novelraw Chapter 70 : Fare for the Afterlife (2)
Chapter 70 : Fare for the Afterlife (2)
Chapter 70: Fare for the Afterlife (2)
It must have been about twenty-five years ago.
I had just started taking the bus.
On days when I received a generous allowance like today, I used to stop by the arcade or comic book shop in the next neighborhood, buying paper tokens labeled “Student” from the stationery shop in front of the school.
Then I’d get on the village bus, which, due to its tight schedule, was practically always running with its doors open.
Back then, just buying a token was enough to earn some bragging rights among friends, since most kids my age weren’t used to taking the bus alone.
But that day, I couldn’t quite get on the long-awaited bus—I only managed to hook a foot onto it.
Because it wasn’t the bus I was supposed to take in the first place.
“Mister, does this bus go to Tancheon Four-Way Intersection?”
“No.”
“Uh, um. Then how about the theater?”
“It doesn’t. If you’re not boarding, I’m closing the door.”
“Yes, sorry.”
–Beep. Psssssh.
Was it because the child, who wasn’t even going to board, wasted time asking unnecessary questions? The bus roared down the road louder than usual.
But unfortunately, the bus didn’t get far before it had to slam on the brakes at a traffic light.
In that brief moment when the bus came to a stop—
–BWAAAAAAAAH.
A large dump truck blared its horn nonstop and sped past the halted bus.
“What the hell was that?”
“Driving like crap, huh.”
“What are the ghosts doing? Not hauling away jerks like that!”
The people at the stop had witnessed what the bus had nearly gotten into, and each cursed at the truck as it passed.
But one man among them had a noticeably different expression.
He looked like a clumsy friend who had forgotten to bring his homework.
“This can’t be right. It shouldn’t be like this. That was definitely the right bus……”
Muttering to himself, the man rifled through a worn-out file for a long while, then plopped down onto the ground.
I realized that man was a grim reaper—the one who escorts the dead—only after I had made my fourth emergency call to report the fire.
It was a memory, mingled with fondness, from long ago. Not that I was the person directly involved.
“Still, it seems like the job over there is pretty stable. You’re still at it, after all.”
“The word ‘calling’ must’ve been coined for those bastards. It’s not a job you quit just because you want to, tsk tsk. Anyway, you must’ve had quite the ordeal changing the Heavens’ decree just to amend the registry of the souls you saved. If they found out you were the cause, they’d surely weep blood.”
“I’m actually debating whether I should keep it a secret.”
Would it have been better if I hadn’t known? It was hard to stay silent, knowing I had caused trouble—dozens of times, just from what I could remember.
“I’ll serve you a bowl of ramyeon on the house next time you come.”
“Messing with the Heavens’ decree, and all you offer is a five-thousand-won bowl of ramyeon as an apology?”
“It’s not ‘just’ a bowl. Here, we even accept fake money as drink payments.”
It wasn’t just a merchant’s bluff. I was genuinely running a loss.
To the point where I half-hoped they wouldn’t come back.
But since he had thoroughly enjoyed the Ssanghwa Tea, I knew that hope would be in vain.
The courtroom of Yeomra’s Palace.
As expected of the place where the souls of the dead are judged, it exuded an austere and solemn atmosphere.
There were bare, rigid stone pillars and floors, and Yeomra and the other judges sat far above the souls.
The only item that didn’t appear to be official office equipment was the Karma Mirror.
Reflected in the Karma Mirror was a middle-aged man standing at a podium, veins bulging in his neck as he gave a speech.
[If you elect me, I vow to devote myself wholly for the people! Politics for the commoners! I promise clean politics!]
“Still think he’s innocent?”
“Ah, no, political campaigning is usually like that—he probably meant he’d try his best……”
“Sure, sure, of course.”
The scene in the Karma Mirror changed to a sleazy bar.
[Oh dear, President Kang. What’s all this?]
[For a great cause led by the honorable assemblyman, even this golden toad must lend its strength. Please, take good care of the redevelopment project.]
[Hahaha, come now. I’ve already aligned things with the other members, so just hang tight a bit. You know me—I’ve got a solid line of support.]
[But of course!]
“Need anything more?”
“I only took the toad! I didn’t go through with the redevelopment!”
“That’s worse, you fool! Rip out his tongue. Next.”
“I’m sorry! I swear I’ll never do it again! Please, just give me one more chance! I beg you! Sob.”
Yeomra rose from the throne and walked over to the man bowing on the ground.
“Please! I have a daughter I never got to see. So please! Please, I beg you……”
Was it because he thought Yeomra, appearing as a young woman, might be merciful? The man, with his forehead pressed to the floor, pleaded with all he had.
But Yeomra brought the Karma Mirror closer in front of the man. So he could see it more clearly.
“I gave you more than enough chances to cleanse your sins. Want to see?”
[Assemblyman, Park Byungho’s mother has come regarding the Workers’ Safety Act proposed by the National People’s Party.]
[Park Byungho? Who’s that?]
[He was the worker who died in the shipyard accident last time. Your photo holding his mother’s hand raised your approval rating significantly.]
[Ah, right. I remember now. But why’d she come all the way here again? A National Assembly office isn’t a place just anyone can walk into.]
[I’ll gently send her away.]
[And don’t stir things up with that bill. Quietly drop it before review. It’d be embarrassing if I end up golfing with the presidents of the companies involved later.]
“Ah……”
Only after seeing the man in despair did Yeomra finally smile in satisfaction and continue speaking.
“We may seem cold-hearted, but we weigh sin according to the times. We’ve already abolished the Hell of Daoist Virtue and Hell of Boiling Oil that judged past-life merits and good deeds. Even the Inspection Hell—what was it tied with again?”
“The Greenbelt, Your Majesty.”
“That’s right! We bound it with that. In today’s world, not helping others isn’t even considered a sin anymore. How merciful is that?”
–Tap. Tap.
Yeomra’s heeled footsteps gradually distanced from the man.
“But if you couldn’t even keep to the bare minimum, that just means you were rotten from the start. The Living Realm is chaotic enough with only good souls reincarnating—do we need another like you up there? Take him. Pull it out.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
The armored soldiers dragged the dumbfounded man out of the courtroom.
“These bastards get more shameless by the day. A thousand years ago, they’d at least beg forgiveness for capital crimes. Now they all claim innocence. That’s enough for today. Ugh, I’m tired.”
“Yes, we shall follow your command.”
As Yeomra twisted and rose from the throne, the judges hurriedly stood and bowed.
(Seems like we’re wrapping up a bit early today?)
(Indeed. There were at least five hundred more left, yet he’s leaving already.)
‘Books, a cup, the thing that clicks buttons… and what was this again?’
Back in the office, Yeomra carefully compared a densely written list in a worn notebook while selecting items.
The desk was cluttered with books, a laptop, earphones, a tumbler, car keys, and a handbag.
Of course, all of them were just outer appearances created with spiritual power for effect, but their designs perfectly mimicked those of the Living Realm.
‘Alright! This should do! Time to go.’
In any case, the plan was flawless.
The idea was to sit by the window, open the button-clicking device, and read a book.
Since the plan involved pretending to be a woman drinking black liquid alone, all accompanying retainers were dismissed.
The justification: ‘If a real evil spirit shows up, they’ll just get in the way.’
Having ascended to the Living Realm alone, Yeomra arrived at Jinseong’s Café without hesitation and opened the door.
“Welcome.”
‘Huh? There are customers today? My goodness, it’s Immortals and Dragons?’
Naturally, a functioning café should have customers.
But those particular customers far exceeded Yeomra’s expectations.
Why on earth were Immortals and Dragons, who usually spent their time playing Baduk in the Heavenly Realm, in such a small teahouse?
‘Well, I came too, I guess.’
Yeomra belatedly realized she wasn’t exactly ordinary herself.
As the ruler of the Afterlife, she too had no real reason to visit this teahouse.
Thankfully, though they recognized her identity, the Immortals and Dragons didn’t make a fuss.
“Shall I bring you what you had before?”
“Oh? Uh, yes.”
Having placed her order without even realizing, Yeomra headed to the seat she’d sat in previously.
‘Now then, time to set the stage.’
There was much to prepare before the owner of the Divine Tree brought the drinks.
–Tap, tap.
The laptop and books from the handbag were laid out on the table in sequence.
Next came the earphones, tumbler, and car keys, neatly arranged on the tabletop.
But something about the scene looked odd.
The items were arranged so symmetrically that a clear pattern emerged.
The red-covered book on the east side, the white laptop on the west.
The table, as neatly ordered as a ritual offering table without food, strictly followed the red-east-white-west arrangement.
‘Nice. Perfect. This should make it look like I’m a regular. Huh? What’s that?’
Yeomra’s pride crumbled almost immediately.
The competition was just too overwhelming.
“Heh heh, another easy win this round.”
“You see the tide turning before the game’s even over?”
On the Immortals’ table lay a strange glass board without buttons, upon which a small Baduk board was drawn.
They leisurely sipped tea and tapped the glass, a gesture far too seasoned for teahouse newcomers.
And there was an even more formidable presence—none other than the café owner and her daughter.
The father and daughter were playing a game Yeomra had never seen before.
Tujeon, or something similar.
They laid out colorful paper and rolled dice, laughing endlessly at how fun it all was.
To Yeomra, who had placed “drinking tea at a teahouse” on her bucket list, the sight was a shockingly novel experience.
‘What is that? Can you even do that in a teahouse? I never saw that in the Karma Mirror……’
As she found her eyes repeatedly drawn to their table and her tea grew cold—
“Unni.”
“Hm?”
“Wanna play with us?”
“What’s that?”
“It’s Blue Marble. It’s more fun with three!”
That was the moment when the identity of the game Jinseong and Ria had been enjoying was revealed.
Of course, hearing the name didn’t mean she knew what the game was.
Still, being invited so directly filled her with joy she couldn’t quite hide.
“W-well, why not?”
The woman sitting alone enjoying solitude in the teahouse was no longer there.
Having tasted Ssanghwa Tea for the first time, Yeomra now found herself sitting before a board game that would pump her dopamine to the max. At that moment, Jinseong’s Café transformed into a board game café following the latest trends.
“Then, let’s begin.”
Jinseong had no idea that the person sitting across from her in the game was none other than Yeomra, the ruler of the Afterlife.