The Nature of Possession

chapter 402



403 – EP.15 Fire Flower

***

We headed to Namwon, losing sleep over it.

Unlike the merchants who took only three days for the round trip, we were able to reach the border of Namwon after three days.

Sometimes it was a daunting task to cross mountains and descend steep hills by hand.

There were many dangerous moments along the way.

He also caught a fish that had tripped on a cliff and fought with a wild boar.

“I didn’t know that you would do this.”

Bangja said as he watched me chase away the boar by striding towards it.

If I had to pick one of the most dangerous moments, it would be meeting the Jang people.

Coming down the mountain without knowing this, Bangja and I chose a somewhat difficult path.

In fact, it couldn’t even be called a road. It was because the road was cut off in the middle by a landslide the previous year.

I chose that dangerous path because it was obvious that going around the mountain would take a long time if I chose another path that was safe.

The incident where the aforementioned Bangja almost fell off the cliff also happened here.

At the end of the steep, groping path was a dense forest. It was a sight that reminded me of campsites all over the world.

Bangja and I, who had been judging the direction by the sun, passed the trees.

At that time, the Jang tribe appeared.

Although they were not trained in martial arts, the Jang tribe members poked their heads out one by one, piercing through my sense of presence.

What was unique was that everyone covered their faces with thin cloth.

“Eww! Jang-i-jok!”

The man who saw the long, horizontally extended ears screamed and lay down.

I wonder if he thought that if he covered his eyes, others wouldn’t be able to see him either.

“Please, I’m tasteless. Please save me.”

Bangja, curled up as best as she could and shivering, muttered in a daze.

“I didn’t want to meet you.”

I was nervous about meeting the Jang family for reasons other than those of the Bangja.

If I, who am not the original owner, create a new relationship, a variable arises.

And that variable slowly grows in size without me knowing, and then appears at the most important moment.

‘Please, nothing happens. Just let it pass.’

The Jang people, each holding a bow in their hand, slowly approached us.

If they had come a few steps closer, their faces would have been visible through the cotton cloth, but the Zhang family in the lead maintained an exquisite distance.

The golden eyes of the Jang family that once saved me from a tiger came to mind for no reason.

“Dani tribe. Are you going down the mountain?”

A voice came through the sky.

“Dani? Are you talking about me?”

“Yes. Are you going down the mountain?”

At the words of the Zhang family, Bangja, who had been lying down, stood up after observing the situation.

There was dirt and wet leaves stuck to his face. I clicked my tongue inwardly as I looked at him.

“I was coming down the mountain. I had some urgent business to attend to, so I chose the rough route. If I have invaded your territory, please pass quietly.”

When we showed our disapproval by raising our hands, everyone lowered their half-raised bows.

The Zhang family in the lead looked me up and down.

“I see. We have to hurry if we want to get down before the sun sets.”

“I would appreciate it if you could give me some directions or a shortcut.”

As I spoke while watching the sun set, the Jang family nodded.

“Go towards where there are fewer trees. The closer you get to the village, the fewer trees there will be.”

The Jang family stretched out their hands and pointed in the direction.

“thanks.”

I expressed my gratitude by bowing.

“…Are you really going to let me go? Oh, without any conditions?”

Bangja checked again whether he could believe this situation.

The Jang people didn’t show any reaction to the fearful and loud noises of the rebels.

In this way, we were able to descend the mountain following the direction the Jang people had shown us, and reach the border of Namwon before the sun set.

***

“Honestly, when I think about that time, I still feel like my liver is shrinking.”

We arrived at the inn in beggarly form and took a room, then washed ourselves in the nearby stream.

After dinner and while making her bed in her room, Bangja kept thinking back to what had happened in the mountains.

“I’m glad you were friendly.”

I was worried that they might attack me out of the blue, saying that I had invaded their territory, but it turned out to be a relief.

“Contrary to rumors, doesn’t it seem more moderate?”

“You were trembling in fear of the Jang family, and now you’re coming?”

When Bangja let out a sigh, Bangja avoided eye contact and laughed, perhaps remembering the shameful moment back then.

“Well, now that I think about it, they all seem pretty.”

“I can see right through that thousand-foot piece of cloth blocking my face.”

“Hey, but you can get the general idea, right?”

Bangja said as if she felt wronged.

“When did you say that you killed the Japanese with evil sorcery, and now you’re saying that the Jang people are pretty?”

When I scolded him for his sudden change of stance, Bangja shrugged his shoulders as if there was nothing he could do.

“No, I just experienced it myself. It’s not as scary as you might think, Your Majesty.”

“Okay, okay. Got it.”

As I turned my back to him and laid down on the blanket, Bangja grumbled and turned off the light.

A tavern where only the sound of cicadas can be heard. The tavern staff, who were sitting on the benches and pouring drinks, have all gone to sleep, so it is quiet.

“master.”

“uh.”

“Have you still not regained your memory?”

“Yeah. But thanks to you, I was able to remember a lot.”

With the presumption that I had lost my memory, I was able to ask Bangja many questions.

Bangja told me in detail what kind of person I was in this world, what kind of people my parents were, and what kind of evaluation I was receiving.

Even taking into account the owner’s compensation, I could tell that they were not bad people with bad personalities.

“What about Lady Chunhyang?”

I was able to learn how I met Chunhyang and how I courted her through Bangja’s words.

“Not yet.”

“They say she’s locked in jail… First of all, we should check if Lady Chunhyang is okay, right?”

Magistrate Byeon took office as the new Namwon magistrate to replace his retired father.

He must find a way to approach Chunhyang without being noticed by her.

“Yes, I think it would be better to see Chunhyang first rather than telling my parents. If they knew that I was getting involved with the new Namwon magistrate, they would definitely stop me.”

If we heard about his personality through Bangja, he would definitely stop us from going against the will of the country.

“By the way, I’m afraid that Chunhyang will be disappointed.”

“Huh? What is it? If the master shows his face in person, Chunhyang will definitely be moved.”

Bangja laughed as if it was nonsense.

“The past is falling apart, and the appearance is like that of a beggar?”

“When did Lady Chunhyang ever like you like that?”

“Is that so….”

“By the way, I need to get your memory back. I’m really worried.”

It’s a memory that will never return.

Along with the chirping of cicadas, the sweet scent of flowers entered the room.

The guys who came in through the crack in the door circled the room and then landed on our faces.

“master.”

Bangja spoke in a calm voice, different from before.

“uh.”

“I think you and Chunhyang are a perfect match. I thought you were a match made in heaven.”

It’s a story I’ve heard countless times while coming down the mountain.

“There’s a saying that goes, ‘People of the same class should meet each other.'”

“Isn’t Chunhyang born in the lowest class?”

I know she’s the daughter of a retired military officer. Of course, her status doesn’t mean much to me.

“I’m not talking about the status that the world has determined. It’s just the nature of a person. That person’s existence. Don’t you know?”

The landlord asked for consent.

“Yes. As you said, Chunhyang is on the same level as me.”

I gave a moderate nod.

“Haha, you know what I mean.”

Bangja answered in an excited voice, wondering what was so good about it.

And within minutes, it started snoring and growling.

It’s really noisy.

A sleepless night. At the border of Namwon.

The sound of cicadas and the fragrance of flowers were fragrant.


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