Part 1 Side Story. Imoogi
This One is an Imoogi.
An eternal being who has lived for a very, very long time.
Thus, foolish humans like yourselves could never fathom the thoughts of This One.
This One knows all things under Heaven, sees through all—so life itself has simply become tedious.
However, of late, something has arisen that piques This One’s interest.
A young human called Namgoong Seolhwa.
This One has met countless humans of the Namgoong Clan, yet never before one so peculiar as this child.
From one who lives comes the scent of death; though the body is that of a young human, her speech and actions are no ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) different from those of full-grown adult humans.
Is that even possible?
Even This One, who has lived for an unfathomably long time, does not know.
Therefore, This One decided to lend her power.
Make no mistake.
This One does not lend power to just anyone.
Once This One lends her power, she must accompany that human until death—an exceedingly bothersome matter.
Having lived so long, the most comfortable life is simply spending time idly in the mountains.
Occasionally accepting challenges from humans who dare trespass into My domain.
That fellow Guhyang Do was quite an amusing one as well, but This One chose Namgoong Seolhwa.
You ask why I did not simply give her a Dragon Pill?
If I give one, I die—how could I possibly give it!
Besides, no human could ever accept My Dragon Pill.
Why, you ask? Because This One is great and mighty!
****
“What are you doing?”
Powder stuck to the Imoogi’s chest fell off with a soft patter.
Seolhwa, having entered the room, briefly glanced at the Imoogi frozen on the bed with its head stiffly raised, then proceeded to go about her own task.
Ahem, hrm.
The Imoogi slithered toward Seolhwa’s feet with a soft shff, shff sound.
[Did the discussion go well?]
Seolhwa had succeeded in resolving the hidden strife in Changsha, just as promised with the Hao Clan Master.
Well, to say “resolved” is merely to say she forced the leaders of the three warring factions into submission and ended the conflict.
In any case, today she had just returned from meeting those three leaders.
“All three agreed to join the Blood Demon Alliance.”
[Ho, and they did so willingly?]
“In return, I allowed them to retain their rights in Changsha. From their standpoint, they need to preserve their sources of income.”
[And what of that human called the Hao Clan Master? How did he react?]
“He was surprised.”
There were many who sought to rule Changsha.
Yet none among them had ever managed to quell the factional strife—so surprise was understandable.
“More than that...”
Seolhwa stared directly at the Imoogi.
[...?]
“Do you not think you’ve gotten fatter?”
[Are you referring to Me? I am not aware of such a thing.]
“How about you wipe the traces of syrup from your mouth before you say that?”
The snake’s tongue flicked out and swept along its mouth.
Seolhwa’s eyebrow dropped, just slightly.
“Eat less.”
[Eat... less?! You become the Lord of the Blood Demon Alliance and now your arrogance pierces the heavens! You dare, you mere human child! This One is the Imoo—!]
“There are rumors going around that the snake raised by the Lord of the Alliance has started to look a little heavy lately.”
[...!]
“You seem to enjoy being doted on by the lowly humans you claim to despise so much?”
[...!!]
With that, Seolhwa walked out of the room.
The round head stared at the closed door for a long time.
****
This One is the Imoogi.
Today, I came here to find the Hao Clan Master’s daughter.
At a glance, this place seems nothing more than a den of beggars.
To think she would live in a place like this.
Yet more surprising is this human who knows that the child is here.
The young human pretending to be a boy by wearing a face-altering mask—Namgoong Seolhwa.
[How did you know the Hao Clan Master’s daughter was in a place like this?]
This young human is, at times, incomprehensible.
She knows what no one else knows. She predicts events that have not yet happened.
How can a mere human know what even This One cannot?
[Are you going to refuse to tell me again this time?]
[Hmph. Arrogant little thing.]
To think she keeps secrets even after being granted power.
Among all the humans This One has ever lent power to, not one was ever as insolent as this.
Wretched child.
She will not even let Me eat syrup freely.
Namgoong Seolhwa moved through the beggar’s den without the slightest hesitation.
The beggars stared at the young human wandering about as though it were her own yard, their gazes filled with curiosity.
She seemed to already know the paths.
[Have you been here before?]
—Yeah.
[When?]
—When I was little.
[...]
Moments like this are when This One finds this young human utterly incomprehensible.
She first met Me when she was a child—yet she had been here even earlier?
What kind of life did she live as an even younger child?
Still, Seolhwa had said she lived apart from the Namgoong Clan for eight years. So it may be possible.
Soon, Namgoong Seolhwa came to a stop in front of a beggar curled up on the ground.
The beggar stirred and slowly lifted his head.
[Two knots, I see.]
If This One’s memory is not mistaken, having knots meant being a Gaemok.
For reference, Gaemok refers to a formal member of the Beggar’s Union who has passed three years of novice service as a White-clothed Beggar and received his knots.
And two knots meant a high rank among the ordinary members.
[Beggars are often too filthy to tell their age, but he does not look much older than you.]
“What the hell?”
The beggar scratched his head and glared crookedly up at Namgoong Seolhwa.
Hmph. The sharp glint in his eyes—he has an excellent beggar’s face.
“You’re Chunpal?”
At Seolhwa’s question, the beggar’s eyebrows arched even more crookedly.
It seemed she was right.
But how did Namgoong Seolhwa know the name of a street beggar?
“Who are you?”
“Call me Jang Cheong.”
“Never heard of you.”
“First time we’ve met.”
“What do you want? If you are not here to buy me food, then scram.”
Namgoong Seolhwa held out a bundle to the beggar called Chunpal.
It was a bundle of dumplings she had bought earlier on the street before coming here.
So that was what the dumplings were for.
Chunpal quickly unwrapped the bundle and began devouring them greedily.
His attitude toward Seolhwa grew slightly more docile.
“What do you want? I do not know much, you know.”
“Do you not want to become a Hoogae?”
Chunpal coughed violently, koolugh, koolugh.
Shreds of dumplings sprayed out in all directions from his full mouth.
Filthy brute.
As expected, Seolhwa calmly unfastened the flask from her waist and handed it to him.
Chunpal, though glaring at her, snatched the flask and drank boldly.
“You’re insane, seriously.”
“I can help you.”
“Hell no, my master told me never to take food from lunatics.”
Chunpal made a spitting gesture—ptoo, ptoo—but had already swallowed every last dumpling.
“Do you not want to know where the missing ones went?”
At Seolhwa’s words, Chunpal froze in place.
He fixed a sharper gaze on her.
“You got a death wish or something?”
“I will tell you. But you have to help me.”
“You know how dangerous what you’re saying is?”
“Can you bring your master?”
“...”
“Just answer that. Yes or no?”
Chunpal stared at Namgoong Seolhwa in disbelief.
As if to say, What the hell is this kid?
Young beggar human.
Do not be too surprised. Everyone who gets entangled with this child reacts just like you.
She is a human even This One cannot fathom—it is only natural. Hm.
“If I can?”
“Then you take one step closer to becoming a Hoogae.”
“You lunatic.”
At last, the two stared silently at one another.
From the way their throats moved, it seemed they were exchanging sound-transmission.
Moments later, Seolhwa handed Chunpal another flask tied on her other side.
Chunpal, wearing an expression of heavy dissatisfaction, snatched it away and shamelessly extended his hand.
Seolhwa smiled and tossed him a coin.
And just like that, Chunpal lay back down and turned away.
Namgoong Seolhwa exited the beggars’ den.
[Did the conversation go well?]
—More or less. He agreed to bring his master.
[Who is this master of his?]
—One of the elders of the Beggar’s Union.
[What?!]
One of the elders of the Beggar’s Union?
The Beggar’s Union is an organization large enough to rival the great sects or noble houses.
Outwardly, it is a mere information network of beggars, but it holds profound martial techniques passed down through generations—an organization of real power.
If he is an elder of such a group, he must be quite capable.
[So that brat is no ordinary Gaemok.]
—You could say he is a rather promising talent.
[But did you not say you disliked the Beggar’s Union?]
Did she not say several times that it was an untrustworthy place?
—Yes. I hate them. They are full of filthy men.
Of course beggars are filthy—what else could one expect?
But one could still hate filth. Hm.
[And yet you trust that brat and his so-called master?]
—Yes.
[How?]
—...
[Again with this?]
Namgoong Seolhwa said nothing.
How many times now?
This One has lent power to such a fragile young human!
[Hmph. Wretched child.]
As This One dropped from her sleeve with a soft thump, Namgoong Seolhwa halted her steps and looked at Me.
This One also glared at the arrogant little human before slithering off in the opposite direction from where she had been headed.
This One could feel her gaze on the back of My head.
But This One never looked back.
