The Ultimate Lucky Charm
A Guardian Spirit.
As far as I knew, they were just about the only useful type of spirit.
Most ghosts were unable to move on to the afterlife because they were bound to the mortal realm by grudges or lingering regrets.
But among them, those who became Guardian Spirits usually had relatively wholesome regrets or attachments.
Rather than being consumed by resentment from a violent death or harboring regrets over unaccomplished goals, they remained behind out of a pure desire to protect someone.
Because their intentions were so pure and bright, Guardian Spirits were not classified as mere ghosts.
Only when the desire to protect was incredibly powerful could a soul transcend becoming a vengeful spirit and become a Guardian Spirit instead.
Furthermore, none of those who possessed a Guardian Spirit were evil.
The spirit itself could not exist if it harbored malice, and it actively prevented its host from straying down an evil path.
They were the exact polar opposite of evil spirits.
In a way, they were akin to mountain gods or earth deities—beings possessing immense spiritual power and presence.
Well, look at this.
I broke out in a cold sweat as I stared at the entity hovering behind Do-hyeong—the being that was presumably his Guardian Spirit.
It did not look human. Its form was incomplete, drifting around Do-hyeong like a faint, glowing wisp of goblin fire.
Why is the grade of his Guardian Spirit so absurdly high...?
I had felt this way when I first discovered it, but it was a marvel to behold every single time.
Usually, nine times out of ten, a Guardian Spirit was a direct family member.
That meant they were typically the deceased parents of an orphan, or the last remaining relative of a bloodline.
In those cases, the spirits that attached themselves were rarely anything extraordinary.
A soul had to possess a desire to protect that far outweighed its actual spiritual presence to become a Guardian Spirit.
Which meant...
The stronger the soul itself, the harder it is for it to become a Guardian Spirit.
So what on earth was that thing? I swallowed a groan as I stared at the light.
That's a mountain god at the very least.
Do-hyeong's Guardian Spirit was no ordinary protector. I had never seen one so magnificent.
It was at least a mountain god, or perhaps a legendary general. Whatever it was, it was absolutely not a being that should be serving as a mere Guardian Spirit.
And yet...
How is this possible?
Yet, the entity behind Do-hyeong was doing exactly that.
While Guardian Spirits were not common, it wasn't as if I had never seen them before. In fact, I had seen quite a few.
But a Guardian Spirit of this caliber? It was an anomaly I had never seen or even heard of.
That was why.
I have to bring him along, no matter what.
The moment I laid eyes on Do-hyeong—or rather, the moment I confirmed the presence of that ancient spirit—my mind was made up. I had to recruit this guy. By any means necessary.
With a Guardian Spirit like that...
Wealth would roll in even if he did nothing, and he would survive even if the heavens collapsed. A mountain-god level Guardian Spirit could make that happen.
Therefore, he is a miracle.
A being whose mere presence would bring immense fortune. A literal, ultimate lucky charm.
I absolutely could not let Do-hyeong slip through my fingers. Tearing my eyes away from the spirit, I spoke to him.
"So, have you given it any thought?"
"..."
At my smiling question, Do-hyeong nodded with an expressionless face.
Right after I had suggested the trip to Sichuan to Cheon Ui-jin, I had immediately sought out Do-hyeong.
The reason, of course, was to ask him to join us. At the time, Do-hyeong had looked taken aback and asked for some time to think.
I had taken that as a positive sign. At the very least, it wasn't a rejection.
"Bang Seong-yeon."
"Yes."
I replied. He spoke to me informally, but I didn't mind.
After all, I was the one who had just joined the Sowol Squadron. Normally, as the disciple of the Sword Saint, there might have been an issue of seniority, but...
Didn't they say the Sowol Squadron doesn't care about that stuff?
The Sowol Squadron was different. Regardless of official sect generation, seniority here was determined solely by order of entry. It literally meant, "If you don't like it, you should've joined earlier."
Honestly, I didn't care either way.
"Please, speak, Senior."
When I occasionally brought up my high generation, it was only to get myself out of tricky situations, not because I actually cared to enforce it.
At my casual response, Do-hyeong's eyes twitched slightly.
"I thought about it for a day, but I still do not understand."
"Which part?"
"Why me?"
There were plenty of other seniors in the squadron. Why was I asking him, the former youngest member, to go with me? Do-hyeong seemed genuinely baffled.
It was a perfectly reasonable question. Fortunately, I had prepared an answer for this long ago.
"Well, remember when we first met, Senior?"
"Do you remember?"
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
After a few brief exchanges, I realized something.
This guy isn't easy.
It was the same when I first proposed the idea, but this man was incredibly taciturn.
The only saving grace was that he didn't seem to be quiet out of dislike for me.
"...Back then, how should I put it? I just got a good vibe from you, Senior."
"...?"
Do-hyeong tilted his head in confusion. His expression clearly read: A good vibe? From me? That's impossible.
Damn it.
He was one of those frustratingly self-aware people. Dealing with someone like that was always a pain.
"...I do not understand."
"...Well, I suppose it's more accurate to say I felt comfortable around you."
"In what way?"
"Young Master Cheon and you, Senior... you were practically the only ones who didn't treat me differently."
"..."
"Right?"
Do-hyeong's eyes narrowed at my words. But it was the truth. In reality, only Cheon Ui-jin and Do-hyeong hadn't done anything weird to me, and only they had treated me normally...
Wait.
...Now that I think about it, that's actually kind of depressing.
A sudden wave of sorrow washed over me, but I forced it down.
I could understand Cheon Ui-jin having good feelings toward me because of what happened in Anhui, and Do-hyeong being a decent guy because of his Guardian Spirit. But...
What about literally everyone else?
The thought made me want to bury my face in my hands. It was far more depressing than I cared to admit.
Anyway.
"Since I was assigned this mission... I wanted to go with people like that, if possible. Is that too selfish of me?"
"..."
"Ah, no... If it's too much of a burden, or if you simply don't want to, Senior Do-hyeong... I-I'll look for someone else."
I spoke while looking at him with a deeply sorrowful expression.
"Even if... another senior comes along... they will undoubtedly dislike me, making it a miserable mission... but I'll be fine..."
"..."
"I'll probably spend the whole trip walking on eggshells, unable to eat properly, use the latrine, or even sleep, but I really am okay—"
"...Stop..."
Do-hyeong raised a hand to cut me off. Then, he sighed.
"...I will go."
"Thank you, Senior!"
The moment the words left his mouth, a bright smile broke across my face. Just as I thought.
People with Guardian Spirits are always softhearted.
Or to put it bluntly, pushovers. Every single person I had met who possessed a Guardian Spirit was like this, and Do-hyeong was no exception.
"I'll immediately report that you've agreed to join the mission, Senior."
"...Is it truly alright? It is a long-distance mission. I doubt they would allow us to go without any senior members..."
"It's fine. As I mentioned before, I've already received permission."
It was a decision approved by Wolseongeom himself. Hearing that, Do-hyeong shut his mouth. If the absolute authority of the sect had allowed it, there was nothing more to say.
It is a bit concerning, just as Do-hyeong said, but...
It was fine even without any other seniors. That was exactly why I was bringing Do-hyeong along. A mountain-god level Guardian Spirit? With that by our side, there was absolutely nothing to fear. I was certain of it.
If Do-hyeong willed it, he would obtain whatever he desired even if the sky split in two. Even if he were bound and thrown off a cliff, a miracle would occur to save him. That was the kind of existence his Guardian Spirit was.
...I must stick to him like glue.
Not only did I need to stay close, but keeping him tightly bound to my side would be the best thing ever.
"Anyway... now that you've agreed, Senior, I'll see you once the schedule is finalized."
"..."
Do-hyeong nodded, still wearing that same bewildered expression.
As I walked away after wrapping up my conversation with Do-hyeong, Yoo Chun-gil spoke to me.
"Is it truly that grand, boy? Going on a journey with that lad Do-hyeong?" he asked, sounding thoroughly baffled.
"Yes, it's wonderful," I replied with a grin.
How could it not be?
"Hmph," Yoo Chun-gil grunted.
"To be precise, I'm not happy because of Do-hyeong, but because of what's attached to his back."
"That Guardian Spirit you spoke of?"
"Yes."
"Is it truly that remarkable?"
"Of course it is."
Remarkable didn't even begin to cover it.
I've acquired an absolutely absurd lucky charm.
Out of all my recent windfalls—including the Blue Moon Pill and the Dark Iron Sword—this was undoubtedly the greatest harvest of all.
"It's enough to completely wash away all my anxiety."
"Hoho..."
"I've been suffering so much because of a certain evil spirit... but now I feel much better."
"I trust you do not mean me?"
"Who else could it be? I was honestly sick to death of it... Whew."
I let out a long, dramatic sigh of relief, as if I had barely survived a brush with death.
"Ha! Look at this cheeky brat."
Yoo Chun-gil let out a hollow laugh at my antics. Then, he asked,
"But tell me, is it truly safe?"
"What do you mean?"
"You warned me to keep my distance so you wouldn't get mixed up with other spirits, yet you seem perfectly fine hanging around that boy."
"Ah, that."
I wondered what he was getting at, but it was just that. I cleaned my ear with my pinky finger as I replied, "That one is fine."
"And why is that?"
"Because a Guardian Spirit cannot interfere with anything else."
"Hmm? What does that mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
It was literal.
A Guardian Spirit could not intervene in the affairs of anyone other than the host they protected. They could not speak to other beings, and while they could exert power to protect their host, they could never take the initiative to do anything else.
That was why I referred to it as a lucky charm.
Even if the Guardian Spirit notices my presence, there's nothing it can do to me.
As long as I didn't show any ill intent toward Do-hyeong, the spirit would mostly ignore me. Furthermore...
If I actually help Do-hyeong, it might even look upon me favorably.
Even if I couldn't help him much, it wouldn't view me as an enemy.
"Hoho..."
Hearing my thoughts, Yoo Chun-gil spoke with a trace of intrigue in his voice.
"My boy, you possess a strangely unwavering faith in this."
There was a clear note of skepticism in his voice. And understandably so. Even I found it a bit odd.
But...
That is simply the nature of a Guardian Spirit.
Just as Yoo Chun-gil noted, I was absolutely certain.
Both the Guardian Spirit that existed as a soul to protect someone, and the host who received that protection...
They are foolishly upright people.
They were the type of people who would throw away their own lives for the sake of another. At least...
Every single one of them I've ever seen was like that.
Without exception. Truly... not a single one had been different.
"..."
I frowned. A memory I didn't care to recall surfaced in my mind.
"Tsk..."
Clicking my tongue softly, I resumed my stride.
The important thing was that I had secured a lucky charm. Trying to steer my thoughts away from the past, I suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right. Old man."
"Hmm?"
"I've narrowed down the list of suspects."
"Suspects? For what?"
"The people who might be connected to your death, old man."
"Ah..."
Yoo Chun-gil's face went blank at my words.
"Right. There was that, wasn't there?"
"...?"
"Hahaha! I suppose it slipped my mind for a moment."
Wow...
Was he out of his mind? How could he forget about his own murder? It was utterly ridiculous.
"Well, I have been rather busy lately."
He offered the excuse sheepishly, but there was no way I was buying it.
"Stop glaring at me and speak. Who are they?"
It was obvious he was trying to change the subject, but I was too tired to press him on it.
"...This is just speculation, but I've narrowed it down to about four people."
"Oh?"
Seeing the old man's attitude made me regret bringing it up, but I had to tell him.
"Two from the elder level, one from the internal staff. And finally..."
I spoke with a flat, expressionless face.
"The Moonmaster, Wolseongeom."
These were the suspects I believed had murdered the Sword Saint.