A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 391

391. The Meaning of the Mark

In a luxurious lodging in the great city of Lahore, Son Bin listened to Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Geom-hee recount their recent experiences.

Raiding the Lord’s treasury and breaking down the prison where they were confined certainly exceeded Son Bin’s expectations, but he wasn’t particularly shocked or worried.

He couldn’t quite bring himself to say they had done well, but a part of him felt relieved.

He even felt a strange sense of camaraderie, as if he had become a righteous thief resisting corrupt power.

“Hehe, so that’s how you managed to save the white elephant and the escort mercenaries,” No-gun chuckled, prompting a nod from Dang Wol-ah.

“Wasn’t it expensive? Even raiding the Lord’s treasury, that’s quite a sum…”

Instead of Dang Wol-ah, who simply shook her head, Sa Su-yeon provided a detailed explanation.

“Hiring escort mercenaries or maids wasn’t as costly as I initially thought. However, proving the white elephant’s status proved more challenging than the price itself.”

“That’s right.”

As soon as money was mentioned, Hwang Bang-ju’s eyes gleamed.

“Only individuals of considerable status within the Tenjukkyo [Indian-origin religion] can own one. Ah, did you perhaps borrow it?”

“No. Actually…”

Sa Su-yeon shook her head, hesitating for a moment before continuing in a soft voice.

“Well, inside the Lord’s treasury, we also found family trees and symbolic items belonging to noble families whose lineages had ended. So…”

Hwang Bang-ju’s jaw dropped. It seemed like it might detach completely.

“T-That’s! What if you get caught doing that…”

“We simply won’t get caught.”

Hwang Bang-ju flinched and recoiled at Dang Wol-ah’s quiet but firm statement.

“And this is necessary for Parsha and Gatra as well.”

‘Ah!’

Only then did Son Bin understand why Dang Wol-ah had bothered to acquire the family trees and symbols. She likely hadn’t even considered buying an elephant initially; Dang Wol-ah had obtained the family trees specifically for the children’s benefit.

“These are families that exist in name only. If it’s essential for the children’s future, we’ll certainly use them.”

Hwang Bang-ju couldn’t argue with Dang Wol-ah’s logic. Far from protesting, he could only mutter quietly, avoiding her gaze.

“As expected of the Dang Clan…”

“Ah, come to think of it.”

Son Bin spoke suddenly. Sa Su-yeon looked up at him. Meeting her beautiful eyes, Son Bin asked, “What are those dots on your foreheads?”

In the center of Sa Su-yeon’s fair forehead was a small, red dot. He realized Dang Wol-ah also had one beneath her veil. Among the women, only Geom-hee and young Parsha lacked them.

“Ah, this…”

Sa Su-yeon said softly, self-consciously touching her forehead.

“Well, the maids insisted we had to wear them…”

“That’s right.”

Hwang Bang-ju quickly chimed in again.

“Here, if an adult woman doesn’t wear a ‘bindi’ [a decorative mark worn on the forehead], that is, this dot, she’s considered to have loose morals. Ah, but Lady Swordsman is a foreigner, so she doesn’t have to…”

Hwang Bang-ju, realizing his blunder, quickly shut his mouth at Dang Wol-ah’s glare and averted his gaze once more.

“I see.”

Son Bin said with a gentle smile.

“It’s pretty. It suits you well. Lady Wol-ah, too.”

It was intended as a compliment, but Dang Wol-ah subtly turned her head away. Sa Su-yeon also lowered her head silently and instinctively covered her forehead.

—This also signifies that the woman already has a lifelong partner, implying she is unavailable to others.

Sa Su-yeon and Dang Wol-ah, who initially hadn’t given it much thought, couldn’t bring themselves to admit they had applied the bindi simply because the maids had suggested it. Their already flushed cheeks threatened to turn completely crimson.

“So, what about you guys? What happened with Shekh and the general?”

Sa Su-yeon asked, attempting to change the subject. Dang Wol-ah also looked at Son Bin with bright eyes.

“Well, that’s…”

Son Bin glanced back at No-gun, but No-gun remained silent, signaling Son Bin to speak. Ultimately, Son Bin had no choice.

“They died.”

Sa Su-yeon’s eyes widened in surprise.

“No, it’s not like I killed them…”

Son Bin recounted the story of the demonic creatures and the Beast Demon God who claimed to be the king of those creatures. He explained how they had killed Shekh and General Bahadur, and how the Imperial Army’s camp had been overrun.

When he mentioned the Empire’s cannons and war elephants, Seorin eagerly added her own explanations.

Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and Geom-hee listened in silence until Son Bin finished his account.

“That Beast Demon God called Young Master Son ‘Raja’ [an Indian term for ‘king’ or ‘ruler’]?”

At Sa Su-yeon’s question, Son Bin nodded.

“Why would he do that?”

“Well, Master Hwang Bang-ju suggested it might simply be a ceremonial title…”

“I have a different idea in mind.”

No-gun spoke up suddenly.

“You destroyed the Demonic Cult in Seojang and defeated the Great Demon King, right? It might be related to that, or perhaps it’s because Bin, you came into contact with the darkness of the abyss or something.”

No-gun spoke with surprising composure.

“In my opinion, that Beast Demon God seemed to respect you in his own way. I don’t think there’s any deeper meaning to it. Of course, he might have been trying to provoke you.”

“That’s certainly possible.”

Sa Su-yeon agreed with No-gun.

“The claim that you would learn about the Heavenly Demon if you killed him is a clear provocation.”

Sa Su-yeon turned to Son Bin.

“Will Young Master Son fight that Beast Demon God?”

Son Bin shook his head.

“There’s no need or reason to do so. The Empire’s military power should be capable of handling the monsters and demonic creatures, and the Gate of the Abyss can be located by following the mark left by Guigyeonsura.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

There was no compelling reason to fight the Beast Demon God at this point. The priority was to meet Saja-hyuk as soon as possible.

“The problem is that we still haven’t found that mark.”

No-gun said with a deep sigh.

“Still?”

At Sa Su-yeon’s question, No-gun nodded.

“Yeah. That Ok-ryong has a personality that can’t stand seeing others succeed easily. I can’t find it, no matter how subtly he concealed it. I had a bad feeling from the moment it wasn’t visible in the first territory, and it seems I’ve fallen victim to that bastard’s trick.”

Sa Su-yeon completely agreed with No-gun’s assessment of Ok-ryong’s personality.

“Then we should search for it together starting tomorrow. Master Hwang Bang-ju, could you please arrange for the disposal of the elephant we rode here? We no longer need it.”

“Don’t worry. An elephant that has garnered this much attention can be sold for even more than its purchase price. Leave it to me.”

Hwang Bang-ju said confidently.

“Ah, right. There might be room for negotiation on the accommodation fee here. Should I say something?”

Sa Su-yeon smiled slightly.

“It’s alright. The owner provided it out of goodwill. I was initially planning to stay at another inn, but the owner came out and invited us. He said it would be an honor just to have a ‘Rani’ [an Indian term for ‘queen’ or ‘noblewoman’] from a distant foreign country stay here…”

Sa Su-yeon seemed slightly embarrassed, as if she were praising herself. However, Hwang Bang-ju nodded as if it were perfectly natural.

“That’s how it should be. The owner here understands good business. Having a ‘Rani’ from a foreign country stay here elevates this establishment to the level of the Lord’s palace.”

Hwang Bang-ju, mid-sentence, suddenly asked cautiously.

“By the way, how did you become a ‘Rani’? Was that also acquired from the Lord’s treasury…”

Sa Su-yeon was initially confused, but then she understood Hwang Bang-ju’s implication: he was asking if her ‘Rani’ status was also fabricated.

“Ah, that’s…”

“My sister is the Vice Palace Lord of the Bukhae Ice Palace!”

Seorin declared forcefully. Hwang Bang-ju’s eyes widened.

“B-Bukhae?”

As if embarrassed to reiterate her status, Sa Su-yeon nodded with an awkward smile.

“P-Perhaps, then, the Seven Palace Lords of the Bukhae Ice Palace are…”

Hwang Bang-ju was, as expected, quick-witted. He immediately connected Sa Su-yeon’s beauty and the mention of the Vice Palace Lord of Bukhae to the legendary Seven Palace Lords.

“Do you know my sister?”

“Of course, I do!”

When Seorin asked, Hwang Bang-ju suddenly became animated.

“The Seven Palace Lords are the ones who opened up the previously isolated Bukhae Ice Palace, right? They control the trade rights of the Bukhae Ice Palace and are even called the Empress in Bukhae!”

“No, not the Empress…”

Despite Sa Su-yeon’s flustered correction, Hwang Bang-ju’s voice grew even louder.

“How could a merchant not know such a person? Besides, the Bukhae’s fine horses are worth any price you ask…”

Hwang Bang-ju clicked his tongue, then looked at Sa Su-yeon with sparkling eyes and said,

“By the way, while we’re on the subject, how about allocating some of them to our Merchant Guild…”

“Enough.”

No-gun cut off Hwang Bang-ju’s words. Hwang Bang-ju looked disappointed, but No-gun ignored him.

“So, you’re saying you traveled leisurely with escort warriors, maids, and riding an elephant?”

“Ah, yes.”

No-gun clicked his tongue. It was likely because it contrasted sharply with the men’s arduous journey.

“We ate a lot of delicious food. There are so many interesting things sold on the street!”

Seorin said proudly.

“That must have been enjoyable.”

Sa Su-yeon said with a sigh, as if feeling apologetic.

“I wish we had come together.”

Son Bin gave an awkward smile, and Hwang Bang-ju cleared his throat. No-gun turned his head away, his pride preventing him from admitting they had traveled like beggars.

At that moment, Son Bin noticed Dang Wol-ah’s unusual behavior. Dang Wol-ah, who never missed an opportunity to eat, was silently lost in thought.

“Lady Wol-ah.”

When Son Bin called her, Dang Wol-ah looked up.

“Is something bothering you?”

Dang Wol-ah blinked slowly.

“That mark.”

She said in a quiet voice.

“I think I know what it is.”

“What?”

Not only No-gun but everyone’s attention turned to Dang Wol-ah.

The ‘mark’ she mentioned was clearly the one No-gun had been desperately searching for but couldn’t find.

“How do you know…? No, what is that mark? Where is it hidden?”

“It’s not hidden.”

Dang Wol-ah said quietly but with conviction.

“The Beast Demon God is the mark left by Ok-ryong.”

A moment of silence descended.

“Excuse me?”

It was only natural for Hwang Bang-ju to ask for clarification.

“The Beast Demon God has the mark?”

“No.”

Dang Wol-ah shook her head.

“The Beast Demon God said, didn’t he, that you would learn about the Heavenly Demon if you killed him? Ok-ryong knew that. So he didn’t leave anything behind. The Beast Demon God himself is the mark that leads to the Heavenly Demon.”

“Damn it.”

No-gun spat out a curse. Only then did he understand Dang Wol-ah’s meaning.

“So, in the end, Ok-ryong left the Beast Demon God instead of a mark and departed. If you want to follow me, defeat that bastard, is that it?”

Son Bin nodded with a serious expression. He had once suggested to Hwang Bang-ju that ‘the Beast Demon God might have been deliberately left behind by Ok-ryong.’

But he never imagined it would mean this.

“If you think about it, Ok-ryong also pointed out the Demonic Cult’s headquarters in Seojang. So it’s not surprising that he left the Beast Demon God as a mark. Maybe…”

Dang Wol-ah lowered her head slightly, lost in thought. The group listened intently. But Dang Wol-ah soon shook her head.

“…No, it’s not.”

Dang Wol-ah, raising her head, said again,

“So we didn’t need to look for a separate mark. The mark was already flaunting its existence.”

“Ugh.”

No-gun groaned.

“So, in the end, we have to face all those monsters and demonic creatures, and even the Beast Demon God?”

There was no chance the Beast Demon God would agree to a one-on-one duel with Son Bin. To defeat the Beast Demon God, they would have to fight their way through hordes of monsters and demonic creatures.

“I guess we shouldn’t sell the elephant, but buy more?”

It was half a joke, but no one laughed.

“Should I do it?”

It was Geom-hee’s voice. Everyone looked at her in surprise at her unexpected offer.

“Lady?”

Son Bin asked, equally surprised. She was offering to fight the Beast Demon God now. Geom-hee nodded slightly.

“How are you going to do it? There are a lot of demonic creatures and monsters?”

No-gun frowned and asked.

“Go, fight, and win.”

At the absurd answer, No-gun clicked his tongue, unsurprised by her response.

“What if you can’t win? You’ll die?”

“I don’t care.”

Her eyes conveyed a genuine lack of concern. But No-gun shook his head.

“That’s not allowed. If you die, Hwasa will cry.”

Son Bin clearly saw a flicker of emotion in Geom-hee’s eyes at those seemingly casual words. And Geom-hee remained silent.

“Tsk, I knew it from the moment he said he was looking forward to seeing him again or something.”

No-gun grumbled. But the prospect of facing the Beast Demon God was undoubtedly a serious problem.

“Umm.”

As No-gun frowned and groaned, Son Bin suddenly sensed someone approaching the door. Seorin also noticed and quickly announced,

“Someone’s coming!”

The group fell silent. After a moment, a maid’s voice was heard from outside the door.

“Maharani [an Indian term for ‘Empress’ or ‘Queen’].”

“Come in.”

Sa Su-yeon replied. The door opened, and the maid respectfully placed her hands together in a gesture of greeting.

“I apologize for the intrusion, but it’s a very important matter…”

The maid spoke in fluent Central Plains language. Sa Su-yeon smiled.

“It’s alright. Speak.”

The maid bowed to Sa Su-yeon once more and said,

“The Lord of Lahore, the Guru [spiritual teacher] of the Reform Sect, and the Imam [religious leader] of Badshahi have jointly invited ‘Maharani’.”

“Ack!”

Hwang Bang-ju made a strange noise and gaped.

“The Lord and who?”

When No-gun frowned and questioned him, Hwang Bang-ju, still speechless, finally managed to shout,

“The Guru and the Imam, he said!”

“Why are you suddenly shouting?”

Despite No-gun’s annoyance, Hwang Bang-ju blurted out,

“Badshahi is a Muslim temple built in this city by the former Imperial Emperor! The Emperor himself! Moreover, the Guru here is virtually the head of the Tenjukkyo Reform Sect! If the Guru and the Imam are with the Lord…”

Hwang Bang-ju swallowed nervously and continued,

“All the top political and religious leaders in this region have gathered!”

Despite Hwang Bang-ju’s excited explanation, No-gun’s reaction remained lukewarm.

“So what? We’re also important people, if you know us?”

“No, that’s true, but…”

Hwang Bang-ju couldn’t argue. Dang Wol-ah was the sister of the Dang Clan’s Chief Military Officer, and Sa Su-yeon was the Vice Palace Lord of the Bukhae Ice Palace, after all. Besides, everyone present was a formidable martial artist.

However, Hwang Bang-ju’s excitement was justified. It was extremely unusual for the Guru of the Tenjukkyo Reform Sect and the Imam of Badshahi to convene in one place.

“Religious leaders who are bound to have a strained relationship, and the Lord of this region… I don’t really feel like going?”

No-gun muttered, then frowned and said,

“How about we simply decline the invitation?”

Son Bin briefly considered that a good idea, but then another thought occurred to him.

“Wait a minute.”

Son Bin, lost in thought, raised his head.

“Let’s go. Perhaps a useful solution will present itself.”

Sa Su-yeon nodded. But No-gun still looked displeased.

“There’s no benefit to a martial artist getting involved in politics, and the most complicated and troublesome thing in the world is religion, and we’re dealing with both…”

No-gun grumbled.

“Wouldn’t it be better to face the monsters instead?”

(Author’s words)

At least monsters don’t say things that make people frustrated.