Chapter 70
Crackle!
Infusing divine power into the holy artifact Moses' Burning Bush Twig caused it to catch on fire. When infused with divine power, the holy artifact allowed wireless communication between others who possessed the fragment. Soldiers regularly used it during missions, as it had better sound quality than radios or regular calls.
"Ms. Min-Seo?"
Ha-Yeon used the artifact to talk to Min-Seo.
The flickering flames of the twig briefly wavered and soon settled into a steady pattern. This meant that a successful connection had been established with the other person.
—Ah, ah. Can you hear me?
"Yes, I can hear you. What should I do first?"
—Uh, yeah. I can hear you as well. Give me a second.
Each time the flames flickered, the sound from the other person came through. It seemed as if Min-Seo's voice had turned into a melody, and the flame danced in response to it.
Through the flames, there was a rustling sound as if Min-Seo was rummaging for something.
—Alright, what should we do first... Have you located Sun-Woo?
"...What?"
—When you do, stick with him. Su-Ryeon will stick to Jun-Hyuk, and I'll take care of the rest of the guys. It seems like everything will work out if you stick with Sun-Woo.
"Koo Jun-Hyuk? Jun-Hyuk? I'll stick with that person. Let’s have Su-Ryeon stick with Sun-Woo─"
—That’ll complicate the plan. Moreover, it'll be more troublesome to change it at this point. It'll be easier if you stick with Sun-Woo.
"Uh, um, I..." Ha-Yeon made an awkward sound, unable to properly refuse or accept the plan.
Strategically, it would be efficient for Ha-Yeon to stick with Sun-Woo, but she didn't want to. The reason for this was simple: she disliked him.
She didn't understand why, but during eradicating demon practice, she felt something offsetting about him. She recalled seeing his vacant eyes and hearing his dry voice that always sounded angry. As she recollected her memories, Ha-Yeon felt an unbearable discomfort. She shook her head to shake off the memories.
—Uh, um, I? What? Anyway, stick with Sun-Woo. It’s the most efficient thing to do.
"Ah..."
—Even if you don't like it, just bear with it this time. I'll definitely help you after everything is over.
"...Alright. I understand." Reluctantly, Ha-Yeon nodded.
Min-Seo had made a proposal to Ha-Yeon. In exchange for assisting Min-Seo during the Holy Name of Charity re-election test, Ha-Yeon would be given important information directly related to getting good grades. From Ha-Yeon's perspective, who was obsessed with her grades for various reasons, it was an offer that she couldn't refuse.
Crackle, crack...
Soon, the flames attached to the burning bush snuffed out, which meant that the connection with Min-Seo had been severed. At the same time, rain began to fall from the sky.
Ha-Yeon immediately took out a holy artifact she had prepared and infused it with divine power. The holy artifact expanded like an umbrella and shielded her from the falling rain.
"Sigh."
Ha-Yeon let out a sigh of frustration and looked around to find Sun-Woo. Fortunately or unfortunately, Sun-Woo was close enough to be seen with the naked eye.
The other students were running towards the Ark on the mountaintop, but Sun-Woo was just standing still, seemingly lost in thought.
‘Why does it have to be him again?’
Lately, it seemed like she was getting involved with this ‘Sun-Woo’ in uncomfortable situations. It felt like the circumstances were being orchestrated, forcing her to get entangled with Sun-Woo.
She didn’t like Sun-Woo, but everyone around her kept telling her to stick together with him, whether it was her father or Min-Seo.
"Tsk."
‘I don't like it, but I guess there’s nothing I can do about it.’
Ha-Yeon walked through the rain, making her way toward Sun-Woo.
***
It was pouring rain. The raindrops were so thick that the term "heavy rain" didn't do it justice. I stood there and let the rain hit my entire body while gazing at ‘the thing’ on the mountaintop. Although I could only make out a silhouette due to the heavy rain, that was probably the Ark.
The goal of the first checkpoint was to climb up that mountain and enter the boat within the time limit. It shouldn't be too difficult to climb within two hours, since the mountain wasn't too high. Of course, this was the assumption with clear weather. But now, with the heavy rain, it was challenging to even walk, let alone climb.
"Bossou."
As an experiment, I called Bossou.
[Bossou, in a good mood, responds to the Prophet's call! Today I am in great condition.] Bossou replied in an energetic voice.
Fortunately, it seemed possible to use the Loa's power inside the boat. Naturally, it was possible to use divine power as well. Perhaps it would be possible to use Voodoo magic as well, but I refrained from it to avoid any potential danger.
If I could use Bossou's power, climbing under the pouring rain wouldn't prove to be a difficult task. I took a step forward and slowly headed toward the mountain.
The rain was still pouring from the skies, and the water had risen to ankle height. A splash accompanied each step I took.
"Excuse me."
At that moment, someone called me from behind. I turned my head slightly. To my surprise, I was greeted by an unfamiliar face.
"...Who?"
It was truly an unexpected face because I didn't recognize her at all. She smiled at me as she tied up her wet hair with a hairband.
"We're in the same class. I’m Ha-Rin."
"Ah... I see."
"I was sitting behind you earlier."
"Ah."
I remembered as soon as she mentioned sitting behind me. Ha-Rin was the owner of the voice of discontent I had heard when Jun-Hyuk had laid back in his seat.
Should I apologize or say I'm glad to see her? I couldn't come up with a response, so I remained silent for a while. Ha-Rin smiled awkwardly and spoke up.
"You probably don't recognize me. I'm not the type that stands out."
"No, I think I know your name. Your face is just..."
"It's okay. I’m used to it," she said, neatly wrapping her hair up, revealing her face that had been obstructed previously by her wet wall of hair.
She had an ordinary and forgettable face, one without any distinctive features. It felt like I would forget what she looked like by tomorrow. The only thing that could be considered a distinguishing feature was a large mole under her lip.
"It might be faster to climb together than alone, don't you think?"
She looked beyond the heavy rain and gestured toward the Ark faintly visible on the mountaintop. Instead of climbing alone through the pouring rain, it would be much faster and safer to climb with companions. She seemed to have approached me in order to suggest that we team up.
"So, you want to climb with me?"
"Yeah." Ha-Rin nodded, wearing a faint smile on her lips.
I glanced at her eyes but found no signs of malice.
‘Don't go alone. Be careful of your back.’
Suddenly, Baron Samedi's prophecy came to mind, and I was lost in thought.
Could I trust Ha-Rin? There was no malice in her gaze. Her smile was pure, and her face was so innocent. It felt like she would never think to betray me.
However, that only fed my suspicion more. Considering Baron Samedi's prophecy to not go alone, it seemed right to accompany Ha-Rin. However, considering the prophecy to be cautious of my back, it also felt wrong.
I glanced briefly at the ring on my little finger.
"...You’re right. It does seem faster and safer to go together."
"I'm glad. I was worried about what I'd do if you refused." Ha-Rin let out a sigh of relief, patting her chest as if she was genuinely relieved.
Was that genuine or an act? I could not read Ha-Rin's intentions. Perhaps she might betray me just before entering the Ark.
But it didn’t matter. I had my father's ring. I didn’t trust Ha-Rin. I only believed in the spell imbued in the ring. Above all, in order to test the hypothesis that had recently popped into my head, it was better to keep Ha-Rin by my side.
"What holy artifact did you bring?" Harin asked as we made our way through the rain toward the mountain.
"Just something I had lying around."
"Ah, my bad. I understand that I overstepped."
The holy artifact I brought was the Fourth Angel's Horn, but I had no intention of telling her that.
Seeing that I wasn’t giving a straightforward answer, Ha-Rin nodded her head.
"The artifact that I brought... is this."
Ha-Rin took out a holy artifact from her embrace. It was a golden candlestick with seven branches. It wasn't real gold—there were traces of worn-out plating here and there. When she infused divine power into the holy artifact, the candles on the candlesticks lit up. The flame burned brightly despite being pelted by the rain.
"...I didn't know what the test would be about, so I just bought anything. It's really useless, right?" Ha-Rin smiled with a sense of disappointment.
It was a hollow smile. She seemed to have a habit of being self-deprecating.
I wanted to say some words of comfort, but no words came to mind, so I remained silent. A candlestick that wouldn't go out even in the rain. If we were in a cave or underground, it would have been useful to use as a flashlight, but in this wide-open meadow, the candlestick was useless.
"No matter what I do, it's always like this. I'm not good at anything."
"There’s no need to say it like..."
"It's true, though."
We continued our meaningless conversation as we walked toward the mountain.
By the time we reached the foot of the mountain, the rising water had reached our shins. Glancing back for a moment, I saw that the meadow filled with flowers and grass was now completely immersed, creating a harsh atmosphere.
The path up the mountain split into two. The left path was treacherous, with a steep slope that seemed like someone could slip and fall to their death if they took a wrong step. Rocks and gravel obstructed the road.
On the other hand, the right path was very smooth. The slope looked like it was artificially constructed, as it was low and flat. The stream caused by the rain didn’t flood the path but slipped off to the sides.
"...The right path looks better, right?" Ha-Rin said hesitantly.
I nodded. Logically, it seemed more convenient to take the right path than the left one.
In the distance, I could see the backs of other students climbing the mountain, choosing the path to the right. As I was about to step toward the right path...
"That’s not the right way." I heard a chilly and unpleasant voice that made my spine shiver and my breath stop.
I turned around to face the owner of the voice: Ha-Yeon. Her hair was not even slightly damp—it appeared smooth and dry, seemingly thanks to the power of a holy artifact.
"If you go that way, you'll be eliminated. Come with me. I'll guide you," Ha-Yeon said, crossing her arms and speaking with an excessively arrogant tone like she was giving orders. Perhaps because of her raised chin, her gaze seemed like it was looking down on me.
Unconsciously, I scowled. Disgust overwhelmed me. As I stood there, silently observing Ha-Yeon, she furrowed her eyebrows as if she was dissatisfied.
"What are you doing? I told you to follow me quickly," she continued.
Even with her next words, I couldn't move my feet. The sound of raindrops hitting the ground and the dry, pounding sound of my heart alternated, stirring up my thoughts.
It was difficult to control my emotions. Whenever I stood in front of Ha-Yeon, it was difficult to calm down my feelings. It was because I saw Sung Yu-Da's repulsive face in her arrogant eyes.
"I’ll do what I want." I calmed my breath and finally rejected Ha-Yeon's suggestion. It wasn't solely because I disliked her.
Baron Samedi's prophecy said to be cautious of my back, but it could be a warning to be careful of betrayal. Based on probability, Ha-Yeon had the highest chance of betraying me, as she had tried to betray me once already during the demon eradication practice at the beginning of the semester.
"If you go that way, you'll be eliminated. Don’t you understand?"
"I understood. But why should I believe you?"
"Why should you believe me? Of course, you should believe my words because it’s the truth...!"
"And how do I know that?"
If Ha-Rin intended to betray me, I could escape the predicament using the spell embedded in the ring. But what if Ha-Yeon intended to betray me? Ha-Yeon possessed the blood of purification, so the spell embedded in the ring wouldn't allow me to subdue her. In other words, trusting Ha-Yeon was too risky. So, it was better not to trust her at all.
"And why should I turn back when there's a perfectly fine path?"
"Because that path is a trap. I came here to help you. I know the shortcut."
"A shortcut."
Her repertoire seemed to mirror what happened during the demon eradication practice. She would lead me through a shortcut and then betray me. This was Ha-Yeon's specialty.
By this point, it became even more difficult to trust Ha-Yeon. And there was another reason why I couldn't trust her.
"Why are you helping me? What do you gain from it?"
Ha-Yeon had no reason to help me. Since her intentions were unclear, I couldn't trust her.
After hearing my question, Ha-Yeon seemed to be slightly angry. Her lips trembled, and her eyebrows twitched. Her face turned slightly red. It seemed like she became so mad that blood was rushing to her face. However, I felt the same way. Just looking at Ha-Yeon's face made me feel sick.
"Ha, is it so difficult to say a simple word of thanks when someone is trying to help you?"
"Yeah. I don’t need your help. Thank you very much."
"D-do you think I want to help you? I don't want to talk with you either!"
"Oh?" I cut her words short.
I didn't want to hear her voice, let alone engage in conversation with her anymore. I didn't want to see Ha-Yeon for a moment longer.
"If you don't want to help, then don't help. Get lost."
"Wow..." Ha-Rin expressed her admiration as she stood beside me and looked at me with a dazed expression.
Even if Ha-Yeon really knew about a shortcut and was genuinely approaching me to help, I had no intention of accepting her help. I would rather be disqualified.
Leaving behind Ha-Yeon, who was staring at me blankly, I climbed the mountain with Ha-Rin. We chose none other than the smooth path. The path was well-paved, so it was easy to walk even in heavy rain.
While climbing the mountain, Ha-Rin glanced at me from time to time.
"...Are you okay? Her father is a very powerful person, you know."
"I'm fine."
The fact that Ha-Yeon's father was Sung Yu-Da was a well-known fact to everyone. If Ha-Yeon reported this to Sung Yu-Da, and he came to the school to harass me or cause me harm... I would actually welcome it. Instead of me going to him, it would be better if Sung Yu-Da delivered himself to me.
Besides, Ha-Yeon would never report this to Sung Yu-Da. I was certain of it. I knew Ha-Yeon and Sung Yu-Da better than anyone.
"Um... Excuse me? Hello?"
While we were climbing, Ha-Rin tapped my shoulder. I turned my head, and Ha-Rin's eyes widened in surprise as she took a step back.
"Wo-woah. Your expression, um. It's quite scary."
"...Is that so?"
Caught up in thoughts of Ha-Yeon and Sung Yu-Da, it seemed that I had unintentionally scowled. I forced a smile and relaxed my face. Ha-Rin finally let out a laugh of relief and asked, "Your goal is to become the Holy Name of Charity, right?"
It was an unexpected question. We were currently taking the Holy Name of Charity re-election test, so it was natural for the goal to become the Holy Name of Charity. I couldn't fathom why Ha-Rin asked such a question. It was a strange question as if she was implying that becoming the Holy Name of Charity wasn't her goal.
"Of course. You're not?"
"Yeah, I'm not aiming for it." Ha-Rin chuckled as if everything was meaningless to her. "I... just felt like I had to do something. I’ve been failing my practical training so far, and I've been questioning why I came to F.A. I felt like I should be doing something, so I came out to this."
"Ah, I see."
"Sorry for the sudden ramble."
I nodded, to which Ha-Rin responded with a bright smile. It seemed like a gesture of gratitude.
I wasn't sure about the details, but it seemed like she didn't take the test with the intention of becoming the Holy Name of Charity. Why would she take the test if she didn’t aim to become the Holy Name of Charity? I briefly wondered, but everyone had different thoughts and goals. Even if I couldn't understand, I decided to accept it.
"But I wonder if it’s okay to have such an easy exam," she said as we walked.
I nodded in agreement. Indeed, the test was too easy. Although it was just the first checkpoint, I felt like they had made a mistake in choosing the proper difficulty.
"Oh, and..."
Bang!
At that moment, there was an explosive sound. Ha-Rin's words dissipated into the air. The loud noise seemed to come from near the mountaintop.
"Huh...?" Ha-Rin let out a confused cry and raised her head.
I followed her gaze and looked at the mountaintop. Far away, water was falling from the mountaintop. No, it was not mere water. It was a waterfall.
Splupluplash–!
The waterfall screamed as it approached us. The students climbing the mountain ahead of us were helplessly swept away by it. The waterfall carried dirt, pebbles, rocks, and even uprooted trees.
It was a landslide.
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