Chapter 32: Even Kings Leave No Mark

How long had I been swinging that sword?

“Mr. Kim Woojin, can you drive?”

“…I’ll call the Japsang team.”

“At this hour? Let’s just take a taxi.”

“…Yes.”

I lay on the ground, catching my breath, and looked up at the 7 and 1/2 pillar. 

There was no sign of the sword I had stabbed into it, nor any trace of the gap that had widened.

I was relieved that I hadn’t become a cultural heritage vandal, and it was another 30 minutes before I left Jongmyo.

*    *    *

I lay on the sofa, staring at a ten-thousand-won bill.

Even if you are the great King Sejong, this is too much.

“Brother, don’t be so disrespectful, and check your achievements.”

Jang Hawoon claimed that light was coming from his sword, calling it sword energy. 

Sword energy? Isn’t that fiction from martial arts novels?

“Since King Taejo was a master archer, he researched bows and cannons a lot, but I know that there were many warriors who wielded sword energy in Goryeo, the previous dynasty.”

Lee Geon said that he was also able to imbue his sword with energy. 

Kim Woojin said that he didn’t know what energy was, but the light of the Sainingeom seemed to be stronger.

Actually, I know it too. It’s easier to handle the sword after that training. 

Or, in my case, something more special happened.

But now I need to look at this person on the ten-thousand-won bill a little more. 

Until the muscle pain in my whole body disappears.

I got spiritual power too easily at Hwaseong Haenggung. 

But a few hours of training is too much.

Still, it was good that not only me but also Kim Woojin, Jang Hawoon, and Lee Geon all gained more power than before. 

There must be a deep meaning from our ancestors.

I neatly folded the ten-thousand-won bill in half, placed it on the table, and picked up a script next to it.

I’ve been looking at scenarios and scripts whenever I have time these days, but I still don’t know what makes a good script.

I just read them and put them down if they’re not interesting.

And the title of the script I’m going to read this time is the one Baekmungi kept talking about until my ears hurt.

“Sorcerer.”

“Yes?”

Baekmungi shouted.

“Why are you looking for the sorcerer guy?”

Looking at the synopsis and character introductions, it was a drama about a sorcerer as the main character.

A comedic action drama about a child born between a nobleman and a slave who gains superpowers after being hit by a beam of light from a UFO that appeared in the Joseon Dynasty and becomes a sorcerer.

The material seemed to be a mix of this and that, but the script was cheerful and flowed well. 

Lee Geon and Jang Hawoon stuck next to me as I chuckled while reading.

In particular, Lee Geon was quickly flipping through the script, as if he had become accustomed to modern Korean.

“There are records that a UFO appeared in Gangwon-do in the first year of Gwanghaegun.”

I looked back at Baekmungi at Lee Geon’s words.

What if an alien came down from that UFO? Maybe Baekmungi?

Baekmungi was just looking at the paid communication app on my phone, without saying anything.

Baekmungi reads the messages sent by Creams more diligently than I do.

Does he like that kind of attention that much?

Of course, he does. Well, I’m an idol who lives off that attention too.

“Mr. Kim Woojin, please check the audition schedule for this.”

“Yes. What role are you thinking of?”

“I want to audition for the main character. The sorcerer.”

“Master, you’re going to play the sorcerer guy?”

I knew he would say that.

I picked up the phone that Baekmungi was looking at and greeted the fans.

– Hi Cream! What are you doing?

Kyaa, our prince, no, our imperial grandson is here!

I miss Lee Young!

– I’ll do a live stream soon.

I miss Baekmungi too

I showed that sentence to Baekmungi.

“The moment you read it, I can know it too. People have always…”

I ignored Baekmungi’s boastful words.

– I have something to practice today. I’ll come back after that!

I called Baekmungi, looking at the greetings from Creams that were coming up as replies.

Creams asked if it was choreography, vocals, or acting practice, but it wasn’t any of those. 

Now was the time to practice the new power I had gained this time.

*    *    *

Chwarararara

It’s not difficult not to blink in the face of countless flashes.

Maintaining a normal face even when tears are flowing, with the determination that humiliating photos should not be taken in any situation, is a basic skill for idols.

I’m the one who didn’t create humiliating photos even while dancing intensely on stage. 

Standing still and receiving a barrage of camera flashes is nothing.

However, even though my face was smiling, my heart was very uncomfortable.

Next to me were the chairman of the Jeonju Lee Clan Association, the chairman of the Jongmyo Jerye Preservation Association, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, and the chairman of the Imperial Family Association, all of whom were difficult people for me.

And one more uncomfortable thing.

I came to Jongmyo again in two days. Because of the event to reopen Jongmyo Jeongjeon to visitors after the repair work was completed. 

When I received the call that I had to go to Jongmyo, I was so surprised, thinking that the traces of the sword I had stabbed into the pillar were still there.

{Master, Jang Hawoon and Lee Geon checked, but there were no traces left. You don’t have to worry.}

Ah, that’s a relief.

“The clan association and the preservation association will also be watching Lee Young’s actions.”

“How about attending the ritual in May? Jongmyo Jerye is also an important event designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, so if Lee Young, a descendant of the imperial family, participates, it will attract great attention both domestically and internationally.”

No, I’m not a Lee, I’m a Song.

Taking advantage of the silence of the shutter sounds, I glanced back at the Jeongjeon. I was worried if there were any traces left on the 7 and 1/2 pillar.

“It is so appropriate that a descendant of the imperial family is promoting our cultural heritage to the world.”

“That’s right. I was also moved by the video.”

“The appearance of a descendant of the imperial family and our cultural heritage blend beautifully.”

“The dignity of the cultural heritage has been raised to a higher level.”

“Lee Young, you can leave the political aspects to us. We will be a strong shield for you.”

– Chwarararara

As if it was the words the reporters had been waiting for, the sound of camera shutters rushed in again terribly.

I don’t know why I need a shield, but anyway, politics has nothing to do with me, so I just slightly raised the corners of my lips.

“But the shining Sainingeom…”

“Excuse me. I have something urgent to discuss with Song Lee Young.”

Yoon Daehan, who was already next to me, snatched me and went to a corner of the venue.

“I’m sorry. The director suddenly said that it would be good for Song Lee Young to participate in promoting the Chamsageom keychain…” 

Thinking about promoting the keychain, it was a good idea. 

It was uncomfortable because I was burdened by the words of others.

“Thank you for pulling me out at the right time.”

If I had stayed there, I would have had to pretend to take out the Sainingchamsageom from the car again.

Thanks to Yoon Daehan, I got out of that line, so I was wondering how to go back first, but the restored Japsang came into view. 

“When will the restoration of Japsang in other places be completed?”

“We plan to hold Japsang restoration events for each palace, so the work will be every other week…”

“Can’t we restore it faster?”

Thinking about the evil spirit that entered here two nights ago, I had to restore it as soon as possible.

“Can’t we restore it first and hold the event later?”

“…Is it urgent?”

“Yes. As soon as possible…”

“I’ll check.”

I parted ways with Yoon Daehan and headed to the parking lot, but Kim Woojin, who had gone to get the car, was running towards me.

It doesn’t seem like good news.

“It’s a stabbing incident. It’s at the Han River camping site, so it’s out of our usual route. But just in case, the Japsang team is going to the scene.”

I ran to the car and asked Kim Woojin.

“Are there any victims?”

“Six people were stabbed, and one of them is seriously injured.”

The number of victims has increased a lot compared to the previous incident.

“It seems that many victims were injured in the process of people trying to stop him.”

“What about the perpetrator?”

“He escaped.”

There hadn’t been a stabbing incident for a while, so I thought the evil spirits’ attacks were only focused on me.

{If it’s the work of an evil spirit, it seems that it’s turning its attention to other places because its attacks are repeatedly blocked.}

If it had gained that spiritual power while damaging the Japsang, it would have become stronger, so why does it keep doing this?

{It could be a simple game.}

A game? An evil spirit enjoys hurting people?

{It enjoys seeing weak beings scream and feel fear. Like a child tormenting ants.}

Why is it fun to torment ants? And why do you know so well? Suspicious.

*    *    *

There were police cars and ambulances in front of the campsite.

The police were asking people who had evacuated from the campsite about the details of the incident and were searching the area.

The Japsang team had already arrived and was searching the inside of the campsite.

The area where the stabbing took place was in a state where several tents had collapsed, and there were bloodstains everywhere.

“We are searching each tent in the campsite. All the surrounding roads are blocked, so we can catch him.”

The Japsang team leader, with a Samingeom on his waist, came and explained the situation.

The perpetrator was first seen walking between the tents with a knife. 

The witness thought that the camping knife was too big.

The next witness was a child’s mother. 

The perpetrator was holding a knife towards the child, and the child’s mother, feeling it was dangerous, tried to hug the child and go into the tent.

But at the moment she turned around, the knife slashed the child’s mother’s arm.

The child’s father, who ran over at the screams of the child and mother, tried to push the man away but was stabbed in the shoulder, and was stabbed in the back and chest while trying to stop him from approaching the child again.

“He wouldn’t have a grudge against the child, and the parents said they were strangers. So the special investigation unit contacted our team.”

This time it wasn’t a random stabbing. 

He persistently targeted the child despite people’s attempts to stop him. Why?

{There must be something about the child.}

The reason why evil spirits were attracted to me was because I had the spiritual power of the divine object. 

Then does that child also have some spiritual power?

“Where is the child now?”

“Both parents are injured, so…”

At my question, the Japsang team leader’s expression changed urgently and he picked up the radio.

“Where is that child?”

The Japsang team leader’s expression remained serious as he listened to the voice over the radio. 

I felt a sense of unease that things were going wrong.

“Go to the ambulance.”

I ran towards the ambulances that were at the entrance. Jang Hawoon followed next to me.

“Brother, have you learned Shukuchi or something? Your pace has become very fast.”

I remembered that it was difficult to chase after Jang Hawoon in Suwon Hwaseong. 

It seemed that I was running faster than before.

But even though I ran so fast, the ambulances at the entrance had already left.

“It hasn’t been long since they left.”

“What about the child?”

“Ah, that’s… I think he was in the ambulance together.”

“Are you sure?”

The police hesitated at Kim Woojin’s words.

“Actually… I don’t remember.”

“Which hospital did they go to?”

“I only heard that they went to a nearby hospital with available space in the emergency room.”

There were six injured people. 

Among them, the child’s father was seriously injured, so it was unknown whether the child’s mother or the child was in the guardian’s seat.

If the child’s father and child’s mother were in different ambulances, where would the child be?

– “Identify the whereabouts of the family, focusing on the child. Over.”