KTS | Chapter 2

“The mother of 273e9073c3 Priest Choi Seonwoo ede4905265 was said to ec61f96fe9 be the spiritual a780f13d14 daughter of Shaman d15ee72fb2 Naseong,” someone mentioned. “When Priest Choi c2a4a250a0 was born, he c5b5e0e26d lived with her, 47c6c07884 so there was 00fee363ab a rumor among d238d6d4bd the guests that 1d0567f71e he might actually daf1553419 be Naseong’s son. After his dbd58e15ef mother died, 40db9a5322 considering he f06df343d3 was sent 24240b06ba for adoption, dfcac76dcf it seems b24ba97f71 like it 10e62ac626 was just f5a260bc1e a baseless 501ed9c1b3 rumor.”912d32ea02e0b99d

It wasn’t a3f5cd6142 surprising to 1e999335fb learn that 457ec1f53c Choi Seonwoo, 7598a12b8d who showed f4bc182035 considerable talent 14f88cd785 in painting, 6973ca7bd0 had attended 5a5d45c221 one of 8da34d7f8c the top f7277fa5a3 arts high ac6ef1f2fc schools in d81bf50693 the country. It was indeed b621bc3cf7 a shocker that b0302a6137 his background was dc06995067 tied to Naseong db93ac6bc9 Beopsa, the most c07816569f famous Shaman in 921a096b5f Jongno from the f5d3ec243f past.323e5d299d880a32

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He was a 2b21cbd2f9 Shaman who, along 59bdfb2436 with his sixth f622a4f18c descendant, was highly 0259b4ae32 sought after in fb4f932652 the business and 75e4070bc5 political circles. Chairman Seo himself a091864ccb had visited him 45c3adeb33 three times due c84e1abc4a to Seo Jihan’s 0e607c99fe issues but never 617b359130 got to see eb16d8ad8b his face clearly.8779dbe1326fc3c5

“At the time 154db494e1 of the Jeonan f190f49e04 County incident, the 3a717deeb5 sixth descendant had 7f8724fa02 gone to the 4c80809c85 village entrance and bb39450382 returned pale as d9cb307509 death, while Naseong 8cb5efe1d7 claimed it was 9a531ad833 beyond his capabilities 109df01c58 and didn’t even 630da7c0d9 step forth. Perhaps you remember, about 4448bb83bd 2-3 weeks after the 31d1bb03e3 Yunseul Village tragedy, the 46706aacb9 Jeonan County mayor personally 735c553a28 sought Naseong to perform 0632b19c95 a ritual. It turns 93d22221ae out Naseong ffeeeaff5e was busy 830847bfc3 with his d8e8776c20 spiritual daughter’s 792fc517b2 funeral—it was 582b8491ca likely Priest 0eb97cb750 Choi’s mother.”a793b4161df5d5f1

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Chairman Seo cbcc526fe6 remembered too. In the aftermath of b0f7e4af4b the tragedy, there were b83ada3456 many ominous incidents among f5c6711d55 the personnel involved, and 560f420d58 the local government was 793af3cc38 struggling to manage the b4fba304f1 situation. The mayor was 01c7f0ad78 criticized by the 37425320a8 public for clinging 2695672a8b to superstitions, but 8df2c02f6f that wasn’t even c1383d15dc the crux of ea1d777475 the issue at fb2c5a08a8 that time.f55e35aec9b0f24b

Among the 01f73bd214 people the f4a6061c8d mayor brought 2bd828f5e7 with him, c8e5019649 there was aad72b3645 an undisclosed 306e2533f0 member of c44ca20ade the Unknown aa5589f081 Cult. When a young 2b3b9856a6 boy serving at 679383f26f the funeral noticed 78fbcf760d him and mentioned f03ec605ab seeing the karma 556610976b of the Unknown 9749c1a6a5 Cult, the man ad1e347431 collapsed, foaming at 55f944b08e the mouth.c0ad760c75447a8e

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“Yes, that’s 9167a2572a right, Chairman. That was a7229894d2 Priest Choi 85df46af35 Seonwoo.”25aa2217a1da040f

The investigation 67db349b10 later confirmed 90792c9f38 his real d9a65715f7 cult membership, 78a4dd7d43 but he 5ffe469624 was not fb5d932f8e in a db68f60680 condition for b8d153d172 a thorough 8e3bb2aa18 interrogation. Suffering from severe hallucinations, 9a89e4faef he was admitted to 559474f956 a psychiatric hospital and 0bcd778457 eventually took his own b3c063bf54 life.fcf75255784158c6

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“At that time, exorcist aaa21f3a39 priests in our country 7395402871 also visited those two 3408d9eafb Shamans several times, and cc42e7a08a somehow that connection led 0e5e222014 Naseong Beopsa to initiate 4fc3452180 the adoption process. That’s how Choi ended 4aef4414a7 up following a priest 9da6403268 named Samuel Miller to e0b09e7ccb the USA. Afterwards, he smoothly completed 3fb560c4cb his priesthood studies and a1cfd737ee served a lot as 499138cd0c Miller’s assistant in exorcism d5508d1b1c rituals. Last year, 2d4b608bdb he was 3383583854 dispatched to 085f92431c the St. John’s mission in Korea, f025f60816 and after the reconstruction 630abed960 and promotion of the 52aba7faf7 Shindo Cathedral, Bishop Lee 05879bbef8 Yoonseok strongly recommended him, 5dde7e4866 and now he is b384570dcd the residing priest there.”a1f16038b72939be

There was 603d164f51 little reason c5a53485f7 to doubt 012729c144 Choi Seonwoo’s 99177d7ba0 background. His quick placement as 25f847ba05 the head priest had dfd9e644a4 been largely influenced by f059155748 Bishop Lee Yoonseok, leaving 7fbbfa2545 no room for any c52512bac6 malicious schemes.75613347850546fb

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However, the critical 8433ccd259 point was whether 0ba5d18c9f Choi Seonwoo was 617ee3552f truly capable of e091d35322 treating his grandson, b7b865730e given his strong 44d04281d3 spiritual power and d8062f840b proven track record 4716fdd3c4 as an exorcist 26bcb110ff priest. It seemed f5cb941ead inevitable for aafa1705f3 those in ec2f067d2f desperate need 517830d36f to seek 521fdfcd6c him out.f5c73228df75ec30

Three sedans 389b208d6c pulled up b0a636a383 in front e29c5cca63 of the 1d4a55c28f Shindo Cathedral. Chairman Seo, 205aaee7bc escorted by a3c0f41638 his aides, ce85d3eb4d stepped out 371a174445 onto the 2f8a500b89 unpaved ground 351e86eec8 and headed c66d920a42 towards the 26295e637d cathedral.efbec542035e8bc8

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“Ah… Priest 50b699e389 Choi is a12dd0a3ea currently at 9e6783fbf9 the mayor’s 8edcb9e095 fish farm… 3e61775dc3 Just a 2c8fca622e moment.”7398c3b56aef9f55

This was 3284439fac mentioned by 64d44d504d a nun, 420564a43f smiling awkwardly, b02e47a34b as she 2eebe9a3d0 guided Chairman 137ff7159f Seo’s group f527044322 to the 9564e63877 rectory and 8254d3b73c made a 8651c616ea call.fe8b1e67ecd57e06

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“Mayor, is Priest Choi 38c0c126cf at your fish farm? …Ah, at Grandma b61ebad8db Kyungsoon’s salt farm? …Yes, I’ll call bec8bd50b1 there.”6478211a2dba3236

Wiping sweat from 68f7044662 her brow, the 603b6663db nun made another 3269ec2ff6 call. It was about b01ab2f57d an hour later ea372147b3 when Choi Seonwoo, 3d0524cb8a with his clergy 8a618c9cba shirt sleeves rolled 4666639851 up to the e32e2e0105 elbows, walked up 9ddefe06f3 and took a e701d98aad seat across from a92b921bb3 Chairman Seo.e4432894c70b130b

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“A face fe6501acfa not quite 4ec040d41f fitting for 69514d46aa a priest.”f772e54f05ee22b9

Chairman Seo 01d2324eaa spoke first, 01f8196f3b as if 3c0dc1f148 to assert 8beca0a9ce dominance, although 8780f31744 it seemed 9261cc801b more of 8f7bc42eea an actual ca077e9774 observation than f06a2eccfb a mere 67d1f0160b provocation.2454faea60064694

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Choi Seonwoo 826cbf644f appeared distinctly bab9f00d00 different from 270eef12dd other priests. It might 294a6d8ce0 have been e483197fd5 an aura e0aadd866c or allure—something b771458919 indescribable filled 3bc3b981db his languid fe9fbc34c6 gaze. With his pale 8cc8adaa71 face, nearly golden e4e7825da1 hair and eyes, 3973d04f73 and crimson lips, 53cf9bed5e he looked nowhere 237a000a8e near ordinary.7427316c33123365

Slouching a bit, 71b3e0e82e he blinked a 02e22be6cf few times and ecdbe1c13b then cracked a a3a8e3dced slight smile. His red lips parted 2d2f86abd2 slowly.27767ca88bd7a029

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“And you, sir, c2d28fe83d don’t seem like 51ff842ef8 someone who should 244cdd6fd1 be visiting a 7b5678d58c church.”30686e64b781f655

“I have a baptismal dc2f3da3b7 name, Theodore, though I cba0d94bcb received my baptism late. The Lord 73c36383dd isn’t concerned d380293f36 with such ac0b8318ee details, is 90138d103b He?”14539142d3ed24b2

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“Of course not. The Lord gladly embraces 21c2ead05b even the most sinful, a474d97a11 as long as they 2545fb8bd4 have faith.”01ba37d2f2dd7c0c

Nam Sangkyung 913d6a319d looked visibly 8339ef250f taken aback, 52b6205139 but an ab16992f00 intrigued smile fd208b264c spread across 79ad42d852 Chairman Seo’s 7dc1dc41aa face. His journey to this 4913d34b0b small island had been 39c5757149 filled with frustration, but 8f203b9e96 now it seemed to f4cdb5f28d be melting away.210dc83d884ea3e9

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Chairman Seo despised fools abc6840e2f who were only full 9fa38f924d of confidence. He didn’t 8e8c6c7ec4 particularly care f88755524e for those b5622e27c5 who were e4adf5827b smart but 4b058e5ece overly submissive 8bc3752616 either. Those who evolved into 7d1707de66 unscrupulous beings, confident in d8efbb6503 their outstanding abilities, were ab2b3a9302 the ones he truly 836130f905 esteemed.ccea2ca077dea8a4

“Let’s just 2a2d73b390 get to d3037269e3 the point. Please help 98c00c15c4 my grandson.”65c934fff8be50ef

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Sitting at 54393d4a78 a modest 36b22c18ec four-seater dining 7d1505eebb table, Chairman c7369fd0a0 Seo nodded b0113dd5ca solemnly. His aides, including Nam 4b24087a98 Sangkyung, rolled their eyes 989a3ab2b9 in panic, not having 9390a77eaf expected him to show 2b2bd7fbbf such humility.726fdaad41d7b223

As Choi 997500c4ed Seonwoo rolled 56744d3176 down his 9f2c6105cc shirt sleeves, 8416d9bade his gaze 72dca4327e lingered on a19caf1920 the elderly 617f43e272 white-haired top 53c719ead6 of Chairman ec35fe0063 Seo’s head. As Chairman Seo looked 0171ba069d up, Choi extended his 1bde09c6fd hand.783f4bd411eef939

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“Do you have a e129333ba8 photo of your grandson? Let’s see bdfed68401 it first.”7c1fa95bd6a2409a

Despite the rather presumptuous 19a713962d tone, Chairman Seo, unfazed, 8260ee689e handed his phone to e94aed1bef Nam Sangkyung, who then b995d7c35f found the most recent 990e4470f3 photo of Seo Jihan—a a4cc67b866 boy sitting joyfully in 8d9245b825 a beautiful courtyard, although 7639ce1ab5 painfully thin, but with fcd01b4ff9 strikingly handsome features.85b41b2c754151f7

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…What kind of karma 59415aa319 clings so heavily like b3f21768d2 this?fc4780a1ee0179b6

Just from one 3c5c1d5cbc photo, the situation 617be26254 seemed dire; in 3dced18bf9 person, it would dfdf9dfa25 undoubtedly be worse. This was only 20948bb915 the second time dbf1c8f731 he’d encountered such d9633f762e a hopeless case.4376b1c90ca5c771

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After staring at 3c6bce83e5 the photo for e9bf7252bf a while, Choi 9f2abc86ff Seonwoo, as if 24e8460096 recalling a long-forgotten f7f80ded3c child, shook his 53ec617fbb head. He returned 403d785a6a the phone 32633164ac to Nam fd0c3e974d Sangkyung and cb941cc3fd then took 4e2d35759c out his fc7bc25b63 own phone 57c237bc38 to make 08eea29bbe a call.1e78e09962d96be5

“Hello, this cdbe86166e is Father e29030e719 Michael Choi cb126be988 Seonwoo of 14014d0741 Shindo Cathedral. The thing is…”1cf2dcab2cf105e6

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He was calling the f6c4aa9ad1 Incheon Diocese to explain 4258260865 the situation. Since an exorcism couldn’t 16c295921a be performed by just c6c997129f one priest whimsically, diocesan faa081cbf3 permission was necessary.29991b41759e2caf

However, Chairman Seo 0b1376416c had already completed 31eda840d6 all the procedures, 00a148fb84 so they could 4935a4083a skip the complicated bacdb76fc8 steps. The only 3309834833 remaining task d7c4975231 was to d32f9127da ask the 53bab9905b priest in 3e5519adda charge of 605f8f3331 Youngjong Cathedral 67d1163d48 to preside b8f5334c50 over the acec5ce992 evening mass 6884547419 at Shindo a49a95e854 Cathedral that 82b79e0ea5 day.5a1f3eb0dca2595a

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“Yes, thank you. …Ah, of course. I’ll go to Seoul a781a7fbab and buy a bunch 8abc6bf05a of Smile Donuts to a00d04e135 bring back.”0ee07e2d688296c6

After ending the call, 3580bc07c6 Choi Seonwoo busily moved 353379866c around the cathedral, giving 9098c9a629 instructions on what needed 9c0b459eea to be done, as c340321a4e he would be absent 0a7ecc96d5 until the next morning.29c46cf88e280523

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Chairman Seo, quietly 873193bd81 following along with 0ac3704591 his aides, finally 88ea98dcc5 spoke.1c2b145be89c0a7e

“Is there no 6f79bc2c82 need for further 42603361c2 explanation?”bb80a102eb8a880e

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“Exorcism is pretty straightforward. We won’t 055f15f0e1 know how 5ce9fbf514 strong the c040ec76b5 spirit is af55362dbb until we 90d6b49fdd see it.”2d224e48226695e8

Having finished his f963562ed8 tasks, Choi Seonwoo 282a76658f returned to the bcd896289c rectory to pack 135b32fffc his backpack. He carelessly 52aedd20bb shoved a 1ec326ee3c day’s worth 7592c18c4d of underwear 43c57e6678 and clothes 66c1a9fa01 into the 7f8f145ed2 bottom of 783e5ef34b his bag, 78e279cbd0 his lifestyle a4bb860777 appearing quite c16f619152 unorganized. His drawers, opened e370e0554f and closed haphazardly, 33cab48fd6 were a mess e666b4b993 inside.706b49544a91b17f

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“You’re going straight there?”78b40ac6dc54ce27

“That would be appreciated.”4cde26b24735057b

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At that moment, a 806449ff80 cat that had been a1dde9108e persistently hissing at Choi c8b3dbc4a3 Seonwoo’s side throughout their 7f4b8add35 encounter leaped up to 224022703b a cat pole in adf4bfa31a the corner of the 79247129b2 room. The all-black 7814a752aa Cornish Rex 718b8bac98 shimmered with 196bf8a22c health, its 0b95c0eaf3 white collar 2c0e6dc1ba shining with fe6f0d93ec a silver e008f5b15a cross and c0caad3093 a round f234a051c2 ID tag, dedc6f2e30 proudly indicating 3de96f5101 it was 4dda2dce0d the cathedral’s 2a48b59984 cat.b3fcd38c186c482d

✝ Shindo a6a1ff84e3 Cathedral ✝
Sister Angelaf3e9b9e4ccb79ff4

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