“...What if I don’t want to?”
She recalled the Crown Prince, with his pig-like, bloated face, constantly eyeing her up and down.
Swallowing the surge of emotions, her voice emerged strained and grating, tinged with a metallic edge that made it unpleasant to hear.
“What if I refuse to go to the imperial palace? Will you send that servant elsewhere so he cannot touch me, or will you drive him away?”
In a way, fainting was a stroke of luck. If she had confronted them while fully alert, the Grand Sharman and Yoon Jucheol would have quickly sensed something was amiss with her.
Even though Nokhee knew it was unlikely, she still held onto that possibility. She wondered if there was a chance to save Kijoon’s life if she didn’t go.
Like before, they could send him to the frontline to kill someone or task him to retrieve treasures and riches... There were countless ways to manipulate Kijoon without keeping him too close, and that was precisely how it had been all along.
If he ventured outside this place for a while, Kijoon might also have a chance to catch his breath, and later, when she had absorbed all the reverse scales, she might be able to devise a plan to return them...
“Haha, Nokhee. Do I sound ridiculous to you because I’ve been nice to you all this time?”
However, upon seeing the Grand Sharman sneer, the sweet illusion she had briefly entertained vanished as quickly as a fleeting daydream.
“Do you really believe that just because you’ve taken a peek into the situation, you have the right to say such things? How do you expect your foolish mother, who’s clearly lost her mind, to receive proper treatment when you’re behaving so brazenly?”
Nokhee's eyes trembled slightly at the news about her mother from the Grand Shaman, despite her efforts to maintain her composure. The shocking information she had received immediately upon waking left her unable to inquire about Yeojin’s situation.
“What... what do you mean?”
“Your mother fainted yesterday and has remained unconscious ever since. The physician mentioned that it appears she suffered a severe shock from yesterday’s events, which has caused her heart condition to flare up again.”
“Then, wh-when… when will she wake up?”
“When she wakes up depends on how much money we’re willing to invest in those so-called renowned physicians.”
The Grand Sharman grinned widely, her bright red lips stretched from ear to ear, like a beast that had caught its prey.
“And your younger brother, Seonghyeon, is still young and may only be half-related, so why don’t you see him as a true member of the Yoon family?”
The conversation shifted as if it were inevitable, dragging Nokhee along like shackles clinking around her ankles.
The hand hidden beneath the blankets flinched for a moment. It wasn’t that she hadn’t considered it at all. In Hwangju, those with the Yoon surname were everywhere, and if the curse were to strike, wouldn’t it be expected for the noble bloodline to be affected before the offspring of a lowly courtesan?
The Grand Sharman spoke as if she could read Nokhee’s mind.
“I clearly stated that eleven reverse scales were extracted and gave ten of them to this household.”
“...”
“I had kept the remaining one hidden all this time. However, it was pointless to just hold onto it, so I handed it over to Yoon Seonghyeon a little while ago.”
“What...?”
Nokhee couldn’t comprehend what the Grand Sharman was saying. Why would she give away the reverse scale of the Imugi, which she had so carefully safeguarded? All it would achieve was an increase in the lives lost to the snake monster...
“No way...”
At that moment, a chilling premonition struck her mind like a bolt of lightning. After all, her ominous premonitions had never been wrong.
“In place of the deceased Myunghoon, I intend to adopt Seonghyeon and pass on the position of the head of the family. To become a member of such a prestigious family, one must also bear the responsibilities that come with it.”
Yoon Jucheol answered calmly in place of the Grand Sharman. At his words, Nokhee's eyes widened, and she sprang up from her seat.
“No way… Did you give the reverse scale to Seonghyeon?”
“Tsk, this arrogant wretch...”
“Answer me! To Seonghyeon… Did you make Seonghyeon swallow the reverse scale?”
As she stepped closer as if to grab him by the collar and shouted, Yoon Jucheol raised his hands in surprise. However, in Nokhee's frantic state, it felt insignificant to her.
“That didn’t happen.”
A calm voice responded, sharply contrasting with her agitated state. Nokhee turned her head.
“I instructed him that if he wanted to inherit the position of the head of the family, he must hide it away in a place where no one could find it. Therefore, we have no way of knowing how he managed it.”
“...”
"Before that brat figures out how to swallow it whole instead of hiding it, we might be able to force him to give it back, depending on how you behave."
The Grand Sharman was a frightening woman. Though she was painted grotesquely like a clown, to Nokhee’s eyes, she resembled a grim reaper ready to drag her to hell.
“Ha...”
Her legs buckled, and Nokhee crumpled to the floor in front of the table where they were seated.
It wasn't because she felt relieved. Even after hearing the denial, she had no idea how to navigate this situation.
“...Why are you doing this to me?”
Even though she remained still and didn’t thrash about to escape, it felt as if spider webs were tightening around her neck from all directions. That was why Nokhee couldn’t help but ask.
“What have I done so wrong in this household? What grudge do you hold against Kijoon… No, that Imugi bastard, to drive me to this extent? Aren’t you afraid of the heavens?”
Nokhee asked, her voice hollow and her expression vacant, as the shadow of the Grand Shaman loomed over her.
“Listen, Nokhee.”
“Everything has its own predetermined purpose. Just as you came here to be a scapegoat, that brat was born with a specific purpose as well.”
“...”
“If left alone, the people of this household would have smashed all twelve of the eggs, and he would have died without seeing the light of day. Wasn't it the heavens that sent me here to save him, allowing me to make full use of him for the sake of humans?”
“...”
“Look. In the entire country, there is no place as rich and fertile as Hwangju. Every year, people from all over the nation clamour to migrate to Hwangju. I drove away the evil spirits and brought peace and tranquillity to this land; if the heavens were to reward me, who would dare to say anything?”
A smile filled Manseon’s face as it forcibly lifted Nokhee’s head with both hands and quietly recited. It was a confident smile as if it were certain its actions could not be wrong.
But no matter how many times it repeated those words, Nokhee could not grasp their meaning. Instead of understanding, she felt even more confused.
While she could at least say she stayed for her mother or brother, what on earth could Kijoon’s reason be for remaining in this wretched place?
No matter how much she thought about it, Kijoon was not at fault.
Thus, Nokhee decided to free him from this hell.
Nokhee was staggering out of the Grand Sharman’s quarters, battered and bruised when someone called out to her from the main hall below.
“...Sister.”
It was Seonghyeon. He had once been a treasured younger brother to her. Despite her exhaustion, she had hoped he would be well, living comfortably and at ease with his legs stretched out.
Nokhee felt restless as she looked at Seonghyeon, who now seemed unfamiliar to her.
“Are you feeling any better?”
Seonghyeon rushed over and examined Nokhee closely. Nokhee had been on her way to his quarters, so this was quite fortunate.
“I have something to discuss, so please follow me for a moment.”
“Huh? Uh, okay...”
Nokhee quickly grabbed Seonghyeon’s hand and pulled him along. After hastily exiting the shrine and making their way deep into a deserted back alley, she finally stopped and turned to face him.
“What’s the matter, Sister?”
The boy looked at her with a puzzled expression; he was still her younger brother. Nokhee let go of his hand and instead gripped Seonghyeon's arms tightly, lowering her voice to ask:
“Seonghyeon, you received the heirloom from Father, right?”
“H-huh?”
“Tell me the truth. Where did you hide it? Did you swallow it by any chance?”
“H-how does Sister know about that thing?”
“Just answer me! Did you swallow it or not?!”
As she shook him by the arms and demanded harshly, Seonghyeon's eyes widened like those of a startled rabbit.
“N-no, I didn’t swallow it. Uncle just told me to keep it safe and not forget about it, so I hid it well in my quarters.”
It was a small relief amid misfortune. Without a moment to calm her heart gripped by fear, Nokhee extended her hand.
“Give it to me.”
“W-what?”
“I’m talking about the heirloom. You shouldn’t have it, so just give it to me, okay?”
“...”
For some reason, even when told to hand it over, Seonghyeon only looked at Nokhee with trembling eyes and didn’t say a word.
Nokhee thought that if the Grand Sharman and Yoon Jucheol hadn’t forced him to swallow it, she could easily obtain it through Seonghyeon. So, she pressed him again, this time more urgently.
“Seonghyeon.”
“I... don’t want to.”
“...What?”
However, upon hearing his response, Nokhee couldn’t believe her ears.
“U-Uncle said that if I keep it safe until I come of age, he would make me the head of the family.”
“Do you really believe that? A child born outside wouldn’t even be deemed worthy of being the head of the family, let alone an illegitimate child of his deceased brother!”
“N-No! I study hard, Sister. My teacher says I’m smarter than my cousin-brother, Myunghoon! But now that he’s gone, I want to become Uncle’s son and take over as the head of the family. Okay?”
“You...”
Nokhee stared in shock at her younger brother, who appeared to be a completely different person.
This must be why she occasionally felt a sense of estrangement when she looked at Seonghyeon. Under the watchful eye of Yoon Jucheol, Seonghyeon had seamlessly become a full-fledged member of the Yoon family before she even realised it.
Nokhee, momentarily at a loss for words at her younger brother's insistence on becoming the head of the family, finally managed to ask in a trembling voice.
“Do you… do you even understand how terrifying that heirloom is?”
“Yeah! I know all about it, Sister. It’s an heirloom, right? That thing belongs to the servant. It’s some kind of snake monster or something...”
Nokhee felt her head spinning from his bright and carefree response.
“Knowing all that... aren’t you scared at all?”
“Well, Uncle said I’d be safe until I become the head of the family. He told me I wouldn’t be in any danger since I’m an illegitimate child, just like you said, Sister...”
“That's not what I mean! It's a mythical creature! It was created by killing perfectly fine mythical creatures. Kijoon, that guy, isn't a human like us; it's a mythical creature!”
“Still, it’s just a lowly servant, Sister.”
“Seonghyeon, please!”
Nokhee screamed in desperation. A chill ran down her spine at the sight of her brother sounding just like Yoon Jucheol.
Perhaps believing her reaction was an attempt to hinder his progress, Seonghyeon suddenly shouted in frustration.
“Sister, you’re going to become the Crown Prince’s wife and leave anyway! Then you’ll become an outsider, right? That means you won’t be involved in family matters anymore!”
“...”
“I’ll handle it myself. If I become the head of the family, I can take Mother to a much better physician than we have now and make sure she gets better.”
“...”
“I-I’ve confirmed that you’re okay, so I’ll leave now, Sister. My teacher will be here soon.”
Seeing his sister gaze blankly at him with a pale, shocked expression seemed to overwhelm Seonghyeon, and he quickly hurried away.
Left alone in the silent back alley, Nokhee raised her trembling hands to cover her face.
There was no longer any way to atone for the sins she had committed.
The funeral for Yoon Jucheol’s eldest son, Yoon Myunghoon, was held the next day.
Just like on the day Nokhee first arrived, all the relatives gathered to cremate the body. Now, Seonghyeon could sit among the mourners, dressed in mourning clothes as a rightful member of the Yoon family.
The difference this time was that the number of attendees had significantly decreased; even when all the relatives gathered, they barely numbered fifty. Additionally, people who were not part of the Yoon family also attended.
Among them were the Crown Prince and a few of his aides, as well as Kijoon.
“Oh ho, so you’re the snake yokai they’ve been talking about.”
It was said that the Crown Prince had requested to see Kijoon’s face at least once. It was obvious why the usually stern Grand Sharman and Yoon Jucheol readily accepted such a request, despite never allowing Kijoon to participate in the funeral rites before. They aimed to show how the situation had changed with the imperial family’s involvement.
They likely intended to convey a clear message: that they remained firmly in control, and no rebellious thoughts Kijoon might harbour would change anything.
“You scoundrel! Why are you just standing there without paying your respects to His Highness the Crown Prince? He made the effort to come all this way just to see your face, and yet you dare waste his time!”
Seeing the servant standing blankly in front of the Crown Prince, Yoon Jucheol glared and prepared to kick him.
“That’s enough, Lord Yoon. What would a lowly creature know?”
However, thanks to the Crown Prince’s gracious intervention, such an unfortunate incident was avoided.
Fascinated by the creature that had seamlessly transformed into a human form, the Crown Prince inspected it from various angles and suddenly burst into laughter upon noticing what the servant was holding.
“Hahaha. To think that the one who can slay a monster with a single move is now sweeping during the day. The skills of the Yoon family in managing monsters are truly remarkable!”
In Kijoon’s hand was a broom, as if he had been dragged out while sweeping the front yard. Following the Crown Prince’s lead, everyone mockingly pointed at him. Although it had been a few days since she last saw him, Kijoon still wore a blank expression despite enduring all the humiliation.
Noticing Kijoon's lack of reaction, the Crown Prince quickly ceased laughing and respectfully joined his hands to greet the Grand Shaman.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Shaman. I’ve heard that you have been assisting Yoon Jucheol in caring for Hwangju. Your efforts are truly commendable, and I would like to request that you visit the imperial palace one day.”
“It is the duty of one who serves the gods. I am deeply grateful for Your Highness’s immense kindness.”
Once the brief pleasantries were over, the funeral rites for Myunghoon commenced. His severed head was placed atop a pile of dry wood in the centre of a cleared area, along with his body, and soon the flames engulfed them.
With an abundance of firewood, the blaze was fierce, allowing the cremation to be completed quickly. During this time, the Grand Shaman danced with a fan, praying for the soul of the deceased. Once the flames died down, she began rummaging through the ashes with a fire poker.
And soon, having discovered something, the shaman's face brightened as she called out to Nokhee.
“Nokhee, come here.”
In front of Seonghyeon, the Yoon family relatives, the Crown Prince, and Kijoon, Nokhee walked toward the Grand Shaman, feeling calmer than she expected. Perhaps it was due to her having gone through this many times over the past ten years, but her steps felt like second nature.
As soon as Nokhee stood before the Grand Shaman, her face painted white as always, she presented something she had found in the ashes to Nokhee.
“Your body has been so frail and sickly, causing the Yoon family’s worries to grow day by day. Unable to bear this sight, I now bestow this family heirloom upon you, Yoon Nokhee, the eldest daughter of Yoon Jucheol.”
It was a dark object, about the size of a fingernail. It was Kijoon’s reverse scale.
“Take it and swallow it. Then your sickness will disappear as if washed clean."
Nokhee received the object from Grand Sharman without trembling this time.
Just as she was about to swallow the piece with some water, she accidentally locked eyes with the servant standing stiffly beside Yoon Jucheol.
It was the first time.
The first time she had seen emotions reflected in those glassy, pitch-black eyes.
It was a clear display of hatred and disgust.
How truly unfortunate that the first emotion she sensed from someone she cared for was one of such animosity. However, the piece had already slipped past the back of her throat, leaving her unable to spit it out.
Gulp.
Only after the lump in her throat had moved and she had completely swallowed it did Nokhee find herself thinking.
‘I want to die.’
Then, as if the gods of heaven and earth, who had never heeded her prayers before, were now willing to grant her one wish, her breath caught in her throat. Darkness consumed her vision.
Nokhee slumped down weakly and closed her eyes.
Translator's Corner:
⚠️ Mini spoiler alert ⚠️
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