“Mm?”
“You remember I said I went to see Lord Hwang-ryong recently, right?”
If you kneel for a week in front of Hwang-ryong Palace, you can’t help but see all the beings going in and out. And while you’re there, you end up overhearing scraps of conversation, even ones not meant for you—like talk that completely disregards a little Imoogi.
“Now that I think about it, isn’t it about time for the Baeksa fruit to ripen? I wonder if Myeongheoseong will open this year.”
“No matter how much the Castle Lord hides himself away, he wouldn’t skip such an old festival. Myeongheoseong will be bustling again, you’ll see.”
Just fragments caught in passing. Nothing that had mattered to him then, so he’d brushed it off. But the moment Jae-ha saw the words Baeksa fruit written on the paper, the memory snapped back into place.
“I don’t live in the Celestial Realm, so I don’t know everything, but I’m sure the Baeksa fruit isn’t any ordinary fruit. Honestly, it’s the first time I’ve even heard of it. And the Hanja isn’t the character for ‘white’ (白), but the one for ‘hundred’ (百).”
…A rare liquor—only ten bottles brewed every hundred years. Jae-ha muttered under his breath.
“Then we’ll have to head to Myeongheoseong.”
Whether they made the Hwanggwaju there, or someone else bought the Baeksa fruits from Myeongheoseong to brew it, there would be traces left inside the fortress. If so, maybe they could even uncover where Cheonrok had gone.
“But there’s a problem.”
“Hm?”
Jae-ha frowned at Su-min. They’d just found a solid lead—what problem could there be now?
“I’ll be fine, but what about you and him?”
Su-min looked from Jae-ha to Hae-hyun.
Myeongheoseong was ruled by Lord Yeomjeong, one of the Fourteen Celestial Lords—the highest of the Celestial Realm’s administrators. Not a place two ordinary humans could just slip into. If they were caught, they might not even make it to the Underworld—their souls could be ripped apart by Yeomjeong himself.
“Then just go in as his attendants. An Imoogi from Hwang-ryong Palace should manage that much.”
At Hae-hyun’s blunt reply, Su-min snorted.
“Sure, but you two aren’t from Hwang-ryong Palace.”
“Then say we’re your attendants.”
“…Who would ever believe you are attendants?”
Su-min gave him a look of disbelief. With Hae-hyun’s imposing build and aura, the idea was laughable. Attendants? More like bodyguards. But Hae-hyun just lifted his chin, shameless and smug.
“So what if they don’t believe it?”
“……”
Ridiculous—but not exactly wrong either. Pretending to be attendants of a distinguished guest like Su-min was a perfect excuse to move around inside. After a moment of hesitation, Su-min nodded.
“Well… that works.”
See? They get along better than they think. Watching from the side, Jae-ha nodded. When you don’t know what to do, going along is always the safest choice.
“Alright then, let’s go with that.”
The temple boys helped them change into attendant garb. Once dressed, the effect was surprisingly convincing. The hanbok was plain enough, but on Jae-ha and Hae-hyun’s tall, striking figures, they looked less like attendants and more like elite guards.
“Pretty!”
“So handsome!”
“Can’t you dress like this all the time?”
The boys clapped and giggled. Their bright, innocent faces shone so much that Jae-ha didn’t even have the heart to point out that “all the time” wasn’t much of a compliment.
“Shall we go?”
“Wait a sec.”
Hae-hyun stopped Jae-ha, raising a hand that shimmered with golden light.
“I’ll cast a perception-weakening spell. Your looks will stand out too much.”
“Shouldn’t you be the one doing that?”
The words slipped out without thought, but Hae-hyun only grinned, as if Jae-ha had just complimented him.
“Fine, I’ll do it too.”
Clarifying that he hadn’t meant it as flattery felt like too much effort, so Jae-ha just kept quiet. Hae-hyun’s ridiculous remarks were only getting worse by the day.
“Opening it now.”
With a flick of his hand, Hae-hyun finished the spell and gave the Guardian Talisman a shake. A breeze caught his hair as they stepped out onto the veranda.
“Don’t mess this up.”
“Don’t blame me if you screw up the coordinates again. Garbage input, garbage results.”
“As if I’d miss coordinates after all the times I’ve traveled between realms. If the ground flips this time, it’s on you.”
Still bickering, Hae-hyun extended his arm. Golden energy poured like mist from shoulder to fingertips, drawn into the Guardian Talisman. The yellow tassel quivered as though vibrating.
“You… you’re human, but that’s an impressive ability.”
Hallakung blinked in surprise at the sight of Hae-hyun’s aura. Until now, he’d only paid attention to Jae-ha, but this was far too much, too pure, for a distant Haetae descendant. More than enough to rival lesser spirits—or even some beings of the higher realms. If Hae-hyun had tried to overpower him by force from the start, Hallakung alone might not have been able to resist. Then again, Seo-cheon itself was under the protection of its guardian wards and deities, so things would never have gone entirely his way.
“I hear that a lot.”
Hae-hyun replied casually as the energy surged outward. What looked like chaotic white light quickly shifted, writhing with purpose, finding its place. In a blink, it formed a huge doorway, wide enough for two grown men to pass through together.
“Let’s go, sunbae.”
Even so, Hae-hyun’s face was taut with worry.
“If it feels dangerous at all, you’ll say something right away. Promise me.”
“Promise.”
With a blast of wind, the door opened. Their wide sleeves whipped furiously. Squinting against the gale, Jae-ha saw beyond the doorway: streets lined with elegant, ancient East Asian-style buildings.
“Keep your promise.”
Just before stepping through, Jae-ha glanced at Hallakung. The boy raised a brow, expression unchanged.
“The Flower Keeper of Seo-cheon never lies.”
“Well then… we’ll be back.”
With that, Jae-ha stepped forward. Beyond the door, impossibly standing on bare ground, Su-min and Hae-hyun waited.
Objectively, the situation couldn’t have been worse. His body was separated from his soul. Those two were facing life-or-death stakes with Hell itself. No one knew where the Cheonrok had disappeared to—or even if this was the right way.
And yet—strangely—it all felt a little exciting.
Thud. The massive door slammed shut.
Watching until the three were gone, Hallakung murmured,
“That boy… he really does resemble the Cheonrok.”
***
7) Follow Me
The fourteen stars, revered throughout the Celestial Realm.
Among them, Lord Yeomjeong was infamous for his reclusive nature. Cold, detached, indifferent—he barely interacted even with the other Celestial Lords. As for the Celestial Palace, coveted by all? He would only set foot there if summoned personally by the Supreme Ruler.
No wonder, then, that Myeongheoseong, his castle, was far less lively than its size suggested. A pity, given its landscapes were famed throughout the heavens.
Decades ago, the gates weren’t freely open, but visitors weren’t turned away either. Then, at some point, he began shunning guests more and more—until eventually the gates were sealed shut.
“I heard there was some incident with guests staying here before. Lord Yeomjeong already hated having too many people around, and that pushed him over the edge. He drove everyone out.”
Even as he explained, Su-min added uncertainly,
“…At least, that’s what they say.”
“Late-night snacks, piping hot!”
“Pretty jade norigae! Take one home!”
His uncertain voice was drowned out by the lively shouts all around. Jae-ha tugged Su-min aside just in time as a man with his arms full of goods rushed past. The street was wide, yet so packed they’d bump into someone if they weren’t careful.
As Su-min had promised, they’d arrived in the Celestial Realm without incident. Still, stepping out of the Guardian Talisman into a bustling market had been disorienting. Fortunately, the towering inner wall and the fortress’s grand main hall were visible in the distance. This must have been a town within Myeongheoseong’s outer walls.
Under the star-strewn night sky, lanterns hung from wooden beams, glowing above rows of stalls that lined the streets. Merchants shouted at the top of their lungs, vying for the attention of passersby.
Quite different from Su-min’s description.
