Sirens Wailing─!
Wheeeee─! The ambulance siren blared. Onlookers passing by gathered in the park, murmuring among themselves. The once-quiet park erupted into chaos.
"Can you stand? Your leg?"
"Yeah."
I pulled Kim Jin-seo to her feet by the hand. Her leg trembled slightly as she rose unsteadily, but it didn't seem to hinder her from standing or walking. She had remarkable recovery.
"I'll head out first."
While Kim Jin-seo brushed the dirt off her clothes, I prepared to leave.
"Head out? Where?"
"Home. Got school tomorrow."
"The hospital. The holy knights will be here soon. For the investigation."
As she said, holy knights would swarm this place any moment to probe the incident. A demon species appearing smack in the middle of the city wasn't a minor affair. That's why I planned to slip away.
"No pain, so hospital's fine. And I don't wanna deal with the investigation."
"Ah......"
Kim Jin-seo sighed, scanning the scattered ashes around us.
"Just say you took down the demon species alone."
"Lie? Me?"
"Just say it. It's not exactly wrong."
Kim Jin-seo had used a miracle to incinerate the demon's flesh. Claiming she slew it wasn't a lie. There was one reason I'd go this far.
I didn't want to face the holy knights' scrutiny. Tangling with them brought nothing good—especially for me, the Voodoo Cult's Third Leader. I had to avoid them at all costs.
"Please. I trust you. Thanks."
Whyeeee─! The siren grew louder, closing in. I left those words with Kim Jin-seo and bolted from the park. No time for drawn-out goodbyes, so I kept it short and sweet.
Weaving through the crowd, I glanced back. Holy knights were pouring out of the arrived ambulance, peppering Kim Jin-seo with questions. Even amid the frenzy, she answered diligently.
I half-ran until the park was fully out of sight. The night breeze felt cold against my skin. There, Baron Samedi's warning echoed in my mind.
"Watch out for fire."
Kim Jin-seo had recreated a pillar of flame with her miracle. It burned away the demon flesh clinging to me, reducing it to ash. The flames targeted only the demon tissue, leaving me unscathed.
Yet I'd felt searing agony amid the blaze, as if burning alive. Memories of my father, executed by fire seven years ago, had flashed before me. I'd collapsed in tears back then, cursing the ashes as they scattered.
Even after seven years, his death haunted me vividly. Flames still triggered that grief, the pain raw and unrelenting. Emotions don't fade; they simmer endlessly inside.
12 Years Ago: Kim Chang-won and his wife adopt a young girl from an orphanage.
5 Years Ago: Housewife killed by demon species in home invasion.
"Head home and rest today. You look beat."
"Yeah, wiped out."
Right. Trauma isn't something you shake off easily. Oh, and dodging that investigation? Smart move. Rare wisdom from you.
"Skip the 'rare' part."
You do so many foolish things usually. Wise ones are the exception.
We bantered pointlessly on the way home. Thoughts swirled.
Go Jun-min had turned into a demon and died. What did the Satanists want by turning him?
Kim Jin-seo froze in terror at the sight, losing her will to fight. Why did demons scare her so much?
Quite interested in that Kim Jin-seo girl, aren't you? Legba teased.
"Just curious. Not interested."
Same difference. At seventeen, girls are on your mind nonstop. Better keep your distance from her, though.
"Why?"
Keep distance? I couldn't grasp Legba's point. Kim Jin-seo was Florence's chairman's daughter. Purely rationally, she was one person allying with wouldn't hurt.
I'll explain once you're home.
"Aw, can't you just tell me now?"
No. People around.
Legba was firm. Someone approached from the opposite direction. I hurried past toward home. Curiosity quickened my steps.
*
"All CCTV in the area was smashed, so we had to rely on witness statements. Sorry to keep you so late."
"No, it's fine. Investigation over?"
"Yeah, head home. Thanks for cooperating so thoroughly."
Kim Jin-seo exited the holy knight station after the questioning. She was drained.
The demon was Go Jun-min, a Florence classmate. They'd met privately to talk when he suddenly mutated. In the fight, she'd summoned a pillar of flame with a miracle and incinerated it.
She'd recounted every detail to the knights—except anything about Do Seon-woo.
She didn't want to lie to them. But ignoring Do Seon-woo's plea wasn't an option either.
"I trust you."
His voice lingered in her ears. That's why she'd fibbed for him.
Why say something like that?
She grumbled inwardly. He had no idea the mess it'd caused her. Infuriating. Yet not unwelcome. Just... intriguing.
Scared of holy knights?
Do Seon-woo seemed to fear them. No reason unless you're a criminal. Was he? An ex-con? Unlikely—Florence didn't admit those.
Questions piled up. She'd reached home: vast, opulent, palace-like. Years in, it still felt alien.
"I'm back."
She greeted halfheartedly. Her father—and Florence chairman—Kim Chang-won rushed out.
"You're home! You okay? Hurt anywhere?"
"Yeah, fine."
"I panicked when I heard. Contact came outta nowhere. You sure you're alright?"
Kim Chang-won wiped tears. He was soft-hearted.
"Really fine. No big deal."
"Good, then... Still, you must've been shocked. Go rest. Getting old means more tears—sorry."
"It's okay."
Kim Jin-seo smiled faintly. Go Jun-min stalking and trying to kill her as a demon. The exhausting interrogation. She boiled it all down to "no big deal."
She knew how to fake being fine.
Heading to her room, she paused.
"Um... Dad."
Still awkward calling him that. No clue when it'd feel natural.
"Yeah?"
"That kid who got the commendation with me. Do Seon-woo, right?"
She feigned uncertainty despite remembering his name perfectly.
"Any special notes on admission or anything?"
He'd botched basic healing in practice yet reattached her finger effortlessly. Absorbed pain from thirty people without flinching. Took down the demon while she was out.
Do Seon-woo hid too many oddities. Like concealing his true skill. Impenetrable.
"Do Seon-woo. Do Seon-woo."
Kim Chang-won stroked his chin, vaguely recalling. Then his eyes widened.
"Ah! That student. Special admission."
"Special?"
"Child of a martyr priest who died in the Holy War. On his mother's side."
"Ah......"
Kim Jin-seo sighed. Her head rang like a hammer blow.
"Low entrance scores worried me. Hoped he wouldn't get discouraged. But the commendation eased my mind."
She nodded faintly.
"Why the sudden interest? Did he do something?"
"No, no. Just curious."
"Ask anything else. Even small stuff."
Kim Chang-won seemed eager for more talk.
"I'm good. Heading in."
But she ended it and retreated. Head spinning, and the awkwardness lingered. She was still clumsy with father-daughter chats.
Flopping onto bed, her gaze fell on the bracelet on her left wrist. A crude weave of pale yellow cord, fraying like it'd snap anytime. From her biological mother, face long forgotten.
So that's it.
Do Seon-woo's mom died in the Holy War. Explained his holy knight phobia. Probably why he hid his skills at school too.
"Tough life, huh."
She murmured to empty air.
*
11-Year-Old Elementary Student Performs Miracle, Slays Magical Beast. All Praise Her Talent and Courage. Name: Kim Jin-seo.
That's the 12-year-old article. Related one's from 5 years ago. Just wiggle a finger these days, and info flows like soju. Convenient.
Back home, Legba showed me two articles: Kim Chang-won couple adopting a girl 12 years back, and a housewife slain by a demon 5 years ago.
Kim Chang-won adopted Kim Jin-seo 12 years ago. The slain housewife was her adoptive mom. Not biological, but still.
Shocking stuff.
"When'd you dig this up?"
Baron Samedi spilled. He hoards useless trivia like a maniac.
"Why's he always background-checking folks?"
Beats me. Gloomy creep.
Legba badmouthed Baron Samedi. They got along... sort of, but not really.
"Anyway, so what? What am I supposed to do?"
Combining the articles and Legba's words: Kim Jin-seo grew up in an orphanage; her adoptive mom died to a demon. Explained her demon phobia. But no reason to avoid her.
"Not 'cause she's an orphan, right?"
Partly. But not just that.
"Kinda harsh, but I'm an orphan too."
That's why it's not just that.
"Okay, spill."
Legba cleared his throat gruffly, annoyed.
Check the one below. 6 years ago.
I scanned it. A year before her adoptive mom's death. An 11-year-old girl performs a miracle, slays a magical beast. Everyone lauded her talent and bravery. Kim Jin-seo.
One year later, Satanists terrified of her gift raid her home. She wasn't there. Her adoptive mom died in her place.
That was the full story.
"Genius. Miracle at 11."
Tremendous talent.
A miracle was divine power's pinnacle. Some first cast it at 30; others never. She did it at 11. God-given prodigy.
But that gift turned poison in the end.
Her mom's death stemmed from it. No talent, no Satanist interest, no tragedy.
But something nagged.
"......Why no miracle back then?"
She'd used one at 11 on a beast. Could now too—stronger even. But when the barn's dogs turned magical beasts, no miracle. If she'd unleashed it, cleared the mess fast, I wouldn't have passed out from Granbwa's power.
That's why avoid her. She's hiding her true strength.
"True strength? Why?"
Figures if her talent spreads, family risks return.
"Ah."
At 11, miracle vs. beast. Now 17, miracle vs. demon. Overwhelming. Satanists hearing it'd raid again—her brilliance threatened their whole cult. She'd hide to protect Kim Chang-won too.
Too many secrets. Even close, she'd conceal, deceive. Never open up.
"So, avoid?"
Yes. Don't tangle at all.
Legba was adamant.
"No need to go that far."
No need to get close. Hang with shady types, trouble follows.
"Still, not worth dodging entirely."
She'd never show her full power. Even friends, she'd hide, maybe lie—for family safety. But I hid too: Voodoo Leader, voodoo magic wielder.
Once close, no turning back. Stay distant. Best that way.
"Eh, still."
Why help her despite ignoring me? Just 'cause she's pretty? Don't fall for looks. Foolish.
Legba hurled barbs nonstop. She was pretty. But that wasn't it. I didn't help for shallow reasons.
"Not the looks."
Then?
"Just... she seems to have it rough too."
Pity? Empathy? Vague, hard to pin.
Kinship, more like.
"Oh, yeah, that fits."
Do what you want. You'll deal with the hassle.
Legba sounded grumpy, piqued.
(To be continued in the next installment)