Captured Trust
Ma Yu-hyeon had allied with a total of five teams. One of them included Jeong In-ah's group.
He assigned the team members with relatively good physical conditions or outstanding abilities to seek out the clerics and collect tokens. They were to act independently, but if they encountered a group from the Holy Knight or Paladin Class, they were to flee without question or hesitation and rejoin the main formation. That was the order he passed down.
On the other hand, the less capable members stayed with Ma Yu-hyeon to draw blessing circles. When they channeled their divine power, he manipulated it as if it were his own, weaving the circles. It was a fused blessing circle, combining multiple blessings into a single intricate pattern. It was enormous and incredibly complex. Even those with some expertise in blessings had no idea what he was drawing.
Ma Yu-hyeon's commands were issued with unflinching precision. His eyes gleamed with unwavering certainty. No one knew what he was doing. Yet they all followed him, utterly entranced.
"...What's your name again?"
"Uh, Jeong In-ah."
Jeong In-ah had been assigned to the unit scouring for tokens. She earned them by meeting clerics. She avoided tasks requiring blessing applications or physical effort, picking only those that tested the mind—like analyzing blessing circles or deciphering codes.
Priests often assisted in combat, but they spent most of their time researching blessing circles, decoding ancient texts, or scriptures. These analytical and decryption tasks evaluated such skills.
The clerics took notice of Jeong In-ah, who solved even the tougher problems with ease. Several asked her name or handed her business cards—scouting offers for future fieldwork or dispatches to their priest orders.
"Uh... you."
She ran into Do Seon-woo on her way back to the formation with a token in hand. By Ma Yu-hyeon's orders, she should have fled without looking back. But instead of running, she approached him, as if drawn by some spell.
His condition was so wretched that fleeing never crossed her mind. He glanced around, seemingly scouting escape routes, then approached her with a look of resignation. He leaned his head on her shoulder.
She was startled at first. She wondered what had happened to leave him in such a state and why he was alone, separated from his team. When she asked, he said Kang Dae-man had beaten him.
"What?"
It was unbelievable, but his state left no room for doubt. Internal team friction must have led to a fight, and he'd taken the brunt from Kang Dae-man. It made sense enough.
Feeling the warmth of his head on her shoulder, Jeong In-ah spoke up.
"You guys fought?"
"There was a bit of a disagreement."
"Even so, no one beats a person like this!"
Jeong In-ah raised her voice, then stopped.
"...You can't lose. So you just took it all?"
"That's why I'm like this... Kang Dae-man's already out."
"You're full of crap! Looks like you just got pummeled."
She snapped in anger but couldn't help chuckling. It was ridiculous and absurd—him bluffing so calmly after being beaten to a pulp. Though she couldn't see his face, he seemed to be smiling too. Each breath he exhaled brushed her neck and ear, carrying a faint metallic tang of blood.
"What about the exam? Dropping out midway?"
"Yeah, probably..."
Do Seon-woo nodded as he rasped. His cracked voice was soft and weak, barely audible without focus. Aware of it, he brought his mouth close to her ear with every word. The warmth on her ear felt oddly intimate.
"Why are you sticking so close? You a leech or something?"
Jeong In-ah shoved him away gruffly, but he only pressed closer.
"Can't I lean?"
"It's not that you can't... You're heavy! And I've got a cold. Don't want you catching it."
"I'm exhausted. Just for a bit."
"Ugh, then lean on a wall or something. Or lie on the ground...!"
She tried pushing him off, but he ignored her.
"Wall's cold. Ground's dirty; don't wanna lie there."
"..."
With that, he pulled her head to his chest with his right hand. She could have shoved him away hard enough, but she didn't. Her resolve wasn't that firm against someone just wanting a brief rest from pain.
"Sorry."
He murmured as he lightly stroked her hair. His voice was still hoarse. The apology made her feel unnecessarily guilty and awkward. He was injured, dropping out—no rival now. Had she been too cold?
She shook her head slightly in his embrace.
"Damn it... Lean or hug, do whatever─"
Crack.
Suddenly, a snap echoed from the back of Jeong In-ah's head, like a twig breaking—or a shoe heel. Her consciousness blurred with the sound, her words trailing off unfinished. Uncomprehending, she crumpled limply to the ground.
"Really sorry..."
Click.
Do Seon-woo kept apologizing as he cuffed her limp wrist. His right index finger was broken.
Jeong In-ah captured as hostage
During the suspension, I endlessly practiced to internalize voodoo spells. Calling it practice might be generous—it was more like ascetic training.
At first, I just drew spell circles and controlled the voodoo mist, brute-forcing the magic. I figured mastery would come eventually. Silent persistence would get me to my father's level someday.
But days turned to weeks, then months with no progress. That's when I realized: I could never become my father. Even following his exact path was too much. I needed a different road—one I'd have to blaze myself.
[Not bad for your own path.]
I fiddled with my broken finger and nodded at Legba's words. It tingled faintly like static, but no real pain. While holed up in the worship hall, I'd nightly sliced the flesh at my finger's base with the Dawn Sword and engraved spells into the wounds. Crude method.
No results at first. But layering voodoo into my body steadily bore fruit. I had internalized it—not like Father's way. The engraved spells activated on breaking the finger. That's how I knocked out Jeong In-ah and took her hostage.
I betrayed the girl who'd pitied and trusted me.
Hoisting her onto my back, I headed toward Kang Dae-man. She was light, but my battered state made her feel like dead weight. After minutes of labored steps, Baron Samedi and Bosu's voices rang out.
[Tricking the same girl twice? You're trash now.]
[Didn't think that of you... Bosu is disappointed in the prophet.]
[Exams require some scheming. Getting fooled is the fault here.]
Legba defended me.
[Still too harsh. Even for an exam.]
[The little one's no longer little...]
Granbwa scolded, Damballa spouted nonsense. Their voices tangled into noise in my head, drowning thought. Dizziness hit—voices or blood loss?
"Ah, fuck... No. Just... shut up, please."
[I'm quiet. The others are noisy. Especially Baron Samedi.]
[No, Legba was loudest. I barely said anything!]
[Bosu is sorry!]
[It was a bit much! ...Just a bit.]
[Little one..., you've gotten prickly.]
No quieting them. With Jeong In-ah on my back, plugging ears was impossible anyway—and useless against mind voices. My head throbbed. The prophet's burden? Lighter than expected.
Silly thoughts aside, I remembered the exam. I messaged Kang Dae-man via watch, set a rendezvous, and headed there.
His group rested in a suitable building on the boundary between Priest and Holy Knight territories. Fresh from battle, Kang Dae-man was caked in mud. Besides Seong Ha-yeon and Han Su-ryeon, they had a couple more hostages—unexpected gains during my absence.
"Whoa, Do Seon... what happened to you?"
Kang Dae-man wiped mud from his face and gawked. I laid the unconscious Jeong In-ah with the others, covering her with the cloak I'd used to smuggle holy relics.
"Fought. Seventeen from Priest Class."
"Win?"
"Won, so I brought her."
"H-hey, key for these cuffs?"
I nodded at Jeong In-ah. Seong Ha-yeon said something; I ignored it. Kang Dae-man hummed skeptically.
"Hmm... Seventeen priests did that to you? Hard to believe!"
"Slipped. Not seventeen—seventy-one."
He frowned, simulating the fight mentally, eyes on the floor. Nodding in admiration.
"Impressive. Must've been brutal."
"Brutal."
He bought it. Kang Dae-man swallows anything I say. Twice the guilt for turning this pure guy villainous to fool Jeong In-ah.
Han Su-ryeon, propped against the wall, stared at us in disbelief.
"We fought too while you were gone. Won most against Priests, but Paladins..."
"Lost, huh. Minimal losses though."
I scanned the resting teammates—exhaustion etched everywhere. Numbers low too. Should be eight besides us; only five now. Lost three to Paladin fights.
"Sorry. Wore myself out against Yeo Min-seo. And I'm no leader."
"Nah... this is fine."
I counted hostages: Han Su-ryeon, Seong Ha-yeon, Jeong In-ah, two unknowns. Five total. Solid, especially the stars.
"Rest now. Team condition matters."
More for me. He nodded.
"Yeah. Post-rest plan?"
"Please uncuff after rest..."
Checked time—plenty left. Negotiate hostages and tokens for big haul.
"Sell the hostages."
"Ooh... sounded like a movie villain slaver. Cool."
"Uh, thanks."
Compliment or insult? Thanks anyway. No time for overthinking. Rest first. Minutes wouldn't heal much, but better than nothing.
I dragged a creaky old chair—backrest squeaked, but usable.
Sat, breathed deep. Repeatedly.
"Mm..."
When the lingering blood stench faded from throat and nose, she stirred. Jeong In-ah blinked sleepily around, spotted me. Her hazy eyes slowly focused. Blissfully clueless still.
I avoided her gaze.