Chapter 131
Becoming one of them.
It was a choice that Yoo Siwoon, as a non-believer who had tried to destroy them, would never make.
Yoo Siwoon was still a non-believer, but not when it came to Eunseong.
If it was a way to protect Eunseong, he didn’t care if it meant throwing himself into something he had loathed his entire life.
This is what he should have done from the beginning. He should have acknowledged the Great Gap and established Eunseong as his wife, his partner, protected by family law so no one could touch him.
That was the fastest way to control the Yongse Pacheon Church and dominate the Seongha Group, and now Yoo Siwoon was trying to become what he had so desperately wanted to end, to climb to the top of that organization.
“A special being. A very… very special being.”
“…”
“Everyone will treat you that way now. As a very special being.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m, I’m just… an ordinary person.”
“I know. That you’re ordinary.”
Eunseong felt like he might cry from fear. Something was wrong. These people, the people of this family, were mistaken about something. Eunseong was nothing special. He didn’t excel at anything, he wasn’t good at studying. He wasn’t good at sports either, nor was he particularly intelligent. The only thing he was good at was making omurice. And even that was only tasty to him; he had never received compliments from others about it.
“There are families where heirs are precious, right? Like sole male descendants for four or five generations. You’ve heard of that, haven’t you?”
“…”
“That’s what you are here. So you don’t need to worry. No one can touch you.”
As he was comforting the frightened Eunseong, the executioner returned with tea.
The executioner carefully placed the steaming teacup on the table. As he did so, he kept glancing at Eunseong. When their eyes met, he seemed surprised but quickly lowered his gaze respectfully and stepped back. His attitude was not threatening toward Eunseong; rather, it was reverent and cautious.
Seeing the executioner’s attitude, Yoo Siwoon met Eunseong’s eyes as if seeking confirmation that what he had said was true. He seated Eunseong on the sofa at the reception table and brought him a teacup.
“I’m going to talk with the elder, so wait here for a moment.”
“…Can’t you not go? Or can I come with you? I don’t want to be alone. I’m scared to be here by myself.”
“It’s okay. I told you, right? No one can treat you carelessly. That person will be protecting you.”
“…”
“Drink your tea. I’ll be back soon.”
Yoo Siwoon stroked Eunseong’s cheek comfortingly one last time before getting up. Eunseong desperately tried to hold him back with his eyes, pleading not to leave him alone, but Yoo Siwoon closed the inner door.
Eunseong straightened his body that had awkwardly turned toward the door. He looked down at the steaming teacup and took a sip. While sipping the tea, he quietly looked around the inner room, an office-like space with modern design that was hard to believe existed inside a temple.
His eyes then met those of the man who was observing him with glances. Eunseong nodded his head in greeting for no particular reason. The man also cautiously met his eyes and quickly lowered his gaze, but he kept looking at Eunseong’s face as if stealing glances.
“…Thank you for the tea.”
When Eunseong thanked him, the man suddenly bowed his head deeply. Embarrassed by the man’s reaction of hurriedly bowing despite him not saying anything special, Eunseong rubbed the back of his neck and took another sip of tea.
Yoo Siwoon returned before Eunseong had finished his tea. Eunseong, who had been engaged in a nerve-wracking game of glances with the executioner who kept looking at him, sighed with relief when Yoo Siwoon came back.
An old man with white hair and a solemn expression who looked almost like a cult leader also entered the inner room with him.
“So, your name is Seo Eunseong? And you’re twenty years old.”
“…Yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I should have greeted you earlier, but I apologize for the circumstances.”
Eunseong calmly delivered the greeting he had prepared in his mind. This was the kind of situation he had expected, not like earlier when hundreds of eyes stared at him in shock.
“Did you do well on the college entrance exam?”
“What?”
“The college entrance exam. You must have taken it this year.”
He was no longer the terrifying old man who had fiercely driven people away earlier. He asked Eunseong with kind wrinkles on his face. Yoo Siwoon’s gaze turned toward the apostle. They exchanged a prearranged look.
Yoo Siwoon had firmly instructed the council apostle that the Great Gap didn’t know what kind of vessel he was, that he had lived ordinarily and wouldn’t understand this situation, and that if he found out, he might do something to the vessel that was supposed to bear children. He insisted on maintaining absolute secrecy and treating him as normally as possible as the family heir.
The corners of the apostle’s mouth kept tightening, awkwardly stiff as he tried to act in a way he never had before in front of the Great Gap.
“…I didn’t do very well. But I did improve from before. I really studied hard at the end.”
“Where did you apply?”
“I don’t really have a place I want to go, and I don’t know what major to pursue. Ahjussi suggested I go on a language study abroad first, and then I’ll decide if I find something I want to do.”
“That’s right, life is long, and nothing bad will happen if you don’t do something for a year or two right now. Take your time to prepare and enter a good place. No need to rush.”
“Yes…”
Only then did Eunseong look at Yoo Siwoon with relieved eyes. When their eyes met, Yoo Siwoon smiled faintly. The apostle extended his hand to Eunseong.
“May I have your hand?”
“…”
Yoo Siwoon watched the apostle with tense eyes at the unexpected request.
Though it needed confirmation, he had lived believing that directly receiving the Great Gap in his lifetime was impossible. He had been elevated to the position of apostle in the council of elders through devout faith, but as he grew older, he fell into doubt, wondering if he had been believing in something futile. At some point, he no longer believed in or sought the existence of the prophecy, and no longer suffered while performing the rituals.
He was someone who had rather believed in the role of the Yongse Pacheon Church council of elders passed down through generations and the material benefits guaranteed by the Seongha Group. To such a person, a miracle had descended. The miracle, the prophecy, actually existed. It was living right before his eyes. What he had believed in was not false. It was not in vain.
Eunseong placed his hand on the old man’s. Not knowing if this was the right thing to do, he looked at Yoo Siwoon, but he was just staring intently at the old man.
“…You’ve grown well. You’ve grown well.”
“Thank you.”
“You’ve done well growing up like this.”
“…”
“You’ve truly done well. The ancestors will be pleased.”
The apostle patted Eunseong’s hand. His voice choked up when he said the ancestors would be pleased, as he tried to suppress the overwhelming emotion that made him want to kneel before Eunseong and worship him right away.
“Then, you and Eunseong prepare and come out.”
The apostle, unable to let go of Eunseong’s hand and holding it as if receiving grace, said this to Yoo Siwoon and withdrew. The executioner also followed the apostle out, capturing Eunseong’s image in his eyes until the last moment before closing the door.
When all the staring eyes disappeared, Eunseong exhaled the breath he had been holding, smoothing down his chest that had been tense and startled.
“…Phew, that’s a relief. I was really scared, but it was better than I expected.”
He looked at Yoo Siwoon with eyes that asked, “Did I do well?” His eyes contained numerous emotions as they gazed at Eunseong.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No, you did well.”
“But why are you looking at me like I did something wrong?”
“Because I’m proud. You did so well.”
His forced smile was so obvious that it made Eunseong unnecessarily anxious.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“There’s one more thing we need to do.”
“Besides greeting them? What is it?”
“…A test is needed.”
“A test? What kind of test?”
“…”
He couldn’t answer and bit the inside of his cheek. His eyes were painfully distorted. Yoo Siwoon couldn’t look Eunseong straight in the eye and lowered his gaze. Staring at his troubled expression, Eunseong opened his mouth as if suddenly understanding what was going on.
“Ah, a paternity test? You mean a genetic test?”
“…”
Instead of answering, he slightly nodded his head, avoiding Eunseong’s gaze.
Eunseong spoke as if such a thing was no big deal.
“Such a test would be necessary, I guess. Since my dad lived in hiding with me… the elders might not trust me. Just anyone completely unrelated could appear and claim to be the heir.”
“…”
“Of course they need to verify. I’ll do it, the test. But I won’t have to take off my pants or anything, right?”
“…”
Eunseong, who was particularly averse to hospitals, asked with concern, and Yoo Siwoon couldn’t give any answer.
Seeing Eunseong confidently volunteer first as if it was nothing, Yoo Siwoon felt his heart painfully crumble.
He couldn’t believe himself. He swallowed dryly. His throat felt parched. What he was doing to Eunseong was unforgivable even to himself. He was blindly convinced that this was the only way.
But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with any other method. This was the only way Eunseong would live, and they wouldn’t touch him. This was ultimately the way for everyone to survive.
If Eunseong was recognized as the Great Gap, Yoo Siwoon would qualify to possess the entire Seongha Group, and Eunseong would officially belong to Yoo Siwoon. That fact made Yoo Siwoon tremble.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
