Chapter 8: Chapter 7: The Curse (1)
Note 1: Bangsa (方士) is used. Why is it Chinese? I thought the novel was Korean? I am so confused…
Note 2: I… have no idea if Bangsa or Myonshin is the name of the person, since it works both ways… Imma assume Myoshin is the name and Bangsa is the title given to him… a shaman.
Note 3: …you seems to have very desirable eyes that roll back and forth." I assume this line refers to the mc seeing that Go Chan is constantly shifting his eyes, likely planning something but it is phrased so oddly that I don't know whether or not to change it… cause I might be wrong and it might just be… that the mc has an eye fetish?? Lmao
Note 4: It's been a proper hour and I've only finished 1k words out of 2.5k words for this chapter… how long is this going to take? And here I was wanting to release 5 chapters a day! Perhaps I might have to shift that to 1 chapter a day… At best.
Note 5: There is some absolute gibberish that I could not make sense out of. Sorry for that.
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In front of the visit where Jangju was resting, Lady Seok; the godmother of Yeonmok Sword Hall, was waiting with an upright posture, looked at the sound of footsteps climbing the floor.
She saw a middle-aged man with a beard wearing a shabby appearance, with a yin-yang diagram on his back, carrying an endorsement box filled with old books and tools.
He was the shaman called by Mrs. Seok. This monk, called Myoshin, was rumoured to be quite useful in Mongseong. Mrs. Seok looked at his movements from top to bottom and clicked her tongue slightly with an untrustworthy look on her face.
The lady was in a bad mood and did not care at all. Despite her attitude, Myoshin didn't show much reaction, and instead adjusted to her mood.
"Can I see Lord Jang now?"
"Yes."
"Thank goodness. The more we delay, the worse the situation will become. Now, please instruct all the people within 30 yards around the main building to leave. If you stay close, you might get entangled in the cursed state of the Lord."
"Alright."
'What is the use of creating such a lousy excuse to move everyone away? I have already done it!' Lady Seok thought to herself.
"Lady Seok, if you would please also vacate the area?"
*Sigh*
At that time, Mrs. Seok slowly raised her hand and said, "Do you remember the favour I asked you?"
The shaman grinned and responded to these words, "Of course."
"Great! I believe it when they say shamanism is so magical and mysterious~" she lowered his voice and whispered, "If you can find out where the lord's official seal and rank are, I will immediately give you three hundred silver coins as promised."
"Oh my, thank you!" Shaman Myoshin bowed and expressed gratitude.
Seeing this, Mrs. Seok let out a light breath. In fact, she also didn't really believe in magic or anything like that.
"…If you had only given that child strength, this wouldn't have happened."
'To think that the child of a hostess, who is not even your original wife, is your successor. Resentment formed in Mrs. Seok's eyes as she looked at the door where Jangju was.'
…
The road leading to the main building of Yeonmok Sword Hall, where Jangju was resting…
Go Chan, who was standing side by side and leading the way, glanced at Mok Gyeongwoon.
"What are you thinking?'
It is certainly true that Jangju's life is directly connected to him. But what can you do when you see a man like that?
"Are you sure you're going to try to save his life?'
'If that's the case, it's even more difficult. I know that Jangju's knowledge of medicinal herbs is extraordinary, but all the doctors in the area, including the attending doctor, have already given up. He is said to be a strange state where neither the symptoms nor the disease can be accurately identified. It means that there is no way to do anything. Only at such a time is when the expression 'Strange' or 'curse' is used. What on earth are you planning?'
Go Chan wouldn't read this Mo Gyeongwoon thoughts at all, and was confused.
"Shouldn't you be worried about yourself?"
Go Chan was concerned about something as well while asking this to Mok Gyeongwoon, 'If I were to stand out and say something out of the blue, and it was discovered that I backstabbing him, I might be in trouble even before I get the chance to escape to Guard Kam!'
At that time, Mok Gyeongwoon looked somewhere and asked, "What are they doing there?"
"That place is a training ground where martial arts are practiced."
The first training ground was located where Mok Gyeongwoon pointed with his head. There are a total of four training halls in Yeonmok Sword Hall, including one dedicated to jogging. The third training hall was for general warriors in the hall, the second training hall was for retainers to train their martial arts, and the last training hall first was for the Young Masters exclusively.
"It's a place to practice martial arts…"
There was interest in Mok Gyeongwoon's eyes. Seeing this, Go Chan clicked his tongue inwardly. In a situation where life and death were unpredictable, the desire for martial arts was no different from a vain delusion.
'Do you think you can catch up with the martial artists if you learn it now?'
It must have been difficult to even walk, so it was frankly ridiculous to even think about learning martial arts and killing a top-notch expert.
At that time, Mo Kyung-un suddenly called him.
"Go Chan!"
"Yes, yes."
"I feel this every time I see Go Chan, you seems to have very desirable eyes that roll back and forth."
'!?'
Go Chan, startled, stopped walking for a moment. As he stiffened and turned his head, Mok Gyeongwoon put his arm around his shoulder and said, "I guess you're not mine yet."
"Surely you're joking young master?"
"You should look straight ahead Go Chan. What if someone eats' your else~ "
'…f*ck you bastard! I was truly anxious.'
Mok Gyeongwoon's eyes were looking directly at his left eye. He had an expression that made Go Chan want to rip out his own eyeballs. Go Chan walked forward, his shoulders shaking.
Mok Gyeongwoon said to him with a grin, "It's a shame. Right?"
'Wait, what? I feel like cold sweat is running down my back. The more I get to know this guy, the more I feel like I've touched something that shouldn't have been touched.'
Go Chan walked forward, trying to keep his anxious mind at bay as much as possible.
"Ha!"
Then, Go Chan noticed someone in the training hall. In the training hall, there was a boy with a strong appearance who was taking off his upper body. The boy, with well-developed bronzed upper body muscles, was sweating profusely.
'Mok Yucheon'
He was Mok Yucheon, the youngest young master. Even though he had a natural martial ability, his passion was so great that he invested all his time except eating and sleeping in practicing martial arts. After all, there was a reason he was Jangju's favourite.
It was no exaggeration to say that the first training ground was for Mok Yucheon's exclusive use, since he practically lived there.
"There's someone training."
In response to Mok Gyeongwoon's words, Go Chan spoke in a whispering voice, "It's the youngest master."
"The youngest? Is that brother Mok Yucheon?"
"That's right."
"Is that the way to learn martial arts?"
"We are developing lower body strength through Mabo. It can be said that the basis of all martial arts comes from the lower body."
"Okay."
"Young Master. I think it would be best not to look at the youngest master. We might get involved for no reason."
"Just by looking?"
Go Chan looked at him with a frown, 'I'm sure he must have seen the information sheet that Guard Kam gave him. Mo Gyeongwoon's martial arts skills are truly third-rate. However, since he was a fake, if he did something stupid and bumped into him, he could be found out that he was a fake. And there is a bigger problem than that.
Go Chan whispered and said, "The youngest master really hates you."
"Cool~" Mok Gyeongwoon nodded. This is what was written on the information sheet about the real Mok Gyeongwoon.
"Why does he hate me?"
Go Chan, who hesitated for a moment at that question, whispered in my ear and said, "The real young master belittled the mother of the youngest master, calling her a lowly wh*re b*tch, and you were beaten half to death by the youngest master."
That was already two years ago. I still remember it. The real Mok Gyeongwoon, crawling on the floor with his leg bones and ribs broken, begging for his life. As such, the youngest young master, Mok Yucheon, truly hated Mok Gyeongwoon.
"He seem to have a good heart."
"Yes?"
"Seeing as the limbs were left unharmed, with no long-term repercussions of the beating."
'…'
Go Chan's eyebrows furrowed, 'As expected, this guy has a different thinking structure. Anyway, it isn't the time to be thinking about such matters'
"Let's go quickly. It is better not to clash with other young masters right now. It could get really dangerous."
Mok Gyeongwoon chuckled silently at the guard's request.
It was a really fun place. When you see brothers bickering with each other like this. They passed through the training hall and went to the main building where Jangju was.
Go Chan frowned as he looked at the pavilion leading into the main building.
'What is this? Where is everyone?'
Normally, the manor's guards would be guarding the front of the main building entrance pavilion. But there was no one.
'Now that I think about it, the surroundings were so quiet. Not a single shadow is visible. This is a problem…'
Because Jangju's illness was so severe, even the young masters could not go to the main residence without Lady Seok's express orders.
'Therefore, I guided the young master without saying anything, thinking that the guards would definitely stop me if I went anywhere near and then we would have to go back. But this really means we will meet Jangju!' Go Chan lampooned about his fate.
…
Inside Jangju's room.
About a dozen red threads formed a border around Jangju's bed, and silver coins with empty centres were flowing between the threads.
*Charang*
*Charang*
The flowing silver coins collided and made a resounding sound.
"Hmm."
Shaman Myoshin, who was taking off Jangju's robes and looking at his chest, and stuck out his tongue.
'Usually, when they are called out as curses, most of them have nothing to do with true curses. So, all I have to do is act to be practicing magic and pass the time.'
But not this time.
*Bulge*
*Bulging*
Black veins bulged in the centre of Jangju's chest to the point where they were hideous. At first glance, it looks like an affliction or disease. But what was strange was that the part continued to move.
'It's heading towards the heart! The pale area with protruding black veins is heading towards the heart. But it can't reach it yet, as if something is blocking it,' Shaman Myoshin grinned.
'Hiz vitality is so strong that the curse cannot penetrate the heart easily. If he was not this strong, he should have been eaten already.'
It was holding up well. But that too was definitely alarming. Judging by Jangju's physical condition, he was weakened as it had been a long time since he had been cursed.
'It's half and half. At this time, even if the negative energy is purified, there is only a 50% chance of survival. There is nothing more difficult than repelling negative energy and flesh at the same time.'
'But there was no need for that now. I just have to do what I'm asked to do. The request was not to save Jangju from the curse.'
Before the Lord died, all he had to do was make him tell where his official seal and secret letter were. Shaman Myoshin took out an amulet from the endorsement box, and poured red ink onto the inkstone he had prepared in advance.
*Tuk-tuk*
Myoshin dipped his brush in red ink and began to engrave letters on the amulet.
A single stroke, and it took the form of a ghost.
Myoshin chanted something in a low voice.
"Heavenly Emperor… wearing the divine celestial power… Five ways of evil… Why do you not vanish… One breath of the flying immortal… Ten thousand spirits submit and hide… the great power and great saint collect the ghosts' essence and seize their energy!
*Purrrrr*
It was almost magical. The tip of the amulet trembled independently.
Shaman Myoshin, who trembled with the amulet, attached it to the strange object in the centre of Jangju's chest, which was constantly tried to invade his heart.
It was that moment.
*Bulge*
*Bulging*
*Bulging*
Black veins began to sink around the place where the amulet was attached. Then Shaman Myoshin made a hand seal.
[Lim]
Lim, Shaman Myoshin brought the index fingers of both hands together and held the rest tightly together, means the person who is imbued.
[Soldier]
With the index finger supported, the middle fingers that were intertwined were spread out and brought together.
He began to recite the Guardian Salju.
"General Socheonghyeondanhyeonho memorial service, Hyeonhwageumsin, golden armour, god of disaster, revolution, great thunder god, Suji-dong Cheolgashaeryeon, handmade sagwi true fairy, estuary jegojucheonjeong, seven treasures of suhwagaetonghaeng…"
As he recited the Salju, Jangju's body convulsed. Light steam began to flow from the area where the amulet was attached.
[Dog]
He clasped all my fingers together. It means someone who stays out. Then, Jangju's uvula, which was lying down, bulged out. As a result, Jangju's face turned red, as if his airway was blocked. Seeing that, Shaman Myoshin's expression hardened.
'The flesh is too strong!'
[Sword]
Bangsa Myosin, who was making the hand sign, got up from his seat, made the hand sign of the sword with his right hand and placed it on the head's uvula.
And then he continued to memorize the Guardian Salju.
"Bongcheonghyeondanhyeokhowonsugangraeim chamyojesabulryujeong new byeonghwa…"
Just before the assassination ended,
*Kkiik*
Jangju's door, which had been closed, slowly opened. Thanks to this, the three red threads tied to the door came loose and silver coins fell to the floor.
*Chararalalang*
'This!'
*Paang*
"Huh!" Shaman Myoshin's body bounced back with a strong rebound force. The force was so strong that he didn't know how far he would bounce, but then someone grabbed his back.
*Park*
Surprised, Myoshin turned his head. The person who captured him was a very kind and handsome boy. The boy was none other than Mok Gyeongwoon.
Myoshin, who was speechless for a moment because of his tall appearance, was angry at being interrupted and tried to throw a tantrum.
"I told you not to let anyone in, so how…!?"
However, Bangsa Myoshin could not remain angry until the end. This was because he found Mok Gyeongwoon's eyes unwavering, almost like a dead person.
'How can a living human have eyes like this?'