A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 419

419. A Long Journey Home

After leaving Tafftan Mountain, Son Bin and his group headed towards the inn ‘Pigsty,’ where they had encountered the Mana Dragon. It was the closest village, and they had buried their belongings nearby.

The village, once a hideout for the Kadir bandits, was deserted as expected. Its dilapidated appearance made Hwang Bang-ju uneasy, as if decades had passed. However, they found their belongings and food intact, bringing a sigh of relief to Hwang Bang-ju and No-gun.

Inside one of the few houses in the ruined village that still offered shelter, the group started a fire and began planning their return home in earnest.

“I’ve been thinking about what No-gun said earlier…”

Hwang Bang-ju spoke first. No-gun looked puzzled.

“Me? What did I say?”

“About being taken back without doing anything. I’ve been thinking, and there is a way.”

No-gun frowned, skeptical. But Hwang Bang-ju nodded seriously and said,

“It’s taking a ship.”

“Hmm, a ship…”

No-gun said with a displeased expression.

“Ships are shaky, and it’s dangerous if we encounter storms, right?”

Hwang Bang-ju jumped up and waved his hand.

“No, the merchant ships that travel long distances are huge! Big ships hardly shake, and they follow the coast, so there’s not much danger.”

“Well, I’ve seen ships from the West Sea docking in Gwangju sometimes…”

Gwangju, a large city near Cheongwon, was also an international trading port. Although vaguely referred to as the ‘West Sea,’ some merchant ships came from places like Cheonchuk (India), Persia, and, very rarely, even farther away. Son Bin had also considered taking a ship to the West Sea when the winter passage over the Great Snow Mountain was blocked. He had shelved the idea then because he didn’t know his exact destination.

“It might not be frequent, but it’s better to wait a bit and take a ship. It’ll take us there without us having to do anything.”

Hwang Bang-ju’s suggestion was definitely appealing.

“What about ports? Do you know of any cities where we can catch a merchant ship going to the Central Plains?”

It was a very long journey from there to the Central Plains. Only a considerably large merchant ship could even attempt it.

“Of course. If we leave Persia and head south, there’s a fairly large port city. I think it was called Karachi…”

Hwang Bang-ju mentioned the name of a trading port that no one had ever heard of, as if he had known it all along.

“Bin, what do you think?”

At No-gun’s words, Son Bin nodded in agreement.

“It sounds good.”

“Really? What about the others?”

There were no objections. There were too few options to begin with. If not a ship, they would have to walk or ride horses all that way.

“I agree.”

Guigyeon Sura said in a calm voice. Considering the Hyeolbong Geumsaryeon [likely referring to a specific martial art or technique], a ship was advantageous. Of course, taking a ship also required considerable stamina, but it was much better than traveling by land.

“However, only after the Lord has had adequate rest. The Lord absolutely needs stability right now.”

It was quite a stern voice, but No-gun chuckled.

“I saw you two being all lovey-dovey, and now it’s ‘Lord’ this and ‘Lord’ that… Anyway, I understand. Once we get out of this wilderness, we’ll rest in a suitable city.”

“Um…”

Hwang Bang-ju said suddenly.

“How about visiting Isfahan, the capital of the Persian Empire? It’s a rare opportunity to come all the way here…”

“Isfahan?”

No-gun asked, and Hwang Bang-ju said in an excited tone,

“Yes, Isfahan. I heard from Rahman that Persians call Isfahan half the world. It means Isfahan is equal to the rest of the world, that’s how splendid and amazing the city is. Besides…”

“No.”

No-gun cut off Hwang Bang-ju’s words firmly.

“The Persian sects might be looking for us. And there’s that bandit group too. It’s best to get out of this area as soon as possible.”

Hwang Bang-ju became sullen. But No-gun was right. Visiting the capital of the Persian Empire just for fun was too risky. He didn’t say it, but the direction was also farther west.

“We’ll head straight to the port city. And if we find a suitable city along the way, we’ll rest there. Got it?”

There were no objections or other opinions.

“Good. But… what about these guys?”

No-gun looked at ‘these guys,’ which were the three Mana Beasts. The Mana Beasts were sitting around the house where the group was staying, as if guarding them. They rested their heads on their front paws, leisurely closing their eyes and savoring the warmth of the fire, looking exactly like large cats.

“We’ll send them back.”

Son Bin said, looking at the Mana Beasts.

“Send them back?”

No-gun frowned.

“You don’t mean… kill them, do you?”

They were originally beasts belonging to the Demonic realm. So No-gun could have understood the words ‘send them back’ that way.

“Waaah! No, Brother!”

Seo-rin immediately looked tearful, and Sa Su-yeon’s eyes widened in surprise. Dang Wol-ah, and even Geom-hui, looked at Son Bin, while Hwang Bang-ju even frowned, looking at Son Bin with eyes that seemed to say, ‘I didn’t expect that.’

“Ah, no. Of course not.”

Son Bin quickly waved his hand and said,

“I mean send them back to the mountains. That huge mountain range we crossed.”

The mountain Son Bin was referring to was the massive mountain range that separated Seojang (Tibet) and Cheonchuk (India). The place where he first met Suma Shin and the three Mana Beasts was also nearby.

“Is that so? Hmm.”

No-gun nodded. That deep mountain range, untouched by humans, would be more than enough for the three Mana Beasts to live in.

“Then this is goodbye to these guys.”

Looking at the Mana Beasts, No-gun said with regret. Seo-rin, Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and even Geom-hui seemed to feel the same way as they looked back at the Mana Beasts. Meanwhile, the huge black Mana Beast, Heukpyo (Black Leopard), was raising its head and guarding the surroundings, and the white-furred Seolpyo (Snow Leopard) was dozing off. The red-furred Jeokpyo (Red Leopard) was lying on its back like a person, exposing its belly, and even those terrifying Mana Beasts felt cute.

“But will these guys go if we tell them to?”

“Ah, that’s what I…”

“No, not that.”

No-gun waved his hand and said,

“Most of these guys are smart and proud. Didn’t they come here on their own in the first place? Right?”

Son Bin nodded. Come to think of it, that was true.

“So, will they obediently go back if we tell them to? What if they follow us all the way to Seowon? Then it would be better to…”

“Hey, we’re going on a ship. How can they follow us that far?”

At Hwang Bang-ju’s words, No-gun frowned.

“Don’t underestimate animals. I’ve seen ordinary dogs cross mountains and rivers to find their way home. You can’t just abandon animals because they can’t talk.”

At No-gun’s serious words, Son Bin gave an awkward smile. The story of sending them back had somehow turned into abandoning them, making him feel like a bad person.

“Still, Mana Beasts can’t be with people. They must be returned to the mountains.”

Son Bin said with a serious expression. No-gun smacked his lips with a regretful expression, but he knew that Son Bin’s words were right, so he couldn’t say anything more.

Thud.

It was then. Suddenly, Geom-hui got up from her seat and silently approached Son Bin.

“Geom-hui, what…”

To Son Bin, who was looking at her with puzzled eyes, Geom-hui bent down and brought her face close to his. Son Bin was flustered by her sudden action, and the others were surprised. He tried to avoid her unconsciously, but Geom-hui was faster. Geom-hui whispered something in Son Bin’s ear. Son Bin’s expression hardened. Then he nodded.

“I see.”

No one heard what she said. And after a while, Geom-hui, who had finished speaking, stood up.

Thud.

She quietly returned to her seat, and the group’s curious gazes poured towards Son Bin.

“Before crossing the Gate of the Abyss, the previous Okryong [Jade Dragon, a title or position] left some words for Geom-hui.”

Son Bin said with a serious expression.

“Really? What is it?”

No-gun asked.

“It’s not that great… No, it would be important to the person involved. It’s a story about the current Okryong, but it’s very personal, so it’s a bit…”

“Really? Well, it’s enough if you know it.”

Shrugging his shoulders, No-gun said as if he wasn’t interested. The others’ reactions were similar.

“I should meet him sometime.”

Son Bin muttered to himself.

“Young Master Son.”

Son Bin raised his head at the small voice he suddenly heard. Dang Wol-ah was looking at Son Bin from behind her veil.

“Can the two people who crossed the Gate of the Abyss return?”

Sa Su-yeon’s eyes sparkled. In fact, she wanted to ask that too.

“The Mujae [likely a wise or prophetic figure] said it was possible to see him again. The previous Okryong mentioned Young Master Son following him. Does that mean the Gate of the Abyss can be opened again?”

“To be honest, I don’t know.”

Son Bin said with a sigh.

“Considering that the old Cheonma [likely a powerful demonic figure] opened the Gate of the Abyss and crossed over here in the first place, there might be a way. However, it certainly won’t be easy. And from this side…”

After thinking for a moment, Son Bin continued,

“The Hyeolma’s Great Law [likely a powerful martial art or technique] that the previous Okryong mentioned is not a way to open the Gate of the Abyss. But there must be a connection, so we might be able to get a clue. But the problem is that we don’t even know that Hyeolma’s Great Law.”

“Wouldn’t it be in the Secret Realm he mentioned?”

“Ah, that’s…”

Son Bin gave an awkward smile.

“I can’t memorize that map…”

“I know it.”

Dang Wol-ah said. Seo-rin’s energetic voice followed.

“I know it too!”

“Ah, me too…”

Sa Su-yeon also raised her hand slightly. Son Bin said with a dazed expression,

“How can you memorize that complicated thing…”

“We’ve seen it twice.”

Sa Su-yeon said with a smile. Come to think of it, Sa Su-yeon was also far from ordinary. Feeling like he was the only fool, Son Bin gave an awkward smile and turned his gaze away. At that moment, Dang Wol-ah’s voice was heard.

“If.”

Looking straight at Son Bin, Dang Wol-ah said,

“If Young Master Son is able to open the Gate of the Abyss, and the time comes when you want to go there.”

Dang Wol-ah said in a calm voice.

“I’ll go too.”

At that firm declaration, Seo-rin raised her hand.

“Me too!”

“I’ll go too.”

Sa Su-yeon also said, her eyes shining as if she couldn’t give up.

“Oh, I have a business here, so…”

Hwang Bang-ju, who wasn’t even asked, declined, and even Geom-hui nodded slightly.

It seemed that she was sincerely accepting the previous Okryong’s advice to ‘bring them along.’

“Tsk.”

No-gun clicked his tongue.

“What’s the point of this? We don’t even know if we can open it yet.”

That point was absolutely correct. Son Bin nodded, and No-gun shrugged his shoulders and said,

“And I’m not going. The Young Madam is here, why would I go somewhere I don’t even know?”

No-gun said grumbling. But his words weren’t over yet.

“Well, still, if you ever go, be sure to tell me. Got it? Don’t just leave an old man behind.”

No-gun said as if scolding, even glaring.

“Um, what does this mean…”

Son Bin tried to argue, but the group’s eyes were extremely serious. In the end, Son Bin had no choice but to sigh and say,

“Yes. I understand. I will definitely do so.”

Only then did a smile of relief appear on everyone’s faces. Son Bin gave a hollow smile.

Son Bin was able to realize once again that the story of Gi-u (杞憂) [an idiom referring to groundless fears or anxieties], who ‘worried about the sky falling,’ was not someone else’s story.

***

The group, who had spent the night in the abandoned village, set off early in the morning towards the port city. As usual, they rode on the backs of the Mana Beasts, which were much faster than ordinary horses and hardly tired. Considering that the stamina of generally fast animals was weak, it was truly a capability worthy of being called Mana Beasts.

However, the port ‘Karachi’ that Hwang Bang-ju had mentioned was farther away than expected, and there were only barren lands, so there were no proper villages or cities to rest in.

Finally, after several days of Seo-rin enduring by transferring her inner energy to the Hyeolbong Geumsaryeon, the group was finally able to reach a place where the port city ‘Karachi’ could be seen.

“Is that the port city?”

No-gun said with a sigh. A large city stood like a mirage beyond the dry land. The smell of the sea mixed in the wind told them that this place was close to the coast.

“I think so.”

Hwang Bang-ju also sighed.

“Even if it’s not, we have to go. I’m sick of deserts and wastelands now.”

Either way, they were almost out of food. It was a journey where they desperately felt the absence of Rahman, the imperial guard who had guided Son Bin’s group before.

“We should send these kids back from here, right?”

No-gun said, stroking Heukpyo’s neck. It was a voice full of regret, but parting was inevitable. The group all got off the backs of the Mana Beasts. Son Bin lightly stroked Heukpyo’s nose.

―Krrr.

The large Heukpyo closed its eyes and remained still as Son Bin stroked it.

“Thank you.”

Son Bin said with sincerity.

“But we can’t go together anymore. So you guys should go back to the mountains.”

Heukpyo just closed its eyes and purred, savoring Son Bin’s touch. But Son Bin had no doubt that these Mana Beasts would understand his words.

“Woong.”

Seo-rin made a grumbling sound as if she was sad. No-gun, Sa Su-yeon, Dang Wol-ah, and even Geom-hui were attached to the Mana Beasts and didn’t want to let go.

“Let’s go quickly. It’s quite far even though it looks like it’s close.”

At Hwang Bang-ju’s urging, Son Bin’s group carried their luggage and headed towards the port city ‘Karachi.’ The Mana Beasts were still standing there, as if seeing off the departing group.

Step, step.

Seo-rin couldn’t let go of her regrets and looked back several times. No-gun also looked back from time to time, as if he was worried. Then, at some point, Seo-rin sighed and said,

“They’re gone.”

Only then did Son Bin look back. The large figures of the three Mana Beasts had disappeared and were no longer visible. He sighed without realizing it. It seemed that he had grown quite fond of the Mana Beasts in those few days. No-gun, as well as all the members of the group, stopped and looked at the place where the Mana Beasts had been.

“…Let’s go.”

After standing for a while, Son Bin said that and turned his body. ‘Karachi,’ a city that bloomed in the middle of the barren land, a city as beautiful as a fantasy. The port city that would return Son Bin’s group to their longing home was revealing its beauty before the group’s eyes.

(Author’s words)

Son Bin: How did you memorize that complicated map?

Dang Wol-ah: Just because.

Seo-rin: I just memorized it?

Sa Su-yeon: Ah, it’s easy if you think of it as the opponent’s swordsmanship.