A Very Tiny Thief
Noel turned his head and saw the mountain.
Right behind the cathedral?
Yeong-hyeon shared Noel's dumbfoundedness.
So... the thief stole the holy relic and ran to the Holy Mountain right behind us?
When Yeong-hyeon spoke, the ghost nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
It's right there, I don't get why they can't find it.
But it was pretty funny, wasn't it?
Another ghost nudged the first one and giggled in agreement.
It really was. Watching them run around in circles when it's right behind them.
So stupid. If it was that precious, they should've checked nearby first.
Yeong-hyeon narrowed his eyes at their words.
It sounded like sarcasm.
But Noel and Asin were strangely calm.
Why?
Well, we kept trying to tell them. The others did too. But no matter how much we screamed, they couldn't hear us. Isn't it kind of hilarious how they call themselves children of God when they're so deaf?
It is pretty funny.
The ghosts giggled again.
"Anyway, you don't know the exact location?"
We don't. How should I put it... a holy relic is really warm, but when you get close, it makes you feel kind of sick.
We just don't want to go near it. Honestly, we're amazed anyone managed to steal it.
"Got it. You can go now."
Noel waved them off, but the ghosts lingered, hovering around.
"Why are you following me?"
Are you really going to find it for them?
"Why? Do you want me not to?"
It was a somewhat sharp question, but the ghost shook its head.
No, we really want you to find it. The priest is a good man.
That's why we tried to tell him, but how could he hear us? We were all hanging around hoping someone would notice us, and then you showed up, Mr. Shaman.
"Flattery won't get you any favors."
It's not flattery, the ghost giggled. You can tell just by looking at everyone hanging around the cathedral.
"You want to atone so you can follow the Grim Reaper to the underworld?"
When Noel hit the nail on the head, the ghost looked embarrassed.
Well, yeah. We thought everything ended after death, but finding out there's an afterlife is pretty terrifying.
Does atoning after death really change anything?
Noel kept the thought to himself.
You don't have to give us points or anything, just please find it.
Listening to the ghost, Noel nodded and set off.
It was so close.
How frustrated would the priest be if he knew the truth? Finding something right under your nose was always more frustrating than finding it far away.
...It's weird.
Yeong-hyeon spoke up.
"The ghosts?"
Yeah. It's so weird. Why do they flip-flop like that?
"They're always like that. Honestly, they're incredibly mild compared to most."
Q. Did they throw a tantrum?
A. No.
Q. Did they get angry?
A. Not at all.
Q. Did they curse me for not granting their favor?
A. Nope.
This is definitely the mild version.
Then again, the ghosts in this world were generally on the gentler side.
...Is it truly so?
Asin asked, looking completely clueless.
"Well, they don't dare act up around you."
Noel doubted any ghost would have the guts to disrespect Asin.
No such insolence shall ever be directed toward thee again.
"I suppose not, now."
Since Asin was his Guardian Deity.
Noel smiled faintly and headed up the Holy Mountain.
...Oh, it's quiet.
That was Noel's first surprise before stepping onto the Holy Mountain.
The second surprise was how clearly he could feel the energy.
This is indeed the place.
Asin sensed it clearly as well.
Wow, this is too easy.
He had expected something more tense.
Noel looked up.
The only problem is that it's a mountain.
He took a couple of steps up, then glanced at Asin.
Wouldn't it be faster for Asin to just fetch it instead of him climbing all the way up?
Dost thou wish for me to bring it to thee?
"Can you?"
Dost thou not already know the measure of my power?
"I just wondered if it was okay, since the energy from that side is pretty intense."
It poses no trouble whatsoever.
Asin looked toward the source of the energy.
As Noel said, it was intense—likely due to the holy relic.
But a Guardian Deity had to be capable of at least this much.
Asin took a deep breath and extended her hand.
Come hither!
Her power rippled through the mountain.
A low vibration echoed.
Vroooom.
A rustling sound followed, and then something came rushing toward them in a hurry.
Rustle.
Something burst through the bushes.
...A cat?
Yeong-hyeon doubted his eyes.
It was a black cat with golden-yellow eyes.
It had run over in response to Asin's call, but its back was arched, and its fur was standing on end.
"What the..."
Noel was equally surprised.
An animal spirit.
Animal ghosts were extremely rare. Unlike humans, they tended to accept death and move on naturally.
So why... is it here?
How endearing.
Asin barely held back a chuckle.
"Wait, this thing is the thief?"
Noel couldn't believe it.
~He's pretty clumsy, and once you see him, you won't forget him.
The ghost's words flashed through his mind. Now he understood what they meant. Clumsy because it was an animal, and unforgettable because it was a cat.
No wonder the ghosts liked him so much. It's because he's a cat.
Noel stared indifferently at the frightened cat, then blinked in surprise.
"Hey, what's that on your head?"
It was a cross.
It didn't possess the vast, ocean-like power of the relic itself, but he could feel a similar divine energy radiating from it.
Why was that power embedded in its forehead?
Surely, the relic's power hadn't transferred to the cat, had it?
"Answer me. You can speak, can't you? Tell me how you can see us, too."
...Noel? Cats can only say 'meow'...
Yeong-hyeon chuckled.
"Hyung."
Yeah?
"Normally, yes. But once you die, language becomes unnecessary. They can understand everything."
...What? Really?
"I'm serious."
So it's pretending it can't hear us even though it understands everything?
"Exactly. Quite cheeky, isn't it?"
Noel narrowed his eyes.
What did he need at a time like this?
"Asin."
When he called her name, Asin hesitated for a moment.
Yet, it is but a harmless beast.
"It's actively mocking us right now."
Perhaps it is merely startled out of its wits.
"Asin...?"
As Noel's eyes widened, the cat looked left and right, then slinked over to Asin.
When Asin welcomed it, the cat wagged its tail and looked up at her with the most pitiful eyes it could muster.
...I was scared.
Forgive me. I did not intend to frighten thee so...
I-I-It spoke! It spoke! It really spoke!
Yeong-hyeon shrieked, startling even Asin.
"See? I told you it could talk."
Noel reached his hand out to the cat.
The cat stared at his hand, then tilted its head.
"Hand over the holy relic."
Noel was being generous by not calling it a thief.
...No!
"A thief with a big mouth, I see."
Noel smiled faintly.
It might be a ghost, but it was still an animal at heart.
"Why can you see us?"
The cat opened its mouth to speak, then quickly shut it.
"Who coaxed you into this?"
Even if it could speak as a ghost, an animal's brain wasn't clever enough to pull off something like this on its own. There had to be someone else.
"They must have told you that you could do something with that holy relic, right?"
How would a cat even know what a holy relic was used for? Even if it had overheard something, it had no reason to steal it. Someone must have lured it with something it wanted.
Did you see...?
The cat's eyes widened, and it slightly bent its hind legs.
"I don't need to see to know."
How do you know?
"It's obvious from how you hid it. You probably stuffed it inside a tree hollow."
Hearing him speak as if he had witnessed it himself, the cat felt an indescribable terror.
The human before it seemed to grow larger and larger.
It curled its body tightly and stared at Noel.
...This human is smart.
"Am I right?"
Noel smirked.
No, he's not just smart—he's different!
The cat's pupils dilated.
It was different. It only realized it just now.
How can you see me?
"Am I not supposed to?"
That child can't see me.
"That child?"
Yeah. The other human who used to feed me can't see me. The human who used to play with me can't see me. The human who adored me can't see me either.
"That's because I'm special."
At Noel's reply, the cat looked up at him.
Special?
"Yes."
Only you?
"Well, mostly. Which is why I know where you hid the holy relic, right?"
Noel smiled confidently.
Since it was a ghost, digging the ground would have been difficult.
A tree hollow, a crevice in a rock, or a small cave would be perfect.
I took a gamble on the tree hollow.
If the cat's expression hadn't changed, he would have just listed the other options.
I'll give you the holy relic.
"Bring it here."
In exchange, deliver my words to the child.
"No."
Huh? Don't you need the holy relic?
"The holy relic is something you have to return anyway. It's not a bargaining chip. You stole it."
Noel made it clear to the cat that the relic was not up for negotiation.
Then what do I do?
"Did you steal the holy relic just to meet that child?"
Yes.
The cat blinked and nodded.
They said if I touched the holy relic, they would be able to see me.
Who told thee such a thing?
Asin chimed in.
A dead human told me. Near the hospital.
What an absolute bastard!
Yeong-hyeon raised his voice.
To trick an innocent cat into doing something bad like that...
Humans aren't dogs. Dogs are dogs. Bad dogs.
The cat sat on its haunches and looked at Yeong-hyeon.
Indeed. Thou art correct.
Asin approached the cat and gently reached out.
When she lightly stroked it, the cat shivered.
It was incredibly soft.
She couldn't remember the last time she had felt such a texture.
Living cats—no, living animals—never dared to come near her.
"You remember them, right?"
Yes, I remember. I'm smart.
"Then go bring the holy relic first."
Okay.
The cat immediately dashed back the way it came.
Most people would have been suspicious, but seeing it run off without hesitation showed how innocent it truly was.
Wilt thou aid it?
Asin asked Noel.
"Only if it gives me something beneficial in return. Like some interesting information it overheard while passing by, for example."
Helping someone out of pure pity was foolish.
Would they really help him back just because he helped them?
No. Absolutely not.
More often than not, they would demand more, raise their voices, and end up painting him as the bad guy.
If someone wanted help, they had to show at least a minimum amount of sincerity.
Asking for help with empty hands was simply shameless.
"Like I said, the holy relic is something that must be returned. It has to offer something else. Don't you agree?"
At Noel's words, Asin hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Thy words are true. Though it was my own resolve to protect, I have come to realize that such a vow holds no meaning on its own.
Only when the other party remembered did it hold any meaning.
If they forgot, it was nothing more than empty self-cultivation.
She had learned the futility of that just recently.
"By the way, did you see the cross on the cat's forehead?"
I beheld it.
"Could you see it, Hyung?"
No. I couldn't see it. Man, there are more and more things I can't see lately.
Yeong-hyeon scratched his nose in embarrassment.
Even though he was dead, there were still so many mysterious things happening.
"Then how does the cat feel to you, Hyung?"
Uh... how should I put it? It feels like... the place where the holy relic is kept? Like I just stepped near it? It's a strange feeling.
"Does it repel you?"
I keep wanting to look at it, but at the same time, it feels like something I shouldn't mess with. But I still want to pet it.
Yeong-hyeon looked at Asin's expression.
Just how soft was it for her to be smiling so brightly?
But why are you asking?
"It's just a hunch, but I think the holy relic's power transferred to the cat."
What? Is that even possible?
"I've never seen it happen either. But it's not a human. Deities usually love pure things, and animals are the purest of all. Right, Asin?"
Though I have never witnessed such an occurrence myself, I agree with thy assessment. It appears the power of the holy relic has indeed transferred to the cat.
Then what happens to it?
I do not know, Asin replied rather firmly.
When Yeong-hyeon turned his gaze to Noel, Noel shrugged.
"I don't know either. Who knows? Maybe a miracle will happen."
The holy relic wasn't stupid; it wouldn't have shared its power for no reason.
There had to be a purpose.
It wasn't a bad thing.
...Whoa!
Yeong-hyeon suddenly shrieked and quickly backed away.
It's back!
The cat had returned, carrying something in its mouth.
It was a rosary with a cross that resembled pure white ivory.
That was the holy relic.
The cross on the cat's forehead was almost the exact same size as the one on the rosary.
Noel reached out, and the cat dropped the relic into his hand.
"How did you get this out?"
The dead human told me where it was. So I went up the building and slipped right inside.
"......?"
Noel froze.
Slipped right inside?
I grabbed it like this.
The cat thrust its face forward, opened its mouth, and mimicked snapping something up.
The holy relic got smaller than before. I didn't do it. It just got smaller. I got scared and patted it a bunch, but it wouldn't go back.
"Wait a minute. You're saying you can... pass through walls?"
Yeah.
"How...?"
In the realm of the living, one had to follow the rules of the living.
Could a person pass through walls? No.
Therefore, ghosts could only enter and exit through doors and windows.
While there were occasional exceptions, the key point was that this cat had just done it.
And it had easily retrieved a holy relic that other ghosts couldn't even stand to be near.
Can't you do it? ...Ah! You're alive. You can't.
This pitch-black cat with clear, sparkling eyes had just done the impossible.
The corner of Noel's mouth twitched ever so slightly.