Chapter 162

After hearing my answer, Jin-Seo looked at me with surprised eyes. It seemed like she was taken aback because I rejected her so bluntly. The truth was, I didn't exactly dislike the idea of sparring with her. I just refused because I felt like I couldn't defeat her in my current state. After all, I had exhausted all my stamina during the match with Joseph.

"Well, I suppose a battle with me wouldn’t be able to satisfy you,” Jin-Seo said while nodding as if she understood. Her manner of speech was quite sarcastic.

I could not understand the meaning of her words, and I tilted my head.

"What do you mean by the battle not being able to satisfy me?"

"...Never mind."

She briefly glanced at me and then shook her head while walking over to lean against the training ground wall. I could sense helplessness from her slumped shoulders. Her expression wasn't great either. I stood next to her and leaned against the wall similarly. Silence filled the air. The sacred training ground was so vast that the silence felt particularly heavy.

Jin-Seo bowed her head slightly and stared at the ground. Her mouth was firmly closed. I looked at her side profile and observed her out of habit. The rosary wrapped around her wrist caught my eye. It was something I had given her.

"Do you wear that every day?" I asked, pointing at her wrist.

Jin-Seo tilted her wrist to look at the rosary, then turned her head to glance at my wrist.

"It's become a habit... but why aren’t you wearing it?"

"I feel uncomfortable when something is on my wrist."

"Why? Does it feel like handcuffs?"

I nodded slightly.

"A little bit."

When I had something like a watch or a bracelet on my wrist, it felt suffocating, like I couldn't breathe. But wearing accessories on my wrist was not as bad as wearing them around my neck. When wearing something like necklaces or scarves around my neck, it truly felt like I couldn’t breathe.

"It sounds like you’ve worn handcuffs before?" Jin-Seo asked playfully.

I laughed and shook my head.

"I’ve never had that experience."

The truth was, I did. I briefly wore them when Jun-Hyuk turned the school upside down. But I didn't feel like explaining the details, so I just lied. Jin-Seo nodded and smiled slightly as she listened to me.

"Of course, there wouldn't be. Otherwise..."

She trailed off, and her gaze shifted to my hands.

"...I've always felt that your hands are really small."

"Me?"

I opened my palm. It didn't seem that small to me. I had never heard anyone say that my hands were small.

"Yeah, I think mine are bigger."

"No way. That can’t be right..."

"Then let's compare."

Jin-Seo provocatively extended her open palm toward me. We clasped hands. Her fingers were thin and long, making her hand bigger than I expected. Still, it was smaller than mine.

"I'm bigger."

"Yeah, you win," Jin-Seo said while holding my hand.

I didn't really sense anything, but I could vaguely feel some warmth. She pulled my hand toward her and interlocked our fingers. Even so, her expression was strangely calm.

"I won, right?"

"Of course. Your hand is bigger."

"It's a bit strange though."

I tried subtly pulling my hand away, but she prevented me from doing so by tightening her grip on my hand. I just resigned myself and let her have her way.

Jin-Seo meaninglessly tapped the floor with her heel and said, "Your hands are so cold. Like a corpse."

"Then let go."

She tilted her head.

"It feels good because it’s refreshing. It’s like... an ice pack."

"It's not that cold."

"It’s just a figure of speech," Jin-Seo said with a smile.

The smile was faint and lacked strength. There was resignation and emptiness in her eyes, with a hint of fear. She was acting differently from usual today, but it seemed like she was trying to appear normal.

"Why are you acting like this today?"

"..."

When I asked, Jin-Seo lowered her gaze without saying a word. When the silence became noticeable, she said, "It’s because I’m tired. I haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Why can't you sleep?"

"Well... that's..."

She brushed her hair back and continued speaking.

"Because I didn’t do as well on the exams as I thought I did. And because of my father... my dad, and also because of you.”

"Me?"

"I’m just saying that’s part of the reason. Besides that, there are various other things...” she admitted almost in a mumble.

I knew that her father, Chang-Won, had not been discharged yet. I heard his condition had improved significantly since the beginning, but it was relatively better. It was impossible to tell when he might collapse again, so it was natural for her to feel concerned. She seemed to be very tired at the moment. She seemed so tired that each sentence she said out loud seemed to drain her strength.

"I didn't want to tell you," Jin-Seo said with a smirk.

"Why?"

"Recently, it feels like I’ve been constantly complaining to you.”

"So you knew you were doing that, huh?"

"...Yeah, I knew. That's why I didn't want to tell you."

Jin-Seo glared at me, and I responded with a faint smile. She sighed as if she had given up.

"I can't sleep, so even when I'm awake, it feels like I'm asleep. Even when I'm asleep, it feels like I'm awake."

"It must be tough."

"That's why I do things like this. To stay awake."

She lightly shook the hand she was holding back and forth. I only nodded without saying anything.

Once again, silence filled the air. I had no idea how many cigarettes Joseph and Do-Jin were smoking, but they had still not returned yet.

"Earlier, um... why did the inquisitor come?"

Jin-Seo broke the silence. I hesitated for a moment because I was unsure of how to respond.

"Well... it was nothing important, it was just—"

Clank!

While fumbling with my words, the door to the sacred training ground swung open, and the two people entered.

Joseph and Do-Jin were returning after going out earlier. Finally, Jin-Seo hurriedly let go of my hand. Then, she pretended as if nothing had happened.

"Sun-Woo, do you happen to know the way from here to Eiden Hill? Sorry, but I think I need someone to guide me one more time," Joseph asked after approaching confidently.

I nodded.

"Yes, I do."

"Good. Then let's go. Oh, by the way."

Just as Joseph was about to leave with me, he turned back and waved his hand toward Do-Jin.

"Mr. Do-Jin, I will contact you later, so be aware of that!”

"Yes, understood. Well then..."

Do-Jin bowed and bid farewell. Joseph and I followed the path out of the sacred training ground.

I was guiding him until the entrance of Eiden Hill could be seen when Joseph said, "What were you two doing? If you two weren’t doing anything, I would be disappointed."

"...We didn't do anything."

"Really? The secret meetings at school and the cathedral are the most thrilling and enjoyable. I used to enjoy them with my wife often. Doing it straight after the mass inside the cathedral was when it was the most thrilling," Joseph said.

His expression as he said that was incredibly serious. Only Joseph could say such things with such a serious face. He lowered his gaze to the ground and mischievously kicked a cobblestone before continuing to speak.

"My wife hated it, saying it felt like we were committing a sin, but I actually liked it because of that."

"It seems like you’ve committed a grave sin worthy of divine retribution."

"My wife passed away."

I could not find the words to respond to that statement, so I kept my mouth shut.

Joseph continued, "Just as you said, I was the recipient of divine retribution."

"..."

"Well, that’s all in the past now," Joseph said as he walked away.

His eyes were clouded with a sense of futility as if chasing a distant past.

"By the way, I heard that the practical exam is coming up soon."

"Yes, that's correct."

"If you need any information or assistance regarding that, let me know. You’ve unintentionally become involved with me, one of the people in charge of running the practical exam."

"Oh, then..."

"Of course, it won't be free. I'll provide help under the condition that you provide me with relevant information in return."

Unfortunately, I did not have any information that I could offer him at the moment. Eventually, we arrived at Eiden Hill. Joseph expressed his gratitude and crossed over the tape that read “No Entry” to enter the orchard.

"I’ll be waiting for you to contact me!"

The orchard was dark and eerie, perhaps due to the lingering demonic energy. Joseph waved goodbye to me and disappeared into the eerie darkness of Eiden Hill.

*

Over the past few days, I exercised and occasionally spent time wielding weapons at the sacred training ground. Whenever I had the chance, I practiced Voodoo spells. I wanted to be able to use Voodoo spells without having to draw spell arrays so that I could use them without drawing attention.

In this practical exam, I planned to try using spells if the opportunity arose. I wasn't sure if I could, though. Until last year, they provided information about the practical exam in advance, but in an unprecedented move this year, they didn't disclose any information about the exam at all.

They claimed it was to “ensure fairness and to evaluate the students’ abilities more objectively,” but I wondered whether that was really the case. It seemed more like they just wanted to screw with the students.

When I unleashed the replication spell, Dawn's Blade, to practice spells as usual, Legba muttered in a low, gruff voice, [Maybe they considered the possibility of there being an informant.]

I tilted my head slightly.

"An informant?"

[When conducting the practical exam, confusion is inevitable, whether big or small. If there is an informant among the students, the Satanists will use this information to cause chaos during the practical exam.]

"Isn’t Jun-Hyuk dead?"

[Not all of his followers are dead, and there might be other Satanists as well.]

It was indeed possible. Jun-Hyuk's followers might seek revenge and launch an attack, and there might be other Satanists planning an attack.

As I nodded my head, Legba continued, [And the enemies of the Romanican Church are not just the Satanists. They must have considered that as well.]

"..."

[Regardless, it is clear that they have entered threat alert status. It's not good news for you.]

It certainly wasn't good news. This meant that various higher-ups, including faculty members, still suspected the students, and the possibility of my identity being exposed had increased compared to before.

Joseph’s suspicions were already a significant threat. The atmosphere was ominous. At this point, I didn’t just feel anxious—it felt like I was being driven mad. Of course, my true identity would most likely not be revealed unless I made a major mistake...

"...This is actually good. It's exhilarating."

[It’s a bit too exhilarating for it to be considered good.]

“You’re supposed to speak... more positively in times like this.”

If the situation was negative, then negative thoughts would also fill the mind. However, no matter how negative the situation was, it was always possible to speak positively. There was no need to align everything with negativity. That would only lead me deeper into a pit.

Legba listened to my words and laughed in a meaningful manner.

[Now you're even trying to deceive yourself.]

"If I can deceive myself, that is."

[Indeed, you're always suspicious of everything, so it will be difficult to deceive you. Just how severe is your suspicion that you are suspicious of even yourself?]

"...I have a headache. I’m just going to water the plant."

I got up from my seat and headed to the bathroom. I filled a cup with water and gently poured it into the potted plant in the corner. I had no idea how much I had to water the plant, so I just roughly poured an amount that seemed sufficient. At that moment, Granbwa coughed to loosen her neck and signal to me.

[You need to give it a little more. Until the soil is soaked,] Granbwa whispered in a voice that contained hints of laughter.

"Really?"

So I had to soak it. I fetched water from the bathroom and poured it into the flower pot without hesitation. Then Granbwa started yelling in a panic.

[W-what are you doing? That’s too much!]

"The more the merrier, right?"

[Still, you shouldn't give it that much!]

"How bothersome."

[Doesn’t the Prophet know what the word

moderate

is?] Granbwa continued to nag.

I barely held back the urge to throw the flower pot on the floor.

After watering the plant, I covered the pot with some straw that I had bought along with the pot from the flower shop. According to Granbwa, the forget-me-not was a dormant seed, so it was best to avoid exposing it to light before germination. I didn’t know about dormant seeds or whatever it was, so I just did whatever Granbwa told me to do.

I stared blankly at the pot with the plant that had yet to sprout.

"..."

As I continued to space out until my sense of time faded, the phone rang. It was Ji-Ah.

—Cult Leader, what have you been doing?

"I was watering a flower... I mean, I was just spacing out. Why?"

—I found out a few things about Inquisitor Joseph.

"...Hold on a moment."

I shifted my gaze from the pot to the window. I wanted to see if someone was eavesdropping on the conversation. It was a habit that had become ingrained in me. Fortunately, no crazy person was sneaking into someone else's dormitory at night.

I closed the curtains, sat on the edge of the bed, and said, "Yes, you can tell me now."

—I haven't finished the investigation yet, so I don’t have much useful information. However, there are a few peculiar points...

I interrupted Ji-Ah for a moment.

"Wait, I have one question to ask."

—Go ahead.

There was something I wanted to confirm about Joseph.

"Regarding his family relationship, did his wife pass away?"

—Ah... Yes, that's correct. How do you know?

"I heard it from him. It seems like it wasn't a lie."

Cunning people would sometimes create false stories. They would share these stories to gain intimacy, trust, and even sympathy. In any case, it seemed like Joseph hadn’t used such a despicable tactic on me. He suspected me, but I could tell that his level of suspicion wasn't excessive.

"You can continue."

—Yes, what I was trying to tell you is the reason why his wife died. She was murdered twelve years ago by demons... is how it's recorded.

"Yes."

Tap.

There was the sound of something lightly tapping on the window. It seemed like it was raining.

—A year after parting with his wife, he became an inquisitor and has been solely focused on cases related to Satanists ever since.

"Sounds like a desire for revenge."

—It seems so. He has a daughter, but it doesn't seem like they have a good relationship, judging by the fact that they don't live together.

"We can use that for blackmail. What kind of person is his daughter?"

—What? Blackmail...?

"No, I mean... That was a joke. Anyway, do you have any information about his daughter?"

Tap, tap, tap.

There were sounds of tapping on the window. Judging by the sound, the raindrops seemed quite heavy.

—I am still investigating that part, but... she has a criminal record.

"A criminal record? What were the charges?"

—Illegal gambling, drugs, and so on. It seems like Joseph's influence helped her avoid a heavier sentence.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

The sound of raindrops hitting the window grew louder.

"It sounds like he failed at parenting. Are all inquisitors like this?"

—Lastly, there was an incident eight years ago...

Crash!

At that moment, a loud noise interrupted Ji-Ah. The sound came from the direction of the window, and the sound of raindrops hitting the window could no longer be heard. A few pieces of glass fell through the curtains. The window had shattered.

—What's going on?

"Hold on. Don't hang up."

I quietly crept toward the curtains. The wind seeped in through the cracked window, causing the curtains to flutter. However, I couldn't sense any presence beyond the window. While preparing to unleash Voodoo magic, I slowly walked toward the window.

Rustle!

I pulled back the curtains. As expected, there was a crack in the window. However, the crack was not big. There was no one beyond the window. However...

There was a bird larger than a person outside the window. Its feathers were incredibly colorful, making it seem like a parrot. Its eyes were pure white.

It was a bird-type demonic beast.

“...Jun-Hyuk.”

It was a similar type of demonic beast to the one that Jun-Hyuk used to control.

—Cult Leader?

"Wait a moment. I'll call you back later. I think I need to end the call right now. I'm sorry."

—Ah, I understand. Well then...

I hung up the phone and looked into the eyes of the bird demonic beast staring at me from beyond the window. Within the darkness, the eyes of the demonic beast twinkled like stars. The demonic beast lowered its head and tidied its feathers with its beak. Feathers and fluff floated down from the giant feathers.

It wasn’t a bird-type demonic beast, but a bird-type taxidermied creature. All taxidermied creatures moved according to Jun-Hyuk’s will. In other words, if Jun-Hyuk was dead, taxidermied creatures could not exist, let alone move. Thus, the fact that a taxidermied creature existed and moved so perfectly indicated that...

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"...This bastard?"

Why was he still alive?