Chapter 263 "Cult Leader, I'm Truly Sorry, But..."
At that moment, someone interrupted my voice. It was none other than Yun Chang-su from the Gangwon Diocese.
The man who never cut off not just my words, but those of any executive, no matter what.
The fact that he had interrupted me meant his words were that urgent.
"Yes, please continue."
"...I just can't understand what you mean by fairly acquiring the Ark."
"Executive Yun Chang-su. You don't need to doubt the Cult Leader that much. He must have a plan in mind for saying something like that."
No sooner had Executive Yun Chang-su finished speaking than Yuk Eun-hyeong chimed in. It was a tone meant to calm the somewhat agitated man.
Meanwhile, I quietly met Yun Chang-su's gaze. He was an old man who had just passed eighty. Yet the light in his eyes burned with a fervor that outshone any young person's.
Seeing that gaze, I understood Yun Chang-su's true intent. He wasn't doubting my plan. He simply sought certainty.
A rock-solid certainty that we could make Noah's Ark ours, without a shred of doubt.
"On the surface, Noah's Ark is owned by the Papal Office. But in reality..."
"Seong Yu-da."
Once again, it was Yun Chang-su who cut me off. He stared at me blankly, blinking his eyes. He looked like a man lost in a daze, but that wasn't it. Yun Chang-su was dredging up and chewing over a distant memory from long ago.
"No, Noah... Since it's Noah's Ark, the Ark naturally belongs to Noah. But Noah can't leave the Ark. The only human who can contact Noah is Seong Yu-da."
Yun Chang-su muttered. I held my breath and listened to him.
Yun Chang-su knew a great deal about Noah's Ark. After staring into empty space with unfocused eyes for a long while, a spark suddenly lit in his pupils.
With those shining eyes fixed on me, he continued. "I... participated in building Noah's Ark. As a carpenter."
"Ah... I didn't know."
"My dream was to visit the Ark again before I died."
I gazed steadily at Yun Chang-su. Never before had such a radiant glow filled his eyes.
Asking Seong Yu-da for the location of Noah's Ark had originally been to secure a place for Yuk Eun-hyeong's mercenary band to stay. The Ark was deep in undeveloped mountains, its location unknown even to the Papal Office. It was perfect as a base since we could train there too.
And if it also fulfilled Yun Chang-su's lifelong wish... that was even better for me.
I nodded and opened my mouth. "Yes, Executive Yun Chang-su. You will definitely visit it before you die. I've made contact with Seong Yu-da and succeeded in establishing some kind of superior-subordinate relationship with him. Probably—"
"What?"
Then, my uncle cut in, severing my words. I continued without minding.
"...Probably, we'll be able to visit the Ark soon."
"Ah...!"
Yun Chang-su let out a cry of感動. Meanwhile, I observed my uncle's expression. He was looking at me with clear displeasure.
I knew why. It must be because of my words about succeeding in creating a superior-subordinate relationship with Seong Yu-da.
I had never told my uncle that I'd contacted Seong Yu-da.
"I'll explain the details once the plan progresses a bit more."
I stood from my seat and continued. "Then, we'll wrap up the first agenda item like this... After a 10-minute break, we'll hold the memorial for Second Cult Leader Do Myeong-jun in the plaza in front of the Worship Hall."
*
"What was that just now? How did you meet that bastard Seong Yu-da?"
Right after the executive meeting ended, while the other executives went off to smoke or get some air for their break, my uncle approached me and asked.
I'd expected it, but his first words were already aggressive.
My uncle hated Seong Yu-da with a passion. No, to be precise, he hated him enough to want to kill him.
"Seong Yu-da's daughter is at Florence. I made contact with her first, and things connected from there."
"Then, does that guy know you're the Cult Leader?"
"He knows."
I said it nonchalantly. My uncle put a hand to his forehead in disbelief and let out a deep sigh.
"How can you be so carefree? What if he reports you to the Papal Office?"
"He won't. I have his daughter as a hostage."
My uncle fell silent for a moment after hearing that. After staring at me for a while, he frowned in displeasure and spoke.
"What, did you threaten him? Like, 'If you report, I'll kill your daughter'?"
"Yeah."
"...Can you really kill her?"
I thought about it quietly. Could I truly harm Seong Ha-yeon?
Could I use her to the fullest, keep her as a tool to bind Seong Yu-da until the end, and when she lost her value, discard her like an object and kill her?
I could do it, but it wouldn't be easy.
If the question was whether I wanted to kill her, then no, I didn't particularly.
I shook my head. "...Whether I can really kill her or not isn't the point. The important thing is that I have leverage to bind Seong Yu-da."
"You think he doesn't know that?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"He knows you're bluffing with his daughter as leverage to bind him, even though you can't really kill her. You think he's that stupid? That guy's sharper than you think."
My uncle continued in an agitated voice. "Your father-in-law... no, your dad! That bastard killed him with his own hands. Pretending to be friends, smiling slyly, then suddenly stabbing him in the back, starting the Holy War, slaughtering the followers, and even throwing your mom in prison."
"...The situation's different now from back then..."
"How is it different?"
"Seong Yu-da has a daughter now..."
"You think he had no family back then? He did. Your mom and dad were too soft, so he knew they wouldn't harm his family no matter what. That's why he brazenly started the Holy War and killed your dad."
That was true. Seong Yu-da already had a history of betraying his father once.
The first betrayal is the hardest; after that, it's easy.
Maybe Seong Yu-da really would betray me and report to the Papal Office.
Just like he'd betrayed his father.
"That bastard... He goes weak in the knees for anything from the Papal Office. You said earlier you formed a superior-subordinate relationship with him? I don't buy it. You're just exposing your back to him right now."
"..."
"If you don't want to get stabbed in the back and burn to death like your dad, watch yourself. Best not to get too entangled with him."
My uncle walked toward the plaza for my father's memorial as he spoke. "Or make up your mind to really kill that bastard's daughter."
With that, he left the Worship Hall of the Chungcheong Diocese.
I was left alone in the Worship Hall.
I considered heading to the plaza early, but right now, I didn't feel like it.
There were still about three minutes until the memorial.
I could rest a bit more before going.
[Seong Yu-da will never betray you. I guarantee it!]
Then, Baron Samedi's voice rang out. He cackled as he continued. [I get Lee Jin-seong's feelings. He probably can't ever trust Seong Yu-da.]
[Yes. Either way, you must make a choice.]
Legba's voice followed.
I couldn't tell what choice Legba meant. Did I have to choose between Seong Yu-da and my uncle?
I'd choose my uncle without asking. I'd only approached Seong Yu-da to use him in the first place.
Because he had my father's research data and knew Noah's Ark's location.
[Lee Jin-seong will hate even the fact that you're contacting Seong Yu-da. No, he'll definitely disapprove of you using him at all.]
[Exactly! That's why it's a choice. Only when you have to give up one side can it truly be called a choice.]
Legba and Baron Samedi's voices alternated.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and headed to the plaza.
The 10-minute break had ended, and my father's memorial was about to begin.
*
"We will now hold the memorial for Second Cult Leader Do Myeong-jun."
Seven people stood in the plaza. Me, the Cult Leader; the five executives; and Kang Ji-a from the Seoul Diocese.
We placed a pile of firewood in the center and observed a moment of silence.
Voodoo Cult rituals are usually grander. Gathering countless followers, lighting a fire, singing and dancing, with the Cult Leader summoning the Loa amid the clamor.
That is the origin of "Loa’s Dance," the purest and most powerful way to wield Loa powers today.
But given the circumstances, we couldn't gather all the followers or sing and dance noisily.
So instead of a full ritual, we held a "memorial" to honor my father's death.
As a simplified ceremony, the format was simple.
I walked toward the firewood pile.
"Marinette."
Whoosh!
First, to honor my father, who had become one with the flames, I lit the fire.
In the Voodoo Cult, this is no insult. It is a way to commemorate and acknowledge the deceased's passing.
Next, we burn offerings of things the deceased loved in life, and it's done.
If you have words for the departed, you can speak them while offering; if not, no need.
"..."
Yeom Man-geun of the Jeolla Diocese burned a book in the flames. A novel my father often read.
"I respected you."
Ha Pan-seok of the Chungcheong Diocese burned chocolate. My father didn't drink or smoke. Instead, he always had sweets like candy or chocolate.
"..."
Yuk Eun-hyeong of the Gyeongsang Diocese burned meat. Beef.
"I'll visit soon, so welcome me with a smile."
Yun Chang-su of the Gangwon Diocese burned flowers.
"Let's have a drink. You never bought me one big round in life. At least do it in death."
Lee Jin-seong of the Gyeonggi Diocese. My uncle brought liquor. He filled a glass to the brim and splashed it into the flames.
The fire flared up fiercely. Kang Ji-a assisted from the side.
"..."
Finally, as my father's direct blood kin, I had to offer my blood.
I summoned the Dawn Sword with a restoration spell. I cut my palm lightly and sprinkled my blood into the flames.
The blaze intensified. Marinette's flames reacting to my blood.
With that, the memorial ended.
We continued in silence for a while after.
"Ah, I'm late. Sorry!"
Then, a clear woman's voice pierced the silence from somewhere.
The woman was hurrying toward us with quick steps.
The voice sounded familiar, so I thought it was Ha Su-yeong, but no.
The face of the woman who appeared at the memorial was completely unfamiliar to me.
I glanced around. Judging by the executives' expressions, I wasn't the only one.
Shwick!
I immediately unleashed Voodoo Magic. Dozens of spell circles drew themselves in an instant.
"...Who are you."
One more spell circle, and it would activate. The woman who had intruded on the memorial would lose her reason and become a zombie.
The other executives also unleashed Voodoo Magic, drawing their own spell circles.
Startled by our sudden vigilance, the woman stepped back.
"Ah, uh? Why is everyone like this? I'm, uh...!"
"...Ah."
Then, my uncle Lee Jin-seong let out a gasp as if realizing something.
The woman, who had been stammering without finding her words, finally seemed to remember and spoke up.
"...An executive of the Gyeonggi Diocese!"
(To be continued)