Guest Ch 28

Mixed Perspectives, Misdirected Emotions (5)

I hid my uncomfortable expression while looking at Lee Yiseon. I approached the Doctor. What he was holding in his hand was a Polaroid photo.

“Did you read all the notes about Prophet I gave you last time?”

“Yes, I looked at them very carefully.”

“Then you know that the Prophet right before you didn’t have a photo attached, right? Do you remember what information was written down?”

Hmm. Not only the previous Prophet, but a few other Prophets also had blank photos. That’s because only the Prophets who stayed at West Fort had their photos left. The Prophets held in other fortresses or by wild dogs had only handwritten information without photos.

“I think it just said ‘grandmother.’”

“That’s right. This is that Prophet. It was taken at the northern fortress. I went through a lot of trouble to get it, but I forgot to attach it to the notebook.”

My eyes widened when I looked at the Polaroid photo that was handed to me.

“Huh?”

The three of them naturally watched closely as I exclaimed. Their eyes were carefully observing my reaction. I didn’t even have time to pay attention to their stares.

The woman in the photo had strikingly white hair that matched her pale skin. She was walking somewhere, wearing a green jeogori and a red skirt. Large men stood as if escorting her. She barely came up to the men’s waists. With her tiny hands and feet, the woman looked less like an old person and more like some mysterious being—a small, white, and pure presence.

“…Grandmother?”

I couldn’t take my eyes off the photo. It was exactly how I saw her in my dream. Just like the grandmother who urgently spoke to me in the dream.

I raised my trembling eyes and looked back at the three people. The Doctor opened his mouth as if to explain.

“See? I suspected it when I heard about your dream and saw how the wild dogs were uniting. Turns out, she’s really related to you.”

My grandmother, really? My grandmother is in this world? The Prophet issue isn’t what’s important now.

“My Grandma, She’s not hurt, right? She’s okay, right? Since I came to this world, She must have already passed away to the original world, right? Right?”

I’m a strong, young man, so even if ropes are tied around my neck or guns and arrows are flying around, I can handle it. But if my grandmother had gone through what I did…

…The thought was too horrifying. I turned pale.

Seeing my desperate expression, Lee Yiseon muttered fiercely for the first time.

“You stayed calm even when you got hurt, but now… over something like this?”

Not understanding what exactly Lee Yiseon was reprimanding me for, the Doctor cut him off.

“When a new Prophet arrives, most of the previous Prophets return to their original world. But there are exceptions, Prophets who want to stay. I believe your grandmother is still in the northern fortress.”

The blood drained from my hands and feet. The more I thought about why my grandmother stayed in this world, the more my heart pounded and my ribs hurt. I kept seeing her apologizing, telling me she was sorry for not being able to protect me.

Does my grandmother think I was dragged into this world because of her? Is that why she stayed, to help me and go back with me?

“Can I go to the northern fortress?”

Have I ever been this clear about my goal since coming here? I had mistakenly thought that adapting to the chaos was my mission. If something this important had come up earlier, I would’ve done anything.

“It’s impossible right now.”

The Doctor’s answer made my anxiety spike.

“Why?”

“Our relationship with the northern fortress is really bad.”

“How bad?”

“Have you ever been to Yeouido? If you saw the broken bridge going north, you would understand quickly.”

…Ah, Lee Yiseon had shown me that at the ferry terminal. The bridge connecting Yeongdeungpo to Yongsangu and Mapogu was severed as if a bomb had exploded. I also remember it being a place used for collective political education.

“So, when can we contact the north? If there’s something I need to do, just tell me. I’ll do anything.”

The Doctor looked troubled by my response. He glanced at Black Foot, but Black Foot dismissed my question.

“I haven’t been to the north, so I don’t know the situation there.”

I looked desperately at Lee Yiseon, my last hope. He sighed softly and said.

“We can contact them if needed.”

Hearing that it wasn’t impossible, my tense face brightened. But the joy didn’t last long.

“I’ll think about it after we deal with the wild dog alliance attack. It will take some time.”

He meant that the safety of the fortress came first. Understanding why Lee Yiseon had no choice but to make that decision, I asked as politely as I could.

“Isn’t there a way I can meet her alone without causing any trouble for you?”

“That’s even more troubling. You know the Northern Garrison and Stand-ins will capture you if you walk in there on your own.”

“You said my grandmother’s power is related to ‘communication,’ right? Can’t we just create a situation where she can contact me?”

“She lost her powers the moment you arrived as the new Prophet. It’s impossible.”

“Then what about negotiating or making a deal…?”

“You should know by now, after dealing with the wild dogs, that you will be the bargaining chip in any negotiation.”

I opened my mouth but then closed it again. I couldn’t think of a smart solution. Even if I wanted to act on my own, nothing came to mind. If I acted rashly, I could put both myself and my grandmother in danger. Nervousness would only complicate things further. But the thought of my grandmother being mistreated, not knowing when I could contact her, weighed heavily on my heart.

“After we deal with the alliance attack….”

I asked gloomily, feeling utterly helpless.

“…Will you help me?”

Lee Yiseon looked at me with an unreadable expression. In his dark eyes, my reflection appeared pale with desperation.

“I told you.”

I flinched at his cold voice, but his next words were different from what I expected.

“I’ll do everything I can for you.”

…Right. He didn’t expect much from me, only that I would do my job well. I’m relieved that he didn’t cast me aside cruelly, like when he told Wolf Fang to kill me. Whether I liked it or not, I was weak. Unable to survive in this world without help.

Clenching my fists, I bowed my head. Lee Yiseon gently brushed my hair. My dry hair tangled softly between his fingers.

“I’ll wrap up the wild dog issue as quickly as possible. Don’t be too anxious.”

I nodded quietly, but his unusual comfort didn’t ease my mind. Even with his hand softly playing with my hair, I felt no relief.

Thump, thump.

I pressed my left chest gently with my palm, feeling my heartbeat.

The pain in my heart was worse than the wound on my neck or the stiffness in my right shoulder.

Black Foot lightly hopped down the stairs. With his black shorts and black t-shirt, he looked like a distant relative of a feline. It’s hard to believe that with that small, sturdy frame, he could use lethal martial arts to break the bones of wild dogs, wolves, and even people. At first, I was too scared to even look him in the eye, but now I wanted to learn from him.

“Hey.”

Black Foot turned to look at me. I asked, staring into his charming brown eyes.

“Could you teach me martial arts later?”

He blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting me to ask.

“Why?”

“So I can protect myself.”

He looked me up and down, then bluntly replied without malice.

“No, I can’t.”

His firm answer shocked me. Do I look that weak? Before I could recover from the blow to my pride, Black Foot casually added,

“It takes years to become skilled enough to fight and win against wild dogs. You’ll be gone before then. Don’t waste time on pointless things. Focus on how to use your foresight. That will be more useful.”

Without another word, he turned and disappeared. I didn’t even hear his footsteps.

Everyone here treats me like someone who’s destined to leave. If I try to help, they say they don’t need it. It feels like they’re constantly reminding me that I don’t belong here. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I guess it would be better to develop my precognitive dreams. Yes, as Black Foot said, I should relax, sleep peacefully, and dream of good things, not nightmares, but happy dreams.

If my dreams really can shape the future, then I just need to have a lot of happy, safe dreams. That way, I’ll eventually meet my grandmother. Until then, I shouldn’t be too impatient or anxious. I shouldn’t.

Click.

The door behind me opened, and Lee Yiseon stepped out.

“Let’s go.”

The Doctor waved his hand.

“Go back and rest. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear any news about the previous Prophet.”

With a grateful glance at the Doctor, I descended the stairs. Lee Yiseon, who had left the building first, was waiting for me. He grabbed my hand as I started walking toward Times Square, nodding in the opposite direction.

“We should stop by the herbal bath.”

I remembered his offer to help me bathe.

“Now?”

“You will recover faster if you wash and rest.”