Chapter 123: Little Monster
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123: Little Monster
I walked toward the center of the estate. Protocol dictated I inform the butler and seek permission to enter the lord’s chambers, but I bypassed all of it.
No one stopped me. No one even challenged my unscheduled entry.
When I reached the heavy doors to my father’s study, I didn’t knock. I simply pushed them open and walked in.
“What is it?”
Father greeted me without looking up, his attention fixed on a stack of letters. His eyes didn’t so much as flicker in my direction.
“I heard there was a problem,” I said, my gaze steady on him.
Only then did he lift his head and look at me. “Yes. Who did you hear it from?”
“Lord Namgung came to me himself.”
“Hmm…?” A faint note of surprise entered his voice. He hadn’t expected the lord of the Namgung Clan to seek me out directly.
“Did you have a problem with him?”
“Nothing of the sort. He only came to deliver information.”
“That Namgung Jin bothered to meet you just for that?”
“Yes.”
Namgung Jin seemed to be under the mistaken impression that I was connected to some mysterious power, but I saw no reason to mention that. I had more pressing concerns.
“I heard it wasn’t the Namgung Clan who injured my servant.”
Father studied me for a moment, a brief pause hanging in the air before he replied. “They claimed as much.”
“…Have you not verified it yet?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I just think you should at least look into it.”
Father set the letter he was holding down on his desk. The subtle shift in his eyes was the only warning I needed; his mood had soured.
“Gu Yangcheon.”
“Yes, Lord.”
“Do you not know your place?”
“…”
“If you intend to speak to me like that, shouldn’t you first understand your position?”
A cold sweat trickled down my temple. He wasn’t using his Qi, yet his overwhelming presence saturated the room, making the air thick and heavy. His meaning was clear: if I wanted to meddle in clan affairs, I needed to become the Young Lord.
He was right. In this life, I was still a nobody within the clan. I didn’t know my place.
“The Namgung have already admitted fault,” he stated.
Even though the Namgung representatives insisted they weren’t the ones who beat my servant, they had still accepted responsibility before my father. This was what Namgung Jin had meant when he said no trouble would come to me.
“The one healing the Namgung fighters you crippled is none other than the Immortal Healer. Fortunately, he reported their injuries are not beyond repair.”
I had done that on purpose. Anger may have clouded my vision, but it didn’t make me reckless enough to kill them.
“But even so, can you claim you bear no blame in this?”
“No, Lord.” I had to admit my part in the incident.
“Even if the Namgung Clan accepts the blame, that does not absolve me of the responsibility to address this.”
Even with them taking the fall, the problem hadn’t simply vanished. I understood what he was implying.
“We must provide compensation sufficient to satisfy them, and you must also take responsibility.”
I had no grounds to argue.
[Unlike the shameful you, he’s much more of a normal person—your father, that is.]
We discussed the specifics of the compensation and the form my responsibility would take.
“Do not trouble yourself with the problem that has arisen in your head. It is not a matter for you to consider.”
Father made no mention of my duel with Namgung Jin or the events that followed.
“I will personally visit the injured servants and fighters of the Namgung Clan as soon as possible,” I said.
He gave a curt nod.
I should have done this already, without needing to be told.
[You admit it quite easily.]
How could I not?
I didn’t know who had taken my servant or why, but I was the one who had set these events in motion. Others might shoulder the blame, but that didn’t erase my involvement. I had to accept my share of the responsibility.
[Also, the Immortal Healer said he could heal them, but you broke their teeth and arms…]
Can you not do that?
[How the hell could I do such a thing?]
It’s not as hard as you think.
To inflict injuries that appear severe but are meticulously designed for easy healing, leaving no permanent trace while delivering excruciating pain—it was a skill honed through hundreds, thousands of repetitions.
Ironic, that the brutal expertise from my past life still found use in this one.
Though I do need to rein in my emotions when doing it.
I had better control than before, but complete mastery over my impulses remained elusive.
“Is that all?” Father’s tone signaled the audience was over. But I hadn’t yet broached my main reason for coming.
[You did get scolded as soon as you came in, after all.]
“I have something more to say.”
“Speak.”
“The Heavenly Pill you promised last time… you said I could exchange it for a different reward.”
“I did.”
“Then, I would like to request something else.”
A slight frown creased his brow. I met his gaze squarely. “I wish to visit the basement.”
His eyes widened. It was the most pronounced reaction I’d seen from him all year. I couldn’t blame him; he’d never expect me to ask to go back to that place.
“Your reason?”
“I need to verify something.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
I had to check. I had to see if it was really him that Namgung Jin had alluded to.
“What would compel you to make such a request, when you were the one who swore never to set foot there again?”
Instead of answering, he posed another question. That damned basement of the Gu Clan held just that much significance.
“Fifteen minutes is all I need.”
Truthfully, I didn’t even need that long. I had no desire to linger.
What kind of madness was this, to willingly return to that hell?
Still, I have to check.
Asking my father about it was pointless. I doubted he even knew the thing’s name.
Or rather, he couldn’t know. Between the two of us, I was the one with more intimate knowledge of the basement.
He contemplated for a moment before responding. “Do you say this knowing you cannot run away this time?”
His words were layered with meaning.
“It’s not as if I could have run away in the first place.”
My fate was sealed. Resisting the current of events was futile.
Although… there is one thing.
A method I had employed in my past life. A method I would never attempt again.
“I had thought you changed considerably… but to say you have matured would be an overstatement.”
“Trust me, I haven’t.”
That’s why I still cause trouble. It seems one regression wasn’t enough to fix me.
There were no second chances in life; I had to make the most of this one, no matter how shitty it was.
“Do you plan to go immediately?”
“The sooner, the better.”
He reached into his pocket and threw an object toward me. I caught it—a red seal. It’s been a while.
It was the key to that door, and the token bestowed upon one who accepts the position of Young Lord.
“You have fifteen minutes. Be there at seven in the evening.”
“Yes, Lord.”
“I will inform the butler. See him afterward.”
Contrary to my expectation that he would accompany me, it seemed he was letting me go alone.
Why?
While it was more convenient for me, I couldn’t help but wonder why he would place such trust in me. That question lingered as I left his study and closed the door behind me.
[What is in the basement that occupies your thoughts so?]
You didn’t see it?
[I told you, I couldn’t access all of your memories.]*
It seemed Elder Shin’s view into my past was blocked when it came to the basement.
You’re better off not knowing.
[Bullshit! You act all serious about it and then tell me not to be curious? Do you think I’d buy that?]*
It was the dark underbelly of the Gu Clan. The fewer who knew of it, the better.
[Did you hide some kind of treasure down there?]
Treasure? Hardly.
I wish it were something so benign. Unfortunately, the Gu Clan’s basement held nothing of value. What resided there was far from fancy.
Many words were spoken about that place, but I only remember one comment clearly.
It was the Heavenly Demon who said it, after witnessing the depths.
- This place… it’s as if you’ve brought hell up to the surface.
I remembered the Heavenly Demon smiling as it spoke those words. Hell. Yes, that was an apt description.
Nothing could be closer to the truth.
* * *
As the sun dipped below the horizon, evening settled over the estate.
I avoided everyone until the appointed time. I needed to be alone with my thoughts.
When the hour came, I went to see the butler, as my father had instructed.
The basement wasn’t far. It lay directly beneath the lord’s study, at the very heart of the clan compound.
Guided by the butler, I began my descent down the stone stairs.
-Creak… Creak…
Each step groaned underfoot, the sound echoing in the confined space, stirring a deep unease within me.
The staircase was short. The basement wasn’t deep at all.
“I will wait here,” the butler said when we reached the bottom, indicating he could go no further.
Leaving him behind, I pressed on alone.
Ring…
After walking down a long passageway, a faint ringing reached my ears. A barrier was active here.
This was another reason the butler couldn’t accompany me.
Only those with the blood of the Gu Clan could pass through this barrier.
And even among the Gu, only my father and I possessed the ability to enter.
Not even the Heavenly Demon—who sought to raze the world and stand above the heavens—had been able to fully dismantle this barrier. It had managed to force its way through, grievously wounded, but had failed to destroy it completely.
That alone spoke volumes about how damned this place was.
It also made me feel utterly helpless. No matter what I tried, nothing would work here.
At the end of the passage stood a massive door, with a small indentation carved into it. The seal my father had given me fit into it perfectly.
-Creeeaaak.
Something clicked into place, and the door began to swing inward with a slow, grinding sound.
-Thump…!
-Thuuump.
Despite its size, the door couldn’t open fully due to the limited space behind it. Still, the opening was wide enough for a person to pass through.
I hesitated for a moment, staring into the impenetrable darkness within. Then, clenching my eyes shut, I stepped inside.
-Thump!
The moment I cleared the threshold, the door slammed shut behind me, much faster than it had opened.
-Blaze!
At first, I saw nothing. Then, multiple braziers and torches flared to life around me, their flames casting dancing shadows on the walls.
I hadn’t used any flame arts. The space had lit itself.
As about half the lights flickered on…
[What in the hell is that…?]
…Elder Shin’s voice trembled in my mind. I slowly opened my eyes, allowing them to adjust to the sudden light.
The vast space was just as I remembered—so immense it defied logic, making one wonder how such a place could be called a basement. The descent was short, but the area itself was unbelievably expansive, like a separate realm.
-Thump.
-Slam! Slam!
With the illumination came a cacophony of noise from every direction. The sounds of bodies slamming against walls, metal being smashed, and nails scratching relentlessly on surfaces assaulted my ears from all sides. But that wasn’t all I heard.
-Ah…
Voices. Not just one, but many, overlapping and twisting together.
-Who? Who is it? Who is it? Who is it?
-It’s not a big monster, but a little one! It’s ugly! So ugly!!!
-…D…Di…D…Die…D.
-Let me out… LET ME OUUUTTT!! I’LL KILL EVERYONE WHEN I GET OUUUT!!
-Child… Come here, little child… Here… Heeeerrreee!
[What… what is this place…?]
-Slam slam! Slam!
The basement functioned as a prison.
Just being here made my mind ache. It wasn’t a headache, but a sensation of something foreign trying to claw its way into my thoughts.
-Not working… Not working… Not working? Is he one of them?
-I, I, If you let me out, I’ll at least let you liiiiiive…
[Kid…! This is…!]
Wait. Not now.
My head was already pounding violently. I couldn’t handle Elder Shin’s chatter on top of it.
This was exactly why I hadn’t wanted to come back. And this was only the entrance; I hadn’t even reached the center of this nightmare.
This place is just as shitty as I remember.
The entrance door was now closed, and another door stood opposite me. That was the real gate. The one I’d come through was insignificant.
I didn’t need to go any further. I had already achieved my goal in coming here.
Though the myriad voices still echoed in my skull, my body was gradually acclimating to the psychic pressure.
I let out a slow sigh and whispered a single, quiet word. A name.
[Hm? Hey, kid, what did you just…?]
Elder Shin’s voice cut off abruptly. The moment I spoke, the chaotic voices surrounding us ceased as if they had never existed, leaving an eerie silence in their wake.
This silence was broken by a single voice from nearby.
-What are you?
I’d called this place a prison, but there were no physical cells. Only thin, invisible barriers held the inhabitants captive.
From a patch of darkness untouched by the torchlight, a hand pressed against the unseen barrier from the other side.
-Little monster. Say again what you just said.
I walked toward the voice, as if answering its call.
-How did you speak my name? Where did you hear it? How do you know it? What method did you use?
As I drew closer, the owner of the voice began to reveal itself.
[…!]
Elder Shin gasped in shock.
I understood why. The creature had a face and body identical to my own.
Aside from its nakedness, there was no discernible difference between us.
It asked me another question.
-When… when was the last time we saw each other?
“I believe it has been about four years.”
That sounded right, at least for this lifetime. I wasn’t counting both of my lives combined.
-Yes! Right, right. I lose all sense of time in this prison. But isn’t it strange? I could see you back then, but you couldn’t see me. So I can’t help but wonder… why aren’t you afraid?
I stared back at the creature, my face devoid of emotion. My lack of reaction made it frown.
-Not scared, huh? Then what about this?
-Craack!
The creature’s features shifted, turning stern and menacing. Its body contorted similarly, until its entire appearance had transformed.
Now, it looked exactly like my father.
-Oh…! Huh…! Not scared by this either?
That was all the confirmation I needed. It was still trapped.
Having verified what I came for, I turned to leave. I had no desire to stay a moment longer.
-Huh? Leaving already? Little monster, little monster, wait!
I glanced back over my shoulder.
It waved a hand, a bright, incongruous smile plastered on its face—my father’s face.
-It was nice seeing you. Let’s meet again soon.
A frown touched my lips at its words. After all, I was fated to see it again.
I didn’t respond. I simply walked back toward the exit.
The moment I stepped out, the flames on the walls instantly died, as if waiting for my departure. Silence and darkness reclaimed the empty space.
Within that darkness, the creature whispered to itself, “The little monster is different this time, huh?”
There was no answer.
* * *
“Blerghh…!”
The second I cleared the door, I doubled over and retched. I’d barely managed to hold it in until now, but the sickness remained, churning in my gut.
[Kid.]
After vomiting a few more times, my legs gave way and I slumped against the cold wall.
“Did you… not feel anything in there?” I gasped.
[Feel what? Those horrendous voices?]
“Lucky for you. It seems you were unaffected.”
Elder Shin hadn’t felt a thing, but it was different for me. The moment I stepped inside, my mind had begun to spin. How long had I been in there? It felt like far more than fifteen minutes, but in reality, it hadn’t even been half that.
Damn it all…
Whether it was a lingering side effect from my past life, the experience felt infinitely worse than I remembered.
-Drip.
I felt a warm trickle from my nose and wiped it away. A nosebleed. I smeared the blood on my sleeve.
“I’m completely exhausted,” I muttered.
I was so drained I couldn’t muster the will to move. As I leaned against the wall, Elder Shin suddenly spoke words I didn’t understand.
[I felt wind in there.]*
“Huh?”
Wind? That was impossible. The place was completely sealed off from the outside.
Elder Shin continued, sensing my confusion. [As a spirit, I am incapable of physical sensation. I cannot feel anything.]
“…And?”
[However, I felt a wind coming from the door opposite the one you entered.]*
“Wind, you say?”
[Kid.]*
“Yes, Elder.”
[Can you explain this?]*
“…”
A bitter smile touched my lips. Explain? That was a difficult question.
Elder Shin could be surprisingly considerate at times. He often sounded like a grumpy old man, but he knew when to be serious about important matters.
Because of that, I felt a pang of guilt for not being able to give him a proper answer.
[Judging by your reaction, it seems you are not ready to speak of it.]*
“I will tell you everything I can.”
There were probably more things I couldn’t say than things I could. But after seeing that basement, there was no way he wouldn’t be curious. I decided to share what I was able.
“But first, I need to rest. I’m… tired.”
Elder Shin fell silent, allowing me my rest.
On unsteady feet, I met up with the waiting butler and returned to the surface. I handed the seal back to him and headed toward my quarters.
I had intended to report to my father, but in my current state, I couldn’t face him.
Walking along the path under the night sky, my thoughts churned.
It wasn’t him. Then who was it?
He was the only one I knew capable of such a thing.
If it wasn’t him, then was it a spy using a disguise? But that seemed even less likely. Not only would I have noticed, but it didn’t explain how everyone’s memories had been altered.
More and more questions piled up in my mind.
My headache was bad enough, but now a heavy weight seemed to press down on my shoulders. It felt like something was accumulating there, growing heavier with each passing day.
What was this burden? Why did it feel like I had so much to carry?
[Focus. Your breathing is unstable.]
I am focused. I have to be.
So that I don’t lose myself.
I saw my breath mist in the cold air. It was a chilly autumn night.
My mind was so exhausted that I could feel the cold seeping into my bones, a chill I normally wouldn’t notice.
With slow, dragging steps, I finally arrived at my residence.
As soon as I entered, I thought I heard servants speaking to me, but I offered only a brief acknowledgement before heading straight for my room. However, when I slid the door open…
I saw two familiar faces.
“Oh, he’s here.”
“Young Master!”
It was Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah.
Why? Why are they here?
“U-um… Father… he said I should come here…” Namgung Bi-ah stammered out an excuse before I could even ask, clearly thinking I wouldn’t want her here. It seemed Namgung Jin had taken some action.
Following her, Wi Seol-Ah, who was hugging a pillow, also started to explain. “W-well, since sis said she was sleeping here…”
I was certain I’d seen this exact scene before, back on Mount Hua. What had I said then? I couldn’t recall.
The two of them seemed to have more to say, but I had no energy left to listen. My exhausted body finally gave out, and I collapsed forward into their waiting arms, my consciousness fading as I felt the softness of their embrace.
“…Ah!”
“Young Mas…”
[Motherfucker! I went out of my way to worry about you, and you…!]*
I heard a few more distant voices saying something, but I was powerless against the wave of drowsiness that washed over me, and I fell into a deep sleep.