Chapter 67
As an aspiring priest, In-Ah analyzed Sung Yu-Da's blessing array and submitted a report on it, which Do-Jin praised highly. It was only natural, for In-Ah was already skilled in handling blessing arrays, especially in terms of theory.
"...Oh."
In-Ah let out a sigh and stopped speaking after boasting her skills. Her gaze was fixated on the back door. She froze and tensed up. It was hard to tell, but she looked both surprised and perplexed. I followed In-Ah's gaze and turned my eyes toward the back door.
Bang!
At that moment, a loud sound rivaling that of an exploding bomb erupted.
Of course, the sound wasn’t caused by an actual bomb. It seemed like someone had kicked the back door. I couldn't tell who it was. Eyes open wide in surprise, In-Ah looked at the back door and then shifted her gaze to me.
"...Was there someone at the back door?" I asked, looking into her eyes.
Her eyes showed signs of confusion, but at the same time, she also looked composed. After stealing a glance at the door, she looked back and smiled. “Nope. There was no one... I wonder what it was."
Her pupils were slightly trembling, which meant that she was lying. It seemed that someone had indeed been at the back door. However, since I had no way of knowing who it was, nor did I care, I decided not to push further.
"...Sun-Woo, by any chance—"
Drrrk!
Just as In-Ah was about to ask me something, the front door opened, and Ye-Jin entered. Chatting students here and there scattered and returned to their seats. Ye-Jin stood in front of the teacher's desk. One could tell that she was excited.
"Alright, everyone. Did you have a good weekend? Today, I have an important announcement," she said with a stern look.
She picked up a chalk and wrote “3/31” on the blackboard. March 31st. That was two days from now.
"We've been talking about it all the time, but we hadn’t scheduled a date yet. March 31st, which means this Wednesday." Ye-Jin put down the chalk and smiled faintly. "We will hold the Holy Name of Charity’s re-election test!"
Re-election test. Finally, the re-election test that had been postponed due to various reasons was taking place. And it was in two days. Two days wasn’t a short or a long time to prepare for the test. I felt like I needed to start prepping for the exam today, or maybe even right now.
"Some of you may have heard, but the use of holy artifacts is allowed. As for the content of the test, it will remain a secret until the day of!"
Ye-Jin's lively face suddenly turned slightly dark. She still had a smile on her lips, but it almost seemed like it had taken a darker hue.
"The student selected to acquire the Holy Name of Charity will have to make a donation to the Florence Foundation. Of course, there's no need for you to worry. If any students wish to participate, please discuss this with your parents." She hesitated and lightly licked her lips, barely managing to speak. It seemed that she felt sorry for talking about money in front of the students.
Some students bit their lips or narrowed their eyes in a negative reaction to the mention of donations. To be appointed as the Holy Name of Charity, one had to donate an astronomical amount of money to the foundation. No matter how skilled a student was, if they could not match the donation amount needed, they could not be appointed as the Holy Name of Charity. Due to this system, the Holy Name of Charity was often referred to as "nobility" or "corrupted."
[Would you look at that? People aren’t the ones who manipulate money. Rather, money manipulates people.] Legba sighed.
I nodded quietly. It was unfair and cruel that no matter how skilled someone was—they couldn't be appointed if they didn’t have money. However, being unfair did not necessarily mean the system was irrational.
F.A. had a large campus and was equipped with high-quality teachers and education. Just paying the teachers' salaries alone would require a tremendous amount of money. The money that they received from the country and the Romanican Church fell extremely short to cover the expenses. That WAS why they relied on the Holy Name of Charity to compensate for the lack of funding. It was a win-win situation as the student could become a member of the student council just through money, and the school could receive the necessary funds.
Of course, this did not justify how the system was unfair to students who were financially disadvantaged. However, unfairness did not make something unreasonable, and being reasonable does not make something fair.
[That's fortunate for you.]
Right now, I had the means to pay for the donation. While I couldn’t talk about the exact amount, I had enough money to pay double the donation demanded by F.A. and still be able to live comfortably. It was thanks to the confiscated property from Han Su-Yeop.
So, the challenge was not of money but of skills. No matter how skilled one was, without money, one could not become the Holy Name of Charity. Conversely, no matter how much money someone had, it was difficult to become Holy Name of Charity without the necessary skills. Even the expelled Sung-Hyun had been more skilled than most.
"..."
I glanced briefly at the ring on my left ring finger. My blessing ability was far below average, but my ability to cast spells was unrivaled. If I could use spells in the re-election test, I could secure first place regardless of the test content. I was confident I would succeed.
*
The school day ended without any new surprises. If anything, In-Ah was unusually talkative, while Jun-Hyuk seemed unusually quiet. It was as if In-Ah had taken away all the words Jun-Hyuk wanted to say. Today, In-Ah seemed to be in a good mood, while Jun-Hyuk seemed to be in a bad mood. I thought there was no need to think deeply about it.
After school, I went to the underground chapel and started to prepare for my trip to the Seoul Paladin Order Eastern Branch. I received a message during lunch stating that I had been summoned today for the investigation regarding the fire accident.
"I'll accompany you."
Although I had planned to go alone, Ji-Ah strongly suggested joining me. She rummaged through her bag, looking for something.
"It’s fine. I can go alone.”
“Didn’t the message ask to attend with a guardian?"
I double-checked the message. While it mentioned the need for a guardian's attendance, it didn't necessarily mean I had to bring one. I could work around it by talking to them.
“You’re right. They did ask for a guardian. But even so, it's not like you can come in as my guardian.”
Ji-Ah and I were not blood relatives. Besides, she was a minor just like me, so she couldn't be my guardian.
“There is no reason why I can't,” Ji-Ah said with a determined voice.
She ignored my objections and started rummaging through her bag. Soon, she pulled something. It was an identification card. More precisely, it was a forged identification card, with everything from a fake age to name and address.
“This is a forged identification card that corresponds to the role of your older cousin.”
"...Can a cousin be considered a guardian?"
"They’ll overlook it if we say that we're relatives living together. After all, the members of the Paladin Order aren't exactly diligent. Anyway, would it be fine if we go together?"
I couldn’t refuse after she had gone to such lengths. In the end, I headed to the Seoul Paladin Order Eastern Branch with Ji-Ah. We took a taxi, and Ji-Ah handled the payment. After getting out of the taxi, I stretched, looking at the majestic building of the Seoul Paladin Order Eastern Branch.
Ji-Ah got out behind me, and she stared at the building with a somewhat venomous gaze. She seemed serious, but because of her appearance, she looked a bit comical.
“I don’t think they’ll believe that you’re my older cousin. You’re too short." I teased Ji-Ah as we walked toward the building.
Ji-Ah glared at me with an expressionless face.
"Whether they believe it or not, it doesn't matter because I have an identification card."
"I guess so."
"And I’m not that short... or so I think," Ji-Ah said. It seemed that I had wounded her pride.
“No, I’d say that you’re definitely on the shorter end."
"I’m just a little shorter than average."
"Are you sure it’s just a little?"
"...Yes." Ji-Ah shook her head in dejection. I decided to stop teasing her since she looked like she might start to get really upset. I shut my mouth.
We soon entered the interior of the Paladin Order.
"What's your business?" a paladin asked, scanning me from head to toe.
Just by first impressions, he looked impolite and the type that would act up. His tone and gaze were unkind for some reason. I brushed it off, considering that I wouldn't see him again, and it would only be a loss for me to pay attention to such things. I showed him the attendance request message on my phone.
"Uh... Oh, I see! Fire, right? You're Sun-Woo, the student? You can go over there. And who is behind you?"
"She's my guardian."
"Oh, a guardian...guardian?" The paladin looked at Ji-Ah's face and tilted his head in confusion.
"Could you show me some ID?"
"Yes."
Ji-Ah reached out and showed her identification card. The paladin narrowed his eyes and scrutinized the identification card for a while, then nodded and returned it to Ji-Ah.
"Alright? then, pleaz make your way together."
The paladin had a habit of pronouncing 'please' as ‘pleaz.’ [1]
"Alright. Are we supposed to go into the... counseling room? Is that right?"
"Oh, yes, that's right. Both of you, please make your way into the counseling room.”
We entered the counseling room as guided by the paladin. In the center of the room, there was a table, and a paladin with a menacing appearance was seated in front of it with crossed arms. Fairytale books and dolls were scattered in the room, decorating the shelves in the corner, seemingly trying to create a cozy atmosphere. Yet, it had the opposite effect on me, as it only added to the uneasiness that I felt.
"Please have a seat." As I looked around the counseling room, the paladin, with a grim expression, tapped the desk and directed us to sit down.
We followed the instructions and sat across from the paladin. In the meantime, I briefly glanced at Ji-Ah's face. It seemed like she was displeased by the paladin's disrespectful attitude, as her expression had turned cold.
"So, what did you call us here to discuss?" Ji-Ah glared at the paladin and asked.
After clearing his throat and adjusting his collar, the paladin explained, "We called you here to clarify that the recent fire was not an accident but an 'incident.'"
"An incident?" Ji-Ah raised her eyebrow in confusion.
An incident, meant that the fire was not a coincidence but deliberately set by someone. I had an idea of who was behind this. The paladin rummaged through his clothes, pulled out a photo, and placed it on the desk.
"This is a body we found at the scene."
In the photo, there was a cat. A goat symbol was imprinted on its forehead, and its entrails were spilling out from a burst abdomen. It was the cat that I couldn’t help but grow fond of even after I had tried to make some emotional distance from it. The picture showed the dead body of the same cat, but that had turned into a demonic beast.
The paladin tapped the photo with his finger and continued, "If you look at the picture, the abdomen of the demonic beast is ruptured, correct? It appears that the stray was turned into a demonic beast, and an explosive device was planted in his abdomen, which was remotely ignited."
"...Are the Satanists to blame?"
"Yes. We suspect so. Or rather, we are almost certain."
Ji-Ah glanced at me for a moment, and I couldn't tell what her intention was. I couldn't read her emotions based off her expressionless face.
"So, what's your conclusion?" Ji-Ah turned her gaze back to the paladin and asked sharply.
The paladin gathered his hands and placed them on the table, lacing them together and putting them in front of his face.
“Skipping to conclusions, we have reasons to believe that the Satanists are targeting Sun-Woo.”
“...What led to this conclusion?” Ji-Ah asked.
The paladin showed us documents and pictures, explaining his reasoning. He spoke about demonic beasts, point of combustion, and other details. To summarize, the Satanists were definitely trying to kill me. Ji-Ah's expression noticeably darkened as she listened to the story.
"Assessing the need to protect Sun-Woo's safety, we are considering assigning paladins to accompany you. What is the guardian's opinion on this?"
The paladins' request for the attendance of a guardian seemed to be because they wanted to obtain consent for safety measures. Ji-Ah sent me a subtle look as if asking for my opinion. In response, I shook my head, indicating my refusal.
If Satanists were really after my life, it would be reasonable to request protection for my safety. Under the protection of paladins, the chances of being killed by the Satanists would significantly decrease. However, it also meant that the paladins would be monitoring me.
I was a student of F.A., but I was also the cult leader of the Voodoo Cult. Being watched by the paladins would restrict my actions as a cult leader, and in the worst-case scenario, it could expose my true identity.
"I appreciate your concern, but I will decline." Ji-Ah also seemed to agree with my thoughts as she nodded slightly and rejected the paladin's proposal. The paladin seemed taken back as his eyebrows squirmed.
"...Are you sure about this? There's no doubt that the Satanists are targeting Sun-Woo. We can only speculate about the reasons behind targeting Sun-Woo, but if we leave the matter like this—"
"No, I refuse. Even if Sun-Woo receives protective measures, there's no guarantee of his safety."
"But he'll be safer than he is now."
"There's no point in trying to convince me. My decision is final. Sun-Woo, let's go." Ji-Ah grabbed my wrist and abruptly stood up from her seat.
I followed Ji-Ah out of the counseling room. The paladin tried to persuade us, yelling from behind, but Ji-Ah paid no attention to him at all. We left the Paladin Order building like that. Heading toward a nearby road, we immediately hailed a taxi.
"Cult Leader, I apologize for casually mentioning your name. I'm truly sorry." While waiting for the taxi, Ji-Ah bowed her head and apologized.
I waved my hand. "There's no need to apologize for things like that. Calling me by name is not a big deal."
"To me, it is a big deal," Ji-Ah said firmly.
I nodded, feeling a bit awkward and uneasy. It seemed much more comfortable for her to refer to me as Cult Leader, and I couldn’t just force her to call me by name.
Come to think of it, there was a lot I didn't know about Ji-Ah. Why she helped the Voodoo Cult? Was she really eighteen years old? Why she did she always sleep in the warehouse?
"Cult Leader."
Then, Ji-Ah suddenly called out to me. The taxi hadn't arrived yet.
"Yes?"
"Did you know the arsonist was a Satanist?"
Ji-Ah stared at me with unwavering eyes. I was momentarily lost in thought. I had a vague idea that the arsonist was a Satanist. When I rushed into the flames to retrieve my father's keepsake, I had seen the goat symbol imprinted on the forehead of the deceased cat.
"Yes, I knew."
"Why didn't you mention it back then?"
"Because it wasn't something that had to be said."
However, I hadn’t felt the need to inform Ji-Ah or my uncle about it. Not only did I think it was unnecessary, but I also didn't want to cause any unnecessary worry. The corners of Ji-Ah's mouth drooped upon hearing my words. She seemed somewhat hurt.
"Cult Leader. We raided the Voodoo Revival, no, the Zapduists, to reclaim the Altar, didn't we?"
"Yes, why are you suddenly bringing that up?"
"We raided Zapduists not only to reclaim the Altar but also because they posed a threat to the Voodoo Cult by expanding their influence."
I nodded. She was right.
Ji-Ah looked at me with determined eyes and continued speaking. "We eliminated them because the Zapduists posed a threat to us. And now, the Satanists are threatening us. Do you intend to leave them be?"
"..."
I kept my mouth shut.
The Satanists were targeting me. They had a reputation for appearing in unpredictable moments, killing people in cunning and bizarre ways. In other words, I was in a situation where it wouldn't be strange for me to be killed at any moment.
Naturally, I was anxious and stressed out. Even when I was resting, eating, or sleeping, I was always on edge; I never knew when a Satanist might strike. I wasn’t anxious to the point where I felt like I would lose my mind, but my insomnia had gotten worse, and I'd been experiencing nightmares more frequently.
That was why I couldn't just sit still. If I could, I wanted to track the Satanists' base and destroy them all.
"Well, there’s nothing we can do at the moment. We have no choice but to wait quietly."
However, the problem was that there was nothing we could do. Yet. Ji-Ah lowered her head at my words, chewing her lips anxiously as if hesitating to speak.
"...What if there was something we could do?" She finally uttered a somewhat profound remark. What did she mean?
"Of course, if there was something we could─"
Vrooom–!
At that moment, the taxi arrived. We stopped our conversation and got into the taxi. Ji-Ah took the front passenger seat, and I sat in the back seat.
When the driver asked for the destination, Ji-Ah told him to go to F.A.
Silence hung in the air.
"I will find a method soon and contact you." Sitting in the front passenger seat, she quietly murmured, staring beyond the window.
I didn't reply but gazed silently at Ji-Ah's reflection in the window. Her face remained expressionless as always.
1. In the original text, the paladin says the word jusim(??), which is a short form of the term jusimyeon(???). In this case, jusimyeon could be translated as ‘if you could do this.’ In Korean, one uses shortened forms like these in an informal talk. Jusim(??) has been translated to ’pleaz’. ?
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