The Strange Illness (1)
In front of Jangju's room.
Lady Seok, the matron of Yeonmok Sword Manor, who had been waiting in a dignified posture, turned her gaze toward the sound of footsteps ascending the wooden floor.
A bearded middle-aged man wearing a worn-out robe with a yin-yang symbol on the back and carrying an old box filled with tattered books and tools appeared.
He was the Fangshi (a type of Taoist shaman/alchemist) whom Lady Seok had summoned.
This man, known as Myo-shin, had a reputation for being quite capable in Mongseong.
Lady Seok glanced over his appearance from top to bottom, then clicked her tongue slightly with a look of dissatisfaction.
Myo-shin appeared completely unfazed by her disapproval.
Despite her attitude, the Fangshi showed no signs of offense. Instead, he matched her mood with a respectful demeanor.
"May I now see Lord Jangju?"
"Yes."
"That's good. The longer a strange affliction lingers, the worse it becomes. Please have all people within thirty jang (about 100 meters) of the main residence cleared out. The impurity clinging to Lord Jangju might spread to anyone nearby."
"That's already been done."
She hadn't called a Fangshi only to let prying eyes remain around the area.
She had already found a suitable excuse and cleared out the surroundings.
"I'd also ask that you step away, madam..."
– Rustle!
At that, Lady Seok lightly raised her hand and spoke.
"You remember what I asked of you, don't you?"
The Fangshi smiled subtly and replied.
"Of course, my lady."
"Good. Since they say Fangshi Myo is so miraculous, I'll trust you."
Then, lowering her voice to a whisper, she added:
"If you can just find out where Lord Jangju keeps his official seal and the secret martial manual, I'll pay you the promised 300 silver coins right away."
"Ah, thank you very much."
Myo-shin bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude.
Seeing this, Lady Seok let out a faint sigh.
"Hoo..."
In truth, she had never placed much faith in so-called "Fang magic" or anything of the sort.
But that had changed due to a certain event.
She had summoned a Fangshi purely on a sliver of hope.
'...If only you had just supported that child with some strength, none of this would've happened.'
To think he would consider the child of a mere courtesan, not even a legitimate wife, as heir...
A glint of resentment clouded Lady Seok's eyes as she looked toward the room where Jangju lay.
On the path leading to the main building where Jangju was located.
Walking side by side, Go Chan occasionally glanced at Mok Gyeongun.
'What is he thinking?'
It was true that Jangju's life was tied to this guy's fate.
But what did he plan to do by seeing Jangju?
'Don't tell me he actually plans to save him?'
If so, that was even more absurd.
He might have unusual knowledge of herbs, but even the manor's physician and every renowned doctor nearby had given up on Jangju.
They called it a strange affliction, a condition so bizarre and undefined it couldn't even be categorized as a normal disease.
The very use of the term "strange" meant there was no known cure.
'Just what is he planning?'
Go Chan couldn't read this guy's mind at all.
'More than that, isn't he worried for himself?'
Go Chan was more concerned about the other danger.
If Mok Gyeongun stood out and someone started a conversation with him, the fact that he was an imposter might be revealed—before they even had the chance to switch allegiances with Escort Gam.
Just then, Mok Gyeongun looked somewhere and asked:
"What's that place?"
"That is a training ground for martial arts."
The area Mok Gyeongun was pointing to was the First Training Ground.
There were four total training grounds in Yeonmok Sword Manor.
The third was for ordinary martial artists in the manor.
The second was for the retainers and guards.
The first, however, was exclusively for the sons of nobility.
"A place to train in martial arts, huh..."
Mok Gyeongun's eyes sparkled with interest.
Seeing this, Go Chan clicked his tongue inwardly.
To crave martial arts training in a life-or-death situation—what a hopeless fantasy.
'You think you can catch up to Escort Gam now?'
He could barely take his first steps, and he was already thinking about defeating a top-level martial artist. It was honestly laughable.
Then Mok Gyeongun suddenly called out to him.
"Escort Go Chan."
"Y-Yes?"
"Every time I look at you, I can't help but think... you've got such cunning, slippery eyes."
'!?'
Go Chan flinched and stopped in his tracks for a moment.
He stiffened, slowly turning his head, and Mok Gyeongun slung an arm around his shoulder.
"You're still not my person yet, are you?"
"Th-That couldn't possibly be true!"
"Look ahead, Go Chan. What, you think I'm going to eat you?"
'...This bastard.'
He was seriously unnerved.
Mok Gyeongun's eyes were staring directly at Go Chan's left eye.
The way he even licked his lips made it seem like he was dying to pluck the eyeball out.
Go Chan trembled slightly and forced himself to keep walking forward.
Then, Mok Gyeongun grinned and said,
"Such a shame. Right?"
'Wh-What is?'
Go Chan felt a cold sweat trickle down his back.
The more he got to know this guy, the more he felt like he'd messed with something he really shouldn't have.
Trying his best to suppress the anxiety churning inside him, Go Chan pressed forward.
'Ah…'
That's when someone in the training ground caught Go Chan's eye.
There, in the training yard, was a boy with a strong impression, shirtless.
His bronzed upper body muscles were well-developed, and sweat was pouring down as he practiced horse stance training.
Mok Yucheon.
He was the youngest son, the youngest master Mok Yucheon.
Despite his natural martial talent, he devoted every hour not spent eating or sleeping to martial arts training. His dedication was extraordinary.
It wasn't for nothing that Jangju favored him so deeply.
'He practically lives here.'
The first training yard was practically Mok Yucheon's private ground.
"There's someone training there."
At Mok Gyeongun's remark, Go Chan leaned in and replied in a whisper,
"That's the youngest master."
"Youngest? So that's Mok Yucheon?"
"Yes."
"Is that how one learns martial arts?"
"That's horse stance training—it builds lower body strength. All martial arts are said to stem from the legs."
"I see."
"Master, I suggest you don't look at the youngest too much. You could get caught up in something."
"Just by looking?"
Go Chan frowned slightly and looked at him.
Surely he had read the information Escort Gam had given him.
The real Mok Gyeongun's martial ability was only at the level of a third-rate martial artist.
If this fake started doing anything rash and got tangled up with the youngest, the truth could easily come out.
And that wasn't even the biggest issue.
Go Chan whispered again,
"The youngest master hates the real master."
"Ahh."
Mok Gyeongun nodded.
The real Mok Gyeongun had written this in the intelligence report:
"I can't stand the sight of that lowborn brat acting high and mighty just because he's good at martial arts. Though it's unlikely, if you ever cross paths with him, avoid talking to him at all costs."
He had written it with such animosity—it was clear something had happened between them.
"Why does he hate him?"
Go Chan hesitated for a moment, then leaned in and whispered:
"…The real young master once called the youngest's mother a filthy courtesan. He ended up getting beaten within an inch of his life."
That had happened two years ago.
Go Chan still remembered it vividly.
The real Mok Gyeongun had been crawling on the floor, his leg and rib bones shattered.
He had begged for his life—screamed for mercy, even.
Since that day, the youngest, Mok Yucheon, held a deep, genuine hatred toward Mok Gyeongun.
"What a kind-hearted fellow."
"…Pardon?"
"Well, he left the guy's limbs intact, didn't he?"
'…'
Go Chan's brow furrowed.
This guy really didn't think like a normal person.
Even if he was just a fake, he was talking about a story that directly involved him.
In any case, this wasn't the time to be chatting.
"Anyway, let's move on. For now, it's best not to get involved with the other young masters. It could get really dangerous."
Mok Gyeongun just smiled silently at Go Chan's warning.
What a fascinating place.
Seeing the siblings squabbling like this—it was almost amusing.
And so, they passed the training ground and continued toward the main residence where Jangju lay.
As they approached the building, Go Chan frowned.
'What the…?'
Normally, guards from the manor would be stationed at the entrance to the main residence.
But now… there was no one.
Come to think of it, the whole area was eerily quiet.
Not a single shadow in sight.
'This… isn't good.'
Due to the severity of Jangju's illness, even the young masters hadn't been allowed near the main building by order of Lady Seok.
So Go Chan had figured that they'd be turned back anyway—and didn't expect they'd get anywhere near Jangju.
But now it looked like they were actually going to see him.
Inside Jangju's room.
Around the bed where Jangju lay, ten or so red threads had been strung up in a crisscrossing pattern forming a boundary.
Between them, silver coins with holes in the center were suspended and drifting down.
– Clink, clink!
The coins struck each other, making soft metallic noises.
"Hmmm."
Fangshi Myo-shin, who had removed Jangju's upper garments and was inspecting his chest, clicked his tongue.
Most of the time, when someone called for a Fangshi due to a "strange affliction," it turned out to be nothing serious.
He'd usually just perform some superficial ritual and bide his time.
But this case was different.
– Throb! Throb!
At the center of Jangju's chest, blackened veins were grotesquely bulging and pulsing outward.
At a glance, it looked like a poisoning effect.
But something was off.
That area… it was moving.
'It's heading toward the heart.'
The blackened, bulging veins were reaching toward the heart.
But it was as if something was blocking them—they hadn't quite gotten there yet.
Fangshi Myoshin grinned faintly.
"A martial artist is still a martial artist. His vital energy is strong enough to keep the corruption from piercing his heart. With a killing aura this potent, he should've succumbed already."
He was holding on remarkably well.
But even so, he was clearly at the edge.
Judging by Jangju's condition, the corruption had been festering for quite some time, leaving his body frail and weakened.
"Fifty-fifty."
At this stage, even if the corruption were purified, the odds of survival were only about half.
Purging both the corrupt energy and the killing aura simultaneously was no small task.
But that wasn't necessary in this case.
"All I have to do is complete the job I was hired for."
The request wasn't to save Jangju from the strange affliction.
All he had to do was make Jangju speak before he died—reveal where the seal and the secret manual were hidden.
Myoshin opened the lacquered box and took out a talisman.
He dipped a brush into the red ink he had already prepared.
– Drip, drip!
With the brush soaked in red ink, Myoshin began writing on the talisman.
With each stroke, the writing began to form the shape of a ghost.
Myoshin began chanting softly:
"Heavenly Emperor Sutra… Carry the Strength of Heaven… Evil spirits from the five directions… Be vanquished without a trace… One breath of an immortal sweeps away all… Ten thousand ghosts subdued and sealed… The Great Strength, the Great Sage, collects the ghost's heart and extracts its energy…"
– Vrrrrrr…!
Something was happening.
The end of the talisman began to tremble on its own.
Myoshin pressed the trembling talisman onto the center of Jangju's chest—right where the corruption was clawing toward the heart.
– Slap!
In that very moment—
– Throb! Throb! Throb!
The blackened veins began to recede from the point where the talisman had been placed.
Seeing this, Myoshin quickly formed a hand seal.
– Snap!
[Rin (臨)]
He brought both index fingers together and locked the rest—a symbol of unwavering resolve.
[Pyo (兵)]
He supported the index fingers and extended the middle fingers while keeping the rest clasped—another hand sign in the ritual.
Then he began chanting the Guardian Exorcism Spell:
"Summon General Hyun-ho of the Mystic Red Guard, Commander of the Celestial Golden Armor! Come forth, oh divine protectors! Shatter all evil, imprison spirits in the iron chains of the east! Purge the cursed ghosts, seal the wicked, and open the path with the sacred fire and the Seven Treasures…"
As the spell continued, Jangju's body began to convulse.
A faint mist began rising from the spot where the talisman had been placed.
[Kai (皆)]
He clasped all ten fingers together—this was the Outer Sealing Mudra.
Suddenly, Jangju's throat began to swell grotesquely.
His face turned red—his airway was blocked.
Myoshin's expression stiffened at the sight.
"The killing aura is too strong."
He abandoned the hand signs and rushed over to press a sealing mudra with his right hand over Jangju's throat.
Then he continued the spell:
"Seal the Mystic Red, suppress the wicked general, bring forth divine chains, subdue the evil spirits, let not the unclean pass, let the holy flame blaze forth…"
But before the final words of the incantation could be completed—
– Creeeeak…!
The closed door to Jangju's room slowly swung open.
Three of the red strings that had been sealing the door snapped, and the suspended silver coins clattered to the ground.
– Clink, clatter!
"Damn it!"
At that moment—
– Boom!
"Gah!"
A powerful recoil force blasted Myoshin's body backward.
The force was so strong that it was unclear how far he would be thrown—but just then, someone caught him from behind.
– Thud!
Startled, Myoshin turned his head.
The one who had caught him was a boy—an unusually handsome boy, with strikingly delicate features.
It was Mok Gyeongun.
Myoshin was momentarily speechless from the shock of such beauty, but soon irritation welled up within him. He was about to snap at being interrupted.
"I told them not to let anyone in! How did you—?!"
– Flinch!
But the words caught in his throat.
Because in that moment, he saw Mok Gyeongun's eyes.
Eyes as still and unshaken as a dead man's.
"How can a living person have eyes like that…?"