Chapter 246 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Did he notice after all? Im Ha-yeon pondered as she sipped her tea nonchalantly, facing the man who was earnestly listening to her troubles, despite her sudden visit. “I was trying to buy my way out of registration as a courtesan.” Im Ha-yeon began to reveal the reasons behind her unusual actions in the past. “Out of registration?” “The courtesans’ guild is notorious for being unhelpful. The only way to buy my freedom is to take action myself.” While the Pimune of the Infinite Branch holds sway over the courtesans of Hao Moon in Hubei Province, to Im Ha-yeon, they were merely strangers, and in Hao Moon, where survival of the fittest was the rule, there was no one who would willingly help a low-ranking courtesan on the run. So, it was obvious that Im Ha-yeon would be confirmed as a courtesan on the run. “But the tale I heard is different from yours.” He was implying why she didn’t just steal. Im Ha-yeon recalled the moment she first decided to leap over the wall of the Cathay Bank. You can’t buy your way out of registration with the wages from the Cathay Bank. Even if you remain as a courtesan, you will live and die as one. If buying her freedom as a Bank employee or a courtesan was impossible, what other options were left? With this thought, Im Ha-yeon decided to trespass into someone else’s premises. But, “The moment I commit theft, I become a thief. Isn't it ridiculous to become a thief just because I don't want to be a courtesan?” Im Ha-yeon answered with self-deprecating laughter. The moment she picked up the jewels from the open safe, she would become a thief. Does it make any sense to become a thief just so she wouldn’t end up as a courtesan? While the moon was hidden by the clouds, and she wandered around at night, she deliberated until the light shone on her, revealing her nighttime activities. Then, she left. She didn’t want to be like that person, just because she didn’t want to end up as a courtesan. “Was it this concern that led you to wander the streets at night for days?” Im Ha-yeon sensed the consideration in Kang Yoon-ho’s words, as he avoided directly mentioning stealing or being a thief, and she continued: “Even though I returned empty-handed, nothing changed. I thought maybe this time I would change my mind. So, I wandered the streets at night. At times like that, the worries that were pressing me all day would disappear.” Engaging in something with all one's mind sometimes helps forget real-life concerns. For some, work is a solution, for others, it’s drinking or playing games. For her, it was stealing. Of course, as soon as she had opened the safe, she had to face another dilemma. “No matter how many times I snuck in, I was too foolish to steal in the end. Even though being caught meant I'd have to work as a courtesan until I die.” Im Ha-yeon smiled bitterly and lowered her head. She would have to continue working as a courtesan who sold her smiles, sang and danced, and eventually, when her value decreased, even sell her body. And yet, Im Ha-yeon didn't want to accept another fate. Cautiously, Kang Yoon-ho began to speak to Im Ha-yeon, who had her head bowed. “If you dislike becoming a courtesan and a thief, how about running away?” “With what could I survive, having learned only stealing and courtesan work my whole life? What would I do if I ran away?” Im Ha-yeon couldn't suppress her irritation, raising her voice slightly. It was easy advice for anyone to give. These were thoughts courtesans themselves had often entertained. Using nothing she had learned and without any connections, what would happen to a beautiful woman in the martial world? “However.” Wasn't there really no other way? Im Ha-yeon read the sympathy in Kang Yoon-ho’s face. “The moment I run away, I will forever be marked as a courtesan on the run.” If she were caught now, she might be lucky enough to shed the label of a runaway courtesan. Even if not, there might be some leniency, sparing her from severe punishment. But if she ran away now, she would be forever labeled a runaway courtesan. Hao Moon would chase her to the ends of the earth, and she would never be able to use her mother’s surname or the name given by that man again. She wanted to abandon her registration, not become an eternal fugitive. Even if she managed to escape safely, it would be the same. The brand of a runaway courtesan would remain in her heart, hidden perhaps, but never erased. “…” Catching the implication in Im Ha-yeon’s words, Kang Yoon-ho chose to remain silent. He had experienced living as a beggar in the central plains without any connections. Moreover, he knew how many beautiful women, like Im Ha-yeon, without background, faced hardships in this martial world. Kang Yoon-ho absorbed her outbreak of frustration with ease, waiting for her to continue speaking. “Do you remember asking me if I had ever experienced starving?” “I do.” “I didn’t become a trainee courtesan because I liked it. When my mother died, I was ten. What could a starving child do? Becoming a courtesan was my choice, but it was the only choice I had.” It's a common story. Even now, in some part of the central plains, children from poor families are sold to courtesan houses, starving children turn to courtesan houses. “I understand. When I had to fill my starving stomach by chewing on roots, it felt like I could do anything.” A momentary bond of shared hunger wrapped around the two, temporarily thawing the icy atmosphere. Nodding, Im Ha-yeon continued. “I wasn’t dissatisfied with the courtesan life. The older girls were kind, and I never had to starve. But… I was always vaguely scared of the inevitable day that would come.” “…” “Then one day, I read ‘The Chronicles of the Tang Family.’ And I began to dream.” “What kind of dream?” “A dream where I’d write a novel like the esteemed writer Ho Pil’s ‘The Chronicles of the Tang Family’ and buy my freedom.” “…” A woman who dreamed after reading his novel! Kang Yoon-ho, feeling a rush of responsibility, was momentarily struck silent. “I was confident in my writing skills. Being a courtesan isn't just about learning songs and dances. I thought if I could write a novel like Ho Pil, I could buy my freedom. But in reality, my work didn’t even win an encouragement award.” Thinking back, Im Ha-yeon laughed softly at how foolish her thoughts were and weakly dropped her shoulders. “It wasn’t a terrible piece.” “But it wasn’t a piece that could change my fate either.” “…” “I didn't want to live like my mother. I didn’t want to live like that man. But it seems I only have those two paths.” Im Ha-yeon's voice, as she spoke in an outpouring, was filled with indescribable resentment. Selling smiles to others. Making others cry. Im Ha-yeon looked at her own reflection in the teacup as if facing a mirror she didn’t want to see. “If it truly doesn’t work out, how about contacting your sworn brother...” “Don’t even think about it.” There was a tone of finality and palpable anger in Im Ha-yeon’s voice. “Still.” “My mother was also a runaway courtesan. And she remained a courtesan until her death, despite having given birth to the child of the Invisible Divine Thief.” They could have taken her out of registration, but they didn't. Kang Yoon-ho nodded submissively, sensing the wrath in Im Ha-yeon's tightly closed lips. “If you need help, let’s try to come up with a solution together.” “It’s not something you can help with.” Im Ha-yeon shook her head somberly, as if resigned. “I didn’t come to ask for help.” Because there was no one else she could confide in. Im Ha-yeon couldn’t bring herself to say the words that clung to her throat. “I didn’t come here to find a solution. I came so you’d know if I suddenly disappeared one day. And because, before I get caught, I wanted to see the fourth volume of The Chronicles of the Tang Family.” With that, she rose, trying to appear calm. She wanted someone to listen to her story. The heavy burden that persisted despite countless trespasses wouldn’t leave her alone. With an apologetic expression, Im Ha-yeon bowed her head towards Kang Yoon-ho. “Sorry for the late visit. See you tomorrow. No, I hope I see you tomorrow.” Leaving through the window, her steps were noticeably lighter than when she had arrived. Yet, the burden she carried still seemed too heavy for her shoulders to bear. ******************* “Goo, goo!” “Gugu, you little rascal. Your master is leaving, you should at least get up and say goodbye.” I got up immediately after Im Ha-yeon left, and directed a small scolding to Gugu, who was perched on my shoulder. The window through which Im Ha-yeon had exited was as chilly as the lonely mood of the departed. I must thoroughly secure the house from now on. Closing the door, I sat down quietly on my bed. “Invisible Divine Thief, begins, huh.” A courtesan who sold laughter, and a thief who made others cry. The woman who didn’t want to be either will eventually leave her mark in both realms. How much Im Ha-yeon must have despaired, grieved, and struggled through the process is hard to imagine. While she was faced with an enormous dilemma, ironically, one of my own great dilemmas was now solved. I suspected, and it turned out to be true. Finally relieved of the burden, I looked up at the skylight with an incredulous smile and murmured. “So, the key to Im Ha-yeon’s conquest is money.” I was uncertain. Is Im Ha-yeon truly one of the heroines in this martial romance simulation? As beautiful as the other heroines I’ve met, indeed, but Im Ha-yeon doesn’t possess a cursed fate like Chun Salsung or Dok In. If a heretical protagonist’s role is to rescue a heroine, Im Ha-yeon’s situation seems unfit for such a label. However, now that the term ‘registration’ (妓籍) has appeared, I understand straight away. The conquest conditions for the heroines in a martial romance simulation are fame and money. Im Ha-yeon falls into the same type of heroine as Mo Yong Sangah. The kind you can only rescue by spending money that a non-heretical protagonist wouldn’t even dream of parting with. “If there’s even a slight chance your master is a true heroine, I should help, right?” “Goo, goo!” Can it really understand my words? Gugu flapped its wings in response. To save this heroine’s fate, I need to buy her registration. “The problem is finding that much money.” While reputation points are intangible, money is straightforward but far from simple. Barely managing to buy printing machines, and having to request installment plans for a bookstore, acquiring such an enormous amount of money seems impossible. It appears impossible, at least for now. As I continue to build both fame and fortune while searching for the true heroine, Im Ha-yeon will continue to lead a dual life in Wuhuan. Perhaps, when enough money is accumulated, I could track her down then. Should I give up for the moment? No. Just as with So-hee and Hwa-rin, there might be an unknown time limit. Even if I fulfill the conquest conditions by merely chasing fame and fortune, if the limit has expired, conquering the true heroine might become impossible. Moreover… I briefly recalled the sad eyes of Im Ha-yeon leaving a moment ago. Despite her denial, she was, in her own way, openly asking for help in every demeanor. To ignore a heroine asking for help—wouldn’t that be shameless for someone claiming to seek the true heroine? Given that, there’s only one thing I can do. “I need to find a way.” ****************** I showed an unsightly display. On her way to Hao Moon to gather information about Wuhuan, Im Ha-yeon reflected. Why on earth did I go to that man’s house? The man couldn't resolve her issues. Despite being a prosperous bookstore owner, he couldn't spend a fortune for her sake. Listening to her worries wouldn’t change anything. So why did she eventually seek him out? She couldn’t understand her own heart. Im Ha-yeon halted her steps and looked back towards Cathay Bank visible in the distance. 一 One day, I read The Chronicles of the Tang Family. No, in fact, I know the reason why I went to his room. There’s a story I haven’t shared with him yet. The reason I got immersed in The Chronicles of the Tang Family. It was because of the story of Tang Zheng and Du Yingxiang. The chivalrous hero and the number one courtesan of Hubei. The hero falls in love and pays an exorbitant sum to free her from her registration. The dream of all courtesans. Im Ha-yeon was also captivated by the story in The Chronicles of the Tang Family. “But that’s only possible in a novel.” Though she didn’t want to admit it, perhaps she was projecting Tang Zheng onto him. Ever since they first met, she had mistakenly thought of him as Tang Zheng. Appearing to save her at the most critical moments, helping her whenever she was in trouble—perhaps, without knowing, she couldn’t let go of that illusion. Maybe she believed he would rescue her, just like Tang Zheng. Im Ha-yeon let out a small, sarcastic laugh. It was ridiculous. He was not Tang Zheng. In fact, he probably wouldn’t understand. To someone who once wandered as a beggar but now commands people with a wave of his hand, she must seem like a pathetic woman who can neither escape nor confront her fate. Compared to him, she was endlessly small, mean-spirited, and foolish. They were similar yet different. He, too, must have lived a simple life as an ordinary Korean when he was in Joseon. He couldn’t possibly understand what it feels like to be born into a lowly status. Im Ha-yeon forcefully shook off thoughts of Kang Yoon-ho and opened the door to the Hao Moon branch in Wuchang. “You’re here. I’ve sent word to the branch in Wuhuan requesting more time.” The branch manager greeted Im Ha-yeon with a look of sympathy. “Thank you.” “Cheer up. Nothing is certain yet! Ah! I came across some interesting information—would you like to hear it?” It was unlikely to raise her spirits. The branch manager knew this too and wanted to lighten her mood with the intriguing information he had gathered. “Interesting information?” “Kang Yoon-ho.” “What about him?” If this news was about him, it would surely lift Im Ha-yeon's spirits, at least for a while. The branch manager, smiling as he relished the high-value inside information, shared a surprising tidbit with her. “Kang Yoon-ho. The head of the Tang Family is an illegitimate child born to a Joseon courtesan.” Im Ha-yeon’s eyes widened. The revelation about Kang Yoon-ho trickled down her spine, weaving into the complex emotions she felt regarding her own predicament. Understanding that they might share more in common than she initially thought, did nothing to diminish the mountain she had to climb. But perhaps, just perhaps, it opened a new path ahead.