How Could That Girl's Name Be... (5): The Scholar's Quiet Resolve
I had descended from the mountain with Patji.
How much time had passed since then? Not much.
During this period, nothing particularly remarkable had happened.
But whether an incident had occurred or not, there were still things I had failed to obtain.
"⋯⋯This village has a yokai."
Neither a true deity nor a yokai.
In this Joseon, that was the term used for beings that were neither human nor mysterious and wondrous entities.
Of course, in my previous life I had only encountered yokai in works of fiction.
But⋯ this world was different.
I had even seen a yokai once before, so in this world they were commonplace creatures.
"Not quite like the other races roaming about in a fantasy world."
If I said I would meet with some accident in the mountains, I would think of tigers or yokai, and they had appeared often enough for me to notice.
And this village appeared to be under the yokai's influence.
That was my theory.
"Today was fun, sir!"
"⋯⋯Same here."
"Really?! Then let's go tomorrow too! Yay!"
"That⋯ I'll think about it."
After saying so, I parted ways with Patji and was about to enter the room when I encountered Kongji, who was clutching her hem tightly.
"Kongji."
"Seonbi-nim⋯."
She was opening and closing her mouth, as if hesitating over something.
Only now did I roughly understand.
What Kongji wanted to say.
"I understand what you want to tell me."
"⋯⋯!!"
At my words, Kongji's eyes widened greatly.
"Y-yo⋯⋯!"
Before Kongji could say anything, I quickly stepped forward and covered her mouth with my hand.
"U-eup⋯!"
"⋯⋯."
I quietly pointed toward Patji's room.
Tap tap tap.
My gaze directed toward Patji's room.
⋯⋯It looked as if a dark shadow was clinging to her paper window.
As if glued to the wall.
⋯⋯Even if whispered, it would be audible from a close distance.
Now everything made sense.
"Haam⋯ I'm getting tired, so I'll enter. Please rest well, lady."
"⋯Y-yes."
I entered the room, closed the door, and quietly closed my eyes to focus on the sounds.
Tadadadada.
A sound of something bustling about inside the room came from Patji's room.
The problem was that the sound of movement was audible not only from the floor but also from the walls and ceiling.
'⋯So Patji is a yokai.'
I never expected such a development.
But on the other hand, it began to make sense of everything.
The absence of animals to help Kongji, Kongji's behavior, ⋯⋯Patji's bizarre physique.
And the unease I had felt at how the villagers treated Kongji, Patji, and the stepmother also seemed related.
In short, the entire village was playing around with the yokai wearing the face of Patji.
So, what should I do now?
Originally, Patji and the stepmother were the clear villains of Congji Patji.
But now a stronger villain had appeared: a yokai wearing the face of Patji.
In the usual way, it would be difficult to defeat the creature and save the village.
Because the ghosts and yokai of this Joseon grew stronger the longer they influenced humans.
Especially since Patji's size had become so large that it could not be hidden, it was even harder to gauge the power.
'Fortunately, Patji has not yet fully realized my state and seems to have developed feelings for me instead.'
So, was that feeling as a yokai, or as a disguise?
'For now⋯ I should take my time and watch.'
From the next day onward, I began to devise a way to definitively end this situation.
"Kongji, I will help you today as well."
"Y-yes⋯?"
"Come with me. Let's go to the valley to fetch water."
Before Patji could notice, I took Kongji to the valley.
I went to the area with the fiercest water flow and held her wavering hand on the rocks while saying,
"Here, the sound will not reach!"
"Huh? A⋯⋯!"
Kwa kwa kwa kwa!!
Accompanied by the rough crashing water, my voice and Kongji's words were drowned out.
Here, as long as the yokai did not follow, it would never be heard.
But I did not stop there. From the luggage I had brought, I took out paper and a brush and showed her the writing.
-You wanted to say that Patji is a yokai?
"⋯⋯!!"
At my question, Kongji nodded vigorously with her head.
-Since when?
-It was only a few months ago that I noticed. I don't know since when she possessed my sister's body⋯ I don't know either.
Now I knew. Kongji's calligraphy was surprisingly elegant.
More beautiful than the writing style I had honed through long years of study.
-It's sudden, but your writing is very beautiful.
-Huh?!
At my writing, Kongji was startled and blushed.
Then she scribbled something with her fingers.
-Father, who passed away, told me. And every night before sleeping, I practiced as much as I could⋯.
Amazing.
Approximately 14 years old now, even as an adult it would not have been easy to maintain such a routine.
Especially with Patji and the stepmother's harassment, it was even harder, yet she never skipped studying.
I wanted to stroke her head, but in Joseon it was not allowed to do so casually.
Afterward, Kongji and I talked about yokai.
-The lack of animals in the village must be the yokai's doing.
-Yes. A few years ago, animals in the village began to die one by one. Everyone thought it was an epidemic⋯ but now thinking about it, they were all eaten by yokai.
And of the bodies eaten, some were buried in the mountains where I visited yesterday.
Regarding the villagers, outsiders noticed something strange, but those who stayed close to Patji settled in the village at some point.
Most of the missing people were like that too.
-That's why on the first day I asked if we shouldn't leave the village⋯ that was the reason.
-Then you should have said that yesterday or the day before.
-At that time⋯ I already knew they were under control⋯.
Ah.
In other words, Kongji had been trying not to speak because she thought there was no hope this time either.
With high probability, the people who disappeared from the village were those who had realized Patji's true identity.
Having seen such scenes many times, Kongji had no choice but to become silent to survive.
-Until now⋯ you must have suffered a lot.
After writing comforting words, Kongji's hand holding the brush trembled slightly.
Then she began to sob.
I was momentarily at a loss with the sudden situation, but then I recalled advice I had heard before and used it as is.
-When a woman cries, cover her with your sleeve.
Gently.
I carefully covered Kongji's face with my dopo sleeve.
Then Kongji, startled for a moment, soon clutched my dopo sleeve tightly and cried loudly.
A while later, seeing that Kongji had calmed down, I took a honey snack from my mouth.
"⋯⋯??"
-After crying, your energy drains, so eating something sweet is good.
At my words, Kongji nodded quietly, looking embarrassed.
She looked like a baby bird eating the snack messily.
Especially since she couldn't eat much and her body was thin, I wanted to give her something more.
-Do you know anything about her purpose or true identity?
-I don't know⋯. Ah, but I know one thing about her purpose.
-What is it?
-Seonbi-nim⋯ I am it.
⋯⋯Me?
When I pointed at myself with a puzzled expression, Kongji nodded her head.
-It seems that in the near future, there will be an opportunity to secretly enter Seonbi-nim's room⋯.
-Like with the previous guests.
-⋯⋯What are you planning to do in my room?
-Perhaps⋯ I think she will eat you.
A truly eerie story.
But⋯ I could not just be afraid.
-Then, Seonbi-nim.
Kongji, stopping her brush, grabbed my sleeve with an urgent expression.
"Please⋯ run away. This girl is begging you⋯."
She seemed to sincerely want me to run away.
"Seonbi-nim is the only person who has treated me well during this painful time. I don't want to see even Seonbi-nim fall for the yokai's trick⋯."
"But, if I leave, I don't know what will happen to you."
In the worst case, if a yokai that missed its prey took out some frustration in a slight harassment, Kongji could die.
Such a thing should not happen.
"But⋯ the yokai is too strong! So⋯!"
At those words, I smiled without meaning to say,
"Ah, was that the problem? Then it will be fine."
"⋯⋯Yes?"
"Fortunately for me, I have a way to oppose the yokai. And telling a suffering people to just run away and leave is not a thing I can say in the future as I work for the people and the nation. Even if the opponent is a yokai."
"But⋯."
"It seems you don't trust me, Kongji."
"N-no, that is not it⋯!"
"Then trust me. And for one week. Just wait one week."
I said with a gentle smile.
"Then I will defeat the yokai and bring peace to you and the village."
By the way, the yokai I first met had died.
Why? Because⋯ I had hunted it.