The First Spirit
The lazy genius of the Sunhwan Cha Family, Cha Eunsol.
Cha Eunseo did not like her.
She hated her.
If she had to list the reasons, there would be no end to them.
First, because in the competitive environment of the Sunhwan Cha Family, she was constantly being compared to her simply because they were the same age.
Second, because she would have to be compared to her for the rest of her life.
Third, because no matter how hard she tried, she could not beat that fortunate girl who did nothing but laze around.
Fourth, because even when she did not want to be conscious of it, every time she saw her, she was forced to feel the gap in their talent.
Fifth, because even if she was from a collateral branch, she too was undeniably a member of the Sunhwan Cha Family who deserved proper treatment, yet she had to clean up after the girl she hated like a maid.
Sixth, because even though she stood in for her like that, no one acknowledged her, saying she was nothing more than a substitute.
Seventh, eighth, ninth…
‘Ah, I really hate her.’
At this point, it was almost admirable that she had never seriously wanted to kill Cha Eunsol.
She had only ever gone as far as imagining it in her head whenever Eunsol made her suffer.
And now that girl had started hanging around with Do Gyeonu and his group at the Academy…
‘Isn’t this too much? Damn it, I’m going to lose all my hair because of her….’
Cha Eunsol’s deviations only grew worse.
She skipped classes as if it were only natural because she was going out to play with her friends, then, out of nowhere, joined a club only to get tangled up in all kinds of trouble…
Cha Eunseo could not help cursing at the girl who caused accidents at every turn.
And now she said she was going to take her friends to meet the First Spirit.
—What? Say that again. Where are you going? To do what? No, don’t say it. Are you insane?
—I’m going to the ancestral mountain with the others.
—You’re taking them there without even receiving the Family Head’s permission? No, why? Why on earth? Why, why, why?
—Because… explaining it is a pain, so come see for yourself.
Cha Eunseo had known Cha Eunsol since they were very young.
Even so, she still could not understand what Cha Eunsol was thinking as she went through life.
If she could, she wanted to crack open her head and look inside.
That was how frustrating it was.
How could an ordinary talent ever fathom the mind of a genius?
She could only calm herself with that thought and cool her anger.
It was the same this time.
—Fine, good. I’ll go with you too. It doesn’t seem like trying to stop you will work anyway. I don’t know what your purpose is for suddenly going to the ancestral mountain, but just try causing an accident. I’ll be watching right next to you, and if anything happens, I’ll report it to the family.
—Yeah, good thinking.
They were going to leave for the main house of the Sunhwan Cha Family the next day anyway to participate in the Ancestral Mountain Rite.
Cha Eunseo decided to take what little comfort she could from the fact that they were merely going a day early.
…It was not as if she had no desire at all to see the First Spirit, either.
At any rate, she climbed the ancestral mountain together with Do Gyeonu’s group.
And when she set foot for the first time in the shrine that enshrined the First Spirit, the one that required the Family Head’s permission to enter—
Kiaaaaaaak!
“…Huh? Matri…arch?”
“…”
She could not help being shocked when she came face-to-face with the matriarch of the Sunhwan Cha Family.
Because the woman she had not seen since childhood had shackles on her arms and legs.
On top of that, her condition was not good.
Along with part of her face, patches of skin visible here and there were boiling with black blisters.
From those places that instinctively aroused revulsion, it was as if the stench of a rotting corpse was rising.
Most of all—
Kiaaaaaaaaak!
The way she struggled to break free of the shackles and openly revealed hostility made her resemble a ferocious beast.
Cha Eunseo, frozen at the sight of the matriarch, could not help finding her terribly unfamiliar.
“What on earth is this…”
According to the history of the Sunhwan Cha Family—
The First Spirit, who longed for the deceased first Family Head, became a guardian spirit and settled here on the ancestral mountain.
The Sunhwan Cha Family held a divine spirit rite every year as an expression of gratitude toward the First Spirit, who had brought prosperity to the family.
In addition, the Family Head communicated with the First Spirit and sent spirit masters to ensure that the First Spirit did not grow bored.
The spirit master chosen by the Family Head had to live here for the rest of their life, until their lifespan ran out.
And so, several years ago, the matriarch who had withdrawn from the world took on that role…
“…”
To think she was in this state.
Cha Eunseo could not understand the situation.
She could only stand there stunned as she looked at the matriarch, whose entire body bulged with veins.
Cha Eunsol told her the truth.
“The matriarch died when she first came here. Back then.”
“Then who is the matriarch standing before my eyes right now…”
“The First Spirit.”
“…What?”
Cha Eunseo’s face twisted.
* * *
“The First Spirit never promised our family an eternal blessing. It never claimed to be a guardian spirit, either. Originally, the First Spirit intended to return to nature once its contract with the first Family Head ended. That’s why the range of its blessing was limited to the blood relatives who were alive when the first Family Head was.”
“…”
“But the second Family Head couldn’t accept that, so he… imprisoned the First Spirit here on the ancestral mountain. By using the spirit master’s body as a vessel, he used an expedient method to keep the contract with the first Family Head in place. And a few years ago, the matriarch became that vessel.”
The First Spirit sealed inside the body of the matriarch of the Sunhwan Cha Family threatened us savagely.
If not for the shackles binding its arms and legs, it seemed ready to pounce at any moment.
Even though we had heard the story beforehand and knew the identity of the vessel, our faces could not help stiffening.
Seeing the Sunhwan Cha Family exploit the First Spirit, and seeing with my own eyes how they treated people like tools, left a bad taste in my mouth.
If I had been a member of the Sunhwan Cha Family, I felt like I would have been disgusted with the clan.
Then how must Cha Eunseo feel, when she had known none of the truth?
“…That makes no sense. Then the Ancestral Mountain Rite… What was the Ancestral Mountain Rite that was supposed to express gratitude to the First Spirit…?”
“A spirit that manifests with a physical form consumes a lot of power just by existing, right? The First Spirit is the same. After being imprisoned on the ancestral mountain, the First Spirit has been continuously manifested, so it had no choice but to grow weaker and weaker. At times like that, it should receive mana from its contractor, but…”
“…The first Family Head is dead.”
“Right. So instead, the family performs the Ancestral Mountain Rite. To deliver our mana to the First Spirit.”
“So… it was all a lie.”
“Yeah.”
After hearing the family’s truth from Cha Eunsol, Cha Eunseo stammered as if she had been struck by shock.
Her face as she looked at the First Spirit struggling desperately was endlessly dark.
Her clenched fists were trembling.
‘Looks like she isn’t going to deny it by insisting there must be some misunderstanding.’
Well, of course not.
The matriarch who had become the First Spirit’s vessel was right in front of her, in such a horrific state.
I observed the First Spirit, whose body boiled with black blisters.
At a glance, the matriarch’s body—the vessel—was collapsing.
That was probably why the Family Head of the Sunhwan Cha Family had intended to make Cha Eunsol the vessel this time.
“Eunsol, what should we do?”
“Yum… While I’m liberating the First Spirit, I want you all to stand guard.”
After eating a piece of chocolate, Cha Eunsol handed out chocolate to us as well.
Then she stepped toward the First Spirit.
While my friends scattered to stand guard, I approached her.
“The First Spirit seems mad right now, not in its right mind. It must also be furious after being used by your family for close to two hundred years.”
“Yeah, probably.”
“Once it’s liberated, we don’t know what kind of harm it might cause. Rather than liberating it right away and taking the risk, wouldn’t it be better to soothe it even a little before freeing it?”
“You just said it yourself. That it seems mad and not in its right mind.”
“…”
“No matter what I say to the First Spirit, which has lost its reason, it won’t do any good. Maybe if it were before, but my words won’t reach the First Spirit now. But if we leave it like this, it will turn into an evil spirit.”
“…Then what do we do?”
“After freeing it, we let it vent all the emotions that have piled up inside it on its own. We can talk once its sanity returns.”
“Let it vent on its own… Will that really be okay? Once the First Spirit is liberated, it will definitely do something to your family…”
“It’s okay. If they did wrong, they should be punished. The First Spirit has the right to do that. And that is the proper order of things.”
“…Fine, I get it. Do it well.”
“Yeah.”
It seemed I had been underestimating Cha Eunsol’s resolve.
Seeing her attitude, ready to willingly bear the First Spirit’s revenge, I could no longer voice any objections.
I merely prayed for her safety and withdrew to stand guard.
A moment later.
“I’ll begin.”
Kiaaaaaaak!
Cha Eunsol placed her hand on the First Spirit’s head.
The First Spirit violently shook its head to shake off her touch, but it did not work on her.
Just like that, she proceeded with the liberation ritual.
────!!
Blue light burst out around Cha Eunsol and the First Spirit.
Amid the fluttering particles of mana, the First Spirit let out a shriek as if in agony.
Standing guard, we watched the ritual tensely.
It was then that the anomaly occurred.
Crackle!
Kiaaaaaaaaaak!
The First Spirit shed tears of blood and coughed up clots of blood from its mouth.
Black particles flowing out of the First Spirit’s body rampaged and drove away the blue particles.
Sensing an ominous energy, we took stances so we could swing our weapons at any moment.
‘What the hell is happening?’
Cha Eunsol’s brow furrowed.
Judging from her reaction, it did not seem to be a phenomenon that occurred as part of the liberation ritual.
Then she spoke.
“It looks like they prepared a countermeasure for a situation like this.”
“…”
“Since I’m trying to liberate the First Spirit, the vessel is resisting and instead trying to forcibly establish a contract.”
…And here I thought this episode seemed like it would be resolved easily for once.
Life truly never went the way one wanted.
I clicked my tongue.
“So what…”
…are we supposed to do?
I could not finish my sentence.
Because all of a sudden, an intense light burst out from the First Spirit’s body.
And it did not end there.
Kwa-rararak!
‘What is that!?’
Just as it sounded as if lightning had struck outside—
A streak of black light pierced through the ceiling and slammed down into the First Spirit.
Pshuuuk!
The First Spirit rapidly swelled.
At last, the shrine began to collapse.
Looking up at the First Spirit, which had transformed into a giant deer, I clenched my teeth.
‘In the game, it contracted with Eunsol, but here, it’s the matriarch of the Cha Family in Eunsol’s place…’
The rampaging First Spirit… no, the boss of this episode, roared.
* * *
A faint ripple crossed dimensions.
It was enough to draw its interest.
Do you desire destruction?
Drifting through the sea of dimensions, it opened its red eyes.
The indescribable being sent forth its will.
Then I shall grant you power.
* * *
Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do, the main estate of the Sunhwan Cha Family.
Realizing that the time had passed midnight, Family Head Cha Taein finished what he was doing and decided to leave his office.
‘So there isn’t even a day left now.’
At the Ancestral Mountain Rite that would be held tonight—
Cha Taein planned to replace the First Spirit’s vessel with Cha Eunsol.
If it was her, born with the first Family Head’s Gift, she would surely function as a vessel for a long time.
He had no idea how long he had waited for her to grow until now.
As the Family Head who worked for the glory of the family, he was already looking forward to the Ancestral Mountain Rite.
He sincerely hoped she would live up to his expectations.
‘That said, it is a waste of talent. If that child set her mind to it, she would become an outstanding spirit master… Perhaps she could even grow into a spirit master who surpasses the first Family Head. Her aptitude is that exceptional.’
But Cha Eunsol’s lazy nature held back that possibility.
Moreover, the value of the family was greater than the value of a single girl.
By making her the vessel, the family would be able to stably enjoy the First Spirit’s blessing.
For a full hundred years.
In other words, it meant they could firmly maintain their position as one of the Ten Families for a hundred years.
That was why, as Family Head, Cha Taein’s judgment could only tilt in one direction.
Of course, there was a dreamlike alternative.
Just as the first Family Head had done, she could form a contract with the First Spirit.
‘If that child fully matures, it would not be impossible.’
If that happened—
The Sunhwan Cha Family would be able to obtain not only the blessing, but even the First Spirit’s power.
However, it was far too dangerous.
If the First Spirit, which must have accumulated grievance upon grievance against the family, left the ancestral mountain, there was no guaranteeing what the future would hold.
On top of that—
‘That child is difficult to handle.’
Cha Eunsol was not loyal to the family.
Having long since grasped her nature, Cha Taein did not indulge in vain dreams.
Thus, he would not hesitate in the slightest to make her the vessel.
‘I have already obtained that child’s consent.’
There were no obstacles to the plan.
The people who did not know the truth of the family?
If he explained appropriately that she had been chosen by the First Spirit, they might express concern, but they would not be able to oppose it.
That was the tradition of the Sunhwan Cha Family.
Cha Taein was not worried.
It was then that he sensed the anomaly.
Crackle!
“…”
The path connected to the First Spirit through his soul reacted.
It meant only one thing.
‘Something has gone wrong.’
He had a bad feeling.
Cha Taein hurriedly gathered his clothing and decided to head to the First Spirit.
At that very moment—
Kyaaaaaak!
A scream rang out from outside.
Soon after, he sensed the people in the mansion waking from sleep and raising a commotion.
It was chaotic.
Most of all—
“…”
Sensing the energy, Cha Taein quickly flung open the window in his office.
And when he took the night sky into his eyes, his breath stopped for an instant.
Whhhiiieeeeeaaaaoooo!
With Lumitris, the Spirit King of Light, at the forefront—
The Spirit Kings of darkness, water, lightning, flame, wind, and earth.
Along with countless other spirits, were looking down at the mansion.
Immediately after—
────!!
They opened fire.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss