Only then did Suchan understand why Jieon had spoken with such a heavy voice. He was feeling a faint sense of guilt. If Shin Mua was really acting like this because he was hurt or sick somewhere, Jieon would end up treating someone else’s misfortune as his own good fortune.
Having watched from the closest place just how much Jieon had suffered because of Shin Mua, Suchan momentarily felt his insides churn.
“Why wouldn’t it be okay?”
“……”
“Bluntly speaking, how much you suffered because of that bastard Shin Mua. You were really almost dying back then, man. He’s the one who tormented someone almost to death first, so why are you feeling guilty and making a fuss? You don’t need to.”
Jieon kept blinking his eyes and listening to Suchan’s words. Strictly speaking, his words weren’t wrong at all.
“You act like you’re not, but you’re also soft-hearted, which is the problem. You’re already drowning yourself, so who’s worrying about whom?”
“That’s true.”
Jieon burst into a chuckle and nodded. Since Shin Mua was so crazy, his own mind must be going back and forth too.
“Anyway, I’ll look into shamans.”
Suchan, who had been looking at such a Jieon with an equally upset expression, answered like a sigh. Then, a thought suddenly occurred to Suchan.
“Come to think of it… Hey, Jieon. Isn’t your uncle interested in that kind of thing?”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you say he’d been like that for a while?”
At Suchan’s words, Jieon sat up from where he’d been lying down. He hadn’t paid much attention because he wasn’t interested, but he had occasionally heard stories about his uncle Yangseon getting his fortune told or whatnot.
“How about asking your uncle?”
Suchan asked. Jieon couldn’t answer immediately and kept his mouth shut for a moment. It was because the words Shin Mua had said to him earlier momentarily came to mind.
‘I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this happened around you. It means there’s a high possibility that someone close to you is connected to this case.’
‘So for the time being, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t go blabbing about what you’re doing with me to those around you. I’ll let you know once I’m certain they’re not problematic individuals.’
Jieon snorted inwardly again. Who was he to arbitrarily judge whether someone was problematic or not?
His uncle, Yangseon, was one of the most precious people in Jieon’s life.
Having lost both parents as a child, Jieon was always no different from an ugly duckling at family events. Though his grandfather had taken Jieon under his wing and cared for him, the more he did so, the colder the other relatives’ gazes became.
His uncle was the person who always took his side in that environment. Except for his grandfather, his uncle was the only one Jieon could call ‘family.’
But separately from that, he was hesitant to inform Yangseon about this matter. He must have already been shocked by the accident, so he didn’t want to increase his uncle’s worry with such strange talk.
Moreover, Jieon hadn’t told his uncle everything like before recently. Precisely, it was from when his relationship with Shin Mua rapidly deteriorated and he seriously began preparing for divorce.
‘Jieon, just endure a bit more. Mua isn’t a bad kid either, but he’s just clumsy at expressing himself because he’s lived a hard life. You have to think of your grandfather too, okay? If you say you’re breaking up, your grandfather will really pass away, you know that.’
Yangseon had grabbed Jieon, who was seriously consulting about divorce because he couldn’t endure anymore, and strongly dissuaded him to reconsider divorcing earlier than the contract. It was an unexpectedly firm attitude.
After that, Jieon stopped sharing deep concerns with his uncle like before. He was somewhat shocked because he truly didn’t expect his uncle to tell him to endure when he was having such a hard time.
“For now…”
Was that why? This time too, it was difficult to readily tell Yangseon everything and seek his advice. Still, his uncle must have given advice thinking of him, but while feeling guilty for thinking he was being petty by still holding onto that matter, Jieon opened his mouth.
“For now, hyung, look into it a bit. Father is busy, so how can I ask him to even find a shaman for something like this? He doesn’t even know Shin Mua’s condition is that bad, so he’ll worry.”
“That’s true. Alright. Then I’ll look into it for now.”
“Yeah. Thanks, hyung.”
Fortunately, Suchan nodded without much suspicion. Jieon lay back down on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.
Shin Mua, who said someone had intentionally performed a forbidden ritual and because of that, he, a Grim Reaper of the Afterlife, had been possessed in a human body. His uncle, who had specially asked him to treat Mua well during the contract period, saying he was a guy who grew up with difficulty but was kind and worked hard to get here. The images of the two alternately flickered before his eyes.
Father, did you really, really not know Shin Mua was this kind of person? I’m suffering this much—is it really right to keep telling me to endure?
Many questions he couldn’t bring himself to ask his uncle, who had cherished him since childhood, also created ripples in his heart. After meeting Shin Mua, everything was a mess.
***
“Father, please drink some water.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Gwi Bosal, who had just finished offering prayers, received the water Museok, his godson, offered and drank it before letting out a deep sigh. Museok carefully asked.
“…Not yet?”
Though there was no subject, understanding the meaning wasn’t difficult. Gwi Bosal slowly shook his head.
“Whether he can’t speak, or whether his words aren’t reaching me…”
His voice was full of worry. Either way, it was equally a bad situation.
From the failure of the last ritual, Gwi Bosal had suffered a great blow. Not only his spiritual power but even his vital energy was twisted, to the point he couldn’t even properly maintain consciousness for a while. But the bigger problem was that the god he served had received massive damage.
This was precisely why he was certain the ritual’s failure wasn’t due to his own mistake but external interference.
If the ritual had been ruined by his own mistake, there was no way the god he served would have been hurt this badly. This must have been because someone with stronger power had intentionally sabotaged the ritual and attacked them.
“Father.”
Then, Museok called out lowly to Gwi Bosal, who was lost in thought.
“What is it?”
“I… don’t understand. Why must we continue to take on this matter while risking such danger?”
Museok’s attitude, bowing deeply to his waist, was extremely cautious. Museok was originally someone who regarded his godfather’s words as heaven, whatever they were. It was almost unprecedented for him to openly oppose Gwi’s course of action like this.
“In the end, even if we succeed in this matter, what does Father gain? That measly sum of money is nothing compared to the danger Father has borne. Yet why do you help them this much… this foolish disciple doesn’t understand well.”
“Mm.”
“What are those things worth, that Father would do this work even while harming your body this much…”
Usually, forbidden rituals require accepting death when they fail. In that regard, this matter could be said to have been rather fortunate. At least his father didn’t die.
He had silently followed, thinking there must be good reasons for whatever his master did, but to Museok, there was nothing meaningful enough to exchange for his godfather’s life.
Moreover, even if this matter succeeded, all the client could give them was money. Museok knew his godfather wasn’t someone swayed by money.
They even already had more than enough money, and even now there were many who would bring money to offer. Yet Museok couldn’t fathom at all why his godfather was obsessed with this ritual.
However, Gwi Bosal laughed emptily as if he knew all his godson’s thoughts and opened his mouth.
“Museok.”
“Yes, Father.”
“How can a person live on money alone?”
Gwi Bosal turned his head and quietly gazed at the altar where he had been offering prayers until just now.
If he had to explain why he insisted on the ritual even after being hit this hard, yes, it would be correct to see it as a kind of competitive spirit. Gwi Bosal had felt great interest in forbidden rituals since childhood when he was someone’s godson.
What would it feel like to be the only one to accomplish things that even those who are renowned in this field wouldn’t dare attempt? He’d always been curious about such things. Unlike those wretches who trembled in fear of Divine Punishment, Gwi Bosal wanted to become an existence that surpassed even the taboos set by the gods.
He didn’t know how many times he’d crossed death’s threshold to find a god that matched his will and would help him fully display his abilities.
A shaman who chooses gods.
Probably no shaman in the world had ever heard such words. It was natural. A shaman was, to the end, one who served gods. Where in the world was there a servant who chose their own master?
If there was a shaman who did so, they would be vented upon before they could even choose the desired god and wouldn’t be able to live with a sound mind.
But Gwi Bosal survived by overcoming countless crises of death and ultimately found a god who would share his will. He was lucky, but it would have been impossible without Gwi Bosal’s ability, having been said since childhood to be born holding a golden god-thread, and his indomitable will.
And finally, Gwi Bosal had reached this point.
The completion of a ritual that would completely reverse two people’s fate, fortune, and life without receiving any punishment.
