SFNFS Ch 4

Chapter 4

 

They had made a vow.

Until the Ilcheonja returned, they would remain in this world to fulfill that duty in his stead. Thus, they forsook eternal life and entrusted their bodies to the cycle of human life and death. Their souls were reborn in human bodies.

These were humans of the earthly realm who possessed the celestial energy of Ilcheon—beings referred to among the Iin as the “Alpha.”

At that time, it wasn’t only the sages of Ilcheongung who descended to the human world.

The sages of Wolcheongung, who had followed the Wolcheonja, also came down to earth. Their purpose and goal differed slightly from those of the Ilcheongung sages, as they sought the missing Wolcheonja. However, they too could not ignore the suffering of humankind.

Their compassionate spiritual power healed the injured and purified the grudges and evil energies of wandering spirits, enabling them to provide relief in ways distinct from the sages of Ilcheongung.

Though they initially prioritized seeking the lost Wolcheonja, they ultimately chose to offer aid to the world, just like the sages of Ilcheongung.

They too had made a vow.

Until the Wolcheonja was found, they would remain in the world, watch over the hollow moon, and help the people of the realm who longed for the lost moonlight. Thus, they became known as the “Omega(Wolin).”

These devoted and divine beings, reborn into human bodies while retaining the spiritual energy and will of sages, were revered by the world under the collective name of “In”—including both Alpha and Omega.(Yangin&Wolin)

Since the Ilcheonja had yet to return and the Wolcheonja had yet to be found, they were the world’s last hope for peace, illuminating the celestial sphere as the Sun and Moon Lords, and eradicating the misdeeds of evil spirits drifting through the heavens.

But even such great beings had their weaknesses—a side effect caused by the incomplete fusion of sage souls with human bodies.

If the energy created by the soul was not properly released, the Alpha would suffer from “Heat Harm” (Yeolsa), panting under the scorching heat, while the Omega would tremble in cold, afflicted by “Frost Rupture” (Dongryeol).

Because the root cause lay in the spiritual energy accumulating in the lower abdomen, the frequency of symptoms varied from individual to individual, but all Iin were known to suffer from the condition at least once a year.

The stronger the spiritual energy, the more frequent and severe the attacks of Yeolsa or Dongryeol became.

Usually, the symptoms would naturally subside after seven days and nights. But in dire circumstances, they could spiral into a frenzy that led to death.

An Iin’s frenzy was not only dangerous to the afflicted but also a tragic threat to those around them. It was not something to speak lightly of, especially by those who had never experienced it.

The reason Bipa’s mother, Sewan—the head of the Hongu Trading Company—developed the “Wolbane Elixir” to calm the Omega’s Dongryeol was not solely because she cherished her youngest son above all else.

Due to the circumstances, she could not publicly reveal the deeper story, and thus, no one could truly understand her intentions.

If Sewan had spent such an enormous amount of money just to create medicine for her own son, she would never have bothered to produce a cost-effective version of the pill to distribute among the many Omega who suffered from Dongryeol.

People claimed that the Hongu Company had grown into the world’s largest trading company by making a fortune from the Wolbane Elixir, but in truth, they had already been earning massive profits on a global scale before that.

Yet, what Bipa found most unfair were the slanders directed at his mother and two older sisters. Though they cherished and loved him dearly, they had never raised him as a spoiled and arrogant brat just because he was the youngest.

“…They don’t even know how terrifying my mom and sisters are.”

Muttering resentfully to himself, Bipa threw a sharp glare at the men. He clenched the neck of the slender liquor bottle in his hand.

The more he thought about it, the more unfair it felt—he couldn’t just let it slide.

They were still gossiping about the youngest son of the Hongu Trading Company—saying he had caused trouble here and made a scene there. Clicking their tongues as they spoke, Bipa wrinkled his nose and pouted.

Then, in a swift motion, he turned his head dramatically and fixed his resolute gaze on the men. With a loud thud, he slammed the bottle down onto their table.

As all eyes turned to him, Bipa furrowed his brow into a grave expression and began to speak.

“Gentlemen.”

“Hm?”

“I happen to know quite a bit about that family.”

“Is that so?”

“All those stories—every single one of them! Are exaggerations. The youngest son of that household is nothing like the rumors say. Haven’t you heard?”

“Not at all. We’ve never heard such stories.”

“Huh? That’s strange. Those who are in the know are well aware of that young lord’s true nature…”

“What is he really like? Is it that different from the rumors?”

“Absolutely. He’s said to be the gentlest soul in the world. Truly kind, and truly beautiful. Perfectly well-mannered, too.”

“Really now?”

“Of course! Why would I go out of my way to lie to you all? It’s not like I’m the person in question…”

And so, he ended up drinking with them in earnest.

Throughout the evening, Bipa lavished the youngest son of the Hongu Trading Company with praises about his noble character and radiant beauty, to the point of wearing out his tongue. Though the three men remained skeptical, having heard so many stories, they eventually gave in with a reluctant, “Alright then! Let’s just say that’s true!” and left.

Whether he had succeeded in improving their impression of the youngest son or merely left them exhausted with it—he couldn’t be sure.

“Well, we sure drank a lot, little brother!”

After the three men—now self-proclaimed sworn brothers—stumbled out arm in arm, Bipa remained alone at the table, surrounded by empty bottles, dozing off with his head bobbing.

“Are you alright?”

“…Huh?”

“I asked if you were alright.”

“Oh… you startled me. Baekbong… How long have you been standing there?”

Startled, Bipa lifted his head and turned to look behind him. Upon seeing Baekbong standing there, he smiled sheepishly and asked,

“Have the gentlemen left…?”

“Yes. If you still insist on calling men who left without paying their tab ‘gentlemen,’ that is.”

Baekbong, clearly displeased with Bipa’s mingling, sighed as he sat across from him. Seeing his reaction, Bipa burst into laughter, finding it all quite amusing. He placed a cup before Baekbong and asked,

“By the way—what kind of training does it take to become someone as ghostlike and elusive as you?”

Baekbong merely shrugged, as if it was nothing remarkable.

“If I told you the training methods, would you be willing to learn?”

Gasp.

Having always emphasized the importance of self-defense and discipline, Baekbong seized the opportunity to ask, and Bipa gasped in alarm. If he gave the wrong answer, he feared Baekbong might drag him out immediately—even in his drunken state—to teach him the ways of vanishing like a spirit.

With an exaggerated look of surprise, Bipa exhaled the breath he had sucked in and shook his head.

“Bipa can’t do that.”

His repeated head-shaking and childish tone were full of mischief.

“Running around, sweating, climbing trees and all that… Bipa absolutely, absolutely cannot do that.”

Referring to himself by name in such a childish manner would have seemed ridiculous and shameless coming from anyone else, but when this glossy, beautiful young man smiled playfully as he spoke, it was nothing short of adorable.

Even Baekbong, who was usually expressionless, couldn’t help but smile. Seeing this rare sight brought Bipa such joy that he laughed like a child and lifted the liquor bottle.

“Have a drink. The location of this place might not be ideal, but the taste is the best in Seogyeong.”

When Baekbong raised his cup, Bipa poured the clear liquor from the slender bottle with a gentle gurgle. Baekbong downed the full cup in one go. Watching him with a tipsy gleam in his eyes, Bipa eagerly asked,

“How is it? Isn’t it truly delicious?”

“Yes.”

It was a remarkably brief answer—but it surely meant it tasted great. Though he hadn’t brewed it himself, Bipa looked immensely proud. He then poured himself a glass and downed it in one gulp. Because he tilted his head too far back, he nearly toppled over, but Baekbong caught him just in time.

Instead of saying thank you, Bipa simply flashed a bright smile, then adjusted his posture and, unprompted, began to speak.

“This place, actually… it was recommended to me by that person.”

“…Was it?”

Baekbong responded with slight displeasure, glancing around the inside of the bar. It wasn’t exactly the most refined setting for the emperor’s only son and the golden child of the world’s richest merchant to be sharing drinks—he hadn’t expected this place to hold such sentimental value.

 

 

---

 

Hii guys please comment if i should use Yangin and Wolin instead of Alpha and Omega