A Pragmatic Alliance
“I interfered with life and death?”
Noel asked, his expression blank as if he had never heard of such a thing.
“Yes. The Register of the Dead was completely rewritten. One of our team members came to investigate this area and happened to find you, sir.”
“Isn't the Register of the Dead supposed to be highly volatile anyway?”
When Noel's gaze sharpened, Jinhon quickly raised both hands in surrender.
“Please, sir, you misunderstand. I didn't come here to interrogate you.”
Is that truly so?
When even Asin glared at him, Jinhon looked back at her with a hint of envy in his eyes.
“Indeed. I only came because I was worried Heaven might have unleashed its wrath upon you. After all, you are not in a normal state right now, sir.”
Though it was currently blank, there was another name on the Register of the Dead.
A state with no designated lifespan.
As a shaman, there was no telling what might happen to him.
Do not fret over Divine Punishment, Asin spoke.
“Is that so? What a relief, then.”
Regardless of Jinhon's relief, Noel was curious about what they were talking about.
They kept mentioning "Divine Punishment."
“What is Divine Punishment?”
Simply put, it is a penalty inflicted by Heaven or the gods. It occurs when one commits acts that are strictly forbidden.
“Is it something only shamans receive?”
Indeed.
Then I have nothing to worry about.
Noel dismissed the thought easily.
Since he wasn't actually a shaman, he figured it would never apply to him.
“Now that we have cleared that up... Guardian Deity. If you would be so kind...”
No.
“If you would just hear me out...”
You wish to ask me to become one of your afterlife civil servants, do you not? I refuse.
Asin glared at Jinhon even more fiercely, prompting him to wear a deeply disappointed expression.
He felt that if he pushed any further, she might actually draw her sword.
Pursing his lips, Jinhon suddenly looked back and forth between Noel and Asin.
“Has the Guardian Deity decided to stay by your side, sir?”
Why do you ask? Asin questioned warily.
“Well, if I can see both my esteemed teacher and the esteemed Guardian Deity at the same time, wouldn't that make me incredibly happy?”
It was painfully obvious he didn't mean a word of it.
Still, his concern that something might have gone wrong seemed genuine.
He had spoken directly in front of a Guardian Deity, and a team leader wouldn't have personally mobilized otherwise.
“Grim Reaper, is your work really that grueling?” Noel asked with a gentle smile.
“Yes,” Jinhon replied instantly.
He clasped his hands together as if in prayer and began to mutter.
“Since we are already dead, the only thing left for us is fading into nothingness. Yet, the workload is so immense that the sweet release of fading constantly dances in my mind. We don't feel physical pain anymore, but I can't shake this bone-deep, deathly exhaustion. My smiles aren't real smiles, and this life isn't a real life. I can't sleep, and I'm just running on a twenty-four-hour hamster wheel. I desperately—most desperately—need someone to work with me.”
“Hahaha...”
Jinhon let out a hollow, exhausted laugh.
Even if he wanted to quit, he couldn't.
He had no choice but to keep working.
“I'll help you.”
“Really...?”
The word 'salvation' seemed to print itself in Jinhon's eyes.
“On two conditions.”
“Name them, sir! Anything!”
Jinhon looked at him with eager anticipation, looking ready to offer up his very soul.
“There's no guarantee that something like today won't happen again by chance. Isn't that right?”
“I can handle all of that on my end. After all, life and death can naturally shift according to the will of Heaven.”
Jinhon nodded without a moment's hesitation.
He figured that was an easy enough favor to grant.
The real condition was the second one.
“No matter what happens, you must stand by my side.”
It sounded simple, but it was the heaviest promise of all.
Even if it was a bit underhanded, Noel needed a reliable backer.
Besides, they want to keep an eye on me anyway, don't they?
Noel stared back confidently.
“Yes!”
Jinhon answered so quickly it was almost anticlimactic.
Was he genuinely easygoing, or just pretending to be?
“From this moment on, I am on your side, sir.”
“This isn't a violation of afterlife regulations, is it?”
“Since you are not among the deceased, sir, it cannot be considered favoritism. Furthermore, this is a mutual agreement rather than a unilateral promise, so it violates no rules. Thank you, sir. In that case...”
“It's fine for you to bring them to me, but I don't work for free. Only bring me ghosts who possess some form of wealth—be it jewelry, heirlooms, or whatever.”
“...Pardon?”
“If word gets out that I help ghosts for free, every single spirit will come crawling to me. They'll think I'm an easy target, and those presumptuous ghosts will ruin my business. You wouldn't want me to starve to death, would you, Grim Reaper? After all, you're on my side now.”
Noel chuckled softly and turned away.
He wasn't some holy priest. Benevolence and self-sacrifice could go to the dogs.
“...I suppose so,” Jinhon replied weakly.
At Jinhon's deflated response, Asin quietly clapped her hands together.
Splendid.
“...Guardian Deity?”
Has Heaven not already seen through your serpent-like heart?
“I—I swear on my life, I have no such intentions!”
Very well. See to it that you maintain that attitude. As this child's guardian, erasing a single Grim Reaper from existence would be trivial, regardless of the consequences.
Asin's eyes turned icy cold.
Since ancient times, the Grim Reapers of the Underworld had always been serpents.
They had no choice but to be cunning to guide souls, but she felt no sympathy for them.
For all Grim Reapers were sinners who had failed to receive Heaven's forgiveness.
As Asin turned away as well, Jinhon narrowed his eyes, his shoulders slumping.
“...You are both terribly cruel.”
“Do you want to go after the bastard who harmed that child?” Noel asked Asin as he walked back toward Yeong-hyeon.
There is no need. Divine Punishment has already descended upon him; he will never be able to use those filthy hands of his again.
“How do you know that?” Noel asked, looking at Asin.
He had already figured out who the culprit was and what they were up to.
I can tell without looking. It all began with his greedy desire to possess me. Since he has received his punishment, there is no need to interfere further.
“...Is this what it means to be a Guardian Deity?”
As Noel spoke in admiration, Asin let out a soft laugh.
He spoke as if he were seeing a Guardian Deity for the very first time.
Your jests are quite amusing.
“I'm not joking...”
Noel!
At Yeong-hyeon's voice, Noel turned his head.
“Hyung.”
Seeing Noel's faint smile, Yeong-hyeon stopped in his tracks and grinned foolishly.
What took you so long? I was so worried I almost barged in there myself.
“You probably could have.”
It had been dangerous, yet not entirely so.
Even after turning into an evil spirit, Asin had still been able to recognize her allies.
I should have.
Yeong-hyeon spoke with a hint of regret, then looked at Asin.
He stared blankly at her, sensing a warm presence radiating from her.
It is a pleasure to meet you.
At her benevolent voice, Yeong-hyeon immediately bowed.
Ah, hello. I apologize for any rudeness.
There is no need to be so formal.
Asin spoke, looking back and forth between Yeong-hyeon and Noel.
They looked identical, yet they were entirely different.
There had to be a reason.
“She's a Guardian Deity. Her name is Asin.”
...Huh?
Yeong-hyeon was taken aback by Noel's words.
That is how things have turned out, Asin replied simply.
A—A god?
My child, I am no such thing. I have merely accumulated a bit more merit than others.
At Asin's gentle smile, Yeong-hyeon's mouth fell open slightly.
How should he put it?
She felt like warm sunlight breaking through a freezing winter day.
Even though it was his first time meeting her, a deep sense of reverence welled up from within him.
“It's a natural reaction. Benevolence naturally radiates from those who have accumulated merit.”
Still, it's amazing how solemn it makes me feel. I feel like I want to offer up a prayer...
“Then that's a relief. She's also going to act as my fake god from now on.”
At Noel's words, Yeong-hyeon beamed as if it were his own achievement.
They were preparing, step by step.
That's wonderful! You were worried because you didn't have a deity to serve, right?
“Exactly. Let's go home now. This is getting too heavy.”
Let's take a taxi. Your arm hurts, so we should definitely take a cab.
“Will do.”
Noel set the side dishes down for a moment and pulled out his phone.
When Noel looked at him, wondering how to use it, Yeong-hyeon began to guide him step by step.
“This is hard. My brain and my hands aren't cooperating.”
Just take it slow. You'll get the hang of it in no time.
Yeong-hyeon repeated the instructions patiently, neither too fast nor too slow.
“Oh, I got it.”
See? I told you so!
With every lesson he checked off, Yeong-hyeon knew their time to part was drawing nearer. Yet, he accepted that reality gracefully, offering an even brighter smile.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
“Uncle.”
At the sound of that voice, Shin Hyeon looked up from his paperwork in surprise.
It was Yeong-hyeon.
“How did you get all the way here?”
“I took a taxi.”
“You're still recovering. Why did you come?”
“I got some side dishes, so I wanted to bring some to you, Uncle.”
He had learned what Shin Hyeon liked through Yeong-hyeon.
As Noel set the side dishes on the table, Shin Hyeon's eyes welled with emotion.
He could practically picture his nephew struggling all the way here just to deliver this food.
With only one good arm... how difficult must that have been?
“It wasn't hard,” Noel said flatly.
Noel cut him off, but Shin Hyeon still looked at him with an expression of pure, doting pride.
“Uncle.”
“Yeah?”
“Sometimes your head hurts, right?”
“Sometimes, yeah. Probably because I look at so many documents.”
“It's not because of the documents.”
At Noel's firm tone, a sudden chill ran down Shin Hyeon's spine.
“...Is there... one here?”
“Yes. There is.”
Noel pointed toward the ceiling.
Yeong-hyeon was already up there, poking at it.
When it squirmed, Yeong-hyeon flinched and quickly backed away.
“There are legs hanging down.”
“W-What? Legs? Seriously? You're not joking?”
“Why would I joke about that?”
Noel stared intently at the ceiling.
“...Is it stuck?”
“Stuck? A ghost is stuck in the ceiling?”
“That's what it looks like. It's hanging down just low enough that whenever you sit down, Uncle, it kicks its feet right above your head.”
Seeing Shin Hyeon pale with horror, Noel stepped closer.
He grabbed the dangling legs and asked,
“Hey. Speak to me.”
When no answer came, Asin, who had been looking around the office, drifted over.
Answer at once, she commanded.
At her words, a faint voice finally responded.
...I'm s-stuck.
It was an incredibly faint voice.
“Can ghosts even get stuck?”
I sense a faint trace of spiritual energy on the floor above, Asin noted.
Hearing Asin's observation, Noel called out to Shin Hyeon.
“Uncle.”
“Huh? Is it leaving? Tell it to leave!”
“No, not that. Do you own the floor above this one too, Uncle?”
“No. That belongs to the bank.”
Shin Hyeon replied, his expression filled with sheer terror.
He reached out and gripped Noel's shoulder.
“Yeong-hyeon. Even when you get your own shop, never overextend yourself. It makes every single day terrifying.”
“Okay. I'll learn from your fear, Uncle.”
“Good. Keep that in mind. It's the most terrifying choice you can make, and there's no turning back.”
“Even if you go bankrupt, Uncle, I'll support you.”
Noel figured that was what Yeong-hyeon would have wanted to say.
When Noel turned his head, Yeong-hyeon was making a small circle with his thumb and index finger—an OK sign.
That's Uncle's favorite thing to hear. Look, he's smiling already.
It was true.
Shin Hyeon was beaming with joy.
Noel, Yeong-hyeon called out, his tone turning slightly heavy.
Even after I move on, please don't tell Uncle the truth. He won't be able to handle it. Right now, he's living only for me. I am... his entire lifeline.
Noel nodded silently.
Shin Hyeon was a good man.
Though they had different faces, he reminded Noel of his own father.
Did Yeong-hyeon feel the same way?
Even without considering the life Yeong-hyeon had yielded to him, this was a favor Noel was more than willing to grant.
“Come out... once it's resolved. I'll be waiting outside. My heart is pounding too hard for this.”
Shin Hyeon clutched his chest, but Noel knew he was leaving on purpose to give him space.
Anyone with ears would have heard the whispering voices on the way here.
Did he go crazy after hitting his head?
It's so creepy...
“It'll be over soon.”
When Noel smiled, Shin Hyeon nodded and stepped out of the office.
Don't pay attention to what they said to you earlier, Yeong-hyeon said.
Noel chuckled softly.
“I don't care. Don't worry about it. Nasty words always ring the loudest. Besides, there were far more people trying to stop them.”
But unlike you, it seems your uncle is deeply bothered by it, Asin observed, looking toward the door.
Noel followed her gaze.
“It seems so.”
He would have to get used to it.
In truth, this was nothing.
He had spent far too long listening to words that cut much deeper, so this barely registered.
Noel lowered his gaze.
The upper half of the ghost's body was right here.
...H-Hello.
The moment her eyes met Noel's, she timidly covered her face and greeted him.
“Why are you hanging like this?”
...Because I'm embarrassed.
...?
Noel stared at her blankly for a moment.
Embarrassed?
About what?