Shunk.
The boy collapsed, an arrow piercing his chest.
“I got him! I got the monster bastard right here!”
Beyond the knight's excited shouts, another noisy voice overlapped in the boy's ears.
-Get up! You have to get up, Noel!
The ghosts, who could usually do nothing but chatter, were saying such things for some reason today.
Noel's body trembled as he pushed his upper body up.
“...So... noisy.”
He didn't know how many arrows had hit him, but blood was streaming down.
This was not good.
But Noel gritted his teeth and reached a hand out behind him.
Black smoke swirled, and the ghosts who had only been chattering noisily took on physical form.
-You, run! Quickly!
He knew.
He had run yesterday.
He was running today.
And he would have to run tomorrow.
“The monster, the monster bastard is using his power… Aaargh!”
A scream came from where the knights were.
In that moment, someone on a black horse snatched Noel up and galloped away.
“...Noel!”
It was his mother.
She hugged Noel tightly to her chest.
“Are you… all right?”
The child was so cold it sent a wave of fear through her.
She was afraid to even speak.
“...Mother.”
“Hold on. You have to hold on. You absolutely must hold on.”
He needed to tell her he would hold on, hearing her repeat those words, but he was so sleepy.
His mouth wouldn't move.
‘...I'm tired.’
Is that why this is happening?
‘Then again, it's no wonder I'm exhausted from being chased and having to live in hiding.’
So what if the emperor was killed by a Necromancer like him?
For all anyone knew, he could have been so frail he died of a heart attack after seeing his own shadow at night.
The man was long dead, yet the current emperor was still trying to wipe every last Necromancer from the empire for the sake of his father's revenge.
What had he done wrong?
Hunted every moment.
Starving.
He had spent over a decade with sleepless nights.
He was sick of it.
“...Noel! Noel!”
But with his mother calling for him so desperately, he had to hold on, didn't he?
‘Don't worry. …I'll be fine today, too.’
Noel smiled and slowly closed his eyes.
***
Throb.
The man regained consciousness to a fierce pain.
Wee-woo, wee-woo.
The loud noise made his head ring.
It was a sound he'd never heard before in his life, yet it was strangely familiar.
“Mo…ther…”
He stopped trying to call for his mother and gasped the moment he opened his eyes.
A ghost with a crushed head, blood streaming down, was looking at him.
“...Move.”
The man spoke and reached out to get up, but a damp feeling made him look down.
It was blood.
When he held out his hand, blood dripped from it.
‘...Huh?’
It wasn't his hand.
His body hadn't even finished growing yet, but his hand was large.
Why?
“Aaaah!”
“Someone, someone… fell! Call 119!”
Screams from all around made his head ring.
-...Who are you?
‘What is he talking about?’
The man turned his head at the ghost's words, and his eyes widened.
A completely unfamiliar landscape unfolded before him, making his heart race.
What were those massive buildings, and what was that strange thing made of iron?
But he knew where he was and what those things were.
Unfamiliar words and knowledge flooded his mind haphazardly.
In this contradictory situation, the man's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.
***
“Mr. Do Yeonghyeon. How is your head?”
At the doctor's words, the man looked up at him from his bed.
When he woke up, he was told the surgery had gone well and that there were no major issues, but they would have to monitor his progress.
They said a guardian had come, but he didn't know who it was, and there was a caregiver present.
“It throbs a little.”
“And your arm, is it uncomfortable?”
The man glanced at the cast on his arm and shook his head.
He'd heard something about them putting in screws or what have you.
“It's fine.”
“Prescribe more painkillers.”
The doctor whispered quietly to the nurse.
“Well then, I'll see you later.”
With a gentle smile, the doctor left.
The man smiled back.
Once the curtain was drawn, the man stared at the ceiling and thought.
He was Noel Teurus.
But he had inhabited a body he didn't know at all.
The body of the man floating near the ceiling with his head smashed in.
His name was Do Yeonghyeon.
He was a Hyung who had just become an adult.
The cause of death was a heart attack from jumping to his death.
He had landed on a car, so luckily, his body wasn't severely injured.
‘Thanks to that, my soul must have settled in before Soul Corrosion completely took over the body. But the only thing that could make something like this possible is Necromancy.’
The power to communicate with souls, grant them physical form, and even borrow their strength.
Placing a lost soul into another body was also a form of Necromancy.
‘Does that exist in this world, too? No, before that, why… was I transported to a world like this?’
Noel continued to harbor his doubts as he got out of bed.
He pushed the IV stand and went outside.
Yeonghyeon followed.
He went out and sat on a bench near the hospital.
“Alright, shall we talk now? I'm sure you have questions for me, too.”
Noel looked at Yeonghyeon.
-Who are you?
“Noel.”
Hearing the name, Yeonghyeon thought of a foreigner.
It sounded like a foreign name to anyone, didn't it?
-Why are you… occupying my body?
“Funny question for a dead man to ask. What, you regret it?”
-No. I'm just curious. It's fascinating, isn't it?
“Find something else to be fascinated by. You're dead, so just accept it and get lost. Don't ask me for any favors. Are we clear?”
Noel waved his hand dismissively.
It seemed that even in a different world, ghosts were just as clingy.
In the world he came from, ghosts would constantly seek him out, a Necromancer, and threaten him.
-By any chance, are my memories in your head?
“Enough not to interfere with daily life? Why do you ask?”
At that, Yeonghyeon looked at Noel and hesitated.
-...You see.
“Don't even start. Don't start asking for favors, whining about how unfair it is or whatever. Or what? Are you going to threaten me?”
As a Necromancer, he could see ghosts, but with very few exceptions, he didn't like them.
They always struggled to do things after they died that they could have done while they were alive.
As if that changed anything.
Every time, he felt like annihilating their very souls, but that could lead to Soul Corrosion.
‘…If you get Soul Corrosion, you have to soak your entire body in ice water until it subsides.’
How horrible and troublesome.
And that was just a temporary fix; if the Soul Corrosion was severe, there was no cure.
-No! If you grant my request, I'll help you and give you money.
Noel paused for a moment, then looked at Yeonghyeon with surprised eyes.
“...You'll give me money?”
-That's right. I'm dead, but you have to live, right? You'll need money for that.
“Why…?”
-Why? Because I'd be so, so grateful if you granted my request. When you were unconscious, I wandered around, but no one could see me. It was a strange feeling.
Yeonghyeon smiled, but it was grotesque.
Noel extended a finger.
A black mist swept over Yeonghyeon's body, and his shattered head and the blood covering him returned to normal.
“...You're really strange.”
-Am I? Isn't this normal?
“Seeing ghosts is what's strange. Don't they report you?”
That was precisely why he hated ghosts.
There were always traitors.
Even among fellow Necromancers.
A ghost would recognize a Necromancer and tattle to another Necromancer.
Then the traitorous Necromancer would inform the empire, leading to the deaths of other Necromancers.
How could he possibly like ghosts?
-What… kind of reporting are you talking about?
“There must be people who see ghosts here, too. Don't you get hunted or something?”
-Those people? They get paid.
At the mention of money, Noel's eyes widened.
“They get… paid?”
-That's right. People go to them, praise them for being skilled, and even cry with gratitude. You don't have that where you're from?
At this unbelievable fact, Noel felt his common sense crumbling.
To think you could make money by seeing ghosts.
Not get reported for seeing ghosts.
Not get hunted for seeing ghosts.
To think such a fantastic world existed.
Noel looked around.
Perhaps because it was a hospital, there were a lot of ghosts.
-Where are you going all of a sudden?
Noel answered Yeonghyeon's question lightly.
“To see if it's true.”
Noel strode forward.
He saw what looked like an elderly couple; the man was pushing the woman's wheelchair.
They looked very affectionate.
But a middle-aged male ghost was crying near the woman.
He had a feeling about this.
Noel blocked their path.
“Wait a moment. There's a ghost attached to you right now.”
The couple looked at Noel with baffled expressions, but he unhesitatingly questioned the ghost.
“Why are you crying?”
-...C-can you see me?
“I asked why you're crying.”
-Because I feel so sorry for my wife. She suffered so much because of me, and now she's being deceived by that con man.
“What… do you think you're doing?”
The man snapped.
“You, stay put. Is that old woman rich?”
-Before I died, I took out a lot of insurance policies to help a friend. You have no idea how relieved I was after I died. But then my wife… she came down with a terrible illness. It's all my fault.
The dead husband started crying again.
“I see what's going on.”
Noel nodded lightly.
“You should calm down. It looks like he's suffered a serious head injury. Young man. We're fine, so you should go inside where it's warm.”
The woman spoke cautiously, smiling.
She seemed like a good person.
“Ma'am.”
“Yes?”
“That man is a con artist after your insurance money.”
Noel pointed his finger at the man.
The man flinched at the gesture.
-I heard his whole plan to steal his wife's seal, secretly register their marriage, and then change the insurance beneficiary to himself.
“He’s planning to steal your seal, secretly register your marriage, and then change the insurance beneficiary to himself. Did you entrust your seal to him?”
At what was practically the final blow, the man flew into a rage.
“You, you little bastard!”
“See? He’s reacting like that because he’s been found out. Your late husband is crying right now because he’s so worried about you. He can’t pass on peacefully like this. Cut ties with him, quickly.”
“Hey! What are you? What the hell are you?!”
The man approached Noel, looking at him as if he were completely insane.
-Tell her you're a Shaman. That's what they're called here.
Yeonghyeon discreetly informed him.
*He had to help with a good deed.*
“I’m a Shaman. Now that I’ve helped you, give me my money.”
Noel held out his hand to the woman, waggling it insolently.
The man abruptly grabbed Noel by the collar.
“Are you crazy? Accusing someone of being a con artist and then demanding money?”
“Stop.”
“Let’s go to the police station right now! Right now!”
“I told you to stop!”
At the woman’s words, the man glared at her, seething. His expression was strange.
“...You. Don't tell me you believe that crazy bastard?”
Despite the man’s question, the woman pushed the wheelchair and went inside.
“You! Wait a minute!”
The man followed right after her. The sound of his excuses could be heard, but it wasn't important to Noel.
“...You lied to me?”
He glared at Yeonghyeon.
He didn't even get any money.
And wasn't he just treated like a crazy person again?
-A liar? Me? This is your fault.
“What?”
-Even if blurting things out is the norm where you're from, here, anyone would hate it if you talk like that. There's a reason they set up shops to receive clients, you know.
‘...Ah.’
Noel understood what he meant.
His own knowledge and the knowledge in Yeonghyeon’s head were constantly clashing, making it quite difficult to find his footing.
In his original world, everyone knew ghosts existed, but that wasn't the case here.
“You’re right. I approached it the wrong way. You’ll definitely be a help.”
He really was a ghost essential for adapting to this world.
“From now on, if I do something like this, you have to let me know.”
-That’s easy enough. In that case...
“...Hold on. Let’s talk inside. It’s damn cold.”
Noel shivered and quickly went inside the hospital.
It was winter here, too.
***
“...This is your fault.”
Noel glared at Yeonghyeon.
Perhaps because Yeonghyeon was lingering around him, other ghosts had started to gather.
They were even talking to him, and it was so noisy he felt like he was going to die.
As if his head didn't already hurt enough to kill him.
He didn't even know how he'd managed to sleep last night.
He never knew a day could be this long.
-But... they're asking, how can I ignore them? They all feel the same way I do. It was fun at first, no one being able to see me, but now... it's not so great.
“Then tell them to pay up.”
Noel once again dragged the IV stand and went outside.
‘The ghosts here are certainly docile.’
The ghosts in his original world would ask nicely once, and if he refused, they'd immediately threaten to tattle on him to another Necromancer.
The ghosts here just pleaded, and pleaded again.
The problem was, they did it all day long.
When he looked back, they were lining up and approaching him.
“Ah, just go away!”
When Noel yelled, a passerby looked over in surprise, but there was nothing there.
They just saw the bandages wrapped around his head, quietly thought, ‘He must have hurt his head,’ and moved away.
Noel headed toward the place he'd first come out to, then stopped.
-Just a moment. It'll only take a moment!
It was the dead husband he'd seen before.
‘How annoying.’
He had only paused for a moment, but the wheelchair approached quickly.
It was the old woman.
The person pushing from behind didn't seem to be the con artist, but a daughter or a caregiver.
“...Young man.”
The old woman spoke.
“Yes?”
“...Is he... crying a lot?”
Noel looked up at the dead husband.
“He was crying then, but he isn't crying now.”
“Really?”
“Yes. He’s smiling now. Looks like you got rid of that con artist.”
-Damn right she did. My wife is as sharp as ever.
The ghost laughed heartily.
“Young man...”
The old woman called out to Noel in a trembling voice, reaching out her hand.
Noel looked at the hand, then took it.
She placed her hand over his.
“Thank you, really.”
As she gently stroked his hand, Noel froze.
It felt incredibly unfamiliar.
“That money... it was my husband’s life insurance. I... I didn't even know, and I kept a beast by my side.”
The old woman took an envelope from her pocket and held it out.
“This is your Fortune-telling Fee.”
Noel slowly accepted the envelope.
It was real.
He'd really said he could see ghosts, and she had given him money.
-Young man.
At the dead husband’s words, he turned his head and saw him enveloped in light.
He was letting go of his lingering attachments and preparing to leave.
-Thank you so much. I'll be going on ahead, so could you please tell my wife to take her time and live a long, long life before she comes?
Noel looked at the envelope.
He'd been paid, so why wouldn't he do it?
“Your late husband says he’s going on ahead, and that you should take your time and live a long, long life before you come.”
When Noel pointed, the old woman turned her head.
“My dear. I’ll live so long you’ll be jealous, so go on to a better place now.”
As she smiled brightly, the dead husband also smiled brightly and vanished, leaving behind a shimmering light.
***
“...You were right.”
Back in the hospital room, Noel looked at Yeonghyeon.
“I can earn money, not get reported, and not get hunted.”
Noel's lips curved into a smile.
Hadn't he just proven it?
She'd called it a Fortune-telling Fee, and it contained a whopping one million won.
He had earned money.
Wasn't this the first time he'd earned money with this power?
“So, what's your request?”
-What? It was about money?
One of the ghosts who had been staring intently spoke up.
Noel's gaze shifted to that ghost.
It was a bald, middle-aged man.
He pointed to himself confidently.
-Should've said so sooner. I've got quite a bit stashed away. Hidden in a place even my wife and kids don't know about. That bothersome fellow is watching us, but who cares. It's not like he's going to do anything for us. How about it? My offer?
The End
ⓒ Hwang Siwoo#1axjm
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