Blue Glass [Chapter 3]

At the kitchen, Ryeoeul and the others are busy cooking. Granny calls out to Ryeouel and asks if they’re also busy today. Ryeouel tells her not to mention it for actually, the princess kept on asking for food lately. Taking one of the fruits from the baskets, Granny says that right now, she is growing up so this is a good thing.

Ryeouel says that even if it is like that, she feels that Saga is already asking too much. While munching on the fruit, Granny says that it is possible that it is because she is really grieving over Nan. Ryeouel says yes..perhaps, it is that. In Saga’s place, someone says that from the looks of it, it is a bit of no use.

“Four whole days of eating and sleeping but in the end, I think that it isn’t easy to live on. *the boy still looks thin but seems to have regained his strength to be able to sit up* He is a dumb [cannot hear] who couldn’t even say out his own name when basically, his looks is already quite strange..”

Saga rings a bell and the boy reacts to it. She tells her wet nurse, “But it seems that he can hear sounds.” The wet nurse asks what use is that for a person not to understand what one says, it is still possible that he’s an idiot. Saga tells her that it was said that he is from a very faraway place so perhaps their language isn’t the same and Malgal is probably like that, too.

The boy takes Saga’s bell and tries to eat it. This made Saga exclaims that it isn’t something to eat. The wet nurse insists that it seems that he is really an idiot.. Saga asks her wet nurse to bring something to eat. The wet nurse asks if she wants more. She warns Saga that if she always brings food here, the other maids will start to suspect.

She cannot hide the boy in her bedroom then forbid the maids from coming in. “Before something happens, you must send him away!” Gently caressing the boy, Saga says no, she already promised him that she’ll protect him. She smiles at the boy and assures him that it’s alright. The wet nurse is getting frantic for she fears for her life and this is really bad for she thought the boy will die but in the end, he didn’t!

Saga happily says that first, she is going to give the boy a name, how about Mino, it’s the name of her pony before, and it’s pleasant to hear right. The wet nurse nervously thinks that from the looks of it, it seems there’s a need for a spiritual comfort. “Even if I understand your feelings.. but.. if the princes know about this, it is totally disastrous. I have to find an opportunity to send him away.. Forgive me, princess..” Gesturing to her hand, Saga tells Mino that her name is Saga, and look, it is written this way, ah, he cannot read, right!

At Star Palace, Suria’s father angrily complains that it has already been four days since they came to the palace yet in the end, not only did the king didn’t join them at the banquet, he didn’t even show his face to them at least once! Suria says that he heard that the king was so sad over what happened to Nan that he had collapsed so what are they do to about that.

His father angrily shouts that the king should at least send over a prince and not treat them this way! Suria tells his father to please calm down a bit. Holding a cup of wine, Machanyuta tells his uncle, that’s right, it is as Suria said so don’t be too angry. He says that aren’t they staying at the roof and eating cooked meat leisurely as they pass the days.

“Not only that, look at these women! *snuggles to one of the two women beside him* They are simply fairies. Going here and there, this is paradise~~” Suria’s father exclaims that, what he couldn’t bear more of is Machanyuta’s face! “Darn it! You inexperienced boy!”

Suria agrees with his father. Suria’s father points at Jamalta who is sitting at the side of the room and shouts, “Also this youngster! Not only did you bring prostitutes inside the palace, you even brought this slave here!” Suria reminds his father that Jamalta is no longer a slave now. Jamalta just looks sideways and sighs. Suria’s father shouts that didn’t he say it already for so many times, don’t let that youngster be in front of his eyes!

To his uncle’s irritation, Machanyuta ignores him and tells one of the women if she wants to have a bet with him. The woman asks what bet. Pointing at Jamalta, Machanyuta tells her that youngster over there whose body is stretched tightly [? Sitting uptight?] “Actually, that youngster hates women. Perhaps, for him to be this old, he had never once held a woman in his embrace.”

The woman asks what’s with that, when he looks good. Machanyuta says, so he is saying, go and try to seduce him and if she can move him a bit, he’ll give her a jade earring. Suria tries to calm down his father who is furious over that. The woman sits beside Jamalta and says that looking at him up close, he is a handsome man so it’s really too bad [he hasn’t slept with women].

She urges him to turn his head towards her and how come he won’t look at her. “Are you shy?” She gently holds his face and moves his face towards her. She notices his left blue eye. The woman backs away in fright and exclaims, “Heavens! Isn’t this the eye of a beast! Before, a hunter brought a wolf with eyes just like that! How is it possible for a human to have that kind of eye!”

Machanyuta says that is why Jamalta’s mother sold him to a brothel and abandoned him saying that it is bad luck. “From there, it seems that he was beaten day after day and no woman wants to have anything to do with him. It’s so funny, right?”

The woman goes back to Machanyuta and tells him that she won’t make a bet with him for who knows whether or not, Jamalta will suddenly become a beast. Machanyuta tells her not to be like that, and could it be that Jamalta isn’t so pitiful. Jamalta bows and says that if Machanyuta doesn’t have any orders, then he’ll go ahead. Machanyuta says that it is general, call him, ‘general’.

Jamalta looks at scowling Machanyuta and says that ever since he took him from his father to come over to him, it seems that Jamalta has never once called him general, right. “What is it? Don’t want to recognize me as general? You are just like the others who think that I’m a young and inexperienced that you despise me? Or perhaps.. it is like what the rumors said.. that you have a special relationship with father..”

The women are surprised when a flying cup hits Machanyuta’s face. While Suria’s face is also hit [probably failed from restraining his father], he mutters that unfortunately, Machanyuta said the things that his father hates the most. Taking out his knife, Suria’s father says that even if respects Machanyuta as general and casually went with him here but as his uncle, it is a great responsibility for him to lead and train Machanyuta. Thus, he had decided that for this slip of the tongue, he is going to cut off his finger.

While the women are running off to safety, Machanyuta asks if his uncle is joking. Trying to stab Machanyuta, his uncle says that severing off his finger is already considered a light punishment! While holding his uncle’s arm to keep him from stabbing him, Machanyuta says that this doesn’t seem like the position of severing a finger.

His uncle says that he might as well just simply directly take his life as punishment. Jamalta interrupts by saying that in accordance to his order, he had looked around closely at the inner city surroundings but he doesn’t know whether or not it is a useful intelligence. It is said that Princess Nan’s child might possibly be the second prince’s Choechi [崔治]. Regarding the subject matter that involves the death of the clan, they are known as Geolji [杰氏], a clan of medicine merchants.

They possess a profound prestige and huge wealth. It is a clan which the king is keeping an eye on the most [among the other clans]. There are also people saying that it is possible that the king took this opportunity about Princess Nan to exterminate the suspicion towards the whole clan.

Managing to push aside his uncle, Machanyuta asks how was the princess personally mentioned. Jamalta says that it was reported that indeed the princess had contacts with Geolji’s fifth son because he came to look at the princess’ illness as a doctor. Afterwards, the two’s relationship appears to a lot close.

Perhaps, they dreamed and didn’t think that the king will have them watched in secret. While his uncle complains that he’s strong to shake him off, Machanyuta says that is really despicable..and what are the news about the king and the princes. Jamalta says the eldest prince, Choedal [崔达] even if he has a fiery bad temper.

Aside from that, he is exceptionally ruthless, but that is because he is the oldest son so his influence is tremendous. The second prince, Choechi [崔治], is excessively addicted to the female charms, to the extent that he is snubbed by the king. But, thanks to being of the same belly brothers [<- literally so I guess they are twins?] with the oldest prince, thus, he helps the oldest prince in all aspects. Then, there is the third prince, Choegeum [崔今 ; the scanlator changed the name from Choegim [崔金] or this is their typo ^^;] who had received them.

He had a perverse temperament that is extremely vicious which often causes ominous things. So, even if the oldest prince usually doesn’t any much attention to him but he would always confront the king. As for the fourth prince, Choewon[崔元], it is said that he is a frail scholar who won’t even take a single step outside his room. So, for a long time, he has been ruled out from becoming the heir..

Last, about the king, Choewi [崔立]. He personally poisoned and killed all of his brothers then ascended to the throne. 30 years had passed since then. Right now, due to an old illness that frequently flares out, he is living in seclusion inside the main palace. To the irritation of Suria’s father, Machanyuta comments that it is the same plight with their clan’s elder head.

As for the situation regarding the nobles serving the princes from behind.. there is this and that princely stories. Lying down on the bed, Machanyuta tells him that is already enough because from what he heard so far is already giving him a headache. The king and the four princes.. He says by the way, it seems that there is still one princess..is she beautiful.

Jamalta says that originally, there is no princess within the palace so Princess Nan was taken in from a faraway place to become an adopted daughter. While Suria is asking where the hell Jamalta get those intelligence, Machanyuta says that he knows so she was made to be married off to them. Jamalta says that in the end, after several years, a princess was born and right now, she is probably 10 years old. Right now, she is still young so she hasn’t gotten out of the city gate and it is presumed that she will be sold off to another country like her own sister as ‘Nakrang’s princess’.

In her bedroom, Saga holds a box of toys and exclaims, that’s right, she thought of something good, she’ll tell Mino a story. It is a story that was told to her before by her mother when she is learning words. It is her favorite story regarding their first ancestor. While Mino is busy wolfing down some buns, Saga scatters some toy figures on the floor.

Taking one of the figurine, she tells Mino that this one is the child of god <- figurine with a cup on its head. One day, while walking at the heavens above, he look down towards the earth. It is said that at that time, humans had just started to appear on mother earth.  He discovered that the humans are having a very difficult time for not only they don’t have food, but they were chased after by beasts.. The other figures are people who are screaming that they are hungry and they are going to be eaten!!

Deeply moved by the human’s suffering, he personally led some people from the heavens to come down to the secular world. Gesturing to his men, the child of god told the humans that they’ve come to help them. The humans asked if that is for real and how is he going to help. The people from the heavens told them so many things like how to plant farm crops and also the way to tame beasts.

The child of god also told the humans to observe the sky to distinguish the weather and help them prepare around the clock for the cold winter to pass. Gradually, the humans had ample food and clothing. One day, two women came to visit the child of god. The woman who served the Bear tribe and the woman who served the Tiger tribe said this, “We willing want to become your wife for the continuation of your heir.” This made son of god surprised.

He told them that he is very happy that they willing want to become his wife but he doesn’t want to have two wives. Who among the two of them has resilient willpower and full of restraint [/patience] will become his wife. So, like that, the two women started to have a trial between them. In a dark cave with no other people whom they can be in touch with, they are to wait like that.

Each woman is in one cave by oneself. Not knowing of passing time, they are to restrain themselves and be patient.. Afterwards, after a very long time, one day.. a man holding a torch goes to one of the women. He said that she can come out now for the one from the tiger tribe had already returned to her clan. “You will become my wife.” While the child of god took her hand and let her out of the cave, the woman is holding a piece of blue glass on her hand. An azure color stone that exquisitely emit a radiance but it seems to be frail just like glass..

She put that blue glass on top of the altar and in the end, that place had become her foundation. At the end, she and the child of god bore children as a married couple. And then, their offspring is their [Nakrang] first ancestor! She asks Mino how about it, isn’t it interesting. Mino just looks at her while eating. Saga says that before..she once saw her eldest brother’s ceramic [/colored glass] knife and it was said that he got it from a merchant of some other country. It is said that the blue ceramic is very precious so it is very rare to come by. Saga muses over something.

Gesturing to the figurines, she says but, if she can get it, she will put it on top of the altar. Suddenly hugging Mino, Saga exclaims that way, she can also have her own foundation and afterwards, they can live happily together in this place, as part of her foundation. Saga thinks so before that time comes, she have to restrain and be more patient.. Mino looks out at the crescent moon outside the window.

Woo—woo—an owl calls out as two men are walking in the woods. Jamalta notices something that made some sound but it is just a hare. While hooded, Machanyuta asks him if he’s afraid. Jamalta says how can he be. Machanyuta clicks his tongue and continues to walk on. Jamalta asks why they have to definitely find it for if his identity was found out, he will become helpless.

Machanyuta says so didn’t they changed clothes in order not to be found out. He warns Jamalta to be the one who should be careful so that the others won’t notice his eye. Jamalta thinks, who is the one who paraded himself ostentatiously about town everyday. Machanyuta says that it is because he felt very curious about the people of this place as to what kind of idea [way of thinking] they have about living. “By chance, we have an opportunity so shouldn’t we properly go see and enjoy it for a while?”

Pushing a branch aside while he looks out, Machanyuta says besides, there is still someone whom they must see and from the looks of it, the place is a secretly held funeral! “Conveniently, we can also eat some food offerings.” Below where they are, there are a lot of people gathered around with food being served.

Inside a tent, the masked person is surrounded by small balls of light. Holding out her hand, she says, “Please, there’s no need to worry for everything that you wanted to tell me, I’ll listen to all of it. I know of your [plural] feelings of receiving unjust treatment and depression so didn’t I held this funeral for you. I also understand your feelings of being worried about the people you had left behind...

...Try saying it out. Tonight is a night only for you. Before you leave at ease, I’ll listen attentively to all of it.” Spiky looks inside then notices someone ahead. Holding up his hand, Spiky tells the hooded person to wait, he still cannot go in right now so wait for a while outside. Hooded person turns out to be Choegeum who tells Spiky to move aside for he was the one who killed them. “I killed them once and I’m not afraid of killing them for the second time.”

Comment: The wet nurse is in a pinch for she wanted to help Saga out with the boy but the consequences can be very grave to the point of fatal. It seems that the boy is illiterate or something. From how Saga interacted with him, it does seem that she want a companion. I’m amused that she named him after her pony before. ^^;

We now know the legend about their origin and about the blue glass. It is like, from something blue, it will become the foundation of something great. Saga wants to start something that belongs only to her where she and the boy can live happily together. With a family like that, no wonder she’ll firmly believe in it since it is her hope while she is enduring the awful things. So far, there is only one blue ‘thing’ whom she had encountered.

The eldest seems to be like the father. If the gossip is true, it turns out that the second is the father of Nan’s child. So, two princes are fooling around with her and they probably did so since she is just adopted. Well, either the king doesn’t know anything since he has secluded himself and is usually sick, or he thought that it is okay since Nan is adopted anyway.

Of course, I’m not sure if those princes will keep their hands off Saga when she grows up. It turns out that Jamalta was abandoned by his mother because of his eye. Women actually fear it and they are superstitious about it. Still, I wonder why the mother sold him to a brothel of all places. Unless, it is what Machanyuta hinted, he is to cater for men.

It makes me wonder that is partly the reason why Suria’s father hates Jamalta because whether the rumor is true or not, it taints his brother’s reputation. Machanyuta is indeed providing the comedic scenes in this dark series. The masked person is obviously communicating with dead souls of the Geolji clan and perhaps, Princess Nan, too. I wonder what Choegeum wants from the masked person. Actually, Machanyuta is also up to something so he got Jamalta to snoop around for information about the royalty. What is it..probably in the next chapter. Scans by 水神汉化组

Quote of the day:

It's only gossip if you repeat it. Until then, it's gathering information. ~ Mercedes Lackey