***
Si-hoon sat hunched as if seated on a cushion of thorns, drinking only his beverage.
“Yeong-hyeon. You’re still young. You can do anything, I’m telling you.”
He glanced at Shin-hyeon.
His voice had not grown loud, but he looked quite serious.
“So I’m saying I’m trying one of those anythings.”
Then he looked at Yeong-hyeon.
His expression was indifferent.
Si-hoon felt as though he might go mad, forced into the middle of those two.
‘Lord, do not lead me into temptation.’
He wanted to pray right then and there.
He had thought the two of them would resolve it on their own, but somehow, he had ended up dragged along like this.
“It’s great to try anything. It really is, but why does it have to be a shaman?”
“All jobs are noble, remember? You said that, Uncle.”
“No···. I did say that, but still, not this. It wasn’t even what you wanted in the first place.”
“What did I want?”
“Baking and pastry-making.”
At the words that came from Shin-hyeon’s mouth, Noel paused, while Yeong-hyeon and Si-hoon nodded.
-My dream is to open the best bakery. Of course.
“Is it because you hurt your arm···? But the doctor said that in your daily life··· No. Uncle will ask properly at your next appointment.”
“Was it··· badly hurt?”
When Si-hoon asked, Shin-hyeon looked at him with grateful eyes.
“You said your name was Si-hoon, right?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you for worrying. His arm was fractured, so they did put screws in, but it will get better.”
Bzzzz.
The cell phone rang.
After checking who it was, Shin-hyeon let out a long breath.
“Just a moment. It’s an urgent call.”
After asking for their understanding, Shin-hyeon hurriedly left his seat.
“I’ll make an excuse to Uncle, so you can go home now.”
Leaning back against the chair, Noel drank his beverage with one hand.
It was a flavor he was experiencing for the first time, yet it kept going down easily.
‘Was it called an Einspänner··· latte?’
He felt so pleased he almost wanted to hum.
The weather was nice.
He was eating something delicious.
He was relaxed.
“So was it··· a traffic accident?”
Despite being given a chance to leave, Si-hoon asked a question, showing no intention of going.
“You didn’t hear from the teacher?”
“He told me to hear it from you directly.”
“Are you the type with a loose mouth?”
“No.”
“Then again, if you lied, the god you believe in would really hate that.”
“B-by any chance, did your memory come back? Did you remember that I’m religious?”
“No. I can see a cross shining above your head.”
Noel did not know how deep his faith was, but with that much radiance, most ghosts would not be able to come near him.
The nasty ghost was watching Si-hoon while keeping its distance.
-You’re bothered by it too, right? Should I go ask?
At Yeong-hyeon’s question, Noel shook his head.
It was better not to get close to things like that.
“You can··· really see it?”
“I said it because I can see it.”
“So the Lord was watching over me.”
Si-hoon raised the corner of his mouth, pleased for some reason.
-I’m okay, so you can tell him. You know Si-hoon’s mouth is heavy.
Once Yeong-hyeon gave permission, Noel spoke.
“It wasn’t a traffic accident. He jumped.”
“······.”
The corners of Si-hoon’s mouth, which had risen high, dropped in an instant.
He was staring at Noel with an utterly shocked expression.
“His whole family died in an accident.”
Noel spoke as if it were someone else’s story and held out a napkin.
It seemed Si-hoon was both accepting and deeply affectionate.
“······I-I’m sorry. I was being tactless.”
“It isn’t something you need to apologize for.”
Noel looked at Yeong-hyeon.
Though he could not even touch him, Yeong-hyeon was comforting Si-hoon.
“Crying for someone isn’t an easy thing. If anything, I’m the one who should thank you.”
Even if he had not been a good friend to Yeong-hyeon, it seemed he was at least a good person.
Noel waited leisurely until Si-hoon stopped crying and Shin-hyeon returned.
It was his first time in a place called a cafe, so it was fascinating.
People were gathered like this, chatting noisily.
And it was not only people who were talkative.
Ghosts, too, gathered and spoke about things that had happened in the area.
-···You know the daughter of Sumi’s Side Dish Shop over there? What a pity.
-You went there again?
-Their side dishes are delicious. Ooh, just imagining them makes my mouth water. If I’d known it would be like this, I would’ve asked them to put some of those side dishes on my memorial table before I died.
-So they still haven’t fixed their daughter? What was it again? Shamans have been going in and out, and I think they did gut rituals and all sorts of things too.
-Is the thing there weak at all? Tsk, tsk. What a pity. They must’ve earned money hand over fist. With their daughter like that, they must feel like they’re dying.
-If someone fixed their daughter, they’d do anything for them. From what I see, I think that building is the problem······. Mother!
In the middle of their conversation, the ghosts saw something and hurriedly fled.
‘What’s wrong with them?’
What had appeared to make them act like that?
Noel turned his gaze and met the eyes of someone who had appeared wrapped in black smoke.
‘···Well, now.’
“Ah! Sir! We meet again!”
It was Jin-hon.
He waved both hands broadly in delight.
Judging by the black smoke around him, it seemed only Noel could see him.
-Th-the underworld messenger is here, isn’t he?
Yeong-hyeon immediately hid behind Noel.
The fact that an underworld messenger had come meant, in other words, that someone was about to die.
Jingle.
With the sound of the door opening, Shin-hyeon entered.
“Sorry. The call······. Did you two fight?”
Shin-hyeon was startled when he saw Si-hoon, and as soon as he sat down beside them, Si-hoon shook his head.
“No. It wasn’t like that.”
“Uncle. Si-hoon.”
Noel did not miss the chance and spoke quietly.
The two looked at Noel.
“Someone is going to die now. Don’t be shocked.”
“···What?”
Shin-hyeon’s expression asked what he was talking about.
Because Shin-hyeon knew better than anyone that Noel was not the sort of person to joke about something like this, his expression darkened.
“I need to prove that I’m not speaking nonsense. Of course, I regret having to prove it with something like this.”
Noel drank his beverage through the straw and waited.
Jin-hon began carrying out the death-guidance procedure.
Looking at his cell phone, he announced the date and began calling a name.
Three times.
In time with that sound, Noel raised his fingers.
3.
2.
1.
THUD.
As the sound of someone collapsing and screams coexisted, Noel looked steadily at Shin-hyeon.
“I’m not joking, am I?”
“······H-how?”
“I saw it.”
Noel did not say what he had seen.
Because that was correct.
“I’m going to open a shop. You’ll help me, won’t you, Uncle?”
The familiar voice of his nephew reached Shin-hyeon’s ears, but the gaze was one he did not know at all.
Was that why he had felt unfamiliar here and there?
Shin-hyeon realized that this was not simple stubbornness.
It was such a difficult problem that he wanted to leave immediately.
How rough would that path be?
Even if he wanted to help, it might be difficult.
“I··· want to become a clergyman. My parents are against it, but I still want to.”
Si-hoon wondered if he was butting in unnecessarily, but he thought there had to be a reason his friend’s uncle had brought him along and arranged this sort of meeting.
“That wish isn’t wrong, is it? Yeong-hyeon and I are still young, so we have time to start over. Wouldn’t it be all right for us to try what we want to try?”
As Si-hoon spoke, he gripped his cup tightly.
When he glanced at Shin-hyeon, the man was smiling.
Si-hoon had thought he would get angry and call him impertinent.
“Thank you. You’re far better than I am.”
He meant it.
Right now, Yeong-hyeon’s life had only barely been caught, so he could let it go at any time.
Had that child not stood somewhere high and thrown himself into the very place Shin-hyeon feared?
But now he was speaking of the future.
It was right to hold on to anything.
“I’ll help you, Yeong-hyeon. Uncle will help you with anything.”
Shin-hyeon looked warmly at his nephew.
***
“···Do I have to have a god I serve?”
Noel asked Yeong-hyeon.
Had Shin-hyeon and Si-hoon not both asked which god he served?
-Isn’t that how it works? I only saw it on television or in videos too, so I don’t really know.
“So it’s strange if I don’t have one?”
-Probably.
“···Hmm.”
Noel pondered, then lowered his gaze to his cell phone.
Right now, the god was not what mattered.
Where could he summon a god who did not exist?
‘I can’t bring a fake one, either.’
-Ah! I see it over there. The market alley.
At Yeong-hyeon’s words, Noel followed his finger.
Had he not heard high-quality information at the cafe earlier?
The side that was desperate had to move.
Sumi’s Side Dish Shop was in an alley inside the market, and since it was a famous place, they would surely spread word of him.
Therefore, he had come to that market alley.
Shin-hyeon had said he would help with the shop issue.
He said complicated documents and procedures were necessary, and extremely unfamiliar terms had poured out of his mouth.
Since Noel had no idea what any of it meant, he told him to do his best, and Shin-hyeon laughed loudly.
He said it could probably be finished within three weeks.
Until the shop was created, Noel had to prepare, too, did he not?
“Anyway, what should I call the sign?”
-Don’t they usually attach things like something-something bodhisattva, something-something shamaness, something-something lady, or something-something shrine? Look over there.
When Yeong-hyeon pointed with his finger, Noel turned his head.
Across the street was a sign that read “Male Shaman Bodhisattva.”
“You said you wanted to open a bakery, didn’t you?”
-I did. It was hard enough that I could feel my arms getting thicker even without exercising, but after I made the bread, the fragrant smell of it was so nice. I kept looking at it, wondering if I really made this.
Yeong-hyeon spoke with joy, but Noel could see deep longing writhing in his eyes.
“I’ll try that, too.”
-···R-really?
“I don’t know whether it’ll go well or not.”
-Will it become Bread Shaman? Or a shaman cafe, something like that?
Yeong-hyeon laughed loudly.
“That would be fine. Once rumors spread, I don’t think the shop’s name will matter much.”
When Noel took it seriously, Yeong-hyeon stopped laughing and looked at him.
Even if he did not know everything, how could he not know that Noel was trying to leave traces of him behind?
-You’re really a good person. So much that I think it’s fortunate I met you like this, even after dying.
“There’s no need to evaluate me that highly. I know I’m not that kind.”
-Are you embarrassed?
Yeong-hyeon looked at Noel with a face that wanted to tease him.
“Don’t say useless things.”
He spoke coldly, but Yeong-hyeon knew it was not sincere.
Yeong-hyeon chuckled, but Noel only glanced at him once, then entered the market alley without a word.
-Isn’t that it over there? Wow, there are really a lot of people. Even if we didn’t look for it, we would’ve found it right away.
As Yeong-hyeon said, if one saw the contradictory sight of people lined up at the side dish shop and ghosts absolutely refusing to go near it, one would probably approach out of curiosity alone.
In truth, there was something else that drew the eye even more.
-···But it feels kind of cold? Why?
At Yeong-hyeon’s words, Noel looked at the cold smoke whirling violently.
It looked as if a fierce snowstorm was raging only there.
Even though they were ghosts too, could they not see that malicious energy moving so violently?
“She’s become an evil spirit. Her power is considerable, and her grudge is deep.”
If she had not become an evil spirit, perhaps she would have held enough power to be called a god among ghosts.
Whether she could control herself or not, she was blocking her power from spreading in all directions.
-A-an evil spirit? Those really exist···?
“Of course they do. Did you think they wouldn’t?”
-I actually didn’t believe in things like that. But after dying and seeing all this, I’m starting to believe anything.
Yeong-hyeon laughed foolishly.
“There is such a thing as an unseen world. You’ll be greatly affected by the aura an evil spirit gives off, so if you feel strange, step back.”
-And you? Are you okay?
At the question that followed so naturally, Noel looked at Yeong-hyeon.
Were the ghosts in this place missing a screw?
He had no idea why they never thought of using him and feeding off him.
In his original world, even evil spirits would rush at him, desperate to use him.
Had they not prattled on countless times, saying that if he lent them his body, they would lend him their strength to sweep away the empire?
Dead bastards really talked too much.
“I’m fine.”
Noel answered lightly.
He was a necromancer.
Because of his power, which was close to death, he had resistance far greater than that of ordinary people.
-But why··· do they become evil spirits?
“Because of erosion.”
-Erosion? What’s that?
“Being affected by all kinds of negative things is called erosion. People have bodies, so even if they undergo erosion, they have the strength to endure it, but ghosts don’t have bodies, do they? People usually say ghosts become evil spirits because of grudges, but in the end, it’s the same thing. A grudge isn’t exactly positive.”
-Then what happens if they become evil spirits···? Do you have to perform an exorcism to drive them out? Then do they disappear?
Noel could not understand the intent behind Yeong-hyeon’s question.
Why should he care about even an evil spirit?
“If they become evil spirits, they just remain that way. Why touch them?”
-You leave them alone···?
“Of course. Do you think they’ll simply throw a fit if you touch them? They’re like stalkers who chase you until you die.”
At the gruesome memories that rose in his mind, Noel narrowed his eyes.
Did it make sense to hold a greater grudge against the person who touched them than the reason they had come to bear a grudge in the first place?
But evil spirits were full of bastards like that.
-Then why did we come here? Didn’t you come to··· exorcise it?
“I came for publicity. This is faster than telling people in words that I can do this much, isn’t it?”
Noel smiled.
He had said he avoided evil spirits because they were annoying, but he had never said he could not touch them.