Chapter 1. Gumiho

I realized I had transmigrated into a novel three days ago.

The transmigration itself happened a week ago, but at that time, I thought it was all a dream.

If you were to suddenly open your eyes in a different world, in a different body without any warning, who would think it was transmigration rather than assuming it was a dream?

That's why it was exactly three days ago that I acknowledged this was transmigration.

And in these three days, I was able to learn quite a lot.

"Status window."

+++

Name: Kang Shin-woo (17 years old/Male)

Occupation: Shaman

Traits: [Loved by Spirits], [Strong Soul]

Skills: [Familiar Spirit Lv.1 (2 derived skills)], [Exorcism Swordsmanship Lv.3], [Shamanism Lv.2]

+++

I only discovered the existence of this status window the day before yesterday.

When I realized this world was inside a novel, I thought "maybe?" and it really existed when I tried it.

"Name is Kang Shin-woo, 17 years old and male."

That was the identity of the body I was currently possessing.

There was an 'Academy Entrance Exam Application' among my possessions, but no memory of it.

Probably an extra with no significance in the story, or perhaps not even an extra.

The only notable thing was that he was an orphan.

And even more notable was that despite this, he had quite a lot of money.

"I didn't know this huge mansion was mine."

The enormous 180-pyeong hanok-style mansion located in the forest where I first opened my eyes.

While the exterior was hanok, the interior was modernized, and I was curious about where it was.

I never even dreamed that the deed to this place would be in my name.

I was even more surprised when I saw the money in the bank account.

"If only it had been just this."

I had become rich and young again. If it had been just this, it would have been great.

But this good feeling was reversed yesterday when I realized the transmigration.

Because the world I had transmigrated to wasn't an ordinary world.

It was none other than the world of a novel called <Light of Dawn>.

Moreover, while it was described as a bright academy story in the beginning, it suddenly turned dark in the latter half.

In the ending, everyone suddenly died due to the appearance of an outer god, making it a trash work with a bad ending.

'And today is the day of the academy entrance exam.'

I had no intention of dying like this.

How could I give up this wealthy life I had somehow stumbled upon?

So I trained this body's powers until the entrance exam.

Fortunately, whether it was because the original shaman's memories still lingered in this body, I had no difficulty when training.

Although I didn't have time to train the 'familiar spirit', which was my greatest strength, this alone would probably be enough for the early stages.

"I should go take the exam now."

I needed to start moving now to participate in the academy entrance exam.

As I got up while thinking so, a sound came from the main gate in the distance.

Knock knock-

The sound of a small knock.

Despite the considerable distance, I could hear it clearly, as if someone had knocked right beside me.

'It's here again.'

An event-like existence that had been visiting me every day since the possession.

I didn't want to open the door because it was quite creepy and not a being I had a good impression of.

But if I didn't open the main gate, it would keep knocking all day long, so I had no choice but to open it.

Knock knock-

"I'm coming out now, so stop knocking."

I put on the hanbok I usually wore as casual clothes here and headed towards the main gate.

It felt uncomfortable at first, but as I wore it, I found it more comfortable than modern clothes.

It's like there's nothing tight, you know?

Creak-

Anyway, as I headed to the main gate and opened that big door, a being outside suddenly rushed towards me.

"My lord! I've been waiting, what took you so long?"

"Who's your lord? And get off me."

"When such a beautiful woman loves you so much, why do you dislike it?"

"I don't think that's something you should say about yourself."

Basically, it was in the form of a human woman.

Long platinum blonde hair, red eyes, and a long kimono were its characteristics.

But what caught my eye the most wasn't any of those things.

What stood out the most was none other than:

"More than anything, you're a gumiho."

The two fox ears on its head and the nine tails growing from its waist.

Gumiho.

A yokai that appeared in various East Asian folklore, known to disguise itself as a human to seduce people.

Basically, it was also a symbol of beauty and grace.

But more than that, it possessed a nature closer to disaster.

Often called 'beauty that can topple a nation'.

It was said to be the most representative example of beauty controlling a country.

In folklore, the number of countries ruined by gumihos must be countless.

Even if that was not the case, there were many brutal stories about them eating people's livers or sucking out their yang energy until they shriveled up and died.

'Even if it's beautiful, I can't like it.'

Honestly, it was beautiful. This couldn't be denied at all.

It had the most beautiful appearance among all the women I had ever seen in my life.

But it was too dangerous to be enchanted by just that.

Wouldn't even my soul be sucked dry if I just let it into this house?

"You're too harsh, discriminating based on species. Racial discrimination is a serious social issue these days."

"It's because that species is too dangerous. Besides, it doesn't sound credible coming from a gumiho."

"I have no intention of harming you, my lord."

"I'm not your lord, and I told you to get off."

I pushed away the gumiho clinging to my arm.

The sensation of it blatantly pressing against my arm was dangerous.

To be honest, I wasn't confident I could resist if it began to seduce me more actively.

"My lord, um... I'm asking this because I'm really worried. Are you impotent by any chance?"

"That's too harsh to say to someone you call 'lord'. It's hanging there just fine."

Hearing my answer, the gumiho tried to approach me again, its nine tails attached to its waist swaying.

Pushing it away once again, I opened my mouth.

"I have no intention of taking in an uncontrollable gumiho. Maybe if it was a familiar spirit contract, but you're not even a ghost."

The biggest reason I didn't want to get close to her was that there's no way to control her.

Maybe if we could make a familiar spirit contract.

Seeing how she could exert physical force like this, she's still a living yokai. We couldn't even make a familiar spirit contract.

"Oh, oh? My lord, were you a familiar spirit shaman?"

"For now, yes."

"But I don't see any ghosts clinging to you..."

"I haven’t contracted any ghosts yet. I only recently realized my talent for familiar spirits."

At my words, the gumiho suddenly nodded and then

spread her arms as if to say 'look at my body carefully' and looked at me.

"My lord, is there anything strange about this concubine's body?"

Something strange.

At first glance, there was nothing strange about her body itself.

The gumiho's ears and tails might be strange, but she probably didn't ask in that sense.

If there was something strange...

"Ah."

There was.

Something so strange, I wondered why I didn't notice it until now.

"You, were you a ghost?"

There was no shadow.

There was a shadow on her clothes, but her body did not cast any shadow on the ground.

Even though it was bright daylight.

This could mean only one thing. That she was not a living being, but a ghost.

"Yes, this concubine is a ghost who died 100 years ago."

"...Why did you hide it? Moreover, how is a ghost able to exert physical force without a body?"

"Hehe, a high-class yokai like me can have an influence even after death. And I didn't hide it. I just didn't mention it."

Isn't that the same thing?

I thought for a moment, but didn't say it out loud.

"So. Will you become my familiar spirit?"

"If you let this concubine stay by your side!"

Why did she want to follow me so much?

I had my doubts, but I didn't particularly ask about it.

Anyway, if she becomes a familiar spirit, the risk would disappear.

Even if that's not the case, the gumiho was a very powerful yokai, so she would be a great existence for me who had no familiar spirits.

"Then let's begin."

I already knew how to make the contract as I had read about it several times.

+++

Name: Familiar Spirit (Shikigami)

Classification: Activation-type Skill

Description: Contract with a 'ghost' to make it your familiar.

Both the shaman and the ghost must agree.

You can exercise absolute command over the familiar spirit.

(However, if the target's rank is overwhelmingly higher than yours, they may ignore commands.)

Activation: Declare (target's name) as my familiar spirit.

Derived Skills

-Possession Lv.1

-Summoning Lv.1

+++

It was just a matter of saying the target's name.

As soon as I read that description, I opened my mouth.

"What's your name?"

"This concubine's name is Hwa-ryeon."

Hwa-ryeon, at least it was a name I hadn't come across in the novel.

After mulling over the name for a moment, I activated the skill not long after.

"Ghost, I declare Hwa-ryeon as my familiar spirit."

"I accept."

[The target, gumiho 'Hwa-ryeon', is contracted as your familiar spirit.]

[It has been subordinated to your soul.]

That was it.

With that short phrase, the familiar spirit contract between her and me was established.

I felt a tingling sensation in the deepest part of my body.

Whoosh-

And at the same time, Hwa-ryeon, who had been waiting in front of me, clung to me again.

"My lord! We can finally become one!"

"I'll let you stay close, but not this close."

"No, the 'becoming one' this concubine is talking about is not merely this!"

"..."

Hwa-ryeon declared this very boldly as she stared at me with her red eyes.

...Surely it's not what I'm thinking?

As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I detached myself from her and went out the main gate.

I thought maybe not, but considering her species and Hwa-ryeon's personality I had observed for a week, that possibility was actually higher.

"Absolutely not, at least not now."

"Why not? You said you'd do anything if I became a familiar spirit..!"

"I never said that. And more importantly..."

The most important point.

"I'm a minor."

After that, I heard no more voices.