Subdued Soul Chronicle

Seol Young had met a lot of souls until now, and their relationships were both good and bad.

Among them, Jung Myung was special to him. Even after she left, they were able to meet again, and he was able to receive help from her.

It was a special relationship.

“….”

Perhaps taking the silence of the two as consent, she staggered inside.

“Come this way.”

And the two snapped out of their thoughts.

“Miss, you seem to be pretty sick.”

Zaha shook his head and said,

“I know you want to help, but do you think we are fools? Do you want us to head inside after hearing all of that?”

“You are about to get seriously sick for helping us investigate the tomb, so what if we manage to sneak through the passage now? How do you plan to handle the aftermath after we are gone?”

Seol Young grabbed Jung Myung and dragged her back.

“Miss, the place we need to head to is the tomb. We are almost there. All the guards of the tomb have been dealt with, and just a wall made of ashes is blocking the way, but we will hold a calming ritual for them and tear down the wall. After that, we can reach the coffin.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Jung Myung’s eyes widened.

“I see. I thought you could actually do it. It is almost over now. If that is the case, then I will have to protect the divine tree here and suppress that evil energy that is seeping in. I will help you until the end so you can return safely.”

Even though nothing was said, they could feel how happy she was. That was made clear from her words.

Seol Young looked into her serious eyes and asked,

“Does Miss intend to stay here as well?”

“I should.”

Jung Myung replied calmly.

“Regardless of Mita, the evil ghost, I cannot go back to the original world. If I leave, then the life of the Tree God will be completely cut off here.”

“…”

“At one point, I really wanted to go back. But now, I don’t know. I don’t know if I am a human or a monster. Just that, if it is meant to be, then one day….”

A cough broke out, blocking Jung Myung’s words, and her face looked red with fever.

Her condition was getting worse by the minute. It seemed to be getting worse when she was facing those who didn’t fit in this world.

She was talking resolutely, but she would be in pain every moment. Then they could help her by disappearing quickly from here.

“I get it.”

The two turned around without saying anything else.

“We will leave you alone for now.”

“Yes….”

Jung Myung’s voice was full of regret.

“The stone chamber where the coffin is located is the boundary between this world and the next. It is connected to the other world, so you should be able to return from there.”

And then she added to Seol Young and Zaha, who were now leaving.

“Be careful, please.”

They looked back at Jung Myung, who was standing there. Under the pale tree, the small shrine maiden was surrounded by spirits.

They would never forget this. The two of them left the forest without looking back.

“We need to go there right away.”

At Seol Young’s words, Zaha nodded at once.

Since the price the child was paying was too harsh, they couldn’t go and see the others. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t go and meet his parents or teacher now.

Those thoughts would just make him feel guilty now.

‘This is a fleeting time anyway.’

And the two quickly moved to Mount Toham, where the tomb was.

“To be able to hold a sacrifice without preparation.”

Zaha mumbled.

“Still, I will try to remember and do it again. It is good to try new things we have learned.”

He reached out and broke a long twig. He seemed to plan to use it as a medium. And what else was needed?

“Music, food, and alcohol for the souls of the dead….”

Seol Young picked up each one of them as he was thinking and stopped.

“We should have brought the bottles earlier instead of returning them.”

Zaha shook his head.

“There is no need for that anymore.”

“Why?”

Seol Young asked, but Zaha just smiled, not answering. After passing through the wooden door, they descended down the ladder, and a strange scent reached their noses.

The pitch-black darkness was full of this scent.

It was the scent of divine alcohol that Zaha had poured onto the ground last time.

Was that why he said there was no need for more?

“I don’t know how long it will take.”

Zaha put his hand to his chest and pulled something out. It was a moon bell stained with blood.

It was the bell that showed Seol Young the vision of the Sun and Moon troops.

Then Zaha hung the small bell at the end of a branch.

Ting.

The sound of the bell spread through the darkness, which was filled with a fragrant smell.

At that moment, a change occurred. The earthenware that had been broken and scattered turned into birds and flew.

The shadows of people shimmered over the burial items that had been piled up in the chamber, and a lot of clattering noises could be heard.

Seol Young’s eyes widened.

“When did you learn this? I haven’t taught you that yet.”

“Illusion spell? What are you saying such baseless things for?”

Zaha smiled.

It was only after seeing the sight in front of him that Seol Young finally understood what it was.

This was a phenomenon caused by the authority of a priest.

When the ritual began, this place would no longer be a normal world. It would become the land that connected the Gods with humans.

Ting, ting.

Following the gentle sound of the bell, the murals on the aisle began to move.

A light shone from the Buddha’s forehead, which was seated on a lion. The instruments began to play, and those who gathered to listen to the dharma bowed their heads deeply.

And…

The skull at the end of the passage also came to life. In this majestic and sacred place, there was only anger and resentment.

It was such a strong grudge that the passageway seemed distorted.

There was a hole in the middle of the wall where the skull fell through. And Seol Young focused his attention on it.

“It would be nice if we could take them out one by one and treat them individually…”

He carefully stretched out his hand, and murderous energy immediately came.

‘I cannot handle this.’

Seol Young stepped back.

When he was young, he witnessed a shaman touch something like this and instantly turn into a goop of blood. Thanks to his quick response, he wasn’t harmed.

However, the shock to his heart was strong, and there was this fishy smell inside his throat.

“Be careful.”

Zaha came up to him and patted him on the back. Blood trickled out of his mouth as he could breathe again.

Seol Young wiped the blood out as he said,

“I just took one out. Now I cannot do it.”

Well, it was expected.

The scene of the skull’s death that it showed him was horrible. People died almost as if they were being hunted.

“How hateful they must be for the people of old Silla to kill them so brutally. Even though we didn’t participate in the war of conquest, we did enjoy the benefits of that war. But now, it makes me very guilty to appease them.”

They were trying to figure out the position of the skeleton, but Zaha stared at Seol Young, so he asked,

“What? Are my words wrong?”

“Rather than that…”

Zaha shrugged his shoulders.

“Even though you said no, you will get confused before you even realize it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it, Seol Young-rang. Are we really the descendants of the people who destroyed a small nation like Gaya?”

Seol Young hesitated.

Wait. Come to think of it, did he think about that before?

Zaha said,

“Do you get it now? This is another world. These people aren’t the Gaya people who were killed by our ancestors. Strictly speaking, these people don’t have any ill relations with us.”

Then he picked up a wide bowl. He rolled up his sleeves and slashed his right arm with a knife. There was a scar from a sword there.

Seol Young was surprised.

“What are you doing?”

“A bribe.”

Zaha said as he gave his blood.

“Do not look at me with those eyes. It isn’t insane at all. There are many cases where the ancient priests actually sacrificed themselves. They would give the most precious and sacred one of them to the God.”

The bowl was full of blood.

Perhaps because he had been drinking the divine alcohol since stepping into this world, a five-color light shone on the blood. Zaha picked up the bowl and went to the wall.

“The grudge of the dead is deep, but the two of us are travelers, who do not belong to this world. I am trying to appease you, so please take a moment and cool down.”

After saying that, he poured the blood in front of the skull wall, and the blood seeped into the ground.

“Now let’s see.”

He stretched out his hand towards the wall. And there was no murderous energy this time.

The skeletons didn’t move, but they could touch them now.

“And now what?”

In response to Zaha’s question, Seol Young talked about his plan.

“Why don’t we try to do the charm spell on the skeletons and send them away at the same time? The two of us will join forces to draw a talisman. This seems to be the only possible option.”

“Nice. Let us try it.”

The two quickly cleared the ground, and there were layers of skeletons there.

They counted them, and there were around one hundred forty-eight in total.

“Split them in half.”

Seol Young folded the talismans and cut them into small pieces to make one hundred forty-eight pieces.

On top of that, each of them had the letter ‘yes’ written for the talisman’s response and was attached to each of the skulls.

Then the ritual began with a buzzing vibration.

Seol Young stretched his hand out. He could feel the souls. There was another emotion other than resentment. It was wanting to escape from the pain.

“Come over here.”

Seol Young told the skeletons.

“I will help you forget the pain, make you leave comfortably, and be reborn in a nice place.”

And then he politely bowed to them.

‘I will make sure to send you all with my utmost sincerity.’

He said that with all his heart and mumbled it over and over again.

At his sincere words, some of the skeletons began to move. The pain they had been through was too much.

Clack.

Several moved, and Zaha looked at them.

“They are responding.”

At those words, Seol Young got up and approached them. As soon as he got to the front, a spark broke out.

“There is still distrust in them.”

Seol Young conveyed his feelings.

“Even if you people aren’t the ones who killed us, aren’t we all still the same? Aren’t you trying to kill us cruelly by tricking us with nice words?’”

“It isn’t that.”

Zaha stepped forward and answered,

“Everyone, I am not lying now. You should know since you drank my blood. If it is a lie, take my life.”

“Wait. You cannot make such promises.”

Seol Young looked at Zaha with a bit of anger in his eyes.

Even though he was dead, the body moved like it was alive and angry.

“Because they need to believe us.”

Zaha said that as if he had no choice left.

As expected, upon hearing that, the skeletons moved again. Even though they were still doubtful, their hearts were shaken.

‘It worked for now.’

Then the two exchanged glances. Now all the skeletons were linked through the talismans.

If they were letting their guard down, so could the rest.

“Then let’s prepare the talisman. Draw as I say.”

Seol Young raised his spiritual qi to the maximum. A blue light shone with a silvery shade on his finger.

But…

The moment he stretched out his hand to draw a talisman in the air, an object fell from his sleeve that was rolled up.

What? He looked at it, startled.

It was a 13-sided dice made of wood.

It was Miss Dohwa’s dice.

Seol Young held his breath.

‘Why now…?’

It was like he had been hit on the head. He had blocked her revenge before.

She couldn’t resolve her anger and grudge, and she had to perish, leaving the curse behind.

It was an object containing evil thoughts. It was a reward in return for all those who obstructed the will of the evil spirits.

They would never forget.

One day, they would be caught off guard and had to pay the price for it.

And the dice waited, hiding in Seol Young’s sleeve. And finally, it had chosen the right time.

‘Is that now?’

Before anyone could react, the dice rolled and then stopped.

‘Sing for yourself tonight.’

Call the goblin.

Immediately, a huge spirit jumped from the dice, and it attacked the souls that Seol Young and Zaha managed to release.

[..!]

Then the skulls on the wall vibrated.

Waves of anger and shock filled the space.

All the skeletons opened their mouths and shouted,

[You people tricked us!]