A New Lead, Kim Yeoryeong

Leaving the morning’s commotion behind, Horang finished his brief preparations.

It would have been even better if not for the bulky figure standing like a jangseung in front of the narrow alley leading to Samcheong-dong, right after opening the main gate.

“It’s past noon, so ‘good morning’ doesn’t quite fit.”

“Don’t you have anything to do?”

Horang chose to pick a fight instead of offering a greeting.

Theodore chuckled, as if Horang’s words sounded like a very amusing joke.

“I always have work, but nothing takes precedence over this.”

As Theodore shrugged, Horang clearly noticed the very high-quality texture of his shirt as it rose and fell.

It fit perfectly over his shoulders, which were broader than an average person’s, and looked custom-made from every angle.

While he didn’t know the brand of the impeccably tied necktie, the wrinkle-free trousers, the shoes, or the watch, the strong metallic scent that emanated from them suggested he wanted for nothing when it came to money.

It seemed that even possessing a human body hadn’t changed his essential nature.

Horang sharply turned his head.

The human standing to the Calamity’s right immediately bowed low the moment their eyes met.

Perhaps because Theodore hadn’t suppressed his aura, Horang saw the fear in the man’s eyes before moving his legs.

“Follow me.”

As he led the way, the two suit-clad figures followed.

Horang headed to the parking lot not far from the alley.

The keyring dangling from his finger spun like a loose ring.

“Are we going by car?”

In response to Theodore’s question, Horang pulled out his car key, pointing it toward his car parked on the first floor.

“I’m at an age where running around would wreck my knee joints.”

The yellow Jeep’s locks clicked open with a flash and a sound.

“Get in.”

Horang opened the driver’s side door and quickly slipped inside.

Theodore naturally took the passenger seat.

Once Iseon nervously settled into the back seat, Horang slowly exited the parking lot.

Attorney Hyun’s office wasn’t very far.

While waiting for the light to merge onto the main road, after descending the narrow Samcheong-dong streets to where Gyeongbokgung Palace’s wall was visible, Horang glanced at the seat beside him.

“Why?”

The owner of the gaze that had warmed his cheek since they got in the car chuckled silently, as if it were nothing.

“There probably won’t be anywhere to park. I was thinking we should take my car next time.”

Horang wrinkled his nose at that.

“There’s also the option of just not coming, or if you want to, I’ll send you the address and you can find your own way.”

Theodore didn’t respond to Horang’s grumbling about how it would be better for both of them if they came separately, and simply looked out the window.

Beyond the half-ruined palace, now just a shell, Inwangsan Mountain was visible.

“Where was it originally?”

“I don’t remember.”

Horang followed the changed signal, pulling in behind the car in front.

The alley in front of the office on the corner of Jongno was bustling, but there was still just enough space for a car.

Horang acknowledged the greeting from an old woman who was sitting on a chair in the alley, trimming namul, with a slight wave of his hand.

“Is she a jibakryeong?”

Theodore asked, observing the somehow lifeless old woman.

“She’s the parking fairy.”

For a fairy, she was full of gwi-gi and overflowing with bitter resentment, but to Horang, she was nonetheless a very precious ghost who always found him a parking spot.

“She’s better than the fairies where I used to live. All they knew was how to protest.”

“Did you stiff a king or something?”

“I illegally encroached upon and occupied land where fruit flies were living.”

“You son of a b*tch?”

“It was those fruit flies that first hid the thief who stole my belongings on that land.”

“Next time, kill them before they protest.”

Ending their trivial conversation, Horang hurried up the narrow, steep stairs.

Theodore and Iseon entered the office they were visiting again less than a week later.

It was still shockingly packed with penguin dolls.

However, that wasn’t what was important.

“You’ve arrived?”

Theodore saw Taegwi, hidden behind Attorney Hyun, holding a penguin doll.

The child, who looked to be less than six years old, showed fear toward him before quickly running to Horang and grabbing onto his pants.

Horang looked quite annoyed, but he didn’t push Taegwi away, instead walking to a nearby sofa with the child clinging to his leg, and flopped down.

“Would you like something cool to drink?”

“Yeah. If you have sikhye, give me that.”

Theodore calmly spoke, observing how Attorney Hyun, who hadn’t offered even a glass of water on their previous visit, was now treating Horang.

“I’ll have coffee.”

“If you have instant coffee, I’d appreciate that.”

Iseon also quickly stated his request.

Attorney Hyun replied with a blunt “Understood” to their unabashed orders.

“Siyoung, come here.”

“Just let her play.”

As Attorney Hyun called out to his younger sibling, Horang waved a hand as if to say it was fine.

Attorney Hyun still looked uneasy, but seeing Horang, he nodded.

Meanwhile, the child looked at Iseon.

Realizing that he could see her when their eyes met, she seemed to have grown curious.

As she stared intently and tilted her head, Iseon looked like he didn’t know what to do.

“Uh…”

Horang called the child.

“Come here, little one.”

‘No?’

Her tone was pleading, as if asking why she couldn’t play with the new person who seemed to have arrived.

Horang reached out and lifted the child who had come close.

“Your hair is a mess. Who would be friends with you looking like such a scruffy mess? You should look pretty when you go.”

Saying that, Horang placed the child on his lap, gathered her tangled hair, and smoothed it down with his hand.

‘Will you do my hair pretty?’

“I can’t do anything too fancy. Don’t you have a ribbon?”

As Horang replied gruffly, the child pouted and grumbled.

‘My brother bought it for me, but it doesn’t stay in my hair.’

“Then ask him to buy you something sparkly that’ll stay put later. Princess crowns are pretty popular these days.”

Horang wasn’t particularly delicate, but he tied her hair neatly before setting her back down on the floor.

The child looked at Iseon with shy anticipation.

‘Now that I’m pretty, will you play with me?’

Faced with such an expectant gaze, Iseon swallowed dryly.

Horang, reading his hesitation, propped his chin in his hand and chided him.

“Nothing bad will happen if you touch her for a moment.

If it were going to, you would have died when your eyes first opened at seven.”

Iseon gasped softly.

That was precisely the age he was when he first started seeing ghosts and the like.

He wanted to ask how Horang knew, but his lips were sealed shut, unable to move.

Theodore watched him, looking very amused.

Meanwhile, Attorney Hyun returned with several cups on a tray.

The child quickly ran to her kin.

With a Mickey Mouse-shaped cup of cocoa, complete with a teaspoon, placed in front of her, the child climbed onto the sofa and bounced her feet.

Horang found his sikhye and picked up the cup.

Seeing that, Attorney Hyun placed the tray on the table, as if telling the others to get their own drinks.

While the remaining two helped themselves, Attorney Hyun brought his tablet and handed it to Horang.

“First, I’ve found out the whereabouts of the person you’re looking for.”

Horang glanced at Theodore and gave a slight nod of his chin.

At the news of Kim Haeim, both Theodore, who had been sitting relaxed, and Iseon, who had been fidgeting restlessly, immediately focused.

Attorney Hyun brought a small stack of documents and handed them to the two of them.

“As a result of inquiries with various departments of The Underworld Hall, Ms. Kim Haeim crossed the River of Three Crossings 84 years ago and, according to records, was tried on a total of seven charges. She is currently serving community service in hell.”

Horang frowned as he swiped through the tablet screen.

“Seven charges, and only community service?”

Attorney Hyun chuckled.

“It states she killed three people, but it was recognized as self-defense.

Even in a place where all lives are generally weighed equally, the transgressions of the opposing parties must have been significantly heavier.”

If killing three people was ruled self-defense in an underworld trial, then one could imagine the circumstances of the deceased.

Attorney Hyun took off his thick-rimmed glasses, wiped them with the hem of his shirt, and put them back on.

Horang looked at Theodore, who was wearing a serious expression across from him.

“Are you going to meet Kim Haeim?”

It was a calm tone, devoid of any pretense, suggesting he would arrange a meeting if Theodore wished.

Despite that confidence, Theodore rubbed his chin with his finger.

“Not necessarily, but it’s strange.”

“What is?”

“If Kim Haeim still possessed the item I entrusted to her, her soul wouldn’t have been able to enter the underworld.

So it’s strange that she went to the afterlife so long ago.”

Attorney Hyun swallowed a sigh at his words.

He then divulged a piece of information he had kept aside.

“Just in case, I conducted an additional investigation, and it turns out Ms. Kim Haeim has a daughter registered.

Her name is Kim Yeoryeong, and she appears to still be alive.”

Horang examined Kim Yeoryeong’s family register transcript, which Attorney Hyun handed him.

“Is this from the underworld?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s certain.”

The space for the father was empty, but the name Kim Haeim was clearly written in the mother’s space.

Horang, after confirming the transcript that was automatically registered in both heaven and the underworld, took a quiet breath.

“If she took in a daughter, does that mean adoption?”

Attorney Hyun nodded in response to Iseon’s question, as if to confirm it.

Horang silently looked at Theodore.

Theodore let out a short breath.

“If she intentionally took in a child, it would be a spiritual daughter.

If I don’t know about it, then she probably didn’t have the power to summon me.”

Since she couldn’t summon him, it was obvious she couldn’t even make her own existence known to him.
Iseon blinked and then spoke.

“Then the person we need to meet isn’t Kim Haeim, but Kim Yeoryeong, right?”

“If she’s the one who possesses what you need, then yes.”

Attorney Hyun met the gaze of those in his office.

“That’s as far as my findings go; I don’t know Ms. Kim Yeoryeong’s current residence.

There’s an address registered under Kim Yeoryeong, but no one is currently living there.”

“Where is that?”

At the mention of a house, Horang spoke.

“Heukseok-dong.”

Horang tilted his head.