Chapter 4
First Tale
Lightning from a Clear Sky
“What?”
“There might be clues about what’s possessing him. And anyway, if a cluster of Eodukseoni is gathering around that area, we’ll need to exorcise them as well.”
“Yeah, fine, but my leg’s like this. I can’t go with you.”
“You can go alone.”
“Hey, Yoon Siha. It’s dangerous to go alone.”
“Dragging a limping sister around is even more dangerous.”
At that, Minjeong chimed in.
“Um… will it take a long time?”
“Hmm… I’m not sure yet. If things go smoothly at the reservoir, great, but if not, we might have to stay up all night.”
Minjeong’s expression darkened at that.
“Well, if something needs to be done for my father, it has to be before my mother comes home. This… has to be done secretly without her knowing.”
Minjeong’s mother didn’t believe in superstition or religion. If she found out Minjeong was scheming something like this, she’d have thought she was crazy. That would ruin the exorcism entirely.
“Then should we move your father somewhere else…?”
“Where to?”
“Our house… since we worship the gods, bringing him there in this state would cause a ruckus and we’d probably be kicked out…”
Kyung scratched his head in frustration.
“Then how about our place?”
At Siha’s suggestion, Kyung frowned.
“No, it’s fine for us, but what about Suwon? Will it be okay?”
“It might actually be safer with Suwon around. He’s a land spirit, after all.”
“Hmm… in that case, it’s not a bad choice…”
Kyung hesitated, then asked Minjeong,
“When will your mother be home?”
“She usually finishes work late, but if she’s quick, maybe within three hours.”
“Ah, we have no choice but to plan for extra time, then.”
Kyung groaned.
“Fine. Siha, we’ll use your place for a bit. You can go to the reservoir on your scooter.”
“Alright.”
The three of them struggled to move the man to Minjeong’s car in the parking lot.
Minjeong drove impatiently, and soon they arrived at Siha’s apartment.
Siha’s place was a small one-room apartment near his university.
Most tenants were students, with a few low-budget office workers trickling in. Siha was able to move in thanks to his aunt covering the deposit.
Although the deposit was covered, Siha had to pay his own monthly rent and living expenses. He didn’t want to be indebted further, so he managed on his own.
The apartment wasn’t particularly luxurious, but sufficient for a single university student.
Dragging the unconscious man from the car to the entrance and up the stairs was surprisingly exhausting.
When they opened the door, Suwon’s eyes widened at the sight of the guests.
“Guests have arrived, I see.”
“Hello, Suwon.”
Kyung greeted Suwon and kicked off his shoes carelessly.
Minjeong glanced awkwardly around Siha’s apartment.
When thinking of an exorcist’s home, one imagines talismans, ritual tools, or sacred paintings on the walls, but Siha’s apartment was extremely ordinary.
Siha wasn’t particularly interested in interior decor; the furniture was simple and tidy, nothing flashy.
This, in fact, seemed even more curious to Minjeong.
They laid the man carefully on Siha’s bed and took a breather.
Suwon, watching curiously, received a brief explanation from Siha.
“This is our client. We’ll borrow the place for a bit.”
Suwon clicked his tongue at the man.
“From a glance, it doesn’t seem too complicated. Did something go wrong?”
“Not exactly, but we’re pressed for time.”
“Shall I help?”
Siha shook his head firmly, then started boiling water in an electric kettle.
“You know my policy.”
Kyung and Suwon both sighed lightly.
Siha’s policy: he avoided relying on the gods’ power unnecessarily.
Siha didn’t particularly favor divine intervention, even with Suwon. He insisted on solving what he could by his own power.
Kyung and Suwon understood, but seeing him take unnecessary risks made them sigh.
When the kettle boiled, Siha prepared instant coffee for Minjeong, who was standing awkwardly.
“Relax while I go. Kyung and Suwon are here, so there’s no problem.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Siha put on his shoes at the entrance and said,
“You’ll stay here and watch over Minjeong’s father. I’ll be back quickly.”
“Are you really okay going alone?”
“I’ll be fine.”
Suwon wanted to follow to help, but being a local land spirit, he could not leave his territory. He could only watch helplessly.
“Ugh… who’s stopping you? Go quickly. Deal with the Eodukseoni, and if something dangerous appears, just run. Got it? I’ll give you some talismans.”
While Kyung stuffed talismans into Siha’s bag, Minjeong gave him directions to the reservoir.
Siha left, while Kyung and Suwon stayed behind, looking at the closed door with concern.
“Do you think the person with him will be okay?”
Kyung scratched his nose casually.
“Yes. Siha is very capable; there shouldn’t be any problem. Our main concern is keeping him asleep until Siha returns and preventing him from causing trouble.”
Minjeong nodded.
Siha parked his scooter at the edge of the reservoir as Minjeong had instructed.
He checked his location on the GPS map and scanned the area for traces of Eodukseoni or other water-dwelling spirits.
In a corner by the water, he saw flickering dark energy—that was the Eodukseoni.
He deliberately avoided looking directly at it.
Eodukseoni feed on fear and anxiety. Siha had no fear of it, so it posed no real threat.
However, he didn’t want to draw its attention and get trapped. He prioritized identifying the entity possessing the client.
After 30 minutes of searching, he found nothing.
Fidgeting with a red jade pendant, he called Kyung.
“This is strange. There are plenty of Eodukseoni here, but I haven’t seen a single water spirit or earthbound ghost in thirty minutes.”
Kyung sounded puzzled on the other end.
—Are you sure you’re in the right place? Nothing at all?
“Really, it’s completely clear.”
—That shouldn’t be…
“Even the land energy is normal…”
Siha looked around again, muttering to himself.
“No mist on the water, air unusually clean… given all this, I should have been looking for what’s missing, not what’s present.”
Realization dawned on him, and he walked lightly back to his scooter.
“I think I know what’s possessing the client… a mist monster.”
—A mist monster?
“The reservoir has no typical water spirits or mist, yet the Eodukseoni are gathered in droves. Seems like the mist monster, which feeds on the energy creating Eodukseoni, possessed him and swept everything away.”
Kyung’s voice on the line gave a small “aha.”
—If it’s a mist monster, it’s not too troublesome. I was worried it might be a river yokai since it’s by water.
“It won’t be a river yokai; they only appear where there’s mist. Anyway, I’m heading back.”
Siha started the scooter, glancing once at where the Eodukseoni had been.
Even though the mist monster absorbed the other dark energy, he couldn’t leave the Eodukseoni completely.
He decided to handle the client first, then return to exorcise the Eodukseoni.
For now, he was confident nothing too serious would happen.
“All set.”
When Siha returned from the reservoir, Kyung immediately rolled up his sleeves.
They moved the man from the bed to the center of the room.
Kyung attached talismans all over his body, placed purified water nearby, sprinkled salt in each corner, and took out a large fan.
When the basic preparations were done, Siha stood at the man’s head.
“Do you need any help?” Suwon asked.
Kyung shook his head.
“If it’s a mist monster, we can handle it ourselves. You just rest, Suwon.”
“Understood. I won’t decline.”
Suwon smiled and folded his arms against the wall.
Kyung fluttered the fan and warned Minjeong.
“We’re going to conduct the exorcism now. Minjeong, you must not interfere, no matter what happens to your father.”
