WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Chen

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Occult World’s Coveted Blacksmith ◈

Chapter 20: How Dare You Impersonate Our Swordsmith?

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“...!!”

Something enormous poured in through the palm.

Baek A-yeong nearly screamed and fell backward.

She hurriedly pulled her hand away.

‘W-What is this person...?’

It was cold and deep.

Spiritual Power felt different from person to person.

Some people felt warm, others sharp, and some calm like a still lake.

But this person...

It was dizzying.

So much so that she nearly lost consciousness.

It felt as though she had fallen straight into a cold, deep ocean.

Beneath it, an endless abyss seemed to be opening its jaws.

She had never felt such overwhelming Spiritual Power in her life.

‘This is insane... Who is this person?’

A-yeong glanced at the man before her, then cautiously looked to Seo Ji-an standing beside him.

His Spiritual Power was on a completely different level from that of the customers who normally came here.

A person’s rank wasn’t determined by Spiritual Power alone, but even so...

‘...He really might be a big shot.’

Who could he be?

With this much Spiritual Power, he had to be someone well known in a prominent family.

Yet he had come all the way to this out-of-the-way herbal shop just to change his face.

What rank was he?

When the gap in Spiritual Power was too wide, it became impossible to gauge the other person’s depth.

It was like a frog in a well trying to measure the ocean.

All she could tell was that it felt impossibly deep and vast.

‘At this level, maybe Grade 2...?’

She suddenly remembered the real Grade-2 sorcerer, an older man who had visited this place once.

‘...No, he was nowhere near this...’

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

Ji-an asked from beside her.

“Ah...! N-No!”

A-yeong clasped her trembling fingers together and forced her expression to calm down.

“Haha... So, what kind of look did you have in mind...?”

She was already rapidly calculating the price in her head.

‘With this much Spiritual Power... I think I could make him look completely different from how he does now.’

An old man, a middle-aged man.

Even if she changed someone’s gender, this much Spiritual Power should be enough to sustain it.

Then the man spoke with an indifferent expression.

“I have a look in mind.”

His eyes glinted faintly.

.

.

.

“...Pardon?”

A-yeong blinked without realizing it.

“You want to look... y-younger than this?”

“Yes.”

There wasn’t a trace of hesitation in his answer.

‘...You want to look even younger?’

At first, she was simply confused.

Nine out of ten young customers wanted to look older.

But this man wanted the exact opposite.

‘...Could it be?’

Most customers asked her to make them look much older to give off a veteran’s air, or to make them look intimidating.

But what happened if someone looked young?

People would see them as easy targets and take them lightly.

It would be much easier to work behind the scenes and gather information, too.

Besides, someone with this much Spiritual Power could probably conceal their presence for a while without a Suppression Talisman.

‘...He’s going to make people let their guard down with a youthful face, then stab them in the back in one blow?’

‘...He’s terrifying. Seriously.’

A-yeong was inwardly astonished.

His base features were so good that if she sculpted him into a youthful pretty boy, the result would be incredible.

That happened to be one of her specialties, too.

Once that thought crossed her mind, she suddenly felt the urge to do a good job.

“Understood. Close your eyes, please. I’ll be rearranging the structure of your bones and muscles, so you might feel a little stiff.”

* * *

“Do you like it?”

Ji-an, standing beside me, examined my changed face as she spoke.

I quietly studied my reflection in the shop window outside the herbal shop.

Beyond the glass stood a youthful pretty boy with naturally tousled hair, distinct brows, and a cool, chic expression.

“Hmm...”

I looked a little younger than my original target of twenty, more like eighteen.

‘...This should be fine.’

Of course, my first thought had been to go for the look of an older veteran artisan.

You know the type.

An unapproachable recluse with white hair, a magnificent beard, and an air of mastery.

That was the image anyone would expect from an artisan of the Tianshan Sect.

Besides, even the executive assistant I’d met at the TK Hotel had seemed slightly surprised that I looked younger than expected.

After thinking it over, though, I realized that could cause all sorts of problems.

‘How the hell am I supposed to suddenly act like a middle-aged man or an old man?’

What was the point of making my face look like a veteran?

My speech and behavior were twenty-something through and through.

If I awkwardly tried to imitate an old man and let something slip in some trivial detail, that would only make people more suspicious.

The biggest problem was that although I’d worn a mask during the TK Hotel request, someone might still remember my general vibe or the shape of my eyes.

If the difference from back then became too extreme, it could reveal that I’d done something to my face.

‘Let’s not push it.’

That was why I came up with this reverse approach.

Rather than leave the category of young men altogether, I would just drop my apparent age from twenty to my late teens.

Everyone would picture an old veteran when they heard of an artisan from the Tianshan Sect, so showing up with this youthful face would definitely catch them off guard.

Instead, people would strongly remember that the Tianshan Sect’s artisan was incredibly young.

Since I’d worn a mask, nobody would know how old I had looked originally anyway.

That would clearly distinguish Master Do from my real appearance in my late twenties.

‘...It still feels a little strange.’

My jawline was sharp enough to cut with, and my skin was almost unrealistically clear.

I looked younger than I’d expected.

Still.

I could probably insist I was twenty if I had to.

It wasn’t like anyone in the Occult World would demand to see my ID.

And since I looked young, everyone’s expectations would be lower.

‘...That’ll make things easier.’

The lower people’s expectations were, the more impressive the result would seem.

Either way, I’d achieved my goal of separating my real identity from Master Do.

Actually, I kind of liked it too.

I quietly compared the striking face in the window with my original face in my head.

Honestly, hadn’t my normal face been the sort of ordinary one you could see at any neighborhood convenience store?

“There’s definitely a clear difference from my original face. My old face was pretty ordinary, after all...”

When I muttered that without thinking, Ji-an quietly cleared her throat beside me.

Then she mumbled something in an almost inaudible voice.

“...What? Your original face wasn’t ordinary at all.”

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that. What did you say?”

When I turned to ask, Ji-an hurriedly waved her hands.

“Ah! N-No, it’s nothing. Hahaha. I-I said those earrings suit you.”

...Ah.

I turned my gaze back to the window.

A small silver cross earring dangled from my left earlobe.

“This?”

When I lightly touched it with my fingertip, the cross swayed.

It had ended up on my ear just after the work was finished.

My mind had still been spinning from my bones settling into place, but my vision had gradually cleared.

“All done. Would you open your eyes?”

At A-yeong’s voice, I slowly opened my eyes.

My gaze met A-yeong’s as she sat across from me.

She stared at my face for a long time.

A-yeong looked almost entranced, then suddenly flinched and rose from her seat.

“J-Just wait a moment!”

She rushed into the back of the herbal shop and returned a little later carrying a small box.

In her hand was...

A pair of silver cross earrings.

“...What are these?”

“Um, I thought they’d suit you... No, I mean, I thought they’d help with the disguise! A detail like this draws attention away and makes this look much more natural!”

The herbalist, who had been stirring a medicine pot behind us, snorted.

“Hmph. Drawing attention, my ass. Aren’t you saying that because of those idol boys you’ve been so into lately?”

A-yeong’s face flushed bright red.

“N-No! This is a professional recommendation from a designer! A recommendation!”

“Always trying to satisfy your own desires.”

“Aah! I said it’s not!”

At the herbalist’s scolding, A-yeong huffed and held the earrings out to me.

“A-Anyway! These will really complete the look. I’ll put them on for you!”

...Well, since I was disguising myself anyway, I might as well do it properly.

That was how I got my ears pierced for the first time in my life.

.

.

.

“...”

I saw Ji-an quietly clear her throat again and look away.

What was that reaction about?

Well, even my mom would never recognize me like this, so there was no longer any chance of my identity being exposed.

Then it was about time...

I took the Suppression Talisman from my pocket and hung it around my neck.

Sliiide...

The altered bones and muscles relaxed smoothly, returning me to my original appearance.

“Do you have plans today?”

Ji-an asked.

“I have some things to drop off, and I thought I’d take my family out for dinner while I’m at it.”

* * *

“Ahhh... That was good.”

That evening, in my family’s living room.

With a huge plate of jokbal in front of her, my younger sister Ji-yeon lay on the couch, patted her stomach, and stretched.

“Hey. Don’t lie down.”

I nudged her leg with my foot.

“Ahh... I’ve been stuck in the study room doing nothing but studying until now. Let me rest a little.”

“I said don’t lie down right after eating. Are you a cow?”

“Yeees, yeees~”

Ji-yeon pouted, but she sat back against the couch.

Still...

How did things end up like this?

“Come on. It’s been a while since we ate out, so I said we should go have steak at a five-star hotel.”

After eating something so good at the hotel, I’d thought of my mom and Ji-yeon.

I wanted to treat them to some top-class food.

At my complaint, Mom smiled and waved her hand.

“No. Even if I ate something that expensive, I probably wouldn’t know how good it was. Jokbal tastes much better when we’re all gathered together like this.”

“Exactly! Just because you made some money doesn’t mean you should spend it all, Oppa. Keep doing that and you’ll end up broke in no time.”

Ji-yeon wrapped a piece of jokbal and ssamjang in lettuce, then shoved it into my mouth instead of hers.

Chew, chew...

I chewed and swallowed, then said bluntly to Ji-yeon.

“From now on, I’ll pay all your college tuition. Don’t worry about scholarships or part-time jobs, just study hard. If you’re going to college, don’t settle. Go to the best one you can.”

“Seriously?”

Ji-yeon’s eyes went round like a rabbit’s.

“Mom, you should quit the restaurant job, too. Your son will give you plenty for living expenses, so rest and go to the hospital when you need to.”

Ji-yeon put down her chopsticks and asked with a serious expression.

“Oppa, where the hell did you get a job? You’re not doing something... shady, are you?”

“What shady work? I just landed a big freelance job. Anyway, take this.”

I held out the paper box I had brought.

“What’s this?”

“This one’s for Mom. This one’s yours.”

They were premium medicinal tonics I’d bought from the herbalist earlier that day.

A place that could reshape facial bones had to be able to brew an incredible restorative tonic.

* * *

After dinner with my family, I lay down on the bed in my room.

“Ahh... This is nice.”

It had been a long time since I’d lain on a bed at my family home. Just looking at the ceiling made me smile.

I didn’t even know how long it had been since I last came home. I’d been cooped up in my cramped studio apartment, using part-time work as an excuse.

Mom couldn’t stop smiling when her son finally showed up looking presentable after so long.

I felt like I had the whole world after giving them generous living expenses and expensive medicinal tonics.

‘Money really is great.’

Seeing my family so happy made me understand why making money felt so good.

‘That aside.’

I stared blankly at the medicine packets set in one corner of my room and fell into thought.

‘Sorcery really is amazing. The Talismans, and those medicines, too.’

I still didn’t understand what principle let them shave down bone and flesh, then put it all back together.

I slightly loosened the Suppression Talisman around my neck.

Whoosh...

As a faint amount of Spiritual Power flowed out, my face slowly changed back into that of a youthful pretty boy.

‘Oh-ho.’

Before I left the herbal shop earlier that day, the herbalist had given me some instructions while handing over the medicine.

[If you don’t keep taking this medicine, your face will revert, so make sure you take it twice a day!]

Apparently, maintaining my altered appearance required both the medicine’s effect, which formed the foundation, and my Spiritual Power, which held it in place.

[Then... what happens if I wear the Suppression Talisman?]

[The moment your Spiritual Power is blocked, you’ll return to your original face. Once you let your Spiritual Power flow again, it’ll change back. As long as the medicine’s still working, you can switch it on and off like that.]

[What about the medicine?]

[One dose lasts around twelve hours. If you don’t take the next dose within that time...]

A-yeong snapped her fingers.

[Then it’s really over. You’ll permanently return to your original face, so if you want a new one, you’ll have to come back to our herbal shop.]

[...Huh.]

That was why people normally couldn’t wear a Suppression Talisman while keeping their face changed.

The moment they put it on, all their Spiritual Power would be blocked, and they would immediately revert to their original appearance.

But my Suppression Talisman was different.

I could control the output of my Spiritual Power as much as I wanted.

All I had to do was let enough Spiritual Power through to maintain my face while suppressing the rest.

In other words.

As long as I took my medicine on time, I could turn my altered appearance ON and OFF whenever I wanted just by controlling the output of my Suppression Talisman!

‘This is freaking sweet.’

I’d taken care of my family’s health, and my new identity was perfect.

All that remained was to rake in money.

Ring!

Just then, my phone rang. It was Ji-an.

“Yes, Ji-an.”

“Do-hyeon! Have you been resting well? It’s a little... early, but an incredibly good job just came in!”

Now that was perfect timing.

I’d just been thinking I would need more money to take care of my family.

“Sounds good. I’ll take it.”

* * *

Vrooom!

Some time later, on a quiet mountainside.

Ji-an’s bright red sports car came to a smooth stop before the entrance road leading to an extravagant mansion.

Black-suited guards with fierce expressions stood firmly in front of the barrier, controlling entry.

“Vehicles can go no farther. Outside vehicles are not permitted beyond this point.”

I had no choice.

It looked like I would have to walk from here.

I adjusted the output of my Suppression Talisman, changed my face back into that of a youthful pretty boy artisan, and got out of the car.

Ji-an rolled down the window and waved.

“I’ll see you off here. They said an on-site broker is waiting inside. Do-hyeon, call me when you’re finished, and I’ll come pick you up right away!”

“Understood.”

After giving her a small wave, I headed toward the enormous mansion.

As I approached the barrier, one of the black-suited guards stepped forward.

“Please verify your identity.”

I took out a token and the identification card Ji-an had given me in advance, then handed them over.

The token bore the words [Tianshan].

The black-suited guard placed it in their palm and sent a thread of Spiritual Power into it.

A soft blue light flickered briefly before fading.

It seemed they were checking its authenticity.

“...”

After examining the token once more, the guard bowed slightly.

“Ah, you must be Master Do from the Tianshan Sect. They’re waiting for you inside. Please enter.”

The barrier lifted smoothly.

I gave a small nod and stepped into the mansion’s broad garden.

I had only just started walking across the gravel path when...

“...Hey.”

A familiar voice came from beneath the shade of a tree in the garden.

I turned my head and saw a man standing with one hand shoved into his pocket, his weight resting on one leg.

It was Jin Mu-yeong, the punk sorcerer I’d met at the TK Hotel.

‘...Why the hell is that guy here again?’

I should pretend I didn’t know him.

But Jin Mu-yeong furrowed his brow and strode over, blocking my path.

He glanced toward the guards, lightly tapped my shoulder, and lowered his voice.

“The Tianshan Sect? Master Do? You?”

‘...Huh?’

Jin Mu-yeong’s eyes narrowed viciously.

He turned his head and gave me a quick look from top to bottom.

“Hey. Tianshan Sect Master Do. Do you even know what kind of person he is before you throw that name around so casually? Huh?”

Jin Mu-yeong snorted and stepped closer.

“Who the hell do you think you are, impersonating him?”

This guy was getting angry at me for impersonating myself.

Footnotes:

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