“Was he seriously saying he was going to use a retainer ability over nothing more than liking and admiring a celebrity? It’s not even some deep, fated love for a destined partner. Are divine spirits always this terrifying about stanning? That saying about burning down the whole house just to catch a bedbug must’ve been invented because of divine spirits. It’s just a hobby he does for his own enjoyment—why was he taking it so seriously?”
On the way up, Dojin finally poured out the words he hadn’t dared to say in front of the divine spirit earlier.
“And it’s not like fan feelings last forever anyway. Fans can turn their backs overnight. I honestly don’t get why he was making it out to be something so heavy.”
“Dojin.”
Iri spoke calmly.
“When you become an Immortal someday and gain retainer abilities of your own, you’ll think differently.”
The tone was similar to when he had told Ttanttori that he’d understand once he finished molting.
It was the voice one used to gently admonish an ignorant child who didn’t know any better.
Dojin’s gaze met Iri’s. The gentle look reassured him, yet at the same time, something swelled painfully in his chest.
“I’m not stupid. I know exactly what you mean. You’re saying that even though you have the power to do something, you have to suppress it, and that must be incredibly hard to endure. Like a nature documentary producer who could save at least one penguin from starving to death—but even though you have that ability, you tell yourself it’s nature and you shouldn’t interfere. It’s painful, but you have to endure it. The temptation is overwhelming. That’s what you’re saying, right? I get it. All of it.”
“Yes. That’s close. You understand well.”
“I will never, ever use retainer abilities on my family.”
“What if they wanted you to?”
“…If my parents and Dohui wanted it…….”
Then… wouldn’t it be okay to make them retainers…?
When Dojin couldn’t answer right away, Iri let out a small sigh.
Dojin stayed silent, feeling like he couldn’t give the answer Iri wanted.
Being able to do something… is really terrifying.
Having the ability and still having to restrain yourself—that was truly difficult and frightening. Dojin’s thoughts wandered further: if even he and a mountain divine spirit struggled like this, then how many temptations must Iri—far more omnipotent than either of them—be resisting every single day?
Maybe it’s a good thing Master doesn’t have emotional ups and downs…….
Dojin sank into deep thought. Iri didn’t interrupt him.
The Dragon Horse galloped swiftly, and before long, they arrived at their destination—Dojin’s apartment.
“Ah, seriously!”
Dojin shouted as his sense of grievance hit its peak. After all, he’d clearly entered the rental shop as the destination in the navigation.
“Why are you coming this way? We’re supposed to go to the shop!”
[(⊙_⊙;)]
The Dragon Horse was a being subordinate to the Immortal and had merely followed Iri’s will. Even knowing that, Dojin still fumed.
“If you leave your place empty for too long, thieves think it’s vacant and break in.”
“What if a thief breaks in today? What if they come thinking it’s empty today?”
“Then you should catch them properly. If you catch a thief and hand them over to the police, you’ll accumulate quite a lot of virtue.”
“Master, sometimes you’re way too cold.”
“Sorry. You’re getting off now, right?”
Dojin puffed out his cheeks. From the front pocket, the Dark One—who’d been reading the room—darted out and headed toward Iri. But the sulking Dojin didn’t let it happen and grabbed the Dark One instead.
“You’re sleeping with me.”
Kkiwoong…….
“Master. Good night. I’ll come early tomorrow.”
“Mm. Ah, right. Wait a moment.”
When Iri stopped him, Dojin froze, his eyes sparkling. Iri pulled out a blank sheet of paper from his briefcase. It was the last curio they had found that day.
“Oh, right. That thing.”
Dojin quickly shut the door. Instead of returning to the driver’s seat, he clambered over to the back seat where Iri was. His body was so large that the car shook. The Dark One also scrambled back over to Iri in a panic.
“I’m so curious what kind of curio this is. Let’s hurry back to the rental shop and check it.”
“This is a ‘Prophecy Sheet’.”
“A ‘Prophecy Sheet’…? Like a notice of something?”
Iri handed the paper to Dojin and also took out a pen that wrote particularly well.
“If you write one question about the future on this blank sheet, an answer will appear. Only the person who asked the question can see the answer.”
“…Wow.”
Dojin murmured in awe.
“That’s seriously dangerous.”
“It is.”
Iri smiled with satisfaction.
He found it commendable that Dojin didn’t immediately show greed toward the curio and instead described it as ‘dangerous’.
“Luckily, there’s only one sheet. Exactly one use.”
“So it disappears after one use?”
“Yes. Sometimes disposable curios like this are born.”
Dojin alternated his gaze between Iri and the blank sheet and pen in his hand.
Handing him a curio that vanished after a single use—and even giving him the pen along with it—meant……
“Master. Am I interpreting this right?”
“You are.”
Dojin’s face lit up with emotion, and he suddenly threw his arms around Iri.
“You’re giving something this precious to me—so you really do like me, Master!”
“…I like you as a teacher.”
“You probably don’t realize it yourself! You’ve never been in love before! But you love me too, Master!”
“Yes. I love you, my disciple…….”
Iri, whose neck felt like it might snap from the sheer strength of his disciple, patted Dojin’s back a few times.
Even after releasing the hug, Dojin’s face was still overflowing with emotion and excitement.
“Can’t I tear off a tiny corner and use it sparingly?”
“No…. Use it right now. We’ll confirm that the curio disappears and then go back.”
“Right now?”
“Yes. Don’t you have anything you want to ask?”
“No. I do.”
So many things.
When his parents and Dohui would die. When he himself would become an Immortal. Whether he would eventually become the king of the true mortal realm.
And finally… whether he would become Master’s lover…….
The question he wanted to ask most was the last one, but if the answer came back saying they wouldn’t become lovers, the shock would be immense. He couldn’t bring himself to ask it easily.
“Is the answer… detailed?”
“I don’t know that much. This is my first time seeing this curio too.”
“Okay….”
Dojin thought hard.
He said if I ask about the future, an answer appears.
The blank sheet was about the size of his palm—not tiny, which meant the answer probably wouldn’t be just a single O or X. There were no divinations that spat out only a bare yes or no. Surely it would add some form of advice.
Having made his decision, Dojin clicked the pen.
“I’m writing now.”
“Hurry. What are you going to ask?”
“That’s a secret.”
Dojin wrote without hesitation.
[Will my master and I become lovers?]
Iri pressed a hand to his forehead.
“You’re using your one and only chance on that question…….”
At Iri’s lament, Dojin jumped.
“What? You said no one but me could see it!”
“The answer can’t be seen. The question can.”
“Ugh, shit. That’s embarrassing.”
“Now you’re embarrassed…….”
The blank sheet began to darken, turning pitch-black. It was no longer appropriate to call it white paper—it was more like black paper. It even gained weight, heavier than paper… about as heavy as tree bark.
White letters surfaced on the black sheet.
[Someday, you will betray your master.
Through that betrayal, you will achieve what you desire.]
“…….”
“Dojin, what does it say?”
Dojin reread the words, one by one, as they continued to blacken.
By betraying your master, you will achieve what you desire.
The first sentence was absurd and chilling, but the second said he would achieve what he wanted.
Achieve what he wanted.
What he wanted—that was…….
“Lovers…!”
“Dojin?”
Iri frowned, his face saying ‘surely not’. Dojin, who had frozen for a moment, sprang up—only to hit his head on the car ceiling and sit back down. Tossing away the now-useless, completely blackened paper, he threw his arms around Iri just like before.
“Master! It says we’ll become lovers!”
“Dojin.”
“It says we’ll become lovers! It’s real! I don’t lie—I’m accumulating virtue right now!”
“Your eyes are… wavering.”
At Iri’s suspicion, Dojin grabbed both of Iri’s shoulders and pulled back slightly.
Eyes tinged with red stared straight into Iri’s pitch-black pupils.
“It says you and I become lovers.”
“……!”
This time, Iri’s eyes shook.
Dojin had said it while making direct eye contact—meaning it wasn’t a lie. And yet, “that’s impossible,” spilled from Iri’s lips without thought.
“I—I…….”
Immortal Iri, who rarely ever panicked, began to stammer.
“I changed your diapers…….”
“Yes. You did. And it says we become lovers. I saw it with my own two eyes. It said I’d achieve what I desire. Ah, fuck. I knew it, but actually getting confirmation makes me feel like I’m about to fly. Master. I told you—you already like me, didn’t you? Stop denying it. The curio confirmed it, so why are you freaking out like this? All you have to do is accept it. Everything’s scary the first time, but once you accept it, it’s nothing.”
“That’s impossible….”
“You know I’m saying this while looking you straight in the eyes, right?”
Dojin omitted the chilling first sentence entirely and conveyed only what he wanted to see.
Because of that, Iri fell into confusion.
Becoming lovers with my disciple? Me?
This child who’s only ever been cute… the one who was practically born yesterday… I come to harbor those kinds of feelings for him?
I changed this child’s diapers…? How… how could I ever develop romantic feelings for this child…….
Dojin’s distortion—distortion that wasn’t entirely intentional—sent ripples through Iri’s normally tranquil emotions. It was a confusion the last Primordial Immortal was experiencing for the very first time.
10) Yuldo Island
Drrring—
As Iri was lighting the fire in the ‘Paulownia Brazier’, he heard the phone ring for the third time and turned his gaze toward the rental shop.
“…….”
He met eyes with Dojin, who was working on a curio with a sulky expression. Iri gestured for him to answer the phone, but Dojin only let out a hmph and sharply turned his head away.
Iri’s one and only disciple had already been sulking for four days straight.
