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Chapter 124: The Young Goblin. (1)

As I passed through the street, I headed toward the main hall. Originally, I was supposed to report to the Head Officer and then enter the Head House, but I ignored all of that and went straight in.

No one stopped me as I walked in without knocking.

Arriving at the Head House, I barged in without bothering to knock.

“What’s happening?”

My father greeted me with the same expression as always. He was fixated on a letter and didn’t even look my way.

I asked, looking at my father.

“…I heard there was a problem.”

Finally, my father shifted his gaze toward me.

“There was. Who told you?”

“Nangong Clan Leader came to visit.”

“Hmm…?”

Given the incident from yesterday, it seemed surprising that the Clan Leader would come to see me in person.

“Was there a problem regarding that?”

“There was no issue. He simply came to share information.”

“That Nangong Jin?”

“Yes.”

He seemed to misunderstand something about me, but I held back on that part for now. There were more pressing matters to address.

“I heard it wasn’t the Nangong people who injured the attendant.”

My father stared at me quietly before responding after a moment.

“They claim it wasn’t them.”

“…So you haven’t confirmed it yet?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I think we need to verify this.”

My father placed the letter he was reading down onto the table. I could see from the slight furrow of his brows just how troubled he was.

“Gu Yangcheong.”

“Yes, Clan Leader.”

“You know you’re stepping out of line, right?”

“…”

“If you want to say something like that, you should have the relevant title to back it up.”

A drop of cold sweat fell. I felt the oppressive atmosphere in the room even though I had no stake in the matter.

Father was telling me that if I wanted to meddle, I’d need to earn the title of Lesser Clan Leader.

As it stood, I was nothing but his son.

“The Nangong side has acknowledged their mistakes.”

While they had maintained that they didn’t harm the attendant, they admitted there had been mistakes on their part.

What Nangong Jin said about protecting me was exactly this.

“The ones treating the Nangong Clan’s martial artists you broke are none other than Shin Yi. Luckily, he said there wouldn’t be any issues with the treatment.”

Of course, I had deliberately set it up that way. I didn’t go around smashing for no reason out of fury.

“Even so, can we say you bear no guilt?”

“No, I can’t.”

There were indeed aspects I had to acknowledge. Even if things went wrong, I still bore responsibility.

“Even if the Nangong side acknowledged it, it doesn’t mean you can avoid compensation and accountability.”

Despite any external justifications and responsibilities, the problem wouldn’t simply vanish.

That was what my father was driving at.

“Providing compensation so they won’t feel wronged and taking on your own responsibilities are separate matters.”

It was an argument I couldn’t refute.

[Unlike you, who’s hopelessly shameless, you’re surprisingly decent for a human, my child.]

While securing political leverage and benefits with the Nangong Clan, he spoke about ensuring proper compensation and accountability behind the scenes to avoid any backlash.

“Don’t waste your thoughts on the problems that come to mind. Focus on what you need to accomplish here and remember who you are.”

He didn’t say a word about my martial arts spar with Nangong Jin or the situation that followed.

“I will make sure to visit the injured attendant and the Nangong Clan’s martial artists as soon as possible.”

At my words, my father nodded.

Before he even spoke, it was indeed something that should have been done.

[You’re definitely getting used to this.]

‘Is there really not much choice in acknowledging it?’

I didn’t quite understand whose doing it was, nor what they intended to do to that attendant.

Yet, I had been the one to cause an incident in the chaos. Even if I could erase my external sins, responsibility didn’t just disappear.

If I were to concede it was true, I naturally had to assume the responsibility.

[…But you let them break bones and twist arms while ensuring their treatment?]

‘Isn’t that something Noya could manage?’

[How could he do such a thing?!]

‘It’s not as difficult as you might think.’

Though it appeared brutal on the surface, it was easy to make the treatment effective. Inflicting pain while leaving no traces behind.

With enough repetition—hundreds or thousands of times—it became far from difficult to grasp.

Given how frequently I applied it in this life, it might not have been a bad experience after all.

‘I should minimize emotional reactions even further.’

Despite reducing responses greatly since my previous life, it didn’t seem like it would be an easy task.

“Is this the end of your business?”

My father seemed to indicate it was time for me to leave, but the real matter hadn’t even started yet.

[All I got was a scolding for showing up.]

“…There’s still more.”

“Speak.”

“I was wondering about the Tai Seon Dan you mentioned previously. You said you might consider it if I had another request.”

“That’s correct.”

“Then I’d like to make a different request.”

At my words, my father’s expression turned peculiar. I didn’t shy away from his gaze and continued.

“I want to take a short trip underground.”

My father’s eyes widened at my request. It was the most striking reaction I’d seen from him this year.

He likely never expected to hear me say I wanted to go underground.

“What’s the reason?”

“There’s something I want to see.”

“Is it you?”

“Yes.”

I needed to ascertain whether the one Nangong Jin spoke of was the same individual.

“You, who claimed you’d never wish to go again, are suddenly asking for this. What’s changed?”

If it were anyone else, he would have told me to go right away; instead, he had already asked me twice.

He seemingly held some meaning to the pride of the Gu Clan.

“It’ll only take a moment.”

In truth, I didn’t even need a moment. It was a space I didn’t want to be in for that long anyway.

It was insane to think I’d willingly head back there.

‘But I need to confirm it, even if it means going back.’

Asking my father was futile; he wouldn’t know the individual’s name.

He wouldn’t know. The one who understood the underground best wasn’t him—it was me.

Having sorted through my thoughts, my father spoke.

“Do you realize what you’re saying? That you won’t be able to escape once you go down there?”

It was a statement laden with unspoken implications.

“Anyway, there’s no escape, is there?”

Accepting my fate was inescapable. Even when weary and lost, there was still no way around it.

There was one thing, though.

It was a method I had used in my previous life, and I had no desire to repeat it.

“…I thought you’d changed a lot… but apparently, it’s insufficient to say you’ve come to your senses.”

I still hadn’t.

That’s why I was causing trouble; a single reincarnation hadn’t sufficed.

I couldn’t do it a second time, nor did I want to, so I had to live earnest from now on. Damn it.

“…Do you plan to enter immediately?”

“The sooner, the better.”

My father pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to me. When I caught it, it was a red seal. It was something I hadn’t seen in a while.

It was the key to open the door and a token I’d receive upon becoming a Lesser Clan Leader.

“…The time is just after the afternoon prayer today; your limit is precisely a moment.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll inform the Head Officer. He’ll come looking for you shortly thereafter.”

Contrary to my expectations that he would accompany me, it seemed I was to go in alone.

‘Why is that?’

If there’s no one else around, I’d rather be at ease, yet it was puzzling to think he trusted me this much.

As I closed the door to the Head House, my greatest inquiry was this.

[What is it about the underground that raises such worries?]

‘Could you not see it?’

[I told you, I couldn’t see much of anything.]

It seemed even Noya, who had reviewed memories, hadn’t seen anything about the underground.

‘In that case, you needn’t concern yourself with it.’

[…That’s absurd. You just saw it, and you want me not to be curious? Do you think that’s reasonable?]

It was a fragment of the darkness within the Gu Clan and part of karma. The fewer who knew of it, the better.

[Don’t tell me you’ve hidden a treasure trove down there?]

‘Treasure? Not at all.’

If that were the case, that would indeed be pleasant. Unfortunately, there were no such treasures in the Gu Clan’s underground.

What lay there wasn’t resplendent and desirable like a treasure.

…

…

…

‘There were many names swirling around, yet one stood out in my mind.’

There was a phrase the Heavenly Demon had once uttered.

– It seems like they’ve pulled the hellish ground into form.

I recalled his expression, beaming with a smile. Hell; indeed, the Heavenly Demon had referred to the underground as hell.

The phrase resonated far too hauntingly within my being.

As the sun set, evening fell.

During that time, I hadn’t met anyone.

I needed to spend some time alone.

When the time came, as per my father’s instructions, I sought out the Head Officer.

The underground was not far away. It lay just beneath the Head House.

Following the Head Officer’s guidance, I descended the stairs slowly.

Creak—Creak!

With each step down, ominous sounds echoed through the air.

I descended the not-so-high stairs in a short time.

This meant that the underground wasn’t too deep.

“I will wait here.”

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, the Head Officer informed me.

He meant he could accompany me no further. I moved on, leaving him behind.

Woo Hyeok…

As I walked through the long corridor, a ringing noise resonated in my ears. A veil must have been unfolding around here.

The fact the Head Officer was waiting outside was also attributed to that.

Only the Gu Family’s bloodline could pass through the veil without issue.

And among them, only my father and I.

Even the Heavenly Demon, who claimed he’d crush everything, could not break through the veil.

He succeeded in passing through, but ultimately couldn’t shatter it.

It was ridiculous to think that even such a being could not achieve that.

It felt like I was enveloped in an utterly hopeless situation.

As I walked, I finally reached the door. A gigantic door with a small empty space.

I inserted the seal my father had given me into that space.

Clink—.

I could faintly hear the mechanism moving, and the door began to slowly open.

Whoosh…!

Whoosh.

Despite the enormous size of the door, the opening was quite narrow. Still, it was ample space to enter and exit.

I hesitated for a moment in the pitch-black void, but with my eyes squeezed shut, I pushed myself inside.

Thud!

As I stepped fully inside, the door behind me closed as though waiting for me.

Unlike when it opened, the speed of closing was far quicker.

Whoosh!

As darkness persisted in that space, light gradually illuminated within.

I didn’t use any fire technique. The space itself emitted light.

As the light filled the room halfway, I heard the trembling voice of Shin Noya echo.

[…What on earth is this… what is this place.]

Adjusting my eyes to the dim light, I slightly opened them.

The vast space remained as it was. A gigantic area that seemed impossible to construct underground.

After descending for what didn’t feel like a long time, the size of the space was immense, almost as if I had entered another realm.

Clang.

Bang—! Bang—!

As the light brightened, noise immediately filled the air from all directions. The sound of something hitting the wall, the clattering of metal, fingers scratching against something.

Numerous noises invaded my ears unpleasantly, but it wasn’t just that I could hear.

– Ah…

Voices came through. Not just one, but multiple voices.

– Who’s there? Who’s there? Who’s there?? Who are you?

– It’s not the big goblin, but a small goblin! So ugly, so ugly.

—Die… die… kill… kill…

– Let me out… hurry up and let me out! I’ll kill them all!!!

—Come here, little one… come here…

[What in the world… what the hell is this place.]

Bang! Bang!

The space filled with bars resembling a prison numbered in the dozens.

Simply watching felt like a mental assault. It seemed a feeling reminiscent of someone messing with my mind.

– It doesn’t go through… it doesn’t pass…? Is it the same voice?

– If you let me out, I’ll let you live…

[Kid…! This is…!]

‘Just wait a moment, just a moment, so please be quiet for now.’

Amidst the growing headache, it was a situation where I couldn’t even hear Noya’s words.

This was the very reason I dreaded coming here; staying at the entrance and feeling this overwhelmed me.

‘…It’s still an awful feeling.’

In front of the entrance, another door stood solid and faced me.

That was the real one. This place wasn’t particularly important.

But there was no need to go just yet. The objective for today lay right here.

Voices continued pouring into my head, but as I steadied my breath, my power began to circulate, and I felt a little better.

After letting out a breath, I whispered quietly.

“■■■.”

[…Huh? What did you just say… kid?]

Shin Noya paused in his curiosity. As I had spoken, it seemed as if the cacophony surrounding me had ceased, as though it had become an illusion.

A moment of silence descended.

And breaking that silence was a voice from nearby.

– Who are you?

While I expressed it as a prison, there weren’t any iron bars blocking me. Only one thin, translucent veil barely held everything back.

A hand pressed against the transparent veil in the darkness where no light seeped through.

– Young goblin, what did you just say?

I approached the direction from which the voice emerged, as if it waited for me.

– How come you uttered my name? Where did you hear that? How did you know? What did you find me with?

As I got closer, the owner of the voice gradually revealed himself.

[….!]

Noya gasped as he perceived the figure’s identity.

It was only natural. The being bore the same face and body shape as mine.

The only distinction being that it was completely naked.

The figure inquired of me.

– When was it? When could it be? When was the last time we saw each other?

“About four years ago.”

It must have been around that time. To refer it to now.

– Right! Right! Since I’m here, I’ve lost all sense of time, but isn’t it strange? I’ve seen you, but you weren’t surprised. Why is that?

I studied the figure with an unchanging expression. As I didn’t respond, the entity made an effort to read my reaction.

– If you don’t find this surprising, how about this?

Crack! The figure’s face twisted grotesquely. Not just the face, but the very form distorted, morphing instantly.

This time, it bore an unmistakable face identical to my father’s.

– Oh…! Oh? This still doesn’t surprise you?

Seeing that was enough for me to understand. This being was trapped underground.

Having confirmed that, I turned my body. I didn’t want to linger here any longer.

– Hey? You leaving already? Young goblin, young goblin, wait a moment!

As it called out to me, I turned my head to gaze back.

With a wave and bright smile, it bore the countenance and form of my father.

– It was a pleasure meeting you; let’s meet again next time.

At its greeting, I scowled. I would inevitably meet it again.

I didn’t utter a single word. I just walked back towards the exit.

Once I stepped out, as if it had waited for me, the flames on the walls faded away, and once again, silence and darkness resided in that space.

In the interim, the being quietly murmured.

– This young goblin feels distinctly different, doesn’t he?

No reply came back.

“Guh…”

The moment I stepped outside, I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. I barely managed to keep whatever wanted to escape at bay, yet the sickening feeling refused to vanish.

[…Kid.]

I heaved and choked a few more times before finally leaning against the wall.

“…Did Noya not feel anything?”

[I mean that wretched voice you’re hearing?]

“…That’s a relief; it seems you’re not feeling anything.”

Noya appeared to feel nothing, but I was different.

The moment my feet touched that space, my mind began to spiral. No idea how long had passed; it felt like an eternity, yet it probably hadn’t even surpassed a quarter of it.

‘Damn it…’

Whether it was a side effect of reincarnation or what, it felt significantly more intense than before.

Having barely made it to the door, yet here I was.

Drip, something seemed to flow from my nose, so I wiped it only to find a nosebleed.

I quickly wiped my blood with the sleeve.

“Ugh, I’m already exhausted.”

It was to the point where I didn’t want to do anything. Gripping the wall with my body propped up, Noya began murmuring something I couldn’t catch.

[The wind is blowing.]

“Excuse me?”

Wind? Certainly, there’d be no place for a breeze in that confined space.

In what seemed like an effort to clarify, Noya added,

[I typically feel nothing. The concept of sensation seems nonexistent for spirits.]

“…So?”

[However, I feel a wind coming from the door on the opposite side.]

“Wind, you say?”

[Kid.]

“Yes, Noya?”

[Is that something that you can explain?]

“…”

Noya’s question made me chuckle wryly. Whether I could explain it, it was indeed a difficult question.

Sometimes, Noya tended to put me in such predicaments.

He could be so meticulous and stubborn like an old man, yet at other times, he didn’t fail to be considerate.

This only added to the guilt burdening my conscience, which I desperately wanted to avoid.

[Considering your reaction, I guess you’re still intact enough.]

“I can share what I can.”

There were more things I couldn’t say, but I intended to share as much as I could.

Having already ventured this deep underground and witnessed fragments, I couldn’t help but be curious.

“…However, for now, I want to rest. I’m a little tired.”

At my statement, Noya said nothing. It must be a silent encouragement to take a break.

Exiting with weary steps to rendezvous with the Head Officer, I handed over the seal before heading straight to my residence. I should have visited my father, but it didn’t seem like I could hold a proper conversation in my current state.

As I walked down the path at night, my mind continued to ponder.

‘That wasn’t him. So who could it be?’

To my knowledge, he was the only one with such characteristics.

If it wasn’t him, was it an entity that deceptively wore his likeness? Yet, how could I have missed that? Perhaps memories had been collectively tampered with.

My thoughts began to swirl.

Already suffering from a headache, my shoulders felt much heavier. It felt as though an immense weight was piled on top of me.

What was resting on my shoulders? Was it enough to be labeled as karma, yet why did it feel like so much had accumulated?

[Get a grip; your breathing is starting to falter.]

‘I’m trying to. I’m working hard on it right now.’

I had to keep it together.

Perhaps due to the cold autumn night, my breath arose in wisps.

Was it the exhaustion making me feel this way, or perhaps having learned the fire technique had made me sensitive to the chill?

With slow steps, I finally made it to my residence. Upon arriving, it seemed the attendants were saying something to me, but—

I hurriedly replied and entered my room. As I opened the door with a creak, two familiar figures awaited inside.

“Oh… you’re back.”

“Young Master!”

Wi Seol-Ah and Nangong Bi-ah were there.

Why were they here?

“…Well, um, Father sent us… he told us to come here.”

Nangong Bi-ah spoke haltingly, probably knowing I would dislike it.

From what I heard, it appeared Nangong Jin had done something. As Bi-ah was holding onto a pillow beside her, Wi Seol-Ah also began offering explanations.

“I-I heard my sister was sleeping…”

I was certain I had witnessed a similar scene at Hwasan Sect. I couldn’t quite recall what I had said back then.

Both of them seemed to try and add something, but I had no strength left to listen and collapsed into their embrace as if giving in. The soft warmth enveloped me right away.

“…Ah!”

“Y-Young Master…!”

[After all the concern, you filthy…!]

While I could hear further murmurs, I ultimately surrendered to the waves of sleep and drifted off.

 

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