Chapter 68: Classic Masterpiece 「Chunhyangjeon」
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 68: Classic Masterpiece 「Chunhyangjeon」
Normally, when you enter a Gate, the surrounding scenery should be visible immediately.
But right now, everything was covered in white, making it impossible to tell what was even there.
'Reminds me of when I first met Chubby Ahn.'
I recalled that space where no matter how much I drove the car, I couldn't escape.
Just as I wondered if I was trapped, a message window popped up as if to refute the thought.
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Welcome to the Classic Masterpiece 「Chunhyangjeon」!
A 'Role' will be assigned based on your inner self, tendencies, and life experiences.
Number of times you stole 'another man's woman': 24
Number of times you 'managed the fish tank': 102
Number of times you acted as a 'Virgin Bomber': 74
Number of times you 'tore the hymen of a woman who claimed to be a virgin until marriage': 6
Number of times you 'used and discarded' a partner: 69
Number of 'sexual experiences': ...Immeasurable.
Racial value estimated as Incubus.
Analyzing the most suitable role...
...
..
.
Analysis complete.
Result:
The most suitable role for you is [Chunhyangjeon - Magistrate Byun]!
The story is currently at a point before [Magistrate Byun] makes his appearance.
Please act freely until the incident occurs!
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'What kind of bullshit is this?'
Used and discarded?
I could overlook the other things, but I couldn't accept that one. I pride myself on never having used and discarded someone in my life, yet here it was, slandering me.
I already knew from the previous Hallucination Dungeon that these Gates could read memories from Earth. But even so, wasn't it a bit much to judge me so arbitrarily based on that?
I might not be a hopeless romantic, but I've always lived by a code of conduct between lovers. To think a mere Gate information window would try to invalidate my life.
'This is just ridiculous...'
As I stood there scowling, my mood soured, another notification window appeared.
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Your role is [Magistrate Byun].
His real name is Byun Hak-do, but you are likely more familiar with [Magistrate Byun].
In the Classic Masterpiece 「Chunhyangjeon」, clear conditions vary depending on the assigned role.
The role of [Magistrate Byun] is... well, you know, right?
It’s what you always do, so it should be familiar!
Congratulations on winning the optimal role.
Skill List for the [Magistrate Byun] Role:
:: Corrupt Official, Command to Serve, Flogging ::
Since it is not yet time for your appearance, all aspects related to [Magistrate Byun] are currently deactivated.
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"These skills really are just like Magistrate Byun."
Every single one of them perfectly captured the traits of the 'villain' from the classic tale.
'If I'm Magistrate Byun...'
If the system read Kim Min-su's memories, there was no way he could be Lee Mong-ryong. However, in the novel designed by Chubby Ahn, Kim Min-su could be anything. The fact that a guy who didn't look like a hero at all held a Hero's skill was proof enough.
That meant, naturally, Kim Min-su would be playing the role of Lee Mong-ryong in this Chunhyangjeon as well.
'Seeing as it's before my appearance, I guess it's before the two of them part ways.'
That would fit the flow of the story. Magistrate Byun appears months after Lee Mong-ryong and Chunhyang are separated. Right now, they should be at the peak of their romance, acting as if they'd die if they spent even a moment apart.
'But does that mean I have to stay trapped here?'
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While your role is deactivated, you cannot directly or indirectly intervene in the story.
You are granted the temporary role of [Pimp].
Entering the world of the Classic Masterpiece 「Chunhyangjeon」 now!
Welcome!
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In an instant, the surrounding scenery began to shift.
Buildings that looked like they belonged in a folk village rose up in the empty white space. Thatched-roof houses and tiled-roof houses appeared, recreating scenes straight out of a historical drama.
My casual clothes vanished, replaced by a flamboyant Hanbok. Despite the role being called a 'Pimp,' the clothes I wore were unmistakably those of a gigolo-manager.
"Are you awake?"
"Huh? Ah... yeah."
"This humble girl shall take her leave first."
"...Right..."
It seemed I had been dropped right into the middle of the story in the blink of an eye. I thought I'd just be dumped on the street when the surroundings changed, but when I came to my senses, a beautifully dressed woman was standing before me.
Do people usually treat a pimp with such extreme courtesy?
'I'll think about that later.'
For now, it was right to face what was in front of me. A woman in a neat Hanbok with finely braided hair swaying near her waist. I couldn't call her a classic beauty, but she possessed the distinct allure of a 'Gisaeng.'
Judging by the brief exchange, it seemed we had spent the night together. It was rare for a pimp and a gisaeng to sleep together. Touching the merchandise—isn't that what a low-life gigolo does? Maybe the laws for pimps in the Joseon era were different.
"Oh, and I heard Chunhyang has rejected another customer."
The woman, who was about to leave, turned back to speak. Though her voice was calm, her eyes burned with a simmering venom. She was likely dissatisfied with the difference in treatment despite being a gisaeng herself. Having read a bit of Chunhyangjeon, it was an easy dynamic to guess.
"The son of the Magistrate of Namwon is seeing her. What do you expect me to do?"
Even if he hadn't passed the civil service exam yet, his status as the Magistrate's son remained unchanged. In a society with a strict caste system, if Lee Mong-ryong made a fuss about liking her, I had no power to intervene.
"...So you're just going to keep watching?"
"I'll handle it, so don't worry about it."
"That's the fifth time you've said that. How much longer must I wait for such empty promises and tolerate this discrimination?"
The pimp from yesterday might have been able to coax and soothe her, but the problem was that today's pimp was a completely different person. The previous pimp might have controlled the gisaeng through experience, but I had no such talent.
Even now, wasn't she clenching her delicate hands and venting her fury at me? In movies, pimps sometimes resort to violence, but I didn't want to do that.
"I said I'll arrange something separate today, so stop worrying!"
I hadn't quite gotten the hang of the speech style yet, so my use of informal language was a mess. That would improve with time.
"I shall trust you. Then, this girl truly departs."
"Yeah, go on."
I waved my hand and watched her leave the room.
'So that's how it is...'
I had gathered a lot of information from that short conversation. The biggest takeaway was that there were subtle differences from the original work. In the original, Chunhyang was the daughter of a gisaeng, but there were many ambiguous points regarding whether she was actually a gisaeng herself. The point was that she was merely the daughter and had never actually worked as one.
But here, they were saying Chunhyang was officially part of the gisaeng house.
'Judging by her refusal to work, they must have already exchanged vows as husband and wife.'
Or perhaps they were just before that stage. It was easier to understand if I thought of her as a woman who stopped doing night work because she found a guy she liked. Since she was beautiful and the one she was seeing was the Magistrate's son, no one could touch her. If anyone tried to scold her, Lee Mong-ryong would surely come and cause a scene.
Still, it would be a waste of her beauty to just leave her be, and the financial loss would be significant.
I had finished assessing the situation.
"Where is that wench Chunhyang?"
I stepped out of the room, infusing my voice with a coarse, vulgar temperament. I roughly grabbed the wrist of the woman who had just left, acting out a look of fury.
She had seemed frustrated by my calm demeanor just a moment ago, but seeing my angry face, her expression brightened. Her mouth opened with a look that said she was glad Chunhyang was finally going to be punished.
"She said... she was going to meet her husband..."
"Husband? She hasn't even had her hair pinned up by anyone yet! That wench has lost her mind."
The restriction on direct or indirect intervention only applied to the [Magistrate Byun] role. It had nothing to do with me now that I had been granted the temporary role of [Pimp].
This was likely an error caused by my sudden intrusion into a Gate that Kim Min-su was supposed to tackle alone. Neither [Magistrate Byun] nor the [Pimp] were probably intended to appear yet, but things had gone sideways.
'Kim Min-su, you? Lee Mong-ryong? Don't make me laugh.'
I had no intention of sitting around with my hands tied until [Magistrate Byun] was told to demand her service.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"How are you so delightful, Young Master?"
"Really? Hehe... hehehe... I mean, am I truly that funny?"
"I mean it, truly."
"Wuhahahaha!"
A voice as clear as dew rolling on a jade tray.
A woman with a face that would make anyone on the street turn their head was laughing. Her forehead, framed by neatly arranged bangs, was smooth and elegant. Below it, her eyes were round and sparkling like a rabbit's, and her nose was perfectly straight.
Her lips were as thick and soft as a ripe cherry—she was truly a peerless beauty. A woman for whom the moon would hide in the water out of shame, and for whom the fish would forget how to breathe.
Seong Chun-hyang.
"Chunhyang, I like you so much."
"...I'm embarrassed."
"Uhehehehe."
Kim Min-su was currently laughing so hard his ears might split as he talked with Chunhyang.