Keeping watch by the door, Jamalta thinks that they were
followed. “Are they people dispatched from the palace? How can that be!? What
to do, I cannot just sit here and wait for death like this!!” Saga is quickly
putting a blanket on Mino’s head to hide him.
At the palace’s throne room, the servants inform the king
that that the princess is indeed no longer in the palace. “Not only that, but
the Third Prince had provoked a Han noble to anger. All of the palace’s
officials are anxious.” Choewi holds his head and asks what the Han noble is
asking for. The servant says that if he can be bold to say, they [king and
others] think of a way..regarding delivering [/sending] the princess..
Choedal curses about those useless people. He tells his
father to look at the mistake that extremely arrogant Third had done. “An
offense has been committed against a Han, what is the best thing to do?
Everyone who has something to do with this incident has to be punished.”
Choewi calls out to him and says that the Hans whom they
serve only wanted to get their princess yet he’ll [Choedal] unexpectedly wanted
to kill the innocent. This infuriates Choedal but he couldn’t do anything about
it. The king orders his servant to find Saga and do not let the outside world
know about the princess has gone missing. “Capture her alive and bring her
back.”
Later on, Choedal is still furious over what happened. An
older man tells him not to be so troubled. Choedal calls him, Jindagong [鎮大公;
I’m not sure if the two ending characters is his title or his name. It can mean
Archduke but I don’t think they have such a title during those times ^^;]
He tells Choedal that the king is already very weak and the
Third Prince has an illness that has not yet been cured. “It is better to just
search for the princess. In all likelihood, the Han also cannot dignifiedly
release this. [<- /let it go; attack them or news about it to spread around?] Prince,
you only have to wait and see and do not be overly anxious.”
Choedal exclaims that even if he doesn’t say that, he also
knows [that]! After a pause, Choedal asks what’s up with Jingeumgong for he
heard that wound had persisted that he is still bedridden on his bed.
[Jingeumgong is the guy whose eye was injured by Choedal when he had a fit of
anger before when the Third is getting all the stuff from Han. The scanlators
changes his surname from 真 to 鎮]
Jindagong asks forgiveness for his son’s shortcomings. “It
is a monstrous crime of insubordination that even if a lowlife [/little man]
will lose his job for a million times as an apology, it still cannot be
compensated.”
Choedal says that he cannot believe that such a small wound
would cause him to fall in just one blow. Jindagong continues to bow and says
that it troubled him [Choedal]. Choedal says that is enough, if there is
anything up, he’ll call for him again. “That’s right. First deliver the
medicine to the Third. Even if it is like this, this is also the eldest’s
duty.”
Jindagong says yes, your highness the prince. He looks up
and seems to be glaring [have dead eyes] at Choedal who is walking away. At
Choegeum’s place, Choegeum angrily tosses the things around while he tightly
holds on the bed. He mutters, “..that woman unexpectedly dared to go against
me.. That woman.. has the audacity to.. Absolutely going to find you.. Sa[ga]..
you woman..
...*trembling all over* After I find you, I’ll definitely
tear you to shreds.. Eh..ah ah- *Cheongye watches him from the door.* Quickly
call the doctor! Leg.. My legs!! (This damned curse!!!) Ugh ah ah-”
Cheongye smiles as Baldie holds her to him. She laughs as he
loosens her blouse. Back at the hut, Jamalta immediately pins down the man
earlier [who is interested in kidnapping Saga]. While Saga is hiding Mino under
a blanket, Jamalta asks who he is and from where did he come from.
The man shouts that he’ll say it, don’t kill him, he’ll say
everything. Saga thinks that Jamalta’s skill [/kung fu] for doing that in a
wink is so amazing since he immediately captured that guy and it is true that
the Malgal-s are very good with military force [/fighting]!
The man says that this place is originally their
territory..and the ones who casually came in are them. “Who are you people? How
come you people are idling your time away and strolling around the village!”
Thinking that it is just a villager, Jamalta asks how many are they for he
unexpectedly said ‘their’..
The man screams when Jamalta grips his hand tighter. Saga
tells Jamalta not to be like that for they are just villagers, that’s all.
Jamalta shouts, do not move! The man shouts that right now, he isn’t moving.
Saga freaks out when a man suddenly punches himself in through the wall near
her.
Holding Mino tight, Saga shouts no. Jamalta is forced to let
the man go and rush to Saga’s side. Jamalta is poised to stab the other man
with a knife when the man hit his forehead with a rock. As Jamalta holds his
head, the man says that it seems that he isn’t an ordinary person but then, it
isn’t the same when he has something to protect.
“There is anesthetic smeared on this sword. In a while, it
will take effect.” With his head bleeding, Jamalta notices that he got slashed
on the left arm. He immediately swings his sword at the bonfire causing the
dust and debris to blind the two men.
Jamalta tells Saga that they’ll head towards the forest.
Saga says okay. As they run off, the man and his companion laugh and shout that
it is useless for they know this place inside out. Upon seeing a third figure,
the other man says what, there is someone else with them. The man exclaims to
get the others. Meanwhile, the boy is watching Saga and others from a cliff
above.
He thinks that in the end, that man wants to keep everything
for himself. “I must go and tell the leader.” Then, Mino’s blanket got stuck on
some branches. Saga shouts for him not to get it anymore for they have to
quickly go. So, Mino left the blanket and runs off. The boy looks surprised.
Later on, Jamalta falls on his knees. Saga worriedly asks if
he is okay. While holding up his hand to her [to show that he is okay], Jamalta
curses for he had unexpectedly fallen into this kind of situation. He wonders
Machanyuta’s reaction if he were to know this.
Jamalta imagines Machanyuta will seriously look at him with
a scowl and say who said that he can die without his permission, does he want
to die? Holding his head, Jamalta curses for his consciousness is getting hazy.
Jamalta tells Saga that he is fine so they first go find a
place to hide. Saga tries to protest for he.. Jamalta asks if she still doesn’t
understand, their goal isn’t him but the princ.. Then, there is some rustling
ahead. The boy comes out and tells them that he knows of a place where they can
hide. Saga and Mino look at each other while Jamalta look surprised.
Saga tells Mino to help support Jamalta up. Jamalta tries to
protest and tells her to wait, for them to easily trust.. Saga exclaims that
this isn’t the time to think over that. Jamalta thinks, what? “Of course, we
have to make sure, this woman! Darn, I cannot muster any strength!”
He mutters for them to stop but they still helped him walk
to the place where the boy is leading them. Mino is looking around that Saga
asks what it is. Mino tells her to look at that side. He says that there was a
fire on this mountain. Saga asks if this mountain was burned. They see burned
trees all over the place. The boy says that this place had suffered a curse.
“The black curse.. so nothing will set foot on this place.”
He looks at Mino. Mino is puzzled by that. Soon, they
managed to bring Jamalta inside a cave. Mino holds Jamalta’s forehead. Saga
asks Mino if Jamalta is alright. Gesturing quietly, Mino tells Saga that even
if he doesn’t know what medicine to use but he knows what can ease the symptom
so he’ll go find some herbs.
Saga exclaims what, he’ll go find, no! “You’re still not
well! Don’t go! What will I do if you were caught?” Mino slightly pokes her
forehead. He says that for now, there is no other choice. Saga holds his hand
and says no [it isn’t that], it is already enough that they can be together.
“If it is like that, we can go through anything. Everything will be okay.” Mino
slightly scowls and looks sad. The boy watches them then looks away.
Soon, everyone is sound asleep. The boy goes to Mino who is
sitting while sleeping. The boy recalls their leader saying, “The black curse.
Brat, if this is the black curse that people are saying then, it is fine for
you to just find the opposite, someone who got the white curse. It is said that
a miracle drug is hidden inside them.”
Flashback: The boy asked the leader if that is true. The
leader told him to believe him for if he got it, he’ll attain happiness. End
flashback. Smiling while holding a dagger, the boy thinks, “What leader said is
true. I have found..a white person! The white curse!” He holds up his dagger
and holds it down towards Mino.
Recalling what the leader told him, the boy is now going to
stab Mino. To his surprise, Mino grabs hold of his wrist causing the boy to
drop the dagger. Holding a small knife, Jamalta says, “Very lucky for it
appears that you are of use compared to your master. But this plan is also very
reckless, right? *Mino didn’t reply* Not bad. Come, let’s ask what is his
reason for doing this.”
Saga wakes up when the boy is shouting for them to let him
go. While the two are beating the boy down to tie him up, Saga exclaims what
they are doing. “Huh? What?” Soon, the boy’s wrists are tied up. Someone asks,
“To undo the curse?” Jamalta says that the ones who raided them are certainly
villagers. “Are you part of that group?” The boy didn’t answer.
Jamalta thinks but he can be certain that they are not
dispatched from the palace. Jamalta asks the boy why he would do such a thing.
Trembling, the boy says the black..curse.. “My family lived at this mountain.
For a long time now, the spirit has been confining the flame within for us.
Everyone always firmly believes that they only have to offer a sacrifice to the
spirit and it will protect us. But one day..”
Flashback: The people shouted that there is a forest fire.
With their packed things, the people shouted to quickly escape for the fire is
huge and the situation isn’t improving at all. “If we’re not able to contain
the large fire, its flames will make everything go up into smoke.”
A shaman shook his tambourine while holding up a knife. He
shouted, “The spirit is angered! There is someone who dared to get a glimpse
into the spirit’s appearance!! Find a person who has black on its body!!” The
boy exclaimed, “No, mother.. Mother, she..!”
The boy quickly ran while the mob with torches is behind
him. The boy shouted and clung on to his mother who had black [birthmarks?] spots
on half her face and wrist. The mother is shocked to see the angry mob. They
held the boy while they burned the house down with his mother in it. End
flashback.
The boy tearfully cried. Jamalta thinks that he has never
heard of that.. He is surprised when Saga goes to the boy to comfort him. The
boy says that it wasn’t easy for his mother to continue to live on but like
before, she is still trapped by the black curse. “Have..to undo..the curse..”
Saga tells the boy not to cry anymore for there is definitely
a way. “Let us think of a way together, okay? You’re really afraid of losing
your mother, right? *hugs the crying boy* I know that it has been difficult for
you..” Jamalta is displeased that Saga had immediately forgotten what that brat
is going to do a while ago and she also don’t think of her own plight.
He notices Saga looking puppy-eyes at him. It is an
expression of asking Jamalta to do something. Irked Jamalta has an expression
of ‘You’ll even say that *points at Mino* Do you want to sacrifice that white
face?’ Saga scowls and thinks that he’s despicable. She looks at Mino.
Upon seeing Mino’s sad face, Saga quickly looks away and
seems to be tense. Mino sighs and tells Saga that they have to leave this place
first. She says yes. This surprises Jamalta. He angrily thinks, “These people,
really!” And, the two are heading out the cave with the boy.
Soon, they are walking around the mountain. Saga is having a
hard time climbing up. Jamalta tries to help her but Saga says that she’s fine.
Saga notices that her hand is injured but she just tightly clenches it to bear
with it. Mino holds out his hand to her. Slightly flustered Saga takes Mino’s
hand.
Jamalta sighs and thinks that before he[?] gets thoroughly
fed up, they[?] must quickly leave this place. While catching her breath, Saga
thinks that Mino is still angry. “While we are in the palace, he will always
welcome me with a smiling face but after we got out of the palace, he never once
smiled...
...The one who wanted for us to be together isn’t only me so
how come he doesn’t understand that just like in the past, we can be very happy
together. Here..outside the palace.” In a hut, the boy calls out to his mother.
While timidly looking at them, the boy shows them his mother.
The mother still has black marks on her body but she is
badly burned. The others are shocked. While Mino checks her, the mother
slightly moves and starts muttering, hu hu hu. Saga is horrified. Also bothered
by this, Jamalta thinks that it is such a serious burn yet she can still live
on, it’s really..
The boy asks Mino to help him for he can save his mother,
right? Mino looks slightly surprised. He looks serious and walks away. Holding
his mother’s arm, the boy says that he knows that he can so why? “Look! My
mother is black and you are white! Aren’t you also cursed! The white curse!”
Saga is puzzled by this ‘curse’ thing. Jamalta interrupts by
asking for him to say that, then, how should it be done, stinky brat. “Are you
saying that there has to be an offering in order to save your mother? It will
be okay if he dies?” The boy says, “No..it isn’t that..I..” Jamalta asks, “What
isn’t? It is the same reason the people of your village used..
..sacrificing other people just like what your mother had
encountered.” This shocks the boy. He recalls the time when he shouted for his
bandaged mother to pull herself together. The mother said, “Hurts..it really
hurts.. So painful.. Kill me.. Kill mama..”
The crying boy turned to the others who said, “Kid, don’t
look at us with that kind of expression. We are appeasing the spirit or else,
all of us will be killed. You’re mother suffered the black curse..” End
flashback. Saga shouts at Jamalta over what he wants to do by saying those
things!
Jamalta sighs and says, “Those words? You heard them yet you
don’t understand? Compared to other things, think of your own plight first.”
This puzzles Saga. Pointing to Mino, Jamalta says, “Look here, what will happen
to that person.” Slightly scowling, Mino looks serious then looks away.
Saga thinks, “Huh? Wait.. Wait a moment.. Mino, he.. Always
after getting out of the palace.. Could it be..” Saga seems to have realized
something. They were surprised when the man calls out, “Hey, stinky brat, are
you inside?!” Looking at the boy, Jamalta thinks that it is those men, and as
expected, he [boy] is part of the group!
Jamalta peeks out of the door and curses for there are more
people compared before. “It is truly insane that we unexpectedly came here!”
Saga asks what to do for there is no place that they can hide there. Jamalta
curses that he didn’t think of it when they came here. “First, hide behind the
door.”
Saga says okay. Jamalta worriedly looks at the boy. Soon,
Jamalta and the others are standing behind the door on both sides. The boy is
standing in front of the door. There is a sound of the men coming towards the
house. The three are tense when the boy opens the door.
The man exclaims, “Brat! Where did that couple [in an
illicit love affair] went to! You’ve unexpectedly even told the leader! You are
always keeping a close watch on those guys so where did they run off to? Huh?”
Jamalta and others realize that it is all the boy’s doing. After a pause, the
boy answers, “I don’t know. I don’t know where they went.”
Comment: It will
dawn to Saga soon that the outside world isn’t exactly nice either. This world
has a lot of superstitions especially towards people who are different in their
physical features. I’m inclined to think that what Jamalta is hinting is that Mino
will be in major trouble outside the palace. When she first found him, he was
thought to be a sacrifice to lead the dead. Now, it is to remove some curse. In
a way, Jamalta should also know of those since people think of all sorts of
things regarding his blue eye.
And, even if Saga isn’t part of those superstitions, her
beauty attracts too much attention that men will have undesirable intentions
towards her. So, it is indeed understandable that Mino isn’t too happy with the
turn of events. But then, are things better within the palace? It seems pretty
much the same though Mino didn’t know what happened to Saga that night.
The boy suffered a lot. The mother’s fate is really awful
and that doesn’t even start to describe it. In that flashback, she can still
sit and move but now, she is just a ‘shell’ that couldn’t move at all yet
suffering from pain. I guess the boy is also desperate because he really love
his mother, and he was totally helpless to stop the others from doing that to
his mother.
Since he is lying about the others in the house, did what
Jamalta say to him made him have a change of heart? He practically told the boy
that what he is doing is the same what the others did to his mother. So, if he
approves of that way of doing things, he has no reason to be angry at the
people who had done this. They are all the same.
Somehow, I think either the boy or the leader might be
important for this little group. The boy is smart and can be a very useful spy
^^ The leader might be an enemy though. Not quite sure about the reason why he
is telling that story to the boy. Is it to find a ‘white person’ whom they can
sell for an expensive price? The leader’s vague character design makes me think
that he’ll be important later on. ^^;
Things are happening in the palace. What happened to Saga
seems to lead to Nakrang’s downfall. The king is sick and old. His decision is
more on appeasing the Hans. The Han noble’s pride as a man had taken a beating that
he probably wants to get Saga back to pay back for that humiliation. The eldest
is too aggressive and rash to punish people.
That Jindagong seems submissive and everything but he seems
to be also waiting for a good opportunity to do something. I get a feeling that
his son is in very bad condition. Probably the eye got infected? The Third is
indeed sick which seems to be connected to his mentality. Cheongye must be very
happy and satisfied to see him in that state. Though, I’m not sure why she is
with Baldie. Has she also gone crazy? Is it an exchange to let her see the
Third in that state? Who is using who? And, the fourth prince is in seclusion.
Anyway, Jamalta got his work cut out for him. He has to
babysit two kids who’ll attract other people’s attention. It doesn’t help that
one is very naïve about how the real world works. It doesn’t help that if he
makes a mistake, his life and the others hang in the balance. ^^; It is amusing
though that when the anesthetic is taking effect, he’ll think of Machanyuta =P
Just like with these two and Machanyuta, even if Jamalta tries to resist, in
the end, he tends to end up doing what they want. ^^;;
Quote of the day:
Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main
sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. ~ Bertrand
Russell
Yeah.jamalta has alot on his plate.saga has to start developing a brain now;)a happy ending/life with mino??thats a complete fairytale thought she is having.jamalta despicable...how can she even think that.he is putting his life on the line for two kids.
ReplyDeleteCheongye was already crazy to begin with:):):) and even the third prince is suffering from a curse.curses curses curses this chap is full of that.
Thanks kat :)
Yup, spears.
DeleteIndeed but I cannot really blame her. She doesn't know..but then, that 'fairy tale thought' is quite common in shoujo =P Everything will be okay as long as we are together. Also, it is still day 1 or 2 since she first came out so I'm still lenient with her. ^^
I don't understand your comment about Jamalta. ^^; He's despicable because? Which two kids? Saga and Mino? The boy and Mino?
Hehe..is that so. I thought she has somewhat of a grasp with her sanity after everything. True...they practically call ailments and other things that cannot explained things as curses. And, that is typical in that time.
You're welcome ^-^
Saga thinks about jamalta "he is despicable" was talking about that.how can saga think he is despicable when he is the person helping them.
DeleteAnd the kids saga and mino
And is the genre shoujo???
DeleteTrue...but I guess Saga thinks he is like that since he is unmoved by the crying boy..in that context.
DeleteYup.
thanks, Kat! I've been waiting all week and this totally made my day! :) As the series progresses, I feel more sorry for Cheongye. It's like she gets more and more tragic because of the revenge she wants to exact on the 3rd prince. Saga is a bit annoying because she's so naive but at the same time like you said, she's only been out in the real world a couple days so we'll see how quickly she catches up about the real world. Even though he's too good for her, I hope she ends up with Jamalta in the end :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, heyayanami ^-^ Glad to hear that ^^
DeleteIndeed.
Ya. It would be unrealistic if she isn't so. Even if palace life is like that, she is still considered 'spoiled/pampered' compared to life outside.
Hehe..how quickly depends on the pacing. In all the cover pages, this is the introduction, 'This is the story of a girl who made a resolve to depend on her own effort to become a gem'. So, I'm leaning on that hope that there will be a major character development for Saga ^^
Hehe, is that so. Your comment made me think that Jamalta will not fall over heels in love like in the prophecy with the current Saga =P So..yes, I'm hoping that she'll be less naive and everything later on. <- emphasis on that since I'm hoping this series will have a stronger female lead than usual. ^^;
I don't doubt she'll have character development but wonder if the development will be a couple big developments or smaller multiple developments.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm sure Jamalta will fall in love like the prophecy predicted once Saga matures/develops more.
Another thing I was thinking about.. I wonder if her brothers, especially 3rd, & her father will be her main antagonists that influence her development. I assumed so but since this chapter mentioned her father getting old & the 3rd being sick. Wondering if they'll live long enough for Saga to confront them.
I see. ^^
DeleteRight now, it seems not especially the father. The third is still possible if those are just 'attacks' that come from time to time. Meaning, he's functional most of the time. And, since he is in one of the colored covers, I think he'll be one of the main antagonist.