The Doppelganger's Embrace and Chains of Suspicion

A taxidermy doll in the shape of Jeong In-ah came running, carrying a familiar scent, and threw itself into my arms. Then Kim Jin-seo slashed it. Right after, the school broadcast called me to the principal's office. All of it happened so abruptly. It was chaotic. My mind was a mess. I needed to sort my thoughts first.

"……."

I steadied my breathing and thought. Black smoke was rising from the bisected taxidermy corpse. That sight sparked my first question.

"……How did you know?"

If that thing had been the real Jeong In-ah, it would've been a total disaster. She couldn't have missed that. Yet Kim Jin-seo swung her sword without a moment's hesitation, severing the doll's neck. So what made her so certain it was a taxidermy doll?

Kim Jin-seo pointed at the doll's feet with the tip of her sword and spoke.

"The feet."

"The feet?"

"There was a scar. It's gone now."

"And?"

"Sawdust instead of blood. Bare feet were suspicious enough……."

Taxidermy wounds oozed sawdust, cotton, or preservatives instead of blood. Kim Jin-seo must have spotted the scar on Jeong In-ah's foot and known for sure. I couldn't verify it myself. The corpse was already dissolving into smoke, losing its form. Whether there'd been a scar at the feet was impossible to confirm now.

But that didn't matter. The real issue was the school broadcast. The voice over the speakers had named me directly, ordering me to the principal's office. The tone and wording made it clear this wasn't a commendation. It was blatantly suspicious.

Still, I had to go. Because of the line: 'Failure to comply will be regarded as treason against the Romanica Church.'

"Guess I have to head to the principal's office first……."

I muttered to myself and started walking. The office was in the building across from mine, so it would take a bit. I needed to hurry. Lingering might complicate things unnecessarily.

Kim Jin-seo trotted alongside me and spoke up.

"I'll go with you."

"……You don't have to."

"Can't I?"

"Just head back to class. No need to get dragged into……."

I trailed off, glancing at the sword in her hand. Chunks of flesh from slashing the Jeong In-ah doll clung to it, rotted black. It could pass for dried blood at a glance. Better to avoid needless misunderstandings. Besides, there was no reason for her to come along.

"……Fine."

"It'll be nothing. Just listen to me."

"……."

She bowed her head. Then, reluctantly, she nodded faintly. My words had come out harsher than intended, but it couldn't be helped.

"I'll be back soon."

I left those words behind and headed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to the office without looking back. In uncertain situations like this, moving alone was more convenient and efficient than dragging someone else along. If I ended up needing to use voodoo in the principal's office due to some unavoidable circumstance, her presence would be a hindrance.

And I needed time to think alone. The Jeong In-ah taxidermy dissolving, leaving behind a long strand of brown curly hair…… That sparked several hypotheses flashing through my mind. But they were all vague, unsubstantiated guesses. I needed to narrow them down to the most plausible ones.

Legba's cryptic words echoed as I crossed the sports field. My head throbbed. The words bounced around my skull without sinking in. I couldn't grasp them right now.

I'd arrived at the principal's office. The sky visible through the hallway window was ashen. The air smelled of wet earth. Rain was coming soon.

- What gives you the right to spout that nonsense, you fool!

- Chairman, please calm down a bit…….

Shouting voices leaked from behind the door. The conversation was already heated. Strangely, I didn't feel afraid. Those raised voices actually soothed me. I couldn't explain why.

Click.

"I'm here."

I opened the door and entered the principal's office.

*

"Still no return? Where the hell are they?"

"Yes, we got a report they reached the front of Florence, but nothing since……."

"These bastards, why do they keep half-assing their reports!"

Han Dae-ho bellowed, shooting up from his seat. The subordinate paladin flinched and stepped back. Han Dae-ho, face twisted in frustration, paced the commander's office restlessly, hands on hips, muttering to himself.

"Need reinforcements…… No, that might backfire. Damn it, no intel means I can't……."

If a dispatched team was late without prior report or contact, protocol deemed it either a critical emergency or desertion, warranting reinforcements. But last time's blind dispatch had led to dozens of paladins and priests maddened by black magic, fighting each other. That mess had dragged Han Dae-ho before Central Command multiple times.

"Follow protocol and it's a problem, ignore it and it's a problem. Nothing's gone right since I took command. Is this my trial? What do you think?"

"……."

The subordinate stayed silent. Anything he said would earn a scolding. Best to nod quietly in these cases.

Han Dae-ho stopped pacing and glanced around.

"Where's my phone?"

"In your hand, sir."

"Oh, right. What the……."

Han Dae-ho chuckled wryly and lifted the phone in his left hand. Comically small against his massive frame, he prodded the screen with thick, scarred fingers.

He was calling someone.

"……."

Dry tones rang endlessly from the phone. Han Dae-ho held his breath, waiting. He was calling Kim Bok-dong. Tracking Elder Gabriel's location—the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reporter—pointed to Florence. So he planned to ask the teacher directly what was happening there.

But no answer. The signal wavered and cut sporadically—unstable reception.

Han Dae-ho irritably pocketed the phone. Complex emotions flickered in his eyes. He recalled Kim Bok-dong's words from yesterday.

"Satanists seem good at smashing CCTVs and jamming signals. Maybe they should've been telecom techs or mechanics……."

A joke tossed during talk of infiltrators at Florence. Beneath it lay pity for the cultists. Kim Bok-dong was soft-hearted despite his build. That gentleness had driven his retirement from paladin to teacher—pitying even criminals and heretics.

"How many teams have we sent?"

"Two investigation teams and one rescue, total three."

"And not one has returned. Not even a single person. Doesn't that seem off?"

"Yes. Doesn't look like desertion."

Kim Bok-dong said Satanists knew signal jamming. The call just now had shaky reception—either sender or receiver unstable. Elite investigation and rescue teams sent, yet no returns.

Too early for certainty. No solid evidence. Maybe Han Dae-ho's gut was wrong. Still, resolve hardened his face as he ordered his subordinate.

"Assemble all available teams. Combat paladins only."

"Gear?"

"Assume 'riot suppression.' Full armament."

The subordinate paled. 'Riot suppression' was unprecedented outside papal legion integration. He couldn't fathom why Han Dae-ho treated this so gravely. Three missing teams was serious, sure—but full gear at prestigious Florence? It risked backlash for sowing panic, maybe even demotion.

"Is that wise? The risk is huge……."

"Better overreact than dereliction or negligence."

Han Dae-ho shrugged it off, stretching. Riot gear was risky, yes. But his instincts screamed certainty.

"Oh, and prep mine too. I'm going."

"Understood."

The subordinate bowed and left. Han Dae-ho gazed out the window prepping for dispatch. The sky darkened ominously.

*

Four people in the principal's office: the principal, vice-principal, Kim Chang-won, and an unfamiliar old man. Around the central table, principal and chairman jabbed fingers at each other. The vice-principal fidgeted awkwardly between them. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The old man lay on a corner sofa under a thin blanket.

"Chairman, when we checked the cameras, only Do Seon-woo was seen entering and leaving your office—"

"Satanists are using bizarre black magic beyond our common sense to divide us. Why play right into their hands?"

"No other suspects, that's why."

"Could be taxidermy, or illusion black magic. Ignoring that and saying 'non-compliance is treason'—that's for after confirming guilt, not suspicion!"

"……."

When I entered, Kim Chang-won and the principal were in full argument. They might not have noticed me. I stood silent, statue-like, waiting.

After a bit, the flushed, excited principal spotted me and startled back.

"What, when did you……."

"I've been here a while."

I replied calmly. Kim Chang-won beside him cleared his throat.

"……We showed some unseemly behavior."

"It's fine."

"Now that the student's here, let's ask what we planned……."

The silent vice-principal finally spoke. Kim Chang-won nodded reluctantly. The principal glared daggers, pointing accusingly.

"You been in the chairman's office lately? Speak straight!"

His interrogative tone irked me, but I kept cool. 'Lately' was vague, but I'd visited a few times recently for central library access.

I nodded slowly.

"Yes."

"Classes this morning? Why sneak in?!"

"For central library permission. Went recently, you were out, so I left. Not today."

"……Lying. This morning—cameras caught you clear as day!"

The principal stammered in confusion. Caught this morning? I hadn't gone. I'd been sparring, knocked out by Kim Jin-seo's solar plexus hit.

"I didn't go. How could it catch me?"

Absurdity made me retort. His tone assumed guilt, souring my mood further.

"You're twisting it. The footage is proof you went."

"Why call me here? And why obsess over your office?"

"Dodging. You know why we called you best—"

"Principal Heo!"

Kim Chang-won's firm, heavy shout cut him off.

"Enough pointless sarcasm."

"……Understood."

Tamed by the rebuke, the principal toned down overt hostility but scanned me top to bottom with clear displeasure, pressing on.

"The secretary in the chairman's office. You know her?"

"Yes."

Saw her during library permit visits.

"Found dead in the nearest staff bathroom. Only you and discovering Elder Gabriel visited both spots. Get it now?"

"……So you think I killed the secretary?"

"Yes. Or maybe Satanist. Your survey responses were suspicious too."

"Why?"

"Unnaturally normal. Answers' credibility in doubt."

In the Satanist screening survey, I'd fudged religion and values to hide as Voodoo leader—aiming average student. Ironically, that drew suspicion.

I wasn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Satanist; this was unfair. But no defense on the survey.

"……So you're suspecting me as Satanist."

"Yes."

"But if I were, why comply?"

"We have proof you're Satanist. Complying doesn't negate that."

He had a point, aggressively put. Secretary dead in staff bathroom; CCTV showed only me visiting both. Suspicion inevitable.

"CCTV shows a taxidermy mimicking me. Like Bae Seong-hyeon before expulsion."

"How can you assert that?"

"I never went near your office today. In Holy Training Ground class. Ask Teacher So Do-jin—"

"So Do-jin! Yeah, he's missing too. Your doing?"

The principal snapped. So Do-jin missing? After carrying fainted students to the nurse, the training ground was empty—lights off, practice swords cleared. I'd assumed he handled it, reported, took kids to hospital.

Missing? What had I seen there? What happened?

"I don't know about tha—"

"You're the suspect proving innocence. 'Don't know' won't cut it!"

The principal barked. Icy silence filled the room. Vice-principal stared blankly, hands clasped. Kim Chang-won crossed arms, displeased with principal but eyeing me suspiciously. He leaned friendly, but not trusting.

Then it hit me. I was under suspicion. Blatantly obvious, yet newly shocking. I'd overlooked even the possibility.

Legba's voice swirled in my head. Failing to anticipate suspicion, unprepared—that's what I'd overlooked.

Click.

A shock like a blow to the head left me dazed; cold metal snapped on my wrist. Vice-principal had snuck up, cuffing me. Strength drained. Not ordinary cuffs—a holy relic.

"Paladin Order's coming soon. Prove innocence in questioning, you'll be freed. If not Satanist, think of proof till then. We have to restrain you—understand."

Not a request— a demand. Then click. My right wrist chained to a wall ring. Fully restrained. Stuck till paladins arrived.

"Can you arbitrarily cuff a student?"

"Normally no, but heretics and anti-government terrorists? Yes."

Heresy suspects treated worse than dogs here. I knew, but experiencing it stung. If this was me, what about Mom in the underground prison?

Thirsty. Throat dry, suffocating. Considered voodoo to break free—but no strength. Mighty Strength Blessing insufficient; Preservation might not cut it either. Relic sapped my power.

"Chairman."

"……I trust you. But…… given the situation……."

Kim Chang-won dropped his gaze, trailing off. Even he lacked full conviction. I understood his position, but my heart tangled anyway.

"Speaking of, when's the Paladin Order—"

BAM!

No sooner said, the door burst open. Paladins? No—two arrivals: Yeo Min-seo and Ma Yu-hyeon. Yeo held a mop in her right hand.

"Ma Yu-hyeon, check."

"Okay……. These two. No, three……."

The mismatched duo barged in, chatting casually. Yeo signaled; Ma unleashed divine power, circling his eyes. He scanned Kim Chang-won, vice-principal, me quickly through it.

"……Real. Next, those two……."

Stunned by the intrusion, principal, vice, and chairman gaped. Ma ignored, shifting to principal and elder. His face hardened coldly; he pointed sequentially.

"Both fakes."

Crack!

Yeo knee-snapped the mop. Gripping halves spear-like, she lunged at the elder.

Thrust!

Pierced clean. No blood on blanket. She yanked; sawdust and cotton snowed down. Kim Chang-won and vice-principal watched, dumbfounded. A surreal sight.

Yeo then aimed at principal. Before thrust, his belly ballooned grotesquely.

"Ah, shit. Too late."

Taxidermy pre-explosion sign.

(To be continued next chapter)