Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
65. Things that have to be hidden (3)
The master and disciple, who spoke at the same time, looked at each other for a moment and then nodded.
The first one to speak up was painter Hong Gyeongbok.
“I guess Geurin-i had the same thought as me, huh?”
“… Yes, I thought about what master-nim told me in the past.”
Min Geurin stared at the map floating in the air through the glasses.
Thanks to Hwang Jiho in the appearance of Hwang Myeong-ho overlapping the picture of Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven on top of the map he unfolded, it looked as if the imoogi was shrouding the Korean Peninsula.
‘At just a glance, it’s a cool painting, as worthy of the first work of my Playable Character, but considering what is hidden in that painting, it’s a bit ominous.’
The imoogi from the ‘Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven’ was piercing the winds and clouds and heading to the heavens.
As it got closer to the heaven[1], the imoogi’s scales were changing to flashy colors, and among those scales, a map was hidden.
For example, the things that seemed to be meaningless points and lines pinpointed the locations of the Frozen Otherworlds on the Korean Peninsula’s ley lines map.
‘Who would have thought such a thing was hidden in the Korean Peninsula’s greatest painter’s work? Should I say it’s bold or overcautious…?’
If I were to nitpick, it seemed to be both.
Wasn’t it because of the Korean Branch’s old head’s bold choice that those precious clues were stolen and sold overseas?
On the other hand, thanks to the strict security around the painting, no one knew about its true nature.
Even though I knew this painting had clues, I had quite a bit of trouble with how carefully they were hidden to the point I was at a loss for a while.
However, thanks to the old head of Korean Branch, painter Hong Gyeongbok and Min Geurin were protected.
‘If the Dark Mastermind knew about it, there is no way that this painting, painter Hong Gyeongbok or Min Geurin would be safe. It’s clear they still don’t know.’
Without powerful discerning eyes, you wouldn’t be able to find the points and lines hidden in the scales.
Even if you have found those, they would be useless if you didn’t know about Korean Peninsula’s ley lines.
Because even if I guessed it was a map, I would have no idea about its scale and coordinates.
‘But I guess there is one more thing hidden in there.’
As if painter Hong Gyeongbok wanted Min Geurin to explain, he quietly drank tea served by Hwang Myeong-ho’s secretary.
Though Min Geurin understood her master’s intentions, she hesitated before she slowly began speaking.
“When master-nim painted this painting, He said that he used a special pigment and painted some scales with it. He said it was the request of the Person, who asked to paint this.”
On the surface, there was no difference at all.
Min Guerin briefly explained the request of the old head of Korean Branch.
It appeared that the demands were so complicated that the old head of Korean Branch even once fought with painter Hong Gyeongbok.
He even demanded that if the location of scales in the designated parts was even a little off, the painting was to be destroyed and be painted again, while he hands over the materials.
“… Seong hyung was fussy even in the past.”
Painter Hong Gyeongbok reminisced about the deceased with a bitter face.
Considering Seong Gukeon and Seong Siwan’s, who continued the old head of Korean Branch’s bloodline, magnanimous personalities, it was hard to see them as fussy.
But it seemed that the people who actually spent time with the old head of Korean Branch had different opinions.
On the other side, Hwang Jiho in the appearance of Hwang Myeong-ho, who fell into thoughts for a moment, asked Min Geurin:
“If you trouble yourself mentioning those scales, I guess there are some among the scales that I couldn’t figure out yet, eh?”
“… Yes.”
No way, there are scales that couldn’t be found even with the Brilliant Gaze skill of the Myth category Ho?!
It would be obviously a great mistake if we didn’t show it to the master and disciple.
Did the pigment on those scales vanish?
No, if it was made on the order of that ‘fussy’ Seong hyung, it probably wouldn’t be the case.
While I continued my reasoning, Min Geurin continued to explain.
“The Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven was interpreted in various ways by the critics. Some People thinking that ‘Rise To Heaven’ means the imoogi’s death, while other People thinking it means it’s heading towards the heaven to become a dragon.”
“I think I saw related articles, eh?”
The master and disciple were persistently asked by journalists about the meaning of this painting.
Every time they were asked, the two people would answer with ambiguous words.
I guess Hwang Jiho learned about this debate, while investigating about the Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven.
“As they generally stick to the title ‘Rise To Heaven’, everyone in the mainstream says it’s the former, but looking at the painting, some people had different opinions.”
Hwang Jiho raised his finger and pointed at a certain scale.
Among the scales shining with numerous colors as they were illuminated by the light descending from the sky, there was one scale that was painted black.
Not only was it the only scale that was painted black, it was in the opposite direction from the other scales.
Reverse scale.
The dragons had a weakness and it was their reverse scale.
“As it has a reverse scale, they made it a basis for their claim that this imoogi is becoming a dragon.”
But as the reverse scale was painted black like it was dead, there were voices that said that the imoogi died in the end.
Min Geurin nodded to Hwang Jiho’s words.
“Yes, this reverse scale was also commissioned by that Person. But that reverse scale wasn’t marked on the map.”
That reverse scale was also a part of the request by the old head of Koran branch?
But why wasn’t it marked?
No, I was more bothered by what that reverse scale was pointing at.
Even without it being marked on the map I knew right away the location that reverse scale was pointing at.
“… It’s pointed at the Eungwang School, eh?”
If we overlapped the location of that reverse scale with the map and pinpointed the coordinates, it would be pointing to the Eungwang School.
Eungwang School’s campus was about 500 000 pyeong[2], so in it, the location the coordinates were pointing to was the central zone.
Old head of Korean Branch.
Imoogi’s Rise To Heaven.
Central zone.
Considering the three, there was a location that came to mind right away.
‘The secret passage, where the secret society[3] is in the central zone. Is it pointing there?!’
Among Eungwang School’s ghost stories, there was a story about the secret society created by the Student Council and the Guideline Club.
That group was real, and there existed a secret place hidden between the Student Council Hall and Guideline Club Hall.
And that secret place happened to be located in the central zone.
The location the reverse scale was pointing at surely must be the location where the Student Council and Guideline Club’s ‘secret society’ gathered.
‘If I tell Hwang Jiho about it to dig into the secrets hidden in that secret passage, I think he would be able to figure out something.’
But I couldn’t open my mouth.
I left alone Hwang Jiho, who threw painter Hong Gyeongbok and Min Geurin some additional questions, and continued to worry.
In the end, I kept my mouth shut.
‘… There is something that bothers me about telling my guess right away.’
Based on Seong Siwan’s investigation, there were three conditions in the process of selection of the secret society.
First, belong to the Student Council or the Guideline Club.
Second, receive a recommendation of the secret society member.
Third, be not a Jin or descendant.
Among those conditions, the most bothering was the third.
‘Why can’t Jin or descendants enter the secret society?’
It wasn’t like I didn’t trust Hwang Jiho.
However, there must be some meaning to it if there was a secret that the old head of Korean branch had to hide to this degree.
Wasn’t Seong Gukeon, who commissioned me to investigate the ghost story related to the secret society, also wary of Jin people and descendants?
Until I know the reason and the secret, it was a bit bad to tell Hwang Jiho, who was a Jin, about what I thought.
“This scale covers the central zone, eh? Central zone and reverse scale…”
Hwang Jiho started to investigate right away.
It seemed that he was looking for any eye-grabbing situation in the entire central zone during the time the old head of Korean Branch was alive.
It seemed he didn’t personally remember much as it was a story from the days when Hwang Jiho was at the peak of his negligence.
‘Even if Hwang Jiho investigates, it probably will be meaningless. Because you need to figure out with what kind of move the secret passage was made and such an otherworld simulator was prepared.’
I decided to postpone for a while telling Hwang Jiho about the secret passage.
Of course, considering the importance of the matter, I couldn’t drag it out for long.
‘It would be best to figure out the reason as quickly as possible and tell him. Even if I can’t figure out the reason, I have to tell him about the ‘secret society’ one day.’
The imoogi shrouding the Korean Peninsula.
I didn’t know what was its relation with the black scale with that imoogi, who may have become a dragon or met its death and returned to heavens.
I should talk with Seong Siwan again soon.
Gye Idam succeeded him as the Earthly Wings Council’s president, but as it wasn’t long until SAT, the 3rd year Seong Siwan would be busy.
‘Or should I talk with Gye Idam? But Gye Idam would be busy too, and we didn’t talk even a few times.’
Road out of the Silver Light (Eunhwi) Building.
Min Geurin, who was heading to the classroom with me, said:
“Perhaps because they’re relatives, their speech pattern is similar.”
“… Similar?”
“Ye, Jiho and the chairman-nim.”
It wasn’t that they were relatives, but that Hwang Jiho and the chairman were just the same person.
Regretfully, I couldn’t correct that mistake.
But it seemed that Hwang Jiho had no intentions of hiding it all.
“So I spoke somewhat comfortably. It was the first time I spoke with the chairman-nim.”
It seemed that Min Geurin was satisfied with the fact that she had a long conversation with an unfamiliar person.
Recalling the sight of Min Geurin, who explained about the painting and logically answered Hwang Jiho’s question, I was also pleased.
As Min Geurin was satisfied, I was also satisfied and decided to leave it alone.
* * *
Taking advantage of the lunch break, Bang Yunseop left the school gates for a moment to buy bread.
He was going to visit MITRON to receive a bag of bread that Jo Uisin paid for beforehand, and the patissier, who now recognized Bang Yunseop’s face, handed him the bag right away.
In the past he would confirm the name in such a situation, but now that he forcibly became a regular customer, the patissier and even part-timers recognized Bang Yunseop’s face.
“Ah, last time You couldn’t buy the season limited cookies, because we were out of stock, correct? There is stock today.”
Bang Yunseop’s mood dropped to the floor because of patissier’s words, which held no malice.
As Bang Yunseop frequented MITRON all the time, he ended up knowing the limited seasonal menu very well.
So he bought cookies a few times for the female student he was studying with.
He couldn’t buy them once, and it looked like the patissier remembered it.
However, now there was no one to buy them for.
“Not buying.”
Bang Yunseop spat out, grabbed the bag containing bread and left MITRON.
It was an extremely impolite action, but the patissier just smiled widely and waved his hand.
Feeling he alone was unhappy in this world, that sight infuriated him for no reason even more.
The moment he was about to take just one puff of a cigarette, he recalled Mok Uram and Maeng Hyodon, who would jump out like ghosts and catch him, and his anger surged.
‘… Even so, I’m glad that I wasn’t caught by that fucker Ju Su-hyeok.’
As he recalled Ju Su-hyeok, he felt like crying.
Because with Ju Su-hyeok, he naturally recalled the female student, who was his classmate.
Bang Yunseop headed to the place of bread delivery, the 1st year class 0, with a big frown on his face.
The target of the bread delivery today was the 1st year class 0’s female student from the String Club.
Just when he was about to pass through the school gate, Bang Yunseop’s device rang.
It was a call from the device code he saw for the first time.
“Hello?”
[Ah, it’s me. It’s been a long time!]
It seemed he heard that voice somewhere before, but no matter what, it felt like a phishing call.
Because it was obviously an adult voice.
There was no person, who would contact Bang Yunseop saying ‘It’s been a long time!’.
Because Bang Yunseop had no plans on becoming a hogu like Mok Uram, he showed his temper right away.
“Ah, piss off!”
Bang Yunseop ended the call like he was venting.
After he hung up and was just about to reach the 1st year class 0’s classroom.
He saw that female student talk with Ju Su-hyeok in the corridor.
With the feeling of despair, Bang Yunseop ran, pretending not to have seen it.
He felt something pitch black rising inside him, but he did his best to hide it.
*~*~*
[1] heaven — reminder that there is no separate word for the sky and heaven (as in a separate world, where gods reside or the dead go), so when I use heaven(s) here, I use it in both meanings.
[2] 500 000 pyeong — 1 653 000 m2
[3] society — Did I ever tell you that the homonym of the word for the group/society ‘결사’ is ‘resolve to die’ or a word for ‘to end/to finish’ or ‘to announce breakup/separation’?
Translator’s note: Knowing the patissier’s personality… he is living for it.
Patron thank you note:
Thank you patron, Nobody, please accept this Heliophila africana’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Al, please accept this Eruca vesicaria’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Dust, please accept this Erysimum scoparium’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Maru, please accept this Ionopsidium acaule’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, kamisonk, please accept this Irenepharsus phasmatodes’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Kasimir Ilmonen, please accept this Iskandera hissarica’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Tara Hess, please accept this Alcea setosa’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Ice, please accept this Gnidia tomentosa’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Hematite, please accept this Urena lobata’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Deflubs, please accept this Sphaeralcea ambigua’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, TheFloorGuy, please accept this Lagetta lagetto’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Akemidy, please accept this Dirca palustris’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, vicky moch, please accept this Pimelea brevistyla’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Diana-Maria, please accept this Struthiola myrsinites’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, Ch W, please accept this Sida fallax’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, aila ilzyana, please accept this Thryptomene saxicola’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Thank you patron, MeltedMochi, please accept this Abutilon theophrasti’s flower as a token of my sincere gratitude.
Links to support this translation and access to 8 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