“You shouldn’t take out a talisman like that so easily.”
“Huh?”
“You got it from the Lady, right? It’s not quite like the one the mountain spirit gave you, but it’s just as valuable.”
Lady… that must mean the woman who gave me the talisman just now.
Why are the beings in this world so quick to give away things this precious without hesitation?
How can they do that?
Hansol’s eyes widened as he tightly gripped the talisman in his pocket.
He exhaled slowly while staring at his trembling fingers. Lord Bihyeon shrugged lightly and smiled.
“You’d better be careful around humans. Humans who know their way around things like that would lose their minds over an item like it.”
He said it with a smile, but there was a cold edge to his tone.
His gaze looked calm, yet somehow Hansol could see hatred and anger toward humans hidden there.
Hansol blinked.
Then he finally pulled the talisman out of his pocket. What if it slipped out of his pocket and got lost?
I should return it.
I don’t think I can handle something like this.
“They said it’s a talisman that lets you meet a god. If it’s a god… you mean someone like the mountain spirit, right?”
“It probably refers to a higher god. If one of them happens to feel like it, they’ll come. If not, it returns in the form of extraordinary good fortune.”
Higher than the mountain spirit?
…I really need to return this.
“You’re thinking of giving it back, aren’t you?”
“Yes… It’s just too much for me—huh? How did you know?”
“It shows in your eyes. Just keep it. If you return something to the one who gave it to you, it can bring misfortune.”
Oh.
That’s not great either.
Hansol frowned slightly and gripped the talisman even tighter. Lord Bihyeon tapped the menu board.
“Iced Americano.”
“Oh. Right.”
Before taking the card, Hansol went into the staff room and brought out the enormous walnut pie he had made for the first time in his life, along with all the snacks.
Lord Bihyeon tilted his head while watching him.
“Oh.”
He looked impressed.
His expression clearly asked why there was so much, but Hansol ignored it and placed everything into a shopping bag.
“This one is for the mountain spirit, and this one is for you to take and share. And this notebook is for Lord Hyeonung…”
Hansol explained each item one by one.
Then he met Lord Bihyeon’s eyes.
“And this one is for Door…”
It was a very small toy ball.
For some reason, Hansol kept thinking about that transparent child who had been playing in the yard.
And he remembered the mountain spirit saying the ones on the door were baby guardian deities.
So he had stopped by a stationery shop and bought it.
Just in case, he had washed it carefully with water and soap and even wiped it with disinfectant.
“…Though it might be hard for them to actually play with it.”
“Give it here. They’ll like it.”
“That’s a relief.”
Hansol smiled and nodded, placing that into the shopping bag as well before handing it over.
Once everything was inside, the bag had become quite large and heavy.
“I’ll carry it to the front for you.”
Hansol handed it over—then pulled it back again and pointed forward.
“I haven’t received my coffee yet.”
“Oh!”
Right.
He had completely forgotten.
Hansol’s eyes widened. As he struggled to set the shopping bag down, Lord Bihyeon casually picked it up instead.
It looked effortless for him.
He handed over his card, paid, and Hansol prepared the coffee.
Lord Bihyeon took a sip immediately.
Since there were no customers at all, he seemed relaxed. Usually he would leave right away if it got even a little busy.
Hansol leaned against the counter, watching him with a small smile.
Seriously… he’s quietly kind in a way that doesn’t show.
“Oh. Right. I heard there’s going to be a festival. Are you doing anything for it, Lord Bihyeon?”
“Me?”
Lord Bihyeon widened his eyes slightly before letting out a low laugh.
“No. I’m just going to watch.”
“Well, if you go, buy lots of delicious food. That way the economy keeps moving.”
Lord Bihyeon burst into laughter again.
This time it was a genuinely cheerful laugh.
For some reason Hansol’s chest felt ticklish.
He pressed his lips together and stood up, reaching out his hand.
“Give me the shopping bag. I’ll carry it to the front.”
Lord Bihyeon shrugged as if it wasn’t necessary and walked toward the door with the bag.
Then he paused, as if remembering something, and looked at Hansol.
“Do you have plans after work?”
“Just an interview in the afternoon…?”
“Then come by for a meal. This is too much compared to what you gave.”
It didn’t seem like that much.
Hansol looked at the bag and nodded anyway.
It would be impossible to refuse the bear’s cooking.
Hansol said goodbye to Lord Bihyeon as he stepped outside.
Then he lowered his hand.
What am I supposed to do with this talisman…
Hansol sighed softly and leaned on the counter while staring down at the snacks he had made.
They had cooled completely, the cheese hardened, but he ate them slowly without reheating them.
There were even fewer customers today.
Time seemed to crawl.
Four o’clock.
Five o’clock.
Hansol deliberately kept himself moving, cleaning anything he could find.
Eventually time passed.
Ding-a-ling—
“Welcome.”
Hansol turned around while wiping the coffee machine.
A very small child stood there.
He lowered his gaze to meet the child’s eyes.
The child had pale skin and a thin body.
For some reason, the child felt familiar.
Especially those eyes…
Hansol stepped out from behind the counter and knelt down on one knee to meet the child at eye level.
“What did you come to drink?”
He spoke gently so the child wouldn’t feel scared.
The child smiled, copying him.
Up close, the child felt even more familiar.
Hansol had never seen them before, yet it felt like they had met somewhere long ago.
The child lowered their gaze and looked into Hansol’s eyes.
Then they raised a small hand and gently touched his cheek.
The hand was tiny.
And incredibly warm.
The child then looked down toward Hansol’s pocket.
That was where the talisman was.
Confused, Hansol slipped his hand into his pocket and took the talisman out.
Tap.
The child grabbed the talisman and smiled.
Then whispered very softly.
“Didn’t that child tell you not to take it out carelessly?”
…Huh?
Hansol’s eyes snapped open.
The owner was crouched in front of him, shaking his shoulders with a serious expression.
“Hansol! What should I do? Should we go to a human hospital? Should I call 119?”
“…Boss?”
Hansol frowned and slowly sat up.
Looking around blankly, he realized he had collapsed on the floor behind the counter.
His head felt foggy.
He pressed his fingers to his temples while the owner helped him sit up.
“Wait here. I’m calling 119—!”
“No, no. I’m fine.”
If emergency services came here, it would basically advertise the existence of another world to humans.
Hansol felt grateful that the owner cared enough to go this far.
He pressed his lips together, then grabbed the owner’s hand and shook his head.
“I’m really fine. Please don’t do that because of me, Boss.”
“…Sigh.”
The owner let out a long breath, clearly shaken, and helped him sit in a chair.
Their hands moved around him nervously, careful and gentle.
“Maybe the night shift really is too much. Should I reduce your hours…?”
Hansol actually didn’t remember when he had collapsed.
Had meeting the child been a dream?
Huh?
As he stood up, he felt something strange in his pocket.
He fumbled inside and grabbed it.
The talisman was gone.
Instead, he pulled out something unfamiliar.
“I think I’ll head home for now.”
“Are you sure? Go to a hospital, okay?”
“I’ll be fine after some rest. Thank you for worrying.”
Hansol squeezed the owner’s hand reassuringly and went into the staff room.
He pulled the object out of his pocket.
A tiny pocket watch appeared in his hand.
It had a mysterious eye engraved on it.
…Huh?
That eye.
It looked exactly like the child’s eyes.
An old golden watch.
And a chain that looked like it might snap at any moment.
What is this?
Hansol checked his pockets again.
The talisman was definitely gone.
Did that child take it?
No.
Don’t suspect them.
That voice had been far too warm and gentle to belong to someone stealing something.
Hansol exhaled, took off his apron, and packed his bag.
“Boss, do you see this…?”
He stepped out of the staff room and showed the pocket watch.
The owner tilted their head while looking at Hansol’s hand.
Then they looked back at his face.
“What are you talking about? What’s in your palm?”
“Huh?”
“You want me to read your palm? I don’t know how to do that.”
“No, I mean this watch.”
“Watch?”
Hansol held the chain and shook it slightly.
But the owner shook their head.
They couldn’t see it.
Hansol blinked and gripped the watch tightly.
Ding-a-ling—
Hansol frowned slightly and turned his head.
Lord Bihyeon had entered through the door.
“Lord Bihyeon! Oh—welcome!”
“I came to pick this one up.”
Lord Bihyeon laughed and pointed at Hansol with his palm.
“That’s good timing! Hurry and go. If you stay beside Lord Bihyeon, your body will recover faster.”
“Hm? Are you sick?”
Lord Bihyeon narrowed his eyes as he walked closer.
“Yes. When I arrived, he was collapsed here.”
At the word collapsed, the smile faded slightly from Lord Bihyeon’s face as he looked at Hansol.
What is this?
Now it really looks like he’s worried about me.
Hansol laughed awkwardly and shook his head.
“I’m really fine.”
Lord Bihyeon’s gaze shifted to Hansol’s hand.
The hand tightly gripping the watch.
“What’s that?”
“Oh, this?”
“Let’s go first. Tell me there.”
Just as Hansol was about to explain, Lord Bihyeon glanced at the owner and shook his head.
“…Okay. I’ll go now, Boss.”
“Alright. Go rest well. Actually, don’t come to work later. Just take the night off.”
Hansol waved his hands in refusal, bowed politely, and looked up again.
Lord Bihyeon grabbed his arm.
Creak—
The door opened.
Beyond it, his palace appeared.
Hansol stepped through.
The fox was sweeping the yard with a broom and approached them with a smile.
THUD!
The door shut behind them.
Hansol turned around.
“Huh!”
Between the drawings of the guardian lions, the ball he had given them had appeared as part of the picture.
Hansol walked closer with a smile.
Both of their tails swayed gently.
“You like it? I’m glad.”
A warm breeze blew.
Petals near the door fluttered softly to the ground.
“Wow…”
The scene was so beautiful that Hansol reached out his palm toward the falling petals.
A petal landed on the watch he had been gripping tightly the whole time.
Ah. Right.
This.
Hansol turned his head and met Lord Bihyeon’s eyes.
Lord Bihyeon looked at him strangely before speaking slowly.
“Never take that off your body.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not sure. The only time I don’t know something is when a god higher than me…”
He suddenly fell silent.
“That shouldn’t be possible.”
He muttered the words under his breath and frowned in a way completely unlike himself.