Chapter 45
Translator: uly
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Black-Haired Duo of Chilgok County - 4
Last night, I was simply a childhood friend who knew The Heavenly Killing Star's past.
A relationship that shared childhood memories, but one where we merely played together. I told her only those kinds of memories where, if The Heavenly Killing Star was convinced, we could shake hands and part ways.
Isn't that what most childhood friends are like? A playmate from when you were young. You grow up, pass by each other, meet once, and say, "Hi? Remember when we were kids? Are you doing well? See you later." You say that and then go your separate ways.
You say you'll see each other next time, but you know there will be no next time. That's what I was aiming for, but it deviated from my prediction.
Now, The Heavenly Killing Star will be endlessly suspicious of me. And I can't possibly quell every single one of The Heavenly Killing Star's suspicions.
I'm not some master swindler; how could I perfectly deceive someone in every situation?
It's just that, as a web novel writer, I have my own methods. Ways to make the relationship between the protagonist and heroine a little deeper in a web novel.
That is, to establish empathy.
Once you establish empathy, even someone like The Heavenly Killing Star can be made to hit a speed bump when she becomes suspicious of me.
The Heavenly Killing Star's question was the perfect opportunity to create a pre-prepared speed bump.
"No. I wasn't very good at it."
In response to The Heavenly Killing Star's question about whether I was good at telling stories from the old days, I shook my head with a faint smile.
"I see."
As soon as The Heavenly Killing Star heard that, she tried to bury her head in her knees again.
Is that it?
Show a little more curiosity. I worked hard on this plan, what if it ends right there?
If you're going to be like that, then I'll keep talking to make you curious.
"When you were little, I used to sit you on my lap and tell you stories from the old days."
I recalled memories of reading fairy tales to my young cousins.
"Stories from the old days?"
Cheon So-hee lifted her bowed head again and looked at me.
"Yes. Stories from the old days. Whenever I told you stories, you really liked it, So-hee. Seeing your reaction, I was so happy I decided I had to keep doing it. Every time I went back to my hometown, I'd come back with a whole armful of stories in my head. But when I told them to you, they weren't that interesting."
"Why?"
A slight hint of curiosity could be felt in her voice.
"To make the originally fun stories interesting, you have to drag out the sad parts, the unpleasant parts, the boring parts for a long time. But I wanted to see you happy, So-hee, so I'd roughly skip ahead and quickly tell the parts I thought were fun. Because of that, the original fun couldn't be felt."
"It's like cutting grass. To kill a master, you must first distract them with movement and then stab."
Even when making an analogy, she only brings up things like that.
"I don't know much, but it's probably similar. So back then, whenever I told you stories, I always felt both sorry and happy."
"Sorry and happy?"
"Even though the stories I told weren't interesting, you, So-hee, always enjoyed them. That always made me feel both sorry and happy. So every time I went back to my hometown, I'd memorize stories to bring back, and little by little, I got better at telling them."
"Did I enjoy it a lot?"
"Yes. I tried really hard to tell stories to see you smile, So-hee. Haha. Thinking about it now, my very first customer as a storyteller was you, So-hee."
I smiled at The Heavenly Killing Star and spoke in a tone as if I had gained enlightenment from a nostalgic past. I'm sorry, Master Storyteller! I'll just change the 'first customer' setting to The Heavenly Killing Star.
"I was the first customer..."
The Heavenly Killing Star seemed slightly hooked on the words 'first customer' that I said.
You were my first! How about that? A pretty good story, right?
But this isn't enough. At this level, it's just a memory from the past. The deep empathy I originally planned to establish isn't being formed.
It's risky, but I need to touch The Heavenly Killing Star's wound.
I need to draw empathy from that wound.
"Every time I went, I got a little better, so I thought it wouldn't be long before I could tell you really fun stories, So-hee. But that day, after that terrible incident, I could never do it again..."
I calmly touched The Heavenly Killing Star's Achilles' heel. A wound that could make her draw her blade if handled wrong. I also had to show that I was tormented by that past.
I made an expression as if reminiscing about a sad and painful past in front of The Heavenly Killing Star.
"You, that story..."
The Heavenly Killing Star's eyes immediately frowned.
Whether it was an unconscious defense mechanism, The Heavenly Killing Star's hand subtly moved toward the dagger on her thigh.
It's not that she might draw her blade if I'm wrong; she's about to draw it. Before she could stop my words, I immediately spoke up.
"So it became an even greater regret, and I practiced a lot. So that if you, So-hee in heaven, perhaps came down to earth and listened to my story, you wouldn't be embarrassed. So that someday when I die, I can interestingly tell the stories of this world to the young So-hee who was waiting for me."
"..."
The Heavenly Killing Star's hand stopped. And she stared at me blankly with a slightly startled expression.
How about that? The reason the Joseon scoundrel became good at storytelling.
Because he missed his dead childhood friend.
Good setting, right?
"That you, So-hee, were actually alive and heard my story... As I said earlier, it's a little embarrassing and moving."
I deliberately turned my body, covered my mouth, and made my body tremble on purpose. To look like an older brother, a childhood friend, who found his lost younger sister and, overcome with emotion, couldn't control his feelings.
This is the speed bump I created.
It's not The Heavenly Killing Star's setting, but my setting.
That past where only The Heavenly Killing Star was in pain and suffering.
Though The Heavenly Killing Star didn't know, there was a man who suffered from that same past. And using that painful past as fertilizer, that man developed his childhood immaturity into a strength.
And that man is The Heavenly Killing Star's childhood friend, her older brother.
Hah. I nailed it. It's a good setting even when you chew it over.
Wouldn't you hesitate to stab such a man recklessly, even if you're a little suspicious?
"..."
The Heavenly Killing Star didn't say anything from behind. It's not her setting but mine, how could she object?
At this level, I should be able to sleep without worrying about my bed being stained with blood tonight, no, for the time being.
My clothes are sorted now. I sat back down on the bed. If there's no reaction, I should sleep early. I carefully looked at The Heavenly Killing Star.
The Heavenly Killing Star was looking at me intently. Did she have something to say? Her lips seemed to be moving faintly.
"So-hee, do you have something to say?"
If not, let's sleep.
"... The stories you told me in the old days."
The words that came from The Heavenly Killing Star's mouth were unexpected.
"Huh?"
"Tell me one now."
***
To ask for a story from the old days.
Is this One Thousand and One Nights? Do I die if you're not curious about the next episode?
Since I told The Heavenly Killing Star that I used to tell her stories in the past, she probably requested it to try and recover her memories.
Telling a story itself shouldn't be a big problem.
Even with the common sense and old stories you know as an adult, you rarely remember when, where, and with whom you first heard that story.
Moreover, The Heavenly Killing Star, who lost her past memories, couldn't possibly recall her past just by hearing a little story. In fact, in such cases, it's better to tell a story that feels familiar even if she hasn't heard it before.
What story should I tell?
Many come to mind immediately. But most have only one protagonist. Is there a story that can form empathy?
A story about siblings.
A classic folktale.
One comes to mind exactly.
"I'll tell you the story of the Sun and the Moon."
I got up from the bed, took the bamboo fan in my hand, and said.
"The Sun and the Moon?"
"Have you heard it before?"
"No."
Fortunately, it seems she has no memory of old stories either. It's a story present in the memories of the scoundrel Kang Yun-ho.
A classic Joseon folktale. Also known as a myth about the sun and moon. It's even a story about siblings, perfect for the occasion.
Great. Before doing this, I need to show off a bit stylishly.
Snap! I stylishly unfolded the bamboo fan in front of The Heavenly Killing Star and bowed.
"Greetings. I am Kang Yun-ho, a storyteller from Joseon. Today, I wish to become a storyteller specially for my long-lost younger sister. Would you kindly grant me permission?"
An exaggerated gesture, like a nobleman asking to become a knight for a lady. Doing it carelessly might look ridiculous, but with my body hardened by labor, it should carry some weight.
"Alright."
The Heavenly Killing Star granted permission with her characteristic expressionless face.
In fantasies or martial arts stories with a different sensibility from modern times, doing this would elicit a "Kyaa, Oppa! You're so cool. You have to do at least this much."
At least make a moved expression. As expected, it's a bit cringey.
"I couldn't even sell rice cakes properly today. Let's give them to the orphaned children in the neighborhood on the way. Oh! Ho, Mr. Tiger! Is that you!"
The beginning of "The Sun and the Moon" is the story of a rice cake seller mother who loses all her rice cakes and eventually gets eaten. But starting with something so intense might be too much for The Heavenly Killing Star, who lost her family.
Changing the setting is common in folktales, isn't it? I decided to modify the rice cake seller to the neighborhood uncle for The Heavenly Killing Star's version.
"Grrr! Give me one rice cake~ and I won't eat you."
I twisted my body and covered the area under my nose with the fan. I deliberately made my eyes sharp and imitated a dull tiger voice.
"R-really, if I give you one rice cake, you'll spare me?"
"Have you never seen a tiger before? Of course I'll spare you if you give me one rice cake."
"H-here you go!"
I pretended to hand a rice cake to the imaginary tiger.
"Huff, huff. The tiger must really be gone. Now the second hill. Five more hills to home."
The rice cake seller with a breathless, tense voice. Hunching his body and looking around cautiously.
"Wait."
Suddenly, The Heavenly Killing Star called me.
"Huh?"
I was immersed and acting well, why interrupt?
"Did you act like that when I was little too?"
"No. Back then, I sat So-hee on my lap and did it."
What kind of acting could a little kid do back then? The setting that I sat Cheon So-hee on my lap and told stories is the best.
"Then do it like that."
The Heavenly Killing Star got up from her seat.
What?
Do what?
Sit The Heavenly Killing Star on my lap and tell a story?
This girl is saying something dangerous. That was fine when we were kids, but not now.
What would happen if I sat you in your ninja outfit on my lap now? Would I be able to focus on the story, or would I be so distracted by the pull of gravity that I couldn't think straight?
'Displeasing.'
If my blood circulation gets too active, it'll be a big problem. I could end up going straight to an angry The Heavenly Killing Star.
"So-hee, you're all grown up now, isn't it a bit strange to sit on your brother's lap? Just sit here."
I must prevent any mishaps beforehand. I immediately went and sat right next to The Heavenly Killing Star. Just in case she tried to sit on my lap, I raised both knees and placed my hands on them.
The Heavenly Killing Star looked at me with a dissatisfied expression as her opinion was overruled, but she sat back down.
Good. To avoid glancing sideways, I deliberately fixed my gaze toward the bed and opened my mouth.
"I'll tell it to you the way your brother used to tell you in the old days."
Like a radio DJ's voice in the middle of the night, gentle but penetrating to the ears.
On a starry night. I began my fairy tale narration for an audience of one.
***
"And so, the brother and sister became the Sun and the Moon."
I quietly finished the night's story and looked to the side.
'Asleep.'
The Heavenly Killing Star's eyes were closed. Her breathing was even, she seemed to have truly fallen asleep. My honeyed voice must have acted like a sleeping pill of at least Game 3: Capturing the Great Demon level.
She's really a beauty when asleep. To think she becomes that crazy bitch in a few years.
My biggest worry right now is this girl's madness.
This girl becomes a psychopathic serial killer in the future. I have no way of knowing whether The Heavenly Killing Star's madness comes gradually or suddenly.
'There's a limit to convincing her.'
Even if I use my head and mouth to their fullest to make The Heavenly Killing Star understand, if she one day goes mad and stabs me, I die just like that.
A bomb that explodes if touched wrong. A bomb that explodes even if left alone.
That is The Heavenly Killing Star.
'I should give her the blanket.'
I carefully went to the bed and brought the blanket. Would she wake if I covered her? She didn't refuse my kindness yesterday, so even if she wakes, she'll probably accept it.
I carefully covered The Heavenly Killing Star with the blanket.
She didn't wake. She must have been tired.
'I should sleep too.'
I pride myself on having shown movements on par with a US military explosive ordnance disposal unit until now. If The Heavenly Killing Star has taken my setting to heart today, she won't explode for the time being.
I can only hope that her madness doesn't erupt until she is convinced and leaves me.
I carefully lay down on the bed and tried to sleep.
***
The quiet night of Chilgok County, where not even insects chirped.
Countless stars shone down upon the earth from the night sky.
Among the stars shining down upon the earth was also the Malefic Star, The Heavenly Killing Star.
Though it was a star shining in the night sky, the difference from other stars was that this star shone for only one person.
The Heavenly Killing Star opened her eyes.
Her red eyes, containing the starlight of the Malefic Star, seemed to glow alone in the dark room.
Kang Yun-ho was asleep, unaware that The Heavenly Killing Star had awoken.
No, The Heavenly Killing Star had not slept at all for the past two days. She had only pretended to sleep, observing Kang Yun-ho's every move.
The Heavenly Killing Star quietly stood up and stood before the sleeping Kang Yun-ho.
"You're a swindler."
The day with the most worries in her ten years.
The Heavenly Killing Star made up her mind and drew her dagger before Kang Yun-ho.