Chapter 14: CH 13

“The early bird wakes up!”

[Status system recovery initiated.]

[Status system being reinstalled onto Ghost.]

[Reinstalling……　92.33%]

[Time left: 2 days 5 hours 21 seconds]

‘Good.’

Thanks to absorbing the massive amount of mana from the Onikumo, the progress reached the point where the restoration would be completed in a few days.

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And there was something else that I could feel.

Now that I had possessed Baek Cheol-yeon, my abilities were magic detection and auror. But I could feel something else now, perhaps due to my increased sensitivity from overcharging my mana.

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It was common for the Awakened to have other minor side abilities on top of their main ones, but……

‘I don’t know what it is. Is it some kind of passive ability?’

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In the case of auror, I could infuse weapons I held in my hand with mana, and in the case of magic detection, if I concentrated, I could feel the flow of mana around me.

It’s easy to know active abilities that are activated only through actions. Still, passive abilities that are only activated in certain situations are difficult to tell by oneself unless they get an Awakened ability test or can use the system.

I should be able to know once my status window is restored, so whatever.

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I got up, took off my sleeping clothes, and changed into my school uniform. It wasn’t a school day, but in this day and age, a school uniform was the regular formal wear for a student, even outside school. And more than that, I didn’t have anything to wear to go out.

While putting on my school uniform, I looked at myself in the mirror and suddenly thought.

‘I wonder, why did I come back to life in this body?’

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It was strange that I had possessed the body of a person still alive. Just think about it, wouldn’t it be more natural to possess the body of a dead person instead of that of a person still alive?

‘This guy, Baek Cheol-yeon, did he die drinking?’

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Come to think of it, what the boarding house daughter said when I first woke up was, “Are you still drunk after coming home so late from drinking?”

Maybe that was what happened. I wondered what this guy even did. Even the small trashcan in the room I was using was full of bottles of soju and snack wrappers.

‘You died from drinking so much at such a young age.’

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If you want to live long, you must drink moderately with hearty meals…….

Thinking this, I opened the door and went outside when,

“Are you going out?”

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The boarding house daughter asked, sitting on the veranda, dangling her feet.

“Yes……Oh, that’s right. My trashcan is full. Where can I empty it?”

“Just leave it. I’ll clean it.”

“Oh, okay.”

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I answered and put my shoes on, but then I suddenly wondered.

Her father worked as a rickshaw puller, so he left early in the morning and came in late in the evening. Due to this, I had only heard his voice coming from the next room, and I’d never actually seen him, but……

But this girl never seemed to go anywhere else. It felt like she stayed home all day long. And even more, I didn’t think there would be much housework in this little house.

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She looked about one or two years younger than me, meaning she was at the age to be a 3rd grade middle school or 1st grade a high school student. For a kid like that, to be stuck at home all day, wasn’t something I could easily imagine. (note: Korean school system goes: 6 years elementary school, 3 years middle school, 3 years high school)

Unlike the 21st century, there were smartphones or computers, nor did the TV or internet exist. What did she do at home all day long……?

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“What are you stuck at home all day long? You should go out and play.”

I asked.

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“What would I do outside? I’d just waste my money! Like someone.”

She answered back sarcastically. I felt like that “someone” was referring to me…….

“You don’t even read the newspaper?”

“Is there anything fun in the newspaper? That’s just how the world goes round.”

“I’m gonna go check downtown. Do you want to come with me?”

“What?”

She was surprised, eyes open wide,

“Ah! Mister, what are you saying? Someone will hear you……”

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She answered, waving her hands in a hurry. I mean, I was just offering her to go out and have fun. It’s even more embarrassing for me if you freak out like that and put up a wall…….

“Ah…… I’m sorry.”

I hurried out of the gate, embarrassed.

***

Having come to the tram stop, I stopped and thought for a moment.

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‘I wanted to buy books and magazines the day before yesterday but couldn’t.’

My plan to buy books and magazines had broken down as, suddenly, a Gate opened and monsters appeared. So I thought about whether I should return to the used bookstore, but……

No!

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Since I was thrown into this world anyway, it would be better to dive in and experience it rather than read about it in a book. They say a picture paints a thousand words, so let’s just experience it personally.

So, I made up my mind to walk around town this time. I got on the tram going to downtown Gyeongseong.

My heart was pounding.

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It’s said that different eras are pretty much different countries.

‘Of course, right now I’m in a period where Korea is ruled by Japan, but…….’

Anyway, even the air was different. It felt like I had travelled in time. Of course, I didn’t come to this era because I wanted to, so I couldn’t call myself a “traveler”. Then, what should I call myself? An illegal time immigrant? A time refugee?

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As I looked at the surrounding scenery from the tram, the tram had entered downtown Gyeongseong, and at a distance, I could start to see a vast white building with an imposing baroque style.

The Japanese Government-General of Joseon building.

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‘It always blows up to pieces in movies…….’

However, unfortunately, in real history, it would remain firmly in that place until YS (note: YS is the nickname of ex-president Kim Young-sam) blew it up in 1996. The tram stopped in front of the Government-General building then turned left and proceeded down a wide road.

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Gwanghwamun Street. It would become Gwanghwamun Square in the future.

‘Oh…… I think I’ve seen that building before.’

To the right of where the tram was passing by, I saw a square, white building with one of its corners rising high like a tower. That would probably become the Seoul Metropolitan Council building in the future.

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I kept looking at the scenery passing by outside the window, and eventually, I got off the tram when we arrived at Namdaemun. I wanted to see what Sungnyemun Gate looked like before it was burned, but more than that……

‘This is the Honmachi I’ve only heard of……!’

Honmachi, or Bonjeong, coming down from the Namdaemun Five-way Intersection, the street that would become Chungmuro in the future, was crowded even on the morning of a weekday. (note: Bonjeong is the Korean pronunciation of “Honmachi”(本町))

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‘Even though we’re in the middle of the Second Sino-Japanese War.’

However, surprisingly, you wouldn’t be able to tell there was a war going on, on the streets. The only way you could tell was from the front page of a newspaper rolling on the floor that contained a black-and-white photograph of Japanese soldiers marching on destroyed streets in China, with titles like “The Imperial Army Proudly Marching Into Muryeong”.

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When looking at the hustling streets and people just walking around, watching through show windows, the war seemed like a story of distant lands.

As I walked the streets looking around, I found a sign that read “Paradise Café”.

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Coffee!

A modern Gyeongseong boy should obviously get coffee……!

I hadn’t even had breakfast, but I walked into the café without a second’s hesitation. There weren’t too many customers compared to how big it was, so I chose a seat and sat down. The seating was laid out in such a way that there were sofas on either side of each table.

‘It’s unusual for a café.’

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It was quite luxurious, but for some reason, the windows were all covered with curtains, and the interior lighting was dim. Maybe that was the trend in this period.

Having ordered a cup of coffee, I sat down on the sofa, but then,

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“Oh my, what is a student doing in a place like this in the morning?”

Someone came close to me and sat next to me. It was a woman who was reeking of perfume.

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“You’re cute-. Joseon person? Or perhaps, a Nihon-jin?”

No, it wasn’t just one person. Three or four ladies covered in thick makeup and wearing short clothes sat down on the sofa next to me,

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“By the way, why aren’t you drinking? Why only coffee?”

“Nobuko, look at her, trying to get a customer to drink in the morning!”

“What’s wrong with it? He looks like the son of a rich man who came for a drink because it’s a hot morning…… Banto-san! Please get me a Kirin beer!”

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She said, and then they sat down next to me, flesh rubbing against my flesh, giggling, ordering whatever they wanted to drink. I was certain I had come into the wrong shop.

“I think I should leave.”

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I shook off the ladies and ran to the counter. I took out my wallet as I said.

“How much is it?”

“It’s 1 won and 50 jeon.”

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The bus cost 5 jeon, and the gukbap I had yesterday had cost me 15 jeon. But a cup of coffee was costing me 1 won and 50 jeon? This was a sketchy store, and they were ripping me off like no other. But I didn’t want to cause a commotion, so I just put down a 1 won bill and a 50 jeon coin and ran out of there.

‘Huff, puff…….’

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I was bent over, trying to catch my breath, when,

『Hey! You there! Are cadets allowed to enter shops like this? And what’s more, a cadet from our school…… Hey wait, aren’t you cadet Shirabayashi?』

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I looked up at the voice, and a well-dressed man that seemed to be in his mid-30s was standing there.

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‘Who is this……?’

Why did people recognize me wherever I went?

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No, this time, he somehow seemed familiar. As I pondered, I realized that this man was one of the professors that cheered me when I was coming down the mountain after hunting the Onikumo.

‘Shit…….’

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Running into a professor in a place like this, out of all places. And on top of that, the young professor said this.

『Now, I thought you were a diligent cadet, but you entered such an indecent café! I should tell the Head of Cadets about this.』

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Anything but that! It had only been yesterday that I had been sweating bullets, trying to make an excuse for my use of Joseon language.

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『No, wait, there’s a misunderstanding. I only came here for coffee,』

『Only coffee?』

『Yes! Only for coffee! I didn’t know it was that kind of place! It’s my first time in Gyeongseong…….』

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The smart-looking young professor patted me on the shoulder and said.

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『Haha! If you wanted to just calmly drink some coffee, you should have gone to a tea house, and not a café like this. Now, since we’ve met, let’s go together.』

***

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The place where the professor led me to was a place with bright lighting, variously decorated orchids, and smooth jazz playing. Compared to the other spots, this looked more like a modern café.

‘Phew…….’

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『Hmm…… Okay then. So, you will probably take swordsmanship lessons, right?』

『Yes.』

『I’m a professor of general studies, so we probably won’t meet very often, but I’m looking forward to teaching you.』

Professor Saigane Seiji (西金誠二 ), the young professor said as he extended his hand.

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He said he was a professor of general studies – in other words, similar to Korean, English and Math –something that’s even taught at regular schools. Of course, considering our school, the proportion of students taking these classes was low (note: these three are general subjects every Korean student takes)

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After talking to him, I realized that this person, professor Saigane, was a nicer and kinder man than I had first thought. Well, after all, not all Japanese people were bad.

However, the more I conversed with him,

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‘Something somehow seems off……’

There was a sense of that.

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『It would be great if we had a lot of Joseon students like you. Then Joseon would gradually become a better place to live.』

I could feel a sense of him looking down on me.

『What do you mean by Joseon students like me?』

『I don’t know, Shirabayashi-kun. You must be very in favor of the complete assimilation of Joseon by Japan, right?』

『Ah, yeah…….』

『If Joseon becomes one with Japan, it will develop even more, or so I think. It’s the same with culture. Just as water flows downstream…….』

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‘I want to throw my coffee in his face…….’

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I couldn’t stand hearing him anymore, so I completely changed the subject.

『Well, not only good things flow.』

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At my answer, professor Saigane burst out laughing and said.

『Haha! Of course, that can happen as well! Just as in that indecent café earlier, they started in Ginza and flowed into Gyeongseong. But, after all, those are also part of culture……. Haha…….』

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He probably didn’t have any malice in his words, but that made it even more unpleasant.

But then,

“Nobody move!”

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I turned around, and three masked men were standing there, with something in their hands. What they had in their hands were pistols.

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‘……Robbers?’

“Eek!”

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At the sudden appearance of the robbers, several female customers who were peacefully drinking coffee screamed. One of the robbers pointed his gun and shouted out.

“Sh-Shut up! It’s not funny if you scream!”

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Was that a real gun? I mean, they wouldn’t attempt a robbery with toy guns. The robber shouted, still moving his gun to and from.

“A-All of you, take your wallets and all your belongings and place them on the table!”

Damn it. Should I step up? But I had, of course, left my training sword at home. And I couldn’t see anything that could be used as a weapon around.

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What’s more, pistols weren’t the only weapon they had. Out of the three, the one in the middle stepped forward, and a green cloud-like looking thing started rapidly spreading from his hands.

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Soon after, the people closest to him started to fall onto their tables. It was an anesthetic poison fog.

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‘……He was an Awakened?’

Ridiculous. He had an Awakened ability, but this was all he could do? Rob a coffee shop……? Eventually, the anesthetic poison fog had spread to where the professor and I were standing.

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『Argh……!』

When professor Saigane inhaled some of the fog, he hurriedly covered his face. Hives were starting to swell up on him, and he desperately tried to hide his face as if he was in pain.

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『Professor! Are you okay?』

『M-Make them stop! I-I’m allergic to certain substances……!』

Dammit.

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However, the gun was pointed at us, and there was no room to move. On top of that, I had covered my nose and mouth with the collar of my shirt, but the poison had ended up seeping in.

‘Is this how I go down……?’

***

The daughter of the boarding house had remained sitting on the veranda and looking up to the sky long after the student guest had left,

She had been reflecting on the student guest, asking her if it wasn’t boring to stay home all day.

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However, she couldn’t afford to go out and have fun, and she didn’t even have friends to play with. Moreover, it was because she couldn’t leave the house unattended.

“Excuse me.”

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Creak, the gate opened, and someone came in. A man in a leather jacket and wearing a hunting cap pulled out a notepad and a fountain pen and abruptly said.

“Let’s see…… Ham Seo-ju.”

“Yes.”

“Where’s Ham Won-sam? Is he inside?”

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The man blatantly called her father by his name. The boarding house daughter, Ham Seo-ju, stayed sat down on the veranda as she answered bluntly.

“He’s not in. He went out to work. In the morning.”

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But the man kept opening every room door as if to check for himself. When he opened the door to the room at the end, he saw the bedding and clothes hanging and asked.

“Wasn’t this room empty?”

“It’s our guest’s room.

“Guest?”

“It’s been about two weeks. He’s a student and said he was looking for a boarding house.”

“Ha! Getting a room in this house out of all places. No matter how severe the housing shortage is in Gyeongseong these days…….”

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The man wrote something down on his notepad and said,

“If you touch the guest’s belongings, you know, right? You’re going straight to jail like your dad.”

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Ham Seo-ju didn’t answer back to what he said.

“…….”

“I’ll be back soon again, so stay put.”

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The man wearing the leather jacket strode out of the gate as he finished speaking. Ham Seo-ju remained sitting on the veranda as she stared at the gate that the man had left open.

Detectives would visit her house like this from time to time.

She didn’t like it.

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It was because her father, Ham Won-sam, who now was a rickshaw puller, had a criminal record.

So even now, detectives often come to keep a watch, and the detectives’ attitude toward her is the same. Since she was the daughter of a “criminal”, they expected her to have bad habits.

Ham Seo-ju didn’t want to admit to it.

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‘Sure, so what if the parent is a criminal? That makes the children criminals, as well?’

She didn’t like that.

‘I haven’t even done anything wrong…….’

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Ham Seo-ju stayed sat down like that for a while, and then she went to the gate the man had left open and closed it. Afterwards, she looked at the room the student guest was staying in. It was still open, the way the detective had left it.

‘Yeah, why did that guest get a room in our house, out of all places?’

In fact, this was also something that Ham Seo-ju herself wondered.

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About two weeks ago, a student guest came out of nowhere. The student was two years older than her. He said that he was going to enter the Yeopsa Vocational school and so he came to Gyeongseong looking for a boarding house.

First, listening to his name, she thought he was Japanese, but then she realized that it was only his name and he was, in fact, a Joseon person.

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Ham Seo-ju had wondered what kind of person this guest was, but the student guest would always look gloomy and come back late after being out all day drinking.

Then, after returning to the boarding house late at night, he would ask her to run an errand for more drinks and start drinking again. One day, she told him,

『Stop drinking so much.』

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But he answered that drinking that much didn’t get him drunk. Even though he lived wholly submerged in alcohol, the student guest would never talk about himself.

However, Ham Seo-ju was able to learn a little about him from the gossiping of the people in the neighborhood.

She had listened to them talk about how his parents were pro-Japan, and how they had received their title from selling their own country.

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But Ham Seo-ju didn’t care about that. No, in fact, she was against all this gossiping.

‘So what if his parents are pro-Japan and betrayed the country?’

Since she had also been looked down on due to her father, she couldn’t agree to all this gossiping. Whoever the student guest’s parents were, what did that even matter?

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This is why Ham Seo-ju thought that this student, who was drunk every day, probably was in the same position as she was.

But what was interesting was what had happened the day before yesterday.

The student guest, the day before starting school – that is, the day before yesterday – had seemed to become entirely someone else in a day.

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He had completely stopped drinking, and he had become a confident and cheerful person. It was as if he had managed to start ignoring what the other people said.

How could he overcome that, despite being looked down upon like that?

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‘That’ right. He asked me to empty his trashcan.’

Ham Seo-ju, who had been standing absent-mindedly, suddenly remembered, so she went into the guest’s room, took the trashcan out, and toppled it over in the corner of the yard. It was to burn the paper and separate the empty bottles to sell.

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But Ham Seo-ju found a small brown bottle among the soju bottles. The small brown bottle had a sign that read 「青酸カリ」.

Ham Seo-ju managed to read it.

‘Potassium cyanide……?’

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