Gwiam Reservoir (3)
The viewers erupted in cheers at her declaration that she was basically heading back to Gwiam Reservoir. But unlike the audience, Mirinae—who was right there on site—grabbed Seorin's shoulders and shook her back and forth in protest.
"Seorin-ah, Seorin-ah! Snap out of it! No matter how great you are at that... whatever it is, spirit eyes or something? You're not a pro!"
"No..."
I'm a total expert in necromancy, way beyond any shaman on this planet—what are you talking about? Seorin barely swallowed the words before they could spill out. She couldn't just blurt that out. Ugh, so frustrating!
"Let's just head back. We can call a shaman or figure something out. Yeah? Or... don't tell me! Are you possessed too, Seorin?"
"I'm not."
Seorin brushed Mirinae's hands away and stated it firmly.
"You think I'd get possessed by some low-level undead riffraff?"
"L-low-level undead? What's that...?"
Whoops, slipped out.
"Ah... just means miscellaneous ghosts. You know, random spirits."
"Miscellaneous ghosts? That's no weak ghost..."
"It's miscellaneous to me."
No Earth ghost could compare to the undead that nearly wiped out an entire continent back home. Mind control to weaken the spirit or hallucinations? Pathetic tricks low-level undead pulled in the fantasy world. To make her tense, they'd need a disaster that drove hundreds insane, ripping out their own hearts as offerings.
...The more I think about it, the more humiliating this is. If my body were normal, I wouldn't be suffering this disgrace from low-level trash.
Her thirst for revenge burned hotter.
"Tch, fine! I get it!! You guys are the worst!!"
Mirinae shuffled over with a pouty face, and Seorin offered some comforting words.
"Mirinae, think about it. Staying near me, or being alone with the tied-up, passed-out Manager Ajusshi over there. Which is safer?"
"...Let's go!"
The sadness vanished from Mirinae's face in an instant. She must've figured being by Seorin's side was safer no matter what.
"Ah, hold on."
Seorin halted her steps toward Gwiam Reservoir and turned back.
"Huh? What is it?"
"Just in case. Got something prepared."
She opened the back door of the van, revealing piles of gear. Pulling out the bag she'd brought, she rummaged inside. Where'd I put it... Ah, found it.
She inspected the item top to bottom. Yep, good to go.
"Seorin-ah!!"
Startled, Seorin whipped around. Mirinae stood there in horror, hands outstretched.
"C-calm down! You're possessed right now!"
"...What?"
"P-put that dangerous thing down first... Yeah, relax. Hear me out. I don't know what you're planning with it, but everything you're thinking is the ghost controlling you! Okay?"
What nonsense is this? But on second thought, yeah, it was totally misunderstandable.
"Mirinae."
"Ow... Don't talk in that low voice, it's scary as hell?"
"Got it. Anyway, I'm not possessed. This—it's a weapon I brought from home to catch ghosts."
She waved the scythe in her hand.
"A scythe... as a weapon...?"
"You know how the Grim Reaper uses a scythe—Death's side? Usually it's about harvesting lives, but it also evokes harvesting souls. So, yeah, makes it easier to slice ghosts with this."
"Oh... I had no idea."
It was my go-to weapon as the Necromancer King, that's why I brought it. Did a normal scythe really work on souls? How should she know?
Preparations complete, no need to hesitate. She strode straight toward Gwiam Reservoir.
"Huh?"
About ten seconds in, Mirinae yelped and pointed.
"Seorin-ah, that! Look at that!"
She was pointing at a sign reading
Gwiam Mountain Hiking Trail Guide
...So what? Seorin tilted her head, and Mirinae smacked her back, speaking rapidly.
"We drove like five minutes in the car, right? No way we reach the entrance this fast...?"
"No big deal."
Oh, that.
"When Manager Ajusshi was possessed earlier, he U-turned the car and looped back."
"Ah."
Mirinae nodded as if it made sense while they walked to the entrance.
"I knew it was scary, but getting possessed is real terrifying... Messing with your senses like that."
"And you don't even feel the distortion, so you always gotta stay sharp. Speak up the second anything feels off."
"Got it! Uh, then...?"
She glanced around, then froze, staring one way.
"...Is that an illusion too?"
"Hm?"
Seorin followed her gaze. There sat a car parked—one that definitely wasn't there when they'd arrived.
"Was that car there when we got out...?"
"Dunno? I was too focused on getting away to look around."
Whatever. The key point: no car when they arrived at Gwiam Mountain, but one now.
"Hold up."
Seorin left Mirinae and approached first. Empty inside. Nothing unusual around it. How many people? One? Two? Maybe five.
She returned.
"Well?"
"No one there. Owner must've already headed into the mountains."
"Ah... Isn't that dangerous?"
"Probably."
Right now, Gwiam Reservoir brimmed with so much Death Qi even she was on edge. Ordinary humans? Just a matter of time before possession turned them into one of them.
"Let's go. We'll run into them on the way."
Or not.
"O-okay."
Seorin led Mirinae slowly up the mountain path. The scenery to Gwiam Reservoir was as gloomy as ever. Bad enough going up, but at night? Way more ominous. A pale virgin ghost in white mourning clothes, long disheveled hair, jumping from the trees would fit right in.
"Stick close."
"Yeah!"
Mirinae clung tight but still streamed the eerie trail with her phone camera.
Viewers were sharing reactions to the damp nighttime views of Gwiam Mountain when—
"Hm?"
"Huh?"
Both stopped dead and turned to each other.
"You heard it too?"
"Yeah, you too?"
"Yep."
"Not a ghost... sounds like a person."
As Mirinae explained, a faint male voice rode the wind.
"...Ah! ...I-I'm... here...!"
The voice grew nearer. Seorin pulled Mirinae behind her, gripped the scythe tight, and advanced.
Soon, its owner appeared.
"Damn it, where the hell did those bastards go... Il-sik-ah! I-sik-ah! Where are you?! We gotta film!!"
The man yelling while scanning left and right suddenly looked forward—straight at Seorin, standing still.
"......"
"......"
A beat of silence. She raised her scythe slowly, ready if he lunged—then he chucked his phone, spun, and bolted up the mountain.
"Aaaaaaaaaaah!! Ghost!! Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!"
His scream echoed across the whole mountain.
Seorin stared blankly at the fleeing man as Mirinae sidled up and scanned her up and down—long straight hair, scythe in hand. She nodded like it all clicked.
"Yeah, easy to misunderstand."
...No comeback came to mind, so Seorin just shut her mouth.