CH 214

TL note: I’m not sure why spacing/indentation is off for this chapter and the last

After cutting through the silence, Woo Ragi stretched his long legs and rose from his seat. Then, he pressed on Choi Kyung-sik’s small head with the palm of his hand. “I told you that you wouldn’t be able to escape from this even after you died, right?”

“You’re in the same situation–would you please stop putting on airs?”

“Nope. I’m free and without debts; you’re Seo Dawon’s slave.”

“…Even after dying and coming back to life, I see that your maw 1 is still the same.”

No matter how I squinted, this scene was completely different from a warm reunion between long-lost colleagues.

Choi Kyung-sik didn’t lose to Woo Ragi–still bantered back and forth with the swordsman–but it still felt like the poor Alchemist was crushed. He wasn’t laughing as leisurely as he did before… In contrast to Woo Ragi’s grin, his face gradually turned pale, looking half-dead.

So, I inadvertently looked carefully up at Seo Dawon, sitting next to me. I wondered if he actually threatened Choi Kyung-sik and was holding him hostage.

Seo Dawon, as if he accurately read my thoughts from my impure eyes, crossed his legs. Then, as if he were an innocent, altruistic soul, he spoke gently, “Ragi says such strange things. Kyung-sik-ie and I have a very egalitarian and lawful contract.”

“……”

However, if we looked back on all that had happened since the servant contract, Seo Dawon had never hesitated to take advantage of others; he had the talent to control others and not let them do as they pleased… Strangely, all of a sudden, I felt an incomprehensible emotion rise for the Alchemist. It was a bit too weak to be called sympathy. I would never call it affection–but maybe it was similar to curiosity… My hostile feelings towards the other seemed to have slightly eased.

‘Previously, Seo Dawon said that he pulled Choi Kyung-sik out of an unfavorable lawsuit… Does the Alchemist owe him because of that?’

""

As I thought that, I gave Choi Kyung-sik a side-long glance. When he met my eyes, he released a long sigh and murmured a complaint. “…If I could turn back time, I would never have gotten involved with guildmaster-nim.”

“That makes me upset?”

“If I hadn’t followed hyung, I would have retired in my 40s and lived as a landowner. Rather than being upset, you should restore my life to its original state.” Choi Kyung-sik didn’t hide his annoyance and continued to talk back to the Mage.

I was surprised by the way Choi Kyung-sik nonchalantly revealed his honest opinions. In a way, it was true their current situation was caused by Seo Dawon’s failure….

So, when Choi Kyung-sik pinpointed the Mage’s weakness, I couldn’t help but to sharply gasp and stare at Seo Dawon. But, how should I say this… Choi Kyung-sik’s words bookended things so nice that, rather than adding to the chilly vibe, the atmosphere gradually began to become lively. As if the Alchemist had broken through the awkwardness of the situation.

‘How very… He spoke so meanly, but it’s strangely refreshing…’

Seo Dawon no longer maintained distance; his attitude became more honest. In other words, he retread familiar modes of communication as he began to sarcastically quarrel with Choi Kyung-sik with a relaxed tone. “Kyung-sik-ie is like that. He’s good at saying things he doesn’t particularly mean. He’s a bit shy?”

“Is there anyone who doesn’t know that I was kicked out of my previous job for improper speech conduct?”

“Of course people know. Also, I’m the savior that delivered you out of that hell.”

“It was a contract with the devil.”

“Think of how high your career soared when you came to Red Lotus.”

“That was the result of all my vacations being cut short due to crazy workload.”

“You’re the type to get better results when under a little pressure.”

“If that’s considered just ‘a little pressure,’ all the alchemists would probably have killed themselves and left no one around them behind. But, since I’m me, I could meet Guildmaster-nim’s ridiculous demands.”

There was something cute about Choi Kyung-sik, who looked annoyed by Seo Dawon’s gentle attitude. Maybe it was because he looked so much like a geeky ‘scholar.’ 2… Slowly, I began to slightly understand the Alchemist’s personality, and my body released some tension.

At that time, Kim Olim, who showed no interest in their argument, as if she found it all tiresome and boring, suddenly picked up her ringing cell phone and stopped when she saw the caller. She handed over the still ringing phone over to me as she said, “I was going to tell you something once you awoke, but it slipped my mind.”

“W-What is it?”

“Koo Hui-seo called yesterday as well.”

“Why? What happened…”

“I didn’t allow him to meet you since you’ve been in a bad condition; but it seems his patience has reached its limit. He says that if you don’t fulfill your promise, he’ll break the contract.”

“What?”

What kind of promise…Just as I thought that, I recalled how I had obtained Koo Hui-seo’s blood and accepted his invitation to visit his home before I could activate Choi Kyung-sik’s contract…

‘I completely forgot…’

I thought this was a bit troublesome, but I received the cell phone that the Paladin handed over. And Seo Dawon, sitting next to me, looked at the phone with blatant loathing.

[Koo Hui-seo]

Of course, I also felt complicated when I saw the name on the screen. He was someone who could pull a sigh from me just by looking at his name.

“Mm… First things first, I should take this…?”

Still, a promise was a promise; I looked around at everyone before touching the screen. Among all those around me, I was most conscious of Seo Dawon. Although I knew there was little difference by now, I intentionally switched to speaker-phone. Then, taking a deep breath, I carefully opened my mouth. “Hello?”

[……]

“Hello?”

[……]

“Excuse…me? 3 It’s Koo Hui-seo right? I’d like it if we could get to business as quickly as possible.”

[Ha……]

I said he should spit out what his business was as soon as possible, but all that answered me was a strange, back-chilling sigh.

Seo Dawon began to tap his toes. In anycase, the rapidly chilling vibe wasn’t the only problem. Though I was curious about Seo Dawon’s expression and wanted to turn around, I hurried to talk nervously to Koo Hui-seo again. “Hui-seo-ssi, I’ve been sick all this while and haven’t been able to meet you. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break my promise.”

[……]

“I think we’ll be able to meet by tomorrow. Therefore… Excuse me, are you listening to me?”

[Ye~es…]

“……”

[‘Hngh…’]

Koo Hui-seo immediately replied to my question in a hushed tone.

But, following that answer, was a brief, strangely sharp groan. I thought I had misheard, but the groan continued to cut through the silence.

That sound was… It made me feel unpleasant. It was just like…that bastard was calling me with some kind of lewd video in the background.

‘No way… No matter how much of a pervert this bastard may be, that’s….something like that is…’

I wanted to deny any assumptions my mind conjured, but I was caught by a deep sense of doubt. I recalled all that Koo Hui-seo had done so far; I couldn’t speak.

At that moment–Jung Garam must have heard the same sounds I did–the Assassin casually threw out a comment. “He’s not masturbating, is he?”

“……”

[No. I was playing with Kyungman-ie.]

""

While I froze, unable to answer Jung Garam, Koo Hui-seo responded with a bright voice through the receiver.

I wanted to reproach the man for answering so calmly, but…  I got a headache at the thought of arguing with him, so I decided to just ignore him. However, whatever that ‘play’ could involve, Koo Kyungman continued to grunt out the occasional faint, cut-off groans.

[Lee-kyung-ssi is just too much. I was super upset…I couldn’t get in touch with you at all…I was so bored and lonely that I, to Kyungman-ie…]

“……”

[So, I decided to… ‘Gasp…!’… Hmm, fool around a little…]

“……”

[Kyungman-ie has loosened a lot, so it’s no longer as much fun…]

What on earth had loosened? It was not like Koo Kyung-man was some self-assembled toy… As I was getting more and more stressed by his peculiar word choice–diction that made me imagine such severely dark scenes–Seo Dawon spoke coldly, “How did you hear Jung Garam’s voice?”

“……!” I was stunned by Seo Dawon’s question and froze. Come to think of it, Jung Garam hadn’t been physically summoned. If the servants weren’t summoned, no one else could see the manifestations of their soul-like apparitions nor hear their voices. Hui-seo’s answer, just now, made chills run down my back.

Once again, Koo Hui-seo did not need for the servant’s voice to be conveyed through my own voice and answered Seo Dawon directly.

[I think…it’s because something of me has been left behind in Lee-kyung-ssi… Until you wash that out, I’ll be mixed in as well.] 4

His tone was languid…and yet joyful at the same time.

TL: This is why I think Choi Kyung-sik is such an interesting kid. He’s a bit of a blunt tsundere (ish) but also someone that is wholly focused on his survival. I think he sees a little bit of his own situation in Choi Lee-kyung tbh. As much as (implied) he is thankful for Seo Dawon’s interference in his issues, Choi Kyungsik is still a wary individual who realizes that he’s also a bit of a shrimp in a whale fight (and in danger because of that). Thankfully, I think Hamster realized that Choi Kyung-sik doesn’t hate him or anything here~

Also RIP Koo Kyungman

Footnotes

주둥이 = informal way to say mouth. 샌님 (sennim) = someone who’s nerdy, geeky, and old-fashioned. Often used to describe prideful scholars of old. Lee-kyung is switching to a formal tone here. Koo Hui-seo is using incredibly vague language here