Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Doubts at the Resurrection Church
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"Big Sis. This place doesn't feel right."
"What do you mean? Sia. How can you say this isn't the place?"
Park Jeong-hwa stared at Jeong Sia with a bewildered expression.
I felt the same way.
'What on earth did she see? Did I miss something?'
There was nothing in Lee Si-woo's sermon or inside the church that gave off any real sense of rejection.
'Jeong Sia isn't the type to sulk just because Lee Si-woo didn't pay attention to her.'
I was curious if there was something only visible in Jeong Sia's eyes.
"The Resurrection Church just seems different from what I imagined."
At Jeong Sia's response, Park Jeong-hwa pressed her like an interrogator.
"Different how? Come on, spit it out."
At the same time, I felt the stares gathering around us.
With the service over, it was obvious all eyes would turn to Jeong Sia.
"I'll explain on the way home, Sis."
Jeong Sia must have sensed it too, as she stood up immediately.
"No! Tell me now. Right this second!"
Park Jeong-hwa shouted, grabbing Jeong Sia's wrist with trembling eyes.
She seemed to have lost her reason after one failure too many.
"What's going on?"
"Deacon Park, what's wrong?"
"Did something happen with our Jeong Sia? Haha."
The churchgoers began to crowd in slowly.
'Hmm?'
The scary thing about cults is their blind fanaticism. And now one of their own was denying them from within their ranks?
I had no idea what they might do.
I scanned the path to the chapel exit, just in case. Too many people; no opening to drag Jeong Sia out.
'Might have to fight my way through.'
I might need to summon skeletons to break through that path.
"Sis, if you don't let go of my wrist, I'll never see you again."
Then came Jeong Sia's low, steely voice. I knew right away.
'She's pissed.'
She was in a state where she couldn't see anything in front of her.
"You're not letting go?"
Jeong Sia doubled down, and surprisingly, Park Jeong-hwa was the flustered one.
"W-what? You won't see me again?"
It looked like this was the first time she'd seen this side of Jeong Sia.
'Now I see. She doesn't really know Jeong Sia at all. Maybe Jeong Sia was the only one idolizing Park Jeong-hwa.'
Kindness varies in weight depending on whether you're giving or receiving it.
Perhaps Jeong Sia, in her tough times, had magnified the casual kindness Park Jeong-hwa tossed her way.
"Yes. So let's head to the parking lot now. We can talk on the way home."
In the end, Park Jeong-hwa had to choose: push harder and risk a blowup, or step back.
"Fine. Let's go, Sia."
She chose the latter.
Pushing further would only hurt the Resurrection Church, she must have figured.
"Everyone, Sia was on a broadcast this afternoon and seems exhausted. Looks like greetings will have to wait. Please understand."
Releasing Jeong Sia's wrist, she addressed the gathered churchgoers.
"Haha, that makes sense. It's surprisingly tough for a regular person to go on TV."
"Our national treasure can't be feeling ill. Hurry home and rest."
"See you next time, Sia."
The churchgoers nodded understandingly and didn't block her.
And so we left the chapel and reached the parking lot where Park Jeong-hwa's car was.
Park Jeong-hwa made a request of me.
"A-rin, I need to talk with Sia, so could you drive?"
She'd treated me like a ghost on the way here, but now she needed me.
"Sure. I'll drive."
I took the driver's seat. Park Jeong-hwa and Jeong Sia sat in the back.
As soon as I started the engine and pulled out, Park Jeong-hwa spoke up.
"Okay, now tell me. What's wrong with our Resurrection Church?"
I was curious too. What was the reason?
I drove while listening to their conversation.
"Sis, didn't you notice anything strange about the Resurrection Church?"
"Strange?"
"Yes. Something different from other churches."
Different how? Was she calling it a cult? The name suggested it, but the sermon hadn't shown any obvious signs.
"Is it the name? We're not a cult. Think about it—those high-society folks aren't idiots; they'd never follow a cult."
Park Jeong-hwa rambled defensively.
"Whether the Resurrection Church is a cult or not doesn't matter to me. Labels like that are just the world's judgment when it comes to saving people."
Then what was Jeong Sia getting at?
"So what's the problem, exactly?"
"The churchgoers. The Resurrection Church members are the problem."
"Our members are the problem?"
"What's wrong with them? They're all high-status or above average."
From the rearview mirror, Park Jeong-hwa looked utterly baffled.
'Is that it?'
If anything, maybe some hypocritical person Jeong Sia despised was in the church...
"That's exactly the problem, Sis. Every single one lives a comfortable life."
"How is that a problem?"
"Church—or religion as I see it—is a gathering where people suffering mentally or in harsh realities lean on a great being to dream of happiness. But the Resurrection Church isn't that."
"What...?"
'Oh?'
Confusion crossed both Park Jeong-hwa's and my faces, but I quickly grasped what Jeong Sia meant.
'That's it. Jeong Sia can never join the Resurrection Church.'
"What are you talking about? They're all struggling and relying on the pastor to dream of happiness."
Park Jeong-hwa still hadn't caught on.
In her panic, she even let slip that the Resurrection Church worshiped Lee Si-woo, not God.
"Sure, they might have mental struggles. But could you boldly say you're suffering in front of people worrying about where their next meal is coming from?"
"Th-that's... But we donate a lot!"
"What they need isn't just money—it's someone by their side to comfort them daily and check on them. And I believe every church should do that."
That was it.
Jeong Sia had sensed something off at the entrance and sat in the back.
Not to hear Lee Si-woo's sermon, but to observe the churchgoers.
You could tell a lot about their lives just from their appearances.
"But the Resurrection Church felt like a religion only for the privileged. Like self-satisfaction or donations for social optics. If they were sincere, shouldn't they bring in the struggling and share blessings together?"
Park Jeong-hwa's face stiffened, silent.
"So sorry, Sis, but let's look elsewhere. Us."
Even as Jeong Sia suggested another place,
I watched Park Jeong-hwa in the rearview, ready to summon Kkaebi anytime.
'Hyeon A-rin's death never should have happened. Which makes Park Jeong-hwa, close to her, a variable.'
If things with Hyeon A-rin had gone as Park Jeong-hwa planned, maybe.
But with all her preparations failed, her eyes could turn, and she might harm Jeong Sia outright.
"Sigh... Fine. I can't force you. Let's find another place, as you say."
Fortunately, Park Jeong-hwa nodded and accepted Jeong Sia's words.
"Thanks, Sis. For understanding."
"No, hearing you out, our Resurrection Church does seem misguided. I need to talk to the pastor."
A heartwarming resolution.
'Yeah, right.'
Park Jeong-hwa, who tried to drug her and collar her like a pet, suddenly has an epiphany and gives up on Jeong Sia...?
A passing dog would laugh.
'This is just the beginning.'
Now that she knew Jeong Sia's firm resolve, the Resurrection Church would move.
To claim Jeong Sia by any means necessary.
"We're here."
After that, Jeong Sia and Park Jeong-hwa discussed other inquiries besides the Resurrection Church, and before long, we arrived at Jeong Sia's home.
"Bye, Sis."
"Head in. Auntie."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow. Good work."
Jeong Sia and I bid Park Jeong-hwa farewell and sent her off first.
"Whew..."
With Park Jeong-hwa gone, Jeong Sia let out a light sigh, the day clearly taxing.
"Uuugh!"
Then she stretched toward the sky. Our eyes met.
"Oh? I should've asked Sis to drop you off on the way! Got caught up in the serious talk and missed the timing."
She thought of it quick.
"You think I'd have gotten in?"
Not that I'd planned to go with Park Jeong-hwa anyway.
"True, you two still seem a bit off."
"A bit? It's a lot."
"Why do you hate her so much?"
"'Cause you're closer to her than me."
"Kidding."
It was a joke that felt half-serious.
"No reason to like someone, no reason to dislike them. We just don't click."
No need to explain what kind of woman Park Jeong-hwa was.
"Puts me at a loss for words."
Jeong Sia would see her true colors soon enough anyway.
"What time tomorrow?"
"Should the manager be asking me about the schedule?"
"You two talked it over without me hearing a thing?"
"Ah-?"
Jeong Sia let out a apologetic sigh.
"Didn't check if you were free. Sorry."
"No need to apologize; I've got time. Wasn't it morning?"
"Yeah. Meeting the Thorn Tree Guild rep tomorrow morning."
Thorn Tree Guild...
What was that again?
If it's not in my memories, it's a guild that vanishes quick. It's Cataclysm year 10 months in—world changed.
'Everyone and their dog started guilds, sparking turf wars in Utopia daily.'
Guilds sprang up and died like weeds.
No knowing levels or traits, so swords before words. Preemptive strikes won.
But that changes soon.
Thanks to one genius scientist.
"So, what time?"
"9 AM. Then meetings every hour after."
Lots of inquiries, huh.
"Too late today, so sleep in and come afternoon. I can go with Jeong-hwa Sis anyway."
Couldn't do that.
Jeong Sia had openly rejected Park Jeong-hwa's offer.
The Resurrection Church could move tonight to turn her into their dog.
And in that scenario, Jeong Sia would likely die.
"No. I should crash at your place tonight."
Plus, I still hadn't figured Lee Si-woo's abilities or traits. Had to stick by Jeong Sia.
'She'll refuse, probably.'
No matter how close, having a guy sleep over at a single woman's place was another matter.
"M-my place?"
As expected, Jeong Sia looked flustered.
"Saw Kim Hyun-seong at the Resurrection Church earlier? He was glaring at you with murderous eyes, so..."
He was glaring at me, but with Jeong Sia beside me, close enough.
"And same broadcasting station, so he could know your address..."
"I get it."
Jeong Sia nodded.
She must have felt his gaze too.
After pondering briefly, she looked at me seriously.
"So. Where will you sleep?"
"...Huh? Living room couch?"
"No."
What no?
"I thought about it. Better if you're in my room with me."
"Huh? Suddenly?"
"Even if you're in the living room, what if Kim Hyun-seong sneaks into my room? Could have stealth traits."
Not wrong.
I had Burning Vitality (S) and Kkaebi for contingencies anyway.
But how long had we known each other to share a room at night?
'Is this... that?'
Even young in my past life, I'd heard I looked quite manly.
Post-Cataclysm, wars with Demon Realm and disasters left no room for dating, let alone seeing survivors.
'Actually, I'm pretty popular type...'
"So, hide in the closet? Or like movies, under the bed?"
Yeah. She had no concept of sharing a room with a guy to sleep.
Purely thinking I'd protect her.
Hide in closet or under bed to guard her?
I'd seen it coming since she made me fresh carrot juice.
'This girl's a total pure nutcase.'
Her pure craziness.