Chapter 19
Reunion (1)
After spending a full day, I left the hotel the next evening. Unlike the sisters’ worries, I didn’t see a single strand of the principal’s hair.
Pulling down my hood and lowering my head amidst the evening glow, I definitely felt the gazes on me decrease. I should have done this from the beginning.
Constantly doing this in everyday life would be challenging, but I thought it might be okay for occasional outings.
The principal had offered to assign a tour guide if I wanted, but I had already declined early on. Besides, I had something else to take care of right now.
Following the directions provided by the hotel manager, I gradually began to see the scenery of the park in the distance.
Despite the sun setting, the number of people was still considerable.
Artificial lakes and stone fountains could be seen here and there, and some people were scattering feed for the birds flying by next to the walking path.
In a small theater set up in a corner, elderly people could be seen lighting up colorful flames and small fireworks. Whenever the magical fireworks made a small “pop” and burst out, the children gathered around clapped their hands and laughed.
I vaguely remember hearing that magicians who have aged and whose magical abilities have deteriorated make a living like that.
Turning my head to the opposite side of the small theater, I confirmed the name of the park. T15 Masada City Natural Park. It was the park I was looking for. And today was Friday.
Following the manual, I wandered around looking for someone. Before long, I could spot an elderly man wearing a gray fedora and a red checkered shirt, sitting on a secluded bench and reading a newspaper.
I approached the bench behind him as if I didn’t know him. And when the surrounding presence completely disappeared, I struck up a conversation with the old man.
“The weather is quite chilly even though it’s late spring.”
Hearing my voice, the old man glanced at me. Then he turned his head again and replied in a voice mixed with a dry cough.
T h i s w a s c o pi ed fr o m k in gm t l.o rg
“The spring breeze still carries the scent of winter. It’s a tough season for the elderly to endure.”
“It’s natural for people to develop all sorts of illnesses as they age. Like arthritis.”
“You also have poor teeth at a young age. You should be careful when biting into an apple.”
“When I eat apples, I always make sure to slice them with a knife. Biting into them whole makes my teeth sensitive.”
The old man nodded slightly upon hearing my answer. He folded the newspaper, placed it on his lap, and took out a cigarette pack from his pocket.
Lighting a cigarette and exhaling a puff of smoke, the old man spoke.
“There’s a decent bar around here. It’s called ‘Silver Moonlight.’ The Old Fashioned there is absolutely superb. I’m sure you’ll like it too.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the old man’s presence vanished in an instant. I turned my head, but there was not a single person’s shadow around.
T h i s was c o pi e d f ro m k in gmt l . o r g
In the spot he had left, only a small folded note remained. I unfolded the note, memorized the map, swallowed it, and soon set off.
The bar the old man mentioned was located in the corner of a quiet alley, two or three blocks away from the park. Having to go through several winding passages, I thought it would be quite difficult to find without a map.
Opening the door, I was greeted by clean and antique decorations. I was the only customer.
I went straight in and sat at the very end of the counter. A middle-aged bartender who was wiping a glass with a dry cloth approached me and struck up a conversation.
“You’re a first-time customer. What would you like to order?”
“Well, what would be good on a day like this?”
“Sazerac isn’t bad. A sweet Sidecar is also nice.”
“Sounds good. But I think an Old Fashioned would be even better.”
The bartender paused for a moment upon hearing my answer and then continued.
“…But the weather has been quite fickle these days, hasn’t it? Even though it’s spring, it’s still chilly outside.”
“Perfect weather for catching a cold. My friend has already been sick with a cold for three days.”
“Oh dear, that’s unfortunate. I heard red medicine is so effective for colds, though?”
“Is that so? My friend takes medicine in orange capsules.”
When the exchange ended, the bartender looked at me and lightly nodded. Then, all of a sudden, his face began to melt and dissolve.
A moment later, what emerged from it was a man with a hearty impression, his beard growing thickly down to his mustache.
“Long time no see, kid. You memorized the dialogue very well. I intentionally threw in a few more lines, you know. You could probably get a job at our Intelligence Bureau right away, huh?”
The man grinned at me.
“It’s been a while, Branch Chief. During that time…”
“What’s with this ‘Branch Chief’ nonsense! I told you to call me ‘hyung’! By the way, it hasn’t been that long, but you’ve become quite manly! Right?”
The man interrupted my words and laughed heartily, patting my shoulder.
His name was Mok Jinwoo, Sa Jaehyuk’s classmate from Cradle, and he was currently serving as the Masada branch chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
He had helped me launder my information through various channels, so I was also somewhat acquainted with him.
He was one of the few people who knew my original identity, including Sa Jaehyuk and the sisters.
“So, you’re an adult now. Have you learned to drink a little? Or should I call a lady for you? If not that, then…”
“…I’ll pass…”
…He was a good person, but his only flaw was that he enjoyed drinking and women too much.
I had to listen to Mok Jinwoo’s idle chatter for a long time before I could finally bring up my business.
“Yeah, I already knew that our kid was enrolling in Cradle. Was the first thing you did after coming to Masada having a secret meeting with the principal?”
“…You already knew?”
“Anything that happens within the capital is pretty much in our hands. But don’t worry, we don’t know the details of the conversation. Hae Wolhwa’s greenhouse is one of the few places the Intelligence Bureau can’t touch. So, what’s the matter? Do you need me to find someone’s weakness?”
“Not a weakness, but… similar. I was wondering if you knew what the ‘Spirit User’s Curse’ that runs in the Jeokhwa Yeon family is.”
“The Spirit User’s Curse, huh. Of course I know. Aha… I see, so that’s why the principal sought you out…”
Mok Jinwoo nodded his head as if he had grasped something, and then suddenly showed a strange smile.
I hadn’t even mentioned the conversation I had with the principal, but he seemed to have roughly understood the situation with just the small amount of information from earlier.
“…Anyway, I’m in a situation where I need some information on that. But when I tried to find it on my own, I couldn’t come up with anything at all…”
Thi s wa s c o p i e d f r om k i ng mt l . o r g
“That’s probably the case. Most of the information related to spirits is monopolized by the Yeon family. Moreover, sensitive parts that could be weaknesses have even tighter security. It’s nearly impossible for an outsider to obtain relevant information. Coming to me was a very good choice.”
Mok Jinwoo said, nodding his head.
T hi s was c op ie d f r om k in gm t l . o r g
“Hmm… let’s see, I could roughly tell you now, but since we’re at it, it’d be better to know properly. Alright. Go back and wait, I’ll send a communication at an appropriate time.”
“Thank you. And, um…”
“Yes?”
***
Having finished my business, I left the bar and found that darkness had already fallen outside long ago.
However, even though the sun had set, the city was emitting its own light. Tens of thousands of red and blue lights illuminated the distant main street.
They were all landscapes that felt unfamiliar to me. Today was the second day, so I had somewhat adapted, but yesterday, I was so amazed. In the countryside of the frontier, night and darkness meant the same thing, but that formula didn’t apply here.
As I walked back to the hotel, I recounted the conversation I had with Mok Jinwoo earlier.
When I asked him not to tell Sa Jaehyuk and the sisters about my current business, he readily nodded with an expression that looked like he was having the time of his life.
It was fortunate that his personality was to pursue cheerfulness in a way that didn’t suit his position. Anyway, I had finished all the immediate tasks, so now I could return to the accommodation and stay holed up as if I were dead…
-Kwang!
I was just about to turn several alleys and head back to the main road. Suddenly, there was a sound of something exploding loudly from deep within the alley. Soon, people’s screams began to fill the surroundings.
-…D-Don’t do this…!
-Block over there!
-What kind of walking is that…!
There was one voice of a woman who seemed to be in trouble. And there were several voices of men filled with malice…
It seemed like something had happened. Even the capital city doesn’t have perfect public order, I see…
The noisily ringing footsteps were getting closer and closer to where I was.
If I didn’t avoid the spot, it was clear that I would be caught up in a bothersome situation in less than a minute.
T h i s w as copi e d fr o m k in g m t l. or g
With that thought, I tried to immediately leave the alley, but a sudden thought pulled at my feet.
Mom wouldn’t like it if I left someone in a difficult situation.
Moreover, I was barely able to survive by relying on the kindness of Sa Jaehyuk and the sisters.
I couldn’t ignore someone in that situation.
“…”
T h is w a s c o pie d f r o m k i ng m tl . or g
It didn’t take long to reach a conclusion. I changed direction and set out to find the source of the commotion. I wandered around the city’s back alleys, which were connected like a maze.
The presences were getting closer and closer to me. Now I could even distinguish the sound of someone panting heavily and the stomping of feet.
And just as I was about to turn a narrow passage, I could finally confirm the identity of the one being chased.
Th i s w a s c o p i e d fro m k i n g m t l . o rg
What emerged from the darkness was a girl with a face full of tears.
T h is wa s co p ie d f r om k in g m tl . o r g
Shabby and plain clothing, seemingly around my age at a glance…
I thought she might be a clueless girl from the frontier who had come to the capital and found herself in a difficult situation after taking the wrong path.
“Huh? A person, a person… Excuse me, please help me…!”
Upon seeing me, the girl’s face lit up as if she had seen a savior. Then she ran up to me and tried to cling to me, almost with her whole body, pleading.
However, I reflexively dodged the girl.
Even though I was wearing a mask, my body automatically rejected the sudden contact in a situation where I wasn’t even mentally prepared.
Moreover, she wasn’t someone familiar like the sisters, but a girl I was seeing for the very first time…
“Excuse me… Please help me… Hic… I took the wrong path and there are scary people…”
As if she thought my action was a sign of refusal, teardrops began to well up in the girl’s eyes.
And now, the voices of the pursuers could be heard as well.
“We almost caught her…!”
“Anyway, this is a dead end, so she can’t escape. I just wanted to have a little taste…”
“Enough, this time, please keep the order…”
Every single one of their conversations was vulgar, making it clear that they were the source of the current commotion.
I raised my index finger to my lips, signaling to be quiet. Having enough sense to understand the meaning, the girl covered her mouth tightly with both hands.
“…Huff.”
They weren’t even aware of my presence right now. Then there was no better method than a surprise attack.
I hid in a blind spot and waited for the right moment. And the instant I felt their presence right in front of me, I jumped out and pounded my fist into the guy at the very front.
-Pow!
My strike accurately hit his temple. There was no need to even reinforce the body with magic. The man collapsed on the spot, his body stiffening from the impact of the hard knuckle bone, unable to even scream.
-Thud!
“Who the hell is this bastard!”
T h is w a s c o pi e d fr o m kin gm tl . o r g
“Where did he come from…!”
The fallen guy’s companions shouted, each filled with shock and anger. I immediately chose the next target. I grabbed the wrist of the guy who was about to pull out a sharp weapon from his pocket and twisted it in the opposite direction of the joint, breaking it.
-Crack!
“Aaaaargh!”
Simultaneously with the sound of bones breaking, a scream of pain burst out. The man clutched his broken arm and flailed like a shrimp on the ground.
-Pow! Thwack!
“Ugh… Kugh… S-Stop…”
I kicked his face. The sound of his nose bone breaking could be heard, and the sensation of several teeth shattering was directly felt.
Th is w as c op i e d fr om k i n g m tl.o r g
The man who had been pleading soon lost consciousness and lay limply on the ground, not moving.
The last remaining guy kicked at me from behind, but I grabbed his ankle and twisted it in the opposite direction.
-Snap!
“Arrrgh!”
Along with the sound of all the muscles and joints turning, the ankle became a grotesquely twisted and bizarre shape.
I then stepped on his opposite knee several times with force. The man, who had lost the use of both legs, sat down on the spot and let out a pained groan.
“Hiiik… S-Spare me…!”
I grabbed the collar of the man who was trying to crawl away and lifted him up. Then I clenched my fist and pounded his abdomen several times.
“Urrrgh… Kugh… Blegh…”
Before long, the man vomited foam mixed with blood and saliva from his mouth and lost consciousness. I threw him onto the ground. The surrounding ground was already drenched with blood and groans.
“Phew…”
I slightly exhaled the breath I had been holding.
I didn’t particularly feel pity for their state. Rather, they should be thanking me just for sparing their lives. I had only left them alive because it was troublesome to create problems as soon as I arrived in the capital.
Still, it would be difficult for them to function as human beings from now on.
“Th-Thank you… Hiiik…!”
The girl who was about to express her gratitude suddenly showed a startled expression and kept her distance. I only then realized that the hood I had been wearing to cover my face had come off.
“…”
Well, anyone would react like that after seeing someone wearing a bizarre mask in this situation.
I didn’t particularly want to show off either. Anyway, it was someone I wouldn’t encounter again in the future.
I pulled the hood back over my head and left the place.
“W-Wait… Just a moment…!”
The girl’s voice gradually faded away behind me. Now that she had come to her senses, she would be able to find her way back.
All I had to do now was to stay holed up in the hotel and head to Cradle on Monday morning.
That’s what I naturally thought.
***
“You…! You’re that person from last time, right!!”
End of Chapter