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Garden-type otherworlds, or simply gardens.
It is the generic term for otherworlds that someone conquers.
There are various types of otherworlds — dungeons, towers, castles, mazes, and others — but gardens are simply those whose owner’s energy waves can change.
The place where Hwang Jiho and I were headed was the Tiger Clan’s garden, or the garden-type otherworld controlled by the clan’s chief sorcerer to be precise.
‘The garden’s entrance should be outside Eungwang High, but I don’t think it would be outside Eungwang District…’
Hwang Jiho led us to the school gate, specifically the west gate.
“I think it’d be faster… but I don’t mind calling an air limousine. I’ll call the driver.”
“Let’s walk.”
“Hahaha! I knew you’d say that.”
I suggested that we walk before he suggested doing anything cumbersome.
The Tiger Clan garden seems not too far away, and it would attract less attention if we walked rather than take an air limousine.
Well aware of this, Hwang Jiho smiled and nodded.
“There was a problem in the garden so it took some time to get in touch with the couple.”
“A problem?”
“Yes. I distorted the time inside the garden so that the couple could have a comfortable time, but some problem arose with the otherworld.”
Even conquered otherworlds have enemies in them.
On top of that, the couple was with the bear that took away their descendant…
Thinking that far, I remembered my battle with Gye Idam.
Although the depth of their emotions and revenge was unfathomable and incomparable to my case, I had a rough idea of what kind of time they spent in the garden.
Hwang Jiho explained the problem.
“The chief sorcerer is excellent at making boundaries and distorting time within the garden. The chief sorcerer is among the youngest in our clan, but everyone recognizes their skill.”
It seems that the chief sorcerer wasn’t from the mythical age like them.
Hwang Jiho often borrowed the power of that chief sorcerer so I thought they would at least be from the age of myths, but it turns out they weren’t.
Afraid that the Tiger Clan would get suspicious of me for no reason, I avoided asking questions other than the information that I needed.
But at that point, I was already wondering what the chief sorcerer was like.
That chief sorcerer gave private lessons to Kim Yuri too, so I was very curious.
I guess it would be okay to ask since it was Hwang Jiho who brought him up, and we’re headed to his garden anyway?
In the end, I couldn’t keep my curiosity at bay.
“What kind of tiger is the chief sorcerer?”
Hwang Jiho smirked, not giving an answer right away.
I don’t think he was offended that I asked that kind of question though.
He doesn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it, so I wondered why he wasn’t answering.
“…It would be better if you meet them first. I’ll introduce you today. I’ll answer all your questions after that.”
I really don’t know why he’s wasting time.
He surely didn’t look like he had any intention of speaking further.
“Hahaha! If you’re really curious, then I can tell you now.”
“Nevermind.”
“Hahahaha!”
While the old man laughed, we reached the school’s west gate.
Some students headed home from extracurricular activities were seen here and there.
As soon as we stepped out of the boundary, Hwang Jiho took the lead.
“This way. I’ll stay in front of you from here.”
The west gate side had MITRON which we frequented, but the direction where Hwang Jiho was walking was strangely unfamiliar.
The further we walked, the fewer people and buildings were seen.
I was flustered when I saw a path I’d never seen before.
Instead of people and buildings, branches and trunks of bamboo filled my view.
Were there really this many bamboos around here?
‘…I don’t think these are ordinary bamboo.’
Feeling a sense of incompatibility, I observed the surroundings clearly and felt that the energy waves around us were different.
Perhaps all this bamboo or this whole forest was made from a skill or a light skill.
The bamboo forest was so dense that it was difficult for one person to enter, but the trees seemed to make way with Hwang Jiho’s every step.
Nervous that I’d lose my way, I walked very carefully, but it started to feel like the bamboo forest was connected to Cheonik Mountain.
“We’re here.”
Hwang Jiho spoke and took a few more steps.
A young man in a blue bamboo robe was waiting in a vacant lot.
‘Is that the chief sorcerer?’
The young man was staring right at us as if he knew that Hwang Jiho and I were approaching.
He showed courtesy toward Hwang Jhio.
“Hello, Hwangho-nim.”
“Yes, good work.”
It was strange to see the young man politely greeting Hwang Jiho, who was still in his school uniform.
“I’m sure you already know him, but let me introduce you. This is Tiger Clan’s benefactor, Jo Euishin.”
“Hello.”
When I said hello, the young man smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Jo Euishin. I’ve heard a lot of you from Hwangho-nim and Yuri.”
Hearing him mention Kim Yuri’s name made me certain that he was indeed the chief sorcerer.
Hwang Jiho and Kim Yuri mentioned me, and I wonder what in the world they said.
But seeing how the chief sorcerer regarded me, I guess they didn’t say anything bad.
“Jo Euishin, this is the Tiger Clan’s chief sorcerer. We call him Jukho.”
(T/N: Juk is translated from a Chinese character meaning bamboo.)
In this green bamboo groove, a young man of the Tiger Clan lived for thousands of years — Jukho.
Those facts somehow gave me a clue to the chief sorcerer’s identity.
Hwang Jiho spoke again as if he read something from my face.
“Looking at that face, I think you know what kind of existence Jukho is.”
“I don’t think you gave away anything other than my name and position, Hwangho-nim.”
“Let’s hear out Jo Euishin.”
The two tigers looked at me with expectant faces.
I guess they were anticipating what I had deduced.
…It would be embarrassing if I made a mistake.
First, I asked something to solidify my guess.
“Perhaps, are you derived from the painting A Tiger Under Bamboo?”
The chief sorcerer’s eyes widened as he spoke in a surprised voice.
I seem to be correct.
“Yes, that’s right. I am Jukho, a folktale tiger. I was born from painter Kim Hongdo’s masterpiece.”
Jukho briefly explained his origin.
His case was similar to Nabiryeong, who was born from the Dream Butterflies’ Gosa.
Although the painting itself was a masterpiece, the great power of Jukho did not come from simply the painting alone.
Tigers and bamboo were often painted together, increasing the power of Jukho.
‘Nabiryeong wasn’t from a single book too, but a wide reputation for being depicted in a lot of works.’
Although I do not yet have a full grasp of how people of royal lineage invoke their power, I know that their reputation and presence have a great influence.
A Tiger Under Bamboo is one of the most famous tiger folktales in Korea.
In addition, considering how it was widely painted, the power of Jukho should be undoubtedly formidable.
‘Wait, so does it mean other famous folktale tigers like Jukho exists?’
What comes off the top of my head was A Tiger Under a Pine Tree.
Perhaps I’d meet other folktale tigers in the future.
Meanwhile, Hwang Jiho didn’t hold back on praising Jukho.
“Jukho is barely 500 years old, but his power is strong. Strong enough to handle our garden.”
“I am flattered. This is all thanks to your creation of a bamboo forest near Cheonik Mountain, Hwangho-nim.”
Rather pleased or perhaps flustered by Hwang Jiho’s compliment, Jukho said so.
I looked around the bamboo forest.
If this bamboo forest is connected to Cheonik Mountain, then does that mean it was affected when the mountain became weak?
Perhaps that’s why Jukho didn’t have much influence in PMH.
“I thought the couple would be waiting, but I don’t see them here.”
“They said they’d tidy their clothes before coming here. They haven’t been out of the garden at all.”
It was April when the bear was caught, and it was now November.
…The couple has been there all this time?
I heard that the flow of time inside the garden was distorted, so I wonder just how long the perceived time of the couple inside the garden was.
“…There they are.”
Hwang Jiho said as he stared at the other side of the dense bamboo forest.
Someone’s presence got closer little by little.
***
Players’ Association – Korea.
In one conference room in the Regulatory Enforcement Office, Hong Gyubin was sitting with a complex face.
Opposite him were Deputy Manager Yoon and Employee Jung, and their expressions weren’t pleasant either.
Deputy Yoon kept his mouth shut, but Employee Jung couldn’t keep it any longer.
“No, what do you mean we have to take our hands off here?! Our team leader worked so hard! If only Team Leader Park doesn’t cling to useless backgrounds…”
Hong Gyubin was in charge of several cases, two of which were very big ones.
One was the broadcasting station case, and the other was the TC Research Institute case.
The problem is that Namgung Group is involved in the former.
‘Who knew I’d be haunted by Namgung Gyubin again…’
Hong Gyubin’s old name: Namgung Gyubin.
He had given up on this family name, but his days as the successor of the Namgung Group seemed yet to disappear.
Team Leader Park, who was keeping tabs on everything Hong Gyubin does, raised the issue of conflict of interest, citing Hong Gyubin’s origin.
“How did that damn guy know where you were from…”
“…It wasn’t really a secret. I did some public activities as Namgung Gyubin, so it’s impossible for me to hide it.”
Hong Gyubin spoke soothingly to Employee Jung.
‘I think he’s got the information somewhere else, but I already have a lot of work on my plate. I can’t afford to investigate. I don’t think I’d find the snitch either even if I look into it.’
In the end, Hong Gyubin had to withdraw from the Namgung Group-related case and hand it over to Team Leader Park.
In other words, all the effort that Hong Gyubin has put in while working on the case over time had been blown away.
It sparked a flame inside Hong Gyubin, of course, but he pretended to be okay with it.
“Let’s focus on the TC Research Institute case. The CSAT is just around the corner, so let’s help those kids focus on that.”
“No, but we should try talking it out one more time so…”
“Deputy Yoon, have you identified the source of donation for the ‘Superior Being Artificial Descent Project’?”
Deputy Manager Yoon, who seemed somewhat absent-minded, finally snapped to his senses.
“…Sorry, can you repeat that please?”
“Ah, Deputy Yoon ran into his ex-girlfriend recently, perhaps is that why he’s— Ahk!”
Hit!
Deputy Yoon’s fist dug deep into Employee Jung’s side.
Deputy Yoon talked to Hong Gyubin again as if nothing happened, but his head was filled with thoughts of his ex-girlfriend whom he encountered not long ago.
She was standing next to Team Leader Park, the image vivid in his mind as he looked at her for a while.
She was still wearing the accessories he gave her.
The gift from Deputy Manager Yoon was a brooch with butterfly designs.
‘…She’s like a butterfly always in my head.’
Deputy Yoon finally settled down and started reporting to Hong Gyubin.
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