Looking for the Runaway Heavenly Maiden - Chapter 49

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

49.

My gaze turned toward Kim Seulgi. Why was she asking such a thing? Was she probing me?
As it happened, Yerim was coming to school today.
More precisely, she was arriving as a teacher to fill the vacant position of Archery Club advisor and Korean History instructor.
The student who had originally been the Archery Club president had been sacrificed by Gihyeongrang.
And Ms. Oh had been sacrificed by the Heavenly Realm.
Recalling the deaths of these two people, my heart grew heavy.
Though I had never seen the Archery Club president, Ms. Oh had personally taught me archery.
Even if we weren’t close, someone’s death was enough to weigh upon my heart.
My anger toward Kim Seulgi before me and toward the Heavenly Realm surged upward. I couldn’t gauge how much longer I could endure this rage.

“Me? I… ah, this was actually supposed to be a secret. I got assigned to your school starting today.”
“Really…?”
“Ms. Oh? I heard she had some matters to attend to and suddenly resigned. So I took over her position.”

Kim Seulgi thought to herself. According to rumors at school, Ms. Oh had gone missing.
So the sudden resignation was a lie.
They had covered up the story in that manner to facilitate this celestial being’s assignment.
But this celestial being was taking Ms. Oh’s position? This was news she hadn’t heard.

‘That bastard Eul, spouting orders at me when he can’t even gather proper information?’

She had never liked the way Eul strutted about, basking in the Master’s favor. He was already a thorn in her side.
This seemed like adequate grounds to undermine that favor.
Kim Seulgi spoke with a bright voice, entertaining such thoughts.

“Wow, really? Congratulations! Oh, so from now on, should I call you teacher instead of sister…?”
“Well, in official settings, yes?”
“Then it’s okay to call you sister right now?”
“Sure.”

It was a conversation that seemed proper enough.
Yet everyone present knew there was no sincerity in this exchange.

* * *

After the superficially cheerful commute to school ended, Jiho parted ways with Kim Seulgi and entered her classroom.
Jiho gazed at the empty seat beside her for a moment, then looked away.
As she prepared for morning self-study, the chatter of her classmates filled her ears.
The topics varied widely.
From last night’s entertaining drama to the currently popular idols, the upcoming midterm exams, and the missing persons.
Even the new homeroom teacher who arrived yesterday was being discussed in relation to the Jade Emperor.
The chattering students continued talking even after the morning self-study bell rang, but soon fell silent.
In the quiet broken only by the scratching of pencils and the rustling of turning pages, Jiho glanced around the classroom.
There were several empty seats.
When Cheonhaerang was here, I had no time to pay attention to the other students, but now I could see which groups existed in the class.

‘That group over there….’

It seemed to be the group of boys who were giggling and clashing with the Jade Emperor yesterday. The so-called delinquents, perhaps.
They were no match for the Jade Emperor anyway. As long as they didn’t cross the line, the Jade Emperor wouldn’t bother with them.
Jiho soon stopped paying attention and looked at her problem set. Of course, nothing was actually registering in her mind.

* * *

“Damn it, how do we take down this new homeroom teacher?”

Crude profanity spilled from Imdonggu’s mouth along with acrid smoke.
Every time he looked in the mirror, the scratches on his cheeks infuriated him. Damn it. The curses came naturally.
He did that to me. When he saw the homeroom teacher’s gleaming face at yesterday’s closing ceremony, his anger flared even more.
It was the same last time. This time too, he didn’t like how the girls were squealing over the homeroom teacher.
Imdonggu wanted to get back at the homeroom teacher no matter what.

“But he’s damn good-looking, isn’t he? I understand why the girls are going crazy.”
“But if we mess with him, we’re gonna get screwed again.”

At his friends’ words, Imdonggu spat out what he was holding in his mouth.

“Hey, damn it! You’re saying that after seeing what happened to me?”

At Imdonggu’s outburst, his friends clamped their mouths shut. If they provoked him again, he’d cause more trouble.
The friends exchanged glances, wondering how to appease Imdonggu. That was when it happened.

“Want me to help?”

It was a soft voice that seemed utterly out of place in the incinerator, thick with acrid smoke.
My friends and Imdonggu’s gazes turned toward the direction of the voice.
The young man, dressed neatly in his school uniform, looked like he belonged among the student council or discipline committee—the kind of student teachers trusted.

“Who the hell are you, punk?”
“Discipline committee? If you don’t want to get beaten, just leave quietly.”

Imdonggu and his friends threatened the young man menacingly. But he remained unfazed.

“I can help you.”
“Ha, this bastard. You’re so scrawny—who the hell are you gonna help?”

Imdonggu, seething with rage, spat out curses as he stepped toward the young man.
He wanted to intimidate him with his height, but the young man was quite tall, so it didn’t work as intended. Instead, Imdonggu scowled with all his might and jabbed the young man’s shoulder roughly with his fist.

“Hey, who do you think you are?”
“Me? I’m Yueul.”

Yueul’s lips curved into a smirk. Imdonggu, who had been laughing in disbelief, suddenly locked eyes with him.

“Huh…?”

For a moment, it felt as though he were being pulled into an abyss. Imdonggu could no longer utter a single word.
In Imdonggu’s eyes, Yueul’s pupils glowed crimson, and his voice echoed like a phantom through his mind.

I’ll help you.
I’ll give you strength.

Imdonggu stared blankly at Yueul. His words struck Imdonggu’s mind like lightning.

Kill Hand Ogeong.

“What do you say? Can you do it?”
“Yeah… I can do it…”

Imdonggu answered as though entranced. Yueul smiled with satisfaction.
Then he grasped Imdonggu’s finger and bent it. A crack sounded, but Imdonggu felt no pain.
Yueul pressed something into his broken hand—a knife small enough to fit in a pocket.

“We’ll do it this way. You understand, right?”
“Y-yes….”

At the end of Imdonggu’s response, a sharp crack echoed once more. His bent fingers snapped back into place.

“Now go. And stop doing that—it reeks. Should I remove your mouth? No, then you couldn’t speak.”

Yueul muttered these cruel words with innocent nonchalance as he brushed past Imdonggu.
Like a puppet with its strings cut, Imdonggu collapsed where he stood.
The Incinerator held only the fallen Imdonggu and his companions.

* * *

The altered perspective told me this was a dream.
I gazed down at my own hands. They were far smaller than they were now.
Soon I rose from the bed and looked into the mirror.
A round, baby-fat face. A small frame.
I was drifting through the memories of my past once more.
Not knowing when I would awaken.
At this age, Gihyeongrang had been my teacher. The room was mine in Baekokgyeong.
Gihyeongrang, who had been so arrogant and cold at our first meeting, gradually grew tender toward me.
And that tenderness from Gihyeongrang was enough to earn the trust of young Cheonhaerang.
We spent the most hours of each day together. We shared much, and I learned what affection meant.
For a child who lacked so much, it was love. Love directed wholly toward me.
From that moment on, Gihyeongrang was my older brother.
Gihyeongrang. Truly my half-brother, and proof of my father’s betrayal of my mother.
A criminal who sparked war.
I checked the calendar. Today was that day.
The day I would betray Cheonhaerang, who knew nothing.
The beginning of the Heavenly Realm War.

“Your Highness, Grand Tutor Gihyeongrang has arrived.”

I answered with composure.

“Show him in.”

The door opened.
I saw Gihyeongrang’s unforgettable figure from that day.
This was his memory. So despite my current feelings, I could only act as he did.

“Brother, you’ve arrived!”

He approached Gihyeongrang with a bright smile. Gihyeongrang dared to place his hand on the Prince’s head.

“Did you sleep well, Your Highness?”
“Yes. And did you rest comfortably last night, Brother?”
“Of course. With each passing day, your remarkable progress fills me with such pride that sleep comes easily.”

Words flowed as smoothly as if his tongue were oiled.
Ha ha—their laughter filled the room.
Even as the tea Gihyeongrang had prepared was placed upon the table.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————