Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 108

“What brings you here at this hour?” Kang Jin-ho bowed deeply to the head nun. “I came because I have something to discuss.” “Oh, I see.” She didn’t seem to know what it was about, but the head nun smiled as if she was just happy that Kang Jin-ho had come, and pointed to a seat. “Please, sit down.” “Yes.” “There’s something to drink in the fridge, would you like some?” “It’s alright.” “It’s a hot day.” “Rather than that, head nun.” As Kang Jin-ho spoke seriously, the head nun closed her mouth and waited quietly for him to continue. “Do you have any plans to move the hospital to another location?” “The hospital?” “Yes.” The head nun smiled. “Jin-ho, this hospital…” “Yes, I know. I’m not saying we should try to cure the illness. There’s a hospital closer to the orphanage. The facilities are better than here. It has private rooms, so it won’t be difficult for the kids to visit.” However, the head nun slowly shook her head. “It’s greed.” “Head nun.” “I have my own reasons. I’ve lived my whole life fulfilling my own desires, so I can’t keep fulfilling them until the very end, can I?” “Have you ever been greedy?” “Of course.” The head nun seemed to be reminiscing about something with a slightly distant look. Kang Jin-ho held his breath, not wanting to break her mood. “The children were like angels. I wanted to hold those angels in my arms. I thought that was my duty. Everyone else was against it. Maybe there were other ways. But at the time, I thought that was the only thing I was meant to do.” “Is that greed?” “Greed isn’t anything special. It’s doing what you want to do. I even caused harm to others because of it, so I’m a terrible greedy person.” Kang Jin-ho shook his head. “I don’t know what harm you caused, but the children received far more grace from you than any harm you might have done to others.” The head nun, who had been listening to Kang Jin-ho without a word, asked with a slightly warmer look. “Do you really think so?” “Yes.” “Thank you.” Her expression softened at Kang Jin-ho’s words. “But I have no intention of moving the hospital. I don’t want to make them suffer until the very end.” “Head nun.” At Kang Jin-ho’s firm voice, she raised her head. “What you should be thinking about at the end is not other things, but the children.” “Think only about yourself and the children. You don’t need to carry anything else.” The head nun seemed a little surprised. The Kang Jin-ho she knew was always someone who stood a step behind and silently did what was given to him. He wasn’t someone who would step forward and do something like this. Just from what Park Yu-min said, he seemed like someone who would do anything given to him, but not someone who would start something on his own. Seeing this different side of him made her wonder if she had been mistaken about him all along. “Do you think that would be better?” “I really hope you would do that.” “Jin-ho.” As the head nun quietly reached out her hand, Kang Jin-ho took it. “Sometimes, it’s better to just let things go as they are.” “I’m very grateful that you’re thinking of me, Jin-ho. But there are things in this world that can’t be done by human power. If you can’t accept that, it will be hard for you.” “I understand what you mean.” “Yes. There are things that are valuable just for the effort you put into them.” The head nun nodded as if she understood Kang Jin-ho’s feelings. “So, I just do as you say?” “Yes.” The head nun nodded. “Okay, let’s…” At that moment, the head nun started coughing. “Cough!” After coughing several times with her hand over her mouth, dark red blood trickled from the head nun’s lips. ‘Hemoptysis [coughing up blood]?’ No, it’s hematemesis [vomiting blood]. The blood that had come up from her stomach was coming out of her mouth. “Nurse!” Kang Jin-ho, who had jumped up to call for a nurse, was stopped by the head nun. “It’s alright.” “But still…” “It’s okay, Jin-ho.” The head nun, with a slightly flushed face, stopped Kang Jin-ho and pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth. “Don’t call busy people for no reason.” Kang Jin-ho felt it was foolish that she was still thinking of others even in this situation. But knowing that was the life she had lived, he pressed his lips together to hold back the words that were about to come out. “Okay. If we have to move the hospital, then we’ll move it. You’re doing this because you have a reason, right?” “Yes.” “Okay, then let’s do that.” Kang Jin-ho looked at the head nun, who was nodding with a pale face, and got up from his seat. “I’ll come to pick you up when the procedures are finished.” “I hope you’re not missing out on your vacation because of me.” “Don’t say that.” Kang Jin-ho bowed deeply to the smiling head nun and went outside. ‘Why am I so attached to her?’ He had no intention of acting nice now. Kang Jin-ho had spilled countless blood in the Central Plains [a fictional martial arts world]. Even though he was living a different life now, he didn’t think the karma he had accumulated had disappeared. He couldn’t just dismiss it as a dream and live on. He had to properly bear what he had to bear. Even so, the reason he thought she deserved a better end than this was because she was the true virtuous person (善人) that Kang Jin-ho had seen since returning to this world. A person who gave up everything for the sake of others. Kang Jin-ho’s belief was that such a person, who could not be found either here or in the Central Plains, deserved a proper reward. Of course, reality was always bitter. He knew that the more virtuous a person was, the more miserable their end often was. That was why he wanted to give even the people he could reach a slightly better reward. ‘I’ll do what I can.’ They say, ‘Do your best and leave the rest to fate.’ “Oppa!” It was only when it was time for dinner that Kang Eun-young came home. “You’re here?” Looking at Kang Eun-young, who jumped and hugged him, he wondered if it was right to let such a carefree child go out into the world. “I was going to come yesterday, but my schedule was too busy.” “Is that so?” Kang Jin-ho’s face hardened slightly. He didn’t like the fact that her schedule was so busy that she couldn’t even come home. “O-Oppa, it’s not like that.” Kang Eun-young, noticing Kang Jin-ho’s expression, tried to fix the situation. “I asked to be kept busy. I have to strike while the iron is hot.” “Hmm…” However, Kang Jin-ho still didn’t seem to like it. “You, sit down.” “…Yes.” Kang Eun-young immediately sat down. After seeing with her own eyes how all the concepts and schedules related to Kang Eun-young changed as soon as Kang Jin-ho spoke, she realized how much power Kang Jin-ho had. To put it bluntly, Kang Eun-young knew that if Kang Jin-ho said just one word, her entertainment activities could be banned, so she had no choice but to submit. “You’re going to go to college, right?” “…Do I have to?” Kang Jin-ho turned his head and looked at his parents. “I vote for you having to go.” “I also vote for you having to go.” “Go.” Kang Jin-ho actively accepted his parents’ opinions. “But honestly, if I go to college while doing entertainment activities, I won’t be able to learn properly.” Kang Eun-young pouted her lips. Then, Baek Hyun-jung interjected. “These days, everyone gets into college easily with some kind of special admission for celebrities.” “But none of them actually use their major. Honestly, I think it’s a waste of time. It’s just for the sake of having a title. How much would celebrities who are active in the entertainment industry actually go to college? I think it’s more constructive to focus on their activities during that time!” Kang Jin-ho thought that Kang Eun-young’s words made sense. It was ironic that idols who were already active in the field would go to a theater and film department to learn how to become celebrities, even though they were preparing for the future. If they were overseas celebrities, they wouldn’t try to learn by going to a theater and film department while they were active in the entertainment industry. It was a strange sight that could only be seen in Korea, where titles and universities were valued. “Still, wouldn’t it be better to go to college?” Kang Eun-young shook her head at her father’s words. “I definitely don’t think so. And since I haven’t been able to study properly since high school because I was a trainee, I don’t think I’ll be able to learn that much even if I go to college. I don’t have the basics.” Kang Jin-ho thought it was a difficult problem. Both sides had valid points. “Let’s think about that a little later.” It seemed like he needed a little more information to make a decision. “However…” Kang Jin-ho drew a clear line. “You’re a singer, right?” “Huh?” “As far as I know, you can’t write lyrics, you can’t compose, and you’re just someone who sings songs that others give you and dances to choreography that others give you.” “Wow, how can someone like that be my brother…” It wasn’t wrong, but it was too harsh. “Of course, that’s not a bad thing. But that also means that you can’t create your own popularity. Right?” “But there are many seniors who have been active for a long time like that. It would be nice if I could develop myself and compose, but honestly, I don’t think I have much talent in that area.” “Then it would be good to consider other directions as well. Otherwise, I think what you want is not to sing, but just to be in the spotlight.” Kang Eun-young couldn’t refute it. It was true that she thought that as long as she could become popular, it didn’t matter whether it was acting, being an idol, or being a singer. “I’m not telling you to become a profound singer. But remember one thing. You can’t be an idol using your youth as a weapon like you are now, even 10 years from now. Only a few idols survive 10 years after their debut. I hope you’ll think about that when you’re active.” “Okay, Oppa.” Kang Eun-young nodded with a serious face. “But I must say, it’s very sad that the first thing you say to your sister after seeing her in a month is nagging.” “It’s not nagging.” “Yes, yes.” Kang Eun-young lay down on the sofa as if she was exhausted. “Oh my, the future is the future, but I’m hungry right now.” “Let’s eat.” “Hehe, I missed Mom’s cooking.” The family gathered around the table. They talked about various things for a while. Kang Jin-ho ate silently, and when the coffee that his father had made for dessert came out, he opened his mouth. “I have something to say.” “Huh?” His father turned his gaze to Kang Jin-ho’s serious voice. “It seems like our son has something he wants to say?” “It’s an important matter.” “Okay, tell me.” Kang Jin-ho paused for a moment, then opened his mouth with a firm voice. “I would like to create a foundation [a non-profit organization].” “Huh?” Kang Ji-hwan’s eyes widened at the unexpected and sudden statement.