Chương 47: S.04 Memory of the Clock 08(07)

Scene 15. It was only after climbing well into the afternoon that they were able to find the house the navigation led them to. Leaving Yeon-su as she was, eyes closed in the drowse, Gyeong-seo climbed the small rise and came face to face with the familiar car parked in the lot. Catching sight of the car pulling in, So-hui and Si-yeon stepped out of the shut front door.

Parking as best she could, Gyeong-seo got out from the driver's seat, and only then did Yeon-su, with eyes that still would not fully open, hurry to glance around. Startled, she hopped out of the passenger side and, unable even to gather her wits, offered a flustered greeting. Not yet able to meet So-hui's eyes, Yeon-su moved her steps and tried to begin unloading the bags from the trunk, at which point So-hui came over first and lent Yeon-su a hand.

Gyeong-seo, with startled eyes, moved to stop So-hui, but Si-yeon, unruffled, caught Gyeong-seo by the arm and dragged her toward the front door. So-hui lowered Yeon-su's and Gyeong-seo's bags to the ground. At So-hui's help, Yeon-su sniffed, and as if unable even to sense what she was supposed to say, let a heavy silence go on. So-hui: It was a long drive, was it not. Hearing So-hui's calm voice, the swell of feeling inside her began to heave again.

Yeon-su, in a courtesy far off from what was proper, managed a sparse answer. Taking in Yeon-su, who had replaced her reply with a nod, So-hui wore a light smile on her face. Having brought down all of Gyeong-seo's and Yeon-su's bags, So-hui hoisted them up and climbed the two steps to the front door. Inside, Si-yeon and Gyeong-seo had already begun bickering.

Catching sight of the bags in So-hui's hands, Gyeong-seo hurried to drop her quarrel and tried to step out, at which point Si-yeon stealthily hooked her foot. Tripped in her half-sleep, Gyeong-seo barely caught her footing and glared at Si-yeon. Si-yeon: What are you gonna do if you do see? Gyeong-seo: You little — aoh. SSibal, you already kicked it. It was a joke only Gyeong-seo, who had taught Si-yeon, could make. At Si-yeon's sneering greeting, So-hui stepped in to mediate between Si-yeon and Gyeong-seo.

So-hui: Aoh, quiet down, Lee Si-yeon. Hurry and help these two unpack. Si-yeon: Come on, do they have no hands, no feet, did they croak like I did. Just let them do it themselves. At the time of the events Yeon-su had not had the chance to notice, but now Si-yeon's looks struck her as truly identical to Ji-young's.

Wrapped in the strange sense of déjà vu, blinking at where she should even place her gaze, Yeon-su saw Gyeong-seo as good as snatch her and So-hui's bags up and stride in stiff, uneven steps toward the first floor. When Gyeong-seo tried to unload the bags and was hovering from one corner to another unsure of herself, So-hui, unable to watch any longer, stepped in herself and guided the two of them. So-hui: You will be staying on the second floor. Gyeong-seo: Eh, even so, The Guide.

We are here as your protective detail, would it not be better for us to stay on the first? So-hui: Well, as if they will care whether we are downstairs or upstairs. Gyeong-seo: Ah, well, fair enough. So-hui: The second floor should be a bit less cold. The boiler heats upward, so. And there is less draft. Gyeong-seo: Thank you. So-hui: As you know, Si-yeon runs hot, so I will keep only the second floor nicely warm with the boiler. If you are cold, feel free to turn it up more.

Yeon-su, a little way off, was climbing the wooden stairs. At the timid gaze of Yeon-su, who kept her eyes only on her own feet as she walked, So-hui halted abruptly and turned to take Yeon-su in. So-hui: Secret Agent. Yeon-su: Yes. Yes — So-hui: Um. Are you not going to look at me? Yeon-su, with her timid gaze, lifted her eyes and stole a look at So-hui. So-hui: If it is uncomfortable, should I speak with The Oldest again. Yeon-su: Ah, th — that is. It is not that.

At Yeon-su's lukewarm response, Gyeong-seo, as though the impatience were rising up in her like an illness, approached Yeon-su where she had halted on the stairs, hopped up once, and drove a sharp knuckle-rap down onto Yeon-su's tall head with full force. Yeon-su: Aoh!! Why!! Gyeong-seo: Hurry up and unpack. I did not sleep, so stop whining and picking fights. Scene 16. Dressed fine in her Ceremonial rite garb, Ji-young had been going through documents.

By now the light had begun to tilt, and she looked out at it through the opened window. A chill breeze drifted in through the open pane, but thanks to the warm floor Ji-young had laid out a thick cushion and was sitting against the heat to push back even that slight cold. Each time she bent her head, the ornaments hanging from her hair swung down. But having resolved to grow used to them, Ji-young did not lift a careless hand to the ornaments.

Even with the weight pressing down on her head, she only now and again raised her face to work out her neck, and she would not touch the ornaments at all. The scroll records bore Chinese characters, Oracle Bone Script, and various languages inscribed in array, all waiting on Ji-young's approval. Hee-jin sat in Ji-young's residence with a thick stack of dictionary bundles set beside her, waiting for Ji-young's questions, but Ji-young posed none.

Having looked over all the documents in silence, Ji-young drew out the brush-pen stored inside the low writing table and put her own signature at the bottom. While she waited for the brush-pen ink of her signature to dry, Ji-young turned her head and took in Hee-jin, seated diagonally across from her and waiting. Ji-young tidied the stack of documents, gathering them in, and pulled the phone out of her pocket to check the time. Ji-young: Ah. That reminds me. Um, the company I was working at — what became of it?

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Hee-jin: When you went into missing status, the Foundation filed a proxy report and a missing-person report in your name. I understand you have been placed into a natural leave of duty. Ji-young: And the missing status? Hee-jin: Police are proceeding with an investigation. But, as you know, since a part of the Major Crimes Unit is aware of the circumstances, a direct and active investigation is not being pursued.

Ji-young: Being reported missing while alive and well is a little off, though. Hee-jin: We will process your resignation from the company, and simultaneously have the missing-person report reversed to a return-of-person status. At the same time, you will be formally registered as the chairperson of the 전국 무속인 공제회 (Jeon-guk Musogin Gongje-hoe_National Shaman Mutual Aid Association). Most likely, in about two weeks, the paperwork will all be in order. Ji-young opened the clamshell of her own phone.

Taking in the phone—whose screen would no longer display properly after going through so much—Ji-young twisted her lips to the side. Ji-young: Whether a phone can even be bought. Ah, by the way — what about my salary? At Ji-young's out-of-nowhere question, Hee-jin briefly ran into a flustered moment. Hee-jin: Well. The decision over the salary amount you are to receive, drawn from the Mutual Aid Association funds, rests entirely with The Oldest. In other words, simply do as you wish.

Ji-young: I cannot just roll in on day one and play fast and loose. What is my salary? Starting wage? Roughly, what did my mother get as starting wage. Hee-jin: Even an initial appointment receives the highest amount. After tax, 12. 5 million a month is about right, but there are additional benefits on top. Even things like clothing expenses can be separately expensed. In practice, there is almost no occasion for you to spend your own money. Meal expenses, expenses in general. Vehicle support.

All of these are paid out of separate allotments. The arrangements for payment by Association card will be wrapped up today. Ji-young: Oh. The dream job. Hee-jin: The fact that you are always putting your life on the line is the flaw, if one must call it a flaw. Welfare and wages are quite good. Because we receive a substantial volume of Mutual Aid dues from licensed shamans nationwide. If a major offering comes in, a single month's income can be considerable.

In return, when accidents break out, or when things like a 통신사 (Tong-sin-sa_Courier) or 그슨대 (Geu-seun-dae_Geuseundae) are dragged up from the afterlife, our Mutual Aid funds are used to defuse the situation. It is essentially an insurance structure. Like the taxi-union mutual aid or bus-union mutual aid at the capital's Transportation Hall. Ji-young: Ah. Right. That is so. A mutual aid fund. So, 12. 5 divided by 4, hm. One week of advance pay would be enough for a phone, a console, and a few AAA titles.

Strategist, you do not really play games, right? At Ji-young's question, Hee-jin briefly ran flustered and gave a stumbling answer. Hee-jin: Um, seeing others around me play, I thought it looked fun, but I have never set the time aside to actually try. Ji-young: I will buy and install something. Let us play together once. I will teach you. Ji-young roughly set the broken phone down, stretched out long from her seated pose, and let out a great exhale before asking Hee-jin.

Ji-young: The candidates for Director-level — has the list been finalized. Hee-jin: Yes. All done. Hee-jin drew out a palm-sized scroll she had been holding in her sleeve, rose from her spot, and placed it on Ji-young's empty low writing table. Ji-young unrolled the small scroll and looked over the names and the titles inscribed. After going over the roster, Ji-young scratched briefly at her brow, eyes still on the document, and asked Hee-jin. Ji-young: Hm.

Counting through the previous calamity, how many of us are left in total. Hee-jin: Excluding The Oldest and The Guide, four hundred and eighty-two. Ji-young: Too many in management. For the size of the force. Hee-jin: We lost quite a number to those who fell out at the calamity, and a further number who were cleaned up. Ji-young: Can we trim the number of offices. This is the right time for it, an overhaul. Hee-jin: They are vacant seats either way.

Whomever you appoint, The Oldest's intent is what weighs most heavily. Ji-young: Hm, then. Let us trim it down like so. Ji-young set Hee-jin's scroll aside, drew out a fresh scroll from beneath the low writing table, and laid it out on top. Upon it, she began to write the names and the new ranks.

Executive Secretary – vacant Strategist – Song Hee-jin Secret Agent – Doe Yeon-su Director of the 지식관(Ji-sik-gwan_Directorate of Knowledge) – Yoo Jeong-in (the Library and the Office of Rites merged) Martial Director – Jung I-seon Director of The Inspectorate – Kim Soo-a (The Inspectorate and the Office of Occult Affairs merged) Director of the 지원관(Ji-won-gwan_Directorate of Support) – Yeo Eun-jae (the Maintenance Office and the Human Affairs Office merged) Manager of the Guard Corps – Jin Chae-rim Ji-young: Leaving it like this, we abolish the existing fund-management Treasury and instead have each department manage its own, and once a Director-level signature is obtained I can approve it on the spot.

Simplify the administrative chain. Only matters involving national taxation will be transferred over to the Office of the Executive Secretary. Beyond that, etiquette, statutes, basic order and the passing-down of knowledge fall under the Directorate of Knowledge, but once again, each department can handle the respective items on its own. Existing personnel will be transferred out to each department. Each can take on its own administration. Ji-young finished writing it all out and handed the new decree to Hee-jin.

Hee-jin ran her eyes down the names and list, then asked Ji-young. Hee-jin: Um, but. The Oldest. Ji-young: Yes. Hee-jin: Yeon-hui's seat — Ji-young: Naturally, I will be handing her the Executive Secretary seat. Ah, not because she is close to me or a dear friend — Hee-jin: Of course I know. There is no one who understands The Covenant of this place better than Yeon-hui. I asked because the seat was vacant. Ji-young: Yes. So, since we are on the subject.

Ji-young closed the cap of the brush-pen and tidied the low writing table. Hee-jin: Yes. Gathering up every unrolled scroll and setting them down below, she cleared the table and stretched her back long. In the middle of a motion closer to a full body stretch, she delivered a short directive in a light voice. Ji-young: The Masters of each regional province, and the Deputy Masters. And the current Executive Secretary. Please call them in. As planned.

The directive was short and light, but what it carried within was not so. And yet, as if Hee-jin had already steeled herself, she answered readily with no look of surprise. Hee-jin: Understood. Ji-young: Once we have settled that far, I can finally take a breath, yes? Hee-jin: Of course. But, The Oldest. Ji-young: Yes. Hee-jin: I am uncertain whether the northwest side is aware. Ji-young: Yes. Si-yeon called them, apparently. Cursed them out up and down for being slippery to the end, from what I gather.

At Ji-young's grumble, Hee-jin nodded. Ji-young: I will make the Director appointments first thing tomorrow morning. Having listened to the other staff a bit, this cannot keep going. The Office of the Executive Secretary, for now, please run it yourself together with the Martial Director. Hee-jin: Understood. As Ji-young was fumbling into her pocket to open her phone and look again, staring down a phone that would no longer even power on, she wore a look of despair. Ji-young: Uh. What is this.

Ji-young pressed the phone hard as if pleading with it. But the phone showed no reaction at all. Flipping it open and shut trying to force the power on, hurrying to connect the power cable lying nearby, the dead phone showed nothing in response. With a plaintive look, Ji-young gazed intently at Hee-jin. Ji-young: I, really, cannot be without a phone — Before Hee-jin could settle on how to undo Ji-young's despairing expression, I-seon's voice came through from outside. I-seon: The Oldest.

The rite of mourning is prepared. Ji-young: Um, by any chance — tomorrow, the moment the investiture ends, could I go out on leave and get a phone. Scene 17. Yu-seok sat facing Yoo-rim and Ga-yeon, calmly drinking tea in the reception hall. In the late afternoon, swelling bundles of the tilting sun were pressing in past the paper-paneled door of Yu-seok's reception hall. Settling her body into a chair, letting out a low sigh, Yoo-rim waited for Yu-seok's mouth to open.

Without letting any particular mood show on his face, Yu-seok, before sending his word to the two of them, clicked his fingers together and made a short, sharp sound. The presence that had been standing outside stepped inside. The three of them stared steadily at the one who had entered. The arrival bent deeply at the waist toward Yu-seok. Yu-seok, still seated, lowered his head slightly in turn to meet the courtesy. Yu-seok: Come in, please. Master of the Province. Yeon-jin was stepping inside.

Having glanced around the interior, Yeon-jin settled herself into the empty seat and, turning to Yu-seok, delivered her voice in a measured, formal tone. Yeon-jin: It is, indeed, sparse of people — more than I expected. Yu-seok: Yes. All of them have been cleaned up. Yeon-jin: Hm. So it is. Yu-seok: What of the count. Yeon-jin: The response was better than expected.

The diligent preparations yielded good results — however, as you instructed, the Masters of the South, Southeast, and East made no mention of it at all. Yu-seok: So it is. Thank you for your efforts. Yeon-jin: I heard you had something you wished to say. I have left my business in the hands of an acquaintance for the moment and will have to go back up, so — Yu-seok: Then, let us go straight to the point.