexpected.
Mok GyeongUn had been considering leaving this place once he became somewhat accustomed to the basic Martial Arts, before the Manor Lord lost his life.
Remaining any longer would only entangle him unpleasantly with First Madam and the Second Young Master.
Yet the Manor Lord had awakened.
Did that mean he had completely recovered?
“Young Master?”
At Inner Hall warrior Bok Hyeon's call, Mok GyeongUn changed his expression. Placing a hand over his chest, he spoke as though relieved.
“Ah, what a great relief. Father has awakened.”
Go Chan clicked his tongue inwardly at the act.
Naturally, Inner Hall warrior Bok Hyeon, who did not know Mok GyeongUn's true nature, did not suspect a thing.
“This is a blessing for Yeonmok Sword Manor.”
“I see. Thank you for coming all this way to tell me.”
“Ah, that is not the only reason.”
“Yes?”
“The Manor Lord wishes to see you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. He ordered us to bring you at once.”
Mok GyeongUn tilted his head slightly.
The Manor Lord had summoned him the moment he awakened?
What was this about?
- Could it be because of that place hidden beneath the Medicine house?
‘Ah...’
At Blue Spirit's words, Mok GyeongUn thought that might be possible.
Although they had said the Manor Lord had only just awakened, he might have checked the place where the secret manual had been hidden.
If so, Mok GyeongUn would naturally be the prime suspect.
- What will you do?
Mok GyeongUn gave a light shrug.
Since an Inner Hall warrior had come personally to escort him, he had no choice but to go.
Judging by Bok Hyeon's delighted reaction, however, it was not yet certain that he had been summoned because of the matter Blue Spirit suspected.
“All right. I will go to the Main Hall shortly.”
“No. He ordered that you be brought immediately.”
“Immediately?”
‘Is that not it?’
Hearing that made it difficult to be certain again.
Whatever the reason, it seemed he could no longer delay meeting the Manor Lord.
“Understood. Let us go, then.”
At Mok GyeongUn's words, Go Chan, possessing Ha Chae-rin's body, prepared to follow out of habit.
Mok GyeongUn shook his head.
“Go... Chae-rin, don't you have something to sort out in the storeroom?”
‘...Go Chae-rin?’
Their names had become mixed together.
Go Chan grimaced at how embarrassing it sounded.
Then he suddenly remembered what had happened in the storeroom.
‘!!!!!’
It was where he had lost his life.
Had they not dealt with his corpse yet?
“I'll be back soon. Please take care of it in the meantime.”
“...Understood.”
After Go Chan answered, Mok GyeongUn left the room with Inner Hall warrior Bok Hyeon.
Blue Spirit naturally followed Mok GyeongUn.
Once they were gone, Go Chan felt conflicted.
He had now reached the point where he had to deal with his own corpse.
‘Damn it.’
Go Chan shook his head.
Then he rose to go to the storeroom.
‘Hmm.’
His face suddenly reddened as he looked down at his chest.
The weight and sensation were unfamiliar to him from his days as a man, leaving him with strange feelings.
Goosebumps rose on his skin for no reason.
He looked into the mirror, but he could not get used to it.
Ha Chae-rin's alluring face and flowing clothes remained unchanged. She certainly was beautiful.
Perhaps because she had developed so well...
‘They're more bothersome than I thought.’
His chest was somewhat heavy.
Go Chan glanced around at the empty room. Out of curiosity, he unconsciously brought both hands to his chest.
Sliiide.
At that instant, Blue Spirit's face suddenly emerged through the paper door.
“...”
Go Chan froze solid.
- Tsk, tsk.
Blue Spirit clicked her tongue as though he were pitiful, then pulled her face back.
Sliiide.
Go Chan hurriedly opened the door and rushed outside, but she had already vanished.
He wanted to dig a grave and crawl into it at once.
* * *
‘Hmm.’
Mok GyeongUn's eyes gleamed as he headed for the Main Hall.
He was not the only one heading there.
At a fork in the path, Mok YuCheon, whose face was somewhat dark red compared to four days ago, was approaching under the guidance of another Inner Hall warrior.
‘So it is not about the Medicine house?’
Was that fortunate?
As Mok GyeongUn thought so, Mok YuCheon noticed him and hurried over, as though he had something to say.
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