KTS | Chapter 2

“The mother of Priest Choi Seonwoo was said to be the spiritual daughter of Shaman Naseong,” someone mentioned. “When Priest Choi was born, he lived with her, so there was a rumor among the guests that he might actually be Naseong’s son. After his mother died, considering he was sent for adoption, it seems like it was just a baseless rumor.”

It wasn’t surprising to learn that Choi Seonwoo, who showed considerable talent in painting, had attended one of the top arts high schools in the country. It was indeed a shocker that his background was tied to Naseong Beopsa, the most famous Shaman in Jongno from the past.

He was a Shaman who, along with his sixth descendant, was highly sought after in the business and political circles. Chairman Seo himself had visited him three times due to Seo Jihan’s issues but never got to see his face clearly.

“At the time of the Jeonan County incident, the sixth descendant had gone to the village entrance and returned pale as death, while Naseong claimed it was beyond his capabilities and didn’t even step forth. Perhaps you remember, about 2-3 weeks after the Yunseul Village tragedy, the Jeonan County mayor personally sought Naseong to perform a ritual. It turns out Naseong was busy with his spiritual daughter’s funeral—it was likely Priest Choi’s mother.”

Chairman Seo remembered too. In the aftermath of the tragedy, there were many ominous incidents among the personnel involved, and the local government was struggling to manage the situation. The mayor was criticized by the public for clinging to superstitions, but that wasn’t even the crux of the issue at that time.

Among the people the mayor brought with him, there was an undisclosed member of the Unknown Cult. When a young boy serving at the funeral noticed him and mentioned seeing the karma of the Unknown Cult, the man collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

“Yes, that’s right, Chairman. That was Priest Choi Seonwoo.”

The investigation later confirmed his real cult membership, but he was not in a condition for a thorough interrogation. Suffering from severe hallucinations, he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital and eventually took his own life.

“At that time, exorcist priests in our country also visited those two Shamans several times, and somehow that connection led Naseong Beopsa to initiate the adoption process. That’s how Choi ended up following a priest named Samuel Miller to the USA. Afterwards, he smoothly completed his priesthood studies and served a lot as Miller’s assistant in exorcism rituals. Last year, he was dispatched to the St. John’s mission in Korea, and after the reconstruction and promotion of the Shindo Cathedral, Bishop Lee Yoonseok strongly recommended him, and now he is the residing priest there.”

There was little reason to doubt Choi Seonwoo’s background. His quick placement as the head priest had been largely influenced by Bishop Lee Yoonseok, leaving no room for any malicious schemes.

However, the critical point was whether Choi Seonwoo was truly capable of treating his grandson, given his strong spiritual power and proven track record as an exorcist priest. It seemed inevitable for those in desperate need to seek him out.

Three sedans pulled up in front of the Shindo Cathedral. Chairman Seo, escorted by his aides, stepped out onto the unpaved ground and headed towards the cathedral.

“Ah… Priest Choi is currently at the mayor’s fish farm… Just a moment.”

This was mentioned by a nun, smiling awkwardly, as she guided Chairman Seo’s group to the rectory and made a call.

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

Wiping sweat from her brow, the nun made another call. It was about an hour later when Choi Seonwoo, with his clergy shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbows, walked up and took a seat across from Chairman Seo.

“A face not quite fitting for a priest.”

Chairman Seo spoke first, as if to assert dominance, although it seemed more of an actual observation than a mere provocation.

Choi Seonwoo appeared distinctly different from other priests. It might have been an aura or allure—something indescribable filled his languid gaze. With his pale face, nearly golden hair and eyes, and crimson lips, he looked nowhere near ordinary.

Slouching a bit, he blinked a few times and then cracked a slight smile. His red lips parted slowly.

“And you, sir, don’t seem like someone who should be visiting a church.”

“I have a baptismal name, Theodore, though I received my baptism late. The Lord isn’t concerned with such details, is He?”

“Of course not. The Lord gladly embraces even the most sinful, as long as they have faith.”

Nam Sangkyung looked visibly taken aback, but an intrigued smile spread across Chairman Seo’s face. His journey to this small island had been filled with frustration, but now it seemed to be melting away.

Chairman Seo despised fools who were only full of confidence. He didn’t particularly care for those who were smart but overly submissive either. Those who evolved into unscrupulous beings, confident in their outstanding abilities, were the ones he truly esteemed.

“Let’s just get to the point. Please help my grandson.”

Sitting at a modest four-seater dining table, Chairman Seo nodded solemnly. His aides, including Nam Sangkyung, rolled their eyes in panic, not having expected him to show such humility.

As Choi Seonwoo rolled down his shirt sleeves, his gaze lingered on the elderly white-haired top of Chairman Seo’s head. As Chairman Seo looked up, Choi extended his hand.

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

Despite the rather presumptuous tone, Chairman Seo, unfazed, handed his phone to Nam Sangkyung, who then found the most recent photo of Seo Jihan—a boy sitting joyfully in a beautiful courtyard, although painfully thin, but with strikingly handsome features.

…What kind of karma clings so heavily like this?

Just from one photo, the situation seemed dire; in person, it would undoubtedly be worse. This was only the second time he’d encountered such a hopeless case.

After staring at the photo for a while, Choi Seonwoo, as if recalling a long-forgotten child, shook his head. He returned the phone to Nam Sangkyung and then took out his own phone to make a call.

“Hello, this is Father Michael Choi Seonwoo of Shindo Cathedral. The thing is…”

He was calling the Incheon Diocese to explain the situation. Since an exorcism couldn’t be performed by just one priest whimsically, diocesan permission was necessary.

However, Chairman Seo had already completed all the procedures, so they could skip the complicated steps. The only remaining task was to ask the priest in charge of Youngjong Cathedral to preside over the evening mass at Shindo Cathedral that day.

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

After ending the call, Choi Seonwoo busily moved around the cathedral, giving instructions on what needed to be done, as he would be absent until the next morning.

Chairman Seo, quietly following along with his aides, finally spoke.

“Is there no need for further explanation?”

“Exorcism is pretty straightforward. We won’t know how strong the spirit is until we see it.”

Having finished his tasks, Choi Seonwoo returned to the rectory to pack his backpack. He carelessly shoved a day’s worth of underwear and clothes into the bottom of his bag, his lifestyle appearing quite unorganized. His drawers, opened and closed haphazardly, were a mess inside.

“You’re going straight there?”

“That would be appreciated.”

At that moment, a cat that had been persistently hissing at Choi Seonwoo’s side throughout their encounter leaped up to a cat pole in the corner of the room. The all-black Cornish Rex shimmered with health, its white collar shining with a silver cross and a round ID tag, proudly indicating it was the cathedral’s cat.

✝ Shindo Cathedral ✝
Sister Angela