Yokai Come to the Countryside Café

Chapter 10: Divine Tree (1)

In the blink of an eye, the divine tree had grown, and around it, National Intelligence Service agents disguised as workers managing saplings were sweating as they measured something.

Fortunately, there were two things to be relieved about.

One was that this place was a remote country road where barely any cars passed, even during the day.

The other was that there were still people who could somehow handle the aftermath.

Three people who arrived around the same time looked at the divine tree and each gave their impressions.

“Hohoho! It’s exactly the same as the divine tree in Mount Gyeryong!”

“I don't even want to be surprised anymore.”

“Same here.”

“I was worried that yokai twisted to their cores would be drawn to the divine tree leaf, but look at this—it’s practically advertising a gateway to the Heavenly Realm. Tsk.”

“I feel kind of guilty.”

“Still, fortunately, it appears as just an ordinary oak tree to the average person. No radioactive levels or harmful substances have been detected either.”

“If it emitted anything so vulgar, would it even be a divine tree? At this point, tell those fools to stop fussing and let them sit and rest around it. I'm sure even without knowing, their tired souls and bodies will be cleansed to some extent. Lately, everyone’s been suffering because of that thing, haven’t they?”

“Haha, you’re right.”

It was a thorny seat.

Given the situation, there was no point in making excuses.

How could I tattle that the divine tree grew in my backyard likely due to Mago Goddess’s intervention?

It was only circumstantial evidence, and even if I blamed a god, the event had already happened.

Despite her gentle appearance, Mago Goddess had a surprisingly mischievous side.

“Anyway, what are we going to do about this?”

“But is it really a problem? Most yokai wouldn’t even come close if Gumiho Elder is here.”

“So you’re telling me to become the guardian spirit of this place now? What a nasty fellow. I have enough work cleaning up after this government agent already.”

Gumiho, groaning and pointing her smoking pipe at Director Baek Mahyeon, seemed unwilling to stay involved in this matter. In that case—

“By the way, isn’t Mount Gyeryong often left unattended?”

“Soldiers guard it, so it’s fine to leave it for a while! Even humans with spiritual power come to pray there, so only beings like me or Gumiho can even approach the divine tree!”

“That’s not possible here, so it’s a real headache.”

“Just now figuring that out?”

“I thought the three of you would handle it somehow.”

It was like a river-crossing game.

The raccoon dog had to guard the divine tree, and the gumiho seemed busy in her own way. If we were to guard a second divine tree, as the raccoon dog suggested, the house would have to be filled with soldiers and shamans.

Checkmate.

In the end, to protect this divine tree, I, wearing the ring made of divine stone, had to be here.

Just as the gumiho said, I was bound to become the guardian spirit of the divine tree.

But that couldn’t happen. My vacation ends tomorrow, and I have to return to work.

I had to find a solution by then. Whatever it takes!

At the same time, in the Heavenly Realm’s Sangje Palace.

The enormous palace that was said to reach the skies was quite different from usual.

Normally, it would be a quiet place with perhaps a few royal messengers coming and going, but today it was in an uproar with endless carriages moving in and out.

Each carriage bore splendid banners, clearly indicating the noble status of their occupants.

“Hoho, everyone must be incredibly busy—what brings such honored visits?”

“Mago Granny, you’ve gone too far this time.”

“Indeed. Summoning someone who ascended from Shinan to the Heavenly Realm?”

“This is unheard of!”

“What were you thinking if this causes chaos in the Heavenly Realm?”

The gods, each dressed in resplendent robes, all voiced their complaints toward Mago Goddess.

But Mago Goddess, seated calmly with a kind smile, tapped the floor with her cane and silenced the uproar.

“That’s enough. I did not summon anyone. They came of their own accord.”

“Pardon? Mago Granny, what do you mean by that…?”

“Just as I said. They opened the gate to the Heavenly Realm on their own and came. What could I do? If you have a solution, go ahead and say it.”

“You mean to say they achieved enlightenment on their own and entered the Heavenly Realm, even though their lifespan hasn’t ended?”

“Hoho, well, I wouldn’t know.”

‘The Mago Goddess, who sees all truths of creation, claims she doesn’t know? Isn’t that an even bigger problem?’

There had been a precedent in the Heavenly Realm, which made this even more serious.

“What, are you worried they’ll cause a ruckus like that monkey last time?”

“Mago Granny, how could you bring that up again! And that incident only happened because you knew about it and didn’t say a word!”

“A disaster? The peaches cultivated by the Great Sage Equal to Heaven grace your tables every time—how could that be a disaster? Tsk.”

“Ahem.”

Everyone fell silent, clearing their throats at Mago Goddess’s reply.

No one didn’t know how dearly the Great Sage cared for his peach trees. But the process of raising those trees had been terribly outrageous—enough to shake the heavens.

‘Still, thanks to that, no reckless fools dared target the peach trees anymore.’

Was it what they called a nostalgic memory in hindsight?

To the gods who lived for eternity, the Great Sage was undoubtedly the steadfast guardian of those precious peach trees.

As the thought occurred to them, the quick-witted gods immediately relaxed their expressions.

There were always few gods in the Heavenly Realm who wanted to work, and far too many tasks to be done.

“Mago Goddess, you already had a plan for that person, didn’t you?”

“Hoho, I left that child in charge of a tree to protect.”

“As expected, your insight runs deep!”

Although it was slightly concerning that the tree was one of only two divine trees in the living world and that the person involved hadn’t been told a single word about it, Mago Goddess had no intention of poking the hornet’s nest by revealing that fact.

Judging by their mood, they likely assumed she had entrusted something minor like an udumbara.

“They’ll do splendidly. They seemed kind-hearted and responsible.”

Unfortunately, events in the living world were unfolding in a direction completely opposite to the Heavenly Realm’s expectations.

***

No matter how much I agonized over it, the conclusion was the same.

“Let’s dig it up.”

“What?”

“I said we should dig it up. We’ll excavate it and move it next to the divine tree at Mount Gyeryong.”

“You’ve lost your mind, truly. Did those words really just come out of your mouth—a man who’s been to the Heavenly Realm—suggesting we dig up the divine tree?”

“There’s already another one at Mount Gyeryong. No matter how I think about it, this is like a chicken rib. You said yokai might gather around it, right? There’s no reason to leave that danger here. It’d be easier to manage if both were in one place.”

In a way, it was worse than a chicken rib.

Even with just the raccoon dog involved, it had already been a nonstop ordeal.

And now, they were saying another yokai, on par with the raccoon dog, might come to see the divine tree. That alone was a nightmarish thought.

Sure, I had received the ring for this kind of scenario, but I thought of it as insurance—just in case something happened. With the divine tree sitting in the yard like this, it was less insurance and more of a final weapon prepared for a decisive battle.

I was sorry to Mago Goddess, but there was no reason that divine tree had to be in our backyard. No, it shouldn’t be here at all.

Especially not for someone like me, who was hoping to enter Gangnam respectably with money earned from serving coffee.

“What if something goes wrong?”

“Come on, it’s a divine tree. What could possibly happen just because we dig it up? We’ll just quickly replant it at Mount Gyeryong. If you’re really worried, let’s try moving it just a bit forward first. If anything strange happens, we’ll stop immediately.”

No one could know without trying. Considering the trouble this tree might cause in the future, it was a worthwhile risk.

“I must be old indeed, to witness the day a divine tree is dug up.”

“Let’s just give it a try!”

It wasn’t quite permission, but close enough.

With the two divine beasts in agreement, there was no reason to delay.

-Pak. Pak.

The NIS agents began carefully digging around the divine tree with the shovels and pickaxes they had brought as part of their disguise.

After they finished digging the surrounding soil, the most critical part—removing the base soil connected to the ground—was handled by me, the gumiho, and the raccoon dog.

The others stood by with shovels full of dirt, ready to fill the hole at a moment’s notice in case something went wrong.

“If something happens to the divine tree, Mago Granny might get angry. She already got scolded last time for meddling too much when she helped the independence fighters.”

“Hmm? Obviously the guy who suggested it will get scolded. What’s it got to do with us? We’re just helping.”

Wow, these divine beasts were so petty!

“It’s joint responsibility, joint responsibility. We made the decision together—how can you say that?”

“Then I’ll get scolded too? I don’t want that!”

“Mago Goddess is kind. Don’t worry.”

“This isn’t a matter that kindness can solve! If she sees the divine tree being dug up, even a Buddha who’s attained nirvana would chase us with a stick!”

“Then when the time comes, I’ll take the beating from Buddha for the two of you. So please dig properly. I feel like I’m the only one working here.”

“It’s your fault for making an old lady dig!”

“I’m digging properly now! Hyaaaaah!”

“Hey, hey! Be careful! Be careful!”

“Wait a second!”

As the raccoon dog eagerly dug with its front paws, it suddenly picked up speed, seemingly inspired by my shout.

Ignoring our urgent warnings, the raccoon dog vanished beneath the divine tree, leaving behind a giant pit.

And of course, that pit had been the very spot holding the soil supporting the divine tree.

Losing its base, the divine tree—no matter how sacred—could not defy the laws of physics.

-Kwoooong.

We were doomed.

The divine tree had fallen. And from it poured a blue light far stronger than anything we’d seen before.

Something had definitely gone terribly wrong.

“Ugh, I dug too deep.”

“You… you damn raccoon dog!”

“Waaah! Why are you hitting me again?!”

“You don’t know why?! What are we supposed to do now?!”

“Huh? The divine tree is lying down…”

“We have to stand it up! Quickly!”

We spoke urgently, but there was no time to tie it up and lift it with the waiting excavator.

“Ugh, this won’t do! Everyone clear the area!”

“Yes, Elder!”

“Everyone back away!”

Seeing the blue light from the divine tree begin to fade, the gumiho ordered everyone to retreat.

What was she planning?

The moment everyone moved far from the tree—

-Wooooong.

A gust of wind blew from the young man in his early twenties, and suddenly the true form of the gumiho appeared before us—a creature the size of a dump truck.

“Now! We have to fill the hole!”

I shouted desperately to the onlookers, still stunned by the sudden appearance of the gumiho.

As the giant gumiho lifted the tree with her massive front paw, we hurriedly began packing the soil.

Praying with all our might that nothing else would go wrong.