"Sorry. I'm Late."
The flames clinging to the bear went out, revealing his face. It was Kim Bok-dong.
He seemed to be blaming himself for being late, but we were just grateful he'd come at all. Without him, we would've either suffocated slowly on the smoke or been swallowed by the encroaching flames.
Kim Bok-dong strode through the fire, leading the way. At the edge of the blaze stood Ha Ye-jin. Divine power was surging out of her in waves—an astonishing amount. The rain extinguishing the flames looked like it came from a miracle she'd recreated.
"It was scary, right? Hurry and get on! These are good boys! They're not magic beasts!"
Behind her stood two massive dogs. Muzzles covered their mouths, saddles strapped to their backs. A faint glow enveloped their bodies—the light of blessings.
Gu Jun-hyeok tilted his head, opening his mouth.
"Huh? Only two?"
"Oh no! Big trouble! Just a sec—one dog for two people! They're sturdy boys!"
Ha Ye-jin shouted frantically. She was recreating a miracle while simultaneously drawing blessing circles and healing circles with both hands. Dozens of them, at that. No wonder she was frazzled.
Gu Jun-hyeok glanced back and forth between me and Kim Jin-seo.
"Eh, I'll ride alone. Dogs... give me motion sickness."
He flashed an awkward smile and mounted one solo. What a ridiculous excuse. Dog motion sickness? What even was that? And what did it have to do with motion sickness anyway?
But there was no time to think. The flames were spreading on the wind.
Kim Jin-seo and I climbed onto the other dog. Plenty of space.
Once we were all aboard, Ha Ye-jin strode over.
"Good boys, let's head back~"
Woof! As she stroked the dog's scruff with her right hand, they barked in unison, like a reply.
The dogs carried us down the mountain path. Soon, the darkness lifted, and the lights of Florence Academy's courtyard came into view far below. They were incredibly fast, with a smooth ride. Even on this rugged trail, there was barely any jostling.
Rustle.
Kim Jin-seo grabbed my collar from behind. I startled and turned.
She stared back calmly.
"Afraid I'll fall."
"...Who?"
"Me."
She said it like it was obvious, then whipped her head away. The wind whipped her hair across her face, hiding it. The dog kept running, but the ride was so smooth there was no shaking. Maybe she really did have that "dog motion sickness" Gu Jun-hyeok mentioned.
If offering my collar could ease it, I'd give it gladly. Did dog motion sickness even exist?
[Well... since all he learned was half-baked psychology.]
Legba muttered.
But there was no chance to respond—or even a moment to spare. The dogs had already brought us down the mountain to the front of Florence's main building.
They shook themselves violently, like they'd just had a bath. We tumbled off their backs.
Woof! They barked as if bidding us farewell, then raced back the way they'd come. Incredibly fast, as before. They vanished into the darkness.
In front of the stately main building, the three of us just stood there, staring blankly at each other in silence.
Gu Jun-hyeok broke it first.
"What the hell? Now what? They can't seriously expect us to go to class like this—"
Boom.
Something dropped from the sky like a meteor. Gu Jun-hyeok let out an "Oof!" of surprise, cutting himself off.
It was So Do-jin. Black magic beast blood coated his blade. A faint blessing light flowed over his legs. He sheathed his sword.
"No class today. Go home and rest. Come back tomorrow."
"Ooh, sweet."
Gu Jun-hyeok grinned, but So Do-jin's face soured.
"Makeup class instead."
"Ah."
Gu Jun-hyeok sighed. I stared blankly at So Do-jin. He glanced back, our eyes meeting. Those perpetually tired, glazed eyes were unnaturally sharp now. A glint of determination flickered in them.
"Anyway, don't wander. Go straight home. Get caught and it's penalty points."
Boom.
Then So Do-jin was gone. Or rather, he'd shot up the mountain so fast it looked like he'd vanished.
Watching Florence's department heads, I sometimes wondered if they were even human. Kim Bok-dong, Ha Ye-jin, So Do-jin—all of them.
So Do-jin especially caught my eye. The blessing light on him felt... off. Not from a blessing circle, but emanating from inside his body.
I couldn't explain it clearly yet. Just a vague sense that something was different about him.
"Nothing to do at home anyway. Guess the gym it is."
Gu Jun-hyeok shattered the brief silence. Even now, he wasn't serious—just grinning like an idiot.
Kim Jin-seo shot him a look of disbelief.
"Didn't you say no more starting yesterday?"
"C'mon, dude."
Gu Jun-hyeok glared at me with a hurt smile.
"Cut me some slack already! Huh? I helped you out back there."
I couldn't follow their conversation at all. Couldn't grasp the context.
Kim Jin-seo turned to me after hearing him. Her expressionless face gave nothing away.
"...Fine. Just this once."
She nodded faintly.
What had Gu Jun-hyeok helped with? Why was she agreeing? I'd been out of the loop the whole time.
"Talking in their own little world again..."
I muttered, feeling oddly left out.
"So Do-jin! See anything!?"
"Three northeast, one north."
"Their condition?"
"Look fine. Probably don't even know about the fire. You took care of all the magic beasts anyway."
So Do-jin scanned Eden Hill from atop a tree, eyes narrowed. Blessing light shimmered in them.
After surveying for a while, he wobbled, nearly falling from dizziness due to overwork.
"Whew."
He rubbed his temple with a sigh.
"How many evacuated so far?"
"283!"
"Total headcount?"
"287! Just four more and we're all accounted for!"
Kim Bok-dong bellowed from below.
So Do-jin winced.
"Talk quieter. I can hear you fine."
"What?!"
"I said quieter!"
"Got it!!"
Kim Bok-dong showed no sign of lowering his voice. So Do-jin shook his head in resignation, shifting the blessing light from his eyes to his legs.
"I'll go get 'em. Have four dogs ready."
He commanded Ha Ye-jin.
Busy recreating miracles to fight the fire, she scowled.
"Excuse me? Am I your subordinate? Watch your tone."
"...Please have them ready. Thanks."
"Fine. Hurry back."
She grumbled. So Do-jin crouched low, then launched northeast like a spring.
Ha Ye-jin clicked her tongue watching him go. Kim Bok-dong approached.
"Ha Ye-jin. Good work."
"You know it, idiots. Think before you rush in."
"Noted."
He nodded. She huffed, turning away.
When Kim Bok-dong and So Do-jin had barreled straight into Eden Hill without thinking, Ha Ye-jin had immediately gone to the front paladin order at Florence and borrowed their military dogs. Bred large with high blessing affinity. Thanks to them, all students were rescued unharmed, and quickly. That was why the two men couldn't argue with her.
"Speaking of, why no reinforcements from the paladins?"
"You seen them show up on time? Never expected 'em."
"Harsh. Got a former paladin right here."
"So? You're not one anymore."
Kim Bok-dong chuckled sheepishly.
Woof, woof! The military dogs that had carried the students down returned, tongues lolling, panting for praise.
Ha Ye-jin smiled and approached, stroking their scruffs.
"Good boys. Such good boys~"
They rolled onto their backs in the dirt. Bred big, but docile as puppies—except against magic beasts.
Ha Ye-jin startled, trying to right them, but they were too heavy.
"Hey, guys! Up! Come on, up!"
"Dogs are cute."
"Help me! Don't just watch!"
She snapped. Kim Bok-dong finally helped lift them.
"Priests have it rough. Gotta train the dogs too."
Priests, less physically robust than paladins or holy warriors, sometimes fought using livestock with high blessing affinity. The curriculum included personal military dog training.
"Tell me about it. Way more than paladins. All that research too."
"...Please no job bashing."
"Not bashing. Facts~"
She teased. He smiled awkwardly. No comeback—paladins had peaked nine years ago and declined since.
So Do-jin landed behind a brooding Kim Bok-dong, carrying four students—two per arm—like trash bags.
"Urk..."
"Teacher... put us down now..."
They groaned zombie-like, faces pale. So Do-jin handed them to Kim Bok-dong, who loaded the near-fainting kids onto the dogs' backs.
Woof! The dogs bounded down the mountain.
Kim Bok-dong put hands on hips, beaming proudly.
"All 287 accounted for. Fire suppression too—"
"Suppression done. No paladin reinforcements, as expected."
Ha Ye-jin cut in. So Do-jin frowned beside her.
"Seen 'em on time? Never expected any."
"Whoa, I just said that. We sync."
"Yeah? So?"
"Just saying. Your mouth."
She tsked.
"Bird count match?"
So Do-jin tilted his head, pretending to ponder.
"I killed seven. Kim Bok-dong, you?"
"Six."
"Thirteen total. Barn had 21—eight missing."
"Guess the rest are over there."
So Do-jin nodded toward the deep darkness beyond the charred woods.
Without a word, all three headed that way. Wet ash stuck stickily to their feet.
"Eugh."
Ha Ye-jin grimaced at the feel. So Do-jin looked disgusted but hid it. Kim Bok-dong marched on unfazed, accustomed to it.
How far they'd gone, a tower of ash loomed ahead.
So Do-jin halted, frowning, stopping Ha Ye-jin behind him.
"Wait here."
"What? Why!"
"Just."
She grumbled, but he ignored her. Only one reason: like that earlier "corpse tower," this ash pile might be human bodies. He didn't want her puking again.
Kim Bok-dong boldly approached, inspected, then raised a brow.
"Not human. Magic beasts. Lightning got 'em."
Some feathers burned away, revealing red Lichtenberg scars. Lightning deaths.
He counted, examined.
"All seven from lightning. Two... shot?"
Seven lightning, two with heart holes—rifle sniping, probably. Total nine corpses.
"...Nine?"
"Nine? Why nine?"
"Move!"
Whirr! One "dead" bird flapped, trying to rise.
So Do-jin drew his sword. But Kim Bok-dong didn't budge, staring fearfully.
"Taxidermy doll."
Cotton and sawdust spilled from its broken wing. Its milky eye flashed.
Kim Bok-dong clenched his fist, smashing its head without hesitation. Splat. Gears spilled out—the flash source.
He picked it up.
"Same as that incident two years ago."
His eyes trembled in terror, unfocused. Recalling Incheon's horror: dozens of rampaging taxidermies.
Weeee-ooooh!
Late sirens shattered the silence. Paladins had arrived.
(To be continued next time)