Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
⟨Chapter 44⟩
“It kept repeating like this. Reincarnation, after reincarnation, after reincarnation. Honghwa was gradually swallowed by evil. She used all kinds of methods to get Hwarang-nim. But He always chose me. Finally, Honghwa went crazy. She became an evil spirit, and I, who was cursed by an evil spirit, couldn’t be born as a human this time. Honghwa made me into this, and as You saw, she stole Hwarang-nim.”
Tears, which stopped for a moment, welled up again.
“He doesn’t know anything and ended up engaged to an evil spirit. If this wedding is held, He will die. Honghwa will drag Him to hell to make Him hers for eternity.”
Cheonghwa looked at the fox yokai.
“This wedding has to be stopped somehow.”
“…”
Baek Ran fell into thought.
Yu Dan abruptly thought it was strange.
“Don’t evil things hide from this fox yokai because they’re scared of him? But then why did that bride walk in here with her own feet?”
“There are sometimes such cases.”
The fox replied.
“There are evil spirits who don’t know they’re evil spirits. Even though they commit evil deeds, they firmly believe themselves to be justified or…”
“Ah, right! Honghwa is exactly like this!”
Cheonghwa shouted.
“It’s difficult for anyone to see themselves from an outside perspective. That’s why laws and judges exist. Should I call them the iron club, no, the teeth of justice?”
Yu Dan tilted his head.
“What are you talking about? What teeth? It seems like you’re talking with someone particular in mind.”
“Yes.”
Baek Ran nodded.
“Is one an evil or good soul? That’s a difficult thing to distinguish. As such, there are animals that specifically specialize in this. Like a sniffer dog immediately will detect and pounce at the smallest amount of drugs mixed among the numerous luggage, they sniff out the smell of evil and sink their teeth in.”
“Who is that?”
“Haetae[1].”
At those words all yokai flinched. The dokkaebi cautiously opened his mouth.
“Cheonho-nim, there is no way that…”
“What? Didn’t You say that someone left it?”
“That, more than left it, it was…”
“Anyhow, it’s a lost item by my standard. I don’t take even one coin for safekeeping, so I should I be allowed to borrow it?”
“Isn’t the safekeeping the key point here? If that person learns that we touched it…”
“We can do it if we don’t touch it.”
The fox smirked and looked at Yu Dan.
“Don’t You want a subordinate? Then how about borrowing someone’s very amazing subordinate for a moment? It’s much better than something like a dog fur.”
“Wait. Doesn’t everyone seem somehow uneasy? What is that about?”
“It’s fine. I’ll take responsibility. If you insist, it’s not too late to decide after taking a look at it first.”
Yu Dan followed Baek Ran to the upper floor.
The fox entered not his study, but a storage, and from among the numerous crates, he took out a long box tightly tied with a red rope. After untying the rope and opening the lid, a sword was revealed.
No way, did that mean that the ‘subordinate’ was a sword?
He had a hunch the moment he saw it.
No matter what happens, he has to put his hands on it.
It looked like a rare game item. Simply speaking, it was extremely cool. Its overall bluish tint giving it an antique atmosphere and the golden coated handle was exploding with a dignity like a well-aged alcohol?
“How is it?”
Yu Dan hastily erased his expression.
“Well… It seems worthy using. Who left such a thing?”
“Out of Your mind then. Anyhow, it came handy, so it seems I did well not throwing it out. How about it? Will You use it once?”
“I can…”
He stretched out his hand, but Baek Ran snatched the box back.
“Tomorrow. We will have to call back the customers first. Come tomorrow and borrow it.”
Yu Dan frowned.
What was it just now? Was he an elementary school student being summoned with a promise of a game at home? He thinks he will come tomorrow because of that?
“I guess the school ended earlier than usual today?”
Chaeu greeted Yu Dan from the backyard.
Cheonghwa sat at the maru[2], looking at the pond. As if sometimes recalling old memories, she would smile alone. The child ginseng boy looked at her and sighed.
“Pitiful, isn’t it?”
“It is. I guess she went insane.”
“That’s not…”
Chaeu was about to explain, but stopped himself.
“Right. Love may be insane.”
He left to be alone with a somewhat shadowy expression.
Yu Dan looked at Chaeseol.
“Why is he like that? Did he remember something painful?”
“Uum, yeah. I guess he remembered when we just sprouted, he fell into a one-sided love with a ginseng digger girl, who came to look at us every day.”
“When you just sprouted? In human terms, doesn’t it mean you were newborns? That’s quite premature.”
“He is a bit premature.”
And just then, Chaeu hurriedly came back.
“They came! They came!”
“Already?”
It wasn’t long since they sent a letter. Yu Dan and the twins immediately entered the store. Cheonghwa also quickly followed.
They saw the pair, who just sat down following Do-ssi’s guidance.
“Hwarang-nim!”
Cheonghwa shouted and tried to run towards him, but Baek Ran stopped her. Unable to help it, she sat down behind a curtain in the corner of the store. Yu Dan also walked up there, and soon Heuk-yo and the twins also entered.
“It really worked like a charm!”
The man shouted with a bright face.
“Just like You said, from the moment we left this shop, all strange things disappeared! Suyeon also said she feels like she will live now.”
Yu Dan observed the woman, who was tightly holding the man’s hand, as if trying to pierce through her.
He didn’t feel any strange energy. She didn’t seem evil, and he didn’t feel anything supernatural from her.
The woman beamed, as she opened her mouth.
“Indeed. Last night I slept very well after a long time. I didn’t know one could be so relaxed. How should I say it… I felt I wasn’t being disturbed?”
Cheonghwa couldn’t endure any longer and shouted:
“It’s you who is a disturbance, Honghwa!”
Heuk-yo and the twins grabbed her and sat her down.
“We have to quickly inform Hwarang-nim! That’s Honghwa! Cheonghwa, which You really love, is here in such a pathetic shape!”
“Let’s leave it to the expert first.”
Baek Ran opened the prepared box behind the curtain.
“Hey, then as promised.”
Yu Dan stretched out his hand and grabbed the sword handle. Thanks to the cold touch, he suddenly snapped back to his senses.
“The divine beast Haetae distinguishes between right and wrong. Because it’s righteous, and it has a strong supernatural power, it clearly sees through the nature, and if it finds a wicked person, it will bite them right away. So You can just come closer to that pair and pull out this sword. If she is an evil spirit, Haetae will pounce faster than lightning and grab her.”
“Got it.”
Yu Dan held the sword askew and left from behind the curtain.
Do-ssi was comfortably chatting with this soon-to-be-married couple like some neighbor uncle.
“Then now only a wedding ceremony and honeymoon trip are left, eh? Where will you hold the wedding?”
“We rented a hotel wing. I hate extravaganza, but I hope it to be as splendid as the wedding ceremony. I want to have a loud wedding, as we accept blessings of many people. This will truly be a fun wedding ceremony. I want to make enough noise that the whole world will hear. That we became a married.”
The woman spoke with a face full of bliss.
Yu Dan covertly pulled out the sword.
With the light flash and bang sound, an animal with blue fur suddenly appeared. It was the first time in his life that he saw such an animal, but if he had to compare, it resembled a lion the most. However, be its big and sharp, blazing eyes, or flame-like collar, or the fierce energy enveloping its whole body, it wasn’t something of this world.
Every time the Haetae took a step, the ground rang out with a thunderous sound. But the pair didn’t see or hear anything. The Haetae looked at them, as it slowly approached.
Yu Dan was nervous. Baek Ran and the other yokai also observed without blinking.
But that was the end of it.
Haetae just passed the pair. As it wandered, looking around, it suddenly turned its enormous head.
In Baek Ran’s direction.
Haetae jumped. Before an ‘eek’ could come out, an enormous shadow blocked its path. A black wolf with bright blue eyes, wearing a golden armor.
The two beasts confronted, oozing with murderous intent.
The Haetae was first to growl. The wolf also howled back. In the ear-deafening roars, Yu Dan realized that Baek Ran was saying something.
“… What?”
“I said put it back.”
“Ah.”
He hastily put the sword back into the scabbard.
The Haetae suddenly disappeared and the Furious Thunder also hid. The store became quiet again.
“… Therefore we would like You too. We truly hope You will come to give us a blessing. We really want to invite You.”
The woman was smiling brightly, while handing Do-ssi an invitation.
Cheonghwa’s face turned pale.
“What happened? Why didn’t the Haetae bite Honghwa?”
“She isn’t an evil spirit.”
“It can’t be right! I surely saw it! He will die if this wedding is held! Honghwa became truly horrible in the end! Do you think I’ll let it happen? You mean she will be happy even though she became an evil spirit? And after she put such a terrifying curse on me…?”
His vision blurred, and he saw a bloodied shouting woman. That’s what a gruesome evil spirit really looked like.
“What the hell happen?”
Yu Dan’s head hurt. Do-ssi shook his head.
“At this point, Even I don’t know what is what.”
“Anyhow, the bride isn’t the evil spirit. Nor is a supernatural creature. No matter how I look at her, she is just an ordinary human.”
Baek Ran stared at Cheonghwa.
“What will You do?”
“I don’t know…”
She was sobbing again.
“I really don’t know? What in goodness happened? The wicked Honghwa became a spotless human, and I’ve somehow became a ghost and wander around! Aaah, that’s wrong! No one can punish Honghwa?! What in hell wicked method did she use? The person He truly loves is me!”
“Really?”
“That’s right!”
“If You insist, there is a way.”
At the fox yokai’s words, Cheonghwa suddenly raised her head.
“Are You certain that if that Hwarang will realize the connections of the past, he will choose Cheonghwa, not Honghwa?”
“Yes! Even though we reincarnated numerous times, we were always reunited. No matter what kinds of chaos Honghwa brings, we’re certain to be reunited.”
“Good. Then…”
Baek Ran spoke.
“I’ll give You one last chance. If the Hwarang chooses You, I’ll take responsibility and reunite the two of You. But if he doesn’t, then You will no longer interfere in the human affairs. You will have to leave.”
Cheonghwa flinched.
“Leave?”
“If I just leave You be, You will continue to hover around this pair. It’s not a good thing for anyone. I’ll send You away with my own hands.”
At the fox yokai’s firm words, she fell into worry. But her worries weren’t long.
“Good. I’ll accept this chance.”
Her eyes were clear and her voice no longer depressed. It appeared that she firmly believed that the man would choose her.
“It’s a promise. If He doesn’t choose me, I’ll let go of my attachments and gladly leave.”
“Excellent.”
Baek Ran nodded.
“Cheonho-nim. You will take responsibility and reunite them? Can You really make such a promise?”
Chaeu asked with worry.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Baek Ran replied.
“If the two souls are truly a match made in heaven, they will happily overcome this difficulty. If their relationship ended, then they will part their ways here. I’m merely acting as a bridge between the two.”
Somehow it seemed that he had something in mind, but…
Yu Dan had no idea what it was at all.
“Then shall we start right away?”
The twins received the fox’s order and went to the upper floor. After Baek Ran commanded something to Heuk-yo too, he stepped out from behind the curtain.
Do-ssi was arguing with the pair.
“Aah, we can’t accept it. It’s still not certain if this matter ended for good.”
“Even so, please consider it as expression of sincerity…”
The man, who worked hard to make the dokkaebi accept the invitation, looked this way. The woman also looked with him.
At the appearance of the fox yokai dressed in white, their eyes turned round.
However they were looking at him, Baek Ran slowly opened his mouth.
“What is important is the reason. The relationship between the cause and effect. Just like the sapling sprouts because of a planted seed, it’s certain that there is a reason behind the effect.”
His words were completely out of nowhere, but everyone listened to the fox yokai’s calm voice carefully.
“According to the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms, during reign of Sinmun King of Silla, a monk Hyetang chased away a wicked dragon, who clung to Tang Empire princess, but the dragon, holding grudges against Hyetang, crossed to Silla and harmed many people. So the person named Jeong-gong came as an envoy to the Tang Empire and informed Hyetang of this. After being chased away by Hyetang again, the dragon held grudges against Jeong-gong this time.”
“Doesn’t that just mean it can’t win against Hyetang…?”
Yu Dan mumbled. Baek Ran glanced at him with a look ‘That’s not important’, and continued the story.
“The dragon changed into a willow as a revenge. Without knowing anything, Jeong-gong loved this tree very much. When King Sinmun passed away, his son King Hyoso wanted to cut down that willow tree to clean a road for the funeral ceremony. Because Jeong-gong cherished the tree, he refused. The enraged King Hyoso killed Jeong-gong. Thus the dragon completed its revenge and went back.”
What? The plan in the end was to change into a willow tree and get loved? Isn’t the dragon’s revenge too cowardly and dragged out? Couldn’t it just kill him?
Yu Dan wanted to say it, but he patiently held back. No one made a squeak and listened attentively to Baek Ran’s words.
“As such, whatever is happening in the present, but one doesn’t know a reason for it, the answer could be hidden in their past. The strange events surrounding the two People are exactly alike. Only by clearly revealing the cause and effect, this matter can be put to rest.”
The twins came down holding a box.
When a box opened, a very old looking bronze mirror appeared. Baek Ran held up a mirror and looked at the willow and the dragon engraved on the back of it.
“This mirror reveals the secrets of cause and effect. With this, the past will be shown for a moment.”
Heuk-yo brought an incense brazier and lit up the incense.
A thick scent spread out. Observing the white smoke, spreading out softly, like a sleeve of a dancing lady, they gradually grew sleepy.
The man and woman at some point bowed their heads, falling asleep. Yu Dan’s senses also grew dim.
But a shout brought him back.
People tightly filled the broad square. They were Silla people, who went out to say goodbye to the Hwarang and Nangdo, who were departing on the battlefield. Among the Nangdo leading the horses, one man caught his eye.
The man was tall, handsome and with a good impression. The groom.
Two women were watching him from the distance. One was the ghost, Cheonghwa. And the other was the current bride.
When the Hwarang and Nangdo drew closer to them, the Silla girls stepped forward, holding flowers in their hands. The two women were also mixed among them. The moment they found their loved Nangdo and stepped in front of him, they at last discovered each other.
“Ah, you too..?”
“Unnie too…?”
The two were flustered and couldn’t continue. Nangdo, who realized the situation, had a very embarrassed expression.
The fox yokai appeared here. Wearing trailing white clothes, with a golden crown and golden ornaments, he appeared to be from the Silla period.
“Do You remember? This is the past of all of You.”
Baek Ran spoke towards the Nangdo.
*~*~*
[1] Haetae — xiezhi (獬豸), in Korean it’s more often described as a horned lion.
[2] maru — open floor.
Translator’s note: Good news, Yu Dan’s emotional development is on the elementary school student’s level, so the fact he is in high school makes him a genius!
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