BBS (47)

Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost

 
⟨Chapter 47⟩
 

“Why would we gather all of this for Cheonho-nim to drink? All of it are divine medicines with marvelous effects.”

Between numerous alcohol bottles, a rabbit-shaped pottery bottle caught his eye. When he met its gaze, its red eyes blinked.

“What is this medicine?”

“If You drink it, all people in the world will look like rabbits.”

“That’s useless!”

“You don’t know what may happen. There may come a day to use it somewhere.”

Baek Ran bent his waist, to search the cellar below.

He said it was useless, but it was marvelous. Though the bottles seemed to lie obediently, if he looked at them, they would move a little. Shadows wriggled behind the bottles, and strange sounds were heard from them. They seemed to make gestures, because each one of them was alive.

“What about this one?”

Yu Dan held the leather bottle, that was just in front of his eyes. As he put his ear to it, he heard the sound of a sandstorm. And he heard a jingling sound of a bell hanging from a camel’s neck, who trudged a long journey.

“Uh? I’m curious. What is this alcohol.”

“Please don’t ask so often, and if You’re really curious, try drinking it.”

“Really?”

At the sound of pulling out a cork, Heuk-yo, who was searching on the other side, turned around and ran to them, turning pale right away.

“Cheonho-nim! What are You doing? This punk is a minor! If he gets caught, our business will be suspended!”

“Ah, right.”

“Give it to me!”

The serpent yokai snatched the bottle and put it back on the shelf. The fox hummed and frowned.

“Come to think of it, can he be here in the first place? He is a minor. We should do it quickly and leave.”

“Yes, Cheonho-nim. Humans are always annoying. Especially minors.”

The fox yokai and serpent yokai whispered among themselves. He wanted to say that calling him a minor was a bit too much, but thinking it would just backfire, he endured and followed them.

With time, they entered deeper between the shelves. No matter where he looked, there were only alcohol bottles.

“Is it here?”

The fox yokai’s footsteps slowed. He had a peaceful attitude, as if he was on a walk in the alcohol forest.

“Anyhow, speaking of this matter…”

“The introduction was quite lengthy.”

“The appearance of the human merged with a tree would be shivering. You might indeed wonder if it’s possible to return him to his original form. Luckily, the method of solving this supernatural is simple. The seed of the tree takes its nutrients from the Peach Blossom Spring’s dream, so what about when it can’t dream? If it can no longer dream, it will fall off by itself.”

“So? Will it die?”

“No. It will return to its seed form. The very seed that I had and then lost.”

“Ah, it’s something you have solved before, huh?”

“Yes. I cleanly took it off. Humans are bewitched by the Peach Blossom Spring, because they’re tired of life. You can solve it by giving them energy so they can live diligently again.”

At that moment, Heuk-yo, who was searching though the lined up alcohol bottles, took out one glass bottle.

“Isn’t that it?”

“That’s correct.”

Baek Ran accepted the bottle. It was a jade color glass bottle, but it had a clear brilliance.

“What alcohol is that?”

“Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol. The medicine for the people possessed by the supernatural of the Peach Blossom Spring.”

“And what is Dongfang Shuo?”

“A person. A legendary human, who, because he stole peaches of Heavenly Queen Mother of the West and ate them, lived for ten eighty thousand years. Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol is a godly drink which brings youth and vitality.”

When Baek Ran pulled out a cork, a very thick and strange scent wafted out. With one whiff, his mind cleared, and he was energized.

“Wow, it’s really good—“

Before he could finish his exclamation, Baek Ran turned the bottle upside down, trying to pour the content on the ground.

“What are you doing?!”

Yu Dan was startled and snatched it from him.

But… There was nothing. No liquid poured out from the bottle.

“As expected. There is really no drop remaining.”

“I was hoping anyway.”

The fox and the serpent looked at the empty bottle with regret.

“It means that living in this world is this difficult. In such a word, even yokai fell into depression. So Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol is absurdly insufficient.”

“Isn’t there anything similar? How about ‘Sejong year 1642’?”

“It’s ‘Sejong year 1426’, and no. That’s the sweet water to soothe the thirst. It can’t be anything else but Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol.”

“Then what do we do?”

Baek Ran handed an empty bottle to Yu Dan. He accepted it on impulse.

“There is only one way I can think of. How about it? You became a brewer, and try to personally brew Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol?”

“Me? I can’t drink, but I can make it?”

“When You say that, it doesn’t seem right.”

A smirk appeared on the fox’s face.

“Anyways, it would be a good lesson.”

***

The voice on the other side of the phone was extremely agitated.

「As I thought, I’ll die, huh? I hoped there is a chance, but…」

There was a name on the business card, but he requested to call him Section Manager Bak. He said it would be more comfortable for him. He had no idea what kind of reasoning it was, but… anyhow, he was on the phone with Section Manager Bak for a while now.

「No, no! Just say it! There is no helping it! It was my fault I put that necklace on my neck. But will I really disappear and no one will look for me? Not the children’s mom? Not the children? Even people at the company?」

He couldn’t hold back his voice from trembling.

Was it too many details? Yu Dan regretted it a bit.

“It’s not the end yet… No. That’s not like that, as I said earlier, if You just have Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol, You will safely return to normal… Uncle! Are You crying right now? Ah, really! I can get it, you know! Whatever it is, I can get it for you!”

The side of the warehouse opened. Chaeu stuck out his head.

“Preparations are complete.”

“Ah, I’ll hang up first.”

Somehow his tone became similar to when he was facing his father. He didn’t mean to do that. While he regretted a little bit more, he followed after Chaeu inside.

The smoke of the burning incense filling the brewing room was thick. On the improvised platform danjis[1] were placed, and an empty wine jar was set in the middle of the spread-out white cloth.

“The brewer came.”

Heuk-yo approached the fox yokai, who was standing beside the platform, and handed him a long stick. Baek Ran accepted it, and then bowed deeply towards Yu Dan, bending his waist.

“Please do well.”

“Ah, no, what…”

On an impulse, he also bowed to him.

Everyone was so quiet, it felt solemn. No one made even a joke. It’s been a long time since he faced such an atmosphere.

Yu Dan knelt down as he was ordered. Baek Ran unrolled a scroll.

“Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol is a godly drink. One can only brew it together with gods. If so, can You serve the god for what it takes? That’s the brewer role. Depends on how much sincerity the brewer puts into it, the god can come into the plain water in the jar, change it into the godly drink that can soothe pains of numerous spirits.”

“What does it mean to put sincerity into it?”

“That’s a good question, brewer-nim. I’ll answer as such. Sincerity is about forgetting ‘I’. I’m a such and such person, so why do I have to go that far? Abandoning such arrogant thoughts and showing respect to the other, by lowering oneself endlessly. Isn’t that what sincerity is?”

He had no idea what it means, but he decided to take a note on it first. Why do I have to go this far? Abandon such thoughts and show respect by endlessly lowering yourself.

“Okay, then let’s get started.”

The fox yokai pointed at the platform.

“Those are the necessary materials to brew Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol. First, in order to make wort, mix nuruk[2], grains and medical water, and ferment it.”

A very sweet smell came out of the first danji. The moment he looked inside without thinking, some lady dressed in an ancient attire looked up from the jar in surprise.

“Goodness!”

A fan hit Yu Dan in the forehead, and he tumbled backward. Dumbfounded.

“What?”

“Who?”

An enraged voice came out of the danji. Baek Ran stepped out.

“My apologies. It’s a brewer. It’s his first time, so he is a bit clumsy, but he very sincerely desires to make a good alcohol.”

After apologizing to the goddess in the jar, he came around and stood behind Yu Dan.

“This is Gokmo-nim. Ask Her to please come out, so You can brew the alcohol.”

Yu Dan rubbed his forehead.

Sure enough, he was already starting to think ‘why am I going this far’. He endured and spoke:

“Please come out.”

The woman in the jar slightly stuck out her head. There was a red flower pattern on her forehead, and her lips also had red rouge on them. She was a very pretty lady. The moment she looked at Yu Dan, her face turned cold.

“Lies. He doesn’t seem sincere at all?”

“Ah, with my utmost…”

At that moment, something hard hit his head from behind.

“Please bow down.”

He recognized what it was. It was that stick from a moment ago. The stick Heuk-yo handed to Baek Ran.

So that was its usage, huh?

The second he realized it, he was pissed. Does he really have to go this far?

He knew the answer. Since he already started, he couldn’t help it. Didn’t he promise he would get Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol?

“Please come out… I beg You earnestly…”

He gritted his teeth and spoke as politely as he could.

“Hmm.”

The lady surveyed Yu Dan up and down.

“Why should I come out?”

“We need alcohol… Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol. We have to pluck a seed of the Peach Blossom Spring’s tree, which sprouted in a human’s body…”

“Aah, Cheon-ho is doing good deeds again, huh? Surely, if you’re trying to brew such alcohol, you can’t do without me.”

The lady stood up.

“But this Gokmo-nim won’t suddenly jump out, because brewers called Her.”

After teasing them, she jumped back in.

Was she playing with people? The moment he abruptly stood up, because of his raising blood pressure, the stick smacked his back, as if it was waiting.

“Lie down and bow Your head, please.”

“I was bowing a moment ago!”

“Please bow more. That’s a god.”

He heard Baek Ran’s voice behind him.

“Yokai’s ability to communicate with gods is much better, yet aren’t most noble shamans humans? That’s because yokai want to be equal to gods, but humans worship the gods. The gods want to be respected. They want to confirm their existence through human’s sincerity. You can’t do without it, if You’re trying to move a god. You’re still stiff. You still have too many thoughts ‘Why am I going this far’.”

“No. I don’t have any thoughts.”

“I see. Please throw them away. Throw away Your ego and bow more please.”

Unable to help it, he sat down again.

Let’s try that again. This is still only the first one.

Yu Dan lied down on the floor. When his forehead touched the ground, his mood became worse. But he decided to just stop thinking.

“Please grant us a favor and come out. It’s not difficult. Just for a moment please…”

“Okay, okay. It still feels a bit stiff, but shouldn’t you compromise with this much? This Gokmo-nim is generous.”

Something stepped hard on his back.

The goddess’ foot. The footsteps were light. But she came out, putting strength into her feet and stomping.

Why are you using other’s bodies as your red carpet for the entrance? And how extremely heavy you are! How many kilograms came out?

While holding back an urge to scream, he raised his head.

The goddess was sitting on the edge of the wine jar. Laughing ‘uhuhuh’, she dangled her pale feet.

“That’s a big problem, I’m too weak-hearted.”

In what freaking way?!

Anyhow, she at least came out, so he was thankful. Baek Ran and the other yokai were also smiling.

Wasn’t the first one a success? They barely took a breather.

After Gokmo faced it, the wort in the wine jar started to bubble, while giving off a great smell. He got excited for no reason, as if the screws in his head came loose.

“Ah, great. You can get drunk with just a smell.”

The dokkaebi, who came in at some point and was peeking in, mumbled. His nose turned red.

“No, when did You come in? What about the shop?”

“Kind sister. Can’t I just smell it for a moment?”

“Older brother!”

Heuk-yo shouted, and chased him out, closing the door behind him.

Yu Dan looked into the next danji. It was filled with twigs with green leaves. He held it with more wariness.

“Is it also alive?”

“How did you know!?”

Some old man appeared from behind the twigs. He was wearing a green bandana and green clothes[3], but was small like a child.

“Even though I look like it, I lived for over thousands of years.”

Even though he didn’t ask, the god put on the airs. Baek Ran introduced him.

“This is the god of Byeokdo.”

“Byeokdo.”

“Green peach. The fruit eaten by cultivators. To make Dongfang Shuo’s Alcohol, You have to receive the green peaches from god of Byeokdo and put them in the danji.”

“Got it. Then….”

Yu Dan first laid down on the floor. But there was no reaction. As he raised his head, the god approached Baek Ran and was pestering him to play.

“Cheonho-ah, let’s play. Give me a piggyback ride.”

Will this perhaps end simply this time? Yu Dan’s eyes lit up.

“If you ride on that fox, will you give us peaches?”

“Well, if he gives me a ride today, and tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow… Then I’ll consider it.”

The god of green peaches sneered.

“How about it?”

“I can’t get caught. Not again.”

Baek Ran spoke. As if he endured it many times before, even this fox had a shaken expression.
 

*~*~*
 

[1] danji — a type of storage jar.

[2] nuruk — 누룩, Korean traditional fermentation starter.

[3] green clothes — green or dark blue was a color usually reserved for older men.
 

Translator’s note: I wanted to say they should be worrying about the child labor laws, but they didn’t seem to have worried before, so…

 

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