Chapter 123: Little Monster. (1)
I made my way towards the central building. Originally, I should have reported to the lord and entered the lord’s room with permission, but I disregarded that and went in unannounced.
No one stopped me as I entered without an appointment.
Upon arriving at the lord’s room, I didn’t bother to knock and just barged in.
“What is it?”
Father greeted me as usual, his gaze fixed on a pile of letters, not even looking my way.
I asked, watching my father.
“I heard there was a problem.”
Only then did Father shift his gaze to me.
“There was. Who told you?”
“Lord Namgung visited me.”
“Hmm…?”
Given the events from the previous day, it seemed surprising that the lord of the Namgung clan would come to see me directly.
“Was there an issue with that?”
“There was nothing. He only came to provide me with some information.”
“That Namgung Jin went to all that trouble just for that?”
“Yes.”
It seemed he might have mistaken me for someone else, but I didn’t mention that part.
I had something more pressing to discuss anyway.
“I heard it wasn’t the Namgung clan members who hurt my servant.”
Father regarded me silently for a moment before responding.
“They claim that.”
“…Have you not verified it yet?”
“What is it you want to say?”
“I just think it would be wise to check it.”
_Swish._
Father placed the letter he had been reading down on the table. The slight furrow of his brows indicated just how troubled he was.
“Gu Yangcheon.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“You do realize you’re overstepping your bounds, don’t you?”
“…”
“If you’re going to speak like that to me, shouldn’t you at least know your place?”
A bead of cold sweat trickled down my cheek. Despite not employing any Qi, his presence filled the room with such oppressive weight, it felt suffocating.
Father was clearly saying that if I wanted to meddle in clan matters, I should wear the badge of the young lord.
At that moment, I realized I was indeed nothing more than a nobody in this clan.
“Namgung has acknowledged their mistakes.”
Though they kept insisting they hadn’t harmed my servant, they still admitted fault to Father.
This was what Namgung Jin meant when he assured me I wouldn’t be harmed.
“The Immortal Healer is the one treating the martial artists you injured. Fortunately, he claimed there were no issues with their recovery.”
I had intentionally done it that way. Just being consumed by rage didn’t mean I’d go around carelessly maiming them.
“Even so, does that mean you have no fault in this matter?”
“No, my lord.”
I needed to admit that I bore some responsibility in this incident.
“Even though the Namgung clan accepted their guilt, that doesn’t mean you can evade compensation and accountability.”
No matter how externally justified we might appear, the problem wouldn’t simply vanish.
Father was making that very clear.
“Providing them compensation that placates them and the responsibilities you bear are two separate matters.”
That was an argument I couldn’t refute.
“Unlike your shameless self, your father is a somewhat respectable person.”
We discussed the necessary compensation to ensure the Namgung clan wouldn’t feel wronged and how I needed to shoulder some blame for it.
“Don’t trouble yourself with the issues swirling in your head. Remember that’s not what you should be focusing on.”
Father didn’t say a word about the martial duel I had with Namgung Jin or the events that unfolded afterward.
“I will visit the injured servants and fighters from the Namgung clan as soon as possible.”
Father nodded at my statement.
That was something I should have done beforehand without needing my father to remind me.
“Oh, you admit your faults quite readily.”
“Was there really any other way?”
I didn’t know what exactly led them to abduct my servant or what they aimed to achieve, but I had been the one to trigger the incident. Even if others took the blame, my involvement remained substantial. I had to take responsibility.
“Also, the Immortal Healer mentioned he could care for them, but you busted their teeth and twisted their arms…”
“Can’t you manage that differently?”
“How on earth could I do that?”
‘It’s actually not that difficult.’
To make it so they could heal even the severest injuries easily while leaving no trace despite inflicting immense pain.
It was a skill one could learn with just a few hundred or thousand repetitions.
Considering I still employed these abilities frequently even now, I supposed it was a twisted blessing I had honed them in my previous life.
‘Still, I need to be less emotional while doing it.’
I had improved since my past life but didn’t expect to achieve complete control over my emotions quickly.
“Is this all you had to say?” Father remarked, hinting I should leave. However, I hadn’t even gotten to the main reason I came here yet.
“You’ve been scolded right off the bat, haven’t you?”
“There’s more.”
“Speak.”
“The Heavenly Pill you mentioned previously, you said you could change it into something else.”
“Yes.”
“Then I’d like to request a new favor.”
Father raised a curious brow at my words. Meeting his gaze steadily, I continued, “I wish to visit the basement.”
His eyes widened at my request, the most remarkable reaction I’d seen from him all year.
No wonder, as he surely hadn’t anticipated me asking to go to the basement.
“Reason?”
“I want to check something.”
“You mean you?”
“Yes.”
I had to verify if this was about the “him” Namgung Jin referenced.
“Why the sudden interest in a place you swore you’d never return to?”
Usually, he’d just allow me to go without a second thought at this point, but here he already asked me twice.
That cursed basement of the Gu Clan was significant enough to warrant such concern.
“Just a moment will suffice.”
In truth, I barely needed even that much. I had no intention of lingering there.
How crazy of me to even think of going back there willingly.
‘Yet, I have to check.’
Asking my father about it would be pointless. I doubted he even knew the name I sought.
He wouldn’t know. I, however, had a far deeper understanding of the basement than he did.
After a moment’s contemplation, Father spoke once more.
“Are you saying you realize you can’t escape this time?”
His words had multiple meanings interwoven within them.
“Not that I could’ve run away in the first place.”
Accepting my fate was an inevitability. Even if I tried to derail it, escaping would be impossible.
‘Except…’
It was a method I had employed in my previous life—a tactic I had no intention of using again.
“I thought you’d changed quite a bit… but it seems inadequate to call you matured.”
“Trust me, I haven’t.”
‘That’s why I keep causing trouble. Just one return to life hasn’t been enough to mend me.’
Typically, second chances don’t exist, so I had to toil hard in this life to maximize my odds. Even if it was dire.
“Are you planning to go in now?”
“The sooner, the better.”
Father then pulled out something from his pocket and tossed it to me. When I caught it, I noticed it was a red seal. ‘It’s been ages since I last saw this.’
It served as a key for the door, a token I’d receive when I assumed the role of the young lord.
“You have until the evening when the sun sets. You’ll be allowed in for just 15 minutes.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“I’ll inform the steward; make sure to visit him afterward.”
Contrary to what I had expected, my father didn’t intend to accompany me but rather let me go alone.
‘Why is that?’
Though it would be easier to go unaccompanied, I found it puzzling how much faith he had in me.
That was the most significant puzzle bouncing in my head as I left the lord’s room, shutting the door behind me.
“What on earth is this basement for you to be fretting so?”
‘Didn’t you check it out?’
“I told you, I couldn’t see everything.”
It seemed Elder Shin hadn’t caught sight of the memories regarding the basement either.
‘You don’t need to be that inquisitive about it.’
“You’re kidding, right? You guys look serious about it, and you expect me not to be curious? You think I’ll buy that?”
It was the dark underbelly of the Gu Clan. The fewer people who knew about it, the better.
“Were you hiding a treasure down there or something?”
‘Treasure? Not a chance.’
If only that were the case. Unfortunately, the Gu Clan’s basement housed nothing of that caliber. What lay within wasn’t anything lovely or valorizing.
‘A variety of words were thrown around, but one particularly stuck in my mind.’
It was none other than the Heavenly Demon who remarked this after observing the place.
“-Looks like you’ve built your very own hell down there.”
I remembered that phrase, the Heavenly Demon’s smile on his face as he uttered it. Hell, yes! The Heavenly Demon referred to the basement as hell.
Those words had never felt more accurate.
As the sun set, evening rolled in.
I hadn’t met or interacted with anyone whatsoever. I needed this time alone.
When the hour arrived, I sought out the steward on my father’s orders.
The basement was quite close—it lay beneath the lord’s room in the central building.
Following the steward’s guidance, I slowly descended the staircase.
Creek, creek!
Each step echoed, the eeriness of it clawing at my gut.
I soon reached the end of the stair, revealing that the basement didn’t even go that deep.
“I shall wait here.”
As we reached the bottom, the steward claimed he couldn’t accompany me further.
Leaving the steward behind, I continued ahead.
Ring…
Walking through a lengthy corridor, I could hear a ringing sound. There had to be a barrier established around this point.
This was another reason the steward didn’t join me.
Only those with the blood of the Gu Clan could pass through this barrier.
Among them, only my father and I held that privilege.
Even the Ultimate Demon, who dreamed of tearing apart the world while standing atop the heavens, couldn’t obliterate this barrier entirely.
It had managed to pass through with severe injuries but ultimately failed to destroy it.
That alone emphasized how fortified this wretched place was, that even a being such as itself couldn’t conquer it.
I felt helpless, as if my efforts to change my destiny here would be in vain.
After traversing the path, I finally reached a massive door, its thick structure boasting a small slot.
I fitted my father’s seal perfectly into it.
Creek!
The sound of mechanism clicked, and the door began to creak open.
Thunk…!
Thunk!
Despite its massive size, the opening allowed little space inside, though it was sufficient for a person to come and go.
I hesitated for a moment, aware of the darkness within. Nonetheless, I gritted my teeth and stepped inside.
Thud!
As my body passed through, the door clanged shut behind me, having awaited my entry.
Unlike the sluggish opening, the door closed at breakneck speed.
Whoosh!
At first, I saw nothing, but gradually, flames lit braziers and torches around me.
I didn’t employ any kind of flame technique; the space had simply illuminated itself.
By the time half of the area boasted light…
“Wha—what is this place…?”
I heard Elder Shin’s quaking voice resonate in my head. As my eyes adapted to the dim surroundings,
The wide expanse was just as I remembered—a space so enormous that one would question whether it could even be classified as a basement.
It didn’t take me long to descend down here, but the vastness felt as if it belonged to another realm entirely.
Bang.
Bam! Bam!
Once the lights flickered on, a cacophony emerged from all directions. The sound of walls being struck, steel being hammered, nails screeching on surfaces assaulted me from everywhere.
It felt like countless voices tried to drown my ears in sound, but this wasn’t all I could hear.
—Ah…
I caught a voice—not merely one, but many.
—Who? Who is it? Who is it? Who is it?
—Not a big monster, a small one? It’s ugly, so ugly!!!
—…Die… D… Die… D… die…
—Let me out… LET ME OUUUTTT!! I’M GONNA KILL EVERYONE ONCE I ESCAPE!!
—Little one… Come here, child… Here… Heeeere!
“What… is this…? Where am I?”
Bang! Bang!
This basement functioned primarily as a prison.
Just gazing upon it made my head throb. Not from tension but from something feeling as if it were clawing at my mind.
—Not connecting… Not connecting… Not connecting? Is he one of them?
—If, if you set me free, I will spare your life…
“Kid…! What is this…?”
‘Just a moment! I’ll only be a sec!’
My head was already spinning like crazy; I couldn’t juggle Elder Shin’s chatter as well.
This was precisely why I despised coming here. Even at the entrance, it felt unbearable; I hadn’t even made it to the center of the place yet.
“This place still feels like hell as ever.”
Ahead of me, the door at the front remained shut, staring back at me.
It was the real one. The previous door was of little importance.
Yet, I didn’t need to venture there for now. I had achieved my aim in coming here.
Voices still pulsated within my mind, but as my body began adjusting, I felt a little better.
I expelled a sigh and whispered quietly, “—■■■.”
“Huh? What did you just say?”
Elder Shin fell silent, as the moment I spoke, the voices that echoed around us halted, as if they were mere figments of my imagination.
A brief silence descended again, shattered by a nearby voice.
—Who are you?
Though I referred to this place as a prison, true cells were nowhere to be found. There was only a thin barrier barely serving as a wall.
From the oppressive darkness devoid of light, a hand pressed against the invisible barrier from the opposite side.
—Little monster, reveal what you just said to me.
I strolled closer, as if compelled by the voice.
—How could you speak my name? Where did you hear it? How did you know? What did you use to find out?
As I approached, the source of the voice began unveiling itself as well.
—…!
I caught the sound of Elder Shin gasping; he must have seen the creature’s form.
It was no shock. The entity bore an appearance identical to mine.
Save for being entirely naked, there wasn’t a single difference between us.
The creature inquired, “—When was our last encounter?”
“I believe it was around four years ago.”
‘That seems about right, at least in this lifetime, excluding the memories from both of my lives.’
—Yes! Right. Since I’ve been trapped here, I’ve lost all concept of time. But isn’t it curious? While I was able to see you, you couldn’t see me back then. Why aren’t you scared now?”
With a blank expression, I sized the creature up. My lack of reaction made it frown.
—Not scared, huh? Then what about this?
Creeeaak…
The creature’s facial features twisted into something terrifying. Its physique contorted, and in an instant, it transformed.
This time, its form mirrored that of my father.
—Oh…! Huh? You’re not scared of this either?
That was more than sufficient for me. He hadn’t escaped the basement, after all.
After confirming this detail, I turned away; I no longer wished to remain here.
—Huh? You’re leaving already? Little monster, little monster, wait!
I twisted my head to glance at him.
He waved enthusiastically while beaming a bright smile.
On the face that perfectly resembled my father…
—It was delightful to see you again. Let’s hope we meet again soon.
I winced at his words. It seemed I’d inevitably see him again.
I said nothing, opting merely to return toward the exit.
After stepping outside, it was as though the flames flickering along the walls awaited my departure. What was left behind was an empty, silent abyss.
Within that void, the creature tenderly whispered, “This little monster feels a bit different, doesn’t it?”
There was no response.
“Blergh…”
As soon as I exited, I nearly lost my breakfast to retching. I barely managed to hold it in, but the nauseating sensation refused to budge.
“Kid…”
After a few more heaves, I staggered, leaning against the wall.
“Did you feel nothing from that place?”
“What? Those weird voices?”
“Good for you; it sounds like you weren’t affected.”
Elder Shin felt nothing, but I was far from the same.
The moment I stepped foot inside, my mind began spinning. How long had I been in there? It seemed like eons, yet it couldn’t have even been half that time.
‘Goddammit…’
Was this due to residual effects from my past life or not? It certainly felt far worse compared to before.
Drip.
I reached to wipe my nose, discovering blood streaming down.
I hastily wiped the crimson liquid away with my sleeves.
“Wow, I’m already feeling exhausted.”
I was so fatigued that I simply lacked the will to do anything else. Propped against the wall, Elder Shin murmured something I couldn’t comprehend.
“I felt a breeze in there.”
“Huh?”
A breeze? In a completely sealed space?
Elder Shin continued, seeming intent on fueling my curiosity.
“I sensed it from the door on the opposite side.”
“Wind?”
“Kid.”
“Yes, Elder.”
“Is that something you could clarify?”
“…”
I managed a bitter smile at Elder Shin’s inquiry. Clarify it? That was a tough question.
Elder Shin could be surprisingly considerate at times.
He had an irritable demeanor, yet he showed understanding when critical matters surfaced.
That made me feel bad for not providing an answer.
“By the looks of your reaction, it seems you’re not yet ready.”
“I’m willing to share whatever I can.”
I likely had much more I couldn’t share, but I was determined to say everything I could since only a fool would go on without being curious after witnessing this half of the basement.
“However, I need to rest first. I’m a bit tired.”
Elder Shin kept silent, likely letting me recuperate from the ordeal.
With weary steps, I finally rejoined the steward from earlier and climbed back to the surface level. After handing over the seal, I made my way to my quarters.
I had originally intended to report my findings to my father, but given my current condition, I wasn’t fit to meet him.
Strolling along the moonlit path, myriad thoughts danced in my mind.
‘It wasn’t him. Then who could it be?’
Only one person came to mind with such a distinct ability.
If it wasn’t him, did that mean we had a spy disguised with a mask? Yet it felt exceedingly ludicrous. Not only would I have sensed something off, but the alterations to every single memory didn’t add up either.
Thoughts piled up, leading to mere confusion.
With each passing moment, my headache intensified, and suddenly, my shoulders felt heavy.
What burden did I carry? Why did it feel like I had an insurmountable weight upon them?
“Get a grip, your breathing’s all messed up.”
‘I’m focusing, I have to—’
‘So it doesn’t slip away.’
The crisp air of the fall night wrapped around me, and I could see my breath fogging in the chilly atmosphere.
Perhaps it was due to mental exhaustion, but despite my training in fire arts, the cold pierced me thoroughly.
At last, I arrived at my residence, albeit slowly.
Opening the door, I thought I heard muffled voices of the servants, but I could barely give a nod as I hurried to my room. However, as soon as I stepped inside…
I was greeted by two familiar faces.
“Oh, he’s back!”
“Young Master!”
It was Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah.
‘What on earth? Why are you here?’
“Umm, well, father… said I should come here…”
Namgung Bi-ah preemptively offered an excuse before I could question her presence. She seemed aware that I wouldn’t want her here.
From the sound of it, Namgung Jin had done something. Following Namgung Bi-ah, Wi Seol-Ah quickly chimed in, clutching a pillow to her chest.
“W-Well, she said she was going to sleep here…”
I could swear I had seen this very scene back at Mount Hua. What had I said back then? I couldn’t recall any of it.
The two of them seemed to have more to say, but I could barely muster the energy to listen. My fatigued body collapsed into their arms, the softness of their skin lulling me.
“…Ah!”
“Young Mas…”
“Dude! I went out of my way to fret about you, and this is how you repay me?”
Amidst vague murmurs, I succumbed to the overwhelming tide of drowsiness and drifted into sleep.
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