688 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

[......] A chill ran down the back of his neck. Slowly, his awareness began to surface from the depths of sleep. As he hazily opened his eyes, the silvery-gray dawn light assaulted them. The sun had yet to rise. For those diligent enough, it's time to awaken and seize the day. True to his nature as the incarnation of industriousness, Kang Yunho closed his eyes once more. He thought he had heard a voice. "Hayeon Sojeo, just a little more sleep, please." Did Hayeon Sojeo get up first? As he sank back into the depths of slumber, he mumbled in a voice still heavy with sleep. "......" Right. Hayeon Sojeo already left. Was it Jegal Sojeo, then? "Hyangae......" He sought the warmth of Jegal Sojeo, who was likely still sleeping soundly. Today, he should subtly caress her, pretending it was a sleep-induced habit. Reveling in the suppressed shrieks, playing innocent as he fondled unknowingly. Even in half-sleep, he diligently searched with one hand, but found only the cold touch of winter air on the sheets, not the weight he sought subconsciously. Right. Jegal Sojeo had gone to her bridal lessons too. Then who could it be? "Hwarina. Ugh. Wake me up after you wash." Before hearing a word, he clutched the blanket like a turtle. Hwarina, don't take the blanket away. It's cold. No answer came. Right, Hwarina was at Dangga. With the brisk business trips, his wandering consciousness couldn't find its bearings. Damn, who was it, then? "Sohee......?" Couldn't be. Strange. He thought he'd heard something. It was a woman's voice. "Kang Yunho. What are you doing?" "Ah!" The exasperated voice of Gilsan brought him immediately to his senses. —— "Master Kang. Is something the matter?" Deputy Commander Woon Yeob asked worriedly as he watched Kang Yunho cradle his head at the dining table. "I feel like absolute trash since this morning." "What?" "Did you realize it earlier?" "Ugh!" Gilsan's derisive laugh stung sharply. "Since early morning, you were calling out women’s names one after another, wondering what was happening." He's just used to it. Is this what it's like to be entrenched in habit? If he were to get up now, he could leisurely head out to work. Forget it. If he got up now, he could wash and head out. Forget it. He could at least get up and wash. Alright. I shall rise. Living by compromising with his phone alarm every five minutes each morning, one grows accustomed to being awoken and pleading for just a little more sleep. There's no excuse as to why those waking him happen to all be women. "I swear I heard something." In truth, he couldn't entirely absolve himself. "What are you talking about?" Woon Yeob inquired, sipping his tea leisurely. "A woman's voice." "A woman’s voice?" "It wasn't because Xiwei came to wake you up, was it?" He asked Gilsan, who was designated to wake him that morning. "Not at all." "Was it a mistaken impression in a dream? I could swear I heard something." Gilsan's gaze, silently accused, as if questioning how long Kang Yunho would keep making strange excuses for his pitiful morning display. He was sure he heard it. "Is the bed uncomfortable for you?" Woon Yeob asked worriedly. "I can sleep on bare ground." Surviving a year as a wandering pauper in the central plain after becoming an outcast, he's long past complaining about sleep. "You probably imagined it." "It felt different. Now that I think about it, it may not have been a regular person's voice." It was as if it drilled into his mind. As he muttered with a hardened face, Woon Yeob inquired with a serious expression. "Are you suggesting it was a ghost?" "The Western Wing where we’re staying certainly feels like it could be haunted. It doesn't seem like it’s maintained on purpose, as the roof tiles are broken here and there." "Indeed, I cannot deny there is some atmosphere........" It wasn't an unfounded suspicion. Jegal Se Ga, boasting over a millennium of history, was a clan that allowed no adversarial entry due to their defensive law that formed the heart of a fortress community. The Sichuan Dangga, conducting secret research into family’s techniques and constructing an enormous fortress, kept their mysteries from outsiders. Conversely, Jinju Un Ga, despite their vast lands, projects neither a mystical nor affluent aura. Perhaps it's due to the calamities faced by the clan during the upheavals of the Political Strife Period. The mansion in the Western Wing where they were residing, while not decrepit, could be romantically described as having a venerable charm. The other buildings in the Western Wing, lacking maintenance, resembled the failing grandeur of a declining noble house. "I wasn't paralyzed with fear, but I have no clue." It probably wasn't a ghost. Yet, neither did it feel like a human. Just as he was frowning at the puzzling situation, someone entered through the door. "Is it 'cause of the Jiangshi?" "Un So-hyup, have you arrived? What do you mean by Jiangshi?" The robust figure resembling his father was none other than the lesser master of Jinju Un Ga, Un Jisan. Friendly, likeable, and unconcerned with Un's own reputation as a black-headed warrior, he supported Kang Yunho’s business endeavors while also accompanying him in his father's stead. "Have you seen a Jiangshi recently?" "As I accompanied Lord Siwang, we lodged together." Used as nothing more than a windshield, but still. Un Jisan continued to nod knowingly with a bear-like grin when hearing Kang Yunho’s explanation. "Some people do get shocked and disconcerted after their first sighting of a Jiangshi." "I'm not afraid of corpses." "Recognition and emotional shock are different. Especially for a moving corpse! Isn’t it more disturbing being near It?" "Hearing it makes some sense." Perhaps it's due to the deserted, eerie atmosphere at the Western Wing with no one but them wandering. "Hahaha! Now I see there's a bit of tenderness to you. The side where Elder Bai resides is enclosed with multiple layers of formations. There’s nothing to worry about!" "Ugh!" His giant hand encouraged him to dismiss the needless worries with a slap on Kang Yunho’s back. "Prepare quickly and let's get going! I’ll introduce you to a favorite lunch spot of mine!" When kindness is overflowing, it's best to accept it. Smiling wryly, Kang Yunho followed Un Jisan to meet the day's schedule. —— "A formation, hmm......" As I gazed out the window at the distant residence of Elder Siwang, I mumbled to myself. "Something on your mind?" Gilsan asked. "No, it's nothing. But what are you up to?" After a busy day of meetings and errands, upon returning in the evening, Gilsan, who usually never fussed over tidying his bedding, was diligently making his bed. "I heard my brother-in-law is being troubled by a maiden ghost. How can I remain idle? I must prepare immediately." "What preparation?" Gilsan, wearing a mischievous grin, said to me, "Of course, I'm preparing to welcome the ghost." "What?" "The best way to appease a maiden ghost and help her move on is to satisfy her. You're lucky I’m here to show you some skill." Gilsan swayed his hips playfully, clearly enjoying his joke. "You'd be sucked dry." "Tsk tsk. Maiden ghosts are the problem. If they crave a man, they should come to someone as appealing as Jeon Gilsan. Yet instead, they send subtle signals to a clueless guy who knows nothing about a woman's heart." "Hey, where else would you find a master in understanding women like me?" For a moment, Gilsan's expression stiffened at my words before he quickly relaxed and laughed. "...Ah! That was a really funny joke." "......" I held back. As much as I wanted to retort to the oddly chilling air, Gilsan would likely retort with a knockout blow regardless. Seeing my silent frown, Gilsan chuckled and playfully fluffed the bedding. "I’m preparing to sacrifice myself. Don’t you know the legend that if a maiden ghost isn’t helped, she becomes a malevolent spirit?" "What legend?" "Tsk tsk, you must be unfamiliar with folklore as a Joseon man. Doesn't the Deputy Commander know?" Gilsan clucked his tongue and turned to Deputy Commander Woon Yeob, who sat on another bed. "Yes, I’ve heard that too. They say if a maiden ghost can’t find a man, she becomes a very particular malevolent spirit." I thought ghosts were already malevolent spirits. It’s an interesting story indeed. Given that even Woon Yeob, typically earnest and serious, acknowledged it, it must be a well-known tale. As a novelist, there might be something worth noting here. Leaning in to listen more carefully, I asked for details. "Wasn't it a joke?! What story is it? Tell me more." "The legend of the succubus." "...What?" For a moment, I doubted my ears. "For a man, even a Joseon man, not knowing the succubus legend is shameful." "They say a maiden ghost repeatedly rejected by men eventually becomes a succubus, a malevolent spirit that feeds on masculine energy," Woon Yeob added. "I’ve heard once they become succubi, they can transform into a man’s ideal form. A tragic choice for a maiden ghost." "There’s usually a reason if a maiden ghost keeps getting rejected." "What kind of legend is that…?" Even as I stood baffled, the two of them nodded knowingly, immersed in the gravity of the tale. "Kang Yunho, listen. A maiden ghost, once appeased, puts on a hairpin and transcends, but you must truly beware of a succubus. If the maiden ghost is too beautiful, approach with skepticism, or you'll have your energy drained." "That’s not always the case." Gilsan advised me earnestly, prompting Woon Yeob to interject with an even more serious demeanor. "Huh?" "I’ve heard that if you satisfy a succubus, you can either subdue her or she may reward you." The deputy commander continued with an intriguing glint in his eyes. "I heard that if you satisfy her, the green-haired succubus queen with the surname Mo might come to visit." "You’re given a choice: return the subdued succubus and end the night in ecstasy, or keep her. It’s up to you." "An appealing proposition, indeed. Yunho, even if the maiden ghost seems too pretty, just go for it." Is this a school trip? Or the military? Perhaps it’s inevitable that when three men come together, the conversation drifts towards such bawdy tales. "We’ll be visiting business sites tomorrow, so everyone should get some sleep early." I turned away with a wry smile. "Sleep well." "But should you sleep deeply for them to appear, or just doze off?" "How about checking it out yourselves." "Sounds good." They seemed excited in their mischief, but in the end, no succubus appeared for either of them. After all, it was merely a whimsical misunderstanding. It was enough to amuse us for a day. Until a few days later, when a similar voice woke me up again.