Chapter 7: The Temple (3)

“Do you have something on your mind?”

Hearing Monk Jamyeong’s sigh, the girl turned slightly to look back.

Under the faint lantern light, the peacefully sleeping temple spread out before them.

Perhaps because of the darkness,

A deep shadow fell across the old man’s face, who had been laughing happily at everything until now.

Just like the unfortunate people who used to come to the girl.

“Are you worried about me?”

Monk Jamyeong tried to brush it off, but he couldn’t fool the girl’s senses.

“…Everyone has the right to be happy.”

After all, hadn’t she lived the most unfortunate life of all?

Killing her parents with her own hands, plunging her family into misery.

A parasite who, instead of dying after granting miracles, stole her only friend’s body to live on.

To such a girl, the monk’s heart clearly seemed full of turmoil.

Everyone has the right to be happy.

Even if they’re suspicious heretics.

Only sinners like her should feel the world as hell.

The girl turned fully and approached Monk Jamyeong.

How long had she been staring silently?

“Ho ho, alright. Then, would you listen to this old man’s worries?”

Monk Jamyeong surrendered first, raising both hands at the girl’s gaze, which somehow seemed to pierce through him and even made him dizzy.

“First, let’s walk a bit.”

The scenery of Wonhyo Temple was beautiful enough to be popular not just among Buddhists, but young people too.

The long fortress walls stretching along the mountaintop and the white mountain peaks rising up.

Below, dense trees and streams from waterfalls flowed gently.

Though the only light was from faint lanterns,

This allowed them to appreciate nature’s inherent beauty in the soft moonlight.

After walking silently for a while with his hands behind his back, Monk Jamyeong spoke quietly.

“Child, do you know about Awakened?”

“Awakened?”

The girl tilted her head.

It was the first time she’d heard the term.

This time, it was Monk Jamyeong who was surprised.

Surely… when he first saved her, hadn’t she used her ability to escape?

He thought she’d at least know this much.

She must have awakened without anyone around to explain it to her.

Monk Jamyeong slowly extended his hand in front of the child.

“Look, this is the ability that Awakened people use.”

Green light bubbles, like soap bubbles, rose up above his wrinkled hand.

“Wow…”

It wasn’t just ordinary bubbles.

Being a girl with miraculous powers, she could sense the essence of the power the old man displayed.

Born, growing, dying.

The power of the cycle starting from nature.

And its foundation must be Monk Jamyeong’s compassion.

Suddenly.

“Ah…!”

Recognizing the familiar energy, the girl unconsciously grabbed the old man’s hand.

“Child?”

Was the power so fascinating to her?

As Monk Jamyeong laughed, though surprised-

“…Before, when I collapsed. And when I fell into the stream. Was it you who saved me, Grandpa?”

The girl asked.

She had just realized.

Though there were only two crises, the memories were vivid because they had been so painful.

The fact that someone had breathed warm energy into her, taking away her pain.

“Oh my, I thought you knew.”

Monk Jamyeong pretended to be hurt.

The child should have been conscious during both encounters.

He didn’t voice these curiosities outwardly.

Certain the child had her circumstances, he thought it right to approach such matters slowly.

Perhaps thanks to this appropriate distance,

“Th-that’s why I’m listening to your worries now…”

The girl, overwhelmed with guilt, mumbled in a small voice, pretending not to know.

She realized her behavior towards her lifesaver had been quite rude.

“Hahaha, that’s right. So I should hear our child’s opinion too.”

Monk Jamyeong continued, stroking the girl’s head, which was still damp from washing.

“Such Awakened are rare. Gaining this much power is truly a blessing, a miracle.”

Ah.

Right.

She remembered the underground believers calling Mia a goose that lays golden eggs.

Saying they’d never seen such an ability before.

The girl nodded her small head as if understanding.

“Then, doesn’t that come with responsibility? Having gained power that others might want but can’t obtain, shouldn’t I use this power to help people somehow…?”

Monk Jamyeong trailed off as he spoke.

He couldn’t do much with just healing power.

Even saving lives had clear limits.

It was of little help in combat.

Because of this, he had turned away from the unstable reality, calling it the limit of his ability.

How could he explain these worries to a small child?

Even if explained, would the child understand?

As his head became complicated with worries, he forgot he was supposed to be getting advice and naturally let out a lament.

“…It’s just that my power is too lacking.”

The world is on the brink of destruction.

Dozens of innocent people die every day.

It’s a sin to ignore it just because I’m a religious person who’s left the secular world.

Then.

“B-but Grandpa, you saved me twice.”

The girl’s small voice replied.

“Saving people… isn’t something just anyone can do.”

She hadn’t seen through Monk Jamyeong’s inner thoughts.

She just knew, having granted countless wishes until now.

Life.

It’s a supreme value that can’t be exchanged equally no matter what method is used.

“…Something not just anyone can do. That’s right. That’s why I should use my power more.”

Monk Jamyeong, who had been mumbling at the girl’s words, slowly looked up at the sky.

“The moon is bright and the weather is nice. You shouldn’t think so negatively.”

That’s right.

As the girl said, the moon was bright.

A round ball of light floating as if drifting in pitch-black darkness without a single cloud.

Ah. I see.

“It is said that the mind is the root of all things, and the mind creates the world. Just as the moon shines brightly, our minds too can become bright through enlightenment.”

Monk Jamyeong’s slumped shoulders straightened.

Strong shoulders that made it hard to believe he was in his 80s appeared.

“Child, let’s look at the moon up close.”

Thud. He put down his cane and lifted the girl up with both arms.

“Eek!”

“Ho ho ho! Just as the moon shines brightly when it emerges from the clouds, we too can clear away the darkness in our hearts and light up the light of wisdom. Sending you to me today must mean I should use your wisdom to drive away the darkness in my heart.”

The girl’s small body rose high into the sky.

“Uwaah!”

At first, the girl flailed in surprise.

But soon, she relaxed at Monk Jamyeong’s refreshing laughter that made her feel good just hearing it.

Whoosh!

As they rose into the sky, the bright sky filled her entire view without any obstacles.

Monk Jamyeong, as if no longer caring that the girl was a child, asked his innermost thoughts openly, as if talking with esteemed monks.

“Child. Then what should I do? How should I use this power so that I have no regrets?”

The girl, who had somehow ended up sitting on Monk Jamyeong’s shoulders without realizing it,

Looking at the same sky from the same viewpoint as Monk Jamyeong, answered without much thought.

“Grandpa, you want to save people, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, haven’t you already saved people? Like me.”

Flinch.

When Monk Jamyeong stopped in his tracks,

The girl climbed down from the old man’s shoulders with an “oof-!” and landed.

She stumbled a bit, but.

Regained her balance and imitated Mia’s actions, remembering how her friend would act.

“My friend Mia said, focus on the present, not the future! Trying to do everything alone is greedy. Maybe you don’t need to worry so much…?”

Then she wondered if she’d interfered too much in adult matters.

Had she said something unhelpful?

Would Monk Jamyeong be angry-

“I-I’m tired so I’ll go back now…!”

Without waiting for a response, she ran away towards the temple.

The girl hurried away with small steps, just like any other child.

Watching her retreating figure, Monk Jamyeong began to turn his prayer beads.

“Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form. Feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness are also like this…”

Another realization had come to him.

The girl’s words were absolutely correct.

Monk Jamyeong is human.

An imperfect person who can’t even properly manage his own heart.

Talking about saving everyone with such a mindset is just arrogant delusion.

“Trying to escape from delusion, I was caught in delusion.”

He’d already saved more people than he could count on both hands.

Among them were Awakened who had saved Korea, famous celebrities and politicians.

And ordinary donors living at the bottom.

“Having saved so many lives already, what more did I want?”

I should just do what I can, step by step, like before.

I tried to embrace too much at once.

Bright moonlight shone on Monk Jamyeong’s face.

Now, not even a trace of shadow could be found on his face.

His eyes were clearer and brighter than ever, having gained enlightenment.

Who could think this Monk Jamyeong was in his 80s?

It was the moment when he, a B-class recovery Awakened, rose to A-class.

Yet in Monk Jamyeong’s mind, only a small blue head floated around.

“Ho ho ho, our child was a little Buddha. A genius who came to save this foolish being…”

He couldn’t keep this miracle to himself.

This child could be a light for the Buddhist world…

No, for this harsh world.

“Child! My child, how about entering a gifted school!”

“Eek!!”

Monk Jamyeong, having regained his energy, chased after the girl at an incredible speed.

He only stopped when the terrified girl fell with a thud and bled while running away.

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