Fox Sister

After riding day and night with Master, we finally arrived at a mountain in the Hosoo region.

There stood a grand temple.

As the creaky wooden gate opened,

the stillness was broken and an eerie tension filled the air.

Following behind Master into the yard,

a monk was seen sweeping the ground with a broom.

“I am Namgung Hwi of the Heavenly Nine Assemblies.

The seal has been broken.”

Master’s voice was firm after speaking,

but his labored breathing and movements betrayed the fatigue from our relentless ride here.

My sweat-soaked clothes were uncomfortable too,

but there was no time to complain in this situation.

Exactly what had happened?

It was hard to grasp the reality from just the words ‘the seal has been broken’.

The monk stopped sweeping and slowly turned to look at us.

His gaze moved from Master, to me, then back to Master.

“You’ve come from the Heavenly Nine Assemblies… please come inside.”

The monk’s voice was low but carried deep resonance.

Seeing his troubled and worried expression,

I could sense this wasn’t an ordinary serious situation.

Master bowed deeply before entering.

The old wooden floorboards creaked as we stepped inside,

and the faint smell of incense tickled my nose.

Though I didn’t have much time to observe,

the temple seemed to bear the weight of many long years.

We arrived at a small, cozy prayer hall.

Faint sunlight filtered through the faded window grilles,

softly illuminating the dust particles floating in the air.

In the center of the prayer hall sat an elderly monk with long white eyebrows on a cushion.

His wrinkled face showed warmth and great wisdom,

but the atmosphere he exuded carried heavy gravity.

“It’s been a long time, Great Master Gangryeong.”

Master bowed deeply while greeting.

“I am Namgung Hwi of the Heavenly Nine Assemblies.”

Their gazes finally met.

“Namgung Hwi, it’s been a long time.”

Grandmaster Gangryeong’s voice was low and quiet,

yet carried enough intensity to resonate throughout the entire prayer hall.

“The fragment of the curse… has it finally…”

Before he finished, his gaze turned to me.

Though warm, it had a sharpness that pierced through my very being,

causing me to unconsciously sit up straighter.

“Yes, Grandmaster. Upon hearing the news that the seal has been broken,

we rushed here without delay.

I’ve already informed the royal court,

but given the urgency of the situation…

I’m not sure if reinforcements will arrive in time.”

Grandmaster Gangryeong nodded slowly after a moment of silence.

“At night other monks will be patrolling.

You two should get some rest while you can.”

His tone was soft, but underlying uneasiness could be sensed.

Walking toward the room with Master,

the interior of the temple felt peaceful yet strangely unfamiliar.

Other monks passing in the hallway had tense expressions,

their sharp gazes adding to the growing tension.

Finally reaching the room, it was small but simple,

with a subtle herbal scent and neatly arranged furnishings creating a cozy atmosphere.

However, the anxious energy outside lingered.

Muffled whispers could occasionally be heard through the walls.

Looking out the window, the layered mountains stretched before me.

Though the scenery appeared peaceful,

the underlying tension made my spine tingle.

Trying to sleep, I repeatedly closed and reopened my eyes due to discomfort,

eventually getting up and opening the door.

In the darkness, flickering torchlight caught my eye.

Following it, I saw monks with staffs and swords standing guard with stern expressions.

The crisp night air carried a chilling tension.

Wandering quietly through the tranquil temple courtyard,

I noticed a familiar figure by a small garden behind the prayer hall.

It was the monk who discovered my divine ability as a child,

helping me and even arranging transportation.

“Monk…”

I called softly.

He slowly turned around.

Even in the dark, I recognized his deeply lined face and kind eyes immediately.

“Ah… aren’t you Song?”

His voice trembled with surprise and joy.

For a moment, words failed me and I just nodded.

“It’s been a long time, Monk.”

My voice caught unexpectedly.

This was the first familiar face I’d seen since leaving home.

Memories of the past warmth welled up,

and I struggled to hold back tears.

“How… how did you end up here?”

My careful question seemed to carry some concern.

I slowly recounted my story.

Training with Master, becoming a Taoist priest…

“You’ve become a Taoist priest…”

The monk’s eyes grew even deeper.

After silently gazing at me for a moment,

he tightly pressed his lips and nodded.

“Poor thing… your fate is truly tragic.”

His voice carried deep sympathy and sorrow.

My mouth went dry.

“Why are you here, Monk?”

Gathering my courage, I cautiously asked.

The monk quietly stared off into the distance for a moment,

then sighed before speaking.

“My hometown village… has disappeared.”

Though brief,

those words stabbed into my heart like a dagger.

“What do you mean ‘disappeared’? What could possibly…”

My voice trembled, unable to believe it.

My mind filled with all sorts of ominous thoughts.

‘Could it be… my younger sister?’

The monk’s expression grew darker.

His eyes carried a sadness that seemed to hide something.

I wanted to ask more about my sister,

but couldn’t bring myself to speak,

fearing some terrible truth.

The monk silently patted my shoulder.

The warmth of his hand almost overwhelmed my restrained emotions.

I forced back tears.

Returning to my room after the brief encounter,

my body felt incredibly heavy as I lay down.

How long had I slept?

In my dream, I met my young sister.

She didn’t appear pale or frightening.

Just her usual cheerful self, happily pulling on my clothes calling “Sister! Sister!”

Her characteristic bratty voice rang clearly.

Dressed in her pink skirt, she skipped around

picking flowers and sticking them in my hair as always.

“Sister, let’s play!”

She grabbed my hand and ran out to the fields.

We laughed together as we dashed through the blooming flowers under the blue sky.

When she tickled my cheeks, I couldn’t help but laugh too.

But even in the dream, a lingering unease remained.

Suddenly, her eyes seemed to gleam eerily.

Startled, I looked again but she still wore her usual cheerful expression.

‘Must be imagining things…’

I tried to shake off the unease.

I just wanted to enjoy this happy moment.

She picked a white flower and offered it to me.

Its petals sparkled beautifully in the sunlight.

As I reached to take it, the dream shattered.

Opening my eyes, cold tears streamed down my cheeks.

A corner of my heart ached.

Just seeing my sister again brought happiness,

but that happiness now stung bitterly.

Looking out the window,

the monk’s words came back to me.

“My hometown village has disappeared…”

A deep sigh filled the room.

Time passed and breakfast began.

On the modest table sat a steaming bowl of rice,

some plain side dishes,

and a hearty soybean paste soup.

Though simple vegetarian fare,

the carefully prepared meal pleased both the eyes and taste buds.

The rich aroma of the soup brought a strange sense of relief.

The hardships of yesterday seemed to fade temporarily at this humble table.

As Master and I ate silently with our chopsticks,

he suddenly spoke up.

“Soon you’ll be twenty.”

Hearing that word ‘twenty’,

a chill ran down my spine.

I remembered Master’s previous words.

“If you continue as you are, it will be difficult to survive past twenty.”

That statement was what led Master to teach me magic initially.

Though it’s an old story now,

for some reason that unsettling premonition lingered in my chest.

“When we first met, you were such a child…

Now you’re practically an adult.”

Master’s voice softened.

Looking at me for a moment, he smiled and said,

“Happy early birthday.”

I awkwardly nodded with a smile,

but my inner feelings were complicated.

The upcoming number ‘twenty’ felt ominous somehow.

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