Sorry, Kids... Sorry...!
Gu Jun-hyeok muttered apologies under his breath as he ran like a madman. The stench of blood from the barn still lingered at the tip of his nose, and screams buzzed in his ears. Every time he felt it, guilt sent shivers down his spine.
Eventually, he arrived at the staff room. Most teachers had been dispatched to the western part of Seoul for duty, leaving the place deserted. Even the few who remained didn't seem much help in a fight.
"Ah..."
Gu Jun-hyeok collapsed to the floor right there, slumping like melting wax.
Satanists appearing at a cathedral in western Seoul. That led to Florence teachers being dispatched west. And now Satanists showing up again at Florence in eastern Seoul.
It didn't take long to realize the whole chain of events was a Satanist ploy.
"What the hell. Isn't the Charity Class supposed to be in practical training?"
A voice cut through Gu Jun-hyeok's despair. It was hoarse from exhaustion, laced with irritation. He knew who it was just from the tone. So Do-jin.
"The barn. The dogs, magic beasts, they. During training. Quick—!"
Gu Jun-hyeok tried to explain, but he was too out of breath and frantic for words to come out right. Still, So Do-jin pieced it together.
His face hardened coldly.
"Magic beasts showed up during training at the barn?"
"Yes, yeah!"
"Tell me exactly what kind of training, and roughly how many beasts."
"Healing practice. Treating injured dogs. About 216, no, around 200 beasts."
"Got it."
So Do-jin pulled out his prized possession from beside his desk—a sword he used during his crusader days. With that single blade, he'd sliced through thousands of magic beasts and hundreds of demon species.
Shing.
The sharp sound echoed through the staff room as he drew it from its sheath. The edge gleamed wickedly, catching the light.
"Gu Jun-hyeok, get to the infirmary now and treat that leg wound."
"Huh? Oh, yeah!"
So Do-jin pointed to the gash on Gu Jun-hyeok's thigh. It wasn't deep, thankfully, but the bleeding was substantial. Gu Jun-hyeok limped off toward the infirmary.
So Do-jin bolted out of the staff room straight for the barn.
Healing practice means the second barn, probably.
The first barn held healthy livestock; the second was for those needing treatment. Healing sessions usually happened there.
At the fork where the barns split, So Do-jin headed for the second.
Healing priests aren't much use in combat. And the students are just freshmen—same deal.
As he neared the second barn, the blood smell thickened, and the screams grew louder.
Casualties might already be mounting.
His pace quickened. Finally, he reached the second barn. Students fled with pale, ashen faces. He felt relieved yet puzzled. They all had serious injuries, but none seemed life-threatening. For 200 magic beasts appearing at once, the damage was surprisingly light.
He understood why once he stepped inside.
"Hic... ha. Haa...!"
Kim Jin-seo fought the beasts, gasping for breath. She had taken on the injuries meant for the other students all by herself. Her left middle finger dangled torn, her right forearm was broken, and a deep gash marred her left leg. Not a spot on her body was unscathed.
But even that paled compared to Do Seon-woo. Blood pooled around him. It was all his—no one else's. So Do-jin was stunned he could stay conscious after losing that much.
What shocked him more: Do Seon-woo was manipulating plants. He controlled the barn's weeds, flowers, and tree roots to bind the beasts' movements. The blood loss seemed like backlash from that.
...A miracle recreation?
No freshman should handle that. But humans sometimes tapped superhuman strength in desperation. Cornered, Do Seon-woo had exceeded his limits with a 'miracle.' That was So Do-jin's comforting take.
"Good work."
So Do-jin caught Do Seon-woo as he collapsed from exhaustion. As consciousness faded, the plants binding the beasts weakened one by one. The remaining students screamed in terror at the freed monsters.
The beasts growled, heads swiveling, then charged So Do-jin. Three of them.
He drew his sword from his waist.
Slash.
Just like that, their bodies split in two. A perfect one-stroke-two-halves cleave.
So Do-jin crouched low, head nearly touching the ground—preparing his next leap. A pale glow enveloped him. The light of blessing.
He could activate physical enhancement blessings without drawing a circle. It was his talent, the secret to becoming a top crusader.
Slash. Slash—!
Eerie sounds filled the barn repeatedly. Beasts' bodies tore and shredded, spilling blood and guts. Amid the flying gore, So Do-jin swung his sword like a dancer.
Do Seon-woo watched through half-lidded eyes before blacking out completely.
*
"Let's set the suspension period at one week for now."
The vice principal spoke from the head of the conference table. The emergency staff meeting convened the day after the incident. Three agenda items: suspension duration, commendation awards, and the infiltrated Satanists.
"One week enough?"
"Should be. Aside from two students, all injuries were minor."
"Start with one week; extend if needed. That's settled on suspension."
The vice principal shuffled papers. With the chairman and principal absent for personal reasons, the two vice principals handled everything.
"Next: commendations. Probably two or three recipients. Mr. So Do-jin?"
"Yeah."
So Do-jin replied curtly to the vice principal's call. His expression had been sour throughout.
"As the only teacher on-site, any thoughts?"
"Wasn't it already decided? Patience Class's Kim Jin-seo, Charity Class's Do Seon-woo."
Kim Jin-seo. She'd gathered panicked students, minimizing injuries. Killed 13 beasts in combat, then calmly aided evacuation. Among the freshman reps' Seven Virtues, she'd received Patience's Holy Mark and the Patience Saint's Blessing.
A blessing taking others' pain via left-hand touch, transferring her own via right. Fitting for Patience, tied to enduring agony.
Kim Jin-seo had absorbed pain from 30 nearby students, bearing it all herself. Her sacrifice and bravery drew universal admiration; no one objected to her commendation.
"Kim Jin-seo makes sense, but Do Seon-woo? His contribution seems relatively..."
Some argued Do Seon-woo didn't merit one.
Do Seon-woo manipulating plants to halt the beasts. Teachers chalked it up to a 'divine miracle.' Not recreating one partially, but the miracle manifesting through him directly.
Thus, he hadn't 'wielded' it—just received it. Credit for binding beasts went to Adonai, not him. They especially feared the fallout if a student 'handled' a miracle amid staff shortcomings.
"Haha... that's a funny take."
So Do-jin chuckled emptily.
"Just receiving a miracle is impressive. Blood pooled around Do Seon-woo—not a puddle, a damn lake. He sacrificed that much to protect the kids, and it's just luck?"
Anger flashed on his face. First time anyone saw the perpetually tired, listless man pissed.
"Even so, compared to Kim Jin-seo's efforts..."
A teacher muttered discontentedly.
"You were on dispatch yesterday? What'd you do there?"
So Do-jin glared sharply.
"Stood guard."
"Not slacking? How would you know if Do Seon-woo did good or not, when you weren't even here when it mattered?"
"Slacking? What're you implying?"
Cold tension crackled between them. It could escalate from words to fists. The teacher, a crusader alum, was hot-tempered too.
"Enough. What's this about?"
The vice principal mediated.
"Anyone else? Even simple opinions. Like the students' usual conduct."
"I'll speak."
A quiet teacher in the corner raised his hand. Low, heavy voice; massive build. Kim Bok-dong, practical PE and Holy Knight instructor.
"Anyone here ever received a divine miracle?"
All eyes dropped.
"Miracles burden the body just receiving them—could kill you. But Do Seon-woo took it, saved kids with it, and survived."
"So that's his merit?"
Kim Bok-dong nodded at the vice principal.
"Enduring it is merit enough. The body that withstands it is his talent. He deserves the commendation."
A few nodded. Crusader prof So Do-jin and Holy Knight prof Kim Bok-dong carried weight.
"Ms. Ha Ye-jin, no opinion?"
The vice principal asked the priestess instructor last.
"Huh? Yeah, Do Seon-woo should get one. He's my student."
Ha Ye-jin smiled brightly, as if obvious. Then she swept a cold gaze over some teachers.
"And... highlighting Do Seon-woo's feats might better cover the staff's incompetence, don't you think?"
A chill smirk curled her lips. Loaded words, but everyone grasped the subtext.
Uncomfortable silence choked the room. The vice principal broke it.
"Commendations to Patience Class's Kim Jin-seo and Charity Class's Do Seon-woo. Now, the Satanist issue."
He scanned papers, tilting his head thoughtfully.
"Staff screening might breed suspicion. Hand it to the student council?"
Some teachers scowled, baffled.
"Entrusting something this big to students?"
"Student council or not, they're still kids..."
"Students sniffing around would stir more distrust."
Outcry erupted. The vice principal just smiled.
"To the freshman council."
Objections died. Florence's freshman reps auto-joined the student council, serving three years. Seven per year; 21 total.
"That student is there, after all."
Especially one freshman exec with a 'unique' background. That silenced them.
"Hand it to the freshman council, then."
The vice principal smiled.
(To be continued in the next chapter)