Chapter 22: Seeking a way

Slurp

“…Ugh…”

Food. That… thing… in a dog bowl, that slimy, gelatinous substance…

That was my dinner.

“…What’s wrong? You like this kind of stuff, don’t you?”
“…Uh…?”

My body rejected it. It was… inedible. Not even a substance, really. Not solid, not liquid, definitely not gas. More like… slime.

I couldn’t eat it.

“…Semin.”
“…Hmm…?”

I sat at the table, facing Hyeji, the… food… between us. I was supposed to eat it.

“…Are you ignoring me? I spent hours making this especially for you. Are you rejecting my efforts? My feelings?”
“Ah… Uh…”

I was an animal before I was human. The terror of the dark room, hours ago, had burrowed deep inside me, breaking me.

Clink

“…Ah…”

Her voice, her eyes… I picked up the spoon.

“…Heehee…”

Hyeji watched me, a predatory smile on her face, her chin resting on her hand.

“…Ugh…”

Slurp

I scooped up a spoonful of the… substance… and brought it to my lips.

“…Haa…”

I opened my mouth. Just the smell was enough to make me gag. I couldn’t do this.

Thump

“Ugh…”

But I did it. The fear, the looming threat of the dark room… she’d pushed me to the edge.

“…Gulp… Ugh…”

It felt like my insides were churning. Acid rose in my throat. My airway closed up.

“…How is it? Tasty?”
“Ugh… Gulp…”

I wanted to spit it out. It tasted like death. I wanted to live. Why was this happening to me?

“…Swallow.”
“…Gulp…”

And then…

“…Cough… Gag… Ugh…”

…I swallowed.

“Good girl.”

Stroke

Hyeji patted my head as I coughed and gagged.

“See? Delicious, right~?”
“Ugh… Mm…”

I forced a smile through my tears, my hand trembling.

“You liked it that much~?”
“Ah… Ugh…”

She seemed pleased.

“I’ll make it again for you~ If you don’t like it, I can always make you something else~”
“…Oh…”

So easily… she pushed me further into despair.

“…You don’t like it?”
“Ah… Uh… Mm…”

But I couldn’t show my disgust. She caressed my face, pulled me against her, her touch forcing a smile onto my lips.

A smile, or the dark room. Those were my choices.

“…Heehee… Aww… Don’t make that face… You’re breaking my heart, Semin…”
“Ah…?”

She hugged me, then jumped up, a playful smile on her face.

“Okay, that was a bit much, even for me. Sorry, Semin. I’ll make you something really delicious next time, okay?”
“…Ah…”

Tears welled up. Genuine tears, this time.

“…Aren’t you going to thank me?”
“Th-thank you…”

But the moment of relief was fleeting. Her voice, sharp and cold, sent shivers down my spine. The tears stopped, replaced by a whimper.

“…You look tired, Semin.”
“…Ugh…”

She smiled again, pulling me into a hug.

“Let’s get you washed up and ready for bed.”
“…Okay…”

She led me to her room.

Splash

Hyeji’s room was spacious and comfortable, the air lighter, fresher than the rest of the house. It felt…

…safe.

“…”

She undressed me, washing me with her own hands. I thought about protesting, about washing myself, but… I couldn’t risk another trip to the dark room.

Shiver

“…Cold?”
“…Ah… Mm…”

The thought made me tremble.

“…Heehee… You’re so pretty, Semin… Prettier than I ever imagined…”
“…Mm…”

Her words made me blush.

“Time to brush your teeth.”
“…Okay…”

She brought me a toothbrush, tilting my chin up.

“…Ah…”

Brush, brush

This was… strangely intimate. Having someone else, even with a toothbrush, cleaning my mouth…

It felt… odd.

Splash, click

“…Feel better?”
“…..”

The brief moment of normalcy ended.

Thud, whir

“… “

She dried my hair, then…

“How about this dress? I’ve always wanted to see you in it~”
“…Oh…”

…held up a sheer, flimsy nightgown. Before I could respond, she slipped it over my head.

“Mm…”
“…Beautiful.”

She pulled me towards the bed…

Flop

…and pushed me down.

“…Heehee… My Semin… all mine… I must be dreaming… I did so well… Your dreams don’t matter… As long as I have you… That’s all I need…”

She muttered, her eyes glazed over, her body slowly lowering itself onto mine.

“…Ah…”

I tried to resist, at least this. I didn’t want to sleep with her. Not yet. Not like this.

If she took this from me, too… I wouldn’t be able to face Hyea again.

Reach

I reached out, but…

“Haa…”

Bite

…she caught my hand, biting down on my wrist.

“Ahh…!”
“…Lick…”

Her lips trailed up my arm, across my shoulder, to my neck.

Prick

“Gah…!”

With her free hand, she produced a syringe filled with a strange liquid and injected it into my neck.

“…Don’t worry…”
“Haa… Hngh…?”

My body flushed, a wave of heat washing over me.

“…You’ll… feel good…”
“…Ah… Ah…”

It happened so fast. No time to resist. She coiled around me…

“…Chuwp…”

…and consumed me.

*******

“That damn shaman… What could she possibly have out here in the boonies…?! Why couldn’t she just bring it with her…!”

The fox, alone on Cheongmyosan, clutched the orb, muttering to herself.

“…Semin…”

She glanced at the orb again, and then…

Click

“… “

…she saw it.

“…Oh…”

Her beloved Semin. The one who was supposed to be hers, and hers alone. Not like this… not suffering like this…

Semin’s pain was reflected in the orb.

“… “

The fox’s arm went limp, the orb almost slipping from her grasp.

Clench

“… “

But she tightened her grip, her knuckles white, a crack appearing on the orb’s surface.

“… “

She started walking, her hesitant steps turning into a determined stride.

She thought about why she’d hesitated, why she’d been reluctant to come to Cheongmyosan. Semin was suffering, trapped by a lunatic, and she was worried about… what?

“……..”

Her expression hardened.

“…………”

A shadow, darker than any she’d ever cast, fell across her face. Even the shaman, who’d known her for centuries, would have been terrified.

“…”

She reached the mouth of a cave, hidden behind a large boulder.

Tap, tap

She entered without hesitation.

“…Come out.”

The cave opened into a large chamber. The fox called out.

Jingle

“…Tsk, tsk… What brings the nasty fox here…?”

A wizened old woman emerged from the shadows, leaning on a staff adorned with jingling bells.

“…Give me the Heart of the Sacred Beast. And the fruit of the White Spiritwood.”
“……..”

The old woman stared at the fox, her face a mixture of surprise and amusement.

“Heehee… Do you think I’m a bank? You have nothing deposited here, child.”
“I do.”

The fox met her gaze, unflinching.

“…The… token of the Sacred Beast… Its owner…!”

The old woman’s eyes widened in recognition.

“…You were supposed to be punished… You should have been punished…!”
“…I am being punished. Now give it to me.”

The fox spoke of the Sacred Beast.

“The Sacred Beast was the only thing keeping the Mirror World alive… the last hope…! And you…!”
“…I’ve heard this story before. Just give it to me.”

The fox held out her hand, her expression impatient.

“…”

The old woman cursed under her breath, then…

“…You’ll pay for this…”
“…I said, I’m already paying.”

Thump

…placed a small, glowing rod and a fruit in the fox’s hand.

“…”

The fox turned to leave, then…

Tinkle

“…Payment for services rendered.”

…tossed an old coin at the woman’s feet.

“…Ungrateful brat… Tsk, tsk…”

The old woman smiled as the fox disappeared into the darkness.

Tap, tap, tap

The fox emerged from the cave, tucked the rod into her pocket, and headed to the designated meeting place, the fruit clutched tightly in her hand. She arrived first.

“…You’re early.”
“…I had to be.”

The shaman approached, walking calmly. The fox held out the fruit.

“Give it to me.”
“…Hurry. We don’t have much time.”

The shaman took the fruit, placed it in an ornate mortar along with some leaves and flowers, and began to grind them together.

“…Did you see something? Your expression…”
“……”

Sensing the fox’s distress, the shaman focused on her task.

“…I’ll show you the way.”

She dipped her finger into the mixture, now a sticky paste, and…

“…Haa…”

…blew on it, igniting a small flame. She swung her arm in a wide arc.

“…Show me the path, O Wind… Open the way, O Moonlight…”

She closed her eyes and began to chant.

“…Grant passage through these memories, O Gods…!”

Whoosh

A powerful gust of wind swirled around them.

“… “

The stars in the sky began to align, forming a path.

“…Go.”
“……..”

The shaman spoke.

“…I can do no more.”
“……..”

The fox, silent until now, looked at the shaman and asked,

“…What are the chances of this working…?”

“…14%.”
“… “

The shaman answered without hesitation.

“…Plus, whatever you can manage.”
“……..”

She turned away, her hands hidden in her wide sleeves.

“…I’m sorry I can’t do more.”

The fox, without another word, followed the path of stars.

“…I thought your killing spree ended with the Sacred Beast… But now… four more lives…”

The shaman watched the fox disappear, muttering to herself.