Chapter 117
“As if... There are other people that I would suspect before even considering you."
I lightly smiled and shook my head. Although It was a forced smile, it would appear as a laugh that had involuntarily escaped. In confusing or embarrassing situations, it was even more important to keep my facial expressions in control, and I was confident in my skills to do so.
Jun-Hyuk stared at me silently, seemingly trying to grasp whether I was telling the truth. He then let out a relieved sigh.
"Right? It’s just that, hm... What should I say... Lately, I feel this weird vibe when I'm with you."
"What do you mean?”
"I lowkey feel like you’re trying to keep your distance... No, what am I going on about? If you say no, then I guess that’s it."
Jun-Hyuk's intuition was on the mark. Since suspecting him of being a Satanist, I had secretly treated him with caution. Facial expressions and speech could be faked, but suspicion and unease revealed in one's gaze couldn’t be hidden. Jun-Hyuk had guessed that he was under scrutiny by picking up on those cues.
Was he always so perceptive? No, come to think of it, Jun-Hyuk had always seemed perceptive. He just hadn't acted on his perceptions until now. Jun-Hyuk was good at reading the atmosphere, but he didn't know how to use it to his advantage.
"To be honest, I had my suspicions. But─"
"What? Why the fuck?"
"Listen to me. I thought it couldn’t be you after seeing your mother affected by black magic yesterday."
When I said, "I had my suspicions," I was telling the truth. But saying, "I no longer suspect you because of what happened yesterday," was a lie. Mixing truth with lies was a common tactic that everyone knew, but it also meant that it was effective as a common tactic.
When I brought up his mother, Jun-Hyuk's expression darkened slightly. He chewed on the myeong-namul that had been served as a side dish without touching the meat[1].
He then gulped down a cup of water and said, "Yesterday... Since we’re on the topic, I have something I want to say."
It seemed like he was going to tell me something serious. I quenched my burning throat with a sip of water. While he hesitated, looking around, I noticed someone watching us from a distance. I thought it was In-Ah, but it was Min-Seo. Her eyes were boring into us, observing our conversation.
Jun-Hyuk seemed anxious. He fidgeted with his hair, played with the utensils, and hesitated a while before finally speaking up.
"My mom, she used to be a Satanist."
"...What?"
"To be precise, she joined a group that pretended to be a part of the Romanican Church but was actually one of the Satanist branches. Whether she joined voluntarily or was tricked into joining, a Satanist is a Satanist."
There was a cold feeling of resignation in his tone. Jun-Hyuk tried to lighten the mood by laughing brightly and continued speaking.
"She went missing for about five months because of that incident, and when we found her, she was in that state. She couldn't even recognize her one and only son and had gone completely insane." Jun-Hyuk tapped his head with his finger. "That's why Satanists are fucked. Once they drive one person crazy, they don't need to bother with others. They go crazy on their own, you know? Do you remember when I asked you what you would do if you could return to the past?"
"...Yes, I remember."
It wasn’t fresh in my mind, but I vaguely remembered. I had said that I would make money with crypto or stocks, and I recall Jun-Hyuk giving a similar response.
"Back then, I just made an average excuse... But if I were to go back to the past, the first thing I would do is exterminate the Satanists. That’s why I came to F.A."
It was a crazy, far-fetched statement. Satanists were not only widespread worldwide, but they were also incredibly adept at hiding. Merely traveling back in time didn't necessarily make it easy for someone to eliminate the religion.
It wasn't just the Satanists, but all religions were like that. The Romanican Church had once gone through dark times but had bounced back to a golden age as if they had ever gone through tough times. The Ancient Voodoo Cult, which had vanished into the shadows of history, was revived under the leadership of Do Jun-Gil, the First Cult Leader, and my grandfather. Religions were not something that couldn’t be easily eradicated. They were not something that could simply be classified as mere groups or organizations. Religion resided within the thoughts and minds of its followers.
"Sure, good luck with that."
However, I didn't bother to argue with Jun-Hyuk. Instead, I bluntly threw him a half-hearted word of encouragement because I could see a sharp and cold conviction in his eyes, which had turned chillingly cold.
There was a moment of silence. In that silence, Jun-Hyuk forced a bitter smile.
“...I usually don’t care, but I overshared because it felt unfair to be suspected as a Satanist. Brush off what I said. You can choose to believe it or not.”
"Does In-Ah know about this too?"
"Nope. I thought she would take it too seriously, so I didn't tell her. She tends to get overly immersed in things." Jun-Hyuk clapped his hands with exaggerated gestures.
It was hard to imagine his reasoning for telling me something that he hadn't even said to In-Ah, who had been his friend even before coming to F.A. If Jun-Hyuk was a Satanist, it meant that this was a lie to avoid suspicion, but if he wasn't a Satanist, then it meant that he trusted me and felt comfortable to the extent that he could openly tell me about his tragic family history.
I suspected Jun-Hyuk, but he trusted me. That thought started to complicate my feelings. As I thought of how Jun-Hyuk could be a Satanist and all of this could be a lie, my thoughts started to get complicated as well. The gap between the countless assumptions made me even more confused.
"What were you talking about?" In-Ah said as she approached.
She was wringing her hands like wet laundry. A smile crept onto Jun-Hyuk's lips.
"You should have come a bit later. We were talking about you behind your back."
"Yeah, yeah. Is that the only thing you guys do, talk smack about me when I'm not there?"
"You just figured that out?"
"Damn, I can never tell if you’re lying or not..."
In-Ah turned her gaze toward me. It was clear that she had a question by the look of her large, round eyes. Now was the time to laugh and create a cheerful atmosphere, but for some reason, I couldn't laugh. Regardless of my intentions, my expression remained stiff and motionless.
"...Wait, are you guys for real? You guys talk bad about me every day when I'm not around?"
"Uh, hey. No, we were just talking about the past. We never talked bad about you. Hey, Sun-Woo, smile a bit. If you sit there like that, she’ll think we’re telling the truth."
In-Ah pursed her lips, and Jun-Hyuk tried to salvage the situation, looking flustered. However, the thoughts in my mind were still so complicated that I couldn’t control my expressions. It seemed like I needed to simplify my thoughts a bit.
The defeated expression on In-Ah's face gradually turned into worry.
"Are you okay? What happened? Your face is turning pale..."
"No, I'm just a bit tired. We were really talking about the past."
I smiled as if nothing was wrong. And indeed, nothing was wrong. It was just that my head felt a bit heavy, and my throat was a bit dry, that was all.
"You sure? Okay..."
In-Ah still looked suspicious, glancing back and forth between me and Jun-Hyuk with narrowed eyes. Then she slowly made her way back to her seat.
My thoughts were still roaming my mind’s boulevards, lost. They wandered aimlessly in my head without a destination. In response to every step my thought seemed to take, my head throbbed with pain.
***
“It’s been two years since you transferred here, right?"
"Huh? Well... yeah, because I came here in the spring two years ago."
Somehow, the topic actually turned to talking about the past, about Jun-Hyuk's story from the time when he had just transferred. I just listened without giving any response because it was their own topic that I couldn't interfere with. It was enjoyable to hear about their past I didn't know, but I felt a bit excluded, which was a feeling I was used to.
"If I hadn't been there, you wouldn't have fit in at all. You know, you should be grateful to me, right?"
"You're talking nonsense again. I got used to everything so fast. On the other hand, my whole school life was screwed over because of you."
"Really? You still won't admit it? What do I get for helping an outsider fit in? Nothing. Not even a thank you."
In-Ah teased Jun-Hyuk with a mocking smile. Jun-Hyuk let out a laugh as if he couldn't believe it.
"Hey, let's be honest. I was an outsider by choice. When I lived in Incheon, my nickname was Lonely Wolf—"
"Wow, what a nickname. It's so pathetic that it makes me sick."
Jun-Hyuk was happily chatting when I got up from my seat.
"Yeah, now that I say it, it's kind of disgusting. ...Hey, where are you going?"
"I’m going to make a quick call.
“Call? ... With whom?”
"My uncle. I’m currently staying at his place after my place burned down, and I forgot to tell him that I'm eating out today."
In-Ah had been staring at me sternly, but she regained her smile.
According to my fake identity, I had lost my mother during the Holy War, my father was currently working abroad, and I was staying at my uncle’s house after I had nowhere to go because my house had burned down. It wasn't a lie since my uncle actually lived in the underground chapel.
After going outside, I didn't make a phone call. Instead, O took a deep breath. In fact, I lied when I said I was going out to make a phone call. My thoughts kept getting tangled up in my head, and my consciousness became murky, so I thought I could clear my mind by getting a breath of fresh air.
[You lie without skipping even a single day. You will surely earn Ogun's resentment.]
"So what?"
It didn’t matter how much more resentment Ogun had for me because he disliked me already. Because of that, I couldn't use Ogun's power anymore, but I had no other choice. I couldn't go around claiming to be the Cult Leader of the Voodoo Cult just so I could use Ogun's power. Ogun was someone with no flexibility at all and wouldn’t tolerate a single lie, even if it was necessary to save my life.
"...Hey."
At that moment, someone called out to me as they came out of the restaurant. They were accompanied by the sound of plastic bags rustling against each other.
Min-Seo was coming out of the restaurant, holding two full bags of garbage. Sweat was beading off of her slightly sour expression. She leaned the bags against a nearby lamppost and approached me, casually wiping away the sweat with her apron. Her eyes were voids like that of a zombie.
"How did you find out?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in a questioning and assertive manner.
It seemed like she thought that we had come here because we knew where she worked. I was a bit surprised, but from Min-Seo's perspective, it made sense. This place was quite far from the school, and the prices were a little heavy on the wallet for a student to come here for dinner.
"How did we know? We didn’t. We just happened to come here, and it turned out to be where you work."
"Oh, is that so? What a great fucking coincidence."
Min-Seo laughed, looking unimpressed. Her laugh was a disgusting one that left neither the listener nor the person who was laughing happy. She looked down at the trash bag with vacant eyes and eventually dropped her gaze to the ground. Her slumped shoulders lacked strength.
"Fine, I get it. But fuck, it's so uncomfortable that I can’t work."
"What's uncomfortable?"
"You should try it. You think you can work in a place where kids from your school show up? It's fucking nerve-wracking."
Min-Seo sighed deeply and then picked up the trash bag that she had leaned against the utility pole with both hands. It looked a bit heavy, but there was no need to help. Min-Seo used blessings related to body enhancement to fill in for her lack of strength.
"What, is it your first time seeing someone throw away trash?"
"No."
She subtly glanced at me as if she was conscious of me and threw the bag toward the trash can. The bag, swaying as if it would fall, stood straight as if to say, when did that ever happen?
I had noticed this since the time she cooked meat, but Min-Seo was quite skilled at her job.
"When did you start working?"
This level of skill wasn’t something that could be obtained in just a couple of months. I estimated that she had been working for at least a year.
Min-Seo furrowed her eyebrows as if displeased, then quickly relaxed her expression. Rather than saying she relaxed, it was more like she returned to her usual blank expression.
"It's been a while. But I've only been working legally for a few months."
"How did you end up working..."
I was about to ask, but I trailed off. It felt like I was prying too much. After loosening her hair and tying it back again, Min-Seo answered, "Rich kids have no wrinkles."
On her mouth was a mocking smile. She wasn't mocking me. She was mocking someone else. No, maybe what she was mocking wasn't even a person.
"I have a lot of wrinkles. Do you get what I’m trying to say?"
"..."
"Hey, you should leave if you’re done eating. What’s so interesting that’s keeping you here anyway?" Min-Seo asked in a calming but jeering manner.
I didn't answer. Instead, I looked up at the darkening sky. One by one, the streetlights turned on, and the golden bell hanging above the restaurant door kept jingling nonstop. It was the sound of people flocking into the restaurant at dinner time.
Min-Seo sighed as she watched the crowd entering the restaurant with vacant eyes. Adjusting her apron, she walked into the restaurant, then leaned her upper body outward from the half-opened door and looked at me.
"Oh, I forgot. You’re pretty good at writing proposals. I’m counting on you in the future, alright?"
"...Is that how you ask for a favor?"
"Who cares? You get what I mean, right? Ah, yes. I'll help you with the order─"
Behind the glass door, I saw Min-Seo bowing her head down to start taking orders. My day was coming to an end, and hers was just beginning.
The Satanist had driven Jun-Hyuk's mother crazy, and he had come to F.A. to get rid of them. His attitude in class was not great, but judging by his grades, he seemed to study quite diligently without showing off.
Min-Seo worked part-time after school due to financial difficulties. Needless to say, her grades were outstanding. She would go to school, work, and then study in her spare time when she returned home.
The two people I suspected of being Satanists were both living intense lives. I couldn’t suspect either of them. No, I could suspect them, but I didn’t want to. I didn't want to deny even a single aspect of their lives when they were living so intensely.
Bzzt, Bzzzzzzt...
A moth was flying towards the streetlight shining on the trash can. The moth relentlessly banged its head against the streetlight and soon grew tired, falling helplessly to the ground.
***
After listening to how Jun-Hyuk and In-Ah became friends during middle school, we left the restaurant. As agreed, Jun-Hyuk paid the bill.
When we left the restaurant, I received a call from Uncle. He said that he had something to give me and was asking when I would arrive at the underground chapel. I said I would be there soon and hung up the phone.
In-Ah said she had to go to the library to study. Jun-Hyuk's disappointed expression was evident when he saw that we were going to part ways soon.
"Hey, since we're already together, why don't we have some more fun?"
"I need to get some studying done. It’s exam season after all. We can have fun after exams are over!" In-Ah said with a smile.
Jun-Hyuk nodded reluctantly.
"Well, I guess we can always have fun on other days... Oh, right. Should we go to the beach during summer vacation? The three of us, together."
"The beach?"
"Yeah, I felt like it’s been a while since I've been to the beach. I used to go all the time because it was right in front of my house... Ah."
Jun-Hyuk interrupted himself and fidgeted with the back of his neck.
"...Was it right in front of my house? Well, anyway, what do you think? We could go for a one-day trip."
It had been quite a while since I'd been to the beach as well. The last time I went was with my parents when I was young. It didn't seem like a bad idea.
In-Ah nodded vigorously as if she agreed. "Sounds good! But if I don’t do well on the exams, I won’t be able to leave the house, let alone go to the beach."
"Why? Aren’t you living alone most of the time?"
In-Ah answered Jun-Hyuk's question with a downcast expression. "My parents are coming back this vacation season. If I don’t do well on the exams, I can't go to the beach..."
Jun-Hyuk chuckled softly. "Alright, then, study hard. You have to do well enough to confidently go out and have fun."
"I don’t need you to tell me to do well. I’ll get good scores regardless. At least, better than yours."
"Of course, of course. Best of luck~" Jun-Hyuk said teasingly.
In-Ah pursed her lips.
"I should go home and study too. If I lose to In-Ah, what am I, an animal?" Jun-Hyuk said.
"Didn't you lose to me during evaluations? You suck at studying," In-Ah said.
"...Ha. What do you mean? I don’t suck at it," Jun-Hyuk retorted.
As In-Ah and Jun-Hyuk argued back and forth, I quietly laughed while watching them. Shortly after, Jun-Hyuk and In-Ah went home, and I headed toward the underground chapel. We walked together halfway toward my destination and scattered where our paths diverged.
The first person I saw when I arrived at the underground chapel was Ji-Ah. She was sitting at the table where Uncle usually drank his coffee, looking at her laptop.
"You're later than usual."
"I had dinner with friends. Where’s Uncle?" I asked, looking around.
Uncle was nowhere to be seen. Ji-Ah answered me while keeping her gaze fixated on the graph on the laptop screen.
"He said he was going to get something, but I don't know the details..."
Ji-Ah's words were cut short when the doors swung open, and Uncle walked in. He was drenched in sweat.
"I'm back. Hey, Sun-Woo. Come take these things. They’re from the executives. Wow, I almost hurt my back carrying it."
Uncle’s hands were full of stuff. Suddenly, the image of Min-Seo carrying trash flashed by. I helped Uncle move the baggage inside.
Some of the gifts sent by the executives were sent in paper boxes, while others were tightly wrapped in silver vinyl and green tape.
"If the executives sent these... They’re offerings."
"Yeah. The Chungcheong and Gangwon Branches even sent letters. Are you going to read them?"
The offering system resurrected during the previous executives' meeting had finally yielded its first harvest. But letters? I could get my head around Executive Yun Chang-Su for sending one as he was old, but why would Ha Pan-Seok suddenly write a letter? Whatever the case, it seemed like a good idea to read them, especially Executive Yun Chang-Su’s letter, as there was a high possibility that it contained useful information about the Staff of Reversal.
"I don’t see any harm in reading them. Here, give them to me."
"Sure, I’ll bring the offerings to the Altar... No, would it be more convenient to move the Altar here?"
With those words, my uncle straightened his back. A cracking sound escaped his joints. My uncle grimaced in pain.
"Oof, my back sounds like a bunch of fireworks. It really isn’t what it used to be."
"Uncle, take a break. I'll move the Altar."
"Oh, good for me. Urgh..."
My uncle groaned while holding his back and went inside a room.
***
I hope you have been well. I am grateful every day for the peace brought by your grace. I am sending this letter along with the offering because I have something to tell you about the Staff of Reversal.
It is said that the civil war in Saudi Arabia is entering a ceasefire. This is hopeful news since the day you leave to find the Staff of Reversal is approaching.
I obtained intel that a Voodoo Cult member is working at the history museum. If you carry this enclosed letter and enter the museum, please deliver it to that employee. It will surely aid you. It may be an insignificant amount of help, but I hope it can provide some support in achieving your goal.
And that concluded Yun Chang-Su’s letter. The handwriting looked as if it was written with a brush. The enclosed letter was written in Arabic, so I couldn't read it. I asked Legba to translate.
[There's nothing special. Roughly, it says that you are the Cult Leader, and it’s asking for cooperation.]
It was evident that Yun Chang-Su was worried that I would get caught up in unnecessary trouble while looking for the Staff of Reversal. His deep consideration could be seen in the letter. It was even more touching because he had always supported me silently, even when I showed shortcomings as the Cult Leader. The offering that Yun Chang-Su sent with the letter was precious herbs that can only be found in Taebaek Mountain.
[I see some herbs that would be better consumed than sacrificing them to Granbwa.]
Granbwa got angry at Legba's statement.
[Be quiet! The Prophet is the one who makes the decisions.]
[I’m only suggesting the most efficient way to use them.]
[Hey, I told you to stop talking nonsense!]
[These days, there is no sense of respect with the young folk. They just get angry if things don’t go their way...]
Granbwa seemed unusually excited, perhaps because she was happy with the offering. While Granbwa was arguing with Legba, I opened the next letter. It was from the Chungcheong Branch.
Hey, I have something to ask, but I don't have your phone number, so I'm writing a letter. What was the homework you assigned until July again? It's not that I forgot, but I suddenly can't remember. Please call me instead of replying with a letter when it's convenient for you. 010-...
Rather than the letter being from Ha Pan-Seok, it was from Soo-Yeong. The hastily written text was filled with messy, swirling handwriting. At the bottom of the letter was Soo-Yeong's phone number.
I immediately called her on my cell phone. After three rings, she picked up.
"This is my number, so if you have any questions, call me later."
—Who... Oh, it's the Cult Leader! Wait, I have something to ask right now...
"Not now, later."
—Oh, wait. Just a moment! Hey--!
Click.
I hung up the phone. Even though Soo-Yeong called back, I didn't feel the need to answer. I put my phone on silent mode and laid out the offerings that came with the letter on the floor.
The offerings sent from the Chungcheong Branch were swords, guns, crossbows, and armor. They were all made of iron, and some of them seemed to be what the Romanican Church used during the Holy War seven years ago.
Although the Holy War started in Seoul, the fiercest battles actually took place in Chungcheong. Many Romanican clergymen died, and Voodoo Cult members rivaling ten times the number of the Romanicans, fell to their demise as well. As a result, many war-related artifacts were found in Chungcheong, some of which had high value as antiques or memorabilia.
The items from Ha Pan-Seok were all of superior quality. Since they were related to both iron and war, it seemed fitting to sacrifice them to Ogun, who was crazy about both things.
As soon as I made up my mind, a chilling voice echoed in my head.
[I will not accept them.]
It was Ogun's voice.
“You won't accept?"
[I don't want to accept offerings from a Prophet who makes a habit of lying.]
"...Ah, okay. Then don't accept them. After all, It’s your loss."
[Instead, I have a proposal.]
Shiiiing—!
Every time I heard Ogun's voice, strange noises came from the offerings sent by Ha Pan-Seok. It was the sound of iron vibrating and colliding with other iron. The sound resembled a scream, maybe even a cry or a wail.
[If you agree, I am also willing to lend power... Oh Prophet, what will you do?]
Amidst the persistent silence, the cries of iron gradually grew louder and louder.
1. Myeong-namul is one of the staple side dishes served in kbbq. It is usually eaten with meat, so it’s odd that Jun-Hyuk is only eating the side dish on its own ?
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