'Nah, You're Bullshitting, Right?'
"Nah, you're bullshitting, right?" Yeo Min-seo said. She was smiling, but the look in her eyes as she stared at me was ice-cold. It was like someone who'd never smiled in their life was awkwardly mimicking one for the first time—her eyes and mouth operating completely independently. The grin felt eerie, almost grotesquely off.
"...No way it's real?"
I stayed silent, and she glared at me with a bizarrely furrowed brow, like she couldn't comprehend it. She clearly thought I was joking. But this wasn't a joke. I'd genuinely forgotten I had to write up that planning document.
"Forgot about it. Sorry."
I admitted my mistake and apologized right away. Any excuses would backfire, and with Yeo Min-seo, that backlash would be even worse.
Maybe because I'd apologized quickly, her twisted expression gradually softened. Looked like her anger had eased a bit.
"You fucking idiot, it's due today, and you forgot? What am I supposed to do about that? You crazy?"
Nope. She launched straight into cursing, leaving me more dazed than angry. And honestly, I had no ground to get mad. She'd assigned the planning document to me, and I hadn't done it—that was fact.
"Hey, I said sorry. It's not like we're dying if it's not done today. And if it was that urgent, you could've done it yourself."
"Yeah, you could've done it from the start."
Backing me up were Ma Yu-hyeon and Kim Jin-seo. Ma Yu-hyeon was eyeing me and Yeo Min-seo back and forth with his narrow gaze, while Kim Jin-seo stared right through Yeo Min-seo with strangely relaxed eyes.
Yeo Min-seo let out a disbelieving scoff and opened her mouth.
"I specifically told him to do it last week, and he agreed, so how is it my fault he didn't? And what, I have to let everything slide just because he says sorry? It's not like an apology makes the document magically appear..."
"Uh, sorry to interrupt..."
Seong Ha-yeon cut in, holding a thick stack of papers. It looked substantial even at a glance.
Yeo Min-seo eyed her curiously. "What do you want?"
"Actually, I wrote up the planning document. Want it?"
"What? Then why didn't you... Whatever, hand it over."
Yeo Min-seo snatched it from Seong Ha-yeon and skimmed through it quickly. The furrows in her brow smoothed out. She finished speed-reading in seconds, nodded with a grin.
"Huh, weird. I apologize, and poof—the document really appears."
She said it like a joke. No one laughed.
I glanced at Seong Ha-yeon. Our eyes met for a split second before she whipped her head away, chewing her lip with a furrowed brow, desperately avoiding my gaze. Something was off. That wasn't the Seong Ha-yeon I knew.
She should've been bragging, saying something like, 'Not even gonna say thanks?' or 'What would've you done without me?' But no.
Personality change? No way someone's temperament flips that fast. And how did she know I'd forget the document? Why bother writing it for me? What did she want this time? Another ploy to recruit me to the International Theological Society? Even after I shut her down hard?
Why was she so desperate to get me in there anyway? I had no clue. I'd never understood why she kept helping me.
Doubts swirled chaotically in my head.
"Anyway, planning document's sorted... Next up, this."
Meanwhile, Yeo Min-seo handed out sheets of paper, one to each of us.
Elder Council-Sponsored Missionary Trip Application
The applicant wishes to participate in the missionary trip to propagate the Romanica faith abroad. Contact number and name: ________________
The form had stiff, formal lines about the trip, with blank fields below for phone number and name.
"What's this missionary trip shit?! Explain!"
Kang Dae-man read halfway and flung the paper down hard.
Yeo Min-seo scowled unpleasantly. "You do know what missionary means, right?"
"Nope!"
"What a brag, you prick... How's a sub-priest this clueless? Clueless..."
Yeo Min-seo wasn't exactly priest material herself personality-wise, but I let it slide.
She sighed and continued. "Exactly what it says: a trip to spread Romanica abroad. But that's just the excuse..."
"Aha, so spreading Romanica abroad is missionary work?"
"Yeah, you thick-headed fuck. Stop working out and read a book?"
"I read sports nutrition books!"
Kang Dae-man said proudly. Yeo Min-seo ignored him flat-out.
"Last year, it was places like Japan or Africa—real missionary stuff. But..."
She hesitated, then went on. "This year, the goal's 'rescue,' not missionary work. They're tossing us in while they're at it."
"Rescue, huh... Yeah, makes sense."
"Whoa, hearing you say that makes me wanna go even less. Not that I planned to anyway~"
Kang Dae-man nodded arms crossed in agreement, while Han Su-ryeon waved her hands in disgust. Ma Yu-hyeon was dozing; Kim Jin-seo across from him stared blankly into space with hazy eyes. Seong Ha-yeon's head was down, face hidden.
Yeo Min-seo slowly scanned us. "Only volunteers from execs, but this year's more like deployment than a trip. Risky for first-years with no experience, blah blah. Even the advisor said skip it if possible. But why the elders..."
She ranted on, but I tuned it out—mostly gripes against Florence staff, the Elder Council, and Romanica itself.
'I wanna rip out every last hair on those Elder Council geezers forcing this pointless trip every year.' That summed up her spiel.
"The elders treat student lives like consumables. Acting all high and mighty as elders—"
"..."
While she machine-gunned curses, I scanned the form closely.
Scheduled right after prelims, subject to school changes. Only non-conflict zones, but accompanied by archbishop-level or higher for safety. Expenses fully covered by Florence Foundation...
One line hooked me hard.
"It's called a trip, but screw up and you die. No one's died on these yet, but I bet we'll be the first."
Yeo Min-seo eyed us kids. "So yeah, assuming no one's going this time. I'll tell the teacher all first-year execs are out—"
"I'll go."
I cut her off.
"...You're going?"
Yeo Min-seo scratched her neck, flustered. I nodded.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
She frowned, baffled. My eyes stayed on the form. A mix of excitement and fear swelled in my chest. I steadied my voice with a deep breath.
"Just. Sounds fun."
Their faces all hardened. Obviously, I didn't mean it sounded fun. Honestly, it didn't—not one bit. Dangerous as hell, per Yeo Min-seo.
But I had to go on this trip.
Saudi Arabia—the country holding the Soul Tree's third staff, Retrograde. The Elder Council, sponsoring it, picked there as the destination. Sending clerics to rescue trapped Romanica missionaries, and tagging Florence execs along.
Behold, I told you no lies.
*
After the meeting, heading back to class with the form in hand.
"Do Seon-woo."
A woman's voice called from behind. Had to be Seong Ha-yeon chasing me for belated credit. I grimaced reflexively and turned.
No Seong Ha-yeon. Just Yeo Min-seo.
"Close enough..."
Seong Ha-yeon or her—they were the same to me. Seong Ha-yeon edged out as more annoying.
Yeo Min-seo frowned curiously. "What the hell?"
"Just mumbling."
"Mumbling what... Whatever. Can you revise this for me?"
She thrust the thick stack from her left hand at me irritably. I took it on reflex—the religious essay contest planning doc Seong Ha-yeon had given mid-meeting. Thicker than I'd thought; heftier than a textbook.
I skipped wondering what bloated it to this size. Why me to revise it?
"Due soon, right? Won't it be late?"
"Yeah, but submitting as-is is bad news. ...Page 12, line 20. Read it."
I flipped to it.
The origins of the essay contest stem from the Elder Council's corruption. Previously, home-written essays submitted at semester's end were recorded in student files. However, when former Elder Raphael's twins were caught submitting ghostwritten essays, it devolved into an on-site contest format based on gathered materials...
"Yeah, can't submit that as-is."
Volume aside, Seong Ha-yeon's draft was laced with bias—all anti-Elder Council venom. More petition to disband them than a plan.
Yeo Min-seo nodded gravely. "That's just the tip. Tone down aggressive phrasing, cut all anti-elder stuff. Volume'll shrink naturally."
"You could do it. Or make Seong Ha-yeon."
Seong Ha-yeon, the author, would handle revisions best. And toning down was easy for Yeo Min-seo.
No reason for me to do it. Not swamped, but her asking? Pass.
"Told her, but she doesn't see the issue..."
Yeo Min-seo paused, then eyed me blankly. "I can't either. Busy, and I can't spot hostile lines anyway."
"What kinda bullshit—"
"Antisocial can't detect antisocial. I empathize without realizing. Lose track of right and wrong."
She knew she was antisocial. She continued reluctantly, face sour.
"Uh, some data's her brainfarts too. Swap for real sources?"
"Where?"
"Florence Elder Council something... Central Library. Most stuff's there, plus last year's student council plans. Copy those."
Unnaturally polite for her. I guessed why.
She couldn't do it herself. Seong Ha-yeon too "antisocial." Han Su-ryeon'd refuse. Ma Yu-hyeon same. Kang Dae-man obvious. That left Kim Jin-seo and me. But bad blood with her; some victim complex.
"No one else to ask but me, huh?"
She bit her lip, averting eyes—caught off-guard. Forced a smile too late; I'd seen through.
"...What? I assigned you originally, so revisions to you. Could ask others if I wanted."
Desperate excuse.
"Then do that. I'm busy."
"You don't even go to cram school. Busy watching BlessingTube tutorials?"
"Not all busy needs cram school... Anyway, busy. Ask someone else."
"You little shit, listen first."
She grabbed my arm as I turned. She used people as needed—ditched the useless, kept the useful. And I was "useful." For now.
Time to leverage it. Offer future perks, like intel for high cleric path.
If she pawned it off, no loss to me.
"Your track? Paladin?"
"Paladin."
"Goal? Central?"
Central Knight Order. Fastest to my aims: merit there leads to papal inquisitor. They ran the Vatican underground prison.
I nodded; she jumped in.
"Know entry requirements?"
"Yeah."
Entry test pass, archbishop+ rec, portfolio from local dispatch or academy.
"I'll list you as co-author on the essay contest plan. Boosts your portfolio."
Generous tone. Not what I wanted.
"And?"
"And? Revising for credit's already huge favoritism."
"Won't cut it for Central."
I needed bigger. She knew exactly what—holding out to claim full credit.
I stared silently as she chewed her lip. As I turned again, she grabbed me.
"Fine, fuck! Goddamn... Okay, include you in Satanist hunt planning? Joint with me—happy?"
"Sounds good. I'll revise. Done by tomorrow?"
"Haha, ha... You're insane. When'd you figure?"
"This morning's antics made it obvious."
Satanist hunt: joint staff-student council. But we always got updates via Yeo Min-seo. Suspected her special access; morning confirmed it.
Survey to pressure hidden Satanists, narrow suspects—pure her brain.
"Co-planning means hunt updates too?"
"...Probably. Depends."
Even conditional access was gold. Main goal Satanists, but could expose me—Voodoo leader. Foreknowledge let me counter. Plus portfolio shine. Two birds.
*
Taebaek Mountains anomalies—Voodoo? Nationwide demon/beast surges. With Satanist hunt ramping, Elder Council paired off-duty teachers into recon teams.
Grab suspicious students outside class as AWOL, refer to discipline. Report anomaly if Satanist-linked.
"Supposed to nap now... Not the time to patrol..."
"Napping on duty? That's slacking."
So Do-jin and Kim Bok-dong chatted after circling Eden Hill, barn, holy training ground.
So Do-jin's dark circles deeper than ever.
"Morning survey help?"
Kim Bok-dong prodded to wake him.
So Do-jin shuffled mechanically. "Roughly... 20 kids. Low faith or rebellious vibes."
"Those 20 suspects?"
"Nah, they're clean. Real suspects... 6-ish."
Sleep-deprived logic fuzzy. Kim Bok-dong tilted head.
"Basis for those 6?"
"Unnatural normals."
So Do-jin bulged bloodshot eyes. "Got the intent, faked normal answers to seem normal."
"Fits infiltrator profile. Who?"
"Do Seon-woo and Yeo Min-seo. Others... fuck. No sleep."
So Do-jin casual; Kim Bok-dong shocked.
"Do Seon-woo? Yeo Min-seo helped plan hunts—her survey idea?"
"Yeah, she idead; we questioned. Still, why'd elders let her in? Senile?"
"If she's Satanist, split personality fits—self-snitch."
"Do Seon-woo too. Actor material if faking."
Kim Bok-dong nodded. Yeo Min-seo often rude, teacher-hated. Do Seon-woo opposite—impeccable manners. If Satanist, Oscar-worthy. Or precisely why suspect: perfect till incidents, then sloppy mask?
"No clue."
Kim Bok-dong shook head. Riddles tangled worse. Satanist's cunning chilled—pitting teachers vs students, students vs students, fracturing unity. Even two Holy Mark kids suspects. Huge blow—two of seven grade reps.
"Yeah, dunno. If no results by day after—"
KYAAAAAAAA—!
Scream echoed. So Do-jin gripped sword hilt; Kim Bok-dong drew blessing circle with divine power.
"That way... Bathroom! Near holy training ground!"
Scream from adjacent restroom. So Do-jin bolted as Kim Bok-dong spoke. Footsteps neared door. Sword ready.
Bang!
Door flew open. But no draw. Pale-skinned girl emerged, tear-streaked, sobbing toward him.
So Do-jin backed warily. "Class? Why out during lesson?!"
"Hic! T-told teacher bathroom, sob. Then in bathroom, hic! E-ear..."
"Ear? Speak clearly!"
"C-cut-off ear. Don't know, I don't..."
So Do-jin pushed past into restroom. Unidentified flesh on sink. Picked gingerly.
"...Ear."
Human, raggedly torn—not cut. Satanist? Warning? Or chaos ploy?
"What happened?! Whose scream?!"
Kim Bok-dong rushed in late. So Do-jin stared blankly at the ear.
"Girl outside. Found this on sink, freaked..."
"What? No one outside!"
Kim Bok-dong firm. So Do-jin's eyes shook.
"No one? Bullshit, she was just—"
Glanced out. Empty. No trace.
Kim Bok-dong bagged ear. "Forensics. ID could help."
"Yeah. But really no one?"
"Gone when I arrived. Hallucination from sleep dep?"
"No way. Even sleepy, no hallucinations..."
Outside, So Do-jin scanned. No girl, no rat. Gulped hard after long look. Fear plain in eyes.
Men's room. No women's nearby.
(To be continued next chapter)