Chapter v21c4

(TLN: We got DMCA nuked So all korean novels will be removed this week If you want to get updated on What might happen join the discord or Kofi If you can )

“Why do I have to do this?”

The master accurately pinpointed his question. Bi Ryu-Yeon nodded vigorously.

“I won’t tell you. You’ll understand once you try it!”

“…”

He was convinced that his master spent his days researching how to give the most unhelpful answers. But the disaster didn’t end there.

“Well, since you’re doing this, I might as well give you a new name. You’re a woman now.”

Bi Ryu-Yeon struggled to control his twitching eyebrow and shouted,

“I’m still a man on the inside!”

“Tsk, tsk, you’re far from becoming a woman. Then become a woman, inside and out, while you’re in that form! Live as a woman, both in body and mind, for the time being.”

He felt a strange sense of relief at his master’s words.

“But I’m still a man, no matter what. How could I possibly understand a woman’s heart?”

“Do you have no imagination? Use your imagination. Visualize it! Special training begins!”

He decided to protest vehemently. He felt like something inside him would break if he didn’t.

“Don’t just throw the word ‘special training’ around. This is ridiculous…”

“Rejected!”

“Then at least let me wear these clothes when I’m chopping wood or hunting…”

“Rejected!”

“…”

The master looked down at him, his face intimidating. Any further protests would only be met with violence.

“Ah, right. We were going to give you a new name.”

*Clap!*

The master clapped his hands, pleased with himself. Bi Ryu-Yeon felt a sense of foreboding.

“Let’s call you Yeon-Bi. Remove the ‘Ryu’ from Bi Ryu-Yeon and reverse it. Yeon-Bi (Swallow Flight), with the character ‘Yeon’ meaning ‘swallow.'”

He tilted his head.

“Swallow? The original character ‘Yeon’ in my name means ‘connect.’ It’s completely different.”

“It’s too simple if we just reverse it. I don’t like things that are too obvious. ‘Swallow’ sounds nice. Ah, I should go down south and try some swallow’s nest soup soon.”

His master sounded relaxed, as if he was done with his business.

“T-that’s it?”

He was dumbfounded. His master replied, his expression asking, “What’s wrong? You don’t like it?”

“Yes, that’s it. Now it’s perfect.”

He sounded satisfied. He seemed to genuinely believe it was perfect.

“What’s perfect?! You’re giving a fake name to a nonexistent woman.”

“Nonexistent? Now that she has a name, another you might awaken.”

His master muttered, his eyes narrowed, his words ominous. Bi Ryu-Yeon felt a chill run down his spine.

“You’re saying I might develop a split personality? That’ll never happen. Never.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. We’ll see.”

His master’s reply only amplified his unease.

And as expected, he was subjected to various bizarre training regimens the next day, starting with basic etiquette.

“Hmm. Normally, we would use body-altering techniques like bone shrinking, but it’s not necessary at your age. The problem is… don’t walk around like a man in those clothes!”

The master shouted. He took a few steps, following his master’s instructions, then turned around and said,

“Of course not. I’m a man!”

“I told you to become a woman, both in body and mind! I won’t tolerate any scratching your butt or sitting with your legs spread! A woman should gracefully tuck her hair behind her ear, sit with her knees together, things like that!”

He looked at his master, who was burning with an unknown passion, his eyes suspicious.

“Is that even possible? And your ideal woman seems to be based on your personal preferences.”

He had lived as a man for eleven years, albeit a short time. He couldn’t possibly become a woman overnight, both physically and mentally.

“Forget the past. You’re a woman now. Immerse yourself in the role. How can you grasp the essence of something without becoming one with it?”

“The essence…”

He was completely unmotivated.

“Think of it as wearing a glass mask.”

“A glass mask?”

He thought he had heard something similar before.

“Yes, it’s a phrase from a book I read a long time ago. ‘The actor must not let the glass mask shatter.'”

The master muttered, his eyes distant, as if reciting a poem.

“When you’re acting as a woman, or living another life, it’s like wearing a thin and fragile mask made of human skin.”

He raised a question.

“Glass is glass, and human skin is human skin. How can there be a glass mask made of human skin? Is there such a thing as a glass human?”

*Thwack!*

Even in a skirt, his master’s flick on the forehead was as swift as ever.

“You fool, you don’t even understand metaphors. Anyway, if you’re careless, the glass mask will shatter. And your true nature will be revealed. So you have to become a person with a thousand faces, a thousand masks.”

The master continued his passionate speech.

“A thousand faces just to dress up as a woman? Wouldn’t two or three be enough?”

He pointed out, his voice cold. He wasn’t an actor, and he wasn’t planning to perform. Why did he need a thousand faces?

“You’re being clever again.”

“I believe this is a rational judgment, Master.”

Using formal language was a form of rebellion.

“You’re still immature! You seek strength over gentleness in your heart, and you focus on tricks over true strength in your martial arts. You’ll regret it someday. So stop whining and work hard to become a woman!”

Why was the conversation going this way? It was completely illogical.

“Repeat after me, ‘Woman, woman, I am an infinitely graceful and elegant woman.’ It’s meaningless if you’re only a woman on the outside! Don’t worry about your past or your feelings as a man. You’re a woman now. Deceive yourself. ‘To deceive your enemy, you must first deceive your allies,’ right?”

That saying seemed to be used in a slightly, or perhaps very, different context.

“For example, even if you sleep with a woman, you must not be swayed. It’s natural for a woman to be with a woman. Even if you bathe together or go to the bathroom together!”

He raised his hand.

“Wait a minute! That doesn’t sound right. Isn’t it normal for women to be shy around each other in those situations?”

The master replied firmly,

“I don’t know! I’m a man. I’ve heard rumors, though. Hmm, I’ll have to test it out if I get the chance!”

“…”

He was speechless, his train of thought derailed. The master continued his lecture.

“Anyway, the moment you put on the mask of a woman, you have to become a woman completely! You can’t just step off the stage.”

‘What stage is he talking about…?’

He was sure his mind was becoming muddled. Was this a sign of senility? It wasn’t impossible, considering his master’s age…

“What stage? You’re just saying whatever comes to mind, aren’t you?”

“Sigh, I told you not to worry about trivial matters. And why are you still speaking like a man? Be more gentle and graceful!”

The master scolded him again. He was passionate about acting, in all the wrong ways.

Something bothered him.

* * *

“Did his words have a hypnotic effect?”

After two months of “special training,” living as a woman, he had completely internalized feminine mannerisms. Even his speech had become more feminine. He spoke in a soft and gentle tone, unless he consciously tried to sound rough.

It had been a difficult process. His master had subjected him to bizarre training regimens, from his sleeping posture to his wood-chopping stance, even his bathroom etiquette. His natural masculine behaviors had been systematically eradicated.

‘They say that clothes make the man.’

He felt like a switch flipped inside him whenever he changed clothes. It was as if his very being changed. He wasn’t just acting as Yeon-Bi anymore. It felt like the “Yeon-Bi” within him was emerging.

It was more than just immersion in a role. It felt like his true self was stepping back, observing Yeon-Bi’s actions, allowing his ego to become more distinct.

‘Am I developing a split personality?’

He definitely felt calmer and less easily agitated in this form. And ironically, the bell, the toy his master had given him, had played a role in his newfound composure.

As soon as he had started practicing his dance with the bell attached to his wrist and ankle, he had realized that it was his master’s greatest shackle. The slightest lapse in concentration, and the bell would jingle mercilessly. It produced a beautiful, clear sound when shaken gently, but it was nothing but a noisy nuisance when it jingled uncontrollably. And his master’s nagging, fueled by his obsession with the “glass mask” from some unknown book, was even more annoying than the bell.

“Tsk, tsk. Eliminating the sound of the bell is the most basic of basics! The noise means there are unnecessary movements in your dance!”

Anyone who spent months with bells attached to their limbs would eventually get a headache from the constant jingling and choose one of two options: either remove the nerves or remove the sound. He had finally mastered the art of controlling the bell without conscious effort.

He had gained several benefits from this training. He had developed graceful and fluid movements, and the sound of the bell had become a sort of mantra, allowing him to control himself more effectively.

What was strange was that whenever he started dancing, lightly ringing the bell as if entering a trance, most of the audience would also fall under his spell, captivated by his performance.

‘It’s just an ordinary bell. Surely Master didn’t go out of his way to find a special one, did he?’

He tried to shake off his unease, trusting that his master wasn’t that diligent. He turned his gaze to his dressing table. There were a few things there that might help him relax.

“Is this today’s special reward?”

He finally noticed the gift he had received from Namgung-Hyeon, the Branch Manager of Sichuan.

“Hehe, not bad. I thought it was just ten gold coins.”

He said, examining the box filled with ten gleaming gold coins. This was his private dressing room, the only place in Cheonhyang Pavilion where he could relax. He had earned this privilege with his skill and popularity.

“This makes it all worthwhile.”

He didn’t dislike music or dancing. In fact, he was quite passionate about them. But having to dress up as a woman every time he performed was a burden.

“Why is this mirror so dirty? I should call a mirror polisher.”

He grumbled as he removed his makeup. He heard voices whispering outside.

“So the rumors were true.”

It was a man’s voice, someone in his thirties.

“What rumors? About that precious little lady?”

Judging by their tone and content, they were most likely low-ranking warriors.

“Yes. I heard she can’t even look at people properly. She spends all day cooped up in her room, despite her young age.”

“Why? She has everything she could ever want. I would be out there enjoying life if I were her.”

Their voices were a mix of mockery, curiosity, and pity.

“Beauty is a curse. I heard there have been countless kidnapping attempts.”

“Haha, I’d love to see her for myself.”

“Don’t even think about it. Didn’t you see how terrified Commander Namgung was?”

“Well, I was sweating bullets just watching him. I guess the rumors about him bringing her here personally because he was worried about leaving her alone are true.”

So those rumors were circulating.

“Well, the Ink Swallow’s dance was amazing, though.”

“What? You have a thing for young girls?”

Their voices were now laced with lewdness.

“She’s more attainable than that precious little lady. Maybe I should…”

*Crack!*

Yeon-Bi, who had been listening to their conversation, felt a vein throbbing in her forehead.

‘Those bastards!’

She spotted something that might be useful. It was a large wooden comb that she had discarded because it was too bulky.

“Hmm, this will do.”

She snapped off two of the teeth without hesitation, creating thick wooden needles.

‘Two at once might be too much, but one at a time…’

She focused her mind and channeled her qi into the needles. Then she flicked her wrist, sending them flying towards the wall.

*Thud!*

“Ugh!”

A muffled scream came from the other side of the wall.

“What’s wrong with you?”

She threw the remaining needle without hesitation.

“Aaaagh!”

Another scream, shorter this time, followed by the thud of bodies hitting the ground.

“Hmph, should I go over there and make them even more uncomfortable?”

It seemed like she hadn’t fully immersed herself in the role of an ideal woman yet. Two tiny holes had appeared on the white-painted wall.

‘Who were they talking about?’

A fleeting thought crossed her mind as she began to fix her appearance. But by the time she had erased all traces of her performance, she had already forgotten about it. The two unconscious warriors, needless to say, had no recollection of the incident.

“Alright, time to take care of today’s main task. Like a woman, like a woman.”

She said, leaving the room with a light step.

* * *

“Money!”

She said, extending her hand. The man standing before her was So Han-San, the owner of Cheonhyang Pavilion. It was a rather disrespectful gesture, but he silently handed her a pouch of money.

She counted the contents carefully, then tucked the pouch into her robe.

“It’s all there.”

“You’re so meticulous.”

So Han-San, a man in his forties, replied.

“You’re one to talk.”

A sharp business sense was essential for running a successful establishment like this. It was almost impossible to succeed without understanding the nature of money. He looked at her and said,

“I heard your performance today was excellent.”

“It’s my job.”

She was wary. He wasn’t just complimenting her.

“I heard you even received a special bonus from Commander Namgung.”

“Is there a problem with that?”

She asked, her voice sharp. Her gaze, sharp and piercing, made him flinch.

“No, no problem.”

“Good. That’s what we agreed on.”