CRT Ch 3

When he stepped out of Foreman Hyun’s subordinate’s car, it was pitch-black night. Only upon reaching the destination was Seok Ryu freed from the blindfold and handcuffs.

The new master’s home was in a shabby residential area with broken streetlights. As they approached the front gate and entered the room, the master took cautious steps. His expression was like that of a rabbit passing a tiger’s den. It seemed the family dynamics were far from warm.

The master’s room, stained with mold, contained only a few instant noodle boxes and a single bed. The most striking feature was the door, which looked as if it had been punched. Given the modest circumstances, it was puzzling how he could afford an expensive guardian stone. But no matter how poor or weak the master was, Seok Ryu’s loyalty would remain unshaken.

The new master stood pressed against the wall, hesitating. In the light, he appeared to be around Seok Ryu’s age and build. His eyes lacked sharpness, and his slumped shoulders resembled a gem without a master.

As soon as they got into the car, the master had passed out from chloroform, leaving no time to exchange detailed information. All Seok Ryu knew about him was that his name was Park Yejun, an unknown actor living with his stepmother and half-brother, and that his father had been missing for years. Perhaps because they had endured the life-threatening binding ritual together for six months, Seok Ryu felt a sense of familiarity.

“Would you like to touch me?”

When Seok Ryu’s voice emerged, Yejun gasped. His large eyes blinked rapidly before he asked with determination.

“Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

Humanoid guardian stones started at a minimum of ten billion won, with their value soaring depending on their capabilities. For an ultra-expensive gem that most people couldn’t even dream of affording, it was only natural to inspect it for flaws.

Seok Ryu stood still in the middle of the room, allowing the new master to observe him thoroughly. Yejun rubbed his hands vigorously on his pants. He reached out to poke Seok Ryu’s cheek, then flinched and stepped back.

“It’s soft and warm. I thought it would be hard and cold…”

Behind his flushed expression, a hint of fear was visible. Yejun touched Seok Ryu’s hair and grabbed his wrist, turning it over to examine it. While Yejun inspected Seok Ryu, Seok Ryu observed the master’s condition.

Yejun’s clothes were worn, and his skin showed signs of poor nutrition. Though he didn’t smell of cigarettes, he coughed occasionally, likely due to weakened lungs from the mold. His beautiful appearance was overshadowed by various deficiencies. Seok Ryu felt pity for him, but it also meant there was much for Seok Ryu to do, sparking his motivation.

Yejun’s fearful eyes briefly met Seok Ryu’s. At this point, the usual question came up.

“Are your eyes wine-colored contacts?”

“They’re natural. The color is determined by the gem, and they’re soft and moist like real eyeballs. Would you like to touch them?”

“No, no, I’m good.”

Yejun recoiled, then glanced at Seok Ryu’s neck.

“I thought it was a double-layered choker…”

“It’s a scar from when I was beheaded in my past life. No matter what methods the craftsmen used, it couldn’t be erased, so they left it. It doesn’t affect my performance at all.”

“Be-beheaded…?”

Most past masters had been shocked when told the story of the scar. Seok Ryu had only one thing to say.

“If it bothers you, you can return me.”

“No, I don’t return things unless there’s a major defect, even when shopping online. Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to treat you like an object…”

“You don’t need to apologize to me. All rights belong to the master.”

“R-right…”

Yejun still seemed awkward in his role as master. He leaned against the wall again, putting distance between himself and Seok Ryu.

“So… when do the garnet’s effects start? Is there anything I need to do?”

“Just keep me with you, and I’ll handle the rest.”

“It’s just like a regular guardian stone. You know, people usually wear them as necklaces or rings.”

“Yes, exactly.”

The conversation paused briefly. Yejun scratched at an instant noodle box with his fingernail for no reason.

“But… I don’t feel anything?”

“What do you mean?”

“I heard just looking at a garnet would enchant people, like I’d be so mesmerized I’d lose my mind, like I was high.”

Those who sought garnets often had been hurt by others and were slow to trust anything easily. They wouldn’t readily believe in a guardian stone’s powers either.

“The garnet’s master is immune to its enchantment. The effect only works on others, making them pledge loyalty. Even when enchanted by a garnet, people don’t lose their rationality to the point of being incapacitated. Otherwise, they’d be a nuisance to the master rather than loyal.”

Even when enchanted by a garnet, a person’s inherent nature remained unchanged. Decent people posed no major issues, but twisted individuals could harm the master with warped loyalty. Thus, carefully selecting those who would serve the master was crucial. Yejun likely had many questions, but Seok Ryu would explain and demonstrate gradually.

Seok Ryu took out a notebook and pencil from his wine-colored travel bag.

“Are there any precautions I should take?”

“Well, there’s just one person in this house to watch out for…”

BAM———!!

At that moment, a sound like the front door being smashed made Yejun shrink. Heavy footsteps immediately echoed through the house.

“Damn bastards, who do they think they’re messing with?! Settlement money? How much could that even be… Hey, I’ll call you back later.”

Judging by the slurred speech and unsteady steps, he was drunk. Moments later, the door was violently flung open. The force pushed Seok Ryu into the corner of the room. A burly man stood in the doorway, exuding menace. His clothes were stained with blood, and his knuckles were scraped. The unidentified intruder didn’t notice Seok Ryu, hidden behind the door. From the looks of it, he was Yejun’s half-brother.

The half-brother glared viciously and threw Seok Ryu’s shoes at Yejun’s face.

“Looks like you’ve got money, buying new shoes? Get five hundred by the day after tomorrow.”

“Those aren’t mine, and I got fired from my part-time job, I’m broke…!”

BAM———!! The half-brother punched the door and threw the cigarette he was smoking at Yejun’s face.

“You little punk, what have you ever done for me as my older brother?! I don’t care if you take out a loan or sell your organs, get it by the day after tomorrow!”

When Yejun sighed, the man’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. The half-brother grabbed Yejun’s collar and raised his fist. Yejun shielded his head with both arms.

“Don’t hit my face! I have an audition!”

“Let go of him.”

Unable to stand by, Seok Ryu stepped out from behind the door. The half-brother, only then noticing Seok Ryu, flinched in surprise.

“Let go of him and leave the room.”

At Seok Ryu’s command, the half-brother’s face twisted. Yejun, pale with fear, whimpered. The half-brother shoved Yejun to the floor and approached Seok Ryu threateningly.

“Who the hell is this punk? What are you?!”

Seok Ryu frowned at the stench of alcohol emanating from the man.

“I’m someone who will live in this house starting today.”

Introducing himself as a person never felt natural.

“What? On whose authority?!”

“Mine. I’ve decided to live here.”

“Ha! This bastard’s begging to die!!”

The half-brother grabbed Seok Ryu’s collar without hesitation. A guardian stone’s strength was less than that of a child, so engaging in a physical fight with such a brute was out of the question. But letting the half-brother continue to torment Yejun was unacceptable, so some emergency measures were necessary. It was the first chance to show Yejun his abilities, but the opponent was just a lowlife…

The act of a garnet enchanting a target was called doping. By altering a person’s mental framework with the garnet’s energy, followers became fanatically loyal to the master, as if drugged. It suppressed their inner voices and induced an illusion.

The success rate of the binding ritual was directly tied to the doping success rate. Noeul had a 100% doping success rate, but Seok Ryu’s was only 50%.

Since it had been a while, Seok Ryu took a small breath. He slowly raised his head and looked directly into the half-brother’s eyes. The moment their gazes met, the half-brother’s pupils dilated. His mouth gradually fell open, his face half-dazed. He staggered, leaning against the wall to steady himself. Blinking vacantly, he shook his head vigorously.

“What, what the hell? Damn it…!”

The half-brother suddenly cursed and kicked a box. As the atmosphere grew hostile, Yejun squeezed his eyes shut and pushed the man out of the room. He quickly locked the door and shoved a box against it. Moments later, the sound of a door slamming violently came from the other side of the wall. Yejun collapsed, trembling all over. Seok Ryu rushed to check on him.

“Are you alright?”

“Why did you provoke that lunatic?! If you run into him again, who knows what he’ll do? Don’t ever leave this room!”

“I’ll handle it, so don’t worry.”

“He even curses and hits our parents! You think you’ll be safe? Let’s escape this house once he’s asleep.”

The master’s excessive fear was disconcerting. He didn’t seem to hear anything at the moment. Yejun pressed himself against the box to keep the door shut. Exhausted from the long journey, he began to nod off while sitting.

“I’ll take over.”

Seok Ryu laid Yejun on the bed and covered him with a blanket. The half-conscious master fell fast asleep. Seok Ryu turned off the light and sat against the box. He always kept a log when serving a master, but decided to write it tomorrow.

Seok Ryu quietly opened his travel bag and took out a jewelry box. Inside was a peridot split in half. Just before it was to be discarded, Heewan had allowed him to take it. Before leaving the workshop, Seok Ryu had burned Shinbi’s family photos and fairy tale book. Shinbi had shown them relentlessly, but never seeing them again felt relieving.

From the alley, the sounds of a couple arguing and a baby crying drifted in. Neighborhood dogs barked as well. Startled by the noise, Yejun’s shoulders twitched. The new master resembled a small, white rat—a timid rodent waiting for sunlight in a swamp. He might be the embodiment of all the world’s pitiful things molded together.

Could this person be his destined master…? Despite vowing not to hope, Seok Ryu couldn’t help longing for his Geppetto. His abilities were only half-complete, but one thing he could swear: he would place this master, hidden in the shadows, in the most dazzling spotlight. He would fill every void with light, leaving no room for darkness.

Seok Ryu had no intention of returning to the hellish workshop. By any means necessary, he would bury his bones by this master’s side.

💎

“If you give me another chance… I swear to uphold my loyalty with my life.”

He often dreamed of his neck being severed. In the dream, Seok Ryu’s head rolled across a field, devoured by wild beasts. Since it recurred whenever he forgot, it likely depicted the moment before his death.

Each guardian stone had a vivid story of their past life, and most remembered theirs clearly. The common thread among those who became guardian stones was committing a great sin before death and yearning for a next life. But Seok Ryu only recalled incurring someone’s wrath and being beheaded—nothing else of his past life.

Upon waking in the morning, he first checked Yejun’s condition. His steady breathing suggested deep sleep. Seok Ryu dripped a few drops of cleaning solution into his eyes. The gemstones in his eyes and choker were connected to his heart, requiring frequent cleaning and care.

Since a pile of boxes blocked the door, Seok Ryu climbed out through the window leading to the courtyard. The narrow courtyard held only broken flowerpots and a leaky old faucet. He absorbed the sun’s energy while doing simple yoga and meditation. After finishing, he entered through the front door. The dented, misaligned door was clearly someone’s doing.

Seok Ryu surveyed the living room. Last night, in the chaos, he hadn’t closely examined the environment the master lived in. There was nothing notable except that Yejun was absent from the family photos plastered on the walls. The filthy bathroom was an issue, but the pervasive stench in the house was the most serious problem. Living in such conditions could cause illnesses.

While tracing the source of the odor, Seok Ryu found a woman dozing at the kitchen sink, likely Yejun’s stepmother. She hadn’t even peeked out during last night’s commotion, suggesting she was thoroughly desensitized.

Providing Yejun with a balanced, nutritious diet was urgent, but first, the house needed cleaning and repairs—a mountain of tasks.

The stepmother, belatedly noticing Seok Ryu, flailed her arms.

“Eek! W-who are you?!”

She fumbled for a kitchen knife and pointed it at Seok Ryu. The moment their eyes met, her eyebrows arched upward. Her mouth slowly opened.

“Ugh, my stomach’s burning. I need hangover soup!”

At that moment, the half-brother emerged from his room, startled to see his mother with the knife and Seok Ryu. An otherworldly stench emanated from his room. Seok Ryu addressed him.

“That foul, nauseating smell coming from your room—is that your doing?”

“What?”

A red vein bulged on the half-brother’s neck.

“Clean it immediately.”

Yejun checked the time with swollen eyes. Fearing Jinguk might break in during the night, he hadn’t slept properly. The quiet suggested Jinguk was still passed out drunk. Looking around the room, Yejun sprang up. Seok Ryu was nowhere to be found.

“This is insane…”

He clutched his hair. Jinguk’s iron fists would pulverize not only him but Seok Ryu too. After risking his life to bring him here, he might lose everything without gaining anything.

“Why is my life always like this?!”

He pushed the boxes back into place and peered through the door crack to check outside. The first thing he saw was Seok Ryu’s profile. The human-shaped garnet stood in a corner of the living room, watching something. Seok Ryu’s slender limbs and straight posture accentuated the curves of his silk shirt. His deep wine-colored eyes and lashes draped elegantly over his eyelids. He was so captivating that the word “beautiful” felt inadequate.

No matter how he looked, he seemed human, yet he was a guardian stone—unbelievable even when standing before him. Now wasn’t the time to be captivated by someone’s appearance. He had to hide Seok Ryu before Jinguk spotted him. Stepping quietly out the door, Yejun froze at the sight in the living room.

In the middle of the living room, piles of old items and clothes were stacked, and Jinguk was crouched, wiping cigarette ash off them. The stepmother was cleaning the gas range in the kitchen. When Seok Ryu gave an approving nod, both worked even harder with enthusiasm. Jinguk, while scrubbing, glanced at Seok Ryu.

“I should’ve emptied the ashtrays right after smoking… I’ll get some air freshener to get rid of the smell.”

“Don’t rely on air fresheners—clean regularly.”

“Got it.”

Jinguk carried his belongings to his room, then hesitated.

“What else should I do?”

“Clean the courtyard, fix the front door, and repair the faucet.”

“Got it.”

“Oh, thanks to Yejun’s friend, the house is going to sparkle~.”

Jinguk headed to the courtyard without complaint. The stepmother, despite laboring in the kitchen, praised Seok Ryu. When Yejun brought friends over, Jinguk would hurl insults and hit them, ensuring they never returned. The stepmother wouldn’t even glance at friends who greeted her. Their behavior toward Seok Ryu was not just surprising but shocking. While sweeping the courtyard, Jinguk spotted Yejun and flung open the window.

“You little bastard! Get back in your room before I rip your eyes out!”

Seok Ryu, turning belatedly, bowed politely to Yejun.

“Good morning, sir. I’ll prepare breakfast as soon as the cleaning is done, so please wait a moment.”

Yejun instinctively stepped back, tripped over the threshold, and fell. Seok Ryu rushed to check on him.

“Are you alright?”

His worried eyes held no trace of impurity. Perfectly cut, they refracted light into a mesmerizing wine hue. For some reason, at that moment, Seok Ryu sent a chill down Yejun’s spine.