Uninvited Guests
Misa Seondang.
There was a famous shaman who had recently made a name for herself in Henan.
Calling herself Misa Seonnyeo, she was renowned for her eerily accurate readings of fortunes and marital compatibility.
She was so famous that the matriarchs of Henan's prominent merchant groups, and even the noble ladies of prestigious clans, reportedly sought her out for consultations.
As if to prove her popularity, a line stretched all the way down the street, even during what should have been the off-peak hours.
How long would it take to get inside the building starting from the very end of that queue?
It'd take at least four hours, easy.
Factoring in the time it took for each reading, that was a conservative estimate.
Ugh.
Just thinking about it made me want to gag. It wasn't like we were lining up for a famous restaurant.
Who in their right mind would wait in line just to get their fortune told by a fraud?
Waiting four hours at a shrine run by a shaman I already suspected was a fake? That was something I would absolutely never do.
At least it's a relief we don't have to line up.
Just as Moyong Yeong-sun had said, we bypassed the queue entirely, likely thanks to her using her family's name to secure a reservation.
The people waiting in line glared at us as we walked right past them, looking ready to snap.
But they quickly shut their mouths.
They had probably realized it instinctively.
These are people with enough power to skip the line.
They were quick-witted. Instead of demanding to know why we got special treatment, they knew it was safer not to anger someone influential enough to be ushered straight inside.
...This is why a prestigious name is the best.
I hated going to get my fortune read, but this was a different matter.
Should I feel guilty or complain about the lack of fairness?
...Not really.
Strictly speaking, it was unfair, but I didn't particularly care.
As I've mentioned before, I wasn't exactly a righteous man.
"Please wait here for a moment. The Seonnyeo is currently reading someone else's destiny."
"I understand. Could we have some tea while we wait?"
"I will prepare two cups."
"None for me."
Tea was served as we sat at the table and waited.
Since I had declined, only Moyong Yeong-sun received a cup.
Judging by the scent, it seemed to be plum tea.
Moyong Yeong-sun took an elegant sip of her tea. Watching her, I asked with a sigh,
"What exactly did you come here to find out?"
And with a reservation, no less.
"You know the Clan Leader would be furious if he found out about this."
The head of the Moyong Family, the White King.
Given his personality, he would absolutely despise having the Moyong name used for something like this.
Using the family name just to skip the line at a shaman's shrine?
Even if she was his cherished daughter, he would definitely lose his temper.
Hearing this, Moyong Yeong-sun set her teacup down and looked at me.
"Then what was I supposed to do? If I asked you to stand in line, you would have looked like you were chewing on a bug."
"...Are you saying this was because of me?"
"I'll deal with getting scolded, so don't worry about it."
After saying that, Moyong Yeong-sun looked at me with a slightly peculiar expression and asked,
"Oh, are you worried about me?"
"Yes."
"...Huh?"
My unhesitating reply caught her off guard. Her face showed she hadn't expected me to agree so readily.
I mean, of course I was worried.
"If things go south, the sparks might fly my way. Why wouldn't I be worried?"
"..."
Moyong Yeong-sun's face immediately crumpled. Apparently, it wasn't the answer she wanted to hear.
But what do you want me to do?
That was my honest feeling.
If her father found out she used the family name to do something with me...
He'll definitely throw a fit at me again.
Knowing that old man's temper, he'd jump at the chance to direct his wrath toward me.
Damn it.
This is exactly why I didn't want to get involved with them.
Getting involved with a prestigious family was fine if it was beneficial.
But that's not the case here.
I just didn't mesh well with the Moyong Family. Whether it was the Clan Leader himself or his daughter.
Ah. My throat is suddenly dry.
Thinking about troublesome things made me thirsty.
So, I raised my hand to order a cup of tea after all.
"Excuse me. Over here—"
I paused.
I cut myself off and narrowed my eyes. A girl who looked like an apprentice shaman was bustling around, doing chores.
Look at that.
A small deity was clinging to her back.
It looked like the trace of a child spirit. It was essentially a warning from a deity.
To put it simply, it was like marking territory.
'I plan to possess this child, so do not dare covet her.'
It was obvious she would undergo the initiation ritual to become a shaman before long.
...Hmm...
Seeing that, I slightly revised my opinion.
Maybe she isn't a complete fraud?
Seeing an apprentice like that running around, the head shaman might not be a total charlatan.
With that thought, I finished my sentence.
"...Could I get a cup of tea as well?"
"Of course."
Before long, the same plum tea Moyong Yeong-sun was drinking was placed in front of me.
I took a sip to wet my throat and spoke to her.
"Lady Moyong."
"Yes?"
"By any chance, do you not get along with Lady Cheon?"
"..."
At the sudden mention of Cheon Hye-in, Moyong Yeong-sun's shoulders stiffened. She turned to glare at me, her eyes cold and sharp.
"Why are you suddenly bringing up that bi... Lady Cheon here?"
...She was definitely about to say "bitch," wasn't she?
That alone made it crystal clear that their relationship was a disaster.
I knew they didn't get along when I saw them the other morning.
But it seemed to be even worse than I had anticipated.
"You two were glaring at each other like you wanted to tear each other apart, so I was curious about what kind of history you have."
"With your quick wits, you should have known the moment you saw us. We aren't on friendly terms."
"...It didn't look like something that could be summed up by just 'not being friendly.'"
It looked like they were ready to rip each other's throats out at any moment.
At my words, Moyong Yeong-sun clicked her tongue quietly.
"It's just an ill-fated relationship. A dreadful one."
"...Hmm..."
"Why? Are you curious?"
Honestly, I was a little curious.
But I didn't want to ask.
If I admitted I was curious, there was no telling what kind of nonsense she would try to pull.
"Never mind."
"Tch."
"...Why do you look so disappointed?"
It looked like she wanted to use my curiosity as leverage for something.
Good thing I didn't ask.
Anyway, the point is she doesn't get along with Cheon Hye-in.
Whatever had happened between them, I just needed to keep in mind that they were enemies.
No wonder.
During our journey from Sichuan to Henan.
I recalled how Moyong Yeong-sun's attitude toward Cheon Ui-jin had shifted.
The moment she heard Cheon Ui-jin was the son of Wolseongeom and Cheon Hye-in's younger brother, her eyes had turned icy cold.
I wondered why back then.
So it was because of Cheon Hye-in.
Hmm.
I did think they looked somewhat similar in terms of their features and temperament.
Maybe that was why they clashed?
Just as I was entertaining that silly theory.
"Excuse me."
The woman who had been walking around earlier approached us.
"The Seonnyeo is ready to receive you."
She bowed politely and gestured toward the door.
Moyong Yeong-sun stood up.
Ugh.
As I made my reluctance blatantly obvious, she stepped closer and grabbed my sleeve.
"Hurry up. We're wasting time."
"...Fine."
I looked down at my wrist as I was dragged along.
She was holding my sleeve, not my hand.
Ever since I told her not to hold my hand...
She had taken to grabbing my sleeve instead. Just like she was doing now.
Creak—!
I carefully pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside.
The interior radiated the distinct, unmistakable atmosphere of a shaman's shrine.
Sensing it, I scowled.
How annoying.
It was a sight I truly detested.
To think I'd have to look at this kind of setup in this lifetime too.
As I stepped into the room with a deep frown on my face—
"Aha!"
A loud voice suddenly boomed.
"You have brought something incredibly foul with you, boy!"
I turned my gaze toward the shrill voice.
Sitting in a chair in an arrogant posture was a woman staring right at us.
I couldn't tell her age.
Her face was caked in so much makeup that it was impossible to guess what she actually looked like.
"So foul... What on earth did you bring in here?!"
"Huh? Is she talking about me?"
Yoo Chun-gil pointed to himself, looking slightly self-conscious.
Ignoring him, I stared at the yelling woman.
She's setting the bait.
I suppressed a laugh. This was a classic trick of the trade.
Mediocre shamans always started shouting the moment a client walked in.
Claiming they had suffered a great tragedy or that a dark cloud hung over them.
It was a cheap tactic to coax them into paying for an expensive exorcism ritual.
A tragedy or a worry? Of course they have one. Why else would anyone visit a shaman?
Eighty percent of the people who came here fit that description.
So I assumed she was just another fraud, but...
Huh?
Something felt off. I glanced behind the shaman out of the corner of my eye.
There was something there.
What is that?
It was a deity.
It was a low-ranking one, but it was undoubtedly a spirit deity.
Is that a child deity?
A young deity in the form of a child.
The child was clinging to the shaman's shoulder.
Ha.
There was an actual spirit. Which meant she wasn't a complete fraud.
She's the real deal...
Then why had she said those things to Do-hyeong?
As I stared at the woman with lingering doubts,
"What are you doing? Sit down already."
She snapped, pointing her fan at the floor.
I sat down without a word. I was worried Moyong Yeong-sun might take offense at her rudeness, but she seemed unbothered.
She seemed strangely used to this. Finding it curious, I sat down beside her.
"You."
The moment we sat, the woman pointed her fan at Moyong Yeong-sun.
"You have a worry weighing on your mind. Am I right?"
"Yes. That's why I came."
Moyong Yeong-sun replied in a flat, dry tone.
The shaman was momentarily taken aback by her cold demeanor, but she quickly masked her expression.
Oh.
She was experienced. Her poker face wasn't bad.
Though she couldn't even compare to my grandmother's toenail.
Still, for an ordinary shaman, she was decent.
"Indeed. What is this worry that brought you here?"
"What do you think it is?"
"...Huh?"
The shaman's eyes narrowed at the counter-question.
A brief silence hung in the air.
The shaman stared intently at Moyong Yeong-sun as if trying to pierce through her, and then—
"You..."
Just as she was about to speak, having seemingly figured something out.
"It's because of a man—"
"Aaaagh—!!!"
"...!"
"...!!"
A sudden shriek pierced the room.
The shaman's head whipped around at the sound that filled the chamber.
Moyong Yeong-sun narrowed her eyes at the sudden movement.
I kept my head perfectly still, once again observing the situation out of the corner of my eye.
I must absolutely not turn my head.
In the direction I barely managed to glimpse—
What the hell? What is that old man doing?
Floating in the air, Yoo Chun-gil was...
"You little brat. What are you glaring at? Do you have a complaint against this old master?"
He was holding the child deity that had been clinging to the shaman, dangling it by two fingers.
He was handling an actual deity as if it were nothing, despite being a mere ghost himself.
"Waaaaah—!!!"
The child deity wailed at Yoo Chun-gil's rough handling.
In that instant—
Hummm—!
Oh, crap.
The air began to warp.
We were screwed.