The Unsurpassed Maiden - Chapter 174

Mi Young watches as Hae Choon plays with an Electro ball on his hands.

“You’ve been standing there for a while. Do you want to ask me something?” The man asks without even sparing Mi Young any glance at all.

The young girl opens her mouth but then closes them again. She decided to walk towards where the man was sitting and found a spot for her just adjacent from the other party’s spot.

Hae Choon looked up to her and studied her for a moment before speaking, “You want to ask me something. What is it?”

The black haired girl watches as the Electro ball floats just a few centimeters away from Hae Choon’s palm. “I wanted to ask how you were able to control your abilities.”

Hae Choon was about to open his mouth but he was cut off by the black haired girl.

“Please don’t say it’s about training. I know training is not enough.” The young girl says.

Hae Choon gave her a pointed look before calmly answering her question. “I was about to say this by learning about the Song of the Songbirds. But sure, training it is.”

“Song of the Songbirds?” Mi Young asks. For some reason, she thinks that she had heard that name somewhere.

“Uhn.” The other party nodded. “When I was a child, my mother—well, an adopted mother, taught me how to sing the Song of the Songbirds.”

“It’s a literal song?”

“Indeed. But it is also a type of incantation magic.” Hae Choon says. “It’s not easy to master what you’re thinking but it helps you control all your abilities and maybe help you call out your other hidden abilities as well.”

“If I sing this song, will I be able to control and master all of my magic?” Mi Young asks with a curious look.

Hae Choon raises an eyebrow at her before saying, “Yes. But it requires a lot of time and effort. And since we’re on the brink of war, clearly you know that it will take you months before you can master the Song of the Songbirds.”

Mi Young adjusts herself before sitting properly in front of the other party. “Okay, I understand.”

“Why are you giving me that look? You heard what I said, right? It will need you months before you can sing the song—”

“Don’t worry. Not to brag but I heard from different individuals that I am a fast learner.” Mi Young says with a huge toothy smile.

“Even if you are a fast learner, the Song of the Songbirds is still an ancient magic that requires a lot of sweat and determination before someone can just master it in one sitting.” Hae Choon tries to explain. However, the young girl was looking at him so hopefully that he felt somewhat like a rude and selfish person. With a defeated sigh he said, “Fine. I will teach you its incantation and lyrics. Sing it with all your heart and soul and try to call out your mana and your power together.”

“That’s it?” Mi Young asks. Hae Choon nodded his head. “Okay. Should I close my eyes?”

“If it can help you concentrate, sure.” Hae Choon instructs.

The black haired girl instantly shuts her eyes as she tries to put her mind in a blank state. She waits for Hae Choon’s instruction with determination and an excited heart.

“Before we begin, I would like to ask you if you’re willing to feel a slight pain in exchange for knowledge you will about to get?” Hae Choon’s voice asks.

Mi Young nodded her head and said, “Yes. I am more than willing to.”

“Good.” Hae Choon replies. “The Song of the Songbirds was written by an unknown artist. One Mage, who was an adventurer, got lost in the woods and he accidentally stumbled upon a hidden pond inside a cave. The man, who was so hungry and thirsty, immediately went to the pond and drank from its water. However, he didn’t notice that a lone girl was watching him all the time. When he finally realized that he wasn’t alone, it was too late.”

“What happened?” Mi Young asks even with her eyes still closed.

“The girl was a witch, particularly a dark witch.” Hae Choon replies. “Now, there is a rule that was already among us even before the time of the ancient ones. This rule states that anything that belongs to a witch is theirs. If someone takes it away from her without permission, that someone must prepare for his death.”

“I’m guessing the pond belonged to the witch.” Mi Young continued.

“Close. But not quite. The pond was another witch’s belonging. Not the dark witch. Anyway, when the man drank from the pond, something killed the witch who was the owner of the pond. Some say it was the man’s saliva, other’s say that the essence of the man contaminated the purity of the pond so it killed the owner who was hiding her heart there.”

“What was the dark witch doing there in the pond then?”

“Here’s where the story progresses. Unknowingly, the man set the dark witch free from her shackles. The moment the witch, who was the owner of the pond, died, the spell that was binding the dark witch inside the cave broke.” Hae Choon continued his story. He looked up to see the young girl still with her eyes closed. “And as a result the dark witch granted the man one wish.”

“What did he wish for?” Mi Young whispers.

“He wishes that before he dies he hopes that he can master and try out all of his abilities even just for a bit.” Hae Choon added. “And so the dark witch granted him his wish. If he says this certain incantation, he will be able to control all of his elements at once.”

“Did he do it?”

“Oh yes, he did. He even journeyed from town to town, city to city, kingdom to kingdom, just to show everyone that he was able to control all elements at once.”

“Why do I feel like something is going to happen to him? Something bad.” Mi Young comments out.

“It wasn’t just bad, it was awful. When the man arrived at a certain city, the city of Pas, he met another witch. Now this witch was coincidentally the sister of the witch whom he accidentally set free. Since the man was given power by the dark witch, the sister witch was able to feel her other half in him. She asked the man how he was able to have that kind of power but the man lied to her. Of course, she immediately knew that the man was lying, so she had no other choice but to enter the man’s memory without his permission. That’s when she found out that her sister was behind the man’s success.”

“What did she do? Did she intervene?”

“She more than intervened. Using the man’s link towards her sister, the sister witch was able to locate the heart of the dark witch. There, they fought.”

“Why?” Mi Young questions.

“Because the dark witch did many evil things which her sister completely opposed. And when they fought the dark witch lost. However, even if the source of the magic died, the man continued to master all of his abilities not knowing that time, when the dark witch finally held her last breath she managed to put on a curse that comes with the spell she gave to the man.”

“What type of curse?”

“The curse that whoever tries out that incantation shall also bear the pain that the dark witch felt.” Hae Choon explains. “The man indeed lived but the moment the spell took action, he lived a miserable life filled with hatred and pain.”

The moment Mi Young heard this, she instantly opened her eyes. “So you mean to say that if I learn this song of yours, will I also bear the dark witch’s pain?”

“Yes. All of us did. At first, it was scary and indeed painful. But after years of using it I managed to ignore the pain.”

“What kind of pain would you feel?” Mi Young asks curiously.

“All kinds of pain. But I always put in mind that somehow, this pain that the curse gave me also made me stronger. At least I already knew what pain is so if I ever get cursed in the future, at least I’m used to it already.” Hae Choon says with a shrug. Then, he looks up at the black haired girl once more. “So, are you willing to bear this curse with me and along the thousands that came before me?”

“Yes.” Mi Young replies without any second thoughts.

“May I ask why are you so willing to feel this pain in exchange for a spell that isn’t even that great?” Hae Choon asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Because I want to help the people around me more. I know it’s never enough.. My powers will never be enough, that’s why I need to master it already so I can protect those who are dear to me.”