"Get Lost."
“Get lost.”
“Ah, why! Let me go out too!”
“Then go. And don’t come back.”
“No, that’s not what I meant. I just want to breathe some outside air!”
I figured she’d leave if I spoke firmly, but Ha Su-yeong was more persistent than I’d expected. She hadn’t stepped outside once since arriving at the worship hall. The reason? Kang Ji-a had strictly told her never to leave the hall alone. She’d even been instructed to get my permission first if she wanted to go out.
“Your sister was right. Stay here and don’t go out.”
“I’ve been stuck underground for days. I’m dying of boredom.”
“Then you shouldn’t have left home in the first place. Anyway, no.”
“Why?”
“It’s dangerous.”
Ha Su-yeong clung to me, whining, but I didn’t budge. Anything else might’ve been negotiable, but I couldn’t take her to the Knight Order. There’d be clergy all around, and more importantly, I wasn’t the only one summoned by the Eastern Paladin Order. Running into Ma Yu-hyeon would be a disaster.
First problem: letting Ma Yu-hyeon see Ha Su-yeong’s face. Second: Ha Su-yeong knew Ma Yu-hyeon’s face. To her, he was no different from the enemy who’d ruined her mother and older brother. Who knew what she’d do in a fit of rage if she spotted him.
“Dangerous how? It’s not like I’d get lost.”
“Ah, just take the hint nicely for once…!”
[Little one.]
I nearly snapped in frustration, but Damballa’s voice suddenly echoed in my mind, shutting my mouth. She’d climbed onto the shoe rack at some point, coiling herself up. She flicked her tongue as she continued.
[Why not just take her along?]
“……No.”
[You’re worried about the sharp-eyed little one, I see.]
Sharp-eyed little one. I knew that referred to Ma Yu-hyeon. He wielded a unique blessing that drew a circle around his eyes with divine power. I nodded.
Damballa slithered up my arm and went on.
[Don’t worry about him. I’ve given him a warning.]
“……”
[Trust me.]
I had no idea what she meant by warning Ma Yu-hyeon. But if Damballa said so confidently, she must’ve taken some measure. If Ma Yu-hyeon wasn’t a concern, bringing Ha Su-yeong to the Knight Order shouldn’t cause major issues. If I had to introduce her, I could just say she was a younger cousin or acquaintance—no one would suspect.
I glanced at Ha Su-yeong’s face, pondering. She stared back with desperate, almost pitiful longing.
“……This is a one-time thing.”
I nodded reluctantly. Ha Su-yeong beamed, immediately grabbing shoes from the rack like she’d been waiting.
“We’re going now, right? Why drag it out when you were gonna say yes anyway? Wasting time.”
“One more word out of you, and…”
I unleashed a burst of voodoo magic in front of her chattering face.
“You think I can’t force you back home? Don’t piss me off.”
“……O-okay, misunderstanding! I meant thanks for letting me out, that’s all…”
“Yeah.”
In the end, I took Ha Su-yeong outside. She took a deep breath, gazing at the sky with moved eyes. The worship hall was underground with no windows, so it made sense she’d feel stifled after days inside. I’d only brought her out grudgingly, but seeing her so happy now, I thought maybe it was the right call.
Of course, I still disapproved of her leaving home to camp out here. But as Legba and Damballa said, might as well think positive since it’d happened.
I watched Ha Su-yeong stretch after stepping out. She savored the breeze and sky, then glanced my way.
“What’re you staring at?”
“……Yeah, this won’t work.”
“W-wait! I was kidding!”
I flared voodoo magic again, and she backpedaled, stammering. I sighed. We hadn’t even left yet, and this was already a headache. God knows what’d happen at the Knight Order. If Damballa was right, nothing major, but…
“Why the Knight Order anyway? You commit a crime or something?”
“Not a crime… Just shut up and follow. No funny business when we get there.”
I took Ha Su-yeong to the Knight Order. She couldn’t enter with me, so I told her to kill time at a nearby café. Showing my text and student ID at the desk, a staffer jumped up and led me somewhere.
“Wait here a moment. Anything to drink?”
The staffer who showed me to the waiting room asked. I requested green tea. It had a nice aroma, one I still enjoyed even after offering my taste to Baron Samedi as tribute. I took the cup and sat.
“……”
I could guess why the Eastern Paladin Order summoned me so suddenly. Probably to ask about the museum incident during the missionary trip. They’d likely called the others too, but oddly, the waiting room was empty. Kim Jin-seo, Seong Ha-yeon, Kang Dae-man, Han Su-ryeon… even Han Dae-ho was absent. Not arrived yet? Or had they isolated us on purpose?
I couldn’t tell. But if they’d deliberately prevented contact, maybe it wasn’t just about the incident. Perhaps to sniff out Voodoo or Satan cult spies or accomplices among us.
That suspicion hardened into certainty when the staffer led me from the waiting room to an office.
“Good to see you, Do Seon-woo.”
Mun Yo-seop was there. Not alone—a burly paladin and a note-taker with pen and pad. But Mun Yo-seop’s presence dominated; he was all I really saw.
As I sat, he rested his steepled hands on the desk.
“You’ve probably guessed, but it’s about the missionary trip. Specifically… around 6 p.m. local time at the museum.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I’ll mostly observe. This fellow here will ask the questions. No need to tense up.”
“Questions worth tensing for?”
I asked Mun Yo-seop directly. His reassurance sounded like he thought I was nervous already. Like he was probing me. He gave a small smile, nodded, and spoke.
“Just formalities.”
I nodded at his words, turning to the paladin beside him. He held papers—likely the questionnaire. Clearing his throat, the paladin began.
“Can you describe the situation when the intruders burst into the museum? As detailed as possible.”
“The intruders fired at the ceiling, shattering some lights and windows. Then thunder rumbled, and all the lights went out.”
“What were you doing when the lights went out?”
“Hid behind a displayed artifact. Can’t recall its exact name.”
At that point, I’d debated using the intoxication spell but decided against it. Instead, I neutralized the guns of the black-suited men with Ogoun’s power.
“I see. Did you stay there until Captain Han Dae-ho arrived?”
“No. Once I assessed the situation, I moved around looking for the others.”
“Who did you meet then?”
“Seong Ha-yeon.”
“Right. Did you notice any cultists at the scene who weren’t Romanica or Muslim? Say, Satanists?”
“I didn’t kn—”
I started to say I didn’t know. Admitting knowledge might seem suspicious. But as the words left my mouth, I realized that was wrong. His last question hid a cunning intent I hadn’t caught. I pondered it.
No way this exposed me as the Voodoo cult leader. But inconsistencies with others’ statements could breed needless suspicion. I couldn’t afford even that now.
“……I didn’t know for sure, but I suspected there might be. So I prepared accordingly.”
“What preparations?”
“Told Seong Ha-yeon to ready a purification blessing.”
“Seong Ha-yeon stated you asserted ‘there are Satanists.’”
“I exaggerated ‘might be’ to make her listen. Sorry about that.”
“Ah… I see.”
From that exchange, I gathered Seong Ha-yeon had testified before me. Likely the others too. The Knight Order had definitely isolated us. Their goal: check for Voodoo or Satan accomplices.
Knowing their aim made answering easy.
“I hear you fought alongside Captain Han Dae-ho. Very brave. What made you decide to join?”
“I thought I had to fight.”
“I see… Finally.”
The paladin tossed the questionnaire down and leaned forward, staring into my eyes. I met his gaze.
“Right before the black-suited men left the museum, describe what you saw.”
“An old man with a staff in a strange space.”
I imagined how a Romanica cleric would describe the crossroads and answered accordingly. Then added,
“Was that a Voodoo cultist?”
“……”
My counter-question made the paladin blink in surprise. He glanced at Mun Yo-seop, eyes asking permission. Mun Yo-seop closed and opened his eyes, turning to me.
“Yes. We suspect a Voodoo cultist. Where’d you hear that?”
“Overheard the kids talking. Seong Ha-yeon said crossroads meant Voodoo.”
“Spot on.”
Tap, tap.
Mun Yo-seop drummed his fingers on the desk. The dry sound echoed rhythmically in the silence. He stared down thoughtfully, then inhaled deeply, exhaled, and looked at me. His eyes were eerily empty.
He fixed me with that hollow gaze for a long moment before speaking.
“Truth is, we suspect a Voodoo or Satan accomplice among the Romanica at the museum. No—we’re certain there’s a Voodoo one.”
“……”
“Who do you think it is?”
Mun Yo-seop’s face was expressionless as he asked. I couldn’t pinpoint his intent.
*
Ha Su-yeong sat in the café, sipping a sweet drink to pass the time. She scrolled random videos on her phone or surfed the web aimlessly. But even that grew boring, so she watched passersby out the window.
Do Seon-woo, who’d said he’d be quick, hadn’t returned after an hour. She wanted to ditch him and wander freely, but that’d probably get her dragged home. Not that she was scared of him. Well… maybe a little.
Ding-a-ling!
Someone entered the café. Thinking it was Do Seon-woo, Ha Su-yeong turned. It wasn’t.
But a familiar face.
“One Americano, and…”
Seong Ha-yeon. Daughter of Seong Yu-da, prime suspect in the Holy War. Ha Su-yeong knew of her. She’d researched the war and Romanica Church personally for a while, and after learning Do Seon-woo attended Florence, she’d looked up its notables too.
Seong Ha-yeong ordered a drink and cake, sat, and read a book. English title—couldn’t make it out. When her order arrived, she closed the book, opened her laptop, and typed busily.
Ha Su-yeong wondered what she was doing. Pure curiosity. But the angle hid the screen.
Pretending to head to the bathroom, she tried to peek.
“……”
Their eyes met. Ha Su-yeong averted hers and hurried into the restroom. Her heart raced.
She lingered a few minutes, washed her hands pointlessly, and emerged. Eye contact was unexpected, but acting natural should defuse it.
“Eek! W-what the—?!”
But opening the door, she yelped and stumbled back, nearly falling. Her already pounding heart felt ready to burst.
Seong Ha-yeong waited outside, frowning.
“What?”
Arms crossed, Seong Ha-yeong scanned her up and down.
(To be continued next chapter)