Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
42. Price of achieving a wish (9).
Did you say that Gong Cheonghwon received Cheong-ho’s blessing?
The moment Hwang Jiho finished his words, I opened the exclusive menu straight away.
⟨Reading ‘Gong Cheonghwon’ character’s data.⟩
[Name] Gong Cheonghwon
[Titles] Eungwang School’s teacher, Jeongeum[1] (Some loading failed.)
[Blessing] (Some loading failed.)
[Gwangrim] (inactive)
…
…
…
I opened the status window recording the character data, but the information I obtained was close to nothing.
The alias PlayerSAT-K gave to Gong Cheonghwon was ‘Jeongeum’, which meant ‘Righteous sound’[2].
Gong Cheonghwon was suffering from the notorious in PHM ‘Some loading failed’ curse, or ‘SLF’.
Moreover, with the information from the status window, it could be confirmed that he could overpower the people from the service company, who were filling the abandoned factory even without using Gwangrim.
“Answer me…!”
On the other hand, Hwang Jiho, who was urging for the answer, was shaking.
Not only was he shaking, he also set free the power that he usually kept hidden.
Hwang Jiho’s hair and eyes were all dyed shining yellow-gold, and he wasn’t hiding his mana and superpower wave.
Considering what level of a Player Gong Cheonghwon was, he would recognize Hwang Jiho was a Jin straight away.
‘… it’s strange.’
Though Hwang Jiho aimed at his vital point, Gong Cheonghwon looked calm.
Gong Cheonghwon, who was like a personification of virtue, had a gentle smile like usual.
“You’re Han Yi’s classmate, student Hwang Jiho of the 1st year class 0, correct? Hello. I had no idea that there was a Jin in Han Yi’s class.”
Even though Gong Cheonghwon recognized that Hwang Jiho was a Jin, he greeted him with a soft tone.
For a split second the face of Hwang Jiho, who heard those words, lost its malice[3], but he seemed to grit his teeth with a ‘crunch’ again.
“Answer the question.”
“Do You wish to ask about my blessing? It seems to be difficult to answer though.”
“… If you don’t reply, your neck may not stay safe.”
Hwang Jiho spoke like this, but it seemed to be a bluff.
I didn’t know about the case in which he tied Gong Cheonghwon with shining yellow-golden mana, but it was bothering that he only used the Bō martial art that he didn’t use often.
‘It seems that he has no thoughts of truly harming him if he is only talking like this, but….’
No matter how enraged Hwang Jiho was, Gong Cheonghown had a body which received a blessing of his close friend, Cheong-ho.
There was no way that he could treat Gong Cheonghwon, who received the blessing of a close friend, who he missed so much and wandered around looking for, roughly.
“That’s troublesome.”
Gong Cheonghwon’s voice echoed sonorously in the abandoned factory.
It was a voice that seemed to be reciting poetry, not matching this situation.
“The blessing is accepted and received under mutual agreement.”
“Why are you mumbling about obvious facts? Say what you know about the origin of that blessing.”
“I don’t know.”
At Gong Cheonghwon’s reply, Hwang Jiho’s face stiffened.
Leaving alone the stiffened Hwang Jiho, Gong Cheonghwon kept talking.
“I’m also curious by whom, how and when I was given the blessing.”
* * *
Because the Ho subordinate that seemed to be called by Hwang Jiho arrived at the abandoned factory, we left that place.
Gong Cheonghwon left the place at the chairman’s call, so it seemed that Hwang Jiho thought of digging a bit more as chairman Hwang Myeong-ho.
‘… I don’t know what story I should bring up.’
I, who missed the right timing, was accompanying Hwang Jiho as before.
After Hwang Jiho roughly threw the words ‘We’re going back to the mansion’, we were moving to the Hwang Myeong-ho’s main mansion without a word.
‘I guess he is bothered he couldn’t learn anything from Gong Cheonghwon.’
Even after that thing with Gong Cheonghwon, Hwang Jiho had a conversation, but couldn’t obtain the answer he wanted.
Hwang Jiho, who finished the conversation, was lifeless as if shouting at Gong Cheonghwon at the beginning[4] was a lie.
Hwang Jiho was depressed, but my thoughts were a little different.
‘It’s not completely clear, but we caught a powerful clue to find Cheong-ho and Sinin.’
Gong Cheonghwon received Cheong-ho’s blessing.
As we didn’t know if Gong Cheonghwon’s memories were missing[5] or if not, if something happened which ignored the rules of this world, we couldn’t know who, when and how bestowed a blessing.
But the fact that Gong Cheonghwon’s existence was an important string of clues we could figure out Cheong-ho’s whereabouts with didn’t change.
Paat!
The moment we passed through the entrance, I saw someone enter the door before me and Hwang Jiho.
It was Jeok-ho.
It seemed that Jeok-ho didn’t ride the shuttle to move through the maze garden and just ran through it.
Thinking over the incidents today, I predicted what Jeok-ho might do, but it seemed I was too late to stop it.
“Baek-ho!”
Peuk!
Jeok-ho swung his fist at Baek-ho.
Baek Ho-gun, who didn’t avoid, and took Jeok-ho’s fist on the face, had a cold expression not an ounce different from usual.
Rather, it was Jeok-ho, who swung his fist, who had a face as if he had been punched.
Jeok-ho opened his mouth:
“………, ……….!”
What did Jeok-ho just say?
Jeok-ho said something a moment ago, but because my mind turned hazy, I doubted my ears.
Jeok-ho was using a gentleman-like tone both towards Eungwang School’s students, who were extremely young compared to him, and towards opponents.
He was like this both in the game and in this world.
But…
‘Did I hear it wrong? What the hell was that sound…?!’
What came out from Jeok-ho’s mouth just a moment ago was such a lowly and vulgar swearing that it was difficult to think that he used that.
There was a list of words that I seemed to hear for the first time since I was born, but I knew Korean well enough for them to be curses.
When I was amazed by the expressive hidden potential of Korean, Jeok-ho again used the polite tone as if he calmed down a bit.
“What do You, my son’s master, think You’re doing?!”
“…”
“… Why are You not saying anything?!”
As if he was pissed to tears seeing Baek Ho-gun, who didn’t even make any excuses, Jeok-ho swung his fist again.
However, this time Baek Ho-gun raised his hand and caught Jeok-ho’s arm.
I guess he let himself be hit once but had no thoughts of letting himself be hit twice.
“… Let go, please.”
“Take out a weapon or use Red Lightning. You’re just hurting your hand.”
Saying that, Baek Ho-gun let go of his hand.
Just as Baek Ho-gun said, his face that was hit a moment ago, was fine, but Jeok-ho’s fist turned red.
Was it just because Baek Ho-gun was a great person if we go by pure martial art prowess and the fact that Jeok-ho received a greater curse than Baek Ho-gun?
‘You didn’t grab him because you just hated being hit, but because you were concerned about Jeok-ho’s body, huh…!’
As expected, my main Playable Character’s caring heart for his close friend was extraordinary.
Jeok-ho weakly let go of his hand, as if he had no thought of attacking Baek Ho-gun any more, even though he could use Red Lightning or a weapon.
… Woof! Woof-woof!
At that moment, the angel appeared from somewhere and started to stop the fight.
As the white cotton ball ran between two tigers, the atmosphere settled down instantly.
“… Both of you get it together. There is a lot to talk about.”
Hwang Jiho turned to look at Kim Sinrok who just arrived and added a word.
Kim Sinrok didn’t have any idea what to do seeing his father and master in confrontational stances.
“Kim Sinrok, prepare dried persimmon dishes for Baek-ho to eat today.”
At those words, Baek Ho-gun’s cold face crumbled a very tiny bit.
It was an expression saying that it would be better to be hit by the Red Lightning.
* * *
“Geurin-ah…!”
5 minutes didn’t pass since Song Daeseok came back home after a long time when he ran into Min Geurin’s house.
Song Daeseok, who saw Min Geurin, couldn’t link his words out of shock.
On the bed, curled up and buried in blankets, Min Geurin was hiding her puffy eyes with AR glasses.
“What happened?!”
Song Daeseok was making even more tearful face than Min Geurin.
Min Geurin only occasionally said ‘I’m fine’ and ‘I hindered the kids because I couldn’t move at that time…’ with choaked voice, and couldn’t explain the situation in full detail.
After Min Geurin’s parents informed about the situation they knew about, Song Daeseok mentally exploded, and the Satellite Management team leader Im Jihwa, who was swept up in the moment of confusion and observed the situation, mentally exploded with him.
‘That’s a big trouble…!’
Im Jihwa, who accompanied Song Daeseok to see him off and to have a talk with Song Daeseok’s parents, felt her heart drop.
She was worried about the student called Min Geurin, who was Song Daeseok’s childhood friend, and about Song Daeseok’s state.
But as the team leader of the Satellite Management Team, she couldn’t help but think about the work aspect.
‘Ruined!’
Recently, Song Daeseok was the center of the Satellite Management team.
The web application or algorithm that he made until now were wonderful, but Song Daeseok’s true value laid in a different place.
With the insight close to a divine skill related to knowledge and understanding of Player Satellite and drawing connections between numerous indexes, he created a completely new route in the Association’s ongoing satellite project.
Such ability came from Song Daeseok’s frightening concentration and the speed of acquiring satellite knowledge.
But it was obvious that Song Daeseok couldn’t think out of worry about Min Geurin.
‘Even if I drag him back in such a state, he won’t be able to do anything!’
She thought of giving him one day of rest and taking Song Daeseok back to the Association’s research institute, and even Song Daeseok said he would gladly do it before.
However, it couldn’t be helped.
‘First I have to step back.’
Im Jihwa had good instincts.
Song Daeseok liked satellites, however it seemed it wasn’t as much as that child called Min Geurin.
It was clear that if she acted wrong here, Song Daeseok would abandon satellites.
And then, as Great Hero Iron Arm Song Manseok had Song Daeseok’s back, the association wouldn’t be able to get Song Daeseok back even if they put in great effort.
Im Jihwa, who judged like this, smiled with great difficulty and said:
“Daeseok-ah, don’t worry about the research and stay at your friend’s side.”
“… Thank You, team leader-nim.”
“Okay, if you need something, don’t take your time thinking and call me straight away.”
She added that Song Daeseok should come back when he is at ease, but in fact she wanted him back right now.
Im Jihwa swallowed her bloody tears and turned around.
‘Okay. You should use your connections at a time like this…! Even if the Association can’t go power tripping for Daeseok, there are other places that can!’
Im Jihwa connected to the Player Community and immediately made a call.
“It’s me, Daeseok had a bit of an incident.”
After that, numerous Players related to the Satellite Management Team Research Institute, exploded with anger.
Soon the people organized, the team was formed, and the investigation was launched.
And it wasn’t only the Association that was moving.
Painter Hong Gyeonbok who learned that his disciple, who was just one step away from getting back into the society, had an incident, and the Eungwang School’s Art Club which admired her.
Besides them, there were not one or two people, who learned about the incident and started moving.
* * *
West Seoul Park, Eternal Lake’s team building.
The Eternal Lake team’s members, who were happily chatting about their plan to take Kwon Lena on the picnic, disguising it as coincidence, were lifeless.
The reason was the call that suddenly came today’s afternoon.
“… Lena canceled today’s lesson.”
Kwon Jane spoke with a tearful face.
Recently they were busy with settling the Youth Training Camp’s incident.
Merely yesterday they got time to resume the lesson schedule, but suddenly Kwon Lena couldn’t come.
Kwon Jane and Eternal Lake team members, who felt empty because of the greatly decreased frequency of meeting Kwon Lean because of the decreased lesson time, made tearful faces.
“Lena suddenly canceled the lesson, she isn’t sick, right?”
“It didn’t seem like it… I don’t have a good feeling about it.”
“We should investigate. I’ll take charge.”
While they started the investigation under the lead of the youngest executive in the Eternal Lake.
Jared Lee suggested to perk up Kwon Jane.
“Jane-ah! There is still a bit of blue lemonade that Lena-yang made the previous time.”
“Please.”
When Jared Lee, who confirmed that Kwon Jane’s expression relaxed, went out to the corridor to call the team chef.
A call from the concealed call number came.
“Hallo?”
[It’s been a long time.]
He heard the awkward Korean of the caller on the other side.
Jared Lee couldn’t instantly recall the owner of this voice.
But the realization hit him, and he lowered his voice.
“… I told You not to call me.”
[How regretful, eh?]
The speech was awkward, but they[6] were using the expression ‘how regretful’?
While thinking that he had no idea if the other party’s Korean was skilled or not, Jared Lee answered.
“I have no thoughts of going back to the Pledge of Three Knights.”
*~*~*
[1] Jeongeum — Considering that this title could be translated as many different things and all of them would suit Gong Chenghwon, I’m leaving it untranslated and providing a few translations that I believe are suitable according to this translator’s current knowledge: Righteous sound, Sunny sound, Clear sound… Sound could also be understood as voice, but I’m basing those titles according to Jo Uisin’s following explanation.
[2] Righteous sound — As I said above, those titles are provided on the meaning Jo Uisin gives here, which he translates as ‘바른 소리’, but ‘정’ based on hanja 正 has a few more (28 to be exact, according to naver hanja dictionary) meanings. Among which, a lot of them refer to control, supervising, ruling, conquering, politics. There are some interesting ones like proof/evidence, honesty or tax, or target, or first.
[3] malice — literally ‘poisonous energy’. Many negative words in Korean will be ‘poison-something’.
[4] at Gong Cheonghwon at the beginning — hehe, a fun word order in this sentence in raws. The literal word used for ‘at the beginning’ here is ‘first’ and it stands directly in front of Gong Cheonghwon. If I didn’t know better, I could read it as The First Gong Cheonghwon…
[5] missing — literally means ‘something that wasn’t written when it should be’, ‘omitted’.
*Also a note about the next sentence’s ‘string of clues’, the word used there is ‘beginning of the thread’, something that was in the title of chapters ‘Beginning of growing thread’ and was explained there. I’m not sure how important strings are, but seeing how silk appears a lot, I try to include it as much as possible.
[6] they — sorry, I have no idea about this person’s gender… Frankly speaking, perhaps they no longer have one, hahahaha…
Translator’s note: … It’s quite curious how Jo Uisin is thinking about blessings, missing memories or things that don’t work according to the rules of this world, and then Jeok-ho appears…
Also, congratulations to Numgung Group which single-handedly managed to piss off everyone.
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