Chapter: 925
“What the…!”
Caught off guard, Gubong winced, but his grasped hands refused to budge.
Even when he urgently tried to escape, it was so strong that he didn’t move an inch.
Ugh!
Thanks to that, he had to arrive somewhere before completely waking up.
Only then did his collar loosen, sending Gubong tumbling to the floor.
He barely managed to roll out of it, but ended up doing it awkwardly.
Immediately getting back up, Gubong scowled at Guyangcheon.
“What on earth are you doing…!”
“Are you awake now?”
In response to Gubong’s words, Guyangcheon merely chuckled, smirking.
“What on earth is this…?”
“I told you. I want to work with you.”
“What does that even mean?”
The morning breeze hit like a slap in the face, leaving him utterly flabbergasted.
Suddenly barging in and asking for work? It’s a situation that defies comprehension, and frankly, he had no interest in understanding it.
‘How can a person be so…’
So utterly rude and dismissive?
Gubong ground his teeth. He was already in a foul mood after dreaming of the past.
‘Is this really the person that Jang Moon-in has been waiting for all this time?’
He bit his lip while gazing at Guyangcheon.
He didn’t want to accept it.
Especially because it was from that guy.
—He ran away.
The words that echoed in his mind were hard to shake off.
“If you’re going to do something, at least explain the circumstances—”
As he struggled to keep his comments in check, he was suddenly cut off.
“Oh, you talk too much.”
Guyangcheon interrupted again, irritation clear in his voice.
“I figured you might know best, so I’m asking you to help out. I’ve already secured permission from the chief priest, so just do it.”
“…You mean the permission of the chief priest?”
Gubong’s eyes widened at Guyangcheon’s statement.
The chief priest actually gave him permission?
“What…?”
“I asked to borrow you because I need to use you, and he agreed.”
“…”
You can’t just treat a person like an object!
Gubong simmered with anger at that, but the earlier justification shut his mouth.
The chief priest gave his permission.
That single sentence controlled all of Gubong’s actions.
“Hmmm.”
Guyangcheon glared at him and added something else.
“I’m telling you this so you don’t misunderstand, but it’s not because I particularly like you.”
“…Then.”
“But you’re the best option.”
“…”
What does he even mean by that? If he’s not into it, he could simply not do it.
He couldn’t fathom why Guyangcheon insisted on calling him the best.
“So stop sulking and get up. I’m a busy guy as well.”
“What on earth are you planning…?”
Gubong staggered as he pushed himself up. Observing him, Guyangcheon said,
“It’s nothing special.”
Honestly, it wasn’t anything major.
“I think we need to wipe out a bunch of nobles first. I’m lacking in information.”
“Excuse me?”
“But you’ll know, right? So share the intel with me.”
That wasn’t just a request for Gubong.
“Say what? Wipe out the nobles?”
“I think it’s time to clean things up a bit, but I’m out of the loop.”
Ah, so he wasn’t hearing things wrong.
“No…”
But why wasn’t this a wrong interpretation?
Gubong stared at Guyangcheon, utterly confused.
“Why are you suddenly targeting them?”
He asked, barely managing to hold onto his reason. To this, Guyangcheon replied,
“Because it’s annoying.”
That was an entirely irrational answer.
“Don’t you think that’s a bit unreasonable?”
“Uh-huh…”
He wanted to explain that whether it was reasonable or not didn’t even matter.
Just earlier, he felt how fiery and reckless Guyangcheon was.
He burned with intensity. Just being near him made Gubong feel like he was going to get incinerated too.
“Your Excellency… nobles…”
Gubong barely managed to voice his concerns in an attempt to dissuade him.
“I thought you’d understand better than this?”
“…”
At the subsequent comment, he froze like a statue.
There was a slight prick in the seemingly trivial words.
Gubong continued to stare at Guyangcheon.
When their gazes met, Guyangcheon just smirked and turned his head away.
“Otherwise.”
“Noble person.”
Does he know anything about himself? Gubong attempted to quiver in his voice to ask.
“Who’s causing a ruckus in front of someone else’s house?”
Suddenly, someone else appeared, cutting off their conversation.
Gubong’s eyes widened when he saw him.
“Elder?”
It was a turtle. Only then did Gubong take a look around.
The place he was dragged to was none other than his own tea house.
The turtle, with a frown plastered on his face, gazed at the two, his long eyebrows twitching slightly.
“Do you even know what time it is? You’ve interrupted this old man’s sleep since the crack of dawn…”
The turtle spoke with irritation overflowing, clearly displeased.
“If you’re going to brawl, do it elsewhere.”
He gestured with the cane he was holding, telling them to scram.
Seeing this, Gubong rushed forward and said,
“I’m not fighting. I just have something to discuss with the elder.”
“I have nothing to say.”
The turtle cut him off firmly.
Bam!
“…Huh?”
The door, which was about to close, was caught by Guyangcheon. The turtle exhaled sharply when he saw that.
Hold it?
“You! How on earth can you…?”
“About that last time. Could you do it again?”
“What?”
“Ears and tails.”
At Guyangcheon’s request, the turtle scrutinized him.
And upon glancing back, he realized everything he’d given was now gone.
“…What’s this? Where did it go?”
The turtle looked bewildered.
It had only been a day.
It should have lasted for three days, yet it was already vanished?
“Oh, that…”
At the turtle’s words, Guyangcheon awkwardly grinned and replied.
“I was just fiddling with it yesterday and… I accidentally undid it.”
“What?”
Undid it? What does that even mean?
The turtle asked again, looking puzzled.
“Are you saying it got released?”
He had warned that excessive force would make it come undone, but it seemed that it had indeed been undone.
That was a bit strange too.
Unless an enormous force was applied, it should have been made so that it couldn’t be released.
Here, the standard was the madman of the volcano’s clan leader.
Guyangcheon waved his hand in protest.
“No, I meant I solved it.”
“…You say you solved it?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
That wasn’t how it was designed to function!
It was kind of a curse of his own creation.
What he meant was that it was not something that one could just choose to solve or not.
But did he actually solve it?
The turtle simply couldn’t fathom it and asked, and Guyangcheon seemed to have anticipated his confusion as he shrugged embarrassingly, saying,
“Uh, well… I thought it’d be handy if I learned how to do it… so I poked it a bit and it came undone. Hahahaha…”
“…”
Upon hearing that, the turtle stared at Guyangcheon as if he were out of his mind.
Did it come undone just from poking it?
His curse?
There was no way that could happen.
“That’s impossible. It’s not something that can be released just because it’s poked.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. It shouldn’t have come loose, but it did… So I was hoping you could do the same thing again…”
“…No.”
What was he saying so casually?
The turtle had an array of criticisms he wanted to make but ended up halting himself mid-outburst.
He only just realized.
‘Right, how should I assess this monster?’
What lay before him was something even he couldn’t judge.
As he had mentioned to Jang Moon-in, it was a fine line.
If it twisted even a little, it could lead to disaster.
A catastrophe no one could stop.
It was rather strange that it was contained in the first place.
It was beyond his common sense to comprehend.
However, if he really tried to find a possible reason…
‘The quality of the soul.’
A soul that shone brighter than anyone else’s.
A vessel and brilliance sufficient to counteract the laws.
He might not have been aware, but the turtle had an understanding surpassing everyone else’s.
‘What a shame.’
That’s why it felt even more regrettable.
‘If only it had been born in its own world.’
If that monster had been born where it belonged, rather than somewhere else.
Would there have been a glimmer of hope?
Though that thought crossed his mind, he retorted softly.
“…Jang Moon-in’s request ended yesterday. So kindly scram.”
It was a futile fantasy. The turtle shook his head, gearing up to slam the door shut again.
But.
“…”
“…”
The door didn’t budge at all. No matter how hard he pushed and strained, it remained steadfast.
Finally, the turtle shouted at Guyangcheon.
“No, I said let go!”
“If you let go, he won’t do it. Just please grant a favor. You didn’t look very tired yesterday.”
“You little punk?”
The turtle’s face flushed crimson.
Getting under someone’s skin was strikingly reminiscent of someone—so much it sent shivers down his spine.
After quite an ordeal of this banter, Gubong finally approached, stopping Guyangcheon.
“Noble person…! What on earth are you doing to the elder?!”
“No, should we just leave like this? We can’t go on like this.”
“Where are you heading this early in the morning?”
“Where else? I’m heading to the place we visited yesterday. Everything should be there.”
“…What do you mean? Are you seriously suggesting going back to Yawol Palace?”
Guyangcheon grimaced at Gubong’s words.
“So, what do you think I’m doing this for? Do I look bored to you?”
“…”
Honestly, being bored would have been preferable. That’s what Gubong thought to himself.
Guyangcheon silenced Gubong before once more turning to the turtle.
“It’s something Jang Moon-in authorized, so can you just cooperate with us?”
At Guyangcheon’s remark, the turtle frowned this time.
“Jang Moon-in gave his permission?”
“Yes. He told me to go fetch it. He said it would be done once I arrived.”
Was this nonsense?
“That makes no sense. The request definitely concluded yesterday. There’s no way Jang Moon-in wouldn’t know that.”
He genuinely felt irked.
There had to be a boundary that needed to be respected between the two.
Jang Moon-in wouldn’t have breached it first. What’s even going on?
This couldn’t simply be overlooked. The turtle gripped his staff, ready to unleash his anger at Guyangcheon.
“Oh, but he did say that if I just stopped by once, he’d grant me an extra month-long supply of plum tea.”
“Is it three days for this as well?”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
With his attitude changing in an instant, Guyangcheon stared at the turtle in disbelief.
The power that had been pushing the door had swiftly vanished.
What on earth is so special about plum tea that it prompts this?
It was nothing fancy, really.
If that’s the case, he should have brought up the plum tea from the start!
The turtle began to lift his cane once more.
“Last time, didn’t you need a girl?”
It was a question concerning Cheonma.
Upon hearing this, Guyangcheon nodded.
“Yes. I’m not taking her.”
Given how much she had teased him yesterday, he didn’t want to bring her along anyway.
Fortunately, he hadn’t seen her since this morning, so he had no clue where she might be.
Honestly, abandoning her now felt like the best option.
“Hmmm.”
Upon hearing his answer, the turtle moved his cane.
At that moment—
Thump—!
Something strange pulsed through his heart.
Guyangcheon focused on it intently.
It didn’t radiate throughout his body.
Instead, it clustered and spun around his heart.
It was oddly peculiar.
It felt almost unsettling but was bearable enough.
After just a brief moment of concentration—
Saaaahhh—!!
He felt the beast’s ears and tail sprouting back onto his body.
Unlike last time, when they sprouted unnoticed, this time the sensation was markedly different.
Soft.
As he touched his ears with his hands, it felt just like last time.
Soft, soft.
He reveled in the sensation, teasingly touching them several times.
Finding it amusing, Guyangcheon kept at it, while the turtle glanced at him with increasing displeasure, waving his cane threateningly.
“It’s done. The warning remains the same as before. Now leave. Don’t ever return—”
Just as he was about to issue the parting order, the turtle noticed something and abruptly halted.
Paaaaah—!!
The ears and tail that had formed on Guyangcheon vanished in an instant like smoke.
“What—!!”
The turtle’s eyes widened dangerously, like lanterns, at the sight.
Had something gone awry and the spell broken?
No, that wasn’t it.
He released it.
Guyangcheon had undone the curse he had just placed on the spot.
It became clear that when he said he’d lifted it this time, he hadn’t lied.
But after he had put effort into doing it for him, he just let it go?
“What in the world is this kid doing now….”
The turtle began inquiring, but suddenly Guyangcheon clapped his hands as if he just now understood something.
Clap!
Thud.
“Uh…?”
With the clap, ears and tail sprouted up again.
That wasn’t due to his own doing.
“…You brat…”
The turtle stammered, as if he couldn’t comprehend the situation.
In stark contrast, Guyangcheon wore an uncommonly jubilant grin.
“I finally get it now! Ah, I truly felt I’d understand better after just one more experience. Perfect timing.”
“No.”
“I think I don’t need to come by anymore now that I’ve got it down. I’ll make good use of it. Thanks a bunch! Alright, let’s go.”
With that, Guyangcheon seemed to drop any pretense of hesitation, stepping away from the door to approach Gubong.
“…”
The turtle could only stand there, struck dumb, unable to utter a word.
His name was Sul.
He was the fallen king of sorcery.
The next chapter will be updated on June 19 at 10 PM.
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