Osratida - Chapter 10

“Why are you here? Go to that Palbang Seonnyeo* shaman.”

“Oh, great shaman. No one is as skilled as you, no matter where I go.”

Mrs. Kim, who had recently gone to Palbang Seonnyeo, a popular shaman in Samcheong-dong, to check her son’s compatibility with Hwang Soon-jung, forced a guilty smile and tried to appease the great shaman.

“You’ve met the wrong pig. That woman is not the one. She’s meant for another household.”

“What? So, it’s true he should marry someone born in the year of the pig?”

“It’s good for him to meet someone born in the year of the pig. Either way, that’s his fate.”

“Oh my.”

“He needs to meet a woman with a very strong spirit. Only then will the ghosts clinging to your son be kept at bay, even if just for a while.”

“As expected, you’re right. You’re amazing, great shaman.”

Hearing Mrs. Kim flatter her while laughing coquettishly, the great shaman waved her fan with an exaggerated air and shot her a sharp glance.

“That son of yours, he’s going far overseas, isn’t he?”

“Oh my, how did you know? That’s actually why I’m here…”

“And you’re here to ask me to go there, offering to pay me handsomely, right?”

The scent-filled air of the shrine swirled with the light breeze created by the fluttering fan. Mrs. Kim nodded her head vigorously, confirming the shaman’s guess. After fanning herself leisurely for a long while, the great shaman abruptly folded her fan and tossed it onto the table.

“I can’t go.”

“What? Why not?”

“My spiritual energy falters when I leave this area. The general deity especially dislikes island nations.”

After a deliberate pause, the great shaman spoke again.
“Instead, there’s someone perfect for the job.”

“Someone perfect?”

“My apprentice.”

“You have an apprentice?”

“It’s been quite a while. I took him in 20 years ago, formally trained him for six.”

“But… can he be trusted?”

At Mrs. Kim’s doubtful expression, the shaman chuckled lightly.
“Rest assured.”

“As you know, my son is… not exactly easy to deal with…”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“No, no, no! Of course, I trust you completely.”

“He’s not just my apprentice; he’s someone the general deity himself vouched for. Don’t worry unnecessarily. This is tied to my reputation as well.”

The great shaman began praising her apprentice, counting off on her fingers.
“He’s precise, quick-witted, eloquent, reasonably smart, and, most importantly, has an extraordinary talent for seeing spirits. He even chats with them like they’re friends.”

Even with such high praise for her apprentice, many clients had reactions similar to Mrs. Kim’s. However, none had ever complained about the results—if anything, they were always satisfied. The great shaman had never seen anyone more naturally gifted in exorcism than Shinhee.

Unlike others who treated spirits as nuisances or mere entities to be subdued, Shinhee retained his compassion and treated them as if they were still human. Unlike the hereditary shamans who treated spirits like unapproachable monsters, Shinhee’s approach was much more humane, something the great shaman greatly admired.

Convinced at last, Mrs. Kim pulled out a small business card from her wallet and handed it over.
“This is my husband’s contact information. Please call him, and he’ll come to pick you up.”

“Take it back.”

With sharper eyes than usual, the shaman gave Mrs. Kim a parting admonition as she stepped over the threshold.
“Don’t go wandering into strange places. It’s not about whether they’re skilled or not. If you go to the wrong place, you might bring misfortune and attach even more evil spirits to yourself!”

Over the past few years of training under the great shaman, Shinhee had traveled all over the country, visiting abandoned houses, schools, hospitals, and railways. Any place prefixed with “abandoned” was a destination he was inevitably sent to.

Properly maintained cemeteries were much calmer, with relatively subdued spirits. In contrast, abandoned places were dark, damp breeding grounds for malevolent entities, making them several times more dangerous. In cases where the malevolent presence was too strong or numerous, Shinhee often had to perform small rituals to appease the local guardian spirits and avoid unnecessary risks.

“You’re not too busy these days, right? There’s an assignment for you.”

As usual, Shinhee was sitting on the veranda, gently stroking the spirit of a child clinging to his waist while sketching in good spirits. Called unexpectedly by the great shaman, he didn’t even notice the child spirit scribbling on his sketchbook.

“An assignment? Where?”

“Japan.”

“Japan?”

The suddenness of it made Shinhee exclaim in shock. Japan? That was completely unexpected.

“I just came back from Jeju Island and nearly died there…”

Groaning in exhaustion, Shinhee tried to appeal to his mentor, but the great shaman remained unmoved.
“That’s why this time, you’re going to Japan instead of Jeju.”

“But I don’t even speak Japanese.”

“If you can’t communicate, just catch the ghosts.”

“Master, Japan means…”

“A land filled with spirits.”

“You know how intense island ghosts are, and yet…”

“That’s why I’m not going and sending you instead.”

Feigning weakness, the shaman hunched her back in exaggerated pain, as if she were too old to move. Shinhee’s sharp eyes glared at her dramatic act.

“You’ll be accompanying a wealthy client. While it might feel awkward, at least you’ll be physically comfortable.”

“And my role is… what exactly? Surely, you don’t mean to capture all the ghosts there.”

“Same as usual. If you see a ghost, talk to it. If it doesn’t listen, forcefully send it off.”

“You know I don’t work like that.”

“And keep an eye on things to make sure nothing strange happens.”

“Strange? Who?”

“Who else but the ghost attached to your wealthy client? You’ve probably seen it before.”

“Who is it?”

“You’ll know when you see it.”

The shaman gave her innocent-looking apprentice a long, assessing stare before muttering to herself, “He should be fine,” and tossing him the business card Mrs. Kim had left behind. Then she disappeared into the inner room, leaving Shinhee puzzled.

The child spirit, having finished its scribbling, proudly held up the sketchbook and beamed at Shinhee.
“What the heck!”

Shinhee shouted in alarm, only to see the spirit dancing joyfully. The setting sun was so beautiful he’d been sketching it, only for the child to draw three bizarre figures holding hands and dancing in a circle over it.

“What is this?”

Unable to hold back his curiosity, Shinhee asked. The child spirit pointed to each figure, explaining, “That’s me. That’s Shinhee.”

“And this?”

“A spider!”

The child giggled, pointing to the grotesquely drawn spider twice its size. Despite being a spirit, the child’s imagination was vivid, a reminder that it was still young.

Shinhee didn’t know whether to laugh at the absurdity or praise the spirit for its artistic flair. In the end, he simply smiled back, unable to resist the spirit’s infectious joy.

“Ah, forget it. Let’s just laugh. It’s cute, after all.”

Haimevel Hotel President, Ha Won-pyo.

Having barely recovered from the grueling ordeal in Jeju Island last week, Shinhee was now being sent to a foreign country where he didn’t even speak the language. This level of exploitation surely warranted a labor complaint, though it was doubtful it applied to shamans.

Groaning in frustration, Shinhee stared at the business card for over an hour, sighing repeatedly. Japan? The mere thought made him roll onto the floor in resignation.

His last trip to Jeju Island, despite being only three days long, had felt like an eternity. The island’s stunning scenery had been lost on him as he spent every moment battling restless spirits. Originally tasked with exorcising a single 100-year-old vengeful spirit, the situation escalated to the point where he was corralling over a dozen ghosts at once.

Still lamenting his master’s betrayal, Shinhee reluctantly picked up his phone. His trembling fingers dialed the number on the card.

After a few rings, a deep male voice answered.
“Hello?”

“Hello?”

Shinhee froze, stammering awkwardly.
“Who is this?”

The voice, now tinged with annoyance, jolted Shinhee into action. Taking a deep breath, he finally managed to speak.
“Is this Ha Won-pyo, president of Haimevel Hotel?”

T/N:

*팔방선녀 (八方仙女) literally translates to “Fairy of Eight Directions.”

In the context of Korean shamanism or fortune-telling, it likely refers to a renowned shaman or spiritual practitioner who is believed to possess exceptional skills or powers that cover all “eight directions” (a metaphor for being capable in every area or aspect of life). The term emphasizes versatility, spiritual insight, and widespread reputation.