The Sacred Manager Life - Chapter 23

The address Cha Soyeon sent me led to an officetel far from the company.

“How many officetels does this woman even own?”

When I arrived, a bodyguard greeted me and opened the door.

Inside, sitting blankly on the couch, was Shim Jongho.

<“He doesn’t remember anything about what happened at Sky Palace. The rest of his memory is patchy too—he keeps asking what SN Entertainment is and even claims not to know Chie. His condition is a mess.”>

Shim Jongho wasn’t wrapped in black smoke.

That meant he hadn’t been completely consumed by false faith—he wasn’t beyond saving.

“So, he didn’t go there because he truly believed in Jinsaenggyo.”

<(There were a lot of people like that. Some just went to see what they could gain. These kinds of guys are even worse. At least zealots have faith—this one just used it to his advantage.)>

I brought this guy here to use my gift of prophecy and uncover the identity of the man behind all this.

Since he tried to silence Shim Jongho, that meant he was connected to Jinsaenggyo.

And he would definitely try to interfere with Chie’s recruitment.

My gift had shown me a vision of this moment, warning me in advance.

<(If he really is that rotten, can you make him stupid again?)>

<(Why?)>

<“Because people like this don’t change. Even if it’s not a cult, he’d still find another way to cause trouble. It’s better to just make him an idiot.”>

<(That woman over there would probably be better at that than me.)>

I glanced at Cha Soyeon, and she tilted her head in curiosity.

<“I don’t know what you expect to hear from someone like him, but do whatever you need to.”>

<“Can you give us the room? I need to talk to him alone.”>

At her signal, the bodyguards left.

<“Soyeon, you too… I’ll call you when I’m done.”>

<“Just do it. You’re planning to mess with his head, right?”>

What?

A strange silence settled between us.

This woman… she knew about my gift.

<“You have the same aura as the one who saved me. It’s white.”>

I was so shocked I instinctively took a step back.

Just… who is she?

*****

“Juwon, I trust you, so I’m telling you this. You’re not like normal people.”

Cha Soyeon began to talk about her past.

<“My parents died in a car accident when I was young. I was in the car too. Naturally, I was dying as well.”>

It had been a massive crash, the car so wrecked it was barely recognizable.

<“I still remember it vividly. My arms and legs were broken—I couldn’t move. The front of the car caught fire, and I thought, This is it. I’m going to die with my parents. So, I closed my eyes.”>

But then, someone opened the crushed car door and pulled her out.

<“I was in their arms, and I’ll never forget how it felt. Warm, comforting. I was about to die, but I wasn’t scared at all.”>

She recited the words that person had spoken, her expression like a girl confessing her love.

<‘It would be a waste to take your soul. Do you wish to keep living?’>

<“I didn’t understand at the time, so I just nodded while crying. Their voice was so warm.”>

<‘Living without parents will be lonely, so I grant you the Blessing of Bonds. From now on, you will see connections in a different light.’>

<“Then they disappeared into the light. I lost my parents, but I was given a new life.”>

That last part bothered me.

<“This Blessing of Bonds… did anything change after that?”>

<“Yes. I started seeing colors rising like smoke behind people.”>

“Is that a gift too?”

<(No. That’s a divine blessing. She can see human relationships as colors.)>

<“Red means someone dislikes me. The lighter the red, the less they dislike me. As the red fades, it turns yellow when they start to like me. That’s how I know who loves or hates me.”>

Just as that being had said, she could see emotions as colors.

<“It helped me a lot in life. I avoided those who disliked me and helped those who liked me. It played a huge role in getting me where I am today.”>

<“So… is that why you were interested in me?”>

<“At first, yes. Your color is… white. Neither red nor yellow—pure white. It’s only the second time I’ve ever seen that color.”>

<“The first was…”>

<“Yes. The one who saved me had the same white aura as you.”>

<(Interesting. It seems like she has an extra sense that lets her perceive your gift instead of relationships. Because your power comes from God, it appears the same as His.)>

<“That warmth, that comfort—I felt it the moment I saw you in the parking lot. When I was in the U.S. for filming, it was hard being away. I wanted to be near you…”>

Finally, I understood why someone like Cha Soyeon kept trying to see me.

She was drawn to the power that had once saved her life.

<“You won’t tell me why you have that color, will you?”>

<“Uh, well…”>

God never told me to keep it a secret.

But to live peacefully, it was best not to stand out too much.

People often fear what’s different.

<“It’s okay. As long as I can keep feeling this warmth, I don’t need to know. Just never push me away.”>

<“How long do you plan on sticking around?”>

<“Hmm… until I get bored? But I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of you.”>

She smiled mischievously.

Was she acting again?

<“Forever? That sounds like marriage.”>

<“That works for me. So, do you want to take me with you? I’ve got a great face, a great body, and I make good money. I’ve saved up a lot too…”>

<“That’s totally one-sided! Do you really think we match?”>

<“Why not? You’re an amazing manager—Red Blossom is lucky to have you. Sometimes, I get jealous of them… Ah!”>

<“What? What’s wrong?”>

<“I just remembered Red Blossom exists. If Yeoreum hears about this, she’ll flip. Hmm… or maybe not.”>

This woman… was she delusional?

She kept getting lost in her own fantasies.

“Juwon.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s deal with him first. You know we’re getting off track, right?”

She pointed at Shim Jongho, still sitting blankly on the couch.

<“If we want to save Red Blossom, we need to find out why Chie was kidnapped. If we don’t dig into this now, not just Chie, but even Sera could be in danger again.”>

<“Got it. But we’re not done talking after this.”>

Even during our live stream, I’d realized—this woman was persistent.

*

<“How did you know this guy could be fixed?”>

<“Because you’re warm.”>

<“Huh?”>

<“Right now, your body is really warm. I don’t even have to touch you to feel it. It’s nothing like a heated blanket… it’s like the person who saved me.”>

<(She can sense the gift of healing too. Only someone with an exceptionally pure soul could do that. No wonder God thought she was worth saving.)>

I walked over to Shim Jongho and placed my hand on his forehead.

The murky energy inside him was suffocating.

As I focused, it melted away like snow in the sun.

“Hngh!”

His clouded eyes cleared.

He glanced around in confusion—then locked eyes with me.

<“Aaaahhh!”>

Looks like he remembered the moment I slashed him with my kukri.

His jaw was trembling uncontrollably—he must have been seriously shocked.

“So, if you just confess to me…”

“Lies! That’s a lie! Executive Director would never do that!”

I was caught.