The Weight of Karma
"..."
"..."
A heavy silence fell over the area at my words. It wasn't just the onlookers; even Cheon Ui-jin, who had stepped forward to shield me, stood frozen in shock.
"...You bastard."
Namgung Seong glared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. Grind. The sound of him gnashing his teeth was loud enough to reach my ears. I half-expected them to shatter right then and there.
His gaze was murderous. For a second, I genuinely wondered if he was going to draw his sword. I felt a spike of anxiety, but—
"...Remember this well," Namgung Seong growled, thankfully keeping his hand off his hilt. Instead, he simply spat out a threat laced with pure malice.
"I swear on my name, I will never forget this. You will pay for your sins soon enough. Mark my words."
"Hmm."
I nodded. I actually agreed with him.
"You're right."
"What?"
"I said, you're right."
He looked momentarily taken aback by my casual agreement. But I was being entirely sincere.
"I've seen a few things in my time."
Including my past life, I had lived long enough to learn one absolute truth.
"People always pay for their sins, one way or another. No matter how long it takes."
My gaze drifted upward, toward the vengeful spirits still glaring down at Namgung Seong.
Sins circulate and accumulate within the soul.
Karma piled high would eventually burst. Whether one paid the price in life or in death was the only variable.
'If I were him, I'd rather pay for it while I'm still breathing.'
I had seen it happen a few times. The punishment inflicted upon a soul was far worse than anything one could suffer in the flesh.
I let out a smirk at the thought.
Assuming I was mocking him, Namgung Seong clenched his fists. However, realizing there was nothing more he could do here, he gritted his teeth and turned around.
"...I will see how long you can remain arrogant with your stolen fortune. I will make sure you kneel before me in the near future."
I didn't bother replying to that.
"It will be too late to beg then."
There was no point in continuing this war of words. I silently raised my middle finger.
"...You...!"
Namgung Seong looked ready to explode, but he forced his anger down. Even he seemed to realize that staying any longer would only make him look worse.
Watching him limp away, still in pain, was rather comical.
'Did it burst?'
Probably not. If his dantian had actually ruptured, he wouldn't be walking at all.
As I watched Namgung Seong retreat, I noticed something.
'Huh?'
Namgung Hyeon, who was following him, stopped and stole a glance back at me. When I gave her a slight glare that said, "What are you looking at?", she flinched in fright and hurried after her brother.
I let out a dry laugh. What a bizarre pair of siblings.
'...Stop reading my mind, old man.'
He really had no boundaries.
Once the courtyard cleared out, Cheon Ui-jin let out a long, quiet sigh. It was filled with immense relief. He had spoken boldly, but it seemed he had been incredibly nervous deep down.
I walked over and patted his shoulder.
"Good work."
"No... it was nothing."
"See? It went exactly as I said it would, didn't it? I told you not to worry."
I smiled. I had already briefed Cheon Ui-jin beforehand. I had told him to show up at a specific time, block the Socheonggeom, and say exactly what needed to be said.
I had assured him that nothing bad would happen, and that even if it did, I would take responsibility. It was a bluff I couldn't actually back up, but it had worked out in the end.
Thank goodness. If things had gone south, I wouldn't have been able to clean up the mess, let alone take responsibility.
'Well, all's well that ends well.'
I brushed aside the negative thoughts. As long as the outcome was good, that was all that mattered.
As I patted his shoulder, Cheon Ui-jin stared blankly into space. Then, he turned to me.
"Yes... It really happened exactly as you said, Young Master Bang. From beginning to end."
Was it just my imagination? For some reason, a strange, profound look of trust was shining in his eyes.
After the Namgung Clan members left, I headed straight to the branch leader's office.
"Oh, welcome! Please, come in!"
The moment I sent word of my visit, the branch leader practically ran out to greet me, not even bothering to put his shoes on properly. It was a bizarre sight every time I saw it.
'To think this man would treat me like this.'
During my entire year as a low-ranking member, I had barely even seen his face. Even on the rare occasions I did, I couldn't dream of speaking to him, let alone making eye contact.
"Oh dear... I only have this simple tea to offer you. I hope you don't mind..."
"..."
Seeing him fuss over me now was, well...
'Exhilarating.'
It was absolutely thrilling. Fame really was the best. This was the life.
"Have you been well?"
"Oh, how could I be? I've been so worried about you, Young Master Bang, that I haven't slept a wink..."
"I came here for a specific reason. As you've probably heard, I will be leaving the Martial Alliance to head to Cheongwol Gate."
I cut through the pleasantries and got straight to the point. The branch leader's brow furrowed slightly at my bluntness, but it was gone in an instant.
"Ah... Yes, of course. I am aware."
He must have already heard the news from Cheon Ui-jin. The branch leader gave me a look of feigned regret.
"It must be hard to leave after growing so attached to our branch. Are you sure you'll be alright?"
Attached, my foot. I barely managed to swallow down a curse. He had treated me like a ghost for a whole year, and now he was talking about attachment?
Any affection I might have had was long gone.
"Indeed. It is a pity... but things have turned out this way."
I hid my true feelings and offered a polite, empty response.
"I see..."
Though he still looked disappointed, the branch leader had no justification to hold me back. Moreover, Cheongwol Gate was a prestigious sect closely tied to the Martial Alliance. In a way, this transfer was like a promotion to a higher unit, making it even harder for him to object.
Truthfully, I didn't even need to visit him. Once I declared my intention to leave, Cheon Ui-jin's side would have handled the paperwork, and I could have just walked out.
"So, before I leave, I have a small favor to ask of you, esteemed Branch Leader."
"A favor?"
The sole reason I had bogged to meet this man was simple.
"Yes, a favor."
There was one person I needed to look after before I departed.
"...I told you, you don't have to keep coming here."
I frowned immediately at the greeting.
"That's a bit hurtful for a greeting. Especially since I went out of my way to visit."
When I spoke with exaggerated disappointment, the young man gave a sheepish smile.
"You came yesterday. And the day before that."
"But this is my first time seeing you today. Would it kill you to just welcome me?"
I grumbled as I took a seat next to him.
This was the infirmary inside the Martial Alliance branch, and the man nagging me was my senior, Yoo Hyeong-in. He had only regained consciousness a few days after the battle with the Mountain Ghost.
"How is your body?"
"I'm fine."
"Fine? They said you need to rest for months. How is that fine?"
"...Why did you ask if you weren't going to believe me?"
Yoo Hyeong-in's injuries from that day were severe enough that he would need at least three months of bed rest. Fortunately, the attack had missed his vital organs, so he would make a full recovery without any lasting side effects as long as he received proper treatment.
"Make sure you eat well. That's the only way your bones will heal quickly."
"I've been eating plenty."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Good." I nodded in approval.
A silence fell between us. As usual, Yoo Hyeong-in didn't initiate the conversation. Unable to bear the quiet, I finally spoke up.
"Senior. I'm leaving the Martial Alliance."
"Okay."
"...Okay?"
"Why?"
"Your reaction is really underwhelming."
"I'm trying my best here."
Sure he was.
"Why aren't you surprised?"
"I've already heard the rumors. It's not that surprising."
Yoo Hyeong-in smiled, and I could only offer a sheepish laugh in return. Right, there was no way the rumors hadn't spread. And there was no way he hadn't heard them.
"I heard you defeated the Socheonggeom. Impressive."
"Well, it was..."
I was about to say it wasn't by my own strength, but I shut my mouth. That was something I could never reveal, for the sake of my future.
"...That's how it turned out."
I averted my eyes slightly, unable to look him in the face.
Avoiding his gaze, I asked, "But why aren't you asking me anything?"
"What should I ask?"
"You know, the usual stuff."
Like why I had been hiding my strength, or saying that the person he knew wasn't capable of this and asking what trick I had used. There were plenty of things Yoo Hyeong-in could have questioned me about.
After all, he was the one who had taught me the ropes and watched over my training for the past year. Without him, I might not have survived in the Alliance.
He meant that much to me.
Yet, despite hearing all the rumors, he didn't ask a single thing. Unable to understand why, I pressed him.
He looked at me with a calm, steady expression.
"Well, I figured you had your reasons. Whatever they were... you must have had a good cause. Because that's just the kind of person you are."
"..."
His answer left me speechless.
"...Senior, I've told you this before, but you're too soft. I warned you to be careful, or someone would stab you in the back."
"Hahaha."
He chuckled softly, as if he found it amusing. I couldn't comprehend how he could refrain from asking questions for such a simple reason. He was cut from an entirely different cloth than me.
I looked at the smiling Yoo Hyeong-in and spoke.
"Senior."
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to come with me?"
"...Huh?"
"To Cheongwol Gate. It might sound a bit arrogant, but I have some pull now. I could easily arrange to bring someone of your caliber—"
"I'm sorry, but I can't," Yoo Hyeong-in declined with a gentle smile before I could even finish.
"My family is here."
"..."
"And I like where I am right now. So, I'm sorry."
He was smiling, but his eyes were resolute. That look told me that no matter what I did, he wouldn't budge.
"...I see."
I didn't press further. Asking twice or thrice would be pointless.
"Understood."
With that, I stood up. There was no need to prolong the conversation.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes, I just wanted to tell you this. Take care of yourself. I'll drop by one more time before I head out."
Leaving without any lingering regrets, I stepped out of the infirmary.
The sun was still hot. As I stared up at the sky, the old man, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke.
I shifted my gaze at the old man's voice.
"..."
Yoo Hyeong-in would refuse my offer. I had anticipated this outcome even before opening my mouth. The Yoo Hyeong-in I knew was simply that kind of person.
I had known it all along, and yet...
"...What about my face?"
"..."
Was it really that obvious? I rubbed my face with my hand.
"What do you take me for...?"
I was genuinely dumbfounded.
I clicked my tongue. Yoo Chun-gil spoke to me again.
"...Regret what?"
"..."
I scratched my cheek at the old man's words.
"It wasn't even that much money... and I figured I wouldn't have any use for it anyway."
"That's just because it would be embarrassing otherwise."
If he had to recuperate for the next three months, it meant he wouldn't be receiving his salary. Remembering that, I had simply sent the meager savings I had accumulated.
'This is the absolute limit of my meddling.'
Doing any more would only make Yoo Hyeong-in uncomfortable, and there wasn't much else I could do anyway. So, this was where I drew the line.
"Besides, thanks to a certain someone, my own future is looking pretty rough. I don't have the luxury to worry about others."
"A certain ghostly old man."
"Anyway, this is as far as I go. That's all I can do. So..."
I looked away from the old man and turned my head to the side.
"Don't expect anything weird from me, and just go do whatever it is you usually do."
There was someone standing where I looked. Well, not a living person.
But I knew exactly what it was.
"No matter what you want from me, I have no intention of doing anything."
At my words, the figure of a woman reacted.
It was an evil spirit.
Specifically, one of the spirits that had been clinging to Namgung Seong.
I scowled as I looked at her.
'I messed up.'
When I was thinking about Namgung Seong's sins, I had accidentally looked at the spirits, and our eyes had met. I thought I had looked away quickly enough, but it seemed she had noticed.
The only silver lining was...
'Did she not tell the other spirits?'
If she had, they would have all swarmed me. The fact that they hadn't meant she had kept it to herself.
And that meant...
'She wants something from me.'
She kept quiet in exchange for a favor. That had to be it.
"Ah."
I let out a deep sigh and asked the woman.
"...What is it? What do you want?"
"No. I'm just listening for now."
If it was too difficult, I wouldn't do it. And if she still tried to cling to me after that...
'...I'll just have to exorcise her.'
The method was unpleasant, but it wasn't impossible. I silently hoped she wouldn't ask for anything ridiculous.
The woman opened her mouth and began to speak.
"Huh?"
I tilted my head in confusion.
"...Is that really all?"
It was a surprisingly simple request. Especially for an evil spirit.
After pondering for a moment, I replied.
"If it's just that... I can't do it right away, but if I ever happen to go there, I'll do it for you. You can understand that much, right?"
The woman nodded.
Then, she bowed to me silently, her lips moving. Even without sound, it wasn't hard to tell she was expressing her gratitude.
At that moment—
Flash!
A brilliant light suddenly burst from her body.
"...Oh."
I frowned. It was a light invisible to ordinary people.
'To think I'd see this again in this life.'
It was a light I had seen to the point of sickness in my past life, one I had sworn never to look upon again. It was the process of a soul resolving its regrets and departing.
Commonly known as ascension.
I clicked my tongue.
To think she would ascend over such a simple promise. For a woman whose resentment was deep enough to turn her into an evil spirit, she was surprisingly pure. Which meant...
'He must have utterly ruined someone who was once so innocent.'
A wave of disgust washed over me. Suppressing my emotions, I bowed my head slightly.
It was a gesture of respect for the departing soul. Before long, the light faded away.
Yoo Chun-gil chuckled, clearly amused by the spectacle.
"..."
No matter how much he chattered, I didn't feel like talking. Exorcising—or rather, purifying—the evil spirit had been incredibly easy. I was just grateful for that.
I started walking again.
"Let's go—"
Just as I was about to suggest we head back...
"Huh?"
My eyes widened.
I instinctively placed a hand over my stomach.
"Wait, what?"
"No..."
I focused my senses, wondering if it was just my imagination. It wasn't.
With eyes as wide as saucers, I spoke to Yoo Chun-gil.
"Old man."
"My internal energy... it increased?"
The energy in my dantian had grown.
And it had happened completely out of nowhere.