Chapter 123 - A Change of Plans

It was because neither of them was a villain.

If either the Ghost Adept or Im Hyang had been a villain, their marriage would never have remained hell for so long. One of them would have left, or one would have killed the other.

It was because they were both ordinary people. All that bickering must have bred attachment, leaving them living together despite their resentment and dislike. That must have been the kind of relationship, the kind of life, they had shared—one they never wanted to repeat.

“Now, come inside. The food is ready, so have something to eat first.”

Yi An and I went inside, and Seo Jin followed us.

“I’ll show you the way.”

In this life, I intended to pass on my bond with Seo Jin from my previous life to Yi An.

As we walked together, I sent Yi An a sound transmission.

“Yi An, Seo Jin here is a candidate for second team leader of the Ghost Shadow Squad.”

“Oh!”

Her eyes widened, as though the suggestion had never occurred to her.

“Imagine having a team leader who can use ghost arts in the Ghost Shadow Squad you lead.”

“That would be amazing. Even our squad’s name has ‘ghost’ in it!”

“Whether you make her your subordinate is up to you, too.”

Yi An trusted me absolutely, so she never asked why I had chosen Seo Jin. Instead, she spoke to her.

“Congratulations on your brother’s marriage.”

“Thank you. I thought he’d never get married, but here we are.”

Though this was their first meeting, Seo Jin answered cheerfully.

“Why? He’s handsome, and he seems very nice.”

“For all that, he’s just a bookish fellow who did nothing but study.”

Seo Jin had taken a liking to Yi An. I knew exactly why.

The Seo Jin I had known in my previous life had loved beautiful women, too. She said seeing beautiful things put her in a good mood. She liked beautiful women, flowers, and pretty clothes. Those tastes, so incongruous for a wandering martial artist, probably came from her comfortable childhood in a distinguished family.

“I’ve only heard about ghost arts. I’ve never experienced them myself.”

“They’re nothing special.”

Seo Jin paused and raised a hand. Black smoke rose from her palm and instantly took the shape of a snake.

It was a small snake made of smoke, but it looked strangely real, as though it might turn into an actual pitch-black serpent at any moment.

WHOOSH!

The snake suddenly lunged at Yi An, only to dissolve into smoke and scatter before it reached her.

“That’s so wonderful!”

“You weren’t startled?”

“There was no killing intent.”

A curious gleam passed through Seo Jin’s eyes as she looked at Yi An. Even without killing intent, anyone would normally flinch at a snake suddenly lunging at them. Yet Yi An hadn’t been fazed in the slightest.

“Show me again sometime.”

“Next time, I’ll bring out something bigger and scarier.”

“Sounds good!”

I thought their personalities would mesh well, too. Both women were easygoing and straightforward, and knew how to be considerate of others.

What if both Blue Face and Seo Jin joined the Ghost Shadow Squad?

Blue Face could provide a steady presence as first team leader, while Seo Jin kept things cheerful as second team leader. It was already shaping up nicely.

But it wouldn’t be easy. One was a candidate to become a Demon Supreme, and the other was a blood relative of the Ghost Gate’s master.

Several guests were already in the main hall, and more continued to arrive. Some were the Ghost Adept’s guests, others Im Hyang’s.

Once everyone invited had arrived, the Ghost Adept and Im Hyang entered the hall as well. We raised a toast together to celebrate their approaching wedding.

Most of the guests were heirs to distinguished families, and they were well-mannered.

There was exactly one exception: Ju Myeong of the Seojong Sect, Im Hyang’s childhood friend. His expression had been dark from the moment he arrived, and he had plenty of objections to the marriage.

Was it the liquor he had been pouring down his throat from the outset? Or had he secretly been in love with Im Hyang?

With the Ghost Adept right there, he openly told her,

“Honestly, as your old friend, I can’t congratulate you on this wedding.”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“Martial families should marry into other martial families. That’s how you avoid trouble later.”

Naturally, the Ghost Adept was offended. Saying that with him standing right beside them was an outright declaration of disrespect, wasn’t it?

But Ju Myeong was Im Hyang’s guest, so the Ghost Adept addressed him civilly.

“Our sect is also a fully fledged martial sect, part of Murim.”

“No one here would consider the Ghost Gate a martial sect.”

“How can you say such a thing? Our sect has contributed so much to Murim.”

“Young Hero Seo, do you consider the Ghost Gate’s spells legitimate martial arts?”

For a moment, the Ghost Adept couldn’t answer. No one had ever asked him a question like that, and he didn’t know how to respond.

“Martial arts and cheap tricks are two entirely different things.”

As Ju Myeong crossed the line, a sharp, clear voice rang through the hall.

“Then shall we see how those supposedly magnificent martial arts of yours fare against our cheap tricks?”

It was Seo Jin who stepped forward. Seeing her glare at him with one delicate eyebrow raised brought back memories. Even in her days as a wandering martial artist, that eyebrow had risen whenever she was angry.

She extended a hand, and a black haze rose around Ju Myeong.

“Gah!”

Startled, he looked around and drew his sword.

“What? What is this?”

He began swinging his sword at empty air. He was clearly seeing some sort of illusion.

And I could see what he was seeing. A pitch-black shadow with nothing but eyes and a mouth was rushing at him. It looked so frightening and real that even knowing it was an illusion sent a chill through my chest.

I could also see how to dispel it. That was the combined effect of the Blood-Eye Purifying Water and the New Eye Procedure.

Ju Myeong was darting about, swinging his sword, and someone nearby could easily get hurt.

When Seo Jin withdrew her spell, Ju Myeong, still swinging at empty air, soon realized he had fallen prey to ghost arts. Even though he had known it was an illusion, he had swung his sword without realizing it. Such were the Ghost Gate’s ghost arts: you fell victim even when you knew what was happening.

He glared at Seo Jin.

“I will never forgive you for humiliating me with this kind of sinister sorcery—”

SMACK!

His head snapped sideways. Im Hyang had strode over and slapped him.

“Do you want to die? Still not sober? Who the hell do you think you are, saying you won’t forgive her?”

“You!”

“Are you really my friend? A friend shouldn’t act like this! You’re the only friend I have, and you’re making me this miserable?”

Ju Myeong had no answer. Her words about him being her only friend seemed to have struck him like a dagger.

He let out a short sigh.

“I’m sorry.”

The anger that had flared like fire was already gone.

“I’m sorry I hit you, too.”

“It’s all right. You hit me plenty of times when we were kids, didn’t you?”

Ju Myeong apologized to the Ghost Adept and Seo Jin as well.

“I’m sorry. It was rude of me to disparage your family. I apologize.”

But he still had one last grievance.

“Even so, I don’t like this marriage! I oppose it!”

With that, Ju Myeong left.

My gaze shifted to the Ghost Adept.

Ghost Adept, you’re supposed to be the one shouting that.

‘I don’t want this marriage! Don’t congratulate me! Am I, the groom, really the only person opposed to this wedding?’

The Ghost Adept tried to scold Seo Jin for rashly intervening, but Im Hyang stopped him. Then she apologized to him.

“I’m sorry. We’ve been friends since childhood, so I suppose he was very upset to hear I was getting married.”

“Doesn’t that just show how much he cares for you, Miss Im?”

“If he cared, he shouldn’t have acted like that. He just got fucking drunk and made an ass of himself. Forget about it.”

Watching the feeling in the Ghost Adept’s eyes deepen as he looked at her, I sighed inwardly.

‘You’re falling even harder.’

Seeing her today, I realized Im Hyang was a decent woman, too. If the Ghost Adept could recognize and understand her personality for what it was, perhaps they could be a good match.

* * *

During the banquet, the Ghost Adept stepped outside for some fresh air.

He hadn’t shown it in front of Im Hyang, but his spirits kept sinking.

It was because of Ju Myeong. He kept regretting that he hadn’t stepped in when the man had voiced his objections.

Had Im Hyang thought him a coward?

He would have won if he had intervened. Should he have properly shown what he could do? No. His father had always warned against allowing the Ghost Gate to become entangled in Murim’s disputes. What Murim dispute? It had just been an emotional quarrel between friends. He should have stepped in!

His thoughts swung back and forth, unable to settle. More than his failure to intervene, he hated himself for regretting it afterward.

Lost in thought, he walked until he found himself at his study.

He stood by the window, looking inside. This was where he felt most at ease. Come to think of it, whenever his father scolded him or some problem arose, he always came here. The study was his only place of rest, his refuge.

The Ghost Adept knew.

He wasn’t the sort of person who would find happiness in subduing Ju Myeong, forcing him to his knees, and laughing triumphantly. Reading, researching, investigating—he was happiest when he could spend his time quietly.

‘Anyway, I ought to show Miss Im this place.’

He wanted to show Im Hyang just how widely read he was. Today, that urge was particularly strong.

Just then, someone spoke.

“You really do have a great many books.”

The Ghost Adept turned in surprise.

I stood behind him, having followed him outside.

“It felt a little stifling, so I came out for some air. I kept walking and ended up here.”

“I see.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone in Murim with this many books.”

“I’ve loved reading since I was a child.”

“I see. I also know someone who loves books.”

“Oh, do you? Introduce us sometime, if you have the chance.”

“Certainly.”

I imagined the Ghost Adept’s horrified expression when he learned that person was the Blood Heaven Saber Demon. When I pictured the Blood Heaven Saber Demon’s disapproving look at him as well, I couldn’t help laughing.

We naturally began walking back toward the main hall together.

“The more I see of you and Miss Im, Young Master Seo, the more I think you suit each other.”

“If you’re trying to console me over what happened earlier, there’s no need. I’ve forgotten all about it.”

“It looked like jealousy to me. Still, I can understand that young hero. If a friend I’d loved for years were getting married, I’d want to go overturn the banquet table myself.”

I was cheering the Ghost Adept up. Whether I stopped his marriage or not, I would need to become reasonably close to him to accomplish anything.

And the quickest way to grow close to someone was to tell them what they wanted to hear.

“One day, he’ll bolt awake in the middle of the night and drink some cold water, asking himself, ‘Why did I make such an idiot of myself back then?’”

The Ghost Adept laughed. Since that incident had soured his mood, it was only right to use it to lift his spirits, too.

“You did well to hold back. Otherwise, you’d have been the one bolting awake, Young Master Seo.”

The Ghost Adept stopped and looked at me, then suddenly asked,

“Have we perhaps met before?”

Ghost Adept, are you sensing some thread of fate? Well, if anyone could sense something, it would be you.

“This is our first meeting.”

“And yet you don’t feel like a stranger, young hero.”

“Some people put you at ease from the first meeting, as though you’ve known them for years, don’t they? Like a friend. You trust them for no particular reason. You just want to do something for them.”

“I wouldn’t go quite that far.”

“Perhaps it’s because I took a liking to you from the start, Young Master Seo. After seeing your books, I respect you even more.”

I kept feeding him pleasant words, disarming his wariness. Even hardened veterans like the Blood Heaven Saber Demon and the Wicked Laughing Demon were no match for my Divine Art of Flattery. Growing close to this young Ghost Adept was child’s play.

And the most important part of the Divine Art of Flattery was knowing when to stop and withdraw without hesitation. I had to give him time to savor my words and feel good about them.

“Well, I’ll head inside first.”

Leaving him there, I entered the main hall.

* * *

On our way back after the banquet, I asked Yi An,

“What did you think of Seo Jin?”

She had spent the whole banquet talking with her.

“I liked her. She’d make an excellent team leader.”

“My recommendations never fail.”

“There’s just one problem.”

“Whether she’ll join the Cult?”

“Yes.”

“The Ghost Gate has always been a sect between the orthodox and unorthodox paths. Some of its ancestors belonged to the Cult, too. If you persuade her properly, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“You know a lot about the Ghost Gate.”

“I did a little studying before we came.”

In truth, Seo Jin had told me all of it in my previous life. As a wandering martial artist, she hadn’t wanted to be tied to any faction. She hadn’t wanted to belong anywhere, and that had made her someone who could go anywhere.

“We’ll have to return to the Cult soon anyway, so we won’t be able to take her with us. We just need to make sure she can come find us later.”

Someday, when she felt suffocated and ran away from home, all we had to do was make her seek out Yi An rather than the life of a wandering martial artist.

“You know how to contact us, right? By leaving a name at any of the West Lake Inns across the Central Plains.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her when we say goodbye.”

Apart from Yi An’s efforts, I intended to keep an eye on Seo Jin’s movements myself, so that the great current of her fate could lead her to Yi An.

“Oh, what about you, Young Master? How did stopping the marriage go?”

“We’re changing plans.”

It was a decision I had reached after watching the Ghost Adept and Im Hyang at today’s banquet.

Master Gwak of the Cult’s smithy always said that small differences made a masterpiece.

I believed that applied to human relationships, too. A small difference could change the outcome. Even if I couldn’t change the people, I could change their relationship.

A single remark could move us to lifelong loyalty, or hurt us enough to part ways. A single remark could make us hate someone for the rest of our lives. That was simply who we were.

And so, this was my new plan.

“Instead of stopping the Ghost Adept’s marriage, I’ll help the two of them live happily together.”

It can’t be helped, Ghost Adept. You’ll have to get married. But I’ll open a different door for you—not the gates of hell.