Chương 50: S.04 Memory of the Clock 09(03)

Scene 05_01. Seong-hyeon, having sent Yeon-jin off and stepped back into the corridor, found her step would not move forward easily. The Friday-evening corridor was busier than usual. Past the point of finding even a foothold, sumptuously dressed people heading to entertainments and the steps of those who followed behind them with reluctant smiles ran on without break.

Letting out a light sigh, Seong-hyeon, just as she was about to move the step she had let stand still in the corridor and turn toward the elevator, heard a voice — chillingly familiar — come drifting again. Su-jeong: Has she gone? Your boss? She did not show it on her face. Keeping the step she had been walking, Seong-hyeon slipped the elevator key in, set the stilled elevator to motion, and with her hand thrust into the pocket of her thick coat, conveyed a belated answer to Su-jeong's question.

Seong-hyeon: Why have you come back. Su-jeong: So you knew I had stayed here. Well, then — to play the lapdog for Doe Yu-seok, you'd need to know that much. But, as you know, where would I have a place to settle my mind. Every one around me was a brainless wreck. The elevator doors opened wide. Past the gilt elevator door that opened slow and heavy, into the elevator car made of glass, Seong-hyeon stepped in together with Su-jeong. Su-jeong: Don't worry yet. I haven't told your boss that you're Doe Yu-seok's hand.

There's no need, no reason. Since they're all on the same boat anyway, why bother telling, really. Seong-hyeon: What more are you trying to do. Su-jeong turned her face toward the glass, and with her pale color tilted her head and looked out. Su-jeong: You really wouldn't know. What I'm truly going to do. Seong-hyeon: At best, what is there beyond getting rid of The Key. Su-jeong: Well, you know that part. Seong-hyeon: Boss-sis, leave her be. Su-jeong: My money pipe? Why do you think I'd get rid of her?

Seong-hyeon: Then is that why you killed my sister too? Su-jeong: You think I killed her?? Lee Si-yeon killed her. Seong-hyeon: You set it up. Su-jeong: I'm not that crafty. Seong-hyeon: You want to swagger your way out of it now, even bringing in the Strategist? Did you think I wouldn't know whose side my sister stood on?? Su-jeong: Doe Yu-seok's side. Seong-hyeon: And you? Su-jeong turned back the gaze she had set outside, and looked at Seong-hyeon — frightened and furious — with a needling smile.

Su-jeong: A part of it, yes, true. Looked at that way, that's right. But, even so, the position you're in — climbing all over me — The eye of Su-jeong, which had stared on plainly, turned black on one side. Seong-hyeon, facing the Envoy's Legion for the first time, felt a depth so deep she could not even continue her words. Su-jeong: I don't think it's quite that. The alarm of the descending elevator rang. When the elevator doors that had stopped at the chosen floor opened, Su-jeong stepped out first.

Su-jeong, returned to her own eye, brushed Seong-hyeon's shoulder as if soothing it, and to Seong-hyeon, who had stepped out late behind her, said — Su-jeong: Ah, the place your boss went today, it was probably Doe Yu-seok's house. Looks like she'll be busy from here on out. And maybe, like me, her neck will fly off too. Su-jeong's needling laugh brushed past Seong-hyeon's ear. Su-jeong's freezing-cold hand, which had tidied Seong-hyeon's long hair for her, sent a chill running down Seong-hyeon's spine.

Su-jeong: Hand Kang Ji-young over to me. Then, your boss's life — I won't lay a hand on it. Seong-hyeon did not need to ponder. She was afraid, but she could not push aside the thought of Si-yeon, which filled her head fully. Seong-hyeon: I refuse. Su-jeong nodded at Seong-hyeon's full-enough answer. Su-jeong, smoothing the hem of her coat as if drawing it close, conveyed a frozen smile to Seong-hyeon. Su-jeong: You're off-duty today. Seong-hyeon: So what. Su-jeong: Shall I buy you for the night?

Want to play together? When Seong-hyeon turned without answering, Su-jeong's voice carried on, even more freezing. Su-jeong: Be careful — every one of these people here may suddenly drop dead. At Su-jeong's freezing warning, Seong-hyeon's stride, which had turned away, halted in place. To Seong-hyeon, who had bitten down on her lip, Su-jeong drew slowly closer. Su-jeong: Now — your higher-seniority sis is going to give you a little lesson. Care to take it in? Hm? Scene 05_02.

She was watching the air for an opening. The door to Su-jeong's room, which she had followed Su-jeong into, was locked. Stepping inside, Seong-hyeon glanced once back at the locked door, and as she scanned Su-jeong's empty room — no one else inside — she reminded herself that Su-jeong was alone. After locking the door, Su-jeong passed behind Seong-hyeon's back toward the bed, perched on the plush mattress, and crooked a finger at Seong-hyeon. Su-jeong: What are you doing? Come here.

Seong-hyeon, standing straight upright, ignored Su-jeong's beckoning finger. In her head she was striving to find the most fitting moment. At Seong-hyeon's stiffness Su-jeong let out a light sigh and crossed her arms. Seong-hyeon meant not to let the gap pass. The moment Su-jeong's two hands had crossed her arms — that, she was certain, was the gap. Twisting her shoe-heel slightly, Seong-hyeon scattered a sheet of white paper.

Leaving the white paper to wind itself around Su-jeong's body, Seong-hyeon turned quickly toward the door. Just as she had nearly reached the not-far-off door, between the door and Seong-hyeon, a strangely contorted presence dropped down like a marionette. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Seong-hyeon, her step halting in horror, could not, in the end, send the paper sheet flying. Black water-channel veins, lump after lump, stood swollen up.

The hollow eyes filled with black water turned. Eyes alone were not enough — even the creaking head turned to face Seong-hyeon directly, and laughed at her with a needling grin. Su-jeong's voice, wound in the white paper, came drifting out as if it were nothing. Su-jeong: Say hello. It's your sister. Su-jeong, who had been wound in the white paper, slowly rose, as though entirely unharmed. Su-jeong drew near to Seong-hyeon, who could not tear her eyes away from the wretched ruin of her sister.

She had not held them as a close pair. No — she had loathed her, rather. Despised her. And that very kin of hers, dead, made into a doll's rag, moving by Su-jeong's will, was now blocking the path before Seong-hyeon. Seong-hyeon brought a great many feelings up into her head and into her chest. Su-jeong let out a great sigh, and said to Seong-hyeon — Su-jeong: Still. She was your sister, wasn't she? Shouldn't I show her to you first? Seong-hyeon: You … what have you done …

Su-jeong: Around Kang Ji-young, only sound and covetable people gather. Around me, only crippled-headed things kept swarming. So — I figured a doll that moves by my will would be the better thing. Don't worry. When I withdraw, she returns to her original shape. Ah, that doesn't mean she'll come back to life, mind you. Seong-hyeon: Then — Su-jeong: Watch closely. It's the last time. Probably, your sister — this is the end for her. At Su-jeong's needling, Seong-hyeon slowly turned around.

Facing Su-jeong's smug expression, Seong-hyeon slowly knelt down on her knees. She had not meant to do this, but her body moved of its own accord. She had thought it a fitting word toward this elder kin she had so loathed, but her body moved against Seong-hyeon's thought. Kneeling there, Seong-hyeon, with a heart-stricken voice, pleaded with Su-jeong. Seong-hyeon: Let her go. Su-jeong: Aren't you asking for a bit too much? Don't kill your boss, let your sister go — what are you going to give me in return?

At Su-jeong's mocking, Seong-hyeon, as if surrendered, lowered her head. Seong-hyeon: What. What do you want. To answer the bitter, anguished voice of Seong-hyeon, Su-jeong slightly lowered one knee and brought her eye-line level with Seong-hyeon's. Su-jeong: Hm …. Right. What shall I want? Me. What shall I have you do? You. Drawing close before the kneeling knees of Seong-hyeon, Su-jeong, as if to release Jeong-hyeon — who hung grotesquely there like a doll — gave her hand a light shake.

From behind Seong-hyeon, a dull thud sounded. Seong-hyeon glanced back over her bowed head and looked behind. The black water-channels that had run through Jeong-hyeon's veins were withering away, and she watched as they did. Su-jeong: Hey, corpse. Jeong-hyeon, who had begun to gather back the consciousness she had lost as if rustling, struggled to lift her fallen body, fumbling about. Su-jeong: Your sister was begging. Calling herself an elder sister, after all, she said to let you go.

At Su-jeong's reproach, drifting through Jeong-hyeon's distant consciousness like a ringing in the ears, Jeong-hyeon, barely propping up her upper body, looked weakly at Seong-hyeon kneeling before her. Hatred began to settle into Jeong-hyeon's strengthless eye. Confirming Jeong-hyeon's mind, Su-jeong, with a snort of laughter, conveyed the rest of her reproach. Su-jeong: I'll be playing with your sister for a while. Get out while you still can. Don't loiter near me and ruin it.

Jeong-hyeon, who had at last steadied her body that wobbled as if collapsing, lifted her tall frame with hardship, and to the back of Seong-hyeon kneeling before her, sent a sharp voice flowing weakly forth. Jeong-hyeon: Not one bit grateful. Piece of fucking shit, just drop dead, you motherless piece of shit. The reason I ended up like this is because of you. If you, hadn't killed the whore, I wouldn't have ended up like this — As Seong-hyeon had hoped, Jeong-hyeon's empty hatred came flowing out.

But Seong-hyeon did not, in the end, show it on her face. She was not even hurt. Rather, she thought it fortunate. The light upturn at the corner of Seong-hyeon's lip, drawn out as if in surrender, was caught only by Su-jeong, who stood before her. Su-jeong's chin gestured toward Jeong-hyeon.

Jeong-hyeon, unable, in the end, to glare straight at Su-jeong, stared sharply only at the back of Seong-hyeon's head — Seong-hyeon, who would not so much as turn her head toward her — and with a wobbling stride barely managed to walk out of the room. Su-jeong, with a snort of laughter, looked at the empty place Jeong-hyeon had left behind, then slowly moved her step and drew up close behind Seong-hyeon's kneeling back. Lowering her knee, Su-jeong, behind Seong-hyeon, conveyed a small voice as if murmuring.

Su-jeong: I'll let you know what to do. I'll let you know what I want. If you don't do it, at any time, I'll send your sister back to that state. So, just keep quiet and follow. Scene 06. Ji-young opened her eyes in the early morning, and calmly smoothed the breast-fold of her garment. Wearing the black 철릭(Cheollik_Traditional coat-dress), Ji-young, without help, was binding her hair up. Upon the white inner collar-strip and the neckline of the Traditional coat-dress, black letters had been embroidered.

After looking over and putting in order the lines that appeared to be 갑골문(Gap-gol-mun_Oracle Bone Script), she straightened the 배례(Bae-rye_Ceremonial bow-sash). When she lifted her hair, the cuff-end and the Ceremonial bow-sash lifted together along with it. Letting a brief flash of bother show, she ran her hand down from her make-up and smoothed the cuffs as if stroking them.

From the wardrobe she drew out the 흑립(Heuk-rip_Black ceremonial wide-brimmed hat), and re-set in place the ornament of the Black ceremonial wide-brimmed hat, woven from tiger's body-hair. Above Ji-young's long hair, drawn into a topknot, she slowly lowered the Black ceremonial wide-brimmed hat. After re-setting and binding the 패영(Pae-yeong_Hat cord with bead strands) attached to the Black ceremonial wide-brimmed hat, she draped a face-covering veil of black hempen cloth across the Hat cord with bead strands.

When all of Ji-young's preparation had been completed, Hee-jin, dressed in a black Traditional coat-dress, came in to belatedly assist Ji-young. Not having known that all the preparations had been finished, Hee-jin looked at Ji-young with eyes somewhat surprised. Ji-young rose from her place and moved her black-stockinged feet. Hee-jin, who had brought in the 사인검(Sa-in-geom_Four-Trigram Tiger Sword), reverently passed the Four-Trigram Tiger Sword to Ji-young.

After fastening the Four-Trigram Tiger Sword at the side of her Traditional coat-dress, Ji-young, guided by Hee-jin and I-seon, moved her step outside. Ji-young's black 수화자(Suhwaja_Korean Traditional Battle boots), which concealed her black-stockinged feet. Carefully re-fastening her Battle boots, she rose from the wooden floor. As Ji-young silently moved her step, I-seon and Hee-jin followed close behind. In the hands of I-seon and Hee-jin, the 두루마리(Durumari_decree) Ji-young had drawn up beforehand was held.

As Ji-young walked the earth-path in silence, before her opened a great gate, and along with it a broad path made of limestone revealed itself. Every person arrayed within the great Audience Hall turned themselves toward Ji-young and bent their waists half-deep. Around the left wrist of every person holding a 명패(Myeong-pae_Name tablet), a long strand of 염주(Yeom-ju_Prayer bead strand) hung down. Ji-young silently moved the step that had paused for a moment.

Walking the long stone path, she set her body upon the black stone of the great Audience Hall. Hee-jin and I-seon, having stood themselves on either side of Ji-young, glanced at the empty seats of the Directors. Ji-young rose from her place, and let her Black Wire flutter and stretch far in every direction. Standing upright, when Ji-young calmly conveyed her voice, the Black Wire began to convey Ji-young's will.

Ji-young: This seat, I have heard, is the seat of the one who stands at the very front among all those who in this place beat back death and stand against death. To stand at the front means not better, not higher, but first to block death, first to meet death. I am The Oldest who has not even completed the inauguration ceremony. We have come this long while as a forgotten existence in forgotten time, without even the common name of an organization.

The grief and the bitterness of namelessness have remained with us all. We who hold lost time and lost memory have endured all this while bearing as our own bitterness sorrow and joy, anger and delight alike. To lead such a people of ours, those who shall stand by my side and aid me, I shall now call by name in this place. Ji-young's elegant voice spread through the hall as if echoing. Ji-young's bitter and yet steadfast feeling carried across the hall through the spread skein of thread.

She held back her words and gathered her feelings. Ji-young: I shall now speak of the new Directors and the reorganized posts where the Directors shall be set. Some empty seats shall be re-designated and reorganized today, so that the work may begin at once. Ji-young grasped the decree that had been held in I-seon's hand, and began to unfold what was within. Ji-young: The Library and the Office of Rites shall be merged into the Directorate of Knowledge.

They shall be re-formed as a department overseeing all knowledge and managing the rules of decorum and the records of the past. The Inspectorate, in addition to its existing duties, shall manage all external frictions of the Office of Occult Affairs. The role of overseeing the internal Code shall be supervised together with the Inner Guard, which shall change its name to the Guard Corps, and the Maintenance Office and the Human Affairs Office shall be merged and adjusted into the Directorate of Support.

And — the Treasury, which had been the very nest of every corruption, shall be abolished. The financial-affairs sections of each department shall be newly established, and the existing personnel of the Treasury shall be reassigned. All matters concerning finance and budget shall be resolved beforehand within each department, and the Office of the Executive Secretary shall enforce a comprehensive review. The very central authority that the Treasury used to wield shall be dispersed.

The mutual-aid funds and the union dues shall still be enforced through the Office of the Executive Secretary, but they shall come under the supervision of the Inspectorate. Accordingly, the existing Treasury personnel as well shall be reassigned, by recommendation, under the Office of the Executive Secretary and the Inspectorate. When Ji-young's first resounding had ended, every one who stood within the great Audience Hall bent their waists deep and slowly raised them again.

Ji-young began to recite the rest of her will. The covert duty of Secret Agent Doe Yeon-su, by the order of the Director, shall be retained. The seat of Strategist Song Hee-jin, by the order of the Director, shall be retained. Captain of the Guard Corps Jin Chae-rim, by the order of the Director, shall be retained. Martial Director Jeong I-seon, by the order of the Director, shall be retained. The vacancy of the Director of the Directorate of Knowledge, which had stood empty, Yoo Jeong-in shall fill.

Ji-young passed the decree back to I-seon, and took up Hee-jin's decree in turn. The Director of the Inspectorate, Kim Soo-a shall fill. The Director of the Directorate of Support, Yeo Eun-jae shall fill. Together with this — The vacancy left by the exile of the Executive Secretary Doe Yu-seok shall, by the order of the Director, be retained. There shall be no Acting Executive Secretary, and I ask that all matters be reported directly to me. The 4358th year of the Dangi calendar.

The Byeong-o year, the Mu-sin month, the Byeong-sul day. The 29th day of the 12th month of the year 26. The 56th The Oldest, Kang Ji-young, conveys this with reverence. When Ji-young's calling-by-name had all come to its end, the Directors so designated had all come forward to their places. Hee-jin handed the completed letters of appointment one by one, conveying them to the Directors. The decree held in the Directors' hands had been sealed with cinnabar wax.

Ji-young raised the Four-Trigram Tiger Sword, eyes pressed shut, and gave the lifted Four-Trigram Tiger Sword a slight horizontal sweep. A part of the Black Wire that fluttered along the blade of the Four-Trigram Tiger Sword broke the cinnabar wax of every decree slightly. The decrees, which had been firmly closed, opened. Setting the Four-Trigram Tiger Sword back inside, Ji-young first lowered one knee, conveying her courtesy to all the Directors so installed.

In step with Ji-young's courtesy, Hee-jin and I-seon also lowered their knees. Ji-young: I ask of you — please listen to the words of the dead, please stand for the world of the living, and one day far hence, when death comes by its proper order, please meet it without lingering regret. In step with Ji-young's formality, the Directors before her also lowered their knees and received Ji-young's will. The Directors, having received their commission, rose first, and then Hee-jin and I-seon rose.

At the last, Ji-young rose from her place, and with a calm voice met the Directors. Ji-young: I ask for your good faith.