I had thought the woman the Ghost Spirit married was a villainess.
But the way she looked now was far removed from a villainess.
“I heard you’re having a hard time researching the Ghost Gate’s secret arts. Please don’t overdo it.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
The Ghost Spirit grinned from ear to ear at Im Hyang’s concern.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Let us eat.”
The Ghost Spirit, Im Hyang, and the martial artists who had followed her entered the inn where we were.
They sat down at a spot near where we were seated.
So their conversation was heard perfectly.
“To be honest, my parents opposed this marriage. They said the successors of the Ghost Gate have always been those who devote themselves entirely to research, so they would leave a woman lonely.”
“Ah, that is a misunderstanding. Nothing like that will ever happen. I promise. I will never do anything to leave you lonely.”
I hadn’t heard the details of why the Ghost Spirit’s married life had collapsed. When we last parted, the Ghost Spirit had said his married life was an even greater hell, so it seemed they had lived together until then.
If it had turned out that way because he neglected her to study the Regression Grand Technique? If that was the case?
‘Ghost Spirit, you won’t be able to keep this promise now.’
Of course, it might not be for that reason. Judging by the expression with which he looked at Im Hyang now, if she ran away, he would probably bet his entire fortune, even abandoning his family business. If he liked her this much, why had his married life become hell?
Ian sent me a telepathic message.
—So those two are the ones we’re trying to stop from marrying?
—That’s right.
—He likes her that much, how do we stop them? If we stop them now, we’ll become enemies, won’t we?
Not just any enemies. They would become sworn enemies.
We turned our ears once more to the couple’s conversation.
“My father might treat you coldly. Even if he does, please understand.”
“Of course. I know well how much the Sect Leader cherishes Lady Im.”
Could it be that the two of them separated because of their parents? Finding out that reason was the primary task.
They ordered their meal.
“I don’t like stir-fried dishes.”
The Ghost Spirit quickly spoke up at Im Hyang’s clear preference.
“That is fortunate. I dislike them as well.”
“Really?”
“I think we are a match made in heaven!”
But I saw it. The Ghost Spirit’s momentary hesitation. The reluctance of a man who actually liked them.
Poor Ghost Spirit. From now on, he would be eating all the stir-fried dishes. Indeed, right now, even if he had to live his whole life eating nothing but Wall Valley Pills, he would probably say yes.
When they began their meal, we started our conversation. We didn’t lower our voices to draw their attention.
“Do you want to get married?”
For people on the verge of marriage, the hottest topic would surely be marriage itself. Sure enough, I could feel the Ghost Spirit and Im Hyang pricking up their ears.
“I won’t.”
“Why?”
“Marriage is something accompanied by great responsibility, isn’t it? I don’t have the confidence to take responsibility for someone. Even taking care of myself is overwhelming.”
I couldn’t tell if that was really her thought, or if she was answering because she knew I was trying to stop the two of them from marrying.
This time, Ian asked me.
“Do you want to get married?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I just want to live freely.”
“What about children? Don’t you want to have children?”
“Children…”
I had been asked this question exactly once before. By Seojin, the Ghost Spirit’s younger sister. The answer at the time had been obvious. Back then, it was a period when I was consumed by the guilt and rage of having survived alone; children, what children?
“I don’t have the confidence to raise them well.”
“Well. Not all parents raise their children well.”
Ian's expression darkened slightly. Setting aside the Ghost Spirit’s matter for now, she asked the question she had wanted to ask her.
“Do you resent your parents?”
“I resented them when I was young.”
When she was very young, she had been abandoned by her parents. Without knowing who her parents were, she had drifted all the way to the main sect.
“And now?”
“I don’t think much about it now. Hating them only hurts me.”
I had deliberately asked about her parents. Telling her not to bury the wounds in her heart.
Rather, dig up what was buried and speak of it, then regret it and kick the blankets thinking you spoke for nothing, and since you’ve already spoken, you might as well speak again. I was trying to make it into something trivial like that.
It is only after going through this process many times that heart wounds begin to fade slightly, but just bury them in your heart and forget? Not a chance. No matter how deeply you bury them, they don’t rot. They don’t disappear.
Ian looked at me and smiled.
“Our parents are probably eating well and living well somewhere, I suppose.”
It was then.
“That won’t be the case.”
The one who couldn’t hold back and cut in was Im Hyang.
“Whatever the circumstances, your parents must be heartbroken.”
She had clear food preferences, and she was the type to clearly state her opinions on matters like this.
Ian spoke to her gently.
“Not all parents love their children. Some think of their children merely as money-making tools because they gave birth to them, and some beat and abuse them, even selling their children, don’t they?”
Her last words weighed on my heart. Perhaps Ian had lived her whole life thinking her parents had sold her.
“That would be the story of a very small number of parents. Your parents must have had their own circumstances.”
Pity and compassion filled Im Hyang’s eyes as she looked at Ian regretfully.
Unlike her innocent appearance, one could tell she was someone who showed her emotions even to a stranger.
It could have been unpleasant if she thought it was intrusive, but Ian responded gently.
“Thank you for your consolation.”
“No, I meddled unnecessarily. I’m sorry.”
Im Hyang apologized, and Ian likewise spoke politely.
“No. You spoke with goodwill; I was the one who reacted too sensitively.”
And so the two apologized to each other.
Belatedly, Im Hyang introduced herself.
“I am Im Hyang, the daughter of the Im Family Sword House.”
Im Hyang introduced the Ghost Spirit, and Ian introduced me.
“This is my martial brother.”
She usually introduced us this way to new people. Since we had learned the same martial arts, strictly speaking, it wasn’t wrong.
“I’ll treat you to drinks as an apology. Today seems to be a reunion for you two after a long time, so let us meet tomorrow or the day after, whenever you have time.”
At Ian’s suggestion, Im Hyang shook her head.
“No, if anyone buys drinks, it should be me.”
The Ghost Spirit, watching the two insist on buying drinks, stepped in.
“As it happens, I was planning to hold a modest celebration tomorrow with close friends, and I would like to invite you two as well.”
“We couldn’t possibly attend such a precious gathering.”
When Ian refused, Im Hyang stepped forward.
“No, please come. Only then will I feel at ease.”
With Im Hyang also insisting, Ian pretended to give in and accepted their invitation.
“Very well, we’ll visit tomorrow.”
Shortly after, the Ghost Spirit and Im Hyang, having finished their meal, bid farewell and left the inn first.
After they left, Ian puffed up with pride for no reason.
“Didn’t I do well?”
“Excellent. To the point where I think I could leave this to you and go.”
“Ah! You can’t do that. I still don’t understand why we have to stop their marriage!”
Ian watched them walking away outside the inn. Even as they walked, the Ghost Spirit couldn’t tear his eyes away from Im Hyang.
I recalled the Ghost Spirit’s final moments.
—Is it still hell?
—It is a hotter hell. I have no face to show, but I beg you. If he doesn’t listen to the end, tear off my lower garments.
—To that extent?
—More than that.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t stop them if I really tried, but I was worried that if I forcibly stopped them in this situation, he might end up even more unhappy. They say matters between men and women are the most difficult in the world.
“I still don’t really know what to do.”
* * *
The next afternoon, Ian and I visited the Ghost Gate.
As we followed the guiding martial artist into the inner courtyard, ghost energy could be felt everywhere.
—Ian, do you feel that energy on the left?
—Yes, it’s an energy I’ve never felt before in my life.
—It’s the Ghost Gate’s ghost energy.
It was a ghost energy with a different feeling from that of the Soul-Devouring Demonic Zone.
—Those who use this ghost energy must truly be dealt with cautiously. Because you never know what might spring out, the most important thing is not to panic. If you panic, you die.
—Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.
Entering the inner courtyard like that, we saw three figures talking in front of the flower garden.
The Ghost Spirit, Im Hyang, and the one person I had wanted so much to see—Seojin.
“Don’t trust my brother. Once he falls into work, he wouldn’t notice even if you sparred right beside him. My brother.”
Im Hyang laughed, taking Seojin’s words as a joke.
“I’m not joking.”
“Then I’ll have to put on a splendid sparring match. One grand enough to turn his head to me.”
As they were talking like that, they turned to look at us upon our entrance.
My eyes met Seojin’s.
Originally, I met her much later than now. That was why Seojin’s current appearance felt so unfamiliar.
So you too had such fresh, youthful days.
She had suited that rough life of a wanderer so well. She was smart, deep-thinking, and loyal.
That time couldn’t be associated with her current appearance. Because right now, she was a bright and cheerful girl who had grown up receiving much love in a prestigious family.
Ian’s telepathic message flew in.
—You didn’t look like that even when seeing the beautiful courtesans at Cheonhwaru. The way you look at that woman is quite extraordinary.
As expected, Ian knew me best.
—No jealousy allowed.
—Milady! It’s not jealousy, it’s curiosity!
Indeed, how could the way I looked at Seojin be ordinary?
My friend.
In this life, I won’t let you grow cold in a nameless field. You said you were satisfied with your life as you were dying, but I won’t let you meet such an end. That is a promise as a friend.
We went before them like that. The Ghost Spirit introduced us to Seojin.
Once the introductions were finished, Seojin showed interest in Ian.
“Your eyes are so beautiful; why do you wear a veil?”
I looked at Ian, sending her a glance to show her face. It’s the beauty trap, Ian!
She, having caught my meaning, removed her veil.
Exclamations of admiration spontaneously left the two women’s mouths, but unexpectedly, the target himself, the Ghost Spirit, showed no particular agitation.
I asked the Ghost Spirit.
“Young Master Seo, isn’t my martial sister pretty?”
I had been trying to show him that there were such beautiful women in the world.
“She is beautiful. Beautiful indeed, but our Lady Im is more beautiful.”
I could tell. That the Ghost Spirit was speaking from the heart.
They say love is blind, but at this point, it wasn’t mere bean pods in his eyes—it was as if he had been struck by a Soul-Devouring Technique.
I sent Ian a telepathic message.
—You ugly thing! Put your veil back on.
—I’ve already put it on. What is with that man!
—I was trying to stop the wedding with the beauty trap, but it seems impossible.
—He likes her that much, why stop them? They look good together.
It was then. Im Hyang looked at the Ghost Spirit with a stiffened face.
“What is the matter, Lady Im?”
“Do you not know why I am angry?”
“I do not.”
The Ghost Spirit made an expression showing he had no idea.
“Why could you not be honest? That lady is more beautiful, is she not? Did you think I would like it if you said that?”
She thought he was lying, since even she could see Ian was more beautiful.
“In my eyes, you are more beautiful.”
“That is a lie, is it not?”
“No. Truly, you are more beautiful. I could swear it upon the heavens.”
“Is it true?”
Only after confirming like that did Im Hyang’s expression relax.
At this moment, I was certain.
The way she had cut into our conversation yesterday, and the way she was now. She was someone who had to confirm things that could otherwise be let slide—a strong personality, if one could call it that.
If she had pressed the Ghost Spirit with that personality? Someday, the bean pods stuck in his eyelids would have disappeared.
Weary of her, he would have escaped from reality into researching the grand technique. And in doing so, their relationship would have worsened further.
This wasn’t solely her responsibility. She was showing without hiding what kind of person she was, but the Ghost Spirit himself was failing to see it.
Even now, the Ghost Spirit was smiling at Im Hyang, so pleased about something.
Sigh, Ghost Spirit. What are we going to do with this? Do I really have to grab and tear off your lower garments?