Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
50. Set piece (4)
In this world, I had met twice with part of the 12 Zodiac Alliance and the head of the Ma tribe, who used the nickname ‘Sensitive Black Horse (Heuk-ma)’.
Once, through the magic circle during the 12 Zodiac Alliance Meeting, and then once again, when I went to pick up Maeng Hyodon in Hongcheon.
Heuk-ma persistently asked about Maeng Hyodon’s address, saying she would repay him for saving the Ma tribe’s familiar.
‘After learning that Maeng Hyodon belongs to the Eungwang School’s dormitory, she said ‘See you again’, but did she really come to see him again?’
Heuk-ma probably came to Eungwang School because of pure goodwill for Maeng Hyodon.
That said, I couldn’t easily relieve my wariness.
“Seeing how you didn’t react straight away, I guess you can’t be certain if the Ma tribe is a traitor or not, unlike with the Yong tribe.”
It was as Hwang Jiho said.
Currently, there were four Long Tail’s candidates, the Woo tribe, Sa tribe, Ma tribe and Won tribe[1].
Moreover, the only ones who could interfere with the barrier made by the heads of the 12 Zodiac’s Alliance, without being noticed, were the 12 Zodiac’s heads.
In case it was the Ma tribe, who broke the 12 Zodiac Alliance and betrayed the Ho tribe, it would be Heuk-ma, who lifted the barrier.
“For how long was Heuk-ma in the Eungwang District?”
“Her movements were vague until she approached the Eungwang School’s barrier. Figuring how much time she spent in Eungwang District won’t work, eh?”
“Figuring it out won’t work?”
“That’s right. Without opening the guardian’s power, or if the other party doesn’t use an enormous superpower, I’m unable to figure out the movements of all Jin people in the Eungwang District. The place I can always figure out Jin people’s approach is Eungwang Highschool’s site.”
As Eungwang Highschool’s campus was around 500,000 pyeong[2], it was a sufficient fraudulent detection ability, but I was a bit regretful that it means that he cannot always detect the whole Eungwang District.
“Seeing how she openly revealed her presence around the Eungwang School’s entrance, it’s certain that she doesn’t plan to forcibly break through the barrier, eh? … She is requesting a meeting with Maeng Hyodon.”
As expected, Heuk-ma seemed to come to meet with Maeng Hyodon.
“Heuk-ma came without contacting you through a device?”
“Rather regretfully, we don’t have each other contact information. If there is a significant issue that needs contacting, we would call through the magic circle. This one and the Ma tribe had no exchanges.”
His relationship with Heuk-ma looked neither good nor bad, so it was somewhat strange that he had contact information of Seodol and Ok Toyeon, with whom he actually seemed to have a bad relationship with.
Could it be that the relationship didn’t turn bad, because there were no exchanges?
‘I don’t know if she simply came to repay Maeng Hyodon, or she has some other intentions. Even so, we have to meet her.’
Currently, it wasn’t a crisis situation, while in the Ho tribe’s territory the Ho tribe’s battle power was sufficient.
Even if something happened, it was easy to make countermeasures and help could be obtained, the risk of coming into contact with Heuk-ma was small.
I couldn’t let a chance to sound out the other party’s thoughts with low risk to slip.
“First, I decided to make contact with her as ‘Hwang Myeong-ho’ and let her enter. We said we’re looking for a traitor, but the fact that currently, Heuk-ma is the head of the group acting as an axis of 12 Zodiac’s Alliance doesn’t change. I plan to give minimum courtesy.”
Hwang Jiho also seemed to have the same thoughts as me.
The ones who knew that Ho tribe caught a ‘Long tail’ clue, if exclude the Ho tribe, was the To tribe.
If they were extremely wary, it would be like we were showing our cards to them.
“But, Jo Uisin, you’re banned from coming into contact with her directly.”
“We have already met.”
I told Hwang Jiho about the fact that after the typhoon passed, I ran into Heuk-ma when going to Hongcheon.
It would be annoying to report all our movements to each other, but I couldn’t not mention that I ran into the Jin tribe’s head, who may be the Long Tail.
“I know that. Even so, we can’t openly reveal that you’re close to the Ho tribe.”
It would be strange if a mere student appeared together with the Ho tribe’s head.
Even though it didn’t matter when facing the To tribe, Yong tribe and Seo tribe[4], who had no chance of being a traitor, it wouldn’t be good to reveal my relationship with the Ho tribe to the Jin, who had a chance of being the Long Tail.
‘Because if I make the slightest mistake, a Jin could come up with an idea to take me hostage.’
Even so, wouldn’t it be okay if I used a different appearance?
Hwang Jiho made a comment as if he read my thoughts.
“Even if you wear a crow mask, or borrow Red Wall Thief’s appearance, you can’t.”
All my countermeasures and excuses I thought out were blown away because ‘that word’ suddenly coming out.
Because of the sensation as if my brain was bleached, my movements momentarily stiffened, but that ruined geezer noticed right away.
“Hm, I felt some sense of incongruity just now.”
After that, I used all my power to keep composure.
The only words I could barely say was worry about my Playable Character’s safety.
“… Make sure nothing happens to Maeng Hyodon.”
“Don’t worry.”
* * *
Recently Bang Yunseop was experiencing the best time of his life.
If someone asked him when was his glorious moment, he would confidently answer ‘now’.
Bang Yunseop’s golden time started with the beginning of semester.
— The 1st year class 2’s 2nd semester’s first class, the 1 on 1 boss Enemy simulation! We will be revealing the attack time score!
The first place and the second place, which Mun Saeron revealed while making a fuss, were the names of people everyone expected.
With his overwhelming speed, Ju Su-heyok raised his name to first place.
Much slower when compared to Ju Su-hyeok, but having quite the battle power unlike her noisy appearance, Mun Saeron.
Something unusual occurred from the next line.
— The 3rd place is known by everyone, Unknown Supernova’s Bread Shuttle! Bread Yunseop!
— Huh?!
— What, it isn’t a machine error?
Because Bang Yunseop thought he would just be in the middle, he opened his mouth wide.
Everyone thought it was a simulator’s operation error or calculation error, after they saw Bang Yunseop’s combat scene from the record, everyone understood.
— I thought he was a bastard, who only pick fights, but he wasn’t.
— Hey, these days Bread Yunseop is speaking nicely. Don’t make such a sound.
— Seems like he became a bit different after receiving the ascetic’s teachings.
Bang Yunseop, who survived Tak Geosan’s hellish training and came back, start flying in the classes which used the body.
In the first place, Bang Yunseop was a human, who focused his skill set on physical abilities, and among them especially on the ‘body’.
In middle school, Bang Yunseop scored the highest grades, but if one asked ‘was it enough to go to Eugnwang School’, his grades were ambiguous.
If Bang Yunseop’s parents, who had a lot of interest in their child’s education, didn’t search for first-class tutors for the Korean highschool exams, and analyzed Bang Yunseop’s studying pattern, to find a lecture, which suited him perfectly, he would never be able to join Eungwang School.
‘Even so, I got into Eungwang School! It was an additional acceptance round, but I got into it, isn’t it right? The first place and I are all Eungwang School’s students. If I chose my selective subjects well and avoid the subjects that use the head…’
Although he consoled himself like this, Bang Yunseop couldn’t easily adjust to Eungwang School, and his position throughout the 1st semester was very precarious.
There were no students who got with Bang Yunseop, who acted like a delinquent, and spoke harshly because of an inferiority complex and self-accusation.
Thanks to Ju Su-hyeok, who was in the same class, interfering if he thought that Bang Yunseop crossed the line, by meditating or at least changing the topic to change the atmosphere, or volunteering to make a pair when carrying out 2-people missions, etc, he just somehow mixed into the class.
That Bang Yunseop changed through a certain trigger during the vacation.
— Whatever the trigger, when the opportunity comes, don’t you have to grab it?
It was seriously infuriating, but because he followed Jo Uisin’s words, he yielded his pride and became Tak Geosan’s official disciple together with Maeng Hyodon.
Maeng Hyodon became stronger at the speed that couldn’t compare to him.
He was dumbstruck when he learned that Maeng Hyodon didn’t have a proper master.
He said he fought by pretty much imitating people on the TV or people around him.
‘That dwarf fucker has a skill ‘Fight’? But it only applies to bare-hand combat, I lost to that fucker even in weapon combat!’
In middle school, Bang Yunseop was beaten up during Taekwon[4] nunchaku preliminary competition.
Maeng Hyodon, who was short and skinny, looked weak, but the moment it started, Maeng Hyodon, who scarily burrowed in, swung nunchaku, repetitively hitting his weak-points and he collapsed.
Maeng Hyodon didn’t use his fraudulent skill ‘Fight’, and just said to imitate what he saw on TV, but from the standpoint of Bang Yunseop, who trained with nunchaku for years, it was a maddening and crazy situation.
— The nunchaku attack range is pretty short, and the weapon’s attack power leans towards low. If you don’t fight using a body martial art from the bare-handed combat category, you can’t fight properly.
Tak Geosan consoled the depressed Bang Yunseop like this, but his depression continued, and his enthusiasm gradually died down.
After a failed attempt at smoking in the Hongcheon incident, Tak Geosan behaved even more harshly, and he tried to escape because of that.
But he was caught by Tak Geosan and couldn’t flee.
On Ju-Oh Island, during the candlelight ceremony, Bang Yunseop was filled with sorrow thinking of his mom and wept a lot, and even after that, he cried a few times.
Even though he cried, nothing changed.
Because Bang Yunseop’s parents-nim and homeroom teacher No Yeongmi-nim, liked Tak Geosan’s guidance very much, they left him to Tak Geosan’s aggressive teachings.
His enthusiasm died like that, but he was forcibly dragged day after day.
But with the start of the semester, his thoughts changed.
His enthusiasm died, but he received the teachings from the best master, so although his growth wasn’t worthy being compared to Maeng Hyodon, he grew stronger anyhow.
Bang Yunseop grew, and his surroundings started to notice it.
In the simulation class, he maintained his 3rd place in the class, and during the first otherworld practice, his name was raised to become the whooping biggest contributor.
— Biggest contributor is Bang Yunseop, I expected that from how he flew in the boss room.
— Hey, if it goes one, won’t Bread Yunseop be the next one after Su-hyeok to receive an alias in our class?
— The 1st year class 2’s group B otherworld had a similar pattern to the one which appeared in the Tak the Great’s biography. Isn’t that lucky?
— For a Player, luck is also a skill.
As the feeling of inferiority and self-accusation disappeared from Bang Yunseop’s heart, he was able to get along with the class children.
The annoyance he felt every time when he saw Ju Su-hyeok or such good-looking bastards disappeared, but for a even bigger reason, it was thanks to not having the strength to pick fights, because Tak Geosan trained him non-stop.
After classes, he ended up going to see an exchange match with the class children, but because he never got along the class children to play after classes, he felt very awkward.
When even though the awkwardness, he headed towards the school gates with excitement.
“Uh.”
In front of him was Maeng Hyodon.
Bang Yunseop suddenly felt pissed[5].
Recently he didn’t feel an inferiority complex towards the bastards like Ju Su-hyeok or Jo Uisin, but this dwarf bastard was an exception.
‘I get pissed because that fucker seems to hit just right beside me…!’
During the first otherworld practice, the 1st year class 0’s biggest contributor wasn’t Maeng Hyodon but Jo Uisin.
But if Maeng Hyodon conquered the otherworld like Bang Yunseop, he surely would become the biggest contributor.
Because of such useless assumptions, he felt like crying even more, but he acted like he knew that since they trained together.
The words that one didn’t know if they were picking a fight or a greeting flew out of Bang Yunseop’s mouth.
“… What are you doing?”
“I’m going to the chairman office.”
As if Maeng Hyodon got used to Bang Yunseop aggressive way of speaking, he replied indifferently.
“You said you’re going to see American football match.”
“I’m going to visit the chairman’s office and then go.”
“Why are you going to the chairman’s office? Did you cause an incident?”
Maeng Hyodon stretched his head for a moment and then replied.
“… The head of the horse tribe we met the previous time? Black horse wants to see me.”
“It’s Ma tribe not horse tribe. And it’s ‘Heuk-ma’. You stone head fucker.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Maeng Hyodon nodded his head as if he was really confused.
Because of the fact that his talent was rock bottom when compared to this stone head dwarf, his temper was flaring up.
‘Wait, if it’s that Heuk-ma…’
He belatedly recalled at the word ‘Heuk-ma’.
Hongcheon’s mountains, which became a mess because of the typhoon.
He who helplessly crumbled and was left alone, and Tak Geosan and Maeng Hyodon who continued the rescue work.
And Heuk-ma, who expressed her thanks to Maeng Hyodon and said she will repay in courtesy.
“…”
Bang Yunseop passed Maeng Hyodon and started walking.
It seemed that his ugly inferiority complex would explode if one more word was said here.
“Ah, right.”
At that moment, Maeng Hyodon called out to Bang Yunseop.
When Bang Yunseop looked back, Maeng Hyodon spoke with a smile.
“Congratulations on becoming the biggest contributor during the previous practice.”
Maeng Hyodon’s smiling face and plain words were filled with pure goodwill and congratulations.
Suddenly an indescribable feeling of inferiority surged in Bang Yunseop again.
*~*~*
[1] Woo tribe, Sa tribe, Ma tribe and Won tribe — Woo: cow, Sa: snake, Ma: horse, Won: monkey.
[2] 500,000 pyeong — around 1652 m2
[3] Seo tribe — rat tribe.
[4] Taekwon — a traditional Korean martial art. Not to be mistaken with Taehokwon, which Han Yi practices.
[5] pissed — or about to cry.
Translator’s note: Bang Yunseop… You silly brat. Come, I’ll give you pet pats.
Patron thank you note
Thank you patron, Nobody, please accept this Lilium candidum’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Al, please accept this Lapageria rosea’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Luca, please accept this Notholirion macrophyllum’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Amy Peters, please accept this Lilium apertum’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Dust, please accept this Gagea lutea’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Maru, please accept this Cardiocrinum giganteum’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, kamisonk, please accept this Philesia magellanica’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Kasimir Ilmonen, please accept this Clintonia borealis’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Tara Hess, please accept this Tulipa humilis’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Ice, please accept this Erythronium sibiricum’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, anonymous Kofi-supporter, please accept this Calochortus catalinae’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Links to support this translation and access to 5 advanced chapter (Patreon & Kofi)
> Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/LibraryKeyTranslations
> Kofi-Euro: https://ko-fi.com/wanthetranslator
> Kofi-USD: https://ko-fi.com/wanthetranslatorusd
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
Leave a Reply