Hee Hee Hee! Wonder What Cheong-yeon Tastes Like!
Hee hee hee hee! I was curious what Cheong-yeon would taste like!
I arrived at the gisaeng house after stopping by the academy dorms for a bit. I had stuff to grab, and since I'd just eaten, I needed to brush my teeth too. Naturally, the main goal was the former. With fresh breath wafting out, I called for someone in front of Cheong-un-gak.
"Who is it?"
Not long after I called, one of the gisaeng house guards poked his head out as he opened the gate.
"Oh, Captain?"
I greeted the guy who recognized me and got straight to the point.
"Hello. Could you fetch the head manager for me?"
"The head manager, sir?"
Judging by his baffled reaction, Kim O-dong hadn't made his move yet.
"Yes."
I nodded right away and gave the guard some instructions.
"Just bring the head manager here—no questions asked. Only the head manager. Don't tell a soul."
My hunch that Kim O-dong was hiding under the floor of Cheong-yeon's room was just a guess. If the guards started bustling around, he might catch on.
"Just fetch the head manager, nice and quiet."
"But, uh, you gotta tell me what's going on..."
His hemming and hawing was driving me nuts. I swallowed the urge to tell him to just drag the bastard over, then whispered so only he could hear.
"Ghost. I can catch it."
"G-Ghost, you say?"
Now he was perking up a bit. I nodded at the wide-eyed guard.
"Yeah. So hurry and bring him. It's urgent. Oh, and don't breathe a word to anyone. Just the head manager."
"Y-Yes, sir. Right away!"
The guard finally got the picture and scurried off to fetch the head manager. While I waited, I double-checked my gear. I'd slung a stab-proof wallet and paper armor inside my iron breastplate. On my left hip sat the royal sword, and on my right, two breech-loading pistols. In a pinch, I'd cross my arms like an X and draw both sword and guns at once.
"C-Captain! You called? A ghost? You can really catch it?"
The head manager arrived in under ten minutes, looking frantic—but for reasons different from mine.
"What's up? Something happen?"
"Hoo, well..."
He lowered his voice, as if even the guard with him couldn't hear.
"Money's just starting to roll in. Too bad to scare it off now."
"... "
There's the ghost. A money ghost. I barely kept my hand from the royal sword's hilt. Instead of smacking his head with the flat of the blade, I spilled the truth to him alone.
"That bastard. That 'ghost.' He's no ghost. He's alive."
"What're you saying?"
"That guy... "
I laid it all out for the head manager. How Kim O-dong had fed his own mom to wild beasts and was hiding under one of the ondol floors.
"Wha—really?"
"We gotta check to confirm. But one thing's sure: that fucker's out of his mind. No telling when he'll go after Cheong-yeon or the other gisaeng."
"Mm. Got it."
Only after hearing his money-makers might get hurt did he finally nod.
"Buuut..."
He tacked on a condition, of course.
"Try not to make a racket."
"Huh? Why?"
"The ghost—it's too good to scare away now, ain't it?"
Should I just smack him? It took a few seconds to rein in the urge to clock him.
Regaining my composure, I laid out the plan I'd cooked up on the way here.
"What do you think?"
"Hm... "
The head manager squinted his wrinkled eyes, lost in thought. Probably calculating losses if things went south.
"Cheong-yeon might get hurt. Can't we use another gisaeng?"
"No way. She's already in danger. If we play it soft and he catches on, that's when it's irreversible."
"Hngh!"
He scowled, his face creasing deeper. He wouldn't have looked that pissed even hearing I'd roughed up his grandnephew or whatever.
"Fine."
He chewed his lip anxiously before finally opening his eyes and nodding.
With a sharp glare that belied his age, he fixed me with a stare.
"But if so much as a hair on Cheong-yeon's head is harmed, you take responsibility, Captain."
My turn to be speechless. Responsibility? Could I really be accountable for one person's life? For real?
"Hoh hoh hoh, no need to fret."
Suddenly, he bared his few remaining teeth in a grin and explained what he meant by "responsibility."
"If she's by your side, Cheong-yeon'll be thrilled."
"What? Hey!"
So that's the responsibility! To keep Eori from grieving, to stop her from coming at me with a knife, I vowed firmly and nodded.
"No matter what, I won't let that bastard lay a finger on her."
"Hm. Good."
Satisfied with my resolve, the head manager gave the okay.
Now all that was left was dragging the floorboard rat out. He picked three trusty guards, and I gave them their orders. Then, with him leading, we headed to Cheong-yeon's room.
The building housing Cheong-yeon and the other gisaeng was at the very back of the gisaeng house. The path was a maze—anyone new would've gotten lost. No wonder Kim O-dong had hidden this long without getting caught.
The head manager didn't stop at the gisaeng building. He kept going deeper, explaining that top earner Cheong-yeon had her own private annex.
He halted before a two-room annex.
"Cheong-wol. Cheong-yeon. You in there?"
He called toward the two firmly shut doors. A reply came quick.
"Yes, Father. What is it?"
"Did you call for me, Father?"
Father?
"I told 'em to call me that when they're resting."
After explaining the title, he continued to the girls inside.
"Cheong-wol. Come out a sec. Got something to say."
"Yes, Father. Right out."
"And Cheong-yeon. Someone's here to see you."
"Me?"
Cheong-yeon's voice rang out as one of the annex doors opened.
She emerged first.
"Oh, Captain?"
Pretty girls look pretty even exhausted. Caught off-guard in her room, Cheong-yeon was bare-faced, no makeup. Dark circles like she'd pulled all-nighters for days, but it just amplified her beauty in a decadent way.
So if Eori dolled her up, how stunning would she be? Eori's natural face rivaled full-makeup Cheong-yeon, so made up? World-class.
Ah, miss Eori. Saw her yesterday, wanna see her again.
"Uh. Hey, Cheong-yeon. Hi."
Burying my longing for Eori, I raised a hand in greeting.
"...!"
Cheong-yeon blinked in surprise at me, then spotted the sword and guns on my belt. Her face lit up, lips curving in delight.
"Did you find him?"
"Whoa, shh."
I hurriedly raised a hand, index finger to my lips.
Cheong-yeon's face paled, expression hardening. She'd realized Kim O-dong was alive and listening nearby.
"You called for me, Father?"
Then the door to the next room opened, and the world got brighter.
Whoa...!
I nearly forgot Eori for a second in awe. Third after my mom and Eori: Cheong-wol appeared. She glided out with elegant poise, following the head manager away from the annex.
I stared at her retreating figure a while before snapping back and turning to Cheong-yeon.
"Ah, yeah. Sure. Lemme in for a bit, Cheong-yeon."
"...As you wish."
Unlike before, she let me in with a curt tone.
By the way, Kim O-dong—you are here, right? Even entering a top gisaeng's private room alone, only the floor bugged me. My heart raced thinking of him cowering below.
"Sir."
Cheong-yeon, who'd flushed the room red somehow, whispered.
"What brings you here?"
"Ah, y'know."
No. Wrong.
"Ahem! What're you doing? Get the brush and ink ready, quick!"
"Sir?"
"Do I gotta whip you to move?!"
"... "
Cheong-yeon frowned in confusion, but when I gestured writing in the air, she caught on.
"Yes, Captain. Please sit and wait."
"Ahem! Ahem!"
Good enough? Nailing the arrogant young noble act? No reaction yet? Did I guess wrong? Or go harder?
"How's the air this stuffy? Air it out!"
I flung open the room's window. In the annex backyard, two guards stood with wooden planks and clubs. The third held smoldering straw, smoke curling up.
Perfect.
"Cheong-yeon. Cheong-yeon."
I called her softly. She turned from prepping ink and brush; I winked.
"Sir?"
"Hee hee hee hee! Wonder what Cheong-yeon tastes like!"
"Sir?!"
Thud thud thud!
I stomped around to alert her I was approaching. That's when it happened.
"You—you bastard! You dog! Mi-Miss Cheong-yeon! Hold on!"
"Eek!"
Just as I'd predicted. From underfoot, in the ondol, came Kim O-dong's voice and scuffle.
"Now! Block it!"
With his presence confirmed, I yelled to the guards.
"Yes, sir!"
"It's your fault! You dog!"
"Choke and die!"
The guards dashed to the furnace out back. One tossed in the burning straw; the other two sealed it with planks. It worked like a charm.
"Kuh-hack!? Hack hack! Gack! Cough cough!"
Coughing erupted from below. The ondol connected to a chimney too, so he wouldn't suffocate—but it'd torment him plenty.
That's when I underestimated the power of Kim O-dong's twisted love and obsession.