Chapter 2
Arin’s eyebrows shot up at Hyeon’s suggestive words. Most clients came to her to chase spirits away; he was the first who actually wanted to see one. Arin responded with a hint of annoyance.
“It isn’t as if you can see a spirit whenever you wish, you know?”
Hyeon seemed to think for a moment before a smirk spread across his face.
“I will give you fifty nyang.”
“Ex-excuse me?”
A foolish sound escaped Arin’s mouth. To make sure she hadn’t misheard, she asked him again.
“Fif… fifty nyang?”
“If you show me the spirit I desire, I will give you fifty nyang.”
For Arin, who had been ignoring her grandmother’s advice by selling fake talismans and glimpses of spirits, fifty nyang was a life-changing sum—it was enough to change one’s social standing. Almost swaying to his offer, Arin looked at Hyeon with a guarded, suspicious gaze. He was a perfect man, strikingly handsome with a fair, flawless face.
“Why would you offer such a huge sum just to see a single spirit?”
“Do you dislike the offer?”
“I’m just suspicious! People are scarier than ghosts, after all.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. Hyeon reached into his sleeve, and the heavy clinking of coins echoed.
“Here. Five nyang as a down payment.”
The precious five nyang emerged from his sleeve and was placed gently on the small table. Arin stared at the coins, lost in thought.
‘If I have fifty nyang, what can I do first? I can buy a spacious house and even a horse… with that kind of money, I can do anything!’
“But… can you actually see them? You aren’t lying?”
Hyeon asked, sounding suspicious of her in return. Arin smirked and swept the five nyang into her sleeve. She gave a playful laugh.
“What shall I do for you first, Customer?”
“Beyond seeing the spirit, there is one more thing you must do.”
“Oh, just say the word. I’ll do anything.”
“I wish… to speak with my mother’s spirit.”
Arin’s confident lips faltered. Though she had seen spirits since she was a child, she had never been able to hear them.
“Why? Can you not do it? Then I suppose our business is over.”
When Hyeon stood up as Arin hesitated, she frantically grabbed his hand. As her cold fingertips met his warm hand, a jolting sensation flickered between them.
“Ah! I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”
Hyeon stared intently at his hand held by hers before shaking her off with a sharp snap. He asked once more to confirm.
“Truly?”
Instead of an answer, Arin nodded vigorously. For fifty nyang, she had to do it, even if she couldn’t.
“You’ll likely need time to prepare, so I shall return tomorrow.”
Hyeon left the shrine with a faint, satisfied smile. Behind him, the lingering scent of orchids drifted around Arin’s nose. Outside, Yul approached Hyeon quietly.
“It doesn’t seem like she’s a shaman with actual divine energy. Do you really trust that woman?”
It had been six months since Yul began traveling in and out of the capital with Hyeon. They had met countless shamans, and Yul asked with a worried voice, finding Arin somewhat clumsy. Hyeon adjusted his hat string and replied:
“The fact that the rumors in the marketplace are so widespread means she must see something. I intend to test her tomorrow.”
“A test?”
“To see if she truly sees spirits.”
That evening, Arin ransacked the small shrine like her life depended on it. After her grandmother passed away, she had found several occult books. She had tucked them away in a corner just in case, hoping one might contain a way to speak with the dead.
“Grandmother was a shaman, so she must have known. A way to talk to the dead… found it! How to Converse with Ghosts?”
A wide smile broke across her face. The thought of getting fifty nyang and living a life of luxury made her heart throb. She opened the book with excitement, only to find an old letter tucked between the pages.
[Arin, if you perform this ritual, you must be prepared for what follows. If you are tempted, reject it and burn this book.]
Did her grandmother know she would open this? Arin’s fingertips trembled slightly. Her grandmother always said being near ghosts brought bad luck. But having played the fake shaman for so long without any real trouble, Arin told herself it would be fine and turned the page.
“How to speak with ghosts, Step One.”
First, it must be a night with a full moon.
Second, the practitioner must be able to see spirits.
Third, prepare evening primrose and agarwood powder, grind them finely, mix with clean water, and hold a mouthful in your mouth.
Fourth, burn the ritual book.
Fifth, Yang…
“Huh? What? Where did the fifth step go?”
Due to the book’s age, the fifth step was torn away, leaving the instructions unreadable. She searched the book thoroughly, but found nothing more.
“It seems I need to do the fifth step too, but I have no way of knowing… Well, I’ll just try it! It’ll work out somehow!”
Hugging the book tightly, she recalled Hyeon’s face—the deep black eyes and that somehow sorrowful expression. Moreover, the spirit that had been standing behind him since he entered the shrine felt strangely familiar. Pushing aside her unease, Arin lay on the floor and closed her eyes.
“Are you inside?”
It was early morning, but a voice calling for her made Arin curl up deeper under her blankets. After a moment of silence, a louder shout came.
“Are you there!”
Arin was forced to get up. She threw open the creaking door and shouted, “I’m not taking customers today!”
“Ah… well, you see…”
When she saw a clean-cut man standing at the door, she shut her mouth. He had fair skin, a soft jawline, and clear eyes like a child’s—a strikingly handsome man.
“Are you here for a talisman?” Arin cleared her throat and spoke to Yul. Yul gave an awkward smile.
“The Lord who visited yesterday asked me to bring you to the marketplace. Let us go.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Prepare yourself and come out.”
Arin followed Yul’s broad, sturdy back down to the marketplace. Her mind was racing.
‘I’m following him, but should I? It might be dangerous…’
As she brooded, she spotted Hyeon in his robe. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. He smiled when he saw Arin approaching.
“I intend to test you today.”
“A test?”
“I am paying fifty nyang; I cannot simply entrust the work. I wish to know if you truly see spirits.”
Arin bit her lip, unsure how to prove she saw ghosts. Hyeon’s brow furrowed, and a look of disappointment crossed his face.
“Why? Can you not do it?”
Seeing her silence, Hyeon sighed and turned to leave, thinking she was just like the other shamans.
“Wa… Wait!”
Arin frantically grabbed Hyeon’s sleeve. He frowned at her action.
“There is a spirit that always follows you, My Lord. Yesterday it was blurry and I couldn’t see the form well, but today it is clear, so I shall tell you.”
“A spirit?”
Hyeon showed interest. Releasing his sleeve, Arin explained slowly.
“She has her hair neatly pinned with a large phoenix hairpin. She wears a deep green dang-ui and a red skirt, so perhaps…”
Hyeon’s pupils shook violently. The description was a sight he could never forget—the most longed-for image that remained vivid in his mind even years later. Hyeon opened his mouth slowly.
“Stop. That is my mother.”
