Chapter 76: - Hua Ran (2)

༺ Hua Ran (2) ༻

“Student Hua Ran is in confinement.”

“...”

The first thing I heard after coming back from the group event was that Hua Ran had been confined because of an incident during the individual event.

Fortunately, there weren’t any casualties but the problem was that there were a few people there who knew about the restrictions cast on Hua Ran.

One of them was Bishop Renault Lusignan, who had been dispatched from the great chapel of Xeruem of the Old Faith.

He criticized them, saying that the restrictions put on Hua Ran, which they were so confident in, had been easily broken due to her violent nature.

Strictly speaking, the restrictions did work properly. The constraints cast on Hua Ran consisted of the talismans that settled her mind, and the article of the New Faith, ‘Chains of Zeon’, that devoured and enhanced the restriction if Hua Ran was to go berserk.

Even though the talismans ended up being scorched because of her immense aura, the chains had done a remarkable job.

“The fact that one of the constraints broke was enough fault for them to nitpick on.”

“Depends on how you view it I guess.”

However, their justification was still weak, so they sent her to Kang Ryun under the pretext of recreating those talismans.

“...”

I couldn’t make it in time due to the group event schedule. I guess this was another butterfly effect of what I did.

My original plan was to do something before they could apply the talisman but...

Well, whatever. I knew this would happen. After experiencing Marie’s incident and the Tornado Bat incident back to back, I wholeheartedly realized that you always needed a Plan B.

“When are they going to reattach the talismans?”

“They said they need time to supply materials and create the new restricting talismans at a workshop. There was a request to move Hua Ran over to that place.”

“I see.”

That was a lie.

They should be done preparing their talismans. Was it postponed because of the articles I stole? Were they trying to put an end to it inside the Evil Extermination Formation?

Whatever the case, they were probably trying to do something before using Hua Ran as the ‘core’ in the group event.

I couldn’t let them go that far without doing anything. I had to do something to Hua Ran before that as well but...

“Can I visit Hua Ran?”

“Unfortunately, the Templar Knights of the Old Faith are watching over her.”

Being stopped by Templar Knights? As expected, they were making a bold political move, but well, that was also within the scope of expectation.

“Student Korin.”

That was when Chairman Eriu who had been quietly watching until now... or rather, Master Erin, walked up to me.

“How many things are you aware of, Student Korin?”

“Ah...”

She must have realized that I was hiding something, but that was nothing unusual considering her insight.

“Well, I know most of the things I need to know.”

“...As for this incident, we couldn’t stop the confinement of Student Hua Ran but we could have dealt with it ourselves.”

“Even though Merkarva was being interrogated as the one responsible for it, I’m sure it would have been possible if you were coercive about it.”

That wasn’t a very good idea though. It was my master Erin, who had to overstep her boundaries to bring the demon behind the Moonlight Castle incident into the Academy. She took Hua Ran in as a student while saying that she was safe thanks to the restriction, and yet this was what happened.

What would they say if Merkarva were to try to protect Hua Ran in a situation like that?

“I am aware of the risk, but we would have undoubtedly been able to protect Student Hua Ran at least.”

There was something I knew, which both Josephine and Master Erin were also aware of; it was that Professor Kang Ryun of Purple Hawk and the Old Faith had been up to something behind our backs.

Hua Ran had gone berserk during the very fight against the Trampling Warhound, Sa Jinhyuk, after entering the festival as requested by Bishop Renault.

It was way too coincidental that it was suspicious. That was all the more the case because we were already looking at them with suspicion.

Under the pretext of recreating the talismans, they asked for the momentary control of Hua Ran and were definitely scheming something.

“Student Korin. Are we looking at the same destination, I wonder?”

“I am 100% sure. We are aiming at the same place.”

“If so, then why do we have to shoulder so much risk?”

I knew what she was suspicious about. It was I who requested master and Lady Josephine, that they monitor them for the time being without doing anything.

Although controlling every little thing within the process was difficult, the end result had to be the best one that I was thinking of. For that, there was the need to go through a few processes.

Since my master wasn’t aware of what I was thinking, it was natural for her to be suspicious. She might even be doubting that I was the type of person who would undertake dirty measures as long as it led to a good outcome.

I knew better than anyone how I was not a perfect person. Because of my sloppy actions, it might lead to a worse outcome than the last iteration.

But at least for now, I won’t doubt my actions because this path that I chose was definitely not wrong at the very least.

“The outcome I’m dreaming of has everyone included, with not a single person missing.”

『Main Quest: Hua or Ran』

※ Difficulty: A+

※ Achievement Condition: Fails upon the eradication of Hua / Fails upon the eradication of Ran

The future I’m aspiring for needs to include both Hua and Ran, as well as you, master.

****

The boss of the 3rd Arc of ❰Heroic Legends of Arhan❱, Heavenly Yaksha, had a slightly different background to all the bosses that appeared before it.

Based on the affection meter with the character and the choices leading to the 3rd Arc, the player was forced to choose between 2 choices.

Would you save Hua, or would you save Ran?

It was disgustingly annoying, but I couldn’t deny that it was an effective device in adding weight to the story and increasing game playtime. Because of these turning points and choices inside the game, there were multiple users who played the game several times.

In one of the forums of ❰Heroic Legends of Arhan❱ that only had veteran gamers, there were oftentimes several discussions of ‘what ifs’ and how the player could have overcome those options to lead the story into the happiest ending possible.

That was a discussion about the background setting of the story, which was thus impossible to prove in the game.

‘Honestly, the easiest option would be to choose a single one like it was a game like Park Sihu.’

Whichever option you chose, there would only be 1 sacrifice. It was an efficient method where you simply had to sacrifice one of them.

But as I’ve said before.

I was not interested in efficiency.

****

On the second day after returning from the group event, all the group event attendants were given breaks and were allowed to take a rest from lectures. Because there were a few people in the group that were participating in either the individual or the doubles event, it was a measure for those students to take a good rest and wash out the fatigue built at Nazrea.

“Korin! This way!”

An amicable girl with water-colored hair hopped across the streets while grabbing me with her small hand. The facilities in the internal streets of the Academy were in a festival mood, befitting the name of the event itself.

“Korin! Should we get some hash browns?”

“No. We eat that every day. The number of potatoes I grated would probably add up to a warehouse.”

“I, I don’t think it was that much!”

“What if we add the potatoes you grated with me on top of that?”

“...Then, maaaybe.”

Seriously, what was I supposed to do with this potato-loving princess of the Potato Empire?

“It’s a special day so let’s go have some of those chicken skewers or that beef skewer over there that’s 1 silver coin each. But like... 1 silver coin per skewer?”

They were targeting tourists but that was still too much! Speaking of targeting tourists...

“Senior. How are the stalls placed in front of our hotel going?”

– Munch munch

“Oh that– cough cough!”

“Ah. I’m telling you you should stop having so many potatoes.”

She choked on potatoes so I gave her a drink. Even though we were at the festival, she was still buying a tornado potato... Wait, they have a tornado potato? No wonder I don’t feel homesick...

“Ugh. Thank you. I received the overall report for the stalls just yesterday.”

“Ohh. How big is the profit?”

“You see.”

– Whisper whisper!

– ‘What!’

“Yuhua.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

That was when Yuhua suddenly grabbed the chained and immobilized Hua Ran by the chin and opened her mouth, as Kang Ryun tossed something inside.

“Uhhk...!”

By the time Hua Ran realized that it was a piece of wood, her insides started burning from pain. Her body turned powerless and lethargic, like the time when she was ‘ordered to stay still’.

The chains that were restricting every one of her limbs loosened up and started gently resting on her body.

Because of her neutralization, the chains didn’t even have enough aura to absorb.

“Wow~”

Seeing that Hua Ran had been immediately neutralized, Jinhyuk curiously asked Kang Ryun.

“What was that thing just then, master?”

“A wooden board made by cutting a peach tree. It is the natural enemy of jiangshis.”

“So now...”

Can I kill it now then? That was what his eyes were suggesting but after reading that thought of his, Kang Ryun turned to him with a sharp glare.

“Don’t even think about it. Even the peach tree is only going to lead to symptoms of a flu for a jiangshi of this level. Do not look down on jiangshis that have reached the status of a ‘Heavenly Yaksha’. It’s possible for them to turn into a ‘Hou’1Hou: A mythical creature that looks similar to xiezhi, haetae and komainu. But unlike the positive notion behind those creatures, a Hou is the evolved version of a jiangshi (Not sure how) that eats humans. at any moment. They might become monsters that are even worse than dragons.”

“Tch.”

“Hyuk, remember. Our goal is to take that wicked thing away from Ran, and not kill her,” reminded Yuhua.

“I know I know.”

Yuhua said to Jinhyuk, but Hua Ran was the one who reacted the most. She asked with a pale face.

“What do you... mean by that?”

“It is as we said, Hua. Uncle Kang Ryun will rip you away from Ran’s body.”

“I, if you do that...!”

“You will definitely be eradicated after losing your body, or turn into a demonic spirit at best.”

“T, this body...!”

“It is clearly not yours. Don’t you know that yourself?”

Facing Hua Ran who was now sweating profusely due to consuming a part of a peach tree, Yuhua replied with a glare that contained not a hint of her usual gentleness.

“We will retrieve Ran from you. Do you think you have the right to obtain that body as the one who killed countless poor souls?”

“I...”

Hua Ran was still hesitating about her response as the carriage approached the walls.

“Master. We are almost there.”

“Right. Let’s quickly go to the workshop and deal with—!!”

– Dung dududu dung dung! Dung dung!

– KIYOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTT!!!!!

– U, uaahkk! What the heckk!

The driver driving the carriage yelled as a massive carriage suddenly drove into the one carrying Kang Ryun and his group.

– Kajik! Kajijijik!

– Creaaaaakk!!

The two carriages crashed into each other at full force, and the one that collapsed with a deafening thud was the one carrying Kang Ryun.

“That’s right! Boss, what do we do now?”

“Huhahahaha! Take everything valuable!”

It was the typical line of bandits, but after an eye contact with the leader of the bandits behind the opened doors, Hua Ran couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

“You...”

The man had red eyes and a characteristic ponytail. Even though he was wearing a mask, there was no way she could mistake him as someone else.

“Oi oi! We have a bishoujo2Bishoujo: Originally 미소녀 [Misonyeo]. Literally means ‘pretty girl’, but it’s not a word used often in Korean, and is heavily influenced by Japanese culture so I translated it to bishoujo considering the playful tone of his remark.’ here!”

“Huh?”

“We’re in luck today! Boys! We’re taking this girl with us!”

“Yes! Boss!”

The masked man quickly picked up Hua Ran and left the collapsed carriage.

“Yuhua! Jinhyuk!”

After quickly coming to himself, Kang Ryun called his two disciples and the two warriors quickly jumped out of the fallen carriage to chase after the bandits, but—

❰Water Bomb❱

Water Bombs had been installed in front of their path and the overwhelming pressure of water bounced the two back.

“Kuhk... a mage? Hyuk! Find out where the mage...!”

“They’re on one of the roofs! I don’t know which building they’re in! First, we have to hurry up and take that bitch...!”

❰Blood Realm❱

Before the two could come up with their next course of action, a crimson barrier appeared around them and the Blood Realm successfully separated the three of them from the mounted bandits.

“What’s this?”

“A barrier?”

They did not know what it was. Since it belonged to a vampire, which was already unique among demi-humans, and since a Blood Realm was a skill that could only be used by Vampire Elders and above, they were bound to be unfamiliar with the ability.

“Huhahaha! A successful operation, boss!”

“This much is enough! Let’s go!”

“Let’s go!!!”

That was the mighty return of Immortan Lork.

.........

......

...

‘Mhmm...’

Marie, who helped Korin by isolating the three people from Purple Hawk with her Blood Realm, was caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events.

“Wasn’t expecting... someone to be able to break the Blood Realm...”

Her original plan was to lock them inside for at least 1 hour, but the three had done something to the barrier.

To be exact, it was Kang Ryun who did something.

He unfolded his fan with a flick as an article of a tortoise with a snake head on its tail and an article of a white tiger floated out by themselves, as they then created a small hole on the barrier.

“Yuhua.”

“I will go find them for sure.”

Marie quickly repaired her Blood Realm in surprise but Kang Yuhua was able to escape from the barrier using that short moment.

She couldn’t do anything else here, because Korin had made it exceptionally clear that she couldn’t openly do anything to them.

‘Korin... Be careful.’

****

“What was that?”

After hearing an urgent report from one of the security officers of Merkarva, Josephine asked with a dumbfounded look on her face.

“A, a student has been kidnapped!”

“...Which student, and by who?”

“About 5 minutes ago, a group of mysterious mounted bandits attacked the carriage carrying the VIPs of Purple Hawk, and kidnapped a student called Hua Ran!”

“...”

Josephine sent the security officer away and collapsed onto the seat of the Senior Professor’s office.

“What the hell is he doing?”

That was her first time swearing in the last 35 years.

Footnotes:

1Hou: A mythical creature that looks similar to xiezhi, haetae and komainu. But unlike the positive notion behind those creatures, a Hou is the evolved version of a jiangshi (Not sure how) that eats humans. 2Bishoujo: Originally 미소녀 [Misonyeo]. Literally means ‘pretty girl’, but it’s not a word used often in Korean, and is heavily influenced by Japanese culture so I translated it to bishoujo considering the playful tone of his remark.