The Girl of an Old Mansion

30. Someone has returned

After having discussion with Si-ri, Min-ho headed towards the well.

The forest was dense. He couldn't move without a plant touching him. On his way, he kept on filling his sight with the sheer denseness of the foliage. The sickly sweet aroma of wild flowers filled his nostrils. Luckily, this forest didn't have any dangerous animals like before. At present the same route was being used by traders.

Min-ho reached the place and checked out the well. The outer view of the well had turned green because of the moss. He quickly began to clean up the moss, bindweed from the well to make it look good. The famous quote written by the girl in respect of Lucian was visible now.

Min-ho proceeded towards the town to tell people about the well. On his way, his mind was full of thoughts. He was constantly thinking about how to cook a story of the old well that would sound convincing and appealing enough among people.

He chose one of the busiest routes from where people usually visit. He looked around once, took one wobbly step and pretended to fall into a swoon.

In no time, he started hearing the screaming of the crowd around him.

"Oh! Is that Min-ho? What happened to him? What's wrong with him?" They were blabbering to each other staring at collapsed Min-ho.

"Oh God! Give me some patience before I lose my cool to these dumb heads. It's my humble request to you blabbering morons and god of fools, kindly do something to wake me up. Instead of chit chatting like idiots!" Min-ho cursed them in his thoughts.

Suddenly he felt someone trying to wake him up by sprinkling water on his face. Min-ho mentally prepared himself to act well.

After one more splatter of water, Min-ho opened his eyes in alarm, shaking, panting in short urgent breaths, looked around suspiciously and paranoid as if something horrible had followed him. He gets up cautiously, shivering, rubs head and eyes and tries to fully awaken and come to his senses.

A gentleman from the crowd asked him, "Are you alright boy? How did you faint?"

"I was on my way while I came across the old wellspring. As I came closer to the well, I heard a ripple in water paired with a tranquil voice. The voice had such a magnetic effect on my eardrums that my legs moved towards the direction of the voice. I stood there in front of the well as if I had been charmed."

"The voice echoed that through the well was of Lu...Luci...Lucian." Min-ho said in a stuttering manner.

The name 'Lucian' caused an uproar among the crowd. A wave of suspense and confusion clouded on their faces, they were eager to hear the further story.

Min-ho continued.

Lucian said, "I am back. Go and tell people to restore their faith in Lucian again. I'll help people in distress. From now on every wish will come true but it will only come true when asked with a pure and sinless heart."

"These were his words I heard before the darkness consumed me completely. It was a surreal sensation," said Min-ho and lifted his eyes to look at the crowd but they were nowhere to be seen. As he turned back to look around, his sight unfolded lots of figures running to the well to make wishes.

Min-ho felt annoyed and said, "What a bunch of dumb heads."

He quickened his pace and asked them to kindly listen to the whole story only then their wishes will come true.

They all got silent and looked at Min-ho desperately to utter the whole story while scanning him with their wide open eyes.

"Lucian told me the method to make wishes. You need to jot down your wishes on a piece of paper and put them into a bottle. You need to come back every day to check your bottle. If you find your bottle empty, it would be an indication that your wishes have been read out by Lucian."