Legba's Refusal
Lee Se-hwa and Seong Yu-da searched everywhere Do Myeong-jun might be. The first place they checked was his house. They'd visited often back in the day, so they knew the location.
His home was always empty. Do Myeong-jun had no siblings, and his only parent was his father, the Voodoo Cult Leader, who spent all day at the worship hall and never came home. That loneliness was his excuse to invite the two of them over constantly.
"……Looks like no one's home."
Standing in front of the house, Lee Se-hwa said without even pressing the doorbell. Seong Yu-da nodded quietly in agreement. It definitely seemed empty. The windows, always spotless, were shattered.
Do Myeong-jun used to bring Lee Se-hwa and Seong Yu-da to his house and just stare out those windows, doing nothing. It's like watching a moving painting, he'd say. There was no way he'd leave a broken window like that.
Seong Yu-da rang the doorbell just in case, but no one answered. He started to press it again but stopped. It was pointless anyway.
"If he's not home, he'll be at the worship hall."
Seong Yu-da said, gazing up at the broken window. Sunlight glinted off the jagged edges. Up close, spiderwebs draped the cracks. The window had been left broken for weeks.
"The worship hall? Do you know where it is?"
"I'll find out."
As far as Seong Yu-da knew, the Voodoo Cult's worship hall was midway up some mountain. He'd gone there once as a child with Do Myeong-jun. He still remembered nearly tumbling down the treacherous path several times. But which mountain? He couldn't recall.
He pulled out his phone and called someone—the de facto head of the Purification Clan, an elderly heretic inquisitor who had known the first Voodoo Cult Leader. A distant relative, like a cousin, so Seong Yu-da could call casually. The man had even asked him to call more often.
"Yes, I hope you're doing well. I have a question, so I thought I'd call."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Seong Yu-da got to the point. When he asked about the Voodoo worship hall's location, the man gladly told him. Seong Yu-da thanked him and hung up. Not only did he learn the mountain's name—the one he'd suspected—but also the exact route there.
"Let's go."
Seong Yu-da led Lee Se-hwa toward the mountain where the worship hall—and hopefully Do Myeong-jun—was. It was too far to walk, so he'd driven. At red lights, he'd glance at her in the passenger seat. He couldn't read her expression from her profile, but he could guess her thoughts.
Rain started falling on the way. At first, just a few drops, but it quickly turned into a downpour. The wind howled, and thunder rumbled occasionally. Sensitive to noise since childhood, Lee Se-hwa flinched at every boom.
She stared at the wipers swishing back and forth, then spoke.
"Got an umbrella?"
"Probably in the car. But I think there's only one."
"We can share it."
Lee Se-hwa said matter-of-factly.
"……Yeah. That works."
Seong Yu-da tried to match her casual tone.
They soon reached the mountain with the worship hall. The rain hadn't let up. It was cold enough for sleet, but the snow melted on contact with the ground.
Seong Yu-da parked anywhere at the base and shared the umbrella with Lee Se-hwa as they hiked up. The path had seemed brutal as a kid, but as an adult, it wasn't so bad—flat compared to others. Holy Knights trained on worse terrain rescuing stranded hikers or scaling cliffs, so this was like flat ground to him.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Lee Se-hwa slipped beside him. Her thick clothes prevented injury, but her outer layer tore slightly. Seong Yu-da shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her. Her eyes widened at the unexpected kindness.
"I'm fine. You'll get cold—keep it on."
"This isn't enough to bother me."
"Acting tough. Anyway, thanks."
Lee Se-hwa chuckled. She'd been shivering earlier from the cold, but now she stopped.
Seong Yu-da tilted the umbrella more toward her and kept climbing. But no matter how far they went, the worship hall didn't appear. It had always been deep in the mountain, but the rain made it feel farther.
Then a rusty bench caught his eye—meant for hikers, long abandoned. He glanced at Lee Se-hwa. She looked exhausted.
"Let's rest."
"Sure."
She replied eagerly. She moved to sit but hesitated at the soaked seat. Seong Yu-da plopped down without care.
"Eww, your butt's gonna get soaked. Isn't it cold?"
"Not really. And I'm drenched anyway."
"Fair enough."
Lee Se-hwa pondered briefly, nodded, and sat. She was soaked enough already, and too tired to care. The rain pounded on, but higher up, snow mixed in more than rain—a small mercy.
Seong Yu-da stared at her under the umbrella and spoke.
"You use formal speech with everyone."
It had just occurred to him. Lee Se-hwa used it with Do Myeong-jun and him, even her friends. He'd never seen her speak casually to anyone. Hard to imagine.
She nodded.
"Yeah, seems like it."
"Even with me and Myeong-jun…… Do Myeong-jun. We told you to drop it a few times."
"Hmm…… Formal just feels more comfortable."
"Why?"
"Not sure exactly…… I guess I want some distance from everyone. Does that disappoint you, sunbae?"
"Not disappointed. So, is there anyone you drop it with?"
"Maybe a dongsaeng?"
Come to think of it, she had a younger brother. Lee Jin-seong, was it? He'd seen him once in high school, never since.
"How's your brother these days?"
"Doesn't do much. No interest in Romanica…… I tell him to get a part-time job, but he ignores me. Just begs me for allowance."
"That's pretty casual now."
Seong Yu-da pointed out. Lee Se-hwa reflected, then smiled.
"Guess you're comfortable, sunbae. I mix it up sometimes."
Seong Yu-da gazed at her smile, then stood. She followed. They resumed toward the worship hall. Cold again, she clutched his jacket tight and huddled under the umbrella. Unknowingly, he gripped it harder.
"Does the Purification Clan still arrange marriages?"
Lee Se-hwa asked, peering up from nearly in his arms.
"Yeah."
"So you have one arranged too."
"Probably."
Seong Yu-da answered vaguely. Truth was, yes—and he knew who. They'd even met. But he didn't want to tell her.
She looked a bit sad.
"We won't be able to meet like this then. Myeong-jun sunbae is already drifting away."
"……We'll still meet sometimes. Keep in touch."
"Really? I want the three of us to stay together even then."
They probably couldn't keep seeing Do Myeong-jun. He'd become the Voodoo Cult Leader. Seong Yu-da and Lee Se-hwa would cross paths as fellow Romanica clergy, but with him? Those ties would fade over time. Even their memories would wear away.
But Seong Yu-da didn't voice it. He just walked silently.
As the flat path grew steeper and snow overtook the rain, the worship hall appeared abruptly.
Seong Yu-da and Lee Se-hwa stared up at the Voodoo worship hall in silence. It was larger than expected—several times bigger than in his childhood memories. Snow blanketed the nearly flat roof. A gust sent it cascading down.
"……Let's go in."
Seong Yu-da broke the silence. He headed for the main door, swallowing hard. No signs of life inside, yet he felt certain Do Myeong-jun was there.
He knocked twice, then pushed the unlocked door open.
"……Myeong-jun sunbae?"
Lee Se-hwa called, scanning the interior. Her voice echoed in the empty space.
The worship hall was silent and dark, its high ceiling thick with suspicious purple mist creeping about.
They ventured deeper. Even cautious steps echoed unnaturally loud.
At the far end was a half-open door, purple mist seeping out. The ceiling fog must have come from there.
"……Se-hwa, let's go back."
A sudden dread hit Seong Yu-da. He turned to lead her out—but she was gone. She'd already reached the misty door.
He rushed to stop her, but too late. As if entranced, she opened it.
"……."
Purple mist filled the room. Beyond it, a kneeling shadow. Seong Yu-da knew instantly: Do Myeong-jun.
He knelt before flickering purple candles, muttering nonstop.
Whoosh. A gust snuffed them all. Do Myeong-jun whipped around, eyes bulging at them. Blood streamed from them, dripping to the floor.
"Why are you……!"
"Huh……?"
Drip.
Before he finished, Lee Se-hwa touched her face in confusion. Blood poured from her eyes and ears. Soon her face was covered. She collapsed.
Seong Yu-da gaped, looking between them, uncomprehending.
"Huh? W-wait. Sunbae, where are you? Yu-da sunbae. Myeong-jun sunbae, where……!"
"Se-hwa! Lee Se-hwa!"
"Ah, aaaaaah─!"
She screamed, clutching her ears. Seong Yu-da hugged her desperately as she thrashed and shrieked.
The mist swirled chaotically. Wind howled; the ground shook. Thunder crashed outside.
"Ah, ah……."
Do Myeong-jun, approaching her, collapsed to his knees. He bowed repeatedly to the extinguished candles, slamming his forehead into the floor. Blood smeared from it.
One candle flickered back to life—but its flame wavered precariously.
"Ah, Legba! Legba, please listen. It's not her. Not her…… Please, Legba!"
Do Myeong-jun pleaded with the candle. A mad smile flickered on his lips. His bloodshot eyes gleamed with insanity.
He drew a dagger from somewhere and slashed his palm, dripping blood onto the flame. It fed weakly, barely glowing.
"She's got nothing to do with it, really nothing……."
He clenched his fist, letting blood pour as he muttered. Then despair twisted his face. He tore at his hair, buried his face in the floor, and sobbed.
The candle had gone out again.
Drip, drip.
Tears and blood from Do Myeong-jun and Lee Se-hwa pattered on the floor. As the mist cleared, her screams and his sobs echoed from the room. Outside, thunder rolled on.
(To be continued in the next chapter)