Ah, Oh, Wow...
I swallowed a groan that threatened to escape as I made my way back to the lodge. A dizzying pain radiated from my lower back where the chopstick had stabbed me. It felt like a fireball scorching along my spine, but I didn't let it show in front of Ha Pan-seok. I had to maintain my dignity as the cult leader.
[You shouldn't have lied.]Ogoun's cool voice echoed in my mind, mocking me.
"Couldn't you have stabbed a little gentler? It hurts like hell..."
[No complaints. I was originally aiming for your heart. I showed mercy by going for your back.]
"You're really inflexible."
[No need to be flexible with the dishonest.] Ogoun's tone dripped with sarcasm.
As I could guess from our conversation so far, Ogoun and I didn't get along. He liked honest people and despised habitual liars. And I lied often—no, frequently. We were bound to clash.
Because of that, I couldn't use Ogoun's Loa power except in special cases.
[One last piece of advice.]
"What now? Can't you just leave?"
[Don't get too immersed in your false life. Lies might swallow the truth.]
A false life. He meant my existence as a Florence Academy student, living under a fake identity.
[Take care.] Ogoun left his final warning and vanished.
[Ogoun's always been inflexible and rigid. It's infamous. The rumors are rampant.]
Legba filled the void, badmouthing Ogoun to comfort me. His kind heart made me chuckle softly.
"Even so, that was a bit much."
[Ever since he fell out with Baron Samedi, he's obsessed with honesty. Poor guy. Understand him.]
I nodded silently and trudged back to the lodge. Apparently, Ogoun became fixated on honesty after Baron Samedi betrayed him. Something about a scam... I didn't know the details. I only vaguely remembered bits from stories my mother told me as a child.
In any case, Ogoun didn't get along with Baron Samedi either. Few Loa did.
[...Personally, I think you should heed Ogoun's advice.]
By the time I reached the lodge, Legba spoke in a quiet voice. I nodded vaguely, collapsed onto the bed, and tried to sleep. It was already 2 a.m. Exhausted from overusing Loa powers all day, I fell asleep the moment my eyes closed.
*
The mountain lodge's morning began with birdsong. The eerie mountain silhouette shrouded in darkness visible through the window had vanished, replaced by leaves sparkling in the warm sunlight, rustling to herald the dawn.
Kang Ji-a, the first of the three to wake, brewed two cups of coffee right away. One for her master, one for herself.
Ding-dong!
"Ah, hot...!"
As she poured scalding water into a cup, the doorbell rang loudly. Startled, Kang Ji-a scalded her hand. She rinsed the reddened skin under cold water and hurried to the door.
Peering through the small peephole in the center, her face twisted briefly before settling back into blank neutrality.
She returned to the kitchen as if she'd seen nothing and finished brewing the coffee.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
Bang bang!
She tried ignoring it, but the doorbell persisted, now accompanied by pounding on the door. With no choice, Kang Ji-a went back and flung the door open.
Thud!
"Ow, ouch..."
Ha Su-yeong stood there, rubbing her forehead where it had smacked into the suddenly opened door.
The daughter of Ha Pan-seok, a key figure in the rebel faction and Chungcheong Order executive. An arrogant girl who overreached for the cult leader's throne.
Kang Ji-a gave a small smile and eyed her steadily.
"What do you want?"
Her tone reeked of open hostility.
Ha Su-yeong glared back with sharply upturned eyes.
"Where's the cult leader, Do Seon-woo?"
"He's sleeping. Come back later."
"H-Hey, wait—!"
As Kang Ji-a moved to shut the door with a firm attitude, Ha Su-yeong yelled and jammed her foot in the gap. Kang Ji-a pushed harder, but it wouldn't close. Physically, Ha Su-yeong had the edge.
"Ah, I just need to talk to the cult leader. And you, it's rude to slam the door in someone's face."
"What's the etiquette in bursting in unannounced first thing in the morning and causing a scene?"
"What? ...God, now even some lackey's—!"
Ha Su-yeong flushed and raised her voice, then abruptly stopped. Her gaze fixed on someone behind Kang Ji-a.
Following her line of sight, Kang Ji-a turned to see the cult leader stumbling out, fresh from sleep.
"It's so noisy this early. What's going on?"
"A peddler came by, so I was chasing her off."
"Peddler?"
Do Seon-woo peered curiously past the door. Ha Su-yeong huffed furiously at Kang Ji-a.
"Ha Su-yeong? Why are you here?"
"Ah, I had questions and stuff to say, so I came, but this jerk—!"
Ha Su-yeong jabbed a finger at Kang Ji-a, raising her voice. Do Seon-woo's face soured slightly.
"This jerk?"
"...This woman! She tried to slam the door on her own—"
"This woman."
"Th-That person. Keeps trying to close the door."
Ha Su-yeong hunched her shoulders, intimidated. Do Seon-woo glanced between the two glaring across the threshold, then stared sleepily at her.
"So, why are you here?"
"...You weren't sleeping last night. That's why."
Ha Su-yeong dropped the cryptic line. Do Seon-woo's face grew troubled. He turned to Kang Ji-a.
"...Um, noona."
He cleared his hoarse throat.
"Tell my uncle I'll be right back."
"Yes, sir. Take care."
"Thanks. I'll be quick."
Kang Ji-a bowed, hiding her conflicted feelings. Do Seon-woo left with Ha Su-yeong, vanishing somewhere.
Kang Ji-a shut the door and finished the coffee. The boiling water had gone cold. Meanwhile, Lee Jin-seong shuffled over, tousling his messy hair.
"This bed's great. Slept like a rock. ...Who's this coffee for?"
"I brewed Master's while doing mine."
Lee Jin-seong took the cup with a reluctant face.
"I should be paying you, not getting free service. I'm grateful, though... Where's Seon-woo? Still asleep?"
"He stepped out with Ha Su-yeong. Said he had business."
"What business first thing in the morning? Did they hook up on the mountain last night or something..."
Lee Jin-seong sipped his coffee. Kang Ji-a stared at him anxiously, untouched coffee in hand.
"Does the cult leader dislike coffee?"
Lee Jin-seong tilted his head at the random question.
"Probably? He doesn't chug it like me. Kid's young—his brain runs fine without caffeine."
"I see..."
Kang Ji-a nodded and sipped. It was lukewarm and bitter.
*
Between the lodge and worship hall stretched a space with a massive grill plate at the center, wooden tables and chairs arranged in a circle. An outdoor eatery Yun Chang-su had built for barbecues. I dragged Ha Su-yeong there and plopped into a chair. She sat opposite.
"You weren't sleeping last night?"
"Wasn't trying to eavesdrop. Just happened..."
Ha Su-yeong hesitated. When I'd visited Ha Pan-seok to win him over, she'd been awake—probably overheard our chat from her expression. No big deal. Nothing harmful in what she heard.
"From where to where?"
"...Florence. And promising to get my brother out."
I nodded. She'd heard only the grateful parts.
Ha Su-yeong stared with wide eyes, emotions flickering—surprise, a hint of sadness.
"For real?"
"What?"
"That. Even if it kills you? You find him?"
"Of course. You know I can't lie to Ogoun."
"Yeah, but..."
Ha Su-yeong bowed her head. She knew, but wanted confirmation from me. I could guess her feelings—family in the Papal underground prison. We were in the same boat.
"Don't worry. He's alive."
My mother, dragged there post-father's execution. Her brother, imprisoned for assassinating Leviathan's captain who burned Voodooists alive on the "Starless Night." All alive. They had to be.
"...Thanks, even if it's empty words, cult leader."
Ha Su-yeong grinned cheekily, voice trembling—no tears, though.
I chuckled and stood.
"Done talking? Let's go?"
"No, wait. One more question."
She grabbed me urgently, fired Voodoo magic from her fingertips, drew three spell circles, and fused them. A huge leap from struggling with two yesterday. Overnight growth.
"Practicing yesterday, I fused three... How do you calculate the principle?"
Caught off-guard by the rapid-fire question. Explaining two-circle fusion was doable. Three-plus? Tricky—traits intertwined into complex, hard-to-verbalize phenomena.
"Hm..."
As I pondered, an idea hit. No need to explain myself.
"Next executive meeting when?"
"July?"
"You'll come?"
"Probably? No, definitely."
Ha Su-yeong nodded slowly.
"Then... Homework: Research fusion principles for three-plus circles by July. Bring it when you return."
"Huh? Homework? Just tell me."
She whined, eyes wide in panic. I shook my head.
"Voodoo depends on mindset. Learn through insight for real growth."
[Sounds like Wonhyo.]
Legba chimed in with a scoff. I tilted my head—Wonhyo who?
[Ah, right. You wouldn't know. Book burning and burying scholars alive... Never mind, later. Continue.]
Legba spouted nonsense. Wonhyo, book burning—never heard. He'd explain later, so I let it slide.
Ha Su-yeong pondered, head tilted, then looked up.
"By July?"
"Yeah."
"...Fine. Then in July—"
"Wait."
I cut her off. My pocket buzzed—a call. Phone reset wiped contacts; unknown caller. Maybe uncle or Kang Ji-a urging return.
"Hello?"
Silence on the line. Not uncle—he'd spit business and hang.
Probably Kang Ji-a.
"Noona?"
- ...Noona?
The clear, cool voice—like winter stream water—wasn't Kang Ji-a. Kim Jin-seo.
"It's you. Phone reset, didn't recognize. What's up?"
I explained quickly. Scary silence followed.
- Just... wondering what you're doing today.
"At a relative's. Back for dinner."
- Oh.
Her sigh brimmed with disappointment. Relative's was a white lie—sort of true, I had family. Couldn't say Voodoo executive meeting.
- Yeah, but... you're an only child, right?
"Huh? Yeah."
- Really? Calling 'noona' right away? What's the situation?
Laughter tinged her voice—not friendly. I realized my slip.
Scramble for cover.
"Thought it was a cousin noona."
- Too affectionate for that.
"Affectionate?"
- Hmm.
Kim Jin-seo hummed thoughtfully. Weekend at relative's, unknown number—solid excuse. Block even tiny suspicions; I was at a Voodoo meeting.
- Got it. Then, next time you're free...
"What? A girl? Why so flustered?"
Ha Su-yeong interrupted. My heart dropped—risk of exposure.
Silence on the line; Ha Su-yeong blinked innocently up at me.
- Who?
Kim Jin-seo asked curtly, voice faintly trembling.
Said cousin noona earlier—now cousin dongsaeng? Too obvious repeat.
"...Cousin dongsaeng."
No better excuse. Lame cover.
Ha Su-yeong gawked incredulously.
"Why am I your cousin? Ridiculous—mmph!"
I clamped her mouth. She squirmed; ignored. Life-or-death.
- Doesn't sound like a cousin.
Too late. Kim Jin-seo probed suspiciously.
Cold sweat beaded. Lie exposed—gave her reason to doubt. Minor now, but could snowball.
"Like a cousin dongsaeng...?"
- Just a friend then.
"Something like that."
- A friend dongsaeng.
She repeated icily, colder than usual. Lies always caught with her. Her sharp intuition, plus I couldn't stay calm around her.
- See you Monday.
Call ended. "See you Monday" felt like a warning.
"Ah..."
Headache throbbed.
*
Ha Su-yeong watched Do Seon-woo pinch his temple and squeeze his eyes shut, curiosity piqued.
"Who was it?"
Who made him panic like that? On the call, he wasn't yesterday's charismatic, tough leader—just a normal schoolboy fumbling and hesitating.
Strange, unfamiliar.
"Told you I go to Florence?"
"Yeah?"
Overheard him tell her dad, but skipped that.
Do Seon-woo sighed.
"Someone I... ran into there."
"Ran into? Girlfriend?"
Ha Su-yeong asked innocently. He shook his head.
"Just a friend."
"Just a friend? Why so nervous? Got dirt on you?"
"You?"
"Oops, slip. Anyway, dirt?"
"No."
He shook his head. Not blackmailed—what? Bullied? Plausible given his personality.
And making prickly Do Seon-woo tremble... Romanica cleric wannabes were devilish beyond imagination. Infiltrating demon-infested Florence? Impressive.
"Florence tough? All bad guys there."
"Nah. More good ones than you'd think."
"Good ones?"
Ha Su-yeong tilted her head. To her, Romanica followers were demons—massacring then justifying with god and doctrine. Shameless.
Couldn't grasp "good ones."
"Yeah. Plenty good, some bad."
"All trash?"
"Good and bad everywhere. Any religion. Voodoo, Romanica."
Hard to accept, but she nodded reluctantly. Questions piled since last night.
"You good at divine power? Tests all divine, right?"
"Way worse than Voodoo."
"Grades?"
"Sneak Loa powers."
"Ooh."
Ha Su-yeong gasped. Voodoo needed magic emission; Loa didn't—perfect for stealth. Novel idea; she'd never tried.
"Top ranks then? Loa powers cheat."
"Not always. Some firsts, some not."
"Still jealous."
She bowed her head, shadow falling.
"Wanna try too..."
Recalling ancient past. Innumerable Voodooists slaughtered. Starless Night—black fog blotting stars.
Her mother burned in a pit by Leviathan. Brother jailed for assassinating their captain, avenging her.
She thought: If I were the prophet, not Do Seon-woo. If I wielded Loa powers. Could've saved mom, brother...
"Sorry."
Ha Su-yeong snapped up. Do Seon-woo's sudden apology surprised and puzzled her. No fault.
No chance to reply—he drew a spell circle.
"Huh? Hey, what—!"
Shaaa...
Too late; completed. She inhaled the mist, analyzing before blackout: Two-spell fusion. One hallucination/auditory; other unknown.
"Ah?"
But no blackout. Headache instead. Throbbing temples intensified.
Faint whispers grew louder with pain.
[Hear... me...?]
"Wh-What'd you do? Weird noises...!"
[Ban-u-bo-gap-ri-reum-da, gu-dal-sae-meon-i-ro-i-na-un-ga? Reum-seon-ha-da-ji-ha! Un-ja-geu-bam-yeo. Reu-i-na-ri-da. Neun-ga-gyeol-rek-eop-guk-ba, ji. Dol-mo-na-go-deun-neun-dol-ro-juk-a-a-eum-gyo-ui-i-cha-ji-ni-ro-bae-kka. Gu-ja-na. Da.]
[Bo-o-jo-su-di-yong-neun-o-hi-je-ga-jom-mul-gyeop-hae-i-chi-yo. Geub-ja-ja-seon-ha-a! Ji-da! Ju-ja-eol-in-ga-reun-gong-a-je-eun-peun-mul-beon-geot-eul-gae-ga-ta-ba-i-neu-chi-na-ni-do-da! Kka. Rok!]
"Noises... Sounds... Gasp, urk...!"
Dozens of voices filled her head. Varied tones, volumes—mixing into cacophony. Unbearable human torment.
Under two seconds: nausea, suffocation. Head-splitting; she clawed her hair.
Soon ended. Moment felt eternal. Body soaked in cold sweat.
Ha Su-yeong swept damp hair, glaring.
"Why the hell...!"
"Prophets hear that."
Do Seon-woo stared blankly, eyes hollow—usually fervent with zeal.
She swallowed, gazing.
"About a year... Every waking moment except sleep. Even bedtime."
"..."
"Prep helps, but I couldn't. Became leader and prophet too sudden."
Three-four seconds nearly broke her. A year daily? Insanity.
She knew noise's madness from upstairs racket—mere trifle vs. Loa din.
"Lost my mind then too. Useless on Starless Night. That's why sorry..."
He trailed off, bowed, then smiled resignedly.
"Excuses. Just incompetent."
"No, uh... No."
Words failed; she shut up.
She'd hated him for incompetence. No response to Romanica's Holy War persecution, Leviathan massacres. Blamed him for mom's death, brother's jail. Pushed him out, aimed for throne herself.
"Let's head back. Said quick errand; too long."
"Huh? Uh..."
Dazed, she followed, etching his back. Imagined: Orphaned young, thrust leader/prophet, enduring mind-shattering noise, struggling for executives' respect.
Hard to picture. She'd thought him lucky throne-sitter.
"...Hey, slow down!"
Do Seon-woo strode ahead, ignoring her shorter legs. She yelled.
He paused patiently.
Yesterday: Resentment, envy. Envied Loa mastery; resented inaction.
Now, shifted.
"Why tell me? No one else?"
"Nope."
"Don't agree so quick! What am I?"
Ha Su-yeong eyed him. Face calm, faintly smiling. Pitiable.
(To be continued)