KTC | Chapter 3

Jangling her ID tag as if even a playful slap would bring divine retribution, Angela fetched a bag from the wall. It was a bag without a zipper, resembling a kangaroo’s pouch. She placed it in front of Choi Seonwoo’s bed and climbed inside.

Choi Seonwoo, who was haphazardly stuffing various things into his backpack, gave Angela a look and chuckled as if he found her adorable. The sharp, prickly impression he usually gave was shattered in an instant by his brief smile, which Chairman Seo found quite striking.

“Are you taking that cat with you too?”

“She’s very smart, so she won’t be a bother. It’s better to bring her along since she gets cranky if she can’t do what she wants—she’s a free spirit.”

Choi Seonwoo responded nonchalantly.

Angela was a cat he had met during his time as a deacon. He had found a dying kitten and taken it to a vet, planning to send it to a good home, but the cat clung to him as if refusing to go anywhere else, so he ended up keeping her.

“What’s that now?”

As Choi Seonwoo picked up something that looked like a seasoning container, Chairman Seo asked out of curiosity. It was a soft plastic container, like the ones you’d see in restaurants for soy sauce or ketchup.

“It’s a holy water container.”

“……”

“Why that look of criticism? You’re not even a proper believer.”

Choi Seonwoo finished, packing an old Bible and a crucifix, zipped up his bag, and slung it over his shoulder. The bag designated for Angela hung from his neck, resting against his chest. Believing she would be taken along, Angela quietly rested her chin on the edge of the bag’s opening.

“Let’s go.”

It had been quite some time since his last trip to Seoul.

Bodyguards led the way. The sedans lined up in the cathedral courtyard sparkled under the afternoon sun. Chairman Seo climbed into the back seat of a luxury sedan parked in the center, and Choi Seonwoo settled beside him.

As they sat side by side and the distance between them closed, Angela began to glare at Chairman Seo as if monitoring him. Choi Seonwoo’s gentle touch soothed her, stroking the top of her head. Only then did Angela look at them alternately before curling back inside the bag.

“We’re ready to depart, sir,” the driver announced respectfully.

Chairman Seo merely nodded slightly. The car started moving.

Just as they had come, they drove to the pier and took a ferry to Sammok Pier. Choi Seonwoo, who was petting the now sleeping Angela, began to speak as they passed a brightly lit district with neon signs.

“Has your grandson ever committed a serious sin? Something so grave as to earn the resentment of others?”

“No. Unlike me, he’s a truly good kid.”

Chairman Seo’s response was without hesitation.

After a moment of contemplation, Choi Seonwoo asked, “Do you believe Satan actually exists, as mentioned in the Bible?”

Caught off-guard by the sudden question, Chairman Seo tilted his head in confusion.

“He must, otherwise you people wouldn’t exist.”

Choi Seonwoo’s head throbbed with complexity at Chairman Seo’s answer, though he didn’t show it outwardly.

“Satan was originally conceived as a being in opposition to God, symbolizing evil and good. Exorcist priests like myself were created to eradicate Satan’s forces. I’ve had some spiritual ability since birth—a curse or a blessing I’m not sure—which is why I was often called to perform exorcisms even as a deacon. I’ve even driven out demons that my senior priest couldn’t handle, which greatly raised the Pope’s expectations of me. He thought I could relieve many people suffering from evil spirits. But I’ve grown doubtful over the course of performing these rites.”

Chairman Seo had no response to this profound topic. Choi Seonwoo was not looking for one.

“People claim to be manipulated by Satan all the time, but you never hear anyone claim to be controlled by God, do you? I’ve come to realize that. Neither of them can truly manifest in this world, I believe.”

“……”

“Many who requested exorcisms were plagued by evil spirits, they said, and some were even criminals in prison. But when I went with my senior priest, it was often their karma or bad spirits that were the true cause.”

“Karma or bad spirits?”

“Yes.”

Choi Seonwoo sighed deeply as Angela, deep in sleep, suddenly opened her eyes, stretched her limbs long, and began kneading the air like a newborn batting at a mobile.

“Well, it’s all just the mischief of malevolent spirits.”

As if sentencing a criminal, Choi Seonwoo spoke emotionlessly, his finger resting on Angela’s front paw.

“Just as there is unconditional good, there is reasonless evil. But such baseless evil can’t harm a truly flawless being. That’s the conclusion I’ve reached after many exorcisms.”

Chairman Seo found it difficult to reply. What Choi Seonwoo was trying to say was clear, but it was hard to argue against. No excuse could cover the life he had lived.

“The many resentful spirits around Brother Theodore suggest, if something’s wrong, even if your grandson is innocent, the cause might lie with you, Brother. Malevolent spirits can be inherited, after all.”

At that moment, a heavy, painful chime rang in Chairman Seo’s mind. The faces of his deceased brothers and his son and daughter-in-law flashed through his mind like a fast-moving panorama, like arrows of fire.

Chairman Seo’s mansion was impressive, occupying nearly 200 pyeong of land adjacent to Namsan, reminiscent of a prime minister’s residence from the Joseon Dynasty.

Following Chairman Seo, Choi Seonwoo entered through the large gate. The servants, who came out and bowed deeply, were no different from the slaves of a Joseon noble house in status.

As Chairman Seo entered the annex, lights that had been off flickered anxiously on. The architecture showcased beautifully exposed large beams and rafters.

They passed the first door and several paper doors. Men in dark suits stood guarding each door, probably because Seo Jihan, often possessed by evil spirits, occasionally exhibited inexplicable strength.

“Grandfather……”

As the final paper door opened, a fading voice greeted them. Following Chairman Seo at a relaxed pace, Choi Seonwoo surveyed the large room before fixing his gaze on Seo Jihan.

Seo Jihan lay on a large bed, his wrists and ankles bound by thick iron chains. The chains on his wrists were attached to the wall, and those on his ankles were secured into the floor with several layers of cement.

He looked even thinner than in the photos, almost like a skeleton with skin draped over it. His eyelids, tinged with purple, trembled as he opened his eyes and gazed vacantly at the ceiling, his lips cracked and bleeding.

“Can you untie me now? What is this? I’m telling you, I’m really fine.”

Chairman Seo bit his wrinkled lips in response, not uttering a word. How agonizing it must be to bind his beloved grandson like an animal, but he had no choice if he was to prevent him from harming himself.

Choi Seonwoo walked around the room without disturbing anything, probably because of the frequent disturbances already caused, though there were no potential weapons around. Even the frames were set up with paper flowers, no glass or wood in sight.

“I had a dream today. A blindingly bright devil came to visit me. It was so painful, like burning, every time it touched me, and I was writhing, but you just watched quietly. That was just a dream, right?”

“Jihan……”

“Ah, it’s weird. Really weird. It might be time to give up, right? There’s such a thing as euthanasia. If the quality of life is this low, there’s no need to struggle to live, right?”

While they were talking, Choi Seonwoo picked up an important piece of information. The spirit of his young mother, who had died tragically at a young age, was hovering near Seo Jihan, screaming in agony. Given her bloody appearance, it seemed she had been involved in a major accident.

Neither exceptionally good nor evil in her lifetime, she lacked the spiritual power to protect her precious child. Yet, she was diligently trying to fend off the malevolent spirits targeting him.

With a flick of his finger, Choi Seonwoo had quickly grasped the situation.