A Windfall on the Side – 1

"Make me money until I'm sick of it? Now that's an offer I like."

If this had been my first time meeting Moon Seong-il, I'd probably have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠assumed he was running some kind of scam with a line that ridiculous. Making money isn't exactly easy, after all.

But we'd already closed a porcelain deal together, and I knew perfectly well that he was a man who kept his word. The fact that he'd built such a solid network of connections spoke volumes about the trust and respect he commanded.

After all, this was a man who could get me an appointment with a top neurosurgeon on the spot — a doctor most people have to wait six months to a year just to see.

It seemed like a very good idea to have someone like him in my corner. If I put my abilities to work alongside him, maybe I'd end up living in a house as gorgeous as his gallery.

"So the business you have in mind involves artifacts, I take it?"

"Artifacts, yes — but I also deal in overseas fine art. Master paintings, jewels, sculpture, even burial goods recovered from pharaohs' tombs. I've dabbled in a little bit of everything."

Anything beautiful, anything with preservation value — and if his instincts told him it would turn a profit, he apparently moved on it without hesitation.

"Working with me would be a lot of fun. You'd get to travel the world, and there'd be invitations to high-society parties as well."

"Oh, that sounds great."

Just like in the movies — a tuxedo, a glass of champagne, chatting away with the elite. Top global stars in attendance, posing for photos together.

When I showed an enthusiastic response, Moon Seong-il visibly relaxed, a smile spreading across his face.

"Then I'll take that as a yes — you'll be my partner in this business?"

"Yes."

Just as he'd said, it did sound like fun, and I had a feeling it would bring plenty of extraordinary experiences I'd never had before.

Unlimited world travel, no less.

I'd heard recently that the world's largest museum had just opened in Egypt. If I touched one of the statues on display there, I might be able to see the era the pharaohs lived in.

That would be incredible.

My major had been history, after all — I'd always been fascinated by world history too.

Still, there was exactly one thing that bothered me.

"If we go into business together, it can't be a commute-to-the-office arrangement for me. And since I've put down roots in Ugok 1-ri, living in Seoul would be difficult."

"F-free-lancing is perfectly fine! Living in Seoul would certainly be more convenient for the business in many ways, but..."

Moon Seong-il glanced nervously at my resolute expression, then spoke up.

"Residing in Ugok-ri shouldn't be a problem at all. Honestly, the only things I ever need from you, Representative Kim, are dispelling the malevolent energy attached to certain items, and appraising the things I can't handle myself."

The item in question was a mid-Joseon ancient text that had happened to land in Lee Ho-young's hands. It was written in cipher, and Moon Seong-il had been utterly unable to assign it a value.

Not every old book is expensive, it turned out. You had to know what was written inside before any real worth could be determined.

"I had originally judged that text to be worthless. I assumed it was some illiterate person mangling a copy of a book they'd seen."

"I imagine you were rather shocked to learn it was the Bihwarok left behind by a Secret Royal Inspector."

"Shocked doesn't begin to cover it. The moment I finished decoding the whole thing — good heavens!"

Using the hints I'd given him, he'd cracked the cipher completely. Then he'd gone searching the historical records for a match, and what do you know —

the protagonist of the ancient text turned out to be Jeong Gi-su, the Secret Royal Inspector who had made his name under King Yeongjo.

"Jeong Gi-su was dispatched as a Special Royal Inspector alongside Park Mun-su, but he held the low rank of danghagwan."

A danghagwan was a junior official who received his orders from a distance he could never glimpse the king's face — a functionary, nothing more.

It was rare for a high-ranking dangsanggwan to be sent out as a royal inspector in the first place.

Think about it. Would public sentiment be favorable in a region ravaged by drought or floods? No central official in his right mind would volunteer to march into an atmosphere of seething unrest with barely a drop of clean water to drink.

And so the royal inspectors were drawn from the lower-ranked danghagwan officials.

The reason someone as highly ranked as Park Mun-su was dispatched as a Special Royal Inspector despite this was that the drought across the three southern provinces had grown so severe that petitions were raining down on the throne. King Yeongjo trusted Park Mun-su, too.

And at the time Park Mun-su was sent out, Jeong Gi-su had apparently departed for another province on his own inspection circuit.

"I understand now why Inspector Jeong Gi-su left his Bihwarok in cipher. He was low-ranked — one careless report, and he'd have known his entire clan could be exterminated."

"That's precisely my read as well."

An inspector like Park Mun-su, enjoying the king's confidence, could speak frankly — holding nothing back — without ever fearing for his family's heads. So Jeong Gi-su had held his tongue, hoping the powerful would sort things out on their own, until he could no longer contain his righteous fury and committed his grievances to that encoded volume.

"Thanks to Jeong Gi-su's Bihwarok, we can now look with fresh eyes at the unanswered mysteries of King Yeongjo's era."

"Well, I... wouldn't go so far as to call it that significant."

"I beg your pardon? Hahaha. Quite right, quite right. Thanks to you, Representative Kim, we may well end up rewriting the history of this nation."

Moon Seong-il burst out laughing, then turned to me.

"Going forward, whenever my abilities fall short — an appraisal I can't manage, or something like that Japanese dagger this time, where lives are put at risk — please help us. And don't treat this as an optional favor with a thirty percent commission per job, take it or leave it."

"Think of it as a business we run together. We'll split the proceeds fifty-fifty."

"F-fifty-fifty?"

"Yes."

Moon Seong-il nodded, then continued.

"If I concede this much, you'll come to think of it as your own work, won't you, Representative Kim?"

"I understand exactly what you mean."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

It seemed Moon Seong-il's promise to make me money until I was sick of it had been no idle boast.

Good lord, it's like getting hit by a whole shower of meteorites while sitting still.

That said, I suspected there was a reason Moon Seong-il was willing to concede so much. Dealing in artifacts, antiques, master paintings, and jewels apparently meant enduring some truly bizarre experiences.

And from the look of things, he'd missed out on enormous profits more than once by failing to appraise something properly.

That's why he needs me, isn't it?

Then again — I already have a lot of money. What on earth do I do with even more?

"Whew, I'm so sorry I'm late!"

Lee Ho-young had apparently sprinted straight to Moon Seong-il's house the moment the police returned the confiscated katana. His hair was a little more disheveled than usual — it looked like he'd had plenty to deal with.

And sure enough.

He gulped down the bottled water his secretary had brought, set the empty bottle down with a sharp clack, and spoke.

"We found where Shoichi's body was buried."

"Whoa!"

"Really?"

When Moon Seong-il and I asked in disbelief, Lee Ho-young broke into a grin.

"What did I tell you? I said I'd pull every string in my network, and I did."

"So where's Shoichi's body right now?"

"Ganghwa Island."

My original plan had been, once Lee Ho-young brought the katana, to lay it beside the wakizashi and soothe Lady Wolyeong's heart. But now that Shoichi's grave had been found, it seemed far better to bring Lady Wolyeong there — and send her on to the afterlife properly.

"If everyone's free, let's head to Ganghwa Island. Who knows? Maybe Lady Wolyeong, bound to the dagger, will finally get to see her husband."

Moon Seong-il, who had once been thoroughly terrorized by Lady Wolyeong, answered instantly.

"Let's leave right now."

"Well, we do have to go, but..."

Lee Ho-young's eyes darted around nervously.

"What's Lady Wolyeong doing right now? It's gotten awfully quiet."

"Shall I go summon her for you?"

"No, no! Why would you say that! I was just asking! Come on, let's get moving already!"

"I did my military service on Ganghwa Island, you know..."

As our car crossed Ganghwa Bridge, Moon Seong-il murmured while gazing out the window.

"I swore I'd never come back this way as long as I lived. My service here was absolutely brutal. Honestly, a huge number of men in my unit claimed they'd seen ghosts."

"Eeek! G-ghosts?!"

Lee Ho-young jolted in fright and clung to my side like a burr.

Moon Seong-il, in the passenger seat, glanced back with a smirk.

"What am I going to do with you, scared of your own shadow like that? You'll be meeting Shoichi's ghost yourself in a little while."

"I am never getting out of this car. You two go ahead. Section Chief Kim will show you the way. Won't you, Section Chief Kim?"

Section Chief Kim, who had been driving, answered with a face on the verge of tears.

"I'll guard the car, sir. The Representative here can guide you. I don't know exactly where the site is."

"What do you mean, you don't know? You heard where Shoichi's grave is, same as I did."

"My hearing's been poor lately... I believe it qualifies as an industrial injury, actually. Last time I went down to Ugok-ri with the Representative, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he shouted so much I think I damaged my eardrums."

Lee Ho-young and Section Chief Kim kept bickering back and forth, each insisting the other should stay behind and watch the car.

Oh, for heaven's sake. Lady Wolyeong is pressed right up against the window as we speak, and they're worried about guarding the car from ghosts?

Lady Wolyeong had momentarily eased her grudge, and so seemed unaware of any vengeful presence at all.

I spoke to her silently in my heart.

We'll be arriving soon at the place where your husband lies.

I'm using every connection available to leave it in the historical record that your husband was no traitor. And when we reach the grave we're visiting shortly — if it truly is his — I intend to have him moved to a proper resting place as well.

At my words, Lady Wolyeong stopped repeating herself for the very first time and slowly turned to look at me.

Those hollow, emptied eyes and that pallid, bloodless face were the very image of a vengeful spirit — yet bit by bit, color began to return to her cheeks and lips.

And then, astonishingly, Lady Wolyeong uttered words entirely unlike anything she had said until now.

Chanting the name of the husband she had been unable to forget even in death, Lady Wolyeong wept, tears spilling down from both eyes.

Is your grudge finally easing?

In answer, Lady Wolyeong gave a single nod, then turned her gaze back out the window and spoke.

Madam, your husband's descendants are living in Japan. They wish to buy his katana and his wakizashi. What would you have me do?

Lady Wolyeong murmured the same words over and over — and then, very faintly, she said:

Then... you don't want the swords sent to his descendants in Japan?

Understood. It will be exactly as you say, Madam.

Before long, the car came to a stop at the Ganghwa Mountain Fortress.

Lee Ho-young, who had been studying a map on his phone, stepped out of the car.

So much for the man who'd sworn he wouldn't take a single step out of the vehicle because he was too scared of ghosts to move. Now he was peering around at the surroundings, muttering as he made his way toward Shoichi's grave.

"The record says he was beheaded near the north gate of the Ganghwa Mountain Fortress and buried nearby. So we just need to head over there."

The moment Lee Ho-young moved to set off toward the north gate, I caught his arm.

"I don't think we need to go anywhere."

"I'm sorry, what do you— uuuuugh!"

As my gaze turned toward the north gate, every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hair on Lee Ho-young's body apparently stood on end.

"Y-you see him?"

"Yes."

Near the north gate stood an armored man, long hair whipping in the wind. The instant Lady Wolyeong laid eyes on him, she shot across the distance like an arrow and threw herself into his arms.

Wheee — wheee. The fierce winter wind carried the sound of the two souls' weeping.

Shoichi has become an Earthbound Spirit.

His feet had been bound fast to the very ground where he fell. That, no doubt, was why he had never been able to reach Lady Wolyeong, even in death.

I approached the two of them, bowed my head in greeting, and offered a prayer for their peace.

Rest now, at long last.

I walked past the two figures locked in a tight embrace, tears streaming down their faces. And once they stood behind me, a brilliant light poured down, and the souls faded away into the netherworld.

Good for you both.

Having ferried the two souls across, I returned to where the others stood, and Lee Ho-young asked me:

"So what should we do about the katana and the wakizashi? The Moritake side is asking for an answer."

"Then would this be the first transaction where my cut of the profit is half?"

I turned to Moon Seong-il and asked.