"Taxidermy...?"
"Taxidermy...?"
So Do-jin blinked twice, his face twisting in dismay. His mind, filled with thoughts of stopping Do Seon-woo—and ultimately killing him—suddenly emptied out.
Clang.
The sword slipped from his hand and hit the training ground with a dry scrape. So Do-jin, staring blankly into space with dazed eyes, finally looked around to take stock of the situation.
Bae Seong-hyeon's heart exploded as it was pulled out, spilling sawdust everywhere. His sprawled corpse had deflated like a punctured balloon, shriveled and wrinkled. Sawdust and cotton-like stuffing protruded from the gaping hole in his chest.
Do Seon-woo was right. It was a taxidermy doll.
Just like the Satanists' handiwork from the "Tower of Corpses" incident in Incheon two years ago.
"Then... what was I..."
So Do-jin collapsed onto the training ground dirt.
"...about to do...?"
Taxidermy dolls could explode at the Satanist's command. If Do Seon-woo hadn't acted quickly, it might have detonated, injuring countless students. Do Seon-woo had destroyed it to protect them.
And So Do-jin had nearly killed him for it.
If he'd completely lost his reason, Do Seon-woo's head would have rolled across the training ground by now.
Letting emotions override rational judgment had always been one of So Do-jin's longstanding weaknesses. That flaw had led him to commit sins in the past.
And today, he'd nearly repeated the same sin against Do Seon-woo.
Self-loathing washed over him, twisting his gut.
"...Ah."
Thud.
Then, a female student collapsed beside the seated So Do-jin. No, it wasn't just collapsing—she'd fainted.
It was Jeong In-ah, unconscious.
Gu Jun-hyeok rushed toward her in a panic.
"H-Hey! Open your eyes, damn it...!"
He patted her shoulder and cheeks, but she didn't stir. Desperate, he tried to scoop her up.
"Ugh, why is she so heavy?"
He set her back down.
*
I got treated at the infirmary. Bandages wrapped my wounded palm and neck. One layer stopped the bleeding on my neck, but my palm needed two or three more.
It didn't hurt, but losing blood left me feeling chilly.
Jeong In-ah, who'd fainted from shock, lay sleeping in a bed. The nurse said it was just temporary unconsciousness from the trauma—no serious external injuries, thankfully.
As I sat watching her sleep and resting in a chair, Gu Jun-hyeok showed up.
"Teacher Ye-jin wants you in the counseling room. Like, now."
"Got it."
His tone was oddly deflated, his expression a bit sharp. Looked like he'd gotten chewed out.
I headed to the counseling room. Ha Ye-jin was there first, with So Do-jin beside her, head bowed and face buried in his hands.
"Hello."
I greeted them and sat down. Ha Ye-jin smiled warmly at me, but So Do-jin kept staring at the floor.
Silence hung for a moment.
"So... uh..."
So Do-jin rubbed his dry face and jerked his head up.
"That thing wasn't Bae Seong-hyeon. It was a taxidermy doll made by Satanists?"
"Yes."
"And you took it out before it could do anything weird."
I nodded, and his face hardened coldly. Then he fixed me with weary, bloodshot eyes.
But there was no accusation in his gaze—just a faint trace of fear.
"One question."
"Sure."
"How'd you know? Even now, it looked human to me. Not like any taxidermy doll. Just... like a person..."
So Do-jin started to ask, then trailed off in a trembling murmur, confused. Ha Ye-jin tapped his shoulder, snapping him back. He dropped his gaze to the floor and continued.
"...How'd you tell the difference?"
I pondered his question.
I'd become certain the Bae Seong-hyeon at Florence was a taxidermy doll right after calling his father, Bae Jeong-hwan. When I asked if his son was okay, he answered without hesitation. When I asked where he was, he said sleeping in his room.
Meaning the real Bae Seong-hyeon was home.
More importantly, Bae Seong-hyeon should fear me due to my spell. But this one had casually shaken my hand—even acted threateningly.
He couldn't have broken my voodoo with sheer willpower, and no Romanica priest could either.
So I'd concluded the one before me was fake.
Confidence in my spell—that was reason number one.
"Different body temperature."
But I couldn't say that outright. Explaining would reveal I could use voodoo—and that I was the Voodoo Cult leader.
So I made up something plausible.
So Do-jin tilted his head.
"Body temperature?"
"When we shook hands, his felt different from a normal person's. Ice-cold."
"Just that...?"
"Cold enough to convince me he wasn't human. No corpse or reptile-man gets that cold."
He shut his mouth at my firm tone.
But it was a lie. His hand had felt normally lukewarm. No extreme hot or cold.
In the renewed silence, Ha Ye-jin glared at So Do-jin with narrowed eyes.
"When are you gonna apologize? Look what you did to the poor kid."
"Was just about to."
So Do-jin hung his head. He let out a heavy, weary sigh. His downcast eyes brimmed with fatigue and guilt.
"Never crossed my mind it was a taxidermy doll. I thought a murder happened at school... Sorry."
"Makes sense. It looked just like a real person."
"Thanks for understanding..."
"But why were you crying earlier?"
I pressed my bandaged palm absentmindedly as I asked.
I wasn't really curious why he'd attacked me. From his view, it looked like I'd ripped out Bae Seong-hyeon's heart and killed him—a teacher had to stop that.
But the tears? No clue. Seen a sad movie? If something could make a guy like him—who wouldn't bleed if stabbed—cry, it'd be a masterpiece. I'd wanna watch it.
"...You mocking me?"
So Do-jin glared, hand on his sword hilt, eyes flashing.
It caught me off guard—nothing like I'd expected.
"No, just wondered if you'd watched a sad movie or something. You were bawling so hard."
"Keep talking and I'll kill you."
"But you said people shouldn't kill people."
"...Ugh... I wanna die, shit."
"Hey! Language!"
Ha Ye-jin scolded him as he sighed and cursed. So Do-jin bowed his head, face twisted in anguish from confusion and self-loathing.
Ha Ye-jin eyed him pityingly, then turned to me.
"You can go now. Was gonna let you rest, but he insisted on apologizing... Anyway, good job."
"Okay."
"Oh! A commendation came for Seon-woo?"
Ha Ye-jin added urgently, as if just remembering.
Commendation... Right, Han Dae-ho had promised one as thanks.
It'd arrived already.
She grinned warmly.
"You've been racking up achievements on the down-low everywhere, huh? Give it to you in front of the class? Or privately?"
"...Privately's better."
"Really? Front of the class would've been brag-worthy. Anyway, got it."
I left as she nodded with a kind smile.
More commendations were always good. Beef up my resume, boost my odds for the Central Knight Order.
But weirdly, I wasn't thrilled.
Honestly, Seong Ha-yeon deserved most of the credit. I held off the priests, but she dismantled the black magic circle and solved it.
[Without Seong Ha-yeon, we couldn't have solved it—but without you, she couldn't have dismantled the circle either.]
Legba consoled me.
[You stayed calm and handled it well. She panicked. Reminded me of her father.]
"Huh?"
Her father? Seong Ha-yeon's dad was Seong Yu-da. Had he ever lost his cool?
Every article, video—he was always composed. Beyond that: coldly mechanical.
That's how I'd always seen him.
[...Everyone slips sometimes. Forget it.]
Legba hurriedly changed the subject.
He avoided mentioning my parents or Seong Yu-da.
No idea why—he wouldn't say.
No point asking; he'd dodge.
I let it go.
[Learn anything from this?]
As I reached the classroom, Legba asked.
I sat, pulled out my book for next class, and recalled the fake Bae Seong-hyeon—the taxidermy doll.
It looked, sounded, felt human. Appearance, voice, temperature—even personality and speech.
If I weren't the one who'd spelled Bae Seon-woo, and if Bae Jeong-hwan weren't a Voodoo follower, I'd never have suspected.
This doll was exquisitely crafted, deviously perfect.
[Obsessed with perfect taxidermy dolls.]
I recalled the line from the Central Library.
'Perfect taxidermy doll.'
Was this one perfect to him? Or just flawed reject?
Hard to say.
But one thing was clear: the Satanists were advancing at terrifying speed.
*
Right after counseling, Ha Ye-jin headed to class. So Do-jin stayed, sorting his thoughts.
Before his eyes lingered the image of Bae Seong-hyeon—or rather, the taxidermy doll impersonating him—with a hole through its heart.
"Taxidermy..."
Thinking of it brought back the Tower of Corpses. Animals turned beasts by black magic, citizens into demons.
To So Do-jin, it was a nightmare he wanted to forget but couldn't.
Knock knock.
He lifted his head from the desk.
The door opened, and Kim Bok-dong entered. His heavy footsteps matched his bulk.
Thud, thud, thud...
Was it his steps, or So Do-jin's pounding heart? He couldn't tell.
"Heard you nearly killed Do Seon-woo. That right?"
"...Who told you?"
"Ha Ye-jin. Said you fucked up big, wanted me to chew you out. Guess it's true from your face."
Kim Bok-dong stretched, loosening his muscles, and sat beside him.
Ha Ye-jin, blabbing again. Wonder how far the rumors would spread...
So Do-jin shook off her image.
"Your classes? Thought your afternoon was packed."
He stared blankly at the dark red blood crusted on his blade.
Do Seon-woo's blood. Guilt glared back.
"Gave 'em self-study and came down."
"Allowed?"
"Exams soon. Kids prefer studying over PT anyway. Just giving them what they want."
Kim Bok-dong shrugged it off.
So Do-jin felt burdened yet grateful he'd come anyway.
Then he recalled the Bae Seong-hyeon doll—indistinguishable from human.
"Hey, if we fought, who wins?"
"What kinda question at our age? Puberty hitting late?"
So Do-jin eyed him.
If a taxidermy doll of Kim Bok-dong or Ha Ye-jin appeared, could he kill it without hesitation like Do Seon-woo?
"...Nah, forget it."
He shook his head, clearing the thought.
Still no certainty.
(To be continued)