The Tale of Cultivation and Demon Extermination - Chapter 2

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Chapter 2: Episode 1: Land of the Dokkaebi (2)

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A broad plateau lay halfway up the Uulta Mountains.

At the warm tail end of spring, maple trees sprouted fresh green leaves along the ridges, while azaleas and Japanese clover bloomed sparsely across the low hills.

Yet the true jewel among them was the peach blossom.

The spring groves blanketing the mountains seemed to whisper green as though proudly showing themselves off.

Even the newly budding shoots joined in.

It was a spring mountain range worthy of being called a spectacular sight.

But only up to a point.

Following the ridge farther up, the land eventually became so flat that one could forget they were in a mountain range. Its entrance was blocked by a sacred cord and a signboard.

「Gwisu Temple. Humans Forbidden. Turn Back Without Fail.」

A temple guarded by ghosts, forbidden ground for humans. Turn back at once.

Yet if one crossed the sacred cord and took even a single step forward despite that grim warning, the scenery changed completely.

The lush green spring mountains vanished without a trace. Streams as red as blood flowed past rotten, ill-omened sacred cords, withered trees, mournful winds, and dead leaves scattered through the air.

True to its name as a temple guarded by ghosts, this was a sacred home for dokkaebi, or rather, those called dokkaebi.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

As she stepped into Gwisu Temple, Mongryeon flashed a broad grin.

“How does it feel to set foot in dokkaebi territory?”

“It’s eerie.”

“You’re no fun.”

“It’s strange, too. Why is this place like this?”

“There are so many beings here giving off demonic qi that the surrounding environment can’t withstand it. Once you leave, you won’t be able to get back in by your own strength, so don’t cross the sacred cord.”

“I’ll remember that.”

On the way here, Mongryeon had revealed that she was the leader of the dokkaebi and the person in charge of Gwisu Temple.

Ise had quietly considered that unexpected truth with a blank expression.

She said she would let him hunt and kill demons, but wasn’t she a kind of demon herself?

Was this really all right?

As if mocking the question, Mongryeon dismissed it outright.

“I know what you’re thinking, but dokkaebi aren’t ordinary demons. We’re only classified as demons because we’re born able to wield demonic qi. To begin with, we’re also humanity’s strongest allies. Just think of us as a different race.”

Ise silently nodded.

After walking a little farther over the soggy ground, the gate marked Chumun opened.

Creeeak. The groaning hinges revealed the sight beyond.

The dokkaebi inside, each with horns atop their head, turned to look their way.

At first, their faces showed welcome. The instant they noticed Ise beside Mongryeon, though, their eyes turned red.

The sight of countless pairs of eyes reddening at once was bizarre enough to make Ise’s heart drop.

“A human?”

“That’s a human...”

Mongryeon shouted as though making a declaration.

“He’s a new member of the family!”

That was enough to erase their wariness.

The sharpened gazes vanished, and time, which had seemed to stop, began moving again.

Ise followed Mongryeon.

Most of the dokkaebi gradually lost interest, but the younger ones, especially the boys, watched him with eyes full of caution and curiosity.

Mongryeon added, as though giving him advice, “You’re at the age where kids grow up fighting, but don’t cause any serious trouble.”

“I understand that I’m imposing on you.”

“That doesn’t mean you should spend your time walking on eggshells. It’ll probably take them some time to accept you, but I mean you should bear with it. Once we’ve decided to take you in, well... you’re practically family.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Watching Ise answer so maturely, Mongryeon clicked her tongue again.

He was strangely too mature.

It was enough to make her wonder if he was an immortal wearing a child’s skin, or someone living their life for a second time.

What am I even thinking...?

While Mongryeon brushed aside the pointless thought, Ise took in the layout of Gwisu Temple.

It was an instinct, or perhaps a habit.

Beyond Chumun stood a massive main hall. Tiled buildings where dokkaebi came and went lined both sides of it.

Several large and small open lots that looked like training grounds lay ahead.

More buildings could be seen farther up the mountain path to the right, though no entrance was visible.

“All right, this is where we part ways. I need to go on patrol again. I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Chief.”

“Yeah?”

“What should I do until you return?”

“For now, eat well and get plenty of rest.”

“Pardon?”

“Not just today. From now on, keep eating well and sleeping well. If you want to fight well, your arms and legs need to grow at least half again as long. Getting you properly fed is urgent. If you don’t grow right at this age, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life as a demon hunter.”

“I’ll take it to heart.”

After ruffling Ise’s hair, Mongryeon called over a girl who stood some distance away, pretending not to stare in their direction.

“Gonga, come here.”

“Yes, Chief!”

The dokkaebi called Gonga practically bounced over to Mongryeon.

She looked like a mischievous girl, with round eyes and full lips.

Ise calmly smoothed down his ruffled hair, then quickly glanced at the girl around his age. Their eyes met.

Gonga blinked and gave him a cheerful smile.

“Take this boy to Chanmo. Tell her I asked her to feed him, then arrange somewhere for him to stay.”

“Yes!”

Gonga answered with all her might.

She’s lively.

After Mongryeon left, Gonga’s eyes sparkled as she looked over Ise from head to toe. Then she smiled with her eyes and asked, “Nice to meet you. I’m Gonga. What’s your name?”

“Ise.”

“Ise... That’s an unusual name!”

Was it? When Ise gave no response, Gonga circled around him as though inspecting him.

“How strange. You really don’t have horns?”

“I’m human.”

“Are humans’ ears always this small, and is their skin always yellow?”

“More or less.”

“Hee.”

Gonga fussed over him for a while as though he were fascinating, then her eyes lit up.

“Want me to show you around Gwisu Temple? Oh, are you hungry?”

Ise shook his head.

“I’m fine. Not yet.”

“That’s a relief!” Gonga cried, then grabbed Ise’s hand and began pulling him around.

“The building in the center is the Central Main Hall. All of Gwisu Temple’s important business takes place there. Most areas inside are forbidden, so don’t go in carelessly.”

The enormous central building.

“The halls on either side are living quarters. There are plenty of empty rooms, so pick whichever one you like.”

The halls to either side.

“This is the training ground, and this is the kitchen. Mealtimes are at the Dragon Hour, Horse Hour, and Rooster Hour, so don’t be late! Don’t worry too much if you can’t tell the time. A bell rings at mealtimes. Normally, entering the kitchen outside mealtimes is forbidden, but... the Chief made a special request, so it should be fine!”

And the facilities in front of the courtyard.

“If you take the side path in the back and go up toward the hill, there are ancient tombs for those who have passed away, altars honoring them, and statues of the past Chiefs. That place is sacred ground, so never damage anything there. Oh, and our secret base is behind the main hall. I’ll show you that later!”

After kindly introducing the parts of the temple she thought he would want to know, Gonga led him to the kitchen.

She knocked on the wooden door twice. The kitchen door opened, and an older female dokkaebi appeared.

“Auntie! This is a human named Ise. The Chief said to make sure he gets something to eat!”

The kitchen dokkaebi widened her eyes in surprise and looked Ise over. Soon, she gave him a kindly smile.

“It seems the Chief has brought in a new member of the family. It’s been such a long time since I last saw a human! Nice to meet you, dear. How old are you?”

“I’m ten this year.”

“Oh my, how mature you are.”

“What? I’m twenty-two!”

The woman patted Gonga’s head as the girl puffed herself up, then added, “Humans age twice as fast as dokkaebi. So if you count it that way, Gonga is one year older than Ise.”

“That still makes me his older sister!”

“You must be happy to have a youngest sibling. Take good care of him.”

“Okay.”

Gonga smiled brightly, gave a little bow, and left.

A short while later, a lavish spread of food was placed before Ise.

There were enough side dishes to make him wonder whether the table legs would break under the weight.

“Isn’t this... too much?”

“Dear, you’re far too thin for a ten-year-old. You need to eat enough while you’re growing.”

“But I...”

He was a dependent. A human from another race who could only burden them.

Strictly speaking, he had been invited, but if he disappointed Chief Mongryeon, it would not be strange for him to be driven out at any time.

“Tsk. Now that you’re inside Gwisu Temple, I won’t let any of the children here starve as long as I live. It’ll get cold. Eat up.”

“...Thank you.”

Even so, the woman before him was kind.

Ise slowly scooped up a spoonful of the rich broth and put it in his mouth.

Warm.

The warm broth passed down his throat, heated his stomach, and spread through his whole body.

He suddenly remembered what had happened that morning.

The reason he had followed Mongryeon, the dokkaebi Chief, without any real wariness.

It was only because...

The porridge inside the bamboo tube she offered him had been warm.

That warmth had heated a body dying beneath the villagers’ cold rejection.

That warmth had led him here.

Much like the heart of the female dokkaebi seated before him, smiling as she watched him.

Ise kept moving his hands until he was about to burst, and somehow finished every dish set before him.

* * *

Of course, the welcome was not warm in every way.

“Hey, human!”

Ise looked at the young dokkaebi boys blocking his path as he slowly searched for a room.

They looked one or two years older than him.

They were likely the “we” Gonga had referred to when she mentioned their secret base.

Ise calmly turned toward them and waited for what they had to say.

In situations like this, it was more important to understand the other side’s intentions than to open his mouth carelessly.

“You dare set foot in Gwisu Temple when you’re only human? Are you out of your mind?”

“And you even held a dokkaebi’s hand? How arrogant.”

“You need to be taught a lesson.”

Children showed malice more easily than one might think.

And the reason was usually simple.

Jealousy.

Gonga, the girl who had shown him kindness, must have been something of a popular little princess here.

They did not like that she had treated him favorably.

“Are you mute? Say something.”

Judging by their rolled-up sleeves, they intended to put him in his place.

After considering how best to handle himself, Ise slowly bowed his head.

He could feel the prickling gazes on the top of his head gradually turn to confusion.

It was easy to yield.

Even if they were only young dokkaebi boys, there was no need to make unnecessary enemies.

This was land where he had to rely on others.

“I’m sorry that a mere human has intruded into dokkaebi territory. Shameless as I am, I hope you’ll let me rely on you for a while. My family was slaughtered by demons, and I had nowhere to turn, so I followed Chief Mongryeon here.”

“What? No, that’s not...”

“Why are you putting it like that... Humans really phrase things strongly...”

Ise lightly raised his head.

They had never learned how to respond to such an approach, and they were too flustered to know what to do.

“Wait, this isn’t right. Hey, what do we do now?”

“Please take care of me.”

At that moment, a clear and booming voice rang out from afar.

“Ilchwi! Woljang! Goegeol! Why are you picking on the new member of the family? I’m telling the Chief!”

Gonga had appeared at some point and begun scolding the three young dokkaebi boys.

After the boys fumbled about for a while before leaving, Gonga apologized with a troubled expression.

“I’m sorry, Ise. They aren’t bad kids, but... humans are unfamiliar to them, so they acted a little mean. I’ll make sure they don’t do it again.”

“It’s all right. But what is it?”