Chapter 111 – Palace Maid (4)
‘Kang Moon-soo, don’t get the wrong idea. If I weren’t a shaman, I wouldn’t even have dreamed of competing in the Olympics.’
My aptitude is shaman. Athlete is just a side gig that came from doing shaman work.
Humanity? Compassion?
I can’t say I have none, but my goal is to enter patients’ dreams and gain abilities that carry over to reality.
“This is for me.”
“How exactly?”
“I’m forcibly waking a patient who’s escaped harsh reality into a sweet dream. So it’s for me.”
To get out of the dream, I have no choice but to persuade or kill the patient—that’s the only reason I treat them.
This is a selfish decision for myself.
A dream I’ve already entered once is fully mapped out for me—a safe playground.
“You’re stubborn.”
Song Sun-young sighed as if giving up.
“The taekwondo association is going to lose their minds. You crippled all their athletes and now you’re skipping the Olympics.”
Chief Seo Hye-joo said in a tone that told me to brace myself.
“I don’t care about them. If they’re unhappy, they can come at me again. I’m more bummed I can’t do sports betting now.”
“I’m bummed about that too.”
“Huh? Chief, you bet on sports too?”
“No. But someone who knows you better than anyone wouldn’t miss this chance, right? More research funding is always better.”
“Ah!”
Song Sun-young shot her an incredulous look.
“Mom said she’s secretly going to use her emergency stash for sports betting too. People really do think alike.”
“You?”
“…I was planning to bet a little, just to cheer on my boyfriend.”
“I see.”
We quickly got to work on preparations.
***
“Bill the parents for treatment costs. If they can’t pay, have them relinquish parental rights and transfer the debt to the patient.”
“What’s the purpose of transferring it?”
Jeon Ji-eun showed up at the hospital like a ghost even though I hadn’t called her. The moment she heard the situation, she offered her family’s legal team without conditions.
“I want to completely separate the patient from her parents.”
“…You’re kind.”
“Don’t misunderstand. I just want to collect the treatment fee.”
“Got it.”
Song Sun-young really didn’t like Jeon Ji-eun, but she couldn’t deny the woman’s competence in every field.
Preparations complete.
I glanced at Song Sun-young, who still looked uncomfortable, and said,
“Don’t worry.”
“No deserted islands.”
“O-of course not!”
I didn’t expect her to still be hung up on that scrapped plan.
“Come back quick.”
“It’s too early to give up on the Olympics. I’ll have the family jet on standby. As long as you arrive before the opening ceremony, you can still compete.”
Jeon Ji-eun cut in calmly, stealing my line.
Which naturally led to—
“Noona, mind your own business! We already decided to take Uncle Mao Zhai’s private jet!”
Song Sun-young snapped irritably.
“Oh my! Song Sun-young, I already heard that plan from Moon-soo in advance, so I know. But more backup options are always better, right?”
“Save your effort!”
“That’s up to interpretation.”
“…”
“…”
One girl glared with clear dislike; the other smiled softly as they locked eyes.
…Is this okay?
I think I understand a little why Ranuvel patients don’t want to wake up from their dreams.
“Chief! I’m counting on you for the aftermath!”
“Got it.”
“Sigh… What do you even think a primary physician is?”
“Chief, you’re partly responsible too.”
She was the one who introduced me to a shaman clan and planted the seeds of trouble.
“I didn’t expect this either.”
“Responsibility!”
“…Fine. Just go quickly and come back.”
“Thank you!”
Clack.
I placed my right hand over Yoon So-ra’s bony left hand, which was little more than skin and bones.
***
The world Song Sun-young saw after waking from her endlessly repeating dream was like a colorless black-and-white film.
That woman, that man, that child…
Every human she saw looked like a mannequin. She interacted with them as naturally as possible for social reasons, but her thoughts never changed.
Why?
‘Did I really wake up from the dream?’
Even when she repeatedly attempted suicide, she slept when her body grew tired. And when she opened her eyes, “tomorrow” always came without fail.
What changed?
Nothing.
Kang Moon-soo had knelt and begged her to stop killing herself, but even now she felt like jumping off a rooftop would send her back in time. The only reason she didn’t test it was…
“…Idiot.”
Purely because of Kang Moon-soo.
The only real human besides herself. And a man.
Since he retained his memories even when sent back, in theory he was her eternal companion.
Eve and Adam.
The first woman and the first man.
The only person in the world Song Sun-young could give her heart to was Kang Moon-soo.
‘And he looks at other women?’
The humiliation and sense of degradation at being compared to mere mannequins boiled inside her. Enough that she wanted to reset everything by killing herself!
Yet she endured.
Why?
“…”
The girl dragged a chair to the bedside, sat down, and stared intently at the peacefully sleeping boy’s face.
A face that had grown more masculine since the beginning.
Not just the face—his physique had improved over the past year or so, and various people gathered around him, giving him “power.”
But…
‘If I reset, he’ll be devastated.’
Kang Moon-soo, who kept his memories, would surely resent her.
So she endured.
“…Next time, though, no mercy.”
If he glanced at another mannequin again, she’d jump off the roof immediately. Then he couldn’t resent her with all the sins he’d piled up!
Flash—!
“Huh?”
“…Success.”
“Wha—?!”
Song Sun-young panicked when Kang Moon-soo—who had entered the Ranuvel patient’s dream—opened his eyes again in less than five minutes.
“What hap— already?”
Chief Seo Hye-joo, who had been skillfully preparing an IV, was equally startled.
“…I’ll call later.”
Click.
Jeon Ji-eun, who had been on the sofa talking to her family’s legal team, ended the call and stood up.
“You didn’t get kicked out again, did you?”
Song Sun-young glanced at the still-unwaking patient and asked cautiously.
“No. Looks like I gained a new ability.”
“A new ability?”
“I can now be active in both the dream and reality at the same time.”
“Ah!”
Hearing Kang Moon-soo’s calm explanation, Song Sun-young let out an exclamation.
Dream or reality.
For Kang Moon-soo, who had always been forced to make choices and sacrifices, and for Song Sun-young, who had to wait endlessly for him, this was nothing short of welcome news.
“How did you do it?”
Chief Seo Hye-joo set down the IV with deep interest in her eyes.
From doctor to researcher.
That was probably her biggest motivation for helping Kang Moon-soo.
“I did concentration training in the world of <Is This Heavenly Demon for Real?>. It seems to have carried over.”
“Concentration training?”
“Like when martial artists sit cross-legged under a waterfall.”
“I don’t see the connection.”
“I’m still confused myself. The views from both worlds overlap, and the sounds mix together… it’s really disorienting.”
Kang Moon-soo rubbed his head as if he had a headache and sat on the bed.
Chief Seo, who had been quietly observing him, pulled out her notebook.
“Hmm~ What does it feel like to share both worlds? Like controlling a VR avatar and your real body at the same time? Very interesting.”
“Chief, I’ll pass on experiments. I’ve never even played VR games.”
“Try it sometime when you get the chance.”
“I’ll politely decline. Dreams are enough VR for me.”
“Too bad.”
But Chief Seo didn’t sound like she was giving up at all.
“Moon-soo, congrats. You can compete in the Olympics as planned now.”
Clap clap!
Jeon Ji-eun, smiling faintly, lightly applauded to celebrate Kang Moon-soo’s Olympics participation that had almost fallen through.
“Thanks. It’ll probably stay dizzy for a while, but I’m happy anyway. I didn’t want to give up the Olympics either.”
“Dizzy?”
“No helping it. I’m seeing both sides at once, after all.”
“You’ll be able to compete?”
“Uh… probably?”
Kang Moon-soo’s tone was light, as if he was only aiming to participate.
“If you don’t want to embarrass yourself, you’ll need training to avoid tripping or veering off course.”
“…Just imagining it is horrifying.”
“I’ll help. If you need info on the patient Yoon So-ra or the drama <Palace Maid Deok-chun>, just say the word anytime.”
“Oh! Right! This is going to be way more convenient from now on. I can get needed info in real time!”
Jeon Ji-eun smiled at the excited Kang Moon-soo.
“Then want to make use of it right away? It wasn’t planned, but let’s visit the set of <Palace Maid Deok-chun>. If you want, I can arrange a meeting with the director and writer.”
“That’s a good idea, but…”
Kang Moon-soo cautiously checked Song Sun-young’s reaction.
“It’s fine. This is work, right?”
Ahem! “I’ve got recent sins on my record.”
“Then ask. I don’t mind going along.”
Jeon Ji-eun’s bold attitude felt like provocation toward the girl one year younger.
How big is your bowl?
“Hmm… Sun-young?”
Kang Moon-soo called his girlfriend very carefully.
“Who are you?”
“Huh? Sun-young, what’s that supposed to mean? Asking who I am.”
“Look at me.”
“I am looking?”
“Wrong. The real Kang Moon-soo steals glances at my legs whenever he gets the chance. But you haven’t looked once. Not even a single time.”
“…”
“You’re not Moon-soo.”
Song Sun-young stared intently at Kang Moon-soo’s face and declared.
“…”
“…”
“…Haha! You’re really something!”
The boy whose existence had just been denied broke the brief silence with a hearty laugh.
“…Who are you?”
“I thought I was perfect, but mimicking the lust devil was too much? Or is this girl’s observation skill just that amazing, figuring it out in such a short time? Honestly, I’m impressed.”
“I asked who you are…!”
Song Sun-young panicked at the reality she didn’t want to accept.
It’s not Kang Moon-soo.
Kang Moon-soo is gone.
Kang Moon-soo is dead?
Kang Moon-soo…!
“Calm down. I’m an ally. I have zero intention of stealing the body of the pervert who loves his girlfriend’s legs more than anything in the world, so relax.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. I’m an ally.”
“Not that! You said Moon-soo loves my legs the most in the world?”
“…Yeah. You’re no ordinary girl either.”
The boy gave Song Sun-young—who had slightly lost focus—an incredulous look.
“Who are you?”
Jeon Ji-eun, who hadn’t noticed it was a fake at all, asked with a stiff face.
“A philosophical question.”
“Is it a split personality or another ego?”
“That answer makes me understand why your clan desperately wants this frustrating kid’s bloodline.”
“…”
Jeon Ji-eun’s face flushed red at the highly insulting remark.
“Pretty self-centered criticism. What else would you call an existence that shares Kang Moon-soo’s knowledge and experience? He even mentioned concentration training.”
Chief Seo Hye-joo, who had been carefully observing the boy, defended her.
“Haha! You got me. A doctor toyed with by her future self.”
“…”
“Looks like I hit the mark.”
“Is that Kang Moon-soo’s thought?”
“No. That kid overestimates you. He doesn’t even know you passed him the wrong chemical equation in the quadrant.”
Thud.
The notebook and pen fell from Chief Seo Hye-joo’s hand.
“W-who exactly are you…?”
“I am— guh?!”
“Tell me right now!”
Shake shake!
Song Sun-young, her patience exploding, grabbed the boy’s neck with both hands and shook him back and forth.
“O-okay, stop shaking!”
“Talk first!”
“If this body suffers, the Kang Moon-soo in the dream suffers too…!”
Shhk—
Convinced by that, Song Sun-young released her grip.
“…Talk.”
“I am the one who sees past and future. The king of the dead who descended into the present world through the medium of <Is This Heavenly Demon for Real?>…”
“A character from the novel?”
“The novel is just a medium… think of it as a vehicle for easy understanding.”
“So who are you?”
Song Sun-young’s patience was reaching its limit again.
“The Blood God.”
“Ah! The one who appeared at the end of the novel and got defeated by the Heavenly Demon right away…?”
“…The novel is just a novel.”
“I don’t care. Just tell me what Moon-soo is doing.”
The Blood God, completely ignored, gave a hollow smile and said,
“Don’t rush me. I am Blood God So Un-hyeon, who once drenched the Central Plains in blood.”
“Didn’t ask.”
“Miss. I know all of Kang Moon-soo’s secrets. Think care—”
“Oppa So Un-hyeon♪”
“…fully.”
The god who had descended into the shaman’s body in the present world let out a hearty laugh.
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