Hmm, I guess the small upload two days ago will be forgiven now. Anywho, I had a lot of fun translating this. I hope you readers enjoy!
I sat down on the wooden main floor as Saehee, sitting dutifully in front of me, gave me an explanation.
It is said that in the beginning, the phantoms were born in chaos. The phantoms lived freely with their mysterious strength and some viewed humans as friends, some as food, and some as enemies. And to put an end to this time for the sake of humanity came Hwanung (tn: search it on wiki. Too long to explain).
"….why is it a Dangun myth all of a sudden." (tn: Wikipedia it)
"This isn't a myth but a true story. And it is polite to wait until others are done speaking."
Saehee scolded me and continued her explanation.
In order to open up this world for humans, Hwanung stood fast in his resolve to stop phantoms from harming humans. And by that resolve the two strongest phantoms, the Tiger and the Bear, sought to become his wife. And the tiger wasn't chosen because she ran away.
"Our master is that tiger. And our unchosen master was sealed away by Hwanung and the Bear."
"That's too severe."
Not getting chosen and then getting sealed away, how could they do that so arbitrarily……
"I think so too. She got sealed away just for trying to tear apart the mountains."
She's talking about a tiger, right.
Anyway, at the same time the phantoms were forced to live hidden from human eyes (not 100% sure). Sometimes a crazy phantom that lost all reason would appear, but by borrowing Hwanung's power the humans made it so those phantoms were eradicated and could no longer be found on this earth. And Hwanung, the orchestrator of these events, lastly sealed the tiger away. However, by a moment of compassion, it is said he made a promise with the Tiger. It is at this point that I raised my hand.
"And what is that promise?"
Saehee didn't answer.
The tiger believed in that promise and quietly slept until now. After that a family was chosen to protect the seal, and continued that duty for generations.
"And that is why the young master was brought here."
I may be confused, but I still couldn't believe this.
"And Dad?"
"He cut off all ties with his family and fled from his responsibilities. If my scumbag human older brother had kept his promise, the young master would not have had to come here."
Dad, I did misunderstand you. You're really just tra…, no, you're still my dad so I shouldn't curse at you. Anyway, I've already experienced a situation beyond common sense so there's nothing I can do but believe her.
"And what do you mean by protect? I don't know such strange things."
"That's okay. The ability to protect it is in your blood."
"If a person is supposed to protect the seal isn't that bad for you guys?"
"No it is not."
"Why?"
"It's just a title, anyway."
"….what do you mean by that."
"We call it protecting the seal just for convenience's sake. For generations you were just observing the seal. Those like the young master are an incompetent bunch."
It was just for a bit, but I felt embarrassed for thinking that I might have special powers.
"Is there anything else you are curious about?"
"So you're saying that all phantoms are keeping their bodies hidden?"
"Yes."
Is that so. In that case,
"What is that?!"
Until now I was intentionally ignoring it, but I spoke while pointing at the dog with its tongue sticking out and its tail wagging that was sitting in the yard behind Saehee. That's right, a dog. It's a dog, but a monstrously huge dog.
"It's a dog."
"That's right, it's a dog. A monstrously huge dog."
"It seems you know quite well."
"I don't mean that! I mean what the hell is it? Is that dog a phantom too?!"
"That is correct."
"And you said phantoms are hiding?"
"It's hiding even now."
"Where is that?"
But the dog is scratching itself with its hind leg?
"Normal humans are unable to see it."
"Could you not corrupt my once normal 17-year-old life?"
"Compared to an earthworm, the young master is closer to a normal human."
Ah, I'm really thankful for that.
"Then why am I able to see it?"
"Every member of the family meant to protect the seal is incompetent, but you are able to see it because at a young age, a ceremony is conducted to open your spiritual eyes."
If I really think about it, do spiritual eyes really explain the power to see phantoms. But she said something about a ceremony. What the hell is that?
"What do you mean by a ceremony?"
"I cannot tell you right now."
It's difficult right now, is it your speech habit to make people wait? As I wrapped my head around what to do next and worried about how to get more information, this woman- I already stopped thinking of her as my aunt- turned around and spoke to the huge dog.
"Since it seems that the young master understands us now, please change into a human."
"Okay!"
After smoke and a bang she rose. No, a sound didn't actually occur, but it would have fit the mood. When the smoke cleared away there was bobbed-up hair in an almost unnatural shade of brownish yellow, on top of the head were raised dog ears, and the girl had on a dirt-covered hanbok jeogori (wiki it) and pumpkin-colored pants; she spoke while shaking her hands and speaking to me. She looked so young that it seemed like she should have been getting admitted into elementary school. With shining eyes that fit her appearance, the dog-turned-child spoke.
"I'm Baduk! It's nice to meet you, young master!"
Feeling this vigorous atmosphere all over my body and nodding my head, I could no long doubt this.
"Are you that dog from before?"
"Yes!"
And one more question.
"….who gave you your name."
"Grandpa did!"
Grandpa's naming sense is the best. (tn: Baduki means spotted dog)
"But young master. Is it okay to ask you for one request?"
Baduk went up to the house floor with shining eyes. I nodded my head, unable to betray those expectant eyes.
"Yeah."
"Please pet my head~!"
Before I knew it, Baduk was stretched out on all fours and spoke with her chin on my thigh. When the hell did she do that? But until just now she was standing behind Saehee?
"Please do it~."
I don't know if Baduk could see how embarrassed I was, but she implored me with the tail on her butt shaking from side to side. I was barely able to reply while keeping my composure in this situation.
"I know now that your name is Baduk and that phantoms exist…… how does that lead to me petting you on the head?"
Even while saying that, I was petting that girl's head.
Huh? Since when was I doing that?
"Hawooo—."
Saying that I enjoyed seeing her close her eyes, blush, and sprawled out totally care free… there's no way I could even think that. Get myself together. Yet even while thinking that I slightly touched that girl's ears. She flinched. I pulled on them with my fingers. They're warm. They're not like toys. They're real ears.
"Awuuu~. Our ears are our weakness, young master~."
Seeing Baduk twisting her body, blushing as she used my thigh as a pillow and rolling around, if time stopped as I found and stabilized my inner-peace… no way I could say that. I shook my head from side to side. Seeing Baduk sprawl out nearly made me lose my mind.
"Then I shall continue my story from before."
Saehee started her story as though nothing happened. If she was aiming on relieving my tension, this woman might be a red-banded snake phantom.
"We all stayed here, waiting for our master." (translation fuzzy, sorry)
Since before I came here, there was something I kept wondering so I asked her one more time to make sure.
"That master you're talking about is the tiger that was sealed away, right?"
"That is correct."
"And I came because I had to protect the seal."
"That is correct."
"But there's also a promise I have to keep?"
"You're unexpectedly intelligent."
What do you mean, unexpectedly. Who could easily comprehend your story even without that self-introduction in the middle.
"Then what the hell do you mean by a promise? Can't you tell me now?"
I blurted out the question again after first asking in the car, but Saehee replied with something totally unrelated.
"Do you like hiking?"
Why are you talking about hiking all of a sudden? I'll answer her anyway.
"I don't hate it, why?"
"In order to answer the question you just asked, we need to move from here."
"….where to?"
"Into the mountain."
….great. Because things turned out like this, I want to know why I came here and why I met phantoms. I'm not the kind of person to cluelessly do as he's told. I brushed off my seat and got up.
"Let's go."