The Ark Forged in Compromise
Seong Yu-da skipped work for several days under the pretext of taking a vacation. Ever since becoming a heresy inquisitor, he hadn't missed a single day, so no one tried to stop him. Around that time, rumors circulated among the clergy that Seong Yu-da would soon be promoted from archbishop to cardinal.
After lounging at home for a few days, his body started itching with restlessness, and out of habit, Seong Yu-da wandered into his research lab. He stared at the materials he'd compiled over the years. There were plenty on divine power, blessings, and miracles, but far more on Voodoo Cult practices and spells.
"……."
All of it had been researched for Yi Se-hwa's sake, so he no longer needed any of it. Seong Yu-da considered shredding it all and burning it. But the time invested felt too precious to waste. The Voodoo Cult and spell research, at least, seemed like it might prove useful someday.
During his vacation, he finally met the woman his Purification Clan had selected as his marriage prospect—a meeting he'd kept postponing. Seong Yu-da prided himself on distinguishing good people from those pretending to be good, and she was genuinely kind. But he wasn't drawn to her. More precisely, it didn't feel right. He realized his feelings for Yi Se-hwa weren't fully sorted out yet.
Seeing Yi Se-hwa made his heart race with excitement and longing, but also stir with anger and resentment. It was an emotion too complex for words like "love" or "affection." Those lingering feelings for her still burned inside him. He believed he needed to resolve them completely before meeting anyone else. It was only respectful to the woman chosen as his fiancée.
His clan kept pressing him to marry, but Seong Yu-da asked for a little more time and put it off.
"Yu-da sunbae."
He ran into Yi Se-hwa when the table they'd smashed during their three-way confrontation still hadn't been replaced. Last time, she'd been with Do Myeong-jun, but this time she was alone. Seong Yu-da's face hardened. Staring at her with bloodshot eyes, he spoke.
"……What are you doing here?"
"I have a favor to ask."
Yi Se-hwa sat across from him. She stared at him silently for a moment. Seong Yu-da met her gaze. Her slender eyes were as alluring as ever, but the light in them seemed subtly different—stronger, more resolute.
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. It felt like he was seeing someone other than Yi Se-hwa peering out from behind those eyes. She looked straight at him and continued.
"Sunbae Myeong-jun……needs your help."
Yi Se-hwa explained. Do Myeong-jun wanted to create something, and he absolutely needed Seong Yu-da's assistance. Do Myeong-jun believed Voodoo and Romanica shared the same roots, and that combining spells and divine power could produce something new and unique. Her explanation was long-winded, but to Seong Yu-da, it just sounded like a proposal to develop a new holy relic—fusing spells and divine power.
"I know it's shameless. But……."
"Where's Do Myeong-jun?"
Seong Yu-da cut her off without hearing the end.
"If he has something to say, tell him to come himself."
"……."
Yi Se-hwa rose quietly and left the office. The moment she did, Do Myeong-jun walked in. He'd clearly sent her ahead and eavesdropped from outside.
"You sneaky bastard."
"I figured you'd punch me if I came first."
Thwack!
The words barely left Do Myeong-jun's mouth before Seong Yu-da's fist flew. Blood gushed from Do Myeong-jun's nose. He immediately unleashed voodoo magic, drawing something in the air. It resembled a blessing circle but was different—a spell circle. Mist enveloped his face, staunching the bleeding.
"Yeah, I deserved that. Should've just come in first."
Do Myeong-jun grinned. Seong Yu-da stared at him blankly.
"……Hah, you lunatic. Haven't changed a bit."
"People don't change easily."
"So, you need my help?"
"Yeah."
Do Myeong-jun nodded. Seong Yu-da asked what he was trying to build. Do Myeong-jun launched into his explanation as if he'd been waiting.
What he envisioned was a massive "place"—one that could store someone's memories, show them to others, and even create entirely new experiences no one had ever had. To build it, he needed Seong Yu-da's help—specifically, his capital, Purification blessings, and approval from the Romanica Papal Court.
"……You know the Voodoo Cult's in a rough spot these days," Do Myeong-jun said. Recent crimes by extremist factions had eroded their solid position. Asking Seong Yu-da was a calculated move: a joint project would dodge scrutiny from the Papal Court and other Romanica forces. Do Myeong-jun laid it all out honestly.
"Fine, I'll help."
Seong Yu-da nodded after hearing him out. Before joy could spread across Do Myeong-jun's face, he continued.
"But inventors listed jointly. Papers and such, I get first authorship."
"……."
"Name it 'Noah's Ark.' Final ownership under Romanica. Agree to all that, and I'll help."
In truth, Do Myeong-jun would handle the ideas and invention, so joint credit was fair enough. But giving Seong Yu-da first authorship and Romanica ownership was outrageously unequal and dehumanizing. Seong Yu-da knew it. He'd made the absurd demand hoping Do Myeong-jun would refuse.
Do Myeong-jun stared at him, then let out a disbelieving chuckle.
"What? That's it?"
"……."
Against Seong Yu-da's expectations, Do Myeong-jun accepted with surprising ease.
*
Building the "Ark" was effortless for Seong Yu-da. Do Myeong-jun and the Voodooists handled nearly everything. He just provided funds and divine power. His real role was shielding the project from Papal Court and Romanica pressures.
Apart from occasional site visits, he threw himself back into heresy inquisitor duties. Before long, the Ark neared completion.
"Yu-da sunbae."
"……Ah, Se-hwa."
During a completion celebration visit, Yi Se-hwa approached and spoke to him. After calling his name, she said nothing more—just stared. Seong Yu-da glanced at the Voodooists gathered below the finished Ark. Centered around Do Myeong-jun, their faces shone with emotion. Chuckling softly, he spoke.
"……I still remember what you said back then."
"What do you mean?"
Yi Se-hwa asked back. Come to think of it, she'd lost most memories of that day. No reason she should recall it.
"Never mind."
Seong Yu-da shook his head. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if the three of them just met up occasionally like this. He looked at Do Myeong-jun. He'd thought his friend had changed, causing the rift between them and Yi Se-hwa. But Do Myeong-jun's beaming smile at the completed Ark was just like their childhood selves.
Maybe it wasn't Do Myeong-jun who'd changed—it was him. A few months ago, seeing Do Myeong-jun choked him with rage, his body trembling. Now, nothing. The boiling frustration and heartache Yi Se-hwa once stirred? Gone. Truly, utterly indifferent now.
"……It came together fast."
"Yeah. Faster than expected."
Yi Se-hwa nodded in agreement. She meant the Ark's completion; he meant forgiveness.
*
All papers and research on the Ark ended up with Seong Yu-da. They focused on memory manipulation spells—implanting or reading them. Useless to him without spellcasting ability, but he kept them anyway, as Do Myeong-jun wanted.
Using Do Myeong-jun's materials, Seong Yu-da expelled the Satan Cult executive "Greed" and developed a new application for "Adonai's Blessing." For this, he earned the title of youngest cardinal ever.
Around then, he married his clan's chosen partner. When he heard Yi Se-hwa had married Do Myeong-jun and was pregnant, he felt surprisingly little—shocking himself. Soon after, he had a child of his own, named Ha-yeon. She had albinism.
That year, the papal election—Conclave—took place. As a cardinal, Seong Yu-da had a vote, and his supported candidate became pope.
The next year, the new pope met Voodoo Cult Leader Do Myeong-jun. Then, he summoned Seong Yu-da to the Papal Court.
"Yes, Your Holiness. You called for me?"
Seong Yu-da knelt on one knee before the pope, showing respect. He felt no tension even here. The pope gained nothing from antagonizing the Purification Clan, nor did they with him. Theirs was mutual respect, not obligation.
"Cardinal Seong Yu-da. I summoned you because……."
The pope continued, sweating coldly, hands trembling.
"We're launching a holy war against the Voodoo Cult. I want you to lead it."
"……."
Seong Yu-da couldn't respond easily to the sudden request. Holy war. War. The pope uttered the terrifying words too casually. Against the Voodoo Cult, no less—whose leader was Do Myeong-jun. Leading it meant facing his friend inevitably.
"I'm sorry."
Head bowed, Seong Yu-da refused. Even without Do Myeong-jun, he would've. War was never right.
The pope cleared his throat awkwardly.
"You know some cardinals resent me."
"……."
"……Above all, that man Do Myeong-jun……."
The pope shuddered. One of his seven guard captains approached to calm him, but he waved it off.
"He's an existence we can't tolerate. You understand."
"……I'm sorry."
Seong Yu-da rose and left. He understood the pope's reputation as the "worst, only elected without Purification Clan backing," clinging to papal power. But the Voodoo leader was Do Myeong-jun, the prophet Yi Se-hwa. He didn't want to face them in war.
"I have a child. I want no part in this."
Above all, because of Seong Ha-yeon, he wanted nothing to do with war.
Leaving the Papal Court, Seong Yu-da felt piercing stares from the pope and guards on his back. But he never looked back.
The year Seong Ha-yeon turned two, public outrage against the Voodoo Cult surged. Rumors spread of human sacrifices, cannibalism, even burning people alive. Anti-Voodoo groups formed, protesting for expulsion or heresy designation.
Voodooists fought back with counter-protests, escalating to violence.
- One paladin killed during suppression, drawing public sympathy…….
"……."
A paladin died quelling the protests. Backlash intensified; rumors became "fact." Do Myeong-jun was at the center—accused of drinking human blood, zombifying innocents as slaves, brainwashing, eating live snakes, orgies, spreading disease. People called him a demon.
Seong Yu-da denied it. The Do Myeong-jun he knew wasn't a demon. Sure, he had flaws, obsessively fixated on research like a mad genius, but he had a pure soul worthy of respect.
Yet media and public painted him as pure evil.
Seong Yu-da tried contacting him for the truth, but got no response.
The year Seong Ha-yeon turned five.
"Cardinal Seong Yu-da……! Ha, Ha-yeon’s been kidnapped……!"
"……What?"
Seong Ha-yeon had been abducted.
(To be continued)