Charity Holy Mark Re-election
Jeong In-ah, aspiring priestess, had analyzed Seong Yu-da's blessing circle and submitted a report, which So Do-jin had praised highly. It was a natural outcome, given how well she handled blessing circles to begin with—especially in theory.
"……Ah."
Jeong In-ah, in the middle of bragging away, let out a sigh and fell silent. Her gaze had shifted to the back door. Her expression was frozen in a mix of surprise and awkward bewilderment. I followed her eyes to the back door.
Bang!
In that instant, a thunderous boom erupted, like a bomb had dropped. Of course, it wasn't an actual bomb. Someone had kicked the back door open. I couldn't tell who it was. Jeong In-ah stared wide-eyed at the door for a moment before turning her gaze to me.
"……What was that? Was someone at the back door?"
I met her eyes and spoke. They clearly showed her fluster, but there was also a hint of composure. She glanced at me slyly, then smiled faintly.
"Who knows? There was no one there…… What's with the sudden noise?"
Her pupils trembled ever so slightly. A sign she was lying. There had been someone at the back door. But since I had no way of knowing who—or any need to—I let it slide without comment.
"……Do Seon-woo, you wouldn't happen to—"
Creak! Just as Jeong In-ah started to ask me something, the front door opened and Ha Ye-jin entered. The students, who had been chatting amiably, scattered back to their seats. Ha Ye-jin strode to the lectern with slightly flushed cheeks. Her expression carried a grave determination.
"Alright, everyone. Hope you all had a great weekend. We have an important announcement today."
She picked up the chalk and wrote '3/31' on the blackboard. March 31st. Two days from now.
"We've been hearing 'soon, soon,' but no clear date, right? It's been frustrating. March 31st—this Wednesday!"
Ha Ye-jin set down the chalk and flashed a bright smile.
"The Charity Holy Mark re-election exam will be held!"
Re-election exam. The one that had been postponed repeatedly due to various issues was finally happening—in two days. It wasn't so tight there was no time to prepare, but it wasn't generous either. I'd need to start cramming right after school today—or better yet, right now.
"Some of you might have heard, but you can use holy relics freely. The exam details are secret until the day!"
Ha Ye-jin's face darkened slightly as she explained enthusiastically. Her smile remained, but it felt a shade duller than before.
"Students selected as the Charity Holy Mark must donate to the Florence Foundation. Of course, that's not for you all to worry about. If anyone wants to participate, talk to your parents."
She hesitated, lips twitching awkwardly, before forcing the words out. She must have felt bad bringing up money in front of the students. A few bit their lips or furrowed their brows at the mention of donations—negative reactions all around.
The donation required for Charity Holy Mark selection was astronomically huge. No matter how skilled you were, without the funds, you couldn't be chosen. That was the nature of the Charity Holy Mark. It was called "noble" or "old baggage" for exactly this reason.
Look at it: it's not people rolling money—it's money rolling people.
Legba said with a sigh. I nodded faintly. No matter how skilled you were, without money, selection was impossible. The process was unfair and cruel. But unfair didn't mean unreasonable.
Florence had vast grounds, top-tier faculty, and high educational quality. Just paying the teachers' salaries must cost a fortune. Government and Romanica Church support alone couldn't cover it. That's why they filled the gap through the Charity Holy Mark position. Win-win: students got student council spots for money, and the school got the funds.
Of course, for less affluent students, it remained unfair. Rational didn't equate to just.
It's convenient for you, though.
And right now, I had the leeway to cover that donation. I wouldn't state exact figures, but I could pay double Florence's requirement without issue. Thanks to the assets seized from Han Su-yeop before.
So the issue wasn't money—it was skill. No skill, no Charity Holy Mark, no matter the cash. Even the expelled Bae Seong-hyeon had superior ability to most students.
"……."
I glanced at the ring on my left pinky. My blessing skills lagged behind others, but my voodoo prowess was unmatched. If voodoo was allowed in the re-election exam, I'd claim first place regardless of the content. I was confident.
*
School ended without incident. The most notable things were Jeong In-ah being unusually chatty and Gu Jun-hyeok unusually quiet. It was as if Jeong In-ah had stolen his words. Maybe she was in a good mood and he wasn't. No need to overthink it.
Right after dismissal, I headed to the worship hall and prepared to leave. Destination: Seoul East Knight Command. I'd gotten a text at lunch about investigating the fire.
"I'll accompany you."
I'd planned to go alone, but Kang Ji-a insisted vehemently.
"Just stay here. I can go by myself."
"Didn't the text request a guardian accompany you?"
I checked the message again. It mentioned guardian accompaniment, but it wasn't mandatory. A smooth excuse would suffice.
"It does, but that doesn't mean you can be my guardian, sis."
Kang Ji-a and I weren't blood-related. She was a minor like me anyway, so she couldn't be.
"No such rule exists."
Ignoring my objection, she rummaged in her bag confidently. Soon, she pulled out an ID. A forged one—age, name, address, all faked.
"One of Your Holiness's alias IDs. This one's for your cousin-older-sister."
"……Does a cousin count as a guardian?"
"If we say we live together, they'll buy it. The knights aren't that diligent anyway. So, is accompanying alright?"
No reason to refuse now. I ended up going to Seoul East Knight Command with Kang Ji-a. Taxi there; she paid.
After getting out, I stretched, gazing at the imposingly massive building. Kang Ji-a, following, glared at it with sharp, venomous eyes. She looked serious, but her appearance made it a bit comical.
"They won't buy the cousin bit. You're too short."
I teased as we walked toward the building. Kang Ji-a stared blankly.
"Whether they believe it or not, the ID settles it."
"True enough."
"And my height isn't that short…… I don't think so."
She sounded subtly offended.
"Nah, it is."
"Just a bit below average."
"A bit?"
"……A bit."
Kang Ji-a drooped her head, deflated. I stopped teasing before it really hurt her feelings.
We entered the knight command soon after.
"Business?"
A surly-faced knight eyed me up and down. His tone and gaze were outright rude. But since I'd never see him again, no point caring.
I showed the summons text on my phone.
"Oh…… Ah, yeah! The fire. Got it. Do Seon-woo, right? Head that way. And the one behind?"
"Guardian."
"Ah, guardian. ……Guardian?"
The knight tilted his head quizzically at Kang Ji-a.
"Could I see some ID?"
"Yes."
Kang Ji-a showed hers. He scrutinized it, brow furrowed, then nodded and returned it.
"Guardian can come along too."
He had a habit of saying "please" as "shim."
"Yes. Counseling room over there?"
"Yeah, yeah. Student and guardian together."
We entered the counseling room as directed. A table sat in the center, with a rough-looking knight seated, fingers steepled. A corner bookshelf held picture books and dolls haphazardly—meant to seem friendly, but it only amplified the dissonance to me.
"Have a seat."
As I scanned the room, the knight tapped the desk.
We sat opposite. I glanced at Kang Ji-a. Her face was coldly set, offended by his rudeness.
"So, why'd you call us?"
Kang Ji-a glared.
The knight cleared his throat, unsteepled his hands, and spoke.
"We've summoned you to confirm the recent fire wasn't an accident, but an 'incident.'"
"Incident?"
Kang Ji-a raised a brow skeptically. Not accident—arson, deliberate.
I had my suspicions. He pulled a photo from his pocket and placed it on the desk.
"Found at the scene…… your home. A corpse."
A cat in the photo. Goat mark branded on its forehead, guts spilling from a ruptured belly. The one I'd feared bonding with, never named—yet bonded anyway. Now a magic beast in death, captured clearly.
He tapped the photo.
"See? Belly exploded. Stray turned magic beast, explosives in the gut, remotely ignited."
"……Arsonist a Satanist?"
"Yes. We suspect so. Almost certain."
Kang Ji-a glanced at me. No idea why; her blank face revealed nothing.
"So, what's the conclusion?"
She turned back sharply.
He steepled again.
"In short: Satanists are targeting Do Seon-woo for some reason."
"……Any why?"
Kang Ji-a asked. He showed documents and photos, explaining. Magic beast this, fire origin that. Summary: Satanists clearly intended my murder via arson.
Kang Ji-a's expression darkened noticeably.
"Thus, for protection, we'll assign knights. Guardian's thoughts?"
Hence the guardian request—to get consent for protection.
Kang Ji-a eyed me subtly for my opinion. I shook my head: no.
If Satanists were after me, protection made sense. Knights would slash the risk. But protection meant surveillance too. I'm a Florence student—and Voodoo Cult Leader. Watched knights would restrict leader duties; worst case, exposure.
"Thanks, but no."
Kang Ji-a nodded agreement, refusing.
The knight's brow twitched in surprise.
"……Really okay? Satanists targeting him is basically fact. No clue why, but if we leave it—"
"No. Protection doesn't guarantee safety."
"Safer than now."
"No use convincing. We're refusing. Seon-woo, let's go."
Kang Ji-a grabbed my wrist and stood abruptly. I followed her out. The knight yelled persuasions from behind; she ignored him.
We left the building and hailed a taxi nearby.
"Your Holiness, apologies for using your name casually. Truly sorry."
Waiting, she bowed deeply.
I waved it off.
"No need to apologize for that. Just a name."
"It's major to me."
She stated firmly. I nodded awkwardly. She preferred "Your Holiness." Who was I to force otherwise?
Come to think, I knew little about her. Why help Voodoo? Really 18? Why sleep in the warehouse?
"Your Holiness."
Suddenly, she called. No taxi yet.
"Yes."
"Did you know the arsonist was a Satanist?"
Her unwavering eyes fixed on me. I pondered. Vaguely, yes—from Dad's memento dive into flames. Goat mark on the dead cat's forehead.
"I knew."
"Why not say then?"
"No need."
I hadn't told her or Uncle—deemed unnecessary, and didn't want needless worry.
Her lips drooped, offended.
"Your Holiness. We raided Fake Voodoo—er, Sham Voodoo—for the altar."
"Yeah. Why bring it up?"
"Partly for altar, but mainly—they threatened us by growing power."
I nodded. True.
She looked up resolved.
"They threatened us, so we eliminated. Now Satanists threaten us. Leave them be?"
"……."
I fell silent. Satanists targeted me—unpredictable, sudden, ingenious kills. I could die anytime. Anxious, stressed. Eating, sleeping, resting—any moment. Not madness-level, but worse insomnia, more nightmares.
No way I'd leave them. I'd love to raze their base.
"No method yet. Have to wait."
But no method. Not yet.
Kang Ji-a lowered her head, biting her lip hesitantly.
"……If there was a method?"
Her words carried weight.
A method?
"With one, obviously—"
Vroom!
Taxi arrived. We paused, boarded—her front, me back. Destination: Florence front, she said.
Silence fell.
"Soon, I'll find a way and contact you."
She murmured lowly, staring out like me.
I said nothing, watching her reflection. Her face, as always: expressionless.