The Sacred Wood and the Mountain God
Favorability: Sansin +15
A sacred ancient tree.
According to Jinhon, if its wood were fashioned into prayer beads or a rosary, it would possess enough power to ward off minor spirits and even dark magic.
Once Noel began his shamanic work in earnest, there was a very high probability that any backlash or spiritual fallout would target Shin Hyeon.
It was only right to set up defenses in advance, and a perfect opportunity had just presented itself.
"Are you sure you'll be okay going alone? Should Uncle come with you? I can tag along, you know. I have plenty of free time."
When Noel met Shin Hyeon and told him he would be going on ahead alone, his uncle's face filled with worry.
Noel had reassured him, telling him not to worry, but Shin Hyeon had still insisted on driving him all the way to the base of the mountain.
...Well, trees are plenty in the mountains. Obviously.
Noel looked up at the mountain he had to climb.
It looked dauntingly high. He figured the climb would at least empty his mind for a while.
Oh, there's a temple nearby?
Noel paused while checking the signpost, noticing Kkamang-i staring blankly at it, and spoke up.
"What is it?"
—...No, nothing. Just looking.
"Speak like you usually do."
At those words, Kkamang-i scrambled over and flopped onto his side, exposing his belly.
—Here, Noel! Hurry up and pet me!
"You're the only one getting anything out of this."
—Nuh-uh! It's good for Noel too!
"I told you, I'm really fine."
Noel shifted his gaze to Asin.
She had been fidgeting restlessly for a while now.
"Your drama-watching buddy is gone. Are you okay?"
At Noel's concern, Asin looked at him with a warm expression.
—I am quite well. Life and death are ultimately choices beyond our control. Unless a soul intends to accumulate merit alongside me, there is no benefit in the deceased lingering in the realm of the living for too long.
—...Huh? Uh, what?
Kkamang-i's eyes darted back and forth, completely lost. Noel reached down and stroked the little spirit's head from top to bottom.
—Though the seat beside me will feel empty, that too is fine. I only pray she has departed for a better place.
Asin gently folded her hands together.
"I'm sure she went to a good place."
Jinhon had promised to escort her safely.
She would probably do well in the Underworld too.
—Noel. It seemed a Grim Reaper visited earlier. Did you summon him regarding Yeong-hyeon's affairs?
"Yes."
Noel replied as he continued up the mountain.
—Even if he has sworn to be on your side, do not keep him too close. Grim Reapers are those who bore countless impurities and karmic debts in life. To labor even in death... is no easy fate, is it not?
"Definitely not easy. Who actually likes working?"
At Noel's casual remark, both Asin and Kkamang-i shot him a look.
"Why are you both looking at me like that?"
—It is nothing.
—Oh! A squirrel!
Kkamang-i, who had been about to say something, dashed off in an instant.
Watching the little creature throw front-paw punches at the squirrel, knowing full well they wouldn't connect, Noel pulled out his phone.
From here... hmm, forty more minutes to go?
Noel looked up briefly.
The sky looked as though it would bruise into a sunset at any moment.
Seeing people already hiking down the mountain, a pang of regret washed over him.
Maybe I should have just come tomorrow.
—It appears to be near the temple.
Asin stepped closer and spoke, peering at the map on his phone screen.
"It's much closer than I thought. Is that allowed?"
—Did you not witness the touch of the divine upon the Holy Cathedral? A temple is no different. It is a place where human faith manifests as power.
"I did."
To use Asin's terms, there was the primordial sky—or rather, the primordial gods.
And then there were the gods born of human faith.
It seemed both existed.
In this world, places established by religions—be they temples, cathedrals, or otherwise—seemed far more popular than the primordial gods.
It was a fascinating concept, but what surprised him even more was just how many places of worship there were.
"But Asin, with so many places dedicated to the gods, how do you know which one is the true center?"
—The true center lies elsewhere. These teachings have simply been passed down through countless nations, adapting to the culture of each land they settled in.
"It really is fascinating."
It was entirely different from the world he used to live in.
Even knowing the explanation, he couldn't help but marvel at it.
Noel glanced back.
The road was visible just a short distance away.
A taxi ride would get him there in no time.
In his old world, visiting a temple required riding a horse or a carriage for at least four days.
No matter how many times I think about it, this is a truly wonderful world.
It was peaceful, had no class system...
...and best of all, the ghosts here were remarkably gentle.
Feeling the chill, Noel shoved one hand into his pocket as he continued his ascent.
The path to the temple simply followed a well-maintained hiking trail, which made things even easier.
"Excuse me, student."
As he walked, someone tapped him on the arm. Noel instinctively recoiled and turned his head.
"Would you like some water?"
A middle-aged woman was holding out a bottle of water from her bag.
When Noel hesitated, her expression softened into pity.
"Oh dear, what happened to your head and arm? Goodness, look at your face. Such a handsome face, all scraped up."
"...Thank you."
Noel accepted the water, feeling a bit dazed.
He found it quite disorienting when people approached him so suddenly like this.
"Student, you don't look like you're out for a regular hike. Are you staying overnight at the temple up there?"
"Ah, no. I just have some business near the temple."
"Going all by yourself, how admirable."
Noel looked past the beaming woman and spotted a ghost trailing behind her.
Perhaps keeping its distance because of Asin, the ghost—who appeared to be a student—was staring intently at the middle-aged woman.
...Is that her child?
His face was covered in bruises, looking as though he had been one-sidedly beaten.
Had he been beaten to death?
The contrast between the smiling woman and the battered student ghost felt deeply unsettling.
In any case, the spirit couldn't draw any closer due to Asin's presence.
"I have two sons. When they were little, they'd beg me not to go anywhere without them. Now that they're all grown up, they won't come along even when I ask."
Hearing the woman's words, Noel felt a flicker of suspicion but remained silent.
—Should I ask him?
Kkamang-i's voice drifted over. He had finished his solitary battle with the squirrel and was now by Noel's side.
When had he returned?
Noel gave a subtle nod.
Kkamang-i trotted over to the ghost.
"There's a bit of an age gap between my first and second. The oldest is an adult now, but the youngest is still a student. Probably around your age? Do you go to school around here, by any chance?"
"No. I don't go to school around here, and I've already graduated."
"Oh, my mistake. I thought you might go to the same high school as my youngest, so I wanted to strike up a conversation. I didn't mean to burden you. My youngest has been going through a late puberty lately and does nothing but complain... I suppose I was just craving someone to talk to."
With an apologetic look, the woman rummaged through her bag.
She gathered chocolates, energy bars, and bread, stuffing them into a small bag before handing it over.
"It's quite a steep climb up here, so take your time and have some snacks along the way."
Practically forcing the bag into his hands, she quickly hurried up the trail.
Staring at the bag and then at her retreating figure, Noel called out hesitantly.
"Thank... you."
Just like during his hospital stay, he found it bewildering how many genuinely kind people there were in this world.
Asin smiled as she watched Noel stand there, frozen.
—Sometimes, is it not best to simply return kindness with kindness?
"If our paths cross again."
His desire to know what had happened was born of mere curiosity.
Yet, the ghost who couldn't even bring himself to ask for help despite making eye contact—instead gently patting Kkamang-i—bothered him in a strange way.
Usually, spirits of that sort were the frustrating type who couldn't even take the simplest step forward, waiting instead to be spoon-fed help.
Noel clutched the water bottle tightly, panting heavily.
The temple was visible just a short distance away.
It was his first time seeing a Buddhist temple in person, but he was in no state to leisurely admire the view.
—Try climbing it with some energy. You'll be surprised.
Hadn't Yeong-hyeon proudly said those words back at the cathedral?
...So this is what he meant by "surprised"?
Why was his physical stamina so utterly pathetic?
It made no sense that his lungs felt like they were about to burst after climbing such a short distance.
—Is Noel dying?
At those words, Noel reached out to flick the clueless Kkamang-i's forehead, but his finger missed.
—Missed me!
...That little bean.
Just as Noel's brow furrowed, Kkamang-i trotted back over and bumped his forehead against Noel's finger.
—Now you touched me!
Thrilled by this simple interaction, Kkamang-i began spinning circles around him.
—Kkamang-i. Behave.
—Okay.
Kkamang-i immediately scurried over to Asin and snuggled into her arms.
It seemed Asin held the undisputed number-one spot in Kkamang-i's heart.
Once the chaotic energy settled, Noel took a sip of water and stood still, breathing slowly until his racing heart calmed down.
—But Noel.
Kkamang-i spoke up.
"...What?"
—How sad is it to be bullied?
"Are you worried about that ghost from earlier?"
—I don't know what that is, so it makes me curious.
The ghost Kkamang-i had spoken to had indeed been a victim of bullying.
He had stepped in to help the middle-aged woman's youngest son when he was being bullied, only to be struck by one of the perpetrators and die from the blow.
One would think the perpetrators would show some remorse, but instead, they had immediately targeted a new victim.
And that new victim was the youngest son of the woman they had just met.
—If he helped, that's a good deed. Good deeds should be rewarded with praise. Why did they repay him with something bad?
Kkamang-i asked, flicking his tail against the ground in frustration.
"Because that human is rotten to the core."
—I don't like humans like that.
As Kkamang-i whipped his head away, Asin offered a gentle smile.
—You do not have to like them. It is entirely up to you whom you choose to love or dislike, Kkamang-i. However, do not let hatred take root in your heart.
—I don't know how to do that.
—Then it is a blessing that you do not.
Asin gently patted Kkamang-i's backside.
Noel listened to Kkamang-i's soft purring until his breathing finally returned to normal.
After taking another sip of water, he checked his location on his phone.
It's behind the temple.
Noel slipped his phone into his pocket and finally looked up.
Behind the main temple hall stood another, and behind that, several more structures lined the slope.
Since the ancient tree was located at the very back, he would definitely have to climb further up.
...Again?
Already feeling suffocated at the thought, Noel quickened his pace.
The closer he drew to the temple, the more he felt a sense of pure, sacred energy.
It was remarkably similar to the aura that radiated from Asin.
...Whoa.
Noel's expression gradually stiffened.
The place was teeming with ghosts.
It felt as though living humans were the minority, vastly outnumbered by the spirits.
Fortunately, most of them seemed to have passed away from natural causes, as their faces and bodies appeared relatively clean and intact.
—I like it here!
Kkamang-i rolled onto his back in midair, his tail twitching happily.
If even Kkamang-i reacted this way, it was no wonder the spirits swarmed the area.
Noel did his best to ignore them and followed the navigation on his phone.
As he ventured deeper into the temple grounds, the pure energy intensified. The clean, refreshing aura seeped deep into his chest before drifting away, leaving a strange, ticklish sensation in its wake.
—Perhaps because our natures align so closely, I have always preferred places like this.
Asin cradled the sprawling Kkamang-i in her arms as she followed Noel.
"Personally, I prefer the Holy Cathedral."
Since it was enveloped in a power that repelled ghosts, it was wonderfully quiet—perfect for his tastes.
Noel took a few steps forward, then froze.
A sudden, mysterious scent of flowers washed over him.
"...?"
Noel shifted his gaze.
Beside him stood a figure, surrounded by fluttering red petals.
The man, with long, flowing white hair, wore a white traditional robe and held a long tobacco pipe in his hand.
No word other than "mystical" could possibly describe him.
Kkamang-i's mouth fell open.
—Ah, you've arrived?
The man looked at Noel with an indifferent gaze, as if he had been expecting him all along.
—This is the Mountain God, Sansin.
At Asin's introduction, Sansin turned his gaze toward her.
—A face I have not seen before. Your aura is warm; I quite like it.
—I am glad to hear that. What business brings you to us?
Asin watched him warily.
How did he know Noel?
Why had he appeared at such a perfect moment?
Even if she knew he meant no harm, the entire situation was highly suspicious.
Entangling himself with more deities would only complicate Noel's life further.
—Why has a being of your stature bound herself to a mere human?
—Must I answer that?
—I ask out of simple curiosity. It is the perfect cure for my boredom. You must have accumulated immense merit protecting humans, yet you severed those ties to bind yourself to this boy. How could I not be curious?
...He's sharp. He figured all of that out? ...Well, I guess he is a spirit himself.
Noel stared at the bizarre entity.
Judging by his title, this entire mountain was likely this spirit's domain.
—Had you accumulated just a bit more merit, the heavens would have granted you a seat of your own. Why throw away such a precious opportunity? Severing your original ties must have required a tremendous price as well.
At Sansin's words, Asin let out a soft snort.
All of her karmic debts had been severed by Noel.
There was no price left to pay, nor any burden left to bear.
But she had no intention of telling him that.
—If you so desire a seat from the heavens, perhaps you should be the one moving more diligently. I noticed low-level spirits running rampant in your vicinity.
Sansin burst into hearty laughter at Asin's retort.
How long had it been since someone had spoken to him so audaciously?
He found it incredibly amusing.
A being who had accumulated as much merit as she had certainly possessed the right to speak that way.
Sansin placed the pipe between his lips, and it ignited on its own.
—What a bizarre combination. A virtuous being who abandoned her post as a Guardian Deity, and a beast destined to become a vessel for a sacred spirit.
As Sansin stepped closer to pet Kkamang-i, the little creature buried his head as deep into Asin's shoulder as possible, watching him warily.
He wasn't exactly scared, but he didn't particularly want to be close to him either.
—And you.
Sansin stood before Noel once more.
"What?"
Sansin smiled warmly, seemingly pleased by Noel's somewhat defiant attitude.
—I cannot fathom what kind of person you are to make a Grim Reaper come and beg me for a favor.
Ah, so that's how he knew about me.
If it was a Grim Reaper, it was undoubtedly Jinhon.
The mystery was solved.
"I wouldn't know either."
—How peculiar. I sense the power of a Grim Reaper... no, the Underworld itself, lingering within you.
"Isn't that just how shamans are?"
Noel let out a dry chuckle, and Sansin laughed along, slinging an arm around Noel's shoulders.
—Come, come. I shall guide you to the ancient tree myself.
Noel immediately snapped out of it and shrugged off the arm.
"Cut the act. What is it you want?"
The Mountain God was trying to slide by like a slick old snake, but Noel wasn't about to let him.
If a Grim Reaper had gone out of his way to make a request, it was obvious the Mountain God had jumped at the chance to use a shaman for his own ends.
It wasn't as if Noel hadn't dealt with his fair share of such entities before.
Mountain God or not, they were all bound by the same restrictions when it came to interfering in the affairs of the living.
Noel put on his most innocent, pleasant face and spoke.
"You've prepared a proper reward for me, right?"