No Light Enters Her Room Even at Midday
No light entered Jeon Hye-su's room, even at midday. The blackout curtains fluttered in the breeze, blocking out the sunlight. Occasionally, a dim, oozing glow leaked from the shattered fluorescent light overhead, but it was far too weak to illuminate the room properly.
"Jeon Hye-su? Are you sleeping~?"
Light only seeped in when a nurse poked her head in with routine check-ins, or to bring meals or water. The stark white glow from the hallway nudged away the darkness through the half-open door, but the patient sitting on the bed didn't stir. She simply pulled the covers over her head and continued her endlessly long, mechanical slumber.
"Hye-su?"
The nurse approached the bed cautiously, tray of breakfast in hand. Still, the figure under the covers didn't move. Pushing down a rising unease, she unfolded the bedside table, set the tray down, and gently pressed on the bed. The patient was there. She seemed to shift slightly, so she wasn't asleep. She just didn't want to face the nurse.
The nurse sighed in relief. At least it wasn't another escape attempt like last time.
"You scared me. You used to bolt upright the moment I walked in, even in your sleep... You can hear me, right?"
She kept talking to the silent patient.
"Oh, they said the fluorescent light will be fixed by lunchtime, but it's not too inconvenient, is it? You always hated bright lights anyway..."
The patient had once yanked out the fluorescent fixture and tried to hang herself with the exposed wires. That's how it got broken. As the nurse finished speaking, the shattered light swayed from the ceiling. A warm late-spring breeze poured in through the window.
The nurse took a deep breath. Fresh, crisp air after so long. It felt refreshing, like all the built-up fatigue was exhaling from her body. Then, a creepy, unpleasant sensation crawled up her spine.
"Hye-su?"
No response. Flutter, flutter... Through the swaying curtains, a glimpse of sky. Red sunset bleeding into the blue horizon.
Whoosh! The nurse yanked back the covers. Jeon Hye-su was gone from the bed. In her place lay a crude doll stitched from animal hides, mimicking a human shape. It twitched faintly, as if insisting it was alive. But it was just death clumsily masquerading as life.
"Kyaaaaah—!"
The belated scream echoed. The wind picked up. Through the pulled-back curtains, the sky darkened. Twilight faded under encroaching night. The stars sharpened into view.
As the days grew hotter with unrelenting sun, I couldn't leave the dorm during the day. Sunburn was a risk. Nighttime walks had become habit for Seong Ha-yeon, confined indoors by daylight.
Today, too, she left the dorm at sunset and wandered aimlessly. Her mind was a mess. Tales from a friend about her past atrocities against me haunted her. Handing over the proposal had been guilt-driven, a shallow hope I'd forget. A naive plan.
"Haa..."
She sighed, recalling my expression from the meeting. When she passed the proposal to Yeo Min-seo, my gaze had been icy. Doubt and suspicion filled my eyes. Far from forgetting, she'd reminded me—tormenting herself.
But apologizing? No. She never had—not to anyone but her father. The word "sorry" always stuck at "so."
Plip, plop. Lost in thought, staring at the ground, raindrops fell from the sky. Gentle at first, then a sudden downpour like a waterfall. No forecast; no umbrella.
"What the—ugh!"
She spat out rain from her mouth mid-mutter, scanning around. No shops. Faint sirens from the alley. Paladins responding to something. Revealing she was Seong Yu-da's daughter usually got her an umbrella or a ride. Even without, they recognized her. Not ideal for a priestess, but desperate times—she bolted toward the alley.
Splash, splash. Water splashed her ankles with each step. Soaked clothes clung coldly, but she ran. Paladins could shelter her; worst case, the alley shortcut led faster to Florence dorms.
The siren's red glow sharpened. Two vehicles parked ahead. Mixed relief and disgust, she approached—then froze.
"You bastard, think you're a cardinal just 'cause you got ordained—?!"
"Bastard? How old are you? Who you callin' bastard—"
"Old enough, bastard. Better than you yappin' casually at everyone—"
They were fighting. Not just words—grabbing collars, spewing curses. Some smeared rain on cheeks and slapped viciously; others traded silent punches. Undeterred by the torrent, their eyes gleamed with murderous intent. Each slap, each fist screamed kill.
"..."
Seong Ha-yeon turned silently to leave. Her body shook violently, teeth chattering. Not cold—terror. Those clerics' eyes, rolling in mud and rain, mirrored the "strange uncles" from her childhood who tried to saw off her arm without hesitation. She remembered screaming, begging, the cold sawblade...
Thud. Someone grabbed her shoulder.
Splash!
"Ah, haa! D-don't come...! It's not me. Not me...!"
Legs buckled; she collapsed, shielding her face, mumbling nonsense. Rain poured, but her terror was vivid.
"What's not you...? Hey, get up."
The man tried pulling her arm. Panicked, she resisted, lowering her center, thrashing. He persisted.
Crunch! She bit his wrist—hard, chewing. Again, again. Tried tearing when he wouldn't let go, but her jaw slackened.
"Hey, enough... Hey!"
Pain broke his patience; he yelled. She flinched, shoulders trembling, looked up. Blurred by fear and rain, but she knew him instantly.
"Huh?"
"Bitin' outta nowhere... Whatever, just get up first."
He shook his arm, rinsing blood in the rain, offered his hand again. Dazed, she took it, stood, wiped rain and tears. He roughly combed his soaked hair—Do Seon-woo.
He rinsed the torn flesh, gazed at her sadly, and spoke.
"You can do it too? Like your fa... father."
"Pardon?"
Confused, she tilted her head. Rain drowned his words; she hadn't caught the meaning.
He grimaced, enunciating clearly.
"Purifying demonic energy, dismantling black magic circles—that."
"...Ah."
Her father used the Purification Clan's exclusive blessing to dismantle Satanist circles and expel demonic energy. Bloody ritual, reluctant, but she knew it.
"I can."
"Yeah?"
He nodded, pointing to a woman sprawled amid the clerics' brawl. Black tears streamed; black foam bubbled from her mouth. Black mist rose from both.
"Black magic circle on her nape. That's why the paladins and priests are fighting."
"..."
"Can you?"
His eyes locked on hers. She averted, eyed the circle. Small—manageable.
"...I think so."
He yanked her wrist, weaving through the melee to the woman. Her wrist stung, but not unpleasantly. Covering her back, he watched all sides as she drew the blessing circle—meticulous strokes, or it'd fail.
Halfway, she froze. Pupils quivering.
"..."
Forgot the next line. She knew the method, never used it.
What do I do?
First, after smashing the crow's eye, I summoned rain via single veve. Demonic energy from the black magic circle sinks in rain—prevents airborne spread turning the area into a battlefield.
Then I ran into Seong Ha-yeon. Asking her for help bruised my pride. Only Purification Clan dismantles those circles. No choice.
Mid-drawing, she stopped, staring blankly.
"Hey! What're you doing?!"
Furious, I yelled. She cringed like a scared puppy, glanced nervously.
"...Purification needs blood."
"And?"
"It'll hurt..."
Ridiculous! Rage nearly blinded me. Swallowed curses, showed my bite mark. Still bleeding profusely—torn, not just bitten.
"O-okay. Then..."
Reluctant, she looked around.
"What?"
"Got a knife or something?"
Needed a blade for blood. None nearby. Then, a green soju bottle caught my eye.
Clang! I smashed it on the ground. Dull weapon became jagged blade—perfect.
She was Purification—no infection worry.
"Use this for now—"
"You."
A cleric approached, finger pointed. All paused their fights, eyes on me. Murderous glares.
"What'd you just do?"
His eyes gleamed viciously in the storm. They surrounded us in unison, fingers accusing.
"What're you doing? Snapped me out of it."
"Yeah, snapped outta it."
"What'd you do? Heard glass break."
"Glass broke."
"Glass shattered—"
Nonsense. What?
Two truths, one lie... is that it?
Legba's voice. No time to reply. Alien terror. I backed away. Clerics closed in, madness and rage in their eyes—now all on us.
(To be continued next time)