The Heretic's Madness
Ha Ye-jin felt like she was about to vomit at any moment, but she held it back and lifted her head. She needed to remember what they were doing, what incantations they were chanting, and what stench emanated from them. As she raised her head, Ha Ye-jin realized one horrifying fact.
"Ugh, urk…!"
The moment she saw it, she could no longer hold back the vomit. Two corpses were roasting over a massive bonfire. One was a dog, the other a human. Their commonality? Both had empty bellies. The entrails extracted from their guts were scattered in a circle around the flames. The black lines that the thirteen women and Ji Hye-seong had danced upon and trampled were the intestines of the roasting dog and human.
"…Ah."
Unlike Ha Ye-jin, who had gone pale and was vomiting repeatedly, Mun Yo-seop's reaction was surprisingly calm. Sweat simply poured down his forehead in streams. His eyes, flickering in sync with the dancing flames, alternated between terror and rage. A faint smile played on his lips. His eyes, mouth, and facial muscles all moved independently. His expression was grotesquely inhuman.
"Today… today, I think I'll need a weapon. Where's a good bludgeon…?"
Mun Yo-seop, muttering in a trembling voice, lifted the bouquet in his left hand. He stared at it blankly, then grinned like a child.
"Here it is! Who would've thought—such a perfect weapon!"
Mun Yo-seop raised the bouquet high toward the sky like an offering and cried out in admiration. He patted the back of Ha Ye-jin, who was bent over vomiting, and continued excitedly.
"Teacher Ha Ye-jin, I could use some blessing support!"
*
After the practical exam ended, I hadn't set foot in school once. I had ample reason for sick leave, and above all, dealing with Ma Yu-hyeon left no time for classes. With exams over, there were hardly any anyway—going wouldn't mean much.
The weekend arrived in a flash. At first, I didn't even realize it was the weekend. I only learned tomorrow was Saturday from Seong Ha-yeon's call.
"Do you have time tomorrow?"
"Why do you ask?"
I cut off Seong Ha-yeon's question, which sounded like she was trying to make plans. Silence fell over the line for a moment, followed by a disbelieving scoff.
Seong Ha-yeon sighed, as if composing herself.
"…Didn't you say you wanted to meet my father last time?"
"Ah… right."
"He might have time tomorrow, so I asked."
"Aren't you going to school tomorrow?"
"What? Tomorrow's Saturday."
I fell silent at Seong Ha-yeon's words. I'd been living day-to-day without a moment to breathe, but I hadn't imagined my sense of time would blur this much. My taste, touch, and other senses seemed to dull by the day, filling me with sudden dread. If this continued, I'd reach an irreversible point.
"Hello? Did you hang up?"
"No."
"Then why aren't you— Anyway, you have time tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah."
"Come to think of it, are you okay? I heard you were sick."
"So-so."
"Aha, okay… So, where should we meet tomorrow?"
"I'll come to you."
"Okay, then… Huh? You're coming?"
"Why not? You stay in the dorm on weekends anyway, right?"
"True, but…"
"I need to swing by the dorm anyway, so let's meet at school. Hanging up."
Click.
And so here I was, at the dorm. The main reason was that all my decent clothes were here. I also watered the flowers I'd been growing. I chose my outfit carefully—not for Seong Ha-yeon. Honestly, she wasn't even on my mind. No reason to dress up to impress her.
The issue was Seong Yu-da.
'Seong Yu-da seems to be watching you from behind. Like during the reelection exam, and other times…'
'I don't know why. Maybe he knows your identity, or… some ridiculous misunderstanding.'
Ma Yu-hyeon's words. He thought it likely Seong Yu-da knew who I was. I also gleaned vague info on the Purification Clan's formidable power and their ties to the Papal Court.
Long ago, a pope was attacked by the Satanist cult 'Gluttony.' The guards saved him from instant death, but Gluttony escaped, and the pope seemed doomed to black magic. A priest in the guard wounded himself, drew a blessing circle with his blood, and purified the curse. That priest was the Purification Clan's founder; his blessing became their modern Purification Blessing. Since then, they've had a pact with the Papal Court, aiding each other.
Not crucial info. I shook off distractions and picked clothes. Flashy might be bad, but too formal wouldn't look student-like. Something plain and neat. A shirt should do.
[Planning to wear the ring as is?]
As I was about to leave, Legba spoke up.
"Legba… long time no hear. Thought you'd vanished."
[As if. I just held back since you seemed confused.]
Legba's voice, once so frequent it annoyed me, felt welcome after so long. The day I met Ma Yu-hyeon, he'd said my fate 'hinged on choice' and vanished. No word since. He claimed he stayed quiet for my confusion, but his absence had made me more lost. Looking back, maybe without him, I'd thought and chosen for myself. Was that his intent? Who knows.
I straightened my clothes in the mirror and spoke.
"Was letting Ma Yu-hyeon go the right choice?"
[What do you think?]
"Wrong choice, but no alternative."
Killing Ma Yu-hyeon outright would make me a fugitive. The Papal forces would hunt me till death; I'd resist for family and followers, ruthlessly. It'd spark a Holy War, sacrificing innocents. I didn't want that, so I released him. Of course, it terrified me—someone knowing my secret walking free made my stomach churn. But war wasn't to be taken lightly. Once, chatting with Uncle about Mom, I'd casually mentioned Holy War… but facing it for real with Ma Yu-hyeon, deciding was hard.
[Not wrong. Not right either.]
Legba said. I was putting on shoes.
"Then what was it?"
[Choices have no right or wrong. It's what you give up for what you gain—that's choice.]
"…"
[Hope you have no regrets. So, the ring?]
Legba asked. I glanced at the ring on my finger. Last time, its engraved spell let me glimpse Dad's memories. There, Dad was friends with Seong Yu-da. He might recognize it, suspecting my identity. But if he already knew… it could warn or threaten him. Another choice.
As I pondered, Legba cleared his throat.
[Your call, but I recommend removing it. Safer.]
[I say keep it on! Way more fun.]
Baron Samedi chimed in. Opinions clashed. Dilemma deepened.
[Fun time? Be serious, Baron Samedi. Not a joke.]
[Fun and safer. I'm serious.]
[Nonsense. It's a risk to your identity. Remove risks.]
[Hypocrite, Legba. You know their relationship too.]
[…]
Legba went quiet at Baron Samedi's words. I didn't grasp 'their relationship.'
"What relationship?"
[…Can't say. Not now.]
[I could, but better you don't know yet.]
"Then don't bring it up."
[Can't help it. I'm a busybody.]
[I didn't start it. Baron Samedi yapped.]
Neither would spill. I agonized: remove for safety, or risk it? No conclusion.
Then Kang Ji-a called. No point brooding; I paused and answered.
"Cult Leader."
"Yeah, what's up?"
"You're not at the worship hall. Dorm?"
"Yeah, got an appointment. That why?"
"Not just that. Dug more on Inquisitor Mun Yo-seop."
"Ah…"
Right, I'd tasked Kang Ji-a with background on him. Mun, once stalking me like a madman, had gone quiet—forgotten. Last contact was for trackers and bugs for Ma Yu-hyeon.
"What'd you find?"
"Nothing major. His inquisitor appointment felt contrived, so I checked…"
Pages rustled over the line. Then a book thudded shut.
"Did I mention his wife died to demon species?"
"Yeah. 12 years ago or so."
"That happened because of his brother. Turns out the brother was a Satanist."
"…Really?"
Kang Ji-a wouldn't lie, but it was hard to believe. A heretic inquisitor and Satanist from one family?
"So he became inquisitor to catch his brother?"
"No, brother died 12 years ago. Mun Yo-seop killed him himself."
Before I could react:
"Document says: 'Held a brick, extremely enraged, conversation impossible…' Right after, he became inquisitor."
'Cain probably didn't want to kill his brother either. Hit him with a rock on impulse, and he died.'
Mun Yo-seop's words from the holy training ground echoed suddenly.
(To be continued in the next chapter)
