Chapter 14 : S Class Gate – Seocheoul Flower Garden (3)

Yulha said she wouldn’t enter Seocheon Flower Garden.

“I’d like to go in too, but… honestly, I’d just be a hindrance. I’m not good at physical tasks. And I have things to do here.”

Association staff were often like that.
Smart, eager to raid Gates, but lacking personal combat power.
People who weren’t like that wouldn’t work for the Hunter Association’s meager salary.

Lee Yulha wasn’t entering the Gate simply because it was impossible for her.
Her body was almost at the level of an ordinary person.

Already looking half-eroded by the Gate’s influence, Yulha smiled wryly.

“Well then, I leave it to you. Hunters.”

With small nods, we walked towards the entrance of Seocheon Flower Garden, opened by the water of life.
Only the sound of splashing water echoed around.

…And several weeks passed.

The path to Seocheon Flower Garden was perilous.
Befitting the reputation of an S-rank Gate.

Using Amrita, we created milky water, and using alchemy, we made yellow water.
Then, we killed vampires captured from another Gate to dye the water blood-red.

Only then could we finally arrive inside the Gate.

Though Seocheon Flower Garden itself was still nowhere in sight.

“…Headcount.”

At Baridegi’s short command, calm responses returned from various places.

“One person just died due to the flower garden’s erosion. This is the second sacrifice.”

It was Baek Hyunwoo’s voice.
He still wore a smiling face, but thanks to that mask-like smile, no one felt he was actually smiling.

Another Hunter asked Baridegi with a worried voice.

“Can we know how much time has passed outside? I’m a bit concerned.”

“Not even a full day has passed. If Yulha is still alive and holding on.”

Time spent in the world beyond and time spent in this world follow different laws.
The Time Nail Lee Yulha brought from the Association bound the time inside the Gate.
(TL Note: ‘Time Nail’ (시간의 못) seems to be a magical artifact that stabilizes or slows time within the Gate.)

It had the drawback of putting a great burden on the user, but by inversely using Seocheon Flower Garden’s erosion, it was supposedly possible to transfer that burden to the flowers.

“We haven’t even reached the flower garden yet. How much… further do we have to go?”

Though ashamed that my mental strength seemed to be waning faster than others’, it was fine since, thanks to me, we hadn’t been wiped out yet.

“Jacheongbi. What’s important isn’t time. It’s the events… you see. Just like how the Association President, no, Lord Sarado, cannot help us as the Flower Inspector who appears late in the story.”
(TL Note: Jacheongbi – Agathe’s temporary name/role based on the myth.)

Inside the Gate, one must follow the Gate’s rules, is that it?

Right.
That’s why we’re using different names too.
Annoying.

“Fine. Let me rephrase. What about dissolution?”

Baridegi’s face flushed slightly.
The surrounding Hunters awkwardly turned their heads away.

“…I think I’ll probably give birth soon. Since I’m full-term.”

She then stroked her swollen belly.
Triplets conceived inside the Gate.

It was unavoidable according to the story’s flow.

Association President Sarado didn’t have a son named Hallakgungi, and I had no intention of accepting a new Mundoryeong.
(TL Note: Hallakgungi and Mundoryeong are characters from related Jeju myths, often interacting with Baridegi or Jacheongbi.)

Though I impulsively accepted the role thinking I could save Caspar, the Jacheongbi myth contained much I couldn’t possibly accept.
Me getting involved with a woman midway, the man I loved having an affair with that woman, and so on.

Anyway, because of such content, we proceeded with the raid relying solely on the Baridegi myth as originally planned.

While following the narrative interwoven with Seocheon Flower Garden.

There are several stories mixed into Seocheon Flower Garden… but the main ones are the Hallakgungi myth, the Baridegi myth, and the Jacheongbi myth.

That was the problem.

The normal flow of the stories became entangled and distorted in people’s subconscious, reborn into bizarre forms.

It was natural.
There couldn’t possibly be a walkthrough in reality.

The world isn’t a story.
Complaining “Does this make sense?” is futile.
Gates are just like that.

In the first place, flowers parasitizing people’s souls don’t even appear in the original Seocheon Flower Garden myth.
What we are dealing with is not Seocheon Flower Garden itself, but the totality of the subconscious related to the Seocheon Flower Garden myth.

And… in all existing versions, Baridegi gives birth to children to go to Seocheon Flower Garden.

Sometimes seven, sometimes three, but anyway, if we were to borrow Baridegi’s story to proceed with the raid, her giving birth was a scheduled event.

“Normally, it would have taken another 3 to 9 years, but we don’t have time.”

I nodded in affirmation.

Yes.
This was the fastest way to execute the raid.

At least it was better than the version where she spends 3 years tending fire, 3 years drawing water, 3 years gathering wood, and then gives birth to 7 children.
No matter how well Yulha held out, Korea would have already been destroyed in 16 years.

According to Baridegi, they used scientific technology to conceive triplets at once and then drastically shortened the gestation period with various secret arts.

Honestly.
Hearing that made me feel a little sorry for the babies to be born.

Although they said the babies would be born normally, weren’t they being born for instrumental purposes?
As someone who once dreamed of a happy newlywed life and raising children, it didn’t sit well with me.

…Well.
Still, maybe Bari is better off than me.
At least she seems to have a husband outside the Gate.

“Need someone to help deliver the babies? I can do it pretty well too.”

“…It’s alright. We’ve prepared everything.”

I had tried various things back then, thinking they might help with childcare.
They all turned out useless in the end.

Still.
If Caspar really comes back to life, then truly…… No, let’s not think about that now.

Now is the time to focus on the raid.
Because monsters are already swarming in.

“Jacheongbi. Provide cover.”

“Alright. Get plenty of rest. You don’t have long until childbirth, so take care of yourself. Don’t let men into the inner quarters, it brings bad luck.”

Whether due to workaholism or excessive guilt over the deaths during the raid, Baridegi kept trying to push herself forward.

It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.
Reminded me of the old days.

Right, if not now, when would I use my gun?

-Bang.

“–Gwooor!”

I raised my gun and drove away the things disturbing the expectant mother.

It was a quiet shot, with the firing sound minimized as much as possible.

At that moment.

Inside Seocheon Flower Garden, Saradoryeong was watering flowers.

Normally, these flowers were tended by child attendants (Dongja), but these were special, so Saradoryeong tended them himself.

“…Bari. Your dream is near.”

The Honsali Flower was growing.
Seeing two growing indicated Agathe had accepted the role of Jacheongbi.

The raid’s success probability had increased; it was a good omen.

“How does one never tire of this scenery? If the flowers weren’t so beautiful, I might have given up on everything long ago.”

There was a time when he was not Saradoryeong but a folklore researcher.
The memory was faint now.

Being dragged into another world and performing a role for thousands of years tends to do that.

“%@^!&$^&”

Faceless child attendants with grotesquely twisted limbs approached Saradoryeong.

Though bizarre enough to startle even a person with strong nerves, Saradoryeong, having seen this sight for millennia, looked at them calmly.

“Yes. I just went outside for a bit. Were there any problems with the flower garden during that time?”

“!@#!$!!!”

It meant Grandmother Samsin was greatly worried due to his recent frequent outings.

He had spent millennia here, but it had only been a few years since he returned to his homeland outside.
Thanks to that, he hadn’t been caught yet.

The moment it was known that the role he performed was wrong, Seocheon Flower Garden would immediately dispose of him.

The method was simple too.
If his role as Flower Inspector was revoked, the numerous ‘attendants’ working here would repel the intruder.

“Right. Samsin is watching, you say.”

A familiar, yet definitely not low, tension gripped his body tightly.

Grandmother Samsin.
The true master of this Seocheon Flower Garden.
Also the monster serving as the Gate’s core.

To completely eliminate this Gate, Grandmother Samsin must be driven out.
If one doesn’t confront Grandmother Samsin, even Baridegi or Jacheongbi coming here is useless.

Ultimately.
Baridegi, Jacheongbi, and Hallakgungi only borrowed the power of Seocheon Flower Garden; they never eliminated it.

No, rather, the flower garden’s power would likely be strengthened.
By becoming part of the otherworld at the story’s end.

“%!#%!^&!”

From another direction, an attendant whose body was cut in half dragged its shattered body towards Saradoryeong, shouting.
Darkish bloodstains marked the path the attendant dragged itself along, before being swept away cleanly by the flowers.

“Ah. Yes, guests have arrived. Baridegi has come to save her parents… Right, permit their visit.”

The attendant, having delivered the final message, confirmed Saradoryeong’s nod and returned to the flowers.

Alright.
Now, the millennia-long wait is nearing its conclusion.

A smile gracing his lips, Saradoryeong harvested the ripened Honsali Flowers.