Chapter 4: CH 3

『Dakahiro-san!』

Once again, Renka’s voice, not very loud, but full of anger.

The mana emanating from the members, boiling over just a moment ago, had noticeably mellowed down.

『……Yes, Lady.』

『Shirabayashi-san is a person who will become my colleague from now on. Please be careful with what you say.』

As she said this, Renka’s eyes, which were glaring at her union members, looked like they were about to shoot out sparks. Immediately, I could feel the release of mana coming from the union members completely die out.

The union member pulled his hand off his sword and bowed at Renka.

『Please forgive me. I have troubled my Lady.』

『You should apologize, not to me, but to Shirabayashi-san.』

『…….』

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After a pause, he eventually bowed at me.

『I’m sorry.』

I could feel he was just reluctantly, forcibly apologizing, but since he took this stance I couldn’t keep being aggressive either. I subdued my mana and nodded to show I accepted his apology.

Renka slightly bowed her head at me.

『I hope you forgive our rudeness, Shirabayashi-san.』

『Y-yeah.』

『I will see you at school. I shall get going.』

As she finished her sentence, Renka quickly turned around with her hair swinging, got into an expensive looking black luxury old car and headed off. The remaining union members followed her and left.

The Gate was still there, but it was quiet like if all the monsters to come out had already done so, and only a few of the clean-up personnel remained to stand guard at the caution line. That Gate was probably going to end up belonging to that guild called “Shimazu Gumi”.

Even in the 21st century, it was regular procedure after Gates and monsters had been suppressed. After that, when the police arrives, they explain what happened and get a reward for their service…….

Just then, on the other side of the road, police officers wearing yellow uniforms were running in two rows. But Song Byung-oh, after seeing this scene, spat out.

“Damn it, it’s the police.”

At this he started running to the opposite direction. Without knowing what was happening, I followed Song Byung-oh as he went through alleyways in between the buildings. After running away for a while Song Byung-oh stopped and said.

“Phew, we barely got away.”

“Wait, *GASP* wait. Why are we running away?”

Since Japanese police officers were often portrayed as villains in movies and dramas, I didn’t trust them too much either, but still, there was no need to run away, right? It wasn’t as if we had done something bad.

As I asked, Song Byung-oh answered.

“What? You fought so well just a moment ago, but you’ve never seen a Genba*? Even if you belong to the bourgeoisie, you know so little about the way the world works!”

*T/LN: Genba means scene

What the hell? Who’s looking down on who for being inexperienced? However, I decided to listen to him in silence since it was true that I didn’t know how the Japanese colonial period where Gates existed worked. Song Byung-oh opened his mouth.

“Sheesh! We’re Joseon people who haven’t even received their Yeopsa permits, so bumping into the police is a bad idea. Isn’t that obvious?”

As he said this, he still kept looking down the alleyway in case someone might be listening.

“They say it is the natural duty of an Awakened to exterminate the beasts, and don’t even give us a single penny as reward, instead we get called in to the police station to get investigated and we’re forced to spend all day in there…… If we got unlucky, they would even try to make us take the blame for smashing all the shops around the scene!”

Song Byung-oh sighed before continuing.

“That’s why if we feel this is unfair, we have to become successful. If we get our diplomas from the Yeopsa school, then we can officially get our permits and we could proudly……”

From what he said I gathered that the Awakeneds from Joseon who didn’t have their Yeopsa permits, or Hunter licenses, were treated as social dangers. How did this even make sense? Even if you gave your life to save citizens, you would still get discriminated against just because you were from Joseon.

‘This is the real “hell Joseon”.’ (note: “Hell Joseon” is a term used by the younger generations of Korea to criticize the competitive nature of living in Korea.)

We were already in the Japanese colonial era, a time were people from Joseon were discriminated against on a daily basis, but on top of that there were now Gates and monsters. This. Is. Hell Joseon. How the hell did I end up in such a shitty world?

However it was already spilled milk. There was nothing else I could do but get through it as well as I could since I was already here. As he said, if I feel wronged, I should just become successful.

Success…….

I changed the subject and asked Song Byung-oh again.

“Anyway, the Japanese girl from back there. Renka, was it? What, is she famous?”

When Renka had approached me earlier, I became curious since Song Byung-oh seemed to know, and as he was speaking he started getting hiccups and stuff.

At my question, he asked back, raising his glasses in bewilderment.

“Are you seriously a guy trying to become a Yeopsa?”

“Huh?”

“Shimazu Renka! She’s the only daughter of the Duke of the Shimazu family! Of the Kazoku! Not only that, but she’s the branch head of the Shimazu Gumi Gyeongseong branch…….”

Him mentioning something about dukes and royal families meant that she was part of the Japanese aristocracy. Even so, I didn’t really get it. What kind of social position was she in? Since Duke is the first in the order of Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron, did this mean that it was quite high?

And as for branch head…… Was that like being the head of an overseas franchise branch of a large guild? That girl?

As I was trying to assess the situation in my head, Song Byung-oh sweeping his chest, said.

“Speaking of which, are you insane?! Against a Shimazu Gumi Yeopsa, not to mention in front of that girl who’s part of a Kazoku…… I thought I was going to lose 10 years of my life!”

It seemed he was talking about the moment when I was facing the young union member. But I had something to say as well.

“It pissed me off that that Japanese sonnova kept on saying “Joseon-jin” at the end of every sentence. Not like I was afraid of him, either.”

I didn’t lack the confidence to fight that union member, since I was a veteran Hunter who had been in life-or-death situations for almost 10 years.

…But, it was also true that I was at least a bit intimidated.

No matter how experienced of a veteran Hunter I was, the amount of mana I had now was poor, and I didn’t really have any proper skills to use the mana I had, anyway. And when it came to fighting experience, there was no chance that that union member, who seemed to be at the level of a guild officer, was lacking in it.

Furthermore, the weapon I was holding in my hand was just a piece of wood that couldn’t even be properly imbued with mana. It couldn’t compete with a real sword that was imbued with the mana of a B-class Hunter.

If I had been lucky, I would have been able to at least land a critical hit, but I would have been seriously injured.

“Even so, though……”

Song Byung-oh, who had been scolding me, smirked and said.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a Joseon person like you stand so proudly facing a Japanese person, let alone one from the aristocracy. Seriously, I only thought you were just someone from the bourgeoisie siding with the Japanese. I didn’t know you had this side to you. I apologize, once again, for my misunderstanding.”

After saying this, he extends his hand, apologizing for his misunderstanding again.

‘Mm-hmm.’

The misunderstanding that I was pro-Japan had finally been corrected. But it wasn’t really a misunderstanding. The Baek Cheol-yeon he had met on the day of the preliminary call-up a few days ago, was definitely a pro-Japan bourgeoisie.

Well, whatever, what’s good is good. I took his hand in mine, and after a short handshake Song Byung-oh turned his body and said.

“Anyway, I’ll get going so let’s meet at school tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

After saying this he pulled his hat to his face and walked out of the alley. Alone again, I stayed in the alley, leaned against a wall and took out the piece of paper from my school uniform pocket.

Entrance Ceremony for the 34th class year, Gyeongseong Yeopsa Vocational School

April 5, 14th year of Showa (AD 1939)

If the entrance ceremony was tomorrow as Song Byung-oh said, that would make today the 4th of April. I didn’t know what day it was today, since I had come out of the boarding house without checking what day it was today.

‘Tomorrow’s the entrance ceremony…….’

However, I started to wonder as I looked intently at the admission notice.

‘Is it okay for me to attend this school?’

Everything about this era was well beyond my imagination.

When I first woke up in this era, I thought I would finally be able to live a life that had nothing to do with Gates and Hunters. A life where I could be comfortable using my knowledge of the future in moderation.

However, it’s a world where Gates already existed, and the “Yeopsa Vocational School” I’m about to attend is a Hunter Academy.

Does it mean that I’m destined to become a Hunter even if I die and get reborn?

To be honest, I could just accept it. Accept that in my past life I died as a Hunter and so, this was actually fate.

But the possibility of history changing due to the existence of Gates made me nervous.

This meant that my “knowledge of the future” I had gained from studying so hard in my previous life would become obsolete. It meant that I couldn’t say for certain that Joseon would gain freedom in the next few years.

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Even if history just proceeded as I knew it, this would still be an issue. It’s the Japanese colonial period, of all times! There was a chance that people with an occupation that is essential for combat, like Hunters, would be forced into the Japanese military if unlucky.

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And yet, is it okay for me to attend the Hunter Academy? No, rather, do I have to attend? I just……

‘Academy or whatever, should I just get out of Joseon?’

I held the admission notice in both my hands.

Yes! Let’s just rip this thing apart, leave the cursed land of Joseon, and immigrate to the US. Even there, whether I work as a Hunter or set up a laundry, I would be able to make ends meet…….

As I thought this, I was ready to rip the admission notice in my hands,

‘…….’

But I couldn’t.

It just felt like too good of a chance.

In the 21st century, in my past, I awakened my powers late, and always lacked the talent to make it into the Academy. And this had remained forever as a regret throughout my life as a Hunter.

If I had awakened earlier, and due to this, if I had been able to attend the Academy, I wouldn’t have stayed forever a C-class Hunter.

‘But this time…… Wouldn’t it be possible?’

Unlike my previous life, wouldn’t I be able to develop my talents in school and become stronger? Maybe I would be able to get to higher places.

It’s a chance of a lifetime. Ignoring such an opportunity just because the future is uncertain?

‘Giving up? That’s such a stupid idea.’

I neatly folded the admission notice that I was about to tear up, put it back into my pocket and thought.

‘Let’s at least attend school.’

Even in the 21st century, Hunters who had graduated from the Academy were treated as valuable talents in society, and that shouldn’t be any different in this era.

In a world where Gates existed, it was clear that the abilities that were nurtured in the Academy and the status of being a graduate would be of huge help living in the chaotic world that was to come.

How could I refuse such an opportunity? No matter what happens, no, rather, since I didn’t know what would happen from now on going forward, I would have to at least get my diploma.

‘But something that keeps worrying me is being forced to serve in the Japanese military……’

I thought back to my historical knowledge once again.

‘Although they started receiving Korean volunteers from 1938, it was only in 1944, at the end of the Pacific War, that students were forcibly conscripted.’

Since we’re in 1939, it will be 1942 when I graduate from this 3-year vocational school. Even if history in this world flows the way I know it, there would be plenty of time for me to escape Joseon to avoid conscription.

‘Alright. I’ll at least attend school and improve my skills. And I’ll run off to the US as soon as I graduate. It’s not too late to run away after I get my diploma.’

I made this decision in my head and walked towards the boarding house. A white moon had risen in the dark night sky.

***

Under the full moon in the night sky, somewhere in Gyeongseong.

Water trickled along the bamboo canal.

Water flowed into the bottom bamboo barrel, and the bamboo barrel, unable to overcome the weight of the water flowing into it, tilted over. The tip of the slowly tilting bamboo piece touched the stone floor,

‘Tap-’

With a clear sound, the accumulated water poured out. The bamboo barrel, now lighter after pouring all the water out, raised its head again and started filling up with the flowing water.

Trickle, trickle……

If you turned your eyes from the scene that would repeat forever, there was a well-maintained garden full of bonsai cherry trees, and in front of it was a neat but formal Japanese-style mansion.

April, under the full moon of Qingming,

A woman – or rather, would it be more appropriate to say she was a girl – wearing a yukata was walking alone in the garden, surrounded by the fluttering cherry blossoms.

Slim shoulders covered by long black hair that went down to the waist, and a body that drew youthful curves.

However, with sharp eyes that were exposed under her straight-cut bangs, her pointed nose, and thin jawline, there was a charm that could be said was of a mystical woman.

She was the only daughter of the Duke of the Shimazu family, the same family that had reigned in the faraway land of Kagoshima for generations, and at the early age of 17 she was the branch head of the Gyeongseong branch of the Shimazu Gumi Yeopsa Union,

She was Shimazu Renka(蓮花).

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Now wearing a crimson yukata, she was recalling the incidents from earlier in the day when she was wearing a dark blue “Sailor Moon”-style uniform.

That afternoon, when she had received a report of a magical door opening—

She and the Shimazu Gumi had been looking around the Changgyeongwon Zoo, so they were able to get to the site of the incident, Myeongryunjeong 2-jeongmok intersection, quickly, as it was nearby.

As she arrived to the scene, she noticed three “Takoashi(蛸足)”, intermediate level demonic beast, that had just come out of the Demon Gate.

There were not Yeopsas that had arrived before the Shimazu Gumi, only two cadets that were facing the Demons. Looking at their uniforms, she noticed they were also freshmen of the Gyeongseong Yeopsa Vocational School, like her.

『It is too much for cadets to face. We should immediately jump in, Lady.』

Standing next to Renka, Takahiro, the sub-branch head of the Shimazu Gumi Gyeongseong branch, and her direct assistant, said, drawing his sword. However,

『Wait.』

Renka stopped her union members. This was a great opportunity for her. It was her chance to see the skills of the other cadets who she may be collaborating with, or competing against in the future.

Soon enough, the two cadets started to move. Listening to what they were shouting at each other, it seemed they were both from Joseon. One of them took out his gun and the other grabbed a stick.

‘Hmm.’

But, surprisingly, the cadet with the stick was very skilfully facing off against the middle-class demonic beast, Takoashi. It was as if it was not the first time he had faces such a beast. It seemed that he knew exactly how to defeat it.

But right at the final moment, the mana imbued in the stick was not enough to destroy the Takoashi’s mana stone, and his strategy failed as his colleague panicked and dropped his bullet.

When Takahiro saw this, he snorted and muttered.

『Joseon-jinwa shoganaina.』

Takahiro sarcastically said “there’s nothing Joseon people can do,” but Renka thought differently. If the weapon this cadet was using had been a proper weapon instead of just a wooden stick, and if his colleague had not made a mistake, he would have actually been able to subdue the Takoashi.

‘How in the world can he fight like that?’

In order to succeed the family business, she herself had been receiving harsh martial arts training within the family even before she started walking, let alone awakening,

And as soon as she Awoke, she became the branch manager of the Shimazu Gumi Gyeongseong branch so she had the same ability and experience as any other active Yeopsa, but this was a special case unique to her.

It was shocking to her that an average boy around her age, other than herself, could fight like that, with the same boldness and situational judgment of an active Yeopsa.

‘In addition, that confident attitude.’

His combat ability was, of course, amazing, but the more surprising thing was this completely unexpected attitude. When Renka approached him and asked for a handshake and introduced herself,

—I’m Renka, Shimazu Renka.

There was no way that in Joseon, let alone Gyeongseong, there was anybody that wanted to become a Yeopsa would not know about the reputation of the Shimazu family and their Yeopsa union. But even so,

—Baek Cheol-yeon.

He proudly accepted her handshake without even getting intimidated. Even though he clearly had his Japanese-style surname on his nametag, he gave his Joseon name, as if to make sure everybody could hear.

That wasn’t all. There was no sign of him losing any ground when he faced against Takahiro, a member of the family’s entourage and sub-branch head.

All of this was difficult for her to understand.

Most of the Japanese people around her, including Takahiro, would often blame the Joseon people’s manners, saying “Joseon people are servile in front of the strong and savages against the weak”.

She did not agree with that kind of racist prejudices, but since she came to Joseon she had become familiar with ‘submissive Joseon people’, so the perception that ‘it’s not their fault, but it can’t be helped’ had been growing.

However Shirabayashi, no, “Baek Cheol-yeon” was different to all the other Joseon people she had met so far.

There was no trace in him of the gloomy characteristics that people of Joseon had. No, she even felt the unyielding spirit of someone that was like if he was the owner of this place.

It wasn’t the vanity of common mischief, nor was it the pretense of deceiving himself to build self-esteem.

In Renka’s head, she suddenly remembered the people she encountered when she was a child, traveling with her father to Gurapa* and America. Baek Cheol-yeon’s confident and free-spirited attitude was like that which was characteristic of people from developed countries in those places.

(*note: old Korean name for Europe)

What kind of person was he?

Renka, looking up at the full moonlit night sky of Gyeongseong, softly muttered.

『Shirabayashi-san. What…… are you?』

***

“Are you an imbecile……?”

The next day, early in the morning of the day of the entrance ceremony. As I was about to leave the boarding house’s gate, I realized one important fact that I hadn’t even thought about before, and stood there muttering in shame.

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‘How could I not know that? Shouldn’t I have checked in advance? Am I a freaking imbecile?’

That was, the fact that I didn’t know how to get to school.

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