"Leave the captured one behind, and at least the rest come out. This is an order."
Seok Juryeon returned to the Exorcism Department Chief's office and put down the phone with a hardened face. The spacious office was silent, and it felt strangely surreal, as if time had stopped. Seok Juryeon rubbed her face dry and bowed her head weakly.
Juryeon. This is a direct order from the Commissioner.'
Her mind had been blank since the moment she heard
Choi Wonyoung's story.
Why didn't you tell me in advance?'
The Commissioner ordered us to proceed without your knowledge.'
She was overwhelmed by the shock of learning the whole truth, as if she had been hit on the back of the head. The Commissioner had secretly ordered Choi Wonyoung to offer up one Exorcism Department exorcist. In response, he had set up a fake mission to trap and divert an Exorcism Department exorcist. The purpose was to offer them as a 'sacrifice'...
At last, everything made sense.
The reason for not handling it internally and luring them outside to be dealt with by non-exorcists was simple. It was likely due to the taboo that exorcists cannot harm each other.
Seok Juryeon had thought Choi Wonyoung had schemed for personal gain, but she never imagined the Commissioner would be involved. The shock was all the greater for being unexpected.
Moreover, what threw Seok Juryeon into panic at this moment was the fact that the person currently trapped and in danger of becoming a sacrifice was none other than 'Yoon Taehee'.
'Do you know who the trapped prey is?'
What?'
'It's Yoon Taehee. You've offered up the Chief as a
'sacrifice!'
Choi Wonyoung looked extremely perplexed. He had cornered an Exorcism Department exorcist on the Commissioner's orders, but he never expected the target to be Yoon Taehee. He was too big a figure to be used as a sacrifice.
Choi Wonyoung then honestly confessed that his original target had been Kang Yibin. Although he had ordered her to go out alone, Kang Yibin had gone to the scene with Chief Yoon, and things had ultimately gone awry from the original plan.
It was unfortunate either way for Seok Juryeon. If it was an order from the Commissioner, even Seok Juryeon had no choice. Yes, this was the Commissioner's directive. Someone had to be sacrificed. If not Yoon Taehee, it could have been anyone else...
*..."
Seok Juryeon, who had been sitting dazed in the Exorcism Department Chief's office, slowly rose. She kept feeling dizzy. But she felt she couldn't just sit idle like this.
She staggered towards the elevator and entered the elevator alone, without any companions. As soon as she got in, she simultaneously pressed several preset floor buttons.
Then, as incomprehensible alphabets appeared on the digital display, the elevator went up for a long time without stopping at any floor.
At some point, there was a ding, and the doors opened. A dark, unlit corridor stretched out. Seok Juryeon stepped out of the elevator and looked towards the end of the corridor. In the darkness that felt like being inside a tunnel, the only illuminated thing was a single door visible at the far end of the long corridor.
It was the door leading to the Commissioner's office.
Seok Juryeon walked slowly down the corridor. Finally reaching the Commissioner's office, she slowly turned the doorknob without knocking. The inside of the Commissioner's office looked no different from any other executive offices. It was slightly larger compared to the Exorcism Department Chief's office.
However, the Commissioner's office was empty and devoid of warmth.
She moved with familiarity. Inside the Commissioner's office, there was another door leading to a study, and inside the study was yet another door. It was an old, thick wooden door. As soon as she opened the wooden door in the study, a wide courtyard spread out.
A beautiful garden with green grass under the sunlight appeared. There stood a large and majestic hanok, as if it had been transplanted directly from an ancient palace. It was a cozy and warm scene, as if she had entered a different world.
Seok Juryeon crossed the garden towards the main building.
"Is someone there?"
Just then, a gentle voice was heard from behind the paper door.
"Commissioner... it's Juryeon."
"Hmm, Juryeon. What brings you here?"
Seok Juryeon took off her shoes and stepped onto the wooden floor.
"I heard you gave orders to Department Head Choi
Wonyoung."
Seok Juryeon, who had been looking at the paper door, bowed her head. There was no response from the other side. Then, a hearty laugh was heard.
"Yes, that's right. I told him to move without your knowledge, but it seems he was caught in the end.
Well, Wonyoung has never been able to handle you, Juryeon."
"Why... didn't you tell me directly?"
"Knowing how much you care for and love the kids, how could I tell you directly? It was obvious you'd be upset. So I asked Wonyoung instead of you."
From behind the paper door, the Commissioner answered with a deep sigh.
"You ordered to offer one Exorcism Department exorcist as a sacrifice."
"Yes."
"Why do you need a sacrifice?"
"As you know, Juryeon, the Teacher's health has been deteriorating in recent years. They've said they need sustenance to regain their strength."
Seok Juryeon raised her head abruptly. Her eyes, which had been fixed on the paper door, suddenly shook violently. After a long silence, she slowly knelt down.
"Commissioner, the person who's been caught now is..."
Seok Juryeon clutched her knees with pale hands.
"The child who's been caught is..."
Her voice had been trembling slightly for some time.
After hesitating several times, Seok Juryeon squeezed her eyes shut, then bowed her head and barely moved her lips.
"It's Taehee..."
Finally, silence fell on the other side of the paper door.
No voice came from across. It seemed the Commissioner had realized why Seok Juryeon had come to see her.
"As you know, Commissioner, Taehee is an irreplaceable asset and a child with extraordinary abilities."
At that moment, with a clatter, the paper-covered door opened. The Commissioner finally revealed herself. She was a small, elderly woman wearing a hanbok made of hemp cloth. The Commissioner, with her short white hair neatly combed, had a very sharp appearance. Looking at Seok Juryeon, she smiled faintly.
"Oh my, what a shame. Of all people, it had to be Taehee. Such bad luck."
"If that child disappears, it would be too great a loss.
There's no one in the headquarters who can fill his shoes in the current situation."
Seok Juryeon bowed her head to the floor as if prostrating herself.
"He's a child l've watched over for more than ten years since he was young..."
The Commissioner spoke in a stern voice, as if scolding Seok Juryeon.
"Juryeon. Get up. I've told you not to lower yourself carelessly."
Despite the Commissioner's reprimand, Seok Juryeon kept her head to the floor.
"Yes. Taehee is too valuable to be sacrificed. You've always said so. And I know he's the child you cherish more than anyone else."
The Commissioner, who had paused briefly, spoke again.
"You don't want to lose that child. It's regrettable for me too that Taehee would become a sacrifice. But Juryeon, haven't I always told you?"
The Commissioner paused and looked down at the back of Seok Juryeon's bowed head. She was kneeling with her head bowed so low that her nose almost touched the floor.
"Even a single flower petal falls exactly where it's meant to be."
"..."
"Everything that happens in this world is destined to be so."
"..."
"Even the fact that Taehee ended up there, there must be a reason for it."
Droplets fell onto the floor beneath Seok Juryeon's face.
"Juryeon, are you crying?"
Finally, the Commissioner chuckled and cupped Seok Juryeon's cheeks, lifting her face. She was silently shedding tears with a blank expression, her lips tightly pressed. The Commissioner placed her palm on Seok Juryeon's cheek, caressing it with a warm touch.
Bending down to wipe her tears, the Commissioner slowly extended her hand.
"Child, get up."
Seok Juryeon stared at the wrinkled hand held out in front of her face.
On a cold winter day. Even on a day when the bitter cold wind was blowing enough to freeze the skin, she had seen this hand before. It was when she had escaped after being sold to a shaman's house and locked in a lightless room.
Young Seok Juryeon had run and run through the dark, cold night streets and was crouching in an alley full of garbage. The Commissioner, who appeared before her eyes then, wearing an elegant hanbok and a beautiful quilted coat, had reached out her hand to the shivering Seok Juryeon like this.
'Child. Get up. This is not where you belong.'
"Juryeon. Remember this."
Juryeon. You must never bow your head carelessly, and you must always look down upon others. Don't kowtow to anyone. Be proud in front of everyone. Always fight to win. Don't follow others' words, but make others follow yours. And...
"Don't go against the principles of the world."