It was a solution that only Kim Mu-ryeong could provide. The ones who usually accompanied goblins were reapers, and since Mu-ryeong had kept his a secret, it was clear that most exorcists didn’t have one."To be honest… I don’t really want to help it pass on either."Mu-ryeong blinked as he stared at the now-empty alleyway. With the blue flames gone, the only thing illuminating his face was the moonlight. Tilting his head slightly, he squinted one eye."But we’re not the ones who get to decide the weight of someone’s sins.""……."Even in the darkness, his shimmering eyes were mesmerizing. There was something impossibly pure about them, something so untainted that it was almost dangerous. If you stared too long, you might find yourself getting lost in them without realizing it. Whether Mu-ryeong noticed Hwan-young’s thoughts or not, he continued explaining in a calm, steady voice, never once looking away."But if you start thinking, ‘Oh, it’s fine because they were bad,’ then next time, you’ll hesitate a little less."His softened voice was as warm as the heat that brushed against Hwan-young’s arm. His tone was gentle, yet the way he spoke made him seem far more mature than his youthful voice suggested."And if you keep repeating that… eventually, you grow numb to it."Hwan-young gave a small nod, a silent indication that he was listening. He always paid close attention to Mu-ryeong’s explanations—not just to /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ his words, but to the expressions and the emotions behind them."Then, the moment anything even slightly inconvenient happens, you start thinking the same thing.""…….""'Ah, maybe I should just make it disappear.'"The final words were spoken with chilling indifference. Hwan-young flinched involuntarily, his brow furrowing. But Mu-ryeong only grinned, his expression as bright and innocent as ever, as if his previous words had meant nothing."Souls are lives too. And we’re the ones who deal with those lives. The important thing is not to take any of them lightly."As he spoke, his gaze was filled with a warmth so deep it was almost reverent, as if he were looking at something precious. Yet the person he was staring at wasn’t a spirit—it was Hwan-young."…Then what do other exorcists do in situations like this?""Other exorcists?""Yeah. They don’t have goblins, right?"When Hwan-young quietly activated his protective barrier, Mu-ryeong finally let go of his arm. His calloused, rough hand slipped away, and oddly enough, the moment it did, an unexpected feeling of regret settled in Hwan-young’s chest. If he could, he would have held on a little longer, just a little deeper."Hmm, usually they just leave the spirit alone until it turns into a vengeful one…"Mu-ryeong averted his gaze, looking sheepish. After saying that they should never take souls lightly, admitting something like this must have felt contradictory. Letting a spirit linger until it turned into a vengeful ghost was, in the end, just a way of laying the groundwork for its destruction."Or they summon a reaper.""They can summon reapers?""Yeah. I can’t, but some exorcists have a way to contact the afterlife."Not everyone could do it—only high-ranking exorcists within the association had the means. The association head, for example, could supposedly read the Book of Life and Death and even negotiate with reapers directly."Anyway, we don’t need to worry about that."Hwan-young didn’t bother asking for more details—it really didn’t seem like something they needed to concern themselves with. Instead, his eyes drifted to Ye-jun, who was still unconscious. He frowned. The thought of dragging him home was a hassle, but watching him sprawled out on the ground like that stirred a sense of pity."Let’s go home."Mu-ryeong naturally approached Ye-jun and crouched down, reaching for his arm to help him up. But before he could, Hwan-young instinctively grabbed Mu-ryeong’s wrist, stopping him. Then, without thinking, he blurted out—"I’ll carry him.""……."Mu-ryeong’s round eyes filled with curiosity. ‘Why?’ they seemed to ask. Hwan-young’s mind raced for an excuse, scrambling to put together something reasonable."He’s taller than you. It makes more sense for me to carry him.""Ah, well… I guess."Mu-ryeong nodded without resistance, showing no signs of being offended. Instead, he simply mused about how carrying someone taller meant their legs might drag on the ground. He had no idea how complicated Hwan-young’s emotions were at that moment."Alright, I’ll leave it to you. Let me know if he gets too heavy."With Mu-ryeong’s help, Hwan-young carefully hoisted Ye-jun onto his back. Mu-ryeong had told him to say something if it got too heavy, but honestly, there were very few people Hwan-young couldn’t lift. Even if Ye-jun were truly too heavy, he wouldn’t have passed the burden onto Mu-ryeong."Not too heavy?""No.""Really?""Really.""That’s good."Mu-ryeong flashed a bright smile, completely unburdened. Hwan-young softened his expression for a moment before abruptly pressing his lips together. A certain image had suddenly surfaced in his mind.The memory of Mu-ryeong’s lips.‘What the hell was he thinking…?’Kim Mu-ryeong, kissing someone.Well, technically, it hadn’t been a kiss—it had been more like artificial respiration—but still, Hwan-young couldn’t let it go. Just remembering it made his stomach churn with something hot and restless.Could that be why Mu-ryeong had seemed so unfazed when he absorbed the spiritual energy? Maybe there had been a reason for his oddly calm demeanor."…Do you do that with just anyone?""Huh? What do you mean?"So he asked, without much thought. But Mu-ryeong only tilted his head, his face as innocent as ever. Hwan-young shook his head, trying to push the memory away."When you broke the possession earlier. You, uh… you did that.""Oh, that?"‘Oh, that?’ What kind of response was that? His reaction was so casual that Hwan-young let out a hollow laugh. Trying to mask his emotions, he kept walking and pressed the question again."Do you do that with just anyone?""Come on, of course not."Mu-ryeong laughed, dimples appearing as he grinned. His pale face looked as carefree as ever. As if suddenly shy, he rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sheepish smile.This translation is the intellectual property of ."Well… it’s not exactly the most normal method, is it?""……So, have you done that before?"Hwan-young knew he was being persistent, but curiosity won over restraint. The moment he realized his feelings for Mu-ryeong, emotions kept bubbling to the surface, impossible to hold back. It wasn’t all pleasant either—alongside the warmth was a sharp, prickly edge of irritation."Never.""……Really?""Yeah, not even once."Should he feel relieved about this? The fact that Ye-jun was the only exception eased his mind, but at the same time, it also bothered him. He didn’t even understand his own fickle emotions—how could Kim Mu-ryeong?"…Why are you looking at me like that?"Sometimes, Mu-ryeong’s awareness was almost scary. He always asked that kind of question when Hwan-young’s head was full of conflicting thoughts. Like now, when his emotions were at war with themselves."It’s nothing.""So bland."Mu-ryeong let out a quiet, teasing laugh, and Hwan-young found himself smiling in spite of himself. Walking side by side like this didn’t feel so bad. He glanced down at Mu-ryeong’s steps, then at his own, instinctively matching his pace. It was something he never thought about before, back when they first started walking together.Retracing their steps, the two made their way back to Ye-jun’s house. Fortunately, Ye-jun wasn’t heavy (just average weight), and there were no people around to give them strange looks. Mu-ryeong rambled on about wanting watermelon, complaining about mosquitoes, and before Hwan-young realized it, they had already reached the entrance to Ye-jun’s apartment."But how are we opening the door?""I’ll have the goblin do it."When they got into the elevator, Ye-jun stirred slightly on Hwan-young’s back. He glanced over his shoulder but didn’t give it much thought—anyone could twitch in their sleep.Ding.The elevator arrived at the 18th floor. Mu-ryeong stepped out first, and Hwan-young followed at a slower pace. Standing in front of the door lock, Mu-ryeong frowned, then whispered under his breath, "Hyung, I’m sorry…." before casually whistling.A small flame flared to life above Mu-ryeong’s right hand, swirling in place. Hwan-young instinctively realized this wasn’t the same goblin from earlier. The reason was simple—this one looked hungry, its flickering light unsteady, unlike the one that had feasted on memories earlier."Do your thing."Mu-ryeong’s voice was barely audible as the flame floated toward the door lock. Hwan-young had seen locks being picked before, but watching a goblin bypass a digital keypad was something else entirely. A goblin and modern security—what a bizarre combination.Beep.The lock clicked open with a mechanical whir. Without hesitation, Mu-ryeong pulled a 10-won coin from his pocket and casually flicked it into the air. The tiny flame, which had shrunk to the size of a palm, eagerly swallowed the coin and swelled slightly in size."Thanks. Good work."Mu-ryeong reached out, rubbing the goblin’s form gently, his touch laced with spiritual energy. Just as he was about to send it away, waving in farewell—"…That."A voice sliced through the air.No, not a new voice. A very familiar one. Calm, composed, and a little more mature than most."That… what is that?""…….""……."A cold silence fell between them.Mu-ryeong and Hwan-young exchanged glances before slowly—very slowly—turning their heads toward the source of the voice."…Hyung?""That… That thing. Is it real?"Ye-jun was wide-eyed, staring directly at the flame. His previously limp body had straightened up, but his lips were still fumbling for words. His face, caught between sleep and wakefulness, looked utterly dazed."Why is there a fire… at my front door…?"Shit.That was the first thought that crossed Hwan-young’s mind.It wasn’t just that Ye-jun had woken up on the way here—it had to be now, right when they were literally breaking into his house, right when Mu-ryeong hadn’t yet dismissed the goblin. The worst possible timing."…If you’re awake, get down."Hwan-young, opting to deal with one problem at a time, lowered Ye-jun to the floor. He let go unceremoniously, but luckily, Ye-jun managed to stand on his own without stumbling. He didn’t seem bothered by how carelessly he’d been let down—his attention was fixated on something else."What the hell… Is that a foxfire?"As if responding to the question, the goblin suddenly transformed, shifting into the shape of a fox. Landing gracefully on the floor, it yawned widely, showing its sharp little teeth.That little unnecessary display only made things worse."Wow… No, no way. What the hell…?"Hwan-young shot Mu-ryeong a look. What exactly is he seeing right now? His eyes practically screamed the question.Mu-ryeong met his gaze and responded just as wordlessly: I have no idea either.

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