After parting ways with the Apothecary, Iri and Dojin first returned to the rental shop. They couldn’t postpone their appointments with customers. By focusing intensely and handling guests and work at a rapid pace to make up for the time they’d been away, it was already dawn before they knew it. When the night ran late, customers would usually say a word or two telling Iri to go home, even though they knew it would be pointless—but this time, not a single person did.
Dojin puffed out his chest and boasted confidently.
“Master, if it weren’t for me today, you wouldn’t even have had time to sit down. I did well, right? Aren’t I cute? Want to give me a kiss?”
“Mm, you did well, Dojin. Go change into something warm. We need to go meet the Podo Captain right away.”
“What? At this hour? All of a sudden?”
“It’s a place that only opens at night…. I’ll explain on the way.”
“Got it! I’ll bring your coat too, Master.”
When Dojin came back down carrying a sleek, tidy jacket for himself and a casual one for Iri, the lights on the first floor were already off, and Iri was standing in front of a black van.
“Must be pretty urgent.”
“A curse might be spreading somewhere again. Let’s get in first.”
No matter how capable a fine steed might be, someone still had to hold the reins—someone had to sit in the driver’s seat and take the wheel. Dojin was about to climb into the driver’s seat when Iri pulled a cloth doll from his pocket and tossed it forward.
Pop!
With a sound like that, the cloth doll transformed into a person and sat in the driver’s seat with a perfectly proper, textbook posture.
“So I sit in the back?”
“Yeah. There’s a lot to explain.”
“Yes.”
Dojin quickly climbed in, pleased to be sitting next to Iri. When Iri entered the address into the navigation system, Dojin tilted his head—it pointed south.
[ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪]
The Dragon Horse didn’t seem to know exactly where they were going, but it clearly liked the destination.
“First— you know the basics about the profession called ‘exorcist’, right?”
“Yes.”
Long ago, when beings belonging to the Lower Realm constantly harassed humans in the Middle Realm, exorcism and spirit purification flourished. In an era when tigers prowled the back mountains and yokai plagued the front hills, exorcists were a profession everyone admired and an existence that was absolutely necessary. However, aside from a rare few who worked out of genuine duty and goodwill, most were driven by greed, and contrary to popular belief, the end of an exorcist’s life was often miserable.
Then, after the ‘One-Day War’ a thousand years ago, when the Lower Realm Wia left the Middle Realm, the need for exorcism and purification naturally vanished, and the profession of exorcist gradually declined.
Even now, there were still exorcists in the human realm, but while exorcists of old dealt with divine beasts and great yokai, modern exorcists struggled even against minor monsters and wandering spirits. If someone had talent in this field, becoming a shaman was far more advantageous than becoming an exorcist.
That was how things were supposed to be, and yet….
“And now, an exorcist has appeared who’s spreading curses even to dokkaebi. It seems they’ve even joined hands with an Evil God, and their skill has improved at a frightening pace. There shouldn’t be any exorcist lineage in the world right now with that level of ability—so it’s strange.”
“Couldn’t it be a shaman instead of an exorcist?”
“An exorcist works alone, but a shaman works with gods. What god would help a shaman who spreads curses on innocent people?”
“A shaman possessed by an Evil God, maybe….”
“That’s exactly it.”
Iri praised him, as if impressed by his thinking.
“There’s a chance it’s an evil human whose spiritual sight happened to awaken, who accepted an Evil God and became a shaman. That’s why we’re on our way to ask the institution that specializes in Evil Gods to track Berimos.”
“You mean the ‘Podo Office’!”
It was a serious situation, but Dojin’s voice couldn’t help sounding excited.
The Podo Office, along with Iri’s Curio Rental Shop, was indispensable to the Middle Realm. It was the place that captured Wia who committed crimes, serving as both police station and prison.
Since Wia who settled in the Middle Realm were generally gentle and mild, most of those brought into the Podo Office were vengeful spirits or Evil Gods. Because of that, the Podo Office also carried the nickname ‘the institution specializing in Evil Gods’.
“As you continue working at the rental shop, you’ll be running into the Podo Captain fairly often, so it’d be good for you to greet him properly. He’s easygoing in temperament and upright in conduct—a good role model.”
“What’s his type? Divine spirit? Or yokai?”
“Hm….”
Iri paused, then smiled faintly.
“You’ll see when we get there. For reference, he’s someone you know.”
“Someone I know? I don’t know that many people.”
Dojin began counting on his fingers.
Iri’s divine spirits and peddlers. The Butterfly Immortal. Gangnim Herald…. The Dao Immortal he’d only heard about by name…?
“It’s not suddenly going to be the Musician or Yori-iki showing up, right? If it is, I’ll be really disappointed.”
Haha— Iri only laughed softly and didn’t answer.
With his heart pounding in anticipation and anxiety, Dojin waited impatiently for them to arrive at the Podo Office.
***
“Oh, you’re the new employee of Iri’s Curio Rental Shop? Nice to meet you. I’m Podo Captain Jeon Woochi.”
A handsome man with a tall, straight nose and a beard extended his hand toward Dojin.
The Podo Captain was none other than Jeon Woochi.
Contrary to the mischievous image one might expect, he was a rare beauty, with a build similar to Dojin’s and an overall impression of good character. Dojin had rushed out wearing only a jacket over his everyday clothes, but Jeon Woochi was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, as if planned in advance.
“I’m Kim Dojin.”
As Dojin shook his hand, he suddenly remembered how extravagantly Iri had praised the Podo Captain, and an uneasy feeling crept in.
Easygoing personality, upright conduct…. Did he also say he was handsome? Even so, don’t I still look better?
Dojin had met countless Wia, but this was the first time he’d seen a man this handsome. Peddlers and Gangnim Herald also fell into the handsome category, but they were a different type, so he was fine with them. Jeon Woochi, though….
Narrow-minded Dojin cleared his throat for no reason and edged a little closer to Iri.
“Immortal Iri, it seems your disciple is wary of me.”
“So he is. I was worried he’d ask for your autograph, but instead he’s on guard. The heart of a child is hard to understand.”
“Child?! I’m not a kid, you know? Have you ever seen a kid who beats a mountain dokkaebi at wrestling?”
“Alright. I’m sorry.”
Iri placated Dojin half-heartedly. Jeon Woochi stroked his beard, impressed.
“You beat a dokkaebi at wrestling? You’re quite strong. …Ah, are you perhaps a Jangsa?”
“Yes! I’m a Jangsa! A handsome, cool Jangsa who’ll become king someday!”
“Very spirited.”
Jeon Woochi smiled gently—completely the way one would treat a child.
“How is Moongyong doing?”
“My master is doing well. He seems to be obsessed with dragons these days.”
“Better than snakes.”
“I agree. Let’s go inside and talk instead of standing around. I was surprised to hear you were visiting, Immortal. I assume it wasn’t something that could be discussed over the phone?”
Jeon Woochi extended an arm as if escorting Iri.
They had been talking in front of a shabby building that looked decades old, but once they passed through the creaking glass doors, an ultra-luxurious building armed with cutting-edge technology revealed itself inside. Aside from the chill that lingered like the outdoors in midwinter, it looked like something a major corporation would use as its headquarters.
Just like Iri’s Curio Rental Shop, only those with spiritual sight or prior authorization could pass through the lobby and behold the lavish, modern interior.
Guided by Jeon Woochi, they took the elevator up and got off on the 63rd floor. Passing through a corridor made of mirror-like marble that gleamed blindingly, they arrived at the door labeled [Podo Captain’s Office].
Leather sofas and a table, orchids without a speck of dust, golf clubs standing in the corner, shelves filled with books that looked impossibly difficult, and behind the desk, a breathtaking view—it was the office of a corporate chairman in every sense.
Once they were seated, a secretary brought tea.
“Thank you—”
Dojin, who had glanced at the secretary without thinking, jolted in surprise. The secretary was a fox yokai. Fox yokai were rare and exceptional Wia; though called ‘yokai’, their classification actually placed them among Yeongmul.
A Yeongmul one rarely ever encountered calmly set down the teacups with the most emotionless expression imaginable—then smiled and bowed only to Immortal Iri. Iri gave a small nod in return. After the fox yokai left the office, Jeon Woochi explained without being asked.
“She’s paying for her crimes by working as a secretary. She’s scheduled to work ten more years.”
“How many years has she worked so far?”
“Ninety-nine years. She made a lot of mistakes at first, but she’s quite competent now.”
“Then why did she greet my master specifically? Master, do you know that fox yokai?”
“No….”
“Wia are always happy to see Immortal Iri. All life naturally becomes aware of his existence the moment it becomes Wia. To finally meet in person someone you’ve only known of—it truly feels mysterious and sacred. You understand that, don’t you?”
“I understand it, but I still don’t like it.”
As a Jangsa who was both human and Wia, Dojin understood all too well the psychology of Wia who couldn’t help wanting to greet Iri whenever they saw him.
From the moment he was an infant, he had known of Immortal Iri’s existence. Just as breathing comes naturally without being taught, knowledge of Immortal Iri and the rental shop he ran surfaced naturally in his mind.
Having seen such a being in person, how could anyone possibly pass by without greeting him?
Even when Dojin glared beside him with eyes wide open, countless juvenile Wia still gathered, climbing up Iri’s clothes or rubbing against him, asking to be doted on. He understood it—yet he didn’t like it one bit.
