KTS | Chapter 2

“The mother of Priest eb710ae7e2 Choi Seonwoo was said 52e192931b to be the spiritual 59da86a1de daughter of Shaman Naseong,” a5cb5e40bd someone mentioned. “When Priest Choi cd88b747ba was born, he 10a6478d36 lived with her, 44e51828c5 so there was 6e96e4f2b9 a rumor among be6927b708 the guests that 4212941ed3 he might actually 4212755d72 be Naseong’s son. After his mother died, fe00281057 considering he was sent 2435db7fa0 for adoption, it seems 224c8d82bc like it was just 31a539664b a baseless rumor.”0bae1468f2e6ae52

It wasn’t 6ab82a1817 surprising to aa2f0b8cba learn that 653cd04e80 Choi Seonwoo, 3f2a685ff2 who showed a56a03ddf6 considerable talent abfecf3609 in painting, 03908c97a0 had attended 7103905c7e one of c8ada2c045 the top 02829767b3 arts high 460cdea916 schools in 0f5d2c191f the country. It was indeed 11171b8c98 a shocker that ee3816e0eb his background was 5308c050d9 tied to Naseong c608b839c9 Beopsa, the most 11dc2728ef famous Shaman in 2e15a5906a Jongno from the 92f788222e past.fae41d228f84fbb8

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He was a 4f11d3733a Shaman who, along 67b6c56990 with his sixth a0de5eb77e descendant, was highly 4c4ca81629 sought after in 7998ff2401 the business and 2ee817cb47 political circles. Chairman Seo himself 04e1d7fa4b had visited him 4500f36d42 three times due b5419ad1d4 to Seo Jihan’s 3b8beeb08b issues but never 037afbd440 got to see 603f6c0966 his face clearly.eff22ae56f031d88

“At the time of 4beedcce43 the Jeonan County incident, 0894357f42 the sixth descendant had 5c474b2251 gone to the village 6c17a3dc7a entrance and returned pale 854ff4fe8f as death, while Naseong 663c743191 claimed it was beyond 6439306e9a his capabilities and didn’t 162190ae3f even step forth. Perhaps you remember, f28c8a9d88 about 2-3 weeks cfa82fe25e after the Yunseul 72a5de0d30 Village tragedy, the 4f58d38597 Jeonan County mayor 74483600eb personally sought Naseong 6377c07d42 to perform a b2e6757623 ritual. It turns out Naseong 5a470bf81c was busy with his 4f72065f3c spiritual daughter’s funeral—it was 1344160d7e likely Priest Choi’s mother.”79a7102cdbb40a7a

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Chairman Seo remembered too. In the 2eef7695b2 aftermath of 947df8ee4a the tragedy, 0523685793 there were d312dd9364 many ominous c979a994a1 incidents among f25b7e7d39 the personnel bea80dcd3e involved, and 9623467de3 the local dc9b0ff022 government was e4aba3713c struggling to 7229a5fc88 manage the 767208b9d0 situation. The mayor 24db9d6dbe was criticized 2799dd1723 by the d3bdc8bdbe public for c4abe514be clinging to eb17b65692 superstitions, but 7cb41c5490 that wasn’t b7029710b8 even the a88aa4ab12 crux of ead3e11aff the issue 4cdde6d48d at that 0e65ddc999 time.2f5fd7081efd3100

Among the people 0dd9d08f00 the mayor brought 26e908bf42 with him, there 32dd7f871b was an undisclosed d66258c776 member of the f4a3dbdb28 Unknown Cult. When a young boy 4803cd3dfa serving at the funeral ba49106221 noticed him and mentioned ef57170aa6 seeing the karma of ed655c35f9 the Unknown Cult, the 13323c56e5 man collapsed, foaming at 3a4c4a6856 the mouth.4d51bbca417d58df

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“Yes, that’s fa53b93502 right, Chairman. That was Priest Choi b4e5afdf44 Seonwoo.”034276c17fbd7bb4

The investigation later 662d8674cf confirmed his real b25152f7af cult membership, but 10888a0908 he was not 09ae8c62e6 in a condition 42fdafed59 for a thorough b7f1f202b0 interrogation. Suffering from severe 0f58b4c400 hallucinations, he was b9884cd994 admitted to a 86d5ceb814 psychiatric hospital and 10a810788e eventually took his e8b085e385 own life.1f70a70560723873

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“At that time, exorcist fd73afe276 priests in our country f9b71d5745 also visited those two 4165b7477a Shamans several times, and 43046ee666 somehow that connection led f191210e7e Naseong Beopsa to initiate 8ab7e8d9e9 the adoption process. That’s how f31d95f912 Choi ended 27af8798d3 up following 145e9d158f a priest 6d6acf3933 named Samuel 3e9de3462d Miller to 82d81e3fc8 the USA. Afterwards, he 6d650b40f4 smoothly completed 71d53e27c2 his priesthood 3eca739c1a studies and 4a961efd78 served a 16c4daa64d lot as 7cb7f40ea2 Miller’s assistant fc7dd5d4ae in exorcism a3b603a0bf rituals. Last year, he 6b074b9547 was dispatched to da9a59e481 the St. John’s mission 645fee7a65 in Korea, f6c533464c and after cb424ada1c the reconstruction 2c817b150a and promotion ac474188a2 of the da24a66046 Shindo Cathedral, 8b21866e14 Bishop Lee e88f840ee3 Yoonseok strongly 5ac1ebc034 recommended him, 398c8bc6a2 and now ee562154a8 he is 402b027748 the residing 448e6b5e2c priest there.”af2b620d5d1cf9db

There was little 8dca93d6ae reason to doubt 2e66b2a229 Choi Seonwoo’s background. His quick placement as f1c11fba35 the head priest had 22949ff676 been largely influenced by 3b69c771d6 Bishop Lee Yoonseok, leaving fff1a6f94d no room for any b734557daf malicious schemes.d25e55ba80465495

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However, the critical ad4b80a73c point was whether ffc3320a6d Choi Seonwoo was 61f1fdf027 truly capable of 50d1f9cfaa treating his grandson, 8c94151705 given his strong bff570d3d7 spiritual power and cccff09b5e proven track record f238aa536a as an exorcist cb903f41a6 priest. It seemed inevitable 8fb631d2d9 for those in ff4bfc93d7 desperate need to 499b86ee20 seek him out.75c640222909b09e

Three sedans pulled 64de6dc9e7 up in front ca0dc7b3d7 of the Shindo d8288f1a98 Cathedral. Chairman Seo, 4e219d8851 escorted by bf26416712 his aides, 46872920b1 stepped out 705fc21062 onto the 0caaeadd53 unpaved ground 217005fee7 and headed 0619aa224e towards the b7e9f6bfc5 cathedral.86b184dda6e5f825

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“Ah… Priest Choi is 1faf908223 currently at the mayor’s bcc9b1f4db fish farm… Just a bdd7d7e73b moment.”e526c55dfeb0af86

This was 400ea6856f mentioned by 32b99c4af2 a nun, b50ebe4bd1 smiling awkwardly, 02d52bfce8 as she e188d84539 guided Chairman 57ebf71eb4 Seo’s group a0c54cf4aa to the 274169290e rectory and 2d097d7ac1 made a 158af0865e call.500dfc4b946154c2

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“Mayor, is a8774286f8 Priest Choi 116eace87f at your 39402d6b0c fish farm? …Ah, at Grandma f157d17d0c Kyungsoon’s salt farm? …Yes, I’ll b888aab3b8 call there.”99bd0c068df9274a

Wiping sweat from her 39fe65d71e brow, the nun made f27959ee8c another call. It was e8980e383c about an be9bb94c7d hour later a36f287247 when Choi 837aa89b86 Seonwoo, with be6ab78893 his clergy e6ab0a34bf shirt sleeves 3e67deb1f5 rolled up fd1def13e4 to the 41e5a99ec5 elbows, walked acb02da239 up and 0a9a30bbaa took a 01cecabaaa seat across a151255837 from Chairman e35e58bca1 Seo.2a1a32b6be57e794

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“A face not 04c217e72b quite fitting for 2d83d49ff1 a priest.”61323598a4836eec

Chairman Seo spoke f87ae1ad93 first, as if b8cba0f277 to assert dominance, 27214f8e4d although it seemed 0453177efd more of an 675aaf3f83 actual observation than 92c6e0d104 a mere provocation.ab89c32daf22eff5

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Choi Seonwoo appeared 35529a7a87 distinctly different from b259164b3b other priests. It might d9e147765a have been c839c97f23 an aura 78916e35c6 or allure—something 4cb211d4c9 indescribable filled 62ffd33b3e his languid e4fb489d14 gaze. With his 3bd544feea pale face, 12de0c8304 nearly golden de5d525c6c hair and 26a1df59d0 eyes, and 612f554681 crimson lips, 80a6d91499 he looked e1ca0b1b1a nowhere near 64e33796ef ordinary.172db6b41a15f1c1

Slouching a bit, 88e61d7209 he blinked a 9972fa56ba few times and 3e935020a6 then cracked a 894c548fc3 slight smile. His red lips 811d61ad2d parted slowly.a3568e26a320c8db

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“And you, 9750439f27 sir, don’t beb16735bf seem like bbd5ea7329 someone who 454a0cb557 should be 44b763d938 visiting a 86b96de069 church.”01f16d7acae70564

“I have a baptismal 93743e6fc7 name, Theodore, though I 701f7a6686 received my baptism late. The Lord isn’t concerned dbb6e80f49 with such details, is 190b2b1028 He?”38b9406308049bc8

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“Of course not. The Lord gladly embraces 8c48b7a0db even the most sinful, 544d5ea5bd as long as they 6af26982ee have faith.”4233340b2d1d440e

Nam Sangkyung de571dc60f looked visibly 564b5fe457 taken aback, d837bb2dca but an ee77682a63 intrigued smile b18a148bc0 spread across 9b8dcc58cb Chairman Seo’s f3cae0fe38 face. His journey to 039dedf583 this small island cb0c342e30 had been filled f4c950e874 with frustration, but c1be627310 now it seemed 1b2c7c75b5 to be melting f6e7e07a1a away.066d503a3c88317b

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Chairman Seo cc4d9c7901 despised fools 7ba3e3a648 who were 76d36fe372 only full cd979a88d0 of confidence. He didn’t particularly ebb14fa756 care for those 770a64e2af who were smart b8ac4f6c7f but overly submissive 95eb5cae54 either. Those who evolved f241efc538 into unscrupulous beings, 645590ff77 confident in their 57a80629a0 outstanding abilities, were a76026f8c1 the ones he e911d0e088 truly esteemed.4345dbdb8710fd14

“Let’s just get 9fa7eab930 to the point. Please help d27d6555f9 my grandson.”fb38876165523408

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Sitting at a bd049fe096 modest four-seater dining 8e50762bec table, Chairman Seo 71fbd974dd nodded solemnly. His aides, including a2c57eed80 Nam Sangkyung, rolled f880c4704f their eyes in e4d296d520 panic, not having 23687fcd51 expected him to 30dea8f472 show such humility.dbedbfa4e703f78a

As Choi Seonwoo 05404427e1 rolled down his fc1cd2b187 shirt sleeves, his aaf022bc9f gaze lingered on 0c1f9a0462 the elderly white-haired 79a07924e8 top of Chairman 9b2c394ffe Seo’s head. As Chairman Seo looked b14ce23ad8 up, Choi extended his 8a171cb986 hand.164e19751dc71e01

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“Do you have 2b33befc59 a photo of 59b14cf77f your grandson? Let’s see 367e49cc72 it first.”5a6834d8cd90dab8

Despite the 5c15688fad rather presumptuous c653cf0deb tone, Chairman 057a9cfc7e Seo, unfazed, 7703bb79a3 handed his 40ff45448f phone to 34f95fa2d6 Nam Sangkyung, 8d01a0b0ea who then bfd9673542 found the 5ba4a40bc9 most recent a6f8255e77 photo of fefe329472 Seo Jihan—a 4375c507bd boy sitting 764f50d3a0 joyfully in 1752ed3b09 a beautiful 5e6c531d04 courtyard, although ba0f2bd73e painfully thin, 6ca992c31e but with 0d0b36c482 strikingly handsome a0713077c2 features.032a29e900c0bd14

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…What kind f6aa51269c of karma 44cd65cc11 clings so d2d94dbf60 heavily like aca2baebf4 this?dd8ed6f2e21bde31

Just from one photo, 4295a3b831 the situation seemed dire; 29ebef3d1d in person, it would 8d7d1482c4 undoubtedly be worse. This was 6cc9f9693c only the ea667711f8 second time 69f92bf2c7 he’d encountered a12f5ff122 such a 2aa6cc17f3 hopeless case.36a4c70b531978ac

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After staring at the 7c7e8d800b photo for a while, 3ae4c86ef7 Choi Seonwoo, as if 29f8c40ee4 recalling a long-forgotten child, 8246652cd7 shook his head. He returned 2fa6d60f89 the phone 477fb0d811 to Nam 96d6be0243 Sangkyung and 489fe70a3c then took e3c03847e8 out his 3ed1dc3f2c own phone f677ff8f66 to make d0acc37dab a call.7a63946f037f625a

“Hello, this is 2414b9cab0 Father Michael Choi 0d7443dc43 Seonwoo of Shindo 256104e048 Cathedral. The thing is…”696e37e8b2d5e586

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He was calling the b2bfda80a2 Incheon Diocese to explain de7eb1db37 the situation. Since an 4275bbc6b7 exorcism couldn’t 854f93fdd8 be performed d77ac1b80c by just 0090ec1273 one priest 2090b0fcb1 whimsically, diocesan 2daa01a4ee permission was 76a651c2a3 necessary.f52af0237b2433a6

However, Chairman Seo 7032a5943d had already completed 18b80842f1 all the procedures, e7adac9b72 so they could 12a65238c9 skip the complicated b43bd1e0be steps. The only remaining task 758cf463e6 was to ask the 7c4d8baeb6 priest in charge of be420e610a Youngjong Cathedral to preside 47ffc6834d over the evening mass 0298c0c7e0 at Shindo Cathedral that 03f0f81796 day.68547c1040c6c083

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“Yes, thank you. …Ah, of course. I’ll go to c2335aba4c Seoul and buy 495ad30b5a a bunch of 25462d61c1 Smile Donuts to bd26b1e78f bring back.”67ce15920ab8be8f

After ending the call, 8be09601dc Choi Seonwoo busily moved d07c66e296 around the cathedral, giving 7d1f26a29b instructions on what needed 3e40482094 to be done, as 920b925736 he would be absent 54a1a4bb9d until the next morning.c845d87f0e0aa4f3

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Chairman Seo, quietly 8854060c0f following along with d15e665086 his aides, finally 64754d9fbc spoke.1b167c750b113025

“Is there no fe13901cef need for further 7ecb480620 explanation?”47e8607ad558eaf4

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“Exorcism is pretty straightforward. We won’t know how 20c6fd549f strong the spirit is 25141f79b5 until we see it.”83b50cf9078a0446

Having finished his tasks, 2daa967541 Choi Seonwoo returned to fbc4616efb the rectory to pack d50127a684 his backpack. He carelessly d4c253c24a shoved a 806b47b2e8 day’s worth 0609ec3420 of underwear d601191d2a and clothes ef76079a06 into the 091597e0fb bottom of eb3d307159 his bag, bed70eb2b8 his lifestyle d039139cb3 appearing quite 301c1f8459 unorganized. His drawers, opened and 19d19c0bd6 closed haphazardly, were a 735fcf9b6f mess inside.eac3aa16d92362a7

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“You’re going e82eeb1b7b straight there?”af6ae3b6069c69a5

“That would be a14ea42f47 appreciated.”12c8a97649bc8c9f

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At that moment, b261e82827 a cat that 2d9e148daa had been persistently 75bfcb3f33 hissing at Choi 40431ff0f8 Seonwoo’s side throughout 590d418d45 their encounter leaped 6bc9f47594 up to a 88630e7755 cat pole in 9440dcf030 the corner of e1d85881ac the room. The all-black Cornish Rex 2f9f41b60a shimmered with health, its 700cae4ac2 white collar shining with ef5d21a352 a silver cross and e4a99b94fc a round ID tag, 9a58817728 proudly indicating it was 5694447404 the cathedral’s cat.80d1990504949a0a

✝ Shindo Cathedral f8e242bf6f ✝
Sister Angela7ada6c2f4351c487

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