The doll twisted its neck grotesquely and asked.
Ah, I saw that in a movie.
“I was wondering if you might have created the dream.”
“I’m not some low-level Demon like an incubus…”
While Baekmung was reciting the names of mountains and spirits at length, I recalled the moment in my dream when my mother grabbed my shoulder and asked someone for a favor.
Who was around then?
“In my opinion, it seems the Sorcery was transferred at that time. If your mother knew the Sorcery would protect you, she would have tried to save Jaga’s life.”
Come to think of it, the shoulder my mother grabbed was where the scar was.
But.
“What’s a Jaga?”
“Calling you ‘Your Highness’ would be inappropriate since you’re not the Crown Prince, and ‘Your Majesty’ doesn’t fit since the dynasty and empire are gone. So, I thought Jaga would be a slightly lower term.”
‘Royal Family titles are a bit much…’
“Then should I call you Daegam?”
“…Just call me by my name, my name.”
“How can a servant call their master by their name?”
Are Mystical Creatures always this talkative?
As long as he doesn’t call me that in front of other people, it should be fine.
“Jaga, you must find the power you lost when the transfer was incomplete. Since there’s no Spell left on your mother, it must be hidden somewhere.”
Thinking back to the accident, it was a car accident, and there’s no way to find that car now.
It would have been scrapped long ago. If they had found it, my grandmother would have told me.
“Your mother’s wish was so strong that the Sorcery seems to have been transferred, so you will surely be able to find it, Jaga.”
Did that man really save me? Why?
Did he save me because he didn’t know the Spell had been transferred?
‘Aren’t you going to use the Kimchi plastic?’
The man’s words to someone else came to mind.
Did they wrap my parents’ bodies in Kimchi plastic and abandon them?
I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“Jaga.”
Turning to the voice, I saw Baekmung placing the doll’s front paw on my hand, which was clenched into a fist so hard that the veins were bulging.
“Those people will surely pay for their sins. I swear on my spiritual power.”
Looking at the small doll’s paw on my hand, I imagined its massive true form.
So extreme.
“…It’s creepy when the doll talks.”
“Are you wary because my appearance is too large?”
Does “wary” mean dislike? More than dislike…
“Can’t you change into a normal person?”
“Illusions require quite a bit of spiritual power.”
“If you can use illusions, are you like a Taoist master?”
“You named me White Dog and then ask if I’m a Taoist master.”
Seeing him chuckle, it seemed like he only called me master in words, but actually looked down on me.
“No. How could a servant harbor such thoughts?”
“And don’t read my mind either.”
“I don’t know how to block out the sounds I hear.”
* * *
“How is the house still here?”
I asked Kim Woo-jin, who was driving. Baekmung, who was next to me, turned his head towards the window, so I picked him up and turned him towards the window.
“After the madam requested help from the Imperial Family Association, my grandfather bought the entire villa.”
“Ah… you received help.”
“The real estate value has increased a lot, so we actually profited. No one except the madam has touched the house, so it will help you recover your memories.”
Since there was no need to tell anyone other than my grandmother about the Sorcery and Sacred object, I told Kim Woo-jin that the visit was to recover the memories I lost in the accident.
We stood in front of 202 on the second floor of the villa building.
There was an old digital door lock on the door. I pressed 0110 on the keypad.
– Beep beep
The lock was released with a cheerful sound.
My grandmother said she had changed the password.
January 10th in the lunar calendar is my birthday.
{You were born in the month of In, on the day of In. Now I understand why Jaga is the owner of the Sacred object.}
Baekmung said something, but I ignored it.
If it’s important, he’ll say it again.
I was a little excited at the thought of finding my real birthday.
Until now, I thought my birthday was in the summer.
Because I set my birthday as the date I was abandoned at the orphanage.
Fortunately, the age was the same.
I thought about changing the birthday posted on the portal site and opened the door.
As I was about to enter the entrance, Kim Woo-jin blocked my way.
“I’ll go in first.”
It was a house that had been empty for 17 years, but I doubted there would be a strange person at this timing, but I let Kim Woo-jin do as he pleased.
And I followed Kim Woo-jin inside.
Kim Woo-jin’s shoes were placed in the entrance first.
The floor was clean compared to the time that had passed.
Thinking that my grandmother had managed it, I took off my shoes and entered as well.
The objects were covered with large plastic sheets. Is this Kimchi plastic?
The man’s words I heard in my dream came to mind again.
{Jaga.}
Looking down at the doll in my hand at the words echoing in my head.
It was truly eerie to see the doll with its white hair fluttering, looking up at me.
I took a slow breath and looked around the house.
Perhaps because I hadn’t lived there for even a year, there weren’t many household items. Just basic appliances such as a TV and refrigerator, and a few pieces of furniture.
“After the accident, when the madam came to the house, she said that the drawers in the room were open. It seems someone broke in and was looking for something.”
If it was to cover up an accidental traffic accident, they wouldn’t have abandoned the bodies separately, nor would they have come to the house to search it.
If my parents weren’t involved in some dangerous business, it must be because of the Sacred object.
The weight of the ring on my finger bothered me.
Kim Woo-jin opened every door and checked the closets, bedding closets, washing machine, refrigerator, and even the terrace door.
“I’ll be at the door.”
I asked Kim Woo-jin, who was about to go out the door.
“That… the chef. Why did he do that?”
Since he was from the National Intelligence Service, I thought he might know about the incident.
“He claims he doesn’t remember anything at all.
He says he was setting up the food, but he doesn’t know why he came out to that spot.
He has agreed to use a lie detector and we will be doing it soon.”
If he was possessed by a ghost and attacked me, as Baekmung said, would he not remember after the ghost left?
{That’s right. If he was possessed for a short time, he wouldn’t remember what happened then. Because it wasn’t his will that moved him.}
“Separately from the police, we are also investigating the chef’s financial flow, overseas visits, and people around him for the past few years. We are searching thoroughly, so we will be able to find the mastermind.”
Leaving the sound of Kim Woo-jin going outside behind, I opened the curtains of the living room window.
The autumn sun came in. Dust flew into the air and then quietly settled on the floor.
As a result of receiving the sun with its whole body in this spot for nearly 20 years, the curtains were faded and thinly brittle.
I carefully let go, as if they would fall apart into powder if I tapped them a few times.
I looked around at the furniture and appliances wrapped in plastic one by one.
Seeing the appliances from about 20 years ago, it felt like I was in a museum.
I passed through the living room and looked into the room.
A small room was my room, and there were fairy tale books on a low bookshelf.
I noticed gum wrapper tattoos attached to the bookshelf.
It was a cartoon character with a bizarre shape, not an animal.
Was this what I liked around this time?
Of course, I didn’t remember anything.
So I felt a little frustrated. Is this really the house I lived in?
Coming back to the living room, I saw a family photo of three people on one wall.
It was the same first birthday photo I brought from the memorial hall.
I stayed in front of the photo for a while, but I didn’t remember anything.
{Jaga!}
Baekmung called me as I turned and headed towards the entrance.
Baekmung stretched out one of his short arms and pointed to the TV.
{I feel spiritual power from below.}
Below the thick-backed CRT TV was a low drawer.
When I opened one of the drawers, there were old videotapes and cassette music tapes.
When I opened another drawer, there was a paper box inside.
{That’s it.}
I took out the box, put it on the TV, and opened the lid.
Inside the box, at the very top, was a skein of silk thread.
Below that, a baby’s undershirt was folded neatly square.
Thinking that I might have grabbed the silk thread at my first birthday, the moment I touched the silk thread, white light burst out from the silk thread.
Just like at the production presentation, when the light burst in front of my eyes, the whole world turned white.
In the white light, my parents, whom I had only seen in photos, were sitting there.
My parents were smiling and clapping at me.
And I heard a child’s singing voice.
“…Friends, let’s save the world. Victory is always ours!”
My parents clapped and pulled me in for a hug.
My vision was blocked and I could only see my parents’ clothes, but I could hear their joyful voices.
I could hear the sound of a heart beating from the chest where my face was touching.
My parents were alive here.
But gradually the voice became smaller, and as the light disappeared, my parents also disappeared.
“Ah!”
It was too short. I didn’t even see their faces at the end because I was being hugged.
{Now that you have taken the spiritual power of the silk thread, trivial Demons will no longer be a problem. But I don’t know how the power of the Sacred object was divided here.}
“Is there anything else?”
I groped the silk thread and the baby’s undershirt below it and asked Baekmung.
“Why can’t I see…”
{What are you looking for?}
“This, isn’t there any more of this spiritual power left in this house? I saw it for a moment earlier. I was standing here singing and my parents were in front of me.”
Tears fell on my cheeks.
I held Baekmung in my hand and wandered around the house.
“There might be more left. If not spiritual power, then at least memories.”
I opened the lid of the utensil holder in the kitchen and grabbed all the spoons, chopsticks, and forks in one hand.
A fork with a cartoon character drawn on it fell to the floor with a thud.
I put down the spoons and opened all the cabinets in the kitchen and touched everything inside.
“Can’t I feel that? What’s different about this Sacred object being created? Even if I can get rid of ghosts, what’s the point…”
My wrist was grabbed.
Baekmung, who had already changed into his true form, grabbed my hand holding the knife and pulled it down.
“It was too short. I can’t see them again. I don’t even remember… it’s too short.”
Couldn’t the spiritual power that protected the Sacred object have saved our parents, instead of remaining in such a thread?
“…I’m sorry.”
If it was an accident caused by a Demon, shouldn’t the Sacred object have appeared then and saved my parents?
We had a Sacred object and a Mystical Creature, but why?
“You read all my thoughts. Why don’t you say anything?”
“I’m sorry that all I can say is sorry.”
I didn’t want to show Baekmung my tears, so I lowered my head to Baekmung, who was still holding my wrist.
My vision became increasingly blurred.
“Song Yiyoung!”
Turning to the sound, I saw Kim Woo-jin holding a gun and stepping inside from the entrance.
Baekmung took the knife from my hand and put it back where it was.
“Don’t move! Song Yiyoung, are you okay?”
I wiped the tears from my eyes with my sleeve.
“I’m okay.”
I raised my hand towards Kim Woo-jin, who was still pointing the gun at Baekmung.
“I’m really okay. He’s not a dangerous person…well, he’s not a person at all, but.”