Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: Echoes Beneath the Lake
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Ielcata's short-term training began.
=We who walk the path of souls do not place great importance on our own identity or self-awareness. The utmost priority is the salvation of suffering souls and guiding the wandering young spirits...=
The souls had not come near at Hwan-in's request.
It was only natural to keep souls from approaching.
The higher one's mystique, the easier it was to sway others with words. Conversely, a lack of mystique invited suspicion.
If he had the abilities of a Soul Shaman but his knowledge was woefully inadequate, the souls' perception of his mystique would plummet.
That would drastically lower the chances of guiding them to enlightenment through rhetoric, so such a situation had to be prevented.
=The soul is the foundation of the world and the center of life's cycle. Purifying souls is akin to a grave duty of cleansing the world's essence...=
Hwan-in listened intently to Ielcata's calm recitation of the concepts and philosophies of Soul Masters.
The world was vast, practitioners few, and Soul Masters even rarer.
He had to absorb every bit of this practically nonexistent knowledge about Soul Masters.
And so the lesson began.
A Soul Shaman was a kind of pilgrim. A pilgrim wandering the world in search of souls for religious reasons.
Practitioners, to become Soul Masters, worked as gravekeepers in cemeteries and tombs around the world or roamed the lands to temper body and mind.
'I was thinking of going to the Soul Realm, but that won't be necessary.'
Practitioners learned the processes and conduct required to become Soul Masters in the Soul Realm before spreading out into the world.
Of course, it was fine not to learn there. Practitioners could be compared to ordinary folk drawn to church missionary work.
No qualifications or innate qualities were required of practitioners. They simply informed any child aspiring to be a Soul Shaman of the duties and precepts to follow.
The precepts practitioners had to observe were simple.
Do not insult souls.
Do not take life.
The reason for the former was the customs and ideologies of the world's people.
The latter was to prepare for awakening as a Soul Shaman.
=The lives one harms will all be encountered on the path to awakening, becoming trials of the soul. The more lives harmed, the greater the chance of dying during those trials.=
Thus, from birth, they forbade killing, adhered to extreme veganism rivaling the most zealous vegans—mostly raw foods and fasting—and continued ascetic practices close to hardship until awakening as Soul Masters.
Soul Masters recommended starting practitioner training from childhood.
The older one got, the more direct and indirect lives harmed, increasing the risk of death during trials.
=That's why few Soul Shaman predecessors awakened after twenty.=
At this point, Hwan-in felt puzzled.
He had caused one person's death in retaliation for bullying. And indirect killing was included, yet over twenty-six years, the meat he'd consumed must have totaled hundreds of kilograms.
But on the "path to awakening" called the River of Light, he'd only encountered a few insects, the mad dog he killed himself, and the green and beast-headed monsters.
Where had all the other lives gone?
Was the known method of Soul Shaman awakening wrong? Or had he awakened something similar to but different from a Soul Shaman? Or...
In any case, even after such asceticism, the odds of becoming a Soul Shaman were less than one in five hundred thousand.
They gave up due to the hardship, awakened as other professions and quit, or aged out.
Moreover, it was established theory that after thirty as a practitioner, awakening as a Soul Shaman was impossible.
Most professions awakened between early teens and early twenties. Even for races with lifespans of centuries.
Once the window for awakening passed in one's early life, it was gone forever. Soul Masters were part of awakening, so the same applied.
Ielcata explained that practitioners past that age changed careers or became gravekeepers at the cemeteries where they'd trained.
=Those who successfully awaken as Soul Masters return to the Soul Realm to learn their duties and necessary knowledge.=
But Hwan-in had no intention of going to the Soul Realm.
Now that he'd memorized most basic knowledge, even if he met another Soul Shaman, he could just say, "I'm guiding souls in my own way."
There was a Soul Shaman certification system, but many disliked it. And he had a way to show souls to others, so no issue.
=Soul Masters also have a profession's aura...=
Hwan-in was glad he lacked an aura. It meant he could avoid entanglements if he wished.
Midway through the explanation, he asked Ielcata, who wore a self-mocking expression.
"Is there no way to prove one's a Soul Shaman? As you see, my constitution hides auras, so I'm worried about proving my profession when needed."
=Predecessor, you already possess excellent abilities. Showing even a portion should convince anyone.=
'That wasn't my intent.'
Was it a trait of the Floe race, or Ielcata's naive personality? He couldn't tell.
Hwan-in asked directly.
"I want to learn how to discern if someone's a Soul Shaman. Earlier, soul haze rose from your shoulder. Does mastering that reveal if someone's a Soul Shaman?"
=Yes, Predecessor. That's Soul Vision, taught to all who begin training in the Soul Realm.=
Hwan-in asked Ielcata to teach him Soul Vision.
It wasn't difficult. Concentrating as instructed and reciting the incantation made the warmth in his body move on its own, manifesting Soul Vision.
And he realized he'd been using Soul Vision constantly.
The warmth visible in people's chests and lower abdomens—that was Soul Vision.
=That's Soul Energy.=
The larger the warmth, the stronger the Soul Energy; the smaller, the weaker.
Non-Soul Masters couldn't exceed basketball size, typically baseball-sized. Starting practice gradually enlarged it, eventually shrouding the body in haze-like energy.
Upon awakening as Soul Masters, the body was enveloped in strong haze, filled with Soul Energy.
Pondering Soul Energy, Hwan-in had a sudden question.
'Can Soul Energy be absorbed?'
Out of curiosity, he asked.
"Are there many Soul Masters who enjoy intercourse?"
Impertinent for a woman, but information mattered more than manners.
As expected, Ielcata's white cheeks flushed.
=I-I wouldn't know. But... I've never heard of anyone particularly fond of it.=
Acting embarrassed would be amateurish.
Hwan-in calmly continued as if it were just one of his questions about Soul Masters.
He subtly asked about soul orbs, casually mentioned warmth and cold energy as if just recalled, but Ielcata shook her head, knowing nothing.
'Hmm.'
Dawn was breaking. Fiery hues began painting the sky above the eastern wall.
Hwan-in grew thoughtful.
Soul Masters had ranks like other professions.
Rank 1: Immediately after awakening as a Soul Shaman.
Rank 2: Feeling soul chill in the air and sun's warmth. These become warmth and yang energy, layering in the body.
Rank 3: Seeing souls, though faintly unlike his clear vision.
Rank 4: Minimal communication with souls. Words reach them.
Rank 5: Conversing with souls, borrowing some power. Aura begins changing.
Rank 6: Peering into souls' memories.
Rank 7: Synching with souls. Aura transforms into a radiant halo.
Rank 8+: Unknown.
'Similar yet different from my abilities.'
His self-named soul sight? Feeling souls' emotions? Materializing and conversing with souls?
Ielcata said forcibly purifying amalgamations started at Rank 5.
Purification or exorcism.
Like his soul orbs for attack, Rank 5 Soul Masters borrowed soul power to forcibly enlighten amalgamations.
'By this standard, I'm Rank 5, but...'
Hwan-in doubted his abilities.
The Soul Realm was called a city but a mountain village of under two thousand ascetics.
Yet with nearly a millennium of history, returning Soul Masters trained successors. Their accumulated knowledge was factual.
'Ultimately, same Soul Shaman lineage, but differences due to being from another world—most likely.'
Combining Ielcata's tales, his knowledge, and city common sense, Hwan-in concluded. He felt the last chain binding his ankle snap.
He'd worried about being caught as otherworldly, captured, dissected.
Thus, cautious questions and actions.
But no longer.
Three weeks in Wayford showed Earth's common sense largely matched here.
Excluding science's lag outside awakeners/professions, daily life, climate, nature similar—minus labyrinths, monsters.
Cultural differences from era and superpowers, but human life and thinking universal.
'Biggest worry as Soul Shaman resolved.'
Even if suspected, "From distant continent, cultural differences" would suffice.
All survival worries gone, Hwan-in felt refreshed. Conversely, Ielcata felt life's futility.
Her profile gazing at the rising sun from the bench seemed hollow, about to vanish.
Initially sharing knowledge, faint envy and longing for unreachable heights showed in her expressions.
=If not rude, Predecessor, when did you awaken?=
"About half a year ago? Wasn't tracking days, so not exact."
=...=
"How long have you been a practitioner, Miss Ielcata?"
=I... this year makes thirty-two.=
After this short exchange near lesson's end, Ielcata seemed greatly demoralized.
Hwan-in was stunned too.
Thirty-two years? Even starting at birth, thirty-two years old. But past thirty ends awakening window?
Then he understood her feelings.
'Lingering attachment.'
She'd passed thirty long ago but clung to it, living here.
Introducing as practitioner, not gravekeeper, reflected that mindset.
A single tear silently fell from Ielcata's eyes, watching the fiery dawn.
A tear condensing thirty-two years of inexpressible emotions.
Past Hwan-in would've left after business, but he stayed by her side.
Ielcata quietly wiped her tear, speaking in a voice of emptiness.
=I've clung to becoming a Soul Shaman, introducing myself as a practitioner while gravekeeping.=
For thirty-two years, she'd moved between over ten city cemeteries, maintaining conduct, routine life, raw foods, abstinence for Soul Mastery.
Long among souls, she sensed their energy—but that was it.
=Now... it's time to stop. Thanks to you, Soul Shaman... I can let go.=
Her bowed shoulders trembled, struggling to accept reality.
"...".
Moved by her pain, Hwan-in pondered, then gently embraced her shoulder.
Incomprehensible, but mimicking drama romance scenes.
Beneath the modest robe perfectly hiding her figure, her shoulder was narrower than expected.
=...=
Ielcata wordlessly leaned her shoulder on his chest; Hwan-in silently accepted.
Seemed effective.
After comforting Ielcata physically at her home, Hwan-in returned to the hotel around lunch.
Not a single soul enlightened, but the invaluable Soul Shaman and practitioner knowledge outweighed that.
'Second cemetery souls can wait till evening.'
Common knowledge: Night is souls' time; wandering intensifies, strengthening soul power, harder to enlighten.
But Hwan-in saw souls ignore day/night; no enlightenment difference.
Trust experience over hearsay.
So enlighten at night, fewer eyes.
'Ielcata should be awake by then, post-faint.'
Kueeeeng...
Back in the room, hanging his hood cloak, Hwan-in watched the emergency rations snoring, then nudged the basket with his toe.
Kut?! Kueht? Kuwoo?
The startled Kue blinked confusedly; Hwan-in smiled, beckoning.
"Emergency rations. Come. Time to eat."
Kueht!
Nothing since last night; expended energy. Needed protein recovery.
At the hotel restaurant for guests, Hwan-in ordered nearly seven portions, lost in thought.
"...".
Struck by the gap in talents, Ielcata pleaded desperately.
Forget everything today. Realized near thirty impossible, yet pretended practitioner another eighteen years.
'Started at sixteen? Means forty-eight. Floe lifespan ~400 years; still young.'
She begged strength to forget past, live as gravekeeper.
Strength: a child.
Through Yukam, Etbrook villages, thought this world's women lax on chastity; Wayford common sense corrected that illusion.
Cold self-assessment: top stud here.
Sex ratio dire: 2 men to 7-9 women.
Villages tolerate 1 wife 2 concubines; cities forbid.
Advanced intellect breeds possessiveness; no sharing husbands.
Prominent in high-status, wealthy women. Many men monopolized; lonely women abound.
Result: Women can't live without children, even sans husband.
Fill heart-void raising own-born kids.
Some cynics say "avoids lonely aging," but anyway.
Women seek men when chance arises.
Not anyone; if doesn't meet standards, ignored. Men train to avoid unpopularity stigma.
Men learn young; post-marriage customs loose, seek women.
Wives permit if not formal concubines—quite lenient.
Marriage less about affection monopoly for women.
Status symbol.
Reason for Ssa-Brillit linking custom.
Bloodline views differ vastly from Earth. Non-official children mere others.
Thus, unwed mothers common, no stigma.
Not restrictive eras like Muslim/Confucian; women run society, views opposite Earth.
Even city unwed mother groups rotate childcare.
Reflected in job market.
=Need to work hard; two kids.=
=Birthed two alone? Talented but unlucky in men~ Hired.=
=No kids now, but need money for future ones. Hire me.=
=Motivated? Hired!=
Thus, to women, Soul Shaman Hwan-in was a treasure trove.
Proven abilities, robust like warrior, handsome, intelligent—prime husband.
Aware, he granted Ielcata's request.
Beauty rivaling Earth idols; her lower abdomen's warmth—Soul Energy—several times normal.
Absorbing aids growth immensely. No reason refuse.
"Meals served."
Table filled; emergency rations squirmed, eyeing Hwan-in and food alternately.
"Eat."
Kuwoo~!
"Tasty?"
Kuku!
"Good. Eat lots."
Ate lunch in room to avoid disturbing guests, returned rations to room, prepared outing.
Slept none, expended morning energy, but Bloodstones made it fine.
As leaving, Wenna—first paid hotel maid—slipped a note into his pocket.
Pretending casual, waited for guest him to pass, snuck it in. Glanced back; Wenna walked primly away innocently.
"...?"
Solicitation? But wouldn't be secretive.
Curious, left hotel, unfolded note secretly. Face hardened.
[Guest's green Kue is being targeted.]