I was glad that Kim Woo-jin’s family possessed the Four Evil Beheading Sword, but with Baekmung by my side, I wondered if I really needed the help.
{That fellow must have something to gain by stepping forward.}
“Well, fine. The overseas division is our agent anyway. I’ll take care of the VIP clearance with the National Intelligence Service. It seems best for the Cultural Heritage Administration to take the lead.”
Kim Woo-jin’s mention of his family owning the Four Evil Beheading Sword immediately changed Oh Sang-hoon of the National Intelligence Service’s attitude.
It seemed the Four Evil Beheading Sword was quite an important artifact.
“How about the Cultural Heritage Guardians? If their job is to protect and promote cultural assets nationwide, it would seem natural for them to be present at cultural heritage-related incidents.”
Growing impatient, I spoke to the people.
“First, can we meet the perpetrators?”
I wanted to test if any Demons remained in the perpetrators, and if I could detect them.
Kim Woo-jin accompanied me on the way to the mental hospital where the perpetrators were being held.
“You mentioned that Kim Woo-jin’s family supports the Imperial Family Association.”
“Yes.”
“It’s been nearly a hundred years since our country declared itself a democratic republic, and I find it hard to understand why you’re still helping the descendants of the Royal Family.”
I wondered if Kim Woo-jin knew the Sorcery Baekmung had mentioned.
I couldn’t see it, but perhaps he could.
“My grandfather continued to investigate where and how the descendants of the Royal Family lived, following the wishes of his ancestors. He still believes that supporting the descendants of the Royal Family is the way to prosper the family.”
Kim Woo-jin’s grandfather, Kim Ho-cheol, started a metalworking shop shortly after the Korean War and was able to build a mid-sized company by riding the wave of national projects.
In the process, Kim Ho-cheol maintained close relationships with politicians.
Even after becoming a large corporation, he impartially sponsored all politicians, regardless of their political affiliation.
This was not solely for the survival of the company.
* * *
Kim Ho-cheol, the chairman of HC Group, inherited a precious sword when he was young.
Kim Ho-cheol’s father told him that the sword should be kept safe but also be wary of.
“This sword is a leash that can either save us or kill us. That’s why neither you nor I have any siblings; we’re both only children.”
At the time, Kim Ho-cheol didn’t feel the weight of his father’s words. He just thought it was some kind of stolen goods.
But when his father passed away, strange characters appeared on his father’s wrinkled neck.
Like the characters written on an amulet, the symbols, slightly different from Chinese characters, were densely packed as if strangling his father’s neck.
Kim Ho-cheol unconsciously felt his own neck with both hands. He somehow felt that those characters might be on him as well.
His father met his gaze and slowly nodded.
Only then did Kim Ho-cheol understand what his father meant by a leash.
* * *
“When I came to Korea at my grandfather’s summons, there was an incident where all the Figurines disappeared from the palace. At that time, the sword passed down as a family treasure emitted a white light and made strange noises.”
Kim Woo-jin seemed to only know that his family had been protecting the Royal Family since ancient times and had built up their power for that purpose.
“But when I checked with the Cultural Heritage Administration, I found out that the Figurines weren’t stolen but broken. So my grandfather thought the Figurine incident was related to the family treasure.”
Kim Woo-jin said that was the first time he actually saw the Four Evil Beheading Sword.
“When my grandfather learned that Song Yiyoung was a descendant of the Royal Family, he said it was something our family had to get involved in.”
{Since they are a family with a history of treason, don’t trust them completely, but use them well.}
Entering the hospital ward, I asked Kim Woo-jin,
“Does that sword change too?”
I wondered if Kim Woo-jin’s family’s Four Evil Beheading Sword could also change its form, speak to him in his mind, or if an unidentified being with white hair would appear.
But the answer came first from Baekmung, not Kim Woo-jin.
{Of course not. It’s probably just one of the many swords bestowed upon meritorious subjects.}
My eyes met those of the police officer stationed in front of the ward.
I wondered if he had heard me asking if the sword changed.
When Kim Woo-jin showed his ID, the police officer took a few steps to the side.
I knocked on the door of the private room and opened it after a moment.
“Who are you?”
The perpetrator, who worked as a chef in a restaurant, sat up.
One of his wrists was handcuffed to the bed rail, making his movements look uncomfortable.
“You don’t look like a police officer, but your face seems familiar. You’re not a regular at the restaurant…”
Kim Woo-jin stepped forward.
“I’m from the National Intelligence Service. Don’t you remember anything else?”
“Ha, police, prosecutors, and now even the National Intelligence Service… I’m telling you, I didn’t do it. Why would I suddenly go outside when I was taking orders in the kitchen?”
“You were arrested at the murder scene, and there were many witnesses.”
“Murder… Oh, I’m going crazy. I was in the kitchen, and the next thing I knew, I was in a police station cell. That alone is unbelievable, but you’re saying I killed someone? It doesn’t make sense!”
I took a step towards the perpetrator, who was pounding his chest with one hand.
“You don’t remember anything else in between?”
{I don’t sense any Demons. But you must be careful.}
“That’s what I’m saying… But are you an actor by any chance?”
The perpetrator kept tilting his head, looking at my face.
Had he seen a drama I was in? I felt a little pleased.
“Yes, I’ve done a few projects. I guess you’ve seen them.”
“That’s why, you’re handsome.”
In the four-person room, there were perpetrators of assault.
They also didn’t remember anything.
Kim Joo-chan, a cultural heritage interpreter, didn’t even remember meeting me.
“Monday is a day when the palaces are closed, so I made plans to go hiking with my friends. I even made a reservation at a kimbap shop to buy kimbap.”
Baekmung said that he didn’t sense any Demons in any of them.
In the end, we left the ward without any particular gain.
{It’s possible that one Demon is moving from one body to another.}
“But we can’t meet everyone. And there are no commonalities among the perpetrators.”
“Excuse me?”
Kim Woo-jin responded to what I said to Baekmung.
“Ah, there are no commonalities, but the locations of the incidents involving the four people, excluding Kim Joo-chan, are all on the route from the palace towards the Han River.”
Although it wasn’t a series of incidents, the Major Crimes Unit was handling all the cases because they were related.
“In order of occurrence, the incidents are in Sajik-dong, Sogong-dong, Hoehyeon-dong, and Huam-dong. On a map, they go straight down towards the Han River. Only the Kim Joo-chan incident deviates from the straight line.”
Unlike the other incidents, was Kim Joo-chan targeting me?
{I think so too. And it seems the Demons aren’t just causing harm.}
Then what is their other purpose? Is there a condition for being possessed by a ghost?
If people are being possessed randomly, couldn’t it be me or Kim Woo-jin?
{I am by Jaga’s side, so there is no need to worry. And if that fellow is possessed by a Demon, I will eliminate him.}
I was wondering if the other Four Evil Beheading Sword would be okay, since I had one.
So, I brought up what I had said to Kim Woo-jin before entering the ward again.
“You said that the Four Evil Beheading Sword, which is a family treasure of Kim Woo-jin’s family, emitted light and made sounds. Did it not turn into a ring?”
“My grandfather is keeping it, so this was the first time I saw it too. I haven’t heard that its form changes.”
“There’s no rumor that the Four Evil Beheading Sword in the museum emitted light, right?”
“Yes, so I think he thought it was different from other swords.”
{There may be a simple Spell on it. Something that alerts you when it senses a Demon at a close distance. If so, that sword would also be helpful.}
As Baekmung said, there was definitely something special about Kim Woo-jin’s family’s Four Evil Beheading Sword.
“You said Kim Woo-jin can use that sword, right?”
“Yes. Could it be a sword that can repel ghosts like Song Yiyoung?”
“Maybe. At least as long as he’s holding it, Kim Woo-jin won’t be possessed by a ghost.”
“Ah! He’ll be happy if it has such a use. I’ll tell my grandfather.”
Leaving Kim Woo-jin, whose voice had risen a tone, behind, I sighed as I got into the elevator.
{What is the matter?}
“Is there something bothering you?”
Baekmung and Kim Woo-jin asked at the same time.
“It’s not like those people did anything wrong to be possessed by a ghost. But there are clear victims, so we can’t just say they’re innocent…”
“If their words are true, there is definitely an unfair aspect. If it is proven that they were in a state of diminished capacity, they may receive a reduced sentence, but I don’t know if it will be easy to prove.”
{Even if there is a god, he cannot save all humans. This is a world without a king, so why are you suffering, Jaga?}
It wasn’t that I was suffering because there was no way to save them. I’m not that altruistic.
If the truck driver who killed Young-seok Hyung, my manager, was also possessed by a Demon, I was just wondering if I could hold that person accountable.
* * *
After receiving the location of Young-seok Hyung’s charnel house from the CEO, I asked several times if the address was correct.
I couldn’t understand why Hyung’s charnel house was decided to be there.
“Didn’t you know? Young-seok also often went to the temple behind the company. My parents were both Buddhists. I’m not a Buddhist, but I often go to the temple when I think of my parents. I’ve been there with Young-seok before.”
“Hyung didn’t go there against his will because of the CEO, did he?”
“I’m not that kind of abusive boss. After stopping by together on the way, he said he went there on his own. He even said he wanted to become a monk if his manager job didn’t work out, so I laughed it off. Huh? Now that I think about it, that’s strange, isn’t it?”
Of course, it was strange. Young-seok Hyung was from the same orphanage as me.
The director of the orphanage where I grew up was a nun.
All the other teachers were nuns as well.
Someone who had lived with nuns from childhood to adulthood, saying grace before meals and prayers of repentance, suddenly became a Buddhist.
‘Should I go visit first?’
The charnel house was in the direction of Namtaeryeong, going from Seoul to Gwacheon.
After passing through roads with dry leaves rolling around, I arrived at my destination, and a large Buddha statue was the first thing I saw.
Had Young-seok Hyung really converted to Buddhism?
Did he hate the prayers he always did at the orphanage?
{The energy is quite strong here.}
Baekmung said, still inside the ring instead of the doll.
“You can be a doll today, you know?”
{There’s no point in strong energies clashing, so I’ll stay inside the ring. You don’t have to worry, as I can come out anytime you call me.}
Strong energy? Is it because it’s a place related to religion?
I thought that even if it was a place run by a religious organization, it wouldn’t be much different from other places, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.
The company paid for the placement of Young-seok Hyung, who had no relatives.
They said they thought of it as severance pay and got him a good spot, and Hyung’s urn and photo were right at my eye level.
The photo next to the urn was the ID photo that Young-seok Hyung had taken to attach to his resume when he joined the company.
“I don’t feel anything, but maybe…”
{It seems to be a place that does a good job of guiding souls. I don’t see any lingering spirits.}
I wondered if Hyung’s soul, who had died unjustly, was still lingering.
But as Baekmung said, I didn’t feel anything in the charnel house.
Didn’t Hyung feel wronged at the moment of his death? I’m still so wronged even though I survived.
Fortunately, it’s not far, so I’ll come often.
Before that, I’ll find out why that accident happened to us and who the culprit is.