Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: What the Labyrinth Hides
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The woman, who had been gripping her staff with both hands and concentrating for a while, let out a long breath with a weary gesture.
Hwan-in watched her intently as she repeatedly drew in and exhaled deep breaths, as if steadying herself.
The haze hovering over her shoulders vanished along with her concentration. What had that been? A technique to identify fellow soul practitioners of the same lineage?
Among the knowledge he had gathered wandering Wayford for the past three weeks, there was information about powers similar to magic.
Commonly called spellcraft or witchcraft, spellcraft allowed even non-professionals to wield the eight elements, while witchcraft governed changes in objects and all things in the world.
As he pondered whether the woman's technique was related to those, she finished catching her breath, straightened up, and slightly bowed at the waist before speaking.
"It is an immense joy to meet a senior who leads the way for spirits. I apologize for failing to recognize you as a practitioner."
A glint of interest flashed in Hwan-in's eyes.
Her words were clear: a practitioner training to become a Soul Shaman.
That meant the action she had just shown was magic to confirm he was a Soul Shaman.
Yet, uncertain, Hwan-in asked calmly and quietly,
"You believe I'm a Soul Shaman even without an aura. Is it a form of witchcraft?"
Ielcata responded with a small smile curling at her lips, without answering.
Though it was a refusal to reply, Hwan-in found it neither unpleasant nor off-putting, which intrigued him.
Every action, every gesture quietly upheld something with elegant poise and propriety. Was that why?
Hwan-in mirrored her upright posture, slightly bowed his head, and apologized.
"It seems I asked an ignorant question due to my lack of knowledge. I apologize."
"Not at all. You must have been busy with purification and salvation... I understand."
She then gracefully stepped aside and spoke.
"If you have time, would you perhaps grace us with a brief visit? Offering a moment of prayer for the spirits would grant even a little peace to those who wander."
"I will."
He already had matters to discuss with the cemetery keeper and favors to ask. Questions, too.
There was no reason to decline the invitation.
As he followed the winding path with the practitioner, Hwan-in realized the night cemetery could feel this comforting.
'It feels like a neighborhood park in a high-income luxury residential area.'
Surveying the upscale cemetery, more refined than parks in Korea's premier affluent districts, Hwan-in spotted a small marble building ahead.
Not a typical house or shop. More like the facade of a museum or art gallery.
And spirits gathered there.
'Hidden by the trees before.'
Confirming the spirit he had pursued was among them, Hwan-in passed by the souls with the practitioner and entered the white marble structure.
"Hm."
The interior, spanning about 70 pyeong and three stories high, formed a single vast room like the inside of a Greek temple.
A massive statue of what appeared to be a Hwan-in tribesman stood tall on a dais at human height, its expression aloof and arrogant beyond measure.
Hwan-in narrowed his brow slightly at the statue's gaze, as if appraising entrants.
'Who is it?'
No inscriptions below hinted at the figure's identity.
It seemed unlikely for an ordinary person to be enshrined as a statue like this. Which meant...
Hwan-in scanned the sanctuary.
Along the left and right walls stood rows of columns called orders, with Luke-lang male and female souls peering curiously from between them.
Even these souls avoided approaching the statue.
'Beast God. The one the Luke-lang worship.'
Hwan-in's gaze returned to the statue.
It was enormous, roughly 10 meters tall.
The practitioner ascended a small dais before it, knelt, and began praying, periodically shaking a bell with a tinkling—... tinkling—...
Along with that, the souls' conversations drifted in.
"Ielcata brought someone we've never seen."
"Who could it be? Visitors this late are rare."
"Boyfriend maybe?"
"That's rude. Show respect to the practitioner."
"Soul Masters and practitioners marry and have children too. It's the natural order—don't idolize her."
Street or village souls merely wandered blankly until Hwan-in approached.
But these had clear egos, conversing freely.
"Hey, he looked this way."
"Just glancing around, probably."
"No, our eyes met just now."
"Really?"
The fox-headed man who had chided against idolizing the practitioner hovered nearby with a curious expression.
"Hmm~? What is it? Up close, there's this inexplicable pull... Am I into guys after all?"
"I never understood why highborn folk love same-sex relations so much... Hm?"
The Inung tribesman conversing with the fox-head also approached, eyes widening as he circled Hwan-in.
"...I hated it, but I feel it too."
"Me too..."
"Same here. Why?"
In an instant, over ten souls clustered around Hwan-in.
None blocked his front, only lingering at sides or back.
'Deliberately avoiding my path.'
Then, the fox-eared woman peeking from behind asked the others in mock seriousness.
"Could he be a Soul Shaman?"
"No way."
"Ridiculous. Why would one appear here suddenly? They're busy wandering the world forging paths of purification. I met one at the temple in life—no such feeling. And no guiding staff."
The fox-headed Inho man rebutted the woman's words with Soul Shaman knowledge.
His bourgeois demeanor suggested high status in life. Though souls' attire was fine, his was the most expensive and refined.
Normally, Hwan-in would join for info, but with the practitioner present, no need for lay opinions.
"But you were alive then."
"Might've left the staff behind this late."
"Hm, possible? We could just ask. Hey, you?"
Hwan-in turned to the approaching fox-headed man soul, raising a finger to his lips quietly.
Commotion erupted.
"...!!"
"Gasp."
"He sees us."
"Eek, a real Soul Shaman."
Nearby souls fled in shock; distant ones pressed against walls.
As souls bolted or covered mouths amid the chaos, Ielcata continued praying unmoved.
'Practitioners can't use Soul Shaman powers? But earlier...'
After about ten minutes, Ielcata rose and stepped aside, as if expecting Hwan-in to pray.
He shook his head and spoke.
"This is not the god I worship. I'll show reverence from afar."
"I see."
From common knowledge and lore, this world had five gods.
Beast God, Earth God, Water God, Sky God, Mercy God.
Each a tribal deity: Beast for Luke-lang, Earth for Ploa and Proud, Water for Savi and Haibi, Sky for Flavius, Mercy for nobles.
No religious persecution or restrictions.
Luke-lang could follow Water God; winged Flavius, Earth God—no issue.
Thus, Hwan-in gave the practitioner plausible deniability.
Not deception—he followed no god, held no faith.
Denying worship was true.
Ielcata nodded slightly.
"Then, a moment of prayer for the wandering young souls..."
Hwan-in cut her off with a raised hand, turning to a soul watching eagerly from afar.
The practitioner truly couldn't see souls.
'Witchcraft lacks Soul Shaman rites.'
She trusted him, but for smoother talk, bolster it.
Hwan-in beckoned the chattiest fox-headed man soul.
"D-Did you call me?"
Focusing on the approaching soul, Hwan-in sensed lingering regret and doubt.
He had sent hundreds to rest in Yukam and Etbrook. Via Abeit, conversed; via Urger's soul, learned curses.
In three weeks at Wayford, examining souls honed his emotional perception.
Useless in combat, invaluable for salvation—knowing regrets eased release.
Storage duties delayed testing; perfect chance now.
Feeling Ielcata's gaze, Hwan-in removed his hood, eyed the rubbing-hands soul expectantly, closed eyes, and projected thought—for plausibility.
'I sense regret and doubt from you.'
"Gasp! How?!"
"......"
Hwan-in was speechless at the theatrics.
He seemed knowledgeable; couldn't predict Barnum effect?
Most lingering souls had regrets—unburdened ascended immediately.
Souls saw each other, conscious, knowledgeable.
Expected as much, yet...
Masking amusement, Hwan-in voiced,
"I find fulfillment guiding wandering souls to salvation."
Salvation yielded light orbs, boosting spirit power.
Deed begat reward.
Compared to Korea's joyless work sans payday, profound.
Opening eyes, he saw souls and Ielcata moved.
Hwan-in extended hands to the fox-head's head, infusing warmth audible to Ielcata.
Souls and she gawked, voices trembling.
"Huh? Helmar materialized? How?!"
"Soul Shaman! His power!"
"Wow, Soul Masters can do this?!"
"So we can appear before family...?"
"...Se-Senior? What is...?"
Ielcata's shock deepened Hwan-in's doubt.
'Can't Soul Masters show souls? Or her knowledge lacking?'
Sorting thoughts amid her unexpected reaction, Hwan-in softly addressed the thrilled fox-man, Helmar.
"Speak. What regret and doubt bind you?"
"My regret... one question for my parents."
"......"
With that, Hwan-in sensed deep unease in Helmar's soul.
Like a drop on white rice paper—sticky inseparability.
Response could elevate to art or ruin it.
Suddenly, Hwan-in wondered if such emotions affected him.
Hundreds experienced; correlations too strong for coincidence.
"......"
Not now—he refocused, opened eyes.
"Your name in life?"
"Helmar Bere."
Bere family—kin to Wayford's lord, Aldjin Bere.
Leaving souls behind, Hwan-in sat with Ielcata on a moonlit bench.
She paused, then asked gravely,
"Senior. Who are you?"
"I..."
Hwan-in hid some truths, candidly sharing:
From a distant land beyond the continent, possibly unlike known Soul Masters.
Thus concealing his status. Traveling homeward.
Lacking basic lore.
Ielcata nodded understanding, clasped hands prayerfully.
"From afar, the spirit path endures—I thank the Beast God."
"Different homes, same human world."
"Wise words from one enlightened to the world's truths."
Ielcata's lips curved softly for the first time.
Hwan-in smiled too.
Success.
Cemetery keepers respected, if below Soul Masters; her demeanor no gossip.
His otherworldly origin would stay shadowed.
Info on Soul Masters, unhindered.
Feeling her goodwill, Hwan-in calmly requested,
"Anyway, keep my Soul Shaman status secret. I'd appreciate it."
"As you wish. But Helmar Bere's matter..."
Tracing a heart-line from left to right chest, Ielcata removed her hood. Hwan-in widened eyes at the revealed face.
Long hair flowing like golden thread in moonlight. Pointed ears amid strands. Slender eyes and brows.
Brushstroke beauty, even sharp gaze softening.
'Ploa race.'
Luke-lang women brimmed wild vitality; Ielcata evoked flower's fresh purity.
Clasping hands prayerfully, she murmured,
"Helmar Bere's regret... I know not how to proceed. Possible corruption..."
"You worry for that. My concern lies elsewhere."
"Where?"
"Bere name ties him to lord Aldjin Bere. A clan's corruption, or dead kin returning—reactions could escalate."
"...?"
"Politics intrude."
"Ah."
Barring strong regrets, death brought ascension in 5-10 minutes.
Helmar Bere: lord's kin. Lingering doubt potent.
Deep unease sensed.
Likely ill-intent; regrets soured to wrath spawned corruption instantly, Hwan-in thought.
Ielcata's face clouded, long ears drooping.
'Pure girl. Racial trait or practitioner's?'
Eitherway beneficial; Hwan-in spoke quietly.
"Seen two corruptions since arriving."
"Two...?!"
Her shock confirmed his lore gaps.
"Poor souls, denied heaven's path..."
Her reaction revealed Soul Masters treated corruption as annihilation, not purification.
Next time, skip hassle—erase. He shook head.
"Fortunately, purified both to salvation."
"What?!"
Her slender beauty's wide-eyed surprise was captivating; Hwan-in continued.
"Ease the grudge, corruption lifts. Understand? Helmar's, if corrupted, targets kin-slay."
Clan murder.
Like top chaebol chair assassinated, president slain.
Wrinkles creased Ielcata's pale face.
"Even other seniors would hesitate..."
"First, a request."
"What?"
"I lack grasp of local Soul Masters' ideology, conduct, customs. Teach me."
"Teach...? Too courteous. Learn easily in Soul Realm."
"Learned of Soul Realm from you just now."
Her gravity deepened at his ignorance.
"Understood. I'll share all I know."
"Thank you. It may help resolve this. Well met."
"...With utmost zeal."
'Good.'
Right road, even blindly.
Desired response secured, Hwan-in inwardly fist-pumped.