episode_0086

One day, a hunter caught a deer.

The trapped deer spoke.

“I am actually a person from heaven who came to the human world after committing a sin. So please spare my life.”

After some hesitation, the hunter released the deer.

When the hunter returned home and told his wife about the incident, his wife asked him to find the deer and make their wish come true.

– Hunter and Wife (Yeongongpaeseol, Goryeo Dynasty, Sejong Sillok, Dongguk Yeojiseungnam Collection)

[Ke-e-e-ek… Kki-ee-ee-ek…]

Rustle! Thud!

Although he had hoped that the trap would catch the creature, he didn’t expect it to actually work.

Based on his long hunting experience, this place wasn’t suitable for catching such animals.

Was it a coincidence? Or was it because of my abilities?

Sensing my approach, the large deer struggled harder to break free from the snare.

The more it thrashed, the tighter the noose around its neck became, digging into its flesh.

Blood dripped from its wounds…

“It’s better not to move. I designed it to dig deeper as you struggle.”

I’m sorry, but this trap isn’t meant for small game; even a bear or wild boar might not escape it. The stronger they are, the easier it is for their throats to be cut.

I couldn’t tell how long the deer had been trapped, but judging by its condition, it seemed like it had been here for quite some time.

With parched skin from not having a sip of water, and exhausted from struggling…

It was a close call.

If I had arrived just a few days later, it might have died of exhaustion or been devoured by hungry beasts attracted by the scent of blood from its wounds, leaving only bones behind.

Whether it escaped from me that day or if it was just a regular deer, I still don’t know.

Coincidentally, this place was close to the lumberjack’s house, and even the fact that it was a location pointed out to me by the mountain spirit grandfather…

I strangely felt convinced.

Either way, I had to take it somewhere, whether it was that creature or not.

The village was out of the question…

There was no choice. Even though it was in ruins, I had to take it to the house in the mountains… at least the kitchen was intact.

The deer now lay motionless, not even struggling, just panting softly.

To prevent it from losing consciousness, I dribbled some water into its mouth, then tightly bound its legs with a rope before releasing the noose around its neck.

Thump, thump, thump.

I could feel the deer trembling.

“Hey, it’s you. The one who ran away before.”

[……]

I tried speaking to it out of curiosity, but it remained silent.

Just like an ordinary deer, it closed its eyes, trembling in fear of the impending death.

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you’re that one or not. Either way, you’re going to die. Normally, I aim for hunting to sustain myself, but… for now, this deer is different.”

[……]

“You don’t have much time, so think carefully. I’m going to take you to our house as you are. It’s a secluded place. Isn’t that convenient? It’s not bad, right? Cutting the throat of the prey and skinning it will have to wait.”

Thump, thump, thump, thump…

The trembling intensified…

Is this deer shivering because it’s caught, or is it trembling because it understands me? I can’t seem to figure it out…

I hoisted the deer, whose legs were tied, onto a carrier and securely bound its body to prevent it from falling.

“It’s going to take some time to get there. I injured my foot, so I might climb slower. You’re lucky, aren’t you? That means you have a chance to speak during that time.”

[……]

Well, we have plenty of time to talk.

Heave!

Surrounded by the carrier, I slowly began to ascend the mountain.

.

[Please give me a break.]

Huh? Did I hear something?

[Sav… Save me…!]

“……”

Thud. The footsteps climbing the mountain paused briefly.

“So.. it’s you after all?”

[Yes]

Oh, thank goodness.

He continued up the mountain step by step.

[Why… why are you going back up?! If I speak, you said you’d spare me…!]

“Me? When? Why do you interpret that and act on your own?”

[Urgh..! Then… why…? You said you would give me a chance…?]

“You have it now. If you had remained silent, I would have really killed you as soon as we reached home. But if you’re not just a deer but the ‘one’ I was looking for, then I can give you a chance to talk. Congratulations. Your lifeline just got a bit longer.”

[Ughhh..!]

Shiver shiver.

Wait, you’re not killing me right now? Why are you trembling so much when I just want to talk?

“Calm down. I said I won’t kill you right away. Besides, I’m not the one holding your fate in my hands.”

“If it’s not you, then who will kill me?! Am I supposed to run away that day as you say! I was just trying to survive..!”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding. I don’t hold any grudge against you for running away from me. I have other reasons for disliking you. And because of those reasons, I haven’t killed you yet.”

Yes, I don’t have the right to kill this one.

Honestly, did this one run away? Did they ask the lumberjack for help and hide?

I can understand it all.

Why?

Because I am the son of the greatest hunter in Geumgangsan. A hunter who has inherited everything from such a person.

People say that we hunters do not value life and respect it lightly, but are there those among us who realize the preciousness of life as closely as we do to their deaths?

We, who always face the eyes of our prey in their final moments of life… We, who solve our livelihoods through this…

If we do not respect the desperation of prey keen on survival, the instinct to live, then we are nothing but mere slaughter enthusiasts without the qualifications of a hunter.

Yes… This is one of the principles of a hunter. It was taught to me by my father.

The reason I dislike this one is not simply because they ran away from me or asked the lumberjack to hide them.

It may seem reckless for a deer to speak, but didn’t this one just try to survive using all the abilities they had?

As mentioned earlier, a hunter who gets angry because their prey struggles to live doesn’t exist.

I was just frustrated with myself for letting go of the deer I caught like a fool.

But… what you did to our Heesun is different.

Why did you make someone else pay for your life?

Why did you try to thrust your terrible life onto someone I love?

That’s why I hated you so much and wanted to kill you.

And that’s why even though my heart is boiling, I can’t just grab your neck right now. The right to decide whether this one lives or dies belongs solely to our Heesun.

If I just kill this one because I hate them, how am I any different from them?

Taking away Heesun’s chance for revenge seemed to overlap with this one’s actions of trying to control Heesun’s life, which made me feel more repulsed.

Even if I caught the prey, if it’s this deer, the authority to determine this one’s fate lies with our Heesun.

“Why are you taking me with you?”

“You have someone to meet.”

“Who…? Wait… Could it be!? Ugh… Hunter? I-I’m sorry…! If you spare me just once, could you grant me a wish…!?”

“Wish..? What wish? To meddle in another person’s life again? Like you sold the fairy to the woodcutter? Don’t try to make excuses. I clearly heard that the deer sold the fairy to the woodcutter.”

In fact, he probably noticed even if he didn’t need to be the woodcutter… But there’s no need to give him information for nothing.

[You… you son of a b****..! That…! That couldn’t be helped..! Originally, it was the woodcutter who made that wish! The fairy was forcing it, saying she wanted colors..! What could I do when I had already said I would grant the wish..! I had no choice..! It’s all the woodcutter’s fault…! Th-this isn’t a lie! Please believe me!]

“Haha.. What a good excuse. Did you just sell the poor fairy instead of granting a wish? Then, how could you have granted that wish if you didn’t know the fairy was coming down to bathe? You couldn’t have granted the wish then, right? Wasn’t it a lie from the start that you could grant all wishes?”

[T-That’s not a lie. I can’t lie..! I’m actually someone who has been punished and banished from heaven..! I’m being punished, and as a heavenly being, I can never lie! J-just tell me the wish..! If I grant it, you’ll know if I’m telling the truth or not..! Just promise to spare my life..!]

“Haha! Really funny, huh?”

[Yes?]

“Did you act like this back then? When you were chasing me. My mother was sick, and I needed medicine, not your skin.. If you had just healed my mother instead of ruining someone else’s life, I would have spared you?”

[T-That’s..! …Ah! How could I understand the hunter’s circumstances..! Of course, I thought you would kill me..!]

“Even if I didn’t know the circumstances, where is the human who refuses when a talking deer offers to grant a wish? Isn’t your excuse weak even after you speak?”

[N-No.. No! Th-that.. Ah! Sunki…! Yes! Sunki wasn’t there at the time, so you wouldn’t have understood what I was saying anyway!]

Why is this conversation so convoluted?

I knew I couldn’t trust this guy after all.

I should keep trying to get information, but there has to be something trustworthy…

But if what this guy says is true, is it because of Sunki that we can communicate like this?

Come to think of it, I understood what the tiger said before.. I thought it was because of some evil spirit.. Was it really because of Sunki?

Then, when did the woodcutter have Sunki?

Ah! The golden axe! If it’s from that time, it makes sense….

Hmm.. Is this guy really telling the truth? When you think about it, our celestial being Heeseon is pure and can’t lie…?

“It doesn’t matter.. I’ll have to interrogate separately later, so I’ll have to think about it then. For now, Deer, shut up and organize your thoughts.”

[W-Wait a minute..! Just tell me any wish! Then you can believe me! I’ll show you proof..!]

“Haah.. This guy? Didn’t I just tell you to shut up and not say anything? Want me to break one of your legs?”

[……]

“I said I won’t kill you, but I didn’t say I wouldn’t hurt you. Be careful. Once you go up, you’ll have a lot to say. Your fate… will be decided afterwards.”

[Ughh..!]