Chapter 5
Startled, Moa’s legs gave out, and she collapsed into Sehee’s arms.
“…Wh-what’s happening?”
Overwhelmed by shock, Moa wriggled deeper into Sehee’s embrace.
“Are… are you alright, Miss? You seem very startled.”
Sehee gently patted Moa’s back to calm her down.
“That gentleman is Master Jinyeon Kang. He’s the youngest son of the family head. And the spirit you just saw is Geumo.”
“…Does my brother… or Geumo, dislike me?”
Moa hesitated for a moment, noticing that the names were exactly the same as those she had heard in her dream, but her frustration overrode her curiosity, and she asked Sehee with watery eyes.
“Th-that’s not it. It’s just that Master Jinyeon is very sensitive…”
“I just thought he looked tired, so I told him to come here and rest…”
Sehee widened her eyes slightly at Moa’s words, then pressed her lips together before answering.
“Master Jinyeon suffers from a severe case of insomnia.”
“…Insomnia? What’s that?”
“It’s a condition where one cannot sleep properly.”
Sehee turned her head briefly, wiping the tears that had formed in her eyes.
“No matter how sleepy he is, he simply cannot sleep.”
Moa was momentarily shocked at the idea of such a strange ailment. She imagined what it would be like to be unable to sleep.
Even as a baby, Moa had always slept through the night, and as she grew older, she would nod off habitually after eight-thirty.
‘But… if someone stopped me from sleeping… eek!’
The thought was terrifying!
Moa’s eyes welled up with tears. How difficult it must be—to want to sleep, yet be unable to!
“So… what do you do then? Exercise makes you sleepy.”
“Well… even after practicing martial arts, he hasn’t been able to sleep for three days straight. He falls into brief unconscious naps only to wake up again shortly afterward.”
Moa felt genuine sympathy.
She pitied him for being unable to sleep despite wanting to. And if even Master Jinyeon—who had a caring father and Sehee looking after him—struggled, how could she have ever envied him, even for a moment?
Seeing Moa’s sincere concern softened Sehee’s expression.
‘Such a kind girl.’
Now eleven years old, Jinyeon Kang had become the apple of the Se family’s worries.
His insomnia had started roughly three years ago. Doctors said it didn’t seem to be a physical issue but likely stemmed from psychological stress caused by his mother’s illness.
Before the onset, he had been the youngest in the Se family—a cheerful and affectionate boy.
But the insomnia that struck at age eight changed him entirely.
He became extremely sensitive, easily irritable, and constantly on guard.
Geumo, his guardian spirit, was highly attuned to his emotional state and would lash out at those around him depending on Master Jinyeon’s mood swings.
‘That sounds terrifying.’
Seeing the tiny child express such genuine concern touched Sehee’s heart with both admiration and pity.
“You must be hungry after that fright. Shall I bring you some sweets? Does it scare you when I leave?”
“Nooo,” Moa shook her head. She thought it might also be safer for Sehee to step out, as the glowing letters had reappeared right in front of her.
‘Does Sehee not see it?’
The letters were so vivid that anyone with normal vision could notice them, yet Sehee seemed entirely unaware and exited the room.
Moa read the letters carefully:
Primary Mission: Remove Geumo’s abnormal condition
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Before Guardian Spirit Contract: (Incomplete contact error. Contract required)
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Reward: Activation of ‘Curse Healing’ ability
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If the target fails to heal: Master Jinyeon will die in 30 days
A chilling sense of dread made Moa’s eyes tremble.
The word “death” pressed down on her heart. She assumed the preceding word was Master Jinyeon’s name.
With trembling hands, Moa opened the window.
Far off, she saw Master Jinyeon from behind, with Geumo still perched on his shoulder, seemingly in agony.
“Oppa…”
The radiant boy from her dream and the miserable reality before her eyes.
Even amidst the sadness, Moa recalled Somi’s words—that she would know what to do.
Though she didn’t know the method yet, she could not bear to witness such a scene.
“No… I can’t let this happen!”
Clenching her small fists, Moa made a silent vow.
At that moment, Master Jinyeon, disappearing into the distance, turned slightly toward her.
His eyes were empty, resigned to death, yet they seemed to pierce straight through Moa.
Thump—
Moa’s tiny chest felt like it was collapsing.
Sehee returned with the tea tray, soothing Moa. Finally, a faint blush returned to the child’s face.
“Sehee unnie, the… spirit I saw earlier… what is it?”
Moa asked, thinking of Geumo. Sehee nodded knowingly.
“A guardian spirit is a sacred animal bestowed by the Twelve Zodiac Deities.”
“Deities? Twelve Zodiac Deities?”
Moa tilted her head, not understanding.
“Ah, I’ll bring a book from the library. It’s one that the masters read as children, so it will explain everything.”
“Book? Ugh…”
Moa grimaced, recalling the textbooks the older children at the orphanage used.
“The book has lots of illustrations, so it’ll be easier for you to understand.”
“…Okay.”
Reluctantly, Moa nodded.
‘Can I go with her?’
She hesitated, recalling the dangerous moment from earlier.
Sehee had always stayed close to her, taking meticulous care of her.
‘If I’m too bothersome… she might dislike me.’
Moa wanted attention but also didn’t want to seem troublesome.
Until now, Moa had been a good child precisely because she liked the teachers.
Sehee had firmly planted herself in Moa’s heart.
‘Sehee unnie can’t struggle… or she’ll leave.’
Plus, if she seemed like a nuisance, she might be sent away. So Moa decided to remain quiet and wait patiently.
Even so, feeling lonely, she wrapped her ears and tail around herself.
‘I hope unnie comes soon.’
Curled up like a baby, Moa waited until Sehee returned.
Sehee brought a picture book that Master Jinyeon had read as a child.
“Who is this?”
Moa pointed to a radiant figure on the first page.
“That’s the Heavenly Deity, the god who created all things.”
The country that ruled the world was the Dan Empire.
The Heavenly Deity safeguarded the empire, dispatched guardian spirits, and granted the royal family divine powers—the Twelve Zodiac Deities.
“These are the twelve guardian spirits serving the Heavenly Deity. The twelve influential families of the Dan Empire each have a Zodiac Guardian.”
Mouse, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit… Sehee explained each animal symbolically, and Moa’s eyes widened in awe.
“Wow! Are they all here too?”
“Our Jinryong family worships the Dragon Guardian, the greatest of the Zodiac Guardians—Master Jinryongryeong.”
“Jinryongryeong! That’s a mouthful…” Moa muttered.
“Is the dragon real?”
“Of course. It resides in the family hall.”
“But why did the Heavenly Deity give animals?”
“To maintain peace in the empire.”
Moa nodded, imagining the empire to be roughly the size of the orphanage. In her mind, small, cute animals ran around—like a giant zoo.
“The Zodiac Deities also summoned their followers to assist them, like workers. That’s how spirits like Geumo exist.”
Moa, who dreamed of having her own spirit to ride on her shoulder, was disappointed.
She learned that spirits are bound to direct family lines; without that connection, they cannot be obtained.
Moreover, already bonded spirits would not respond to other family members.
“Tch.”
She had wanted a cute cat spirit.
Moa pouted, asking Sehee:
“Why isn’t there a cat Zodiac Guardian?”
“Well…”
Sehee smiled awkwardly. Moa, disappointed, poked the illustration of Master Jinryongryeong.
“Eek?”
And then—
Flash—!
A blue dragon filled the sky.
A golden tiger ran across the earth, a red horse galloped.
People in ornate clothing bowed before the twelve guardian spirits.
White light radiated from their hands.
‘Is that divine power?’
It felt strangely familiar and nostalgic.
The illusion shifted.
The blue dragon slept deeply, and the spirits writhed in torment.
A white cloth covered Master Jinyeon’s face.
“The family matriarch has passed away!”
Screams echoed as the massive castle gates burned.
Crimson flames devoured everything.
“Finally… the Jinryong family has fallen.”
Gasping, Moa returned fully from the vision, her breath ragged.
The thought of this beautiful Jinryong estate being destroyed was terrifying.
The final voice she heard—a stranger’s, filled with satisfaction and malice—was even more frightening.
“Miss?!”
Sehee, startled, rushed to hug Moa, who had gone pale.
“You must have been scared. The illustrations are very vivid.”
Whether from the prior shock or the detailed images, Moa trembled in Sehee’s arms.
Yet something about the child puzzled Sehee.
Though clearly frightened, Moa’s eyes had a sudden, sharp glint, almost like a sage. Even her hand, pointing at the book, trembled violently.
‘Something’s unusual…’
But she could only soothe the child, deciding not to probe further.
Sehee briefly considered reporting to the family head.
“Miss, would you like to go for a short walk outside?”
Moa nodded, pressing her eyes tightly with the handkerchief Sehee offered.
‘Uncle and Sehee unnie can’t die.’
She dreaded the thought of everyone in the household dying and feared that even kind Sehee would suffer.
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’
Even though meeting Somi did not require Master Jinsahyun or Sehee’s safety, Moa hated the thought of them disappearing.
A child craving affection had already grown to like them with even a small gesture of help.
“Uncle is super strong, right?”
Moa clung to Sehee as she asked. He had single-handedly dealt with enormous threats and eliminated villains—surely he counted as strong.
Nothing like this should happen.
But instinctively, Moa knew what she had seen was history and the future.
“He is very strong. There’s almost no one who could challenge him, and his spirit, Bihee, is also renowned for its strength.”
“Right?”
“So anything you fear, Miss, he will be able to handle.”
Moa nodded, her face dark.
Even though she had witnessed this power with her own eyes, why didn’t she feel reassured?
