Chronicles of the Mad Demon - Chapter 108
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 108. Stage of Upheaval (2)
Creak.
Moyong Su Hyang clicked her tongue as she closed the door and came out.
Namgung So So, who had been waiting outside, asked.
“What about Elder Brother Bi?”
“He’s drinking.”
“Huh? But it’s almost noon already?”
“I know.”
Moyong Su Hyang, who would normally grumble calling him a pig or drunkard, now seemed somehow displeased.
“Why? Did Elder Brother say he was sick somewhere?”
“It doesn’t seem like that, but it’s a bit strange.”
“Really? Is there something troubling him?”
“Maybe…”
Moyong Su Hyang recalled her foolish Elder Brother sitting on the windowsill, sipping his drink without any side dishes.
Even when something bothered him, that pig would normally smile and crack jokes, but today he was unusually quiet.
‘Is there really something wrong?’
Honestly, she was a bit worried.
“Well, he’ll probably feel better after having a drink and getting some sleep.”
“He seemed fine until this morning though.”
“Hm?”
“Ah, my Elder Brother met Elder Brother Bi at dawn. Thanks to that, he gained great enlightenment, he said?”
Moyong Su Hyang blinked.
“He did?”
“Yeah, he said they went hunting somewhere, but unlike usual, he seemed subdued, so he was worried.”
“…Hmm.”
“Well, if he won’t join us for a meal, there’s nothing we can do. Shall we eat together, just us?”
“Let’s do that.”
The two young girls went up to the third floor of Juru and ordered simple food.
“By the way, there are so many people here.”
The people visible outside the window seemed to have increased by one and a half times compared to yesterday.
It made sense. The preliminaries had ended yesterday, and the main tournament would begin tomorrow.
Even people who had no interest in the preliminary matches wouldn’t want to miss the main tournament.
“Aren’t the adults from your family coming? Though I suppose the distance is incredibly far.”
Namgung So So shrugged her shoulders.
“They said we’re all grown up and sent only Kang Suk with us. They said winning would be good, but losing would also be educational, so we should show our skills and return.”
Is this the confidence of a prestigious family?
“Come to think of it, why hasn’t Kang Suk come yet? Is he still catching up with that Chief Administrator?”
“Chief Administrator?”
“Oh! Wait! Come to think of it, he’s the Chief Administrator of the Moyong Family!”
What is this about now?
Namgung So So rattled off everything about the relationship between Kang Geun Cheong and Seok Woong.
Moyong Su Hyang felt astounded.
“Why are you telling me this now?”
“I completely forgot. Kang Suk is such a free-spirited person…”
Thinking about it, on the first day they only drank to shake off the awkwardness, and the day before yesterday they kept talking about the sparring tournament while going on about hangover cures.
Yesterday was the same, so there was no opportunity to hear about the relationship between Kang Geun Cheong and Seok Woong.
Moyong Su Hyang looked at Namgung So So as if finding it remarkable.
“You’re really something too, aren’t you? Weren’t you worried about Master Kang Suk?”
Namgung So So coughed awkwardly.
“Kang Suk is a famous master, after all.”
“Good heavens.”
“But really, what strange connections exist in this world. To think your Chief Administrator and our Kang Suk were close friends when they were young.”
This is why they say worldly connections are mysterious.
“Ah, but what about your Family Head? Didn’t you say your Elder Sister was coming?”
“…We’re not a prestigious family.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“No, never mind. She’ll probably come sometime today. At the latest, wouldn’t she arrive tomorrow morning?”
Anticipation appeared on Namgung So So’s face.
“I want to meet your Elder Sister.”
Moyong Su Hyang had bragged about her Elder Sister like a mountain during their drinking sessions. Even Moyong Bi had subtly joined in, showing off with every boast imaginable.
It felt somewhat like doting siblings, but it also raised expectations.
It’s rare to see siblings who unanimously praise each other.
“My Elder Brother also went off somewhere to train. I have a feeling he’ll be swinging his sword all the way until night.”
“Today will be quiet then.”
“That’s righ… Ah!”
Namgung So So smiled and stood up.
“Elder Sister!”
The Jegal Lin and Jegal Chung Ho siblings came up from the stairs.
“So So. Su Hyang is here too.”
Jegal Lin had her usual indifferent expression.
But what about Jegal Chung Ho?
“Elder Broth… Huh? Elder Brother, why does your face look like that?”
Jegal Chung Ho collapsed into a chair and gulped down Moyong Su Hyang’s water.
Moyong Su Hyang muttered quietly.
“That’s water I rinsed my mouth with.”
“Pffft!”
Jegal Chung Ho spat the water out splendidly onto the floor and sighed.
“I’m hungry.”
“What would you like to eat? I’ll order it for you.”
“Just anything.”
It seemed like pitch-black storm clouds were floating above his head.
It looked like a downpour would start with just the slightest touch. The two young girls just glanced at each other.
“So So, order a bottle of alcohol too.”
“In broad daylight?”
Jegal Lin adjusted her hairpin with her fingertips and said.
“Go ahead and try drinking.”
“…Ugh.”
Thud!
Jegal Chung Ho buried his head on the table and muttered something. His voice was so quiet that even putting an ear to it wouldn’t help hear properly.
Namgung So So looked at Jegal Lin and silently pointed at Jegal Chung Ho.
Jegal Lin spoke in a much clearer voice.
“He got thoroughly scolded by our uncle at the main house for two whole days.”
“Ugh.”
Watching Jegal Chung Ho squirm while covering his ears with both hands reminded one of a fat caterpillar.
Namgung So So giggled.
“Was it because of the Gold Flower Trading Company?”
“No, that matter was fine. The Namgung Family was involved too, and most importantly, rumors spread that the fault was clearly on their side.”
“Oh!”
“But wandering around drinking without even reporting back was definitely wrong. When he returns home, I think he won’t be able to breathe outside air for a year.”
“O-one whole year?”
“That’s him being very lenient. Our uncle is stricter than Father. Especially with this idiot.”
Namgung So So looked at Jegal Chung Ho with pitying eyes.
Jegal Lin spoke with an indifferent expression.
“What about Guan Elder Brother?”
“Ah, he’s training right now.”
“I see.”
Though her calm voice carried an inexplicable hint of disappointment, the three people present couldn’t read that emotion.
“I heard briefly this morning that he gained great enlightenment thanks to Moyong Sohyeop.”
Moyong Su Hyang spoke teasingly.
“Maybe it was just a pig babbling nonsense that luckily happened to help Guan Elder Brother?”
“All enlightenment in this world is connected to heavenly fortune.”
It was a statement befitting someone from the Zhuge Family, who read celestial and terrestrial phenomena and glimpsed heavenly secrets.
“That Guan Elder Brother happened to be training at that time, and that Moyong Sohyeop happened to return from hunting – it must all be heaven’s will to guide Guan Elder Brother to enlightenment.”
At these rather grandiose words, Moyong Su Hyang let out a dry cough.
“By the way, where is Moyong Sohyeop?”
“He’s resting.”
Jegal Lin looked at Jegal Chung Ho and said.
“See? Even though they seem to be playing around, those two properly do what they need to do. What’s more important for a warrior than training and rest?”
“…”
“You’re always like this with everything. I understand why Uncle acts that way. If it were me, I’d keep you locked up not for two days but twenty days…”
Though their temperaments were different, both elder brother and younger sister were equally skilled at tormenting people with words.
Moyong Su Hyang inwardly worried.
‘Our pig isn’t resting – he’s guzzling alcohol?’
She could have interjected, but she gave up.
She didn’t have any particular friendship with Jegal Chung Ho, and it didn’t seem like Jegal Lin would stop even if she intervened.
Murmur murmur.
Before they knew it, the third floor had filled up considerably with people. Since this inn was famous in the area for its scenery and good food, it bustled with people during lunchtime.
Though it was noisy, the four people who had grown accustomed to the inn’s sounds over three days paid no attention to it.
So there they were – one man dying, one woman crushing him, and two young ladies just watching awkwardly – all busily chewing their rice when it happened.
“By the way, have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
Namgung So So and Moyong Su Hyang’s ears perked up.
The two had recently come to realize that inns were surprisingly good places for rumors to circulate, almost as much as Jianghu information networks.
One man whispered.
“For the past three days, animal carcasses have been increasing on the wild mountain near the duel stage.”
“Carcasses? Are there tigers around here?”
“They say it doesn’t look like a tiger’s work, but rather human work.”
“Human? What a strange person. If they hunted, they should have carried it away – why leave it behind?”
It seemed to be talk about some common hunter.
The two young ladies were about to stop listening in disappointment when:
“…There’s talk that it might be the work of a demon.”
“What?! What did you say?!”
The men glanced around nervously.
Since it was such a crowded and noisy tavern, no one seemed to be eavesdropping on their conversation.
At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface.
“They say deer and wild boars were brutally dismembered. All the entrails were scattered about and every bone was crushed. In the midst of it all, there were traces of blood and flesh pieces arranged into strange patterns.”
“Ugh, just hearing about it gives me chills. Could it really be… you know, really that?”
“Who knows. But no matter how you look at it, it’s not something a normal human would do, right? Even killing a cat for fun would be chilling enough.”
“Th-that’s true.”
“Especially since there are quite a few deer around here. They particularly targeted deer…”
“Oh my, stop it. You’re ruining my appetite.”
“Ahem, come to think of it, this wasn’t appropriate dinner table conversation.”
At the disgusting story, Namgung So So instinctively frowned.
‘Such an incident happened?’
Though no people had died, wasn’t this truly terrifying?
‘They say there are many crazy people in the world, and it’s really true.’
Namgung So So was shaking her head when she suddenly started at a thought.
She slowly looked at Moyong Su Hyang.
Moyong Su Hyang was looking at her. But her expression was very complicated.
Namgung So So forced a smile and said.
“Want to eat one more of these?”
“…”
“Hey, what’s wrong? Have one more. I’ve been enjoying this dish since yesterday, and it’s really delicious…”
When she actually tried to offer it, it turned out to be deer meat.
Namgung So So was flustered.
“Ah, that’s not what I meant…”
Just then, Jegal Chung Ho snatched the deer meat Namgung So So had offered with his chopsticks and ate it.
“Mm, delicious. Tender and soft.”
Moyong Su Hyang’s complexion grew even darker, and Namgung So So didn’t know what to do.
Jegal Chung Ho spoke calmly.
“Su Hyang.”
“…Did we agree to drop formalities?”
“Young Lady.”
“…”
“Family, you know, there are times when you find them maddeningly detestable.”
Jegal Lin looked at her elder brother.
Her expression was the same, but her eyes were those of a wildcat. It really seemed like she could kill someone with just her gaze.
Deliberately avoiding his sister’s gaze, he continued chattering.
“But even if you dislike them, you don’t hate them or wish them ill. Why? Because they’re family. Even if I curse them out myself, I can’t stand it when others badmouth my family. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
“If I don’t believe in my own blood, the world will go even crazier, saying even his family gave up on him. Even though my not believing doesn’t give them permission to insult them.”
Moyong Su Hyang, who had been quietly observing Jegal Chung Ho, picked up her chopsticks and said.
“Call me that.”
“Hm? Call you what?”
“Call me Su Hyang.”
“Should I? But Su Hyang, aren’t you eating? Should I eat that?”
“No.”
“Gulp!”
After picking at her food a few times, Moyong Su Hyang suddenly picked up her plate and stood up.
It was a dish made with deer meat.
“S-Su Hyang?”
“I’m going to see that fool. That bastard was drinking without any side dishes.”
Jegal Chung Ho glanced at Jegal Lin.
“Alcohol counts as rest too, right?”
“Shut up.”
“Okay.”
Leaving the three behind, she exited the inn and headed straight to Moyong Bi’s residence.
“Hey, pig. Open the door. I brought you something to eat.”
No sound could be heard from inside the room.
“Pig!”
Moyong Su Hyang forcibly opened the door and entered.
“…!”
The room was cold.
The winter wind coming through the open window was carelessly toying with the scattered clothes here and there.
Moyong Su Hyang looked around the room with passionate eyes, then took a deep breath.
A moment later.
Moyong Su Hyang, who had come back to the third floor, set down the bowl.
“Why did you bring it back again?”
“He said he won’t eat.”
Moyong Su Hyang picked up the chopsticks again.
The hand holding the chopsticks was trembling slightly.
“I’ll have to eat it all myself, I guess.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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