HLFH | Chapter 2

“If you contact me, I’ll come pick you up.”

As the car disappeared, Ki Jaeeon, left alone, began to hear the whispers of young voices in his ears. With tones as soft as spring flowers, they sang curses like “Die, die, die,” stacking them like a song. It was mere retaliation.

Childish harassment from ghosts who had once hidden in fear of being exorcised by Ki Jaeeon.

“You’re nothing. Just an empty shell,” they mocked, enjoying themselves as they watched him stagger.

Having refused meals and stayed up several nights, even this small amount of stress was enough to drain his stamina. As nausea surged, he hurriedly covered his mouth, but the veins on the back of his hand twitched painfully.

In truth, Ki Jaeeon’s power hadn’t disappeared.

In fact, thanks to his regression, his abilities had significantly increased. There was probably no exorcist alive who could surpass him. With just a few gestures, he could banish evil spirits, cleanse misfortune, and even make new sprouts grow on barren land.

A talent considered truly invincible.

The problem was that he had no will to use it. Like a vast land with an inexhaustible spring, it’s useless if there’s no one to drink from it.

That’s why even stray ghosts, which he could easily chase away like flies, were bothering him.

‘The sky is so clear…’

Unconsciously, Ki Jaeeon clutched his chest tightly, trying to calm his ragged breathing.

He just wanted to die like this.

But in this world where his father, mother, and brother were alive, he couldn’t. As a son, he couldn’t bear to drive a nail into his parents’ hearts. In the end, he could only wait helplessly for ‘it’ to appear and ruthlessly destroy his precious things again.

‘Breathe, breathe… please breathe.’

Thinking of the inevitable end made his whole body ache as if stabbed by knives.

Ah, it would be nice if a wrecked life could quietly sink away.

𓂃 ོ☼𓂃

“Master Young! Are you ready?”

Meanwhile, at the Exorcism Association Seoul Branch, known as Bonryeong, there was a frenzy of cleaning and tidying. And for good reason—because the high-and-mighty Incheon branch (Cheonjiharang), especially the Ki Family’s second son, the one from the rumors, was coming!

Park Hong, the treasurer of Bonryeong, bustled around in his uniform, directing people to clean here and there.

Watching him, Kim Young, Bonryeong’s Haeju¹, looked on awkwardly.

“Yes, I’m ready. But, is all this fuss really necessary…?”

“Hey! What are you saying? We can’t let those unlucky Incheon folks find any fault! We’ll polish everything so they’re shocked!”

And then, ahem! Park Hong smirked. His shiny face looked like a greedy toad.

“It’s a matter where even the great Ki Family bowed down to ask for help. Well, Seoul is better than Incheon for healing. Yes! We’re unmatched in that field. Anyway, the point is—if we succeed this time, we might get a hefty reward from the Ki Family, right? We’re short on budget for a new project anyway.”

Kim Young gave a subtle smile at Park Hong, who was already dreaming of emptying the Ki Family’s coffers.

It wasn’t wrong.

If they could just lift the curse on their precious second son… a huge reward would surely await, just as Park Hong hoped.

They’d probably receive enough to live lazily for years.

‘The problem is…’

He wasn’t confident.

How could he perform a healing exorcism on a curse that even Ki Jaeeon couldn’t lift himself? Kim Young let out a hot sigh. The pressure weighed heavily on his shoulders. It felt like trying to show off in front of a master.

‘The backlash if we fail is terrifying.’

It wasn’t an exaggeration. The Ki Family, true to their reputation, tended to look down on other exorcists and practitioners.

But for them to personally request help!

‘I must not make a mistake… I hope I don’t end up being scolded because of this.’

Bonryeong² was already looked down upon by Cheonjiharang³. Kim Young groaned, troubled.

“Hehehe~ Just thinking about the Incheon folks being frustrated makes my heart race!”

Whether he knew Kim Young’s worries or not, Park Hong seemed just excited. Isn’t there a healer like this in Cheonjiharang? We have one, right? It was so childish it was hard to watch.

“Stay focused.”

“Master Young, you have to do well. Who’s better at healing than you here?”

“Well…”

Kim Young smiled like a ‘white rabbit rice cake’, a comparison kids often used. Seeing this, Park Hong jumped up, saying it looked undignified.

“Let’s be solemn. Don’t be intimidated by that young brat!”

How could he not be intimidated? It was none other than Ki Jaeeon. Kim Young held back his retort.

“Treasurer, if you’re too loud, others will hear.”

“Oh, yes. I should be careful. Those narrow-minded Incheon folks will nag if they hear us badmouthing them.”

Just then, an announcement came, “They’ve arrived from Cheonjiharang.” The awaited guests had arrived. Kim Young said he’d go greet them and quickly left the corridor. Walking down the long hallway, he realized one thing.

‘Everyone’s expecting.’

Despite all the badmouthing about the arrogant Incheon folks and the unlucky Ki Family, now that Ki Jaeeon was coming, all the practitioners at Bonryeong were on edge, craning their necks.

It wasn’t hard to understand.

They were about to see the person closest to a god among them.

Anyone in this field would naturally be curious about Ki Jaeeon.

Most importantly, what everyone wanted to know was if Ki Jaeeon…

‘Is stronger than Kim Juwon?’

A joke among us.

[If Incheon has Ki Jaeeon, Seoul has Kim Juwon.]

Unlike Ki Jaeeon from a prestigious family, an exorcist from an ‘ordinary’ background.

Yet, among the many promising talents expected to lead Bonryeong in the future.

‘It’s a relief Juwon is away right now.’

If that guy had met Ki Jaeeon, he would’ve caused a scene, saying they needed to see who’s superior.

Kim Young thought of his disciple, Kim Juwon.

A kid who seemed born from fire while others were born from lotus flowers.

‘Hmm… It’s really a relief he’s not here.’

“Where is Exorcist Ki Jaeeon?”

With a sigh of relief, Kim Young gently asked the guide as he descended the stone steps.

“He’s at the front gate.”

“I’ll greet him.”

Before opening the massive gate, Kim Young turned to check the surroundings.

[Bonryeong (本靈)]

A hanok at the end of a long line of lanterns. Less flashy and with a shorter history than Incheon (Cheonjiharang) or Busan (Haeshin), but it has its own charm. There’s no need to be embarrassed or intimidated by any guest.

‘Alright, let’s see his face.’

The future owner of Cheonjiharang.

The one and only genius, loved by the gods, the future of exorcists, with countless titles.

[Ki Jaeeon]

He stands before us!

Kim Young calmed his trembling heart and opened the gate energetically.

But it was strange.

‘Is this… kid, really… Ki Jaeeon?’

Before him stood a precarious young man who looked like he could die at any moment.

Kim Young carefully observed the boy sitting quietly in front of him. Even after ten minutes in the room, he hadn’t made eye contact once.

He even wondered if someone else had come.

Because he was completely different from ‘the one from the rumors’.

His slightly wavy black hair was the same.

His tall height and broad shoulders were as impressive as described.

But… his slouched posture, eyes fixed on the floor, and hollow complexion.

Even his anxious hands picking at hangnails.

He didn’t look well at all.

‘His fingertips are all damaged.’

He seemed so withdrawn it was almost embarrassing to call him Ki Jaeeon.

Why was he scared? Kim Young placed a hot cup of green tea in front of Ki Jaeeon, forcing a clumsy smile. It was a careful effort to ease his tension by appearing as approachable as possible.

“You must’ve had a hard time coming from Incheon to Seoul.”

“…Ah, no, n-not at all.”

Even stuttering?

There were many stories about Ki Jaeeon. Even if you didn’t want to hear them, you couldn’t avoid hearing about the “second son of the Ki Family.”

Beyond his outstanding skills, there were rumors about his condescending gaze, his commanding tone, and how he often ignored others and boasted.

But meeting him in person—he was nothing like the rumors.

Where had such ridiculous stories come from about this kid?

‘He even had stray ghosts with him.’

Just before crossing the gate, he saw stray ghosts perched on his shoulders.

At first, he thought they were just stray ghosts he hadn’t bothered to exorcise, but now he suspected otherwise.

Kim Young wondered if it was ‘because of the curse’ and quickly began a healing exorcism. He held a rosary made from a tree that lived a thousand years and was struck by lightning, imbued with the purest spirit, a divine artifact.

But Kim Young had to stop the incantation in just a minute.

Because… there was no curse on Ki Jaeeon.