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Chapter 89
Koo Kyungman, in front of me, was in an appalling state.
What on earth had happened in that short time? He was floating in the air, kicking wildly and squirming his neck.
I didn’t know what was going on, but I may not get another chance to run away again. Without taking my eyes off of Koo Kyungman, I retreated until, not long afterwards, I felt something touch my back. I looked back, frightened.
It was Seo Dawon.
“You…..!” I was surprised but, at the same time, overcome with relief. Of course, Seo Dawon wouldn’t die so obediently! Without realizing it, a smile involuntarily bloomed on my face.
However, Seo Dawon, looking down at me, frowned as if he were dissatisfied with something, and I became a bit self-conscious. Seo Dawon reached out to me with a sigh, “You’re so good at muttering to yourself when you’re alone, why did you shut up now?”
“W-what…”
“You should buy some time by saying whatever. If you had gotten hit by him, your ribs would have been crushed.”
You were over there, fainted, and now you’re nagging at me? Well…I suppose he was just acting.
I had a lot to say, but I chose to keep quiet and grab his hand to stand up.
A soft voice spoke from behind my back. “Thank you. You made it easy.”
I turned around to look at who spoke and almost screamed. Koo Hui-seo, who had surely died of a broken neck, was standing still and looking my way! Koo Hui-seo laughed at my astounded expression, covering his mouth with his hands. “I see you were worried.”
“H-How did this happen!”
“It was just a petty trick.” Afterwards, one of Koo Hui-seo’s fingers, which were covering his mouth, dyed black–it looked as if that finger turned into a branch. Of course, as soon as I blinked, his finger returned to normal.
“Kughhh, Urgh…” At that moment, Koo Kyungman, who was still struggling midair, sounded as if all the breath sapped out of him and drooped.
Without dropping his smile, Koo Hui-seo approached his unconscious brother; Koo Kyungman’s body slowly lowered from the air. It felt as if some invisible entity was handing him over to his brother.
I couldn’t see it well before, but there were black strands around the neck of the fainted Koo Kyungman: that was probably the culprit behind his struggles and suffocation.
As Koo Kyungman fully collapsed into Koo Hui-seo’s embrace, I could see something long and black, like a string, was connected to Koo Kyungman’s back. When Koo Hui-seo extended his arm, the string slithered up his sleeve like a snake.
‘Did he have a weapon like that?’
However, before I could ask, Seo Dawon spoke first. “We’re giving you exactly 1 year to hold Koo Kyungman in custody; you got that?”
“Of course.”
In accordance with the first vengeful ghost contract, Koo Hui-seo must not be allowed to let Kyungman freely escape, causing a setback in resolving the ghost’s grudges.
Or course, the contract with Koo Hui-seo placed several restrictions on him; he could not betray us voluntarily. However, it was also true that the situation was a bit uncomfortable for us.
I asked Koo Hui-seo, “Koo Kyungman…What are you going to do with him for that 1 year?”
Koo Hui-seo laughed, sounding as if he was at the last dregs of his sanity, but he didn’t hesitate to answer. “First we should go to my room.”
* * *
Without another word, we followed Koo Hui-seo up to his room while the housekeepers cleaned up the gruesome parlor.
His room was on the second floor of the mansion. I thought, as soon as we opened the door, that his room felt very dark. Each window was swathed in endless darkness through layers of blackout curtains.
Koo Hui-seo entered the dark room without hesitation. When Seo Dawon turned on the lights, he paused with a short exclamation. “Is it a bit dark? I tend to avoid the sunlight, so….”
After speaking, Koo Hui-seo ordered two of his gifted servants to lay Koo Kyungman carefully on the bed. The two users quietly closed the door afterwards, not sparing a second glance at the unconscious man as they left.
Koo Hui-seo waved his hand gently as he looked at his brother laying on his bed; something that looked like that black band I saw earlier popped out of his sleeve, crawled along the floor and climbed up the bed.
When it found Koo Kyungman, it split into several branches–black strings gagging his mouth and binding his hands and feet. They completely restricted any movement. Then, he guided us to some seats at a table. “Where should I start….” His low voice spoke slowly. “To resist the curse, my body had lost many vital functions.”
He spoke, implying that he wouldn’t have been able to survive otherwise without these sacrifices. He frowned, “I’ve lost most of my ability to digest; it’s almost impossible for me to eat food now.”
After hearing those words, Seo Dawon immediately asked a keen question. “You need Koo Kyungman to recover your body?”
“Hmm, well no.  Recovery is impossible. Besides, it’s not just my digestive system that I’ve lost.” He continued after sighing, “I’m now infertile.”
I kept my gaze focused on his face in order to not drop my eyes to some other locations.
Of course, I was first struck by feelings of pity; I wondered if I could calmly talk about that loss if I had experienced the same. However, I found myself at a loss for words–unable to comfort him. Further, I couldn’t wrap my head around the connection between Koo Kyungman and infertility.
As if he understood our confused silence, Koo Hui-seo added, calmly, “To be exact, many parts of my body had been fused as a chimera so ordinary sexual intercourse would be impossible. But this body needs to become the head of the [Red Dragon]…My position would be in danger if others knew I couldn’t have children.”
He explained that this guild was beholden to indispensable relatives that held guild funding within their palms; they were constrained by traditional ideals such as inheritance by blood and keeping succession within the family.
“Then, are you going to have Koo Kyungman’s child be your successor?”
“Hmm…..”
Seo Dawon asked if he was going to use Koo Kyungman as a stallion–let him sow his seeds–and adopt the resulting child, disguising him as his true biological son. I, too, couldn’t imagine any other scheme than this in Koo Hui-seo’s mind.
However, Koo Hui-seo shook his head. “Kyungman-ie already has a child. I’ll handle that soon.”
“…….”
“And, I…I don’t have the confidence that I can raise Kyungman’s child as my own.” Koo Hui-seo smiled bitterly, “Wouldn’t it be painful if my adopted son grew up looking just like him?”
I guess that son would be viewed as the enemy’s child.
Even I would feel uncomfortable, so I could sympathize with his feelings. I became even more curious as to his plans with Koo Kyungman.
“So, I decided to get some help from Mother.” He said.
“With what?”
“I’m going to have Kyungman give birth to my baby.”
“……..What?” I looked at him with wide eyes; Seo Dawon gave a subtle frown.
What he said was so shocking that my mouth would not close. However, Koo Hui-seo continued without hesitation, paying no heed to our reactions. “There’s a method for men to become pregnant as well. It’s not a medicine that many can easily get their hands on, but Mother knows a workshop.”
“…….”
“After adapting to the medicine, Kyungman can receive artificial insemination from a hospital outside the Hub.
To be honest, although Koo Kyungman did things worthy of death…I had no choice but to feel pity for the man. Looking at Koo Hui-seo’s crazy eyes as he raved about his plans, one could imagine how, whether or not the plan failed, Koo Kyungman’s remaining life would be spent in hell.
I didn’t know that he’d make his life hell…
“There will be noise if Koo Kyungman goes into hiding, leaving his guildmaster seat open.” Seo Dawon said.
“It’s okay…Kyungman-ie…will be retiring from an irreparable injury.”
“What are you thinking about?”
“First, I’m going to cut off both arms. It might be annoying for him, a gauntlet-wielding User, to retain the use of those during imprisonment.”
“Alright. When are you starting?”
“This evening.”
However, unlike me–immobilized from shock, Seo Dawon carefully asked Koo Hui-seo about his future plans. In that matter, all discussion of Koo Kyungman had ended.
TL: I’m back again with a double feature: Thanks Sam for the Kofi!
Ngl, I thought I was hallucinating when I was translating this chapter. That plan is…certainly a plan.