I thought it was just a case of every hedgehog finding its own baby cute, but apparently not.
Being able to read someone’s real intentions is a tremendous advantage.
Yeonwoo already has the status window that shows another person’s feelings, but there is a condition: he has to make physical contact.
The new skill “Intent Insight” has its own weak point:
When the medium is not written text, the ability’s precision falls.
That part is a bit disappointing.
The child’s gift is obviously specialized for reading books.
Even so, being able to grasp a person’s thoughts in any form is a huge edge.
For example, when someone hands you a contract, you can tell at a glance whether it was written to cheat you, even before reading the whole thing.
Used together with the status window, there should be almost nothing he cannot check.
[Planning to draw a proper one for the first time in a while?] Dongjaryeong asked.
“I have to.”
[What about the materials?]
“That’s why we’re going to get them now.”
Yeonwoo headed for Insadong.
Had Seonghyun not swallowed his regret and lent a car and driver, the trip would have been a pain.
Ting-a-ling.
The bell above the door rang as he entered the shabby shop.
A middle-aged man behind the counter pushed up his glasses.
“Well, look who it is. Haven’t seen you in ages.”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
“I thought you had disappeared for good.”
Yeonwoo had thought so himself.
He greeted the man in a traditional jacket.
“I need high-grade cinnabar pigment and, if you have any, a piece of jujube wood struck by lightning.”
Deep in one of Insadong’s twisting alleys sits an old calligraphy shop.
Along with ordinary brushes it stocks esoteric tools no ordinary customer would glance at.
It is Mother Gang Yeonhwa’s regular place, the luxury boutique of this side of the world.
“I’ve got cinnabar dug in Xianshan, China, steamed a hundred days in holy water mixed with yellow earth then ground. For the jujube wood, I just got a split piece from a tree two hundred years old. Want that?”
“This is why I love coming here. You always have exactly what I need.”
The owner clicked his tongue. “Really? Anything big happen?”
“Nothing big, just personal business. Something that needs care.”
“If you say it needs care it can’t be small. Is something wrong with Madam Gang?”
“Why would Mother come up here?”
“Well, I haven’t seen her in a while.”
“Mother…?”
He had run away—no, gone on a pilgrimage—to avoid being dragged back to the family trade, but cutting ties had never crossed his mind.
He was merely lying low.
He never worried about his mother; she was far more capable than he.
“Is something wrong with her?”
“How would I know? Could anything happen to that formidable lady?”
“Right…”
The owner raised an eyebrow.
“Did you run away from home? Not going back?”
“I have my reasons.”
“Life on the road is hard. You only have one mother.”
“Just give me the stuff, please.”
Leaving the man’s nagging behind, Yeonwoo hurried out of Insadong.
Nothing really happened to Mother, right?
The thought drifted through his mind as the manager drove, but he shook it off. The matter before him came first.
“It takes a lot of work when you haven’t done it for a while.”
No wonder he had relied on those cheap note-paper talismans.
Even while grumbling Yeonwoo’s hands moved briskly.
Shavings from the lightning-struck jujube wood, cinnabar paste mixed with his own blood: he traced letters and patterns so the imbued power would not leak.
[Wow, you made a serious one] Dongjaryeong said.
“I have to match what I was paid.”
[You feel sorry for the kid too.]
“There’s that as well.”
[This is why I like you, Yeonwoo.]
“Not that I’m grateful.”
For the first time in a year he had put real effort in.
The finished charm looked nothing like an ordinary talisman.
[You shaped it like a necklace?]
“Better to wear it all the time without looking strange.”
[A guardian charm carved from jujube struck by lightning, infused with your blood… The big shots would pay tens of millions for that.]
“Why would I sell to scum like that?”
The child wanted his mother safe even when Yeonwoo was not around.
The necklace fulfilled that purpose. People would think it was just an unusual ornament.
“Writer Min, do you have a moment?”
“Oh, Yeonwoo, of course. What is it?”
In the next day’s shoot, the writer looked exhausted, eyes red, face pale.
Yeonwoo had called her aside because her son was tugging anxiously at him.
[Big brother!]
The boy’s time to leave for the afterlife was near; he had been waiting for Yeonwoo.
As soon as Yeonwoo appeared on set, the spirit rushed over.
“Did you tell her?”
[Yes.]
“So that is why she looks like that,” Dongjaryeong muttered.
“Hmm? Did you two talk about something?” the writer asked.
“No, nothing.”
They reached a spot out of sight.
“Why come all the way here? Are you going to confess to me? I wouldn’t mind, but Yerin will be mad.”
“Sorry?”
“And Seonghyun too? Goodness, being popular is hard.”
She joked, yet sounded strained, as though holding something back.
Yeonwoo silently held out the necklace.
“What is this? A necklace? The color is lovely, like coral, but the pattern is unique… What is it, Yeonwoo?”
“It is a charm, to protect you.”
“A charm…”
She echoed the word, and tears popped from her eyes like bursting balsam seeds.
“Why am I crying all of a sudden?”
She tried to wipe them away but more followed.
“So it wasn’t just a dream, was it?”
“Yesterday I dreamed of my child who went on a long picnic first. He said it would be hard for him to stay, so he asked a strong big brother to protect Mom. I thought it was only a dream because I missed him so much. But…”
She stroked the charm in her hand.
“You are that strong brother, aren’t you? And this… my child asked you to give it to me.”
“Yes.”
Tears fell harder.
“Then he really was by my side all this time?”
Yeonwoo looked away.
Behind her, the boy clung to her waist and sniffled.
[Did you add extra power on purpose?] Dongjaryeong asked later.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
[You can’t just show a living person the dead at will.]
“I can’t hear you.”
[Hey! I’m only saying this because I care. Karma piles up, remember!]
Yeonwoo paid no attention; a new chime had sounded.
Request of the deceased perfectly fulfilled!
Additional ability acquired: Intent Insight [B+]
So there are quests that only give abilities.
It was not simply that he was soft; with a reward like this a little service was worth it.
Back on set someone awaited him.
“You weren’t here yesterday, were you?”
“Pardon?”
“I didn’t see you all day.” Min Yerin bit her lip, displeased.
“I had personal business in Seoul.”
“You went to Seoul?”
“Is that a problem?”
She glared resentfully.
“Then you didn’t watch my acting, did you?”
“Well…”
At his obvious answer, she looked even more upset.
“Next time, tell me before you leave.”
With that, she spun on her heel and left.
Why does she want me to tell her? We’re not that close, are we?
Still puzzled, Yeonwoo walked toward the van—only to meet the final boss, even harder to handle than Min Yerin.
“You left with Writer Min yesterday,” Seonghyun said, smiling yet clearly irritated.
“Manager hyung says you brought a necklace.”
The manager looked away guiltily, pretending to phone someone.
“Are you interested in Writer Min?”
“Sir, please, that could get me killed.”
Actors really do have wild imaginations.
“It’s not that, it’s personal. And it isn’t a necklace…”
[It’s a charm, sir!] Dongjaryeong squeaked from his pocket.
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