Department Auditions and Forgotten Sins
Department selection at the academy is usually done via survey. You pick your preferred major among paladin, crusader, or priest, and submit the form. But for the holders of the seven Holy Marks, there's a special survey. They get to choose a major and a minor—two departments in total. That's one of the perks of bearing a Holy Mark: the option for a minor.
Anyway, the point is, whether you're one of the seven or not, department selection is normally handled through a survey.
"Paladins are treated like civil servants. Stability is their biggest draw. If it doesn't suit you, you can quit and become a teacher like me. Wide range of options, right?"
"What kind of options are those? Quitting whenever you want—that's not what a cleric does!"
"This is my speaking time right now. I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt."
While Kim Bok-dong and So Do-jin traded words, I was busy quelling my inner turmoil. I never dreamed they'd line up the three teachers like contestants on an audition show to pitch their departments. I just wanted to pick mine normally, like everyone else, with a survey.
"I won't drag this out and bore you. I've asked you before to become a paladin. I think I explained all the reasons back then."
"What? Preemptive recruitment is against the rules—"
"Plus, the paladin department teaches practical self-defense and restraint techniques. Perfect for someone with your freakish physical talent. That's it from me—over to So Do-jin."
Kim Bok-dong sat down and nodded toward So Do-jin. So Do-jin clicked his tongue in mild annoyance at Kim Bok-dong, then drew his sword from the scabbard at his waist. The silver blade caught the light and gleamed coldly.
"Do Seon-woo. One question: what's the strongest martial art in actual combat?"
The sudden question gave me pause. The strongest in real fights...
"Uh... Nasil?"
The legendary Samson in the Book of Judges was a Nasil-in practitioner. Nasil is the modern reconstruction of the fighting style Samson used. Word has it you could take on a thousand armed soldiers with just a donkey's jawbone.
"...Let's set Nasil aside. No one's teaching it anymore."
True enough—no way to learn Nasil these days. The last successor vanished into the mountains without passing it on. I racked my brain for other arts. That's when So Do-jin's silver sword caught my eye.
"...Swordsmanship, maybe?"
"Second place."
"So what's the answer?"
"Marksmanship. Even a bear of a guy like Kim Bok-dong drops dead with a bullet to the temple. The crusader curriculum includes firearms training."
It made sense, but a question popped up.
"Then why do you always carry a sword, Teacher So? Where's your gun?"
If guns were supreme, why did he tote a sword? I'd wondered this for a while. Guns seemed way more efficient, so why did crusaders bother slicing up demons and beasts with blades?
"Swords have romance."
"Ah. In that case, I'll go with paladin—"
"No, hold on. Listen to everything before deciding."
So Do-jin cut me off hastily and continued.
"So... you wanna make bank?"
"Obviously."
"Right? Better to rake it in than scrape by."
No kidding. So Do-jin sighed deeply.
"Paladins and crusaders both get paid by the Papal Office. But crusaders have another income stream: sponsorships."
"Sponsorships?"
"Money from fans. My Trinita Crusader Order pulls in about 300 million won a month. I don't see much after the split, but still."
300 million a month. The number hit like a dream. I stared blankly at So Do-jin, who suddenly looked cooler than his usual haggard, skinny self.
"Trinita has three crusaders including me. You think fans would sponsor us if we just sat around popping off pistols and rifles? That's why I carry this sword. Romance sells. It's cool."
"Ah..."
"Swords are cheaper too. Guns need silver bullets—consumables that cost a fortune. A sword lasts forever if you don't break it and just sharpen the edge."
Crusaders had solid reasons for swords over guns. Efficiency-wise, guns won; style-wise, swords dominated. I'd probably sponsor a sword-wielding crusader over a gunner too.
"Does the crusader curriculum include swordsmanship?"
"Of course. That's the romance."
"Romance, huh..."
Now I was leaning crusader. Not just the romance—I'd been mulling sword training for the advanced recreation spell Decapitation Sword. Honestly, it barely needed skill; just touch and it slices. But proper technique would make it deadlier than wild swings.
"Just to check... no interest in priesthood, right?"
"Ah, no."
"Yeah... I had to ask. The good ones are already taken anyway."
Ha Ye-jin chimed in. Apparently, three of the seven Holy Mark holders picked priesthood as their major: Ma Yu-hyeon and Han Su-ryeon majored in priest with crusader minor; Seong Ha-yeon majored in priest, no minor. Kim Jin-seo and Yeo Min-seo majored in crusader, minored in priest. Everyone except Kang Dae-man had priest as major or minor. Jeong In-ah picked priest too.
"...What about Kang Dae-man?"
"Oh, Dae-man majored in paladin, no minor."
In other words, he was the only Holy Mark holder in paladin. Kim Bok-dong slammed the desk.
"Exactly! Paladin's a blue ocean. Beat Dae-man, and you're number one."
So Do-jin smirked derisively.
"'Better the head of a snake than the tail of a dragon'?"
"Yes! Wait, no—I didn't mean paladin's a snake—"
"Seon-woo, why settle for snake head when you could be dragon head? You've got the chops. And dragons have more romance than snakes."
So Do-jin cut in. Kim Bok-dong fired back desperately.
"Paladins match any romance. Crusaders don't get the mission of saving lives."
"Crusaders save lives too. Indirectly. We're the ones who kill the beasts."
Clap! With no end to their bickering, Ha Ye-jin clapped. They finally shut up. She smiled brightly and handed me the survey.
"Let's wrap it up. You've heard enough pitches."
I took the form and pondered. Crusader tempted me most—romance was a real plus. But neither paladin nor crusader offered standout merits.
"Do Seon-woo. One last word."
As I doodled aimlessly, Kim Bok-dong stood and approached. His massive frame loomed closer.
"You know Han Dae-ho, captain of Seoul East Paladin Order?"
"Yes."
"He's my friend. Florence classmate. He told me something..."
Kim Bok-dong whispered in my ear.
"...What?"
"Straight from him. Hard to believe, but trust it. All true."
His words were a massive boon—for Florence students and my role as Voodoo leader. Without hesitation, I marked paladin major, crusader minor, and handed it to Ha Ye-jin. So Do-jin's face twisted in shock.
"Kim Bok-dong, what the hell did you say...!"
"Just dangled something crusaders lack but paladins have. Haha!"
Kim Bok-dong's booming laugh filled the room. So Do-jin sheathed his sword slowly, glaring at me.
"Do Seon-woo... see you in minor classes. I'll teach you properly."
"Haha... sorry."
"Hey, paladins don't bow to crusaders. No need to apologize."
Kim Bok-dong patted my shoulder proudly—hard enough to hurt. He was thrilled with my choice.
It stung a bit.
*
The weekend arrived. May sunlight felt fresh. Seong Ha-yeon, who usually holed up in her dorm studying or reading, was out on the street for once.
The crowd parted around her like the Red Sea. She ignored the stares with practiced ease and kept walking—to a café.
Kim Ra-hee, already there, waved her over.
"Hey, why so late... what's that? A book?"
"Exams soon. Gotta study every spare moment."
"Figures, with you... Oh, they showed up. Hey! Over here—!"
Kim Ra-hee waved at the entrance. Two late girls joined them happily. The four were middle school besties who'd sworn to reunite in Florence uniforms—but only Seong Ha-yeon and Kim Ra-hee made it. They still kept in touch, met occasionally. Fewer times now, but the bond held.
"Oh yeah, that friend you were gonna hit up—"
"Oh! Saw a movie with her yesterday. But she hogged all the popcorn."
"Ugh... that's kinda..."
Idle chit-chat flowed. Seong Ha-yeon half-listened, opened her book, and dove in. Exams loomed. Her practical scores tanked; she'd grind theory to make up for it. For her father's expectations.
"You... lately... contact..."
"...Studying... busy, so..."
Friends' voices faded in and out as she tuned them out. Deep focus kicked in—like being adrift in vast space, noise vanishing. She called it total concentration mode.
"..."
"..."
Edging toward total concentration—
"...Do Seon-woo..."
She flinched. The name pierced the haze. Café din buzzed back in her ears. Focus shattered. Recovery would take time. She set down her pen for a break.
"...Hey, what were you talking about?"
She'd planned to ignore it, but curiosity nagged. Skipping might leave her uneasy later.
Kim Ra-hee sipped her iced Americano.
"That Charity Holy Mark thing at our school. After Bae Seong-hyeon got booted, they re-elected. Rumor spread to other schools."
"Ah... the re-election."
"Yeah! Ha-yeon, you're Purity Holy Mark, right? Heard the new one's Do Seon-woo. For real?"
One friend asked casually. Seong Ha-yeon's focus broke again. That name always choked her up. He bore Purifying Blood, and she'd recently realized he hated her guts.
"Yes... Do Seon-woo was elected Charity Holy Mark. Recently."
She nodded vaguely. A question flickered.
"...But do you know Do Seon-woo?"
The other two weren't Florence students—yet they knew his name. Odd. The questioner looked at her like she was weird.
"Middle school same as us."
"Ah, alumni... Wait, same as me too?"
"Duh. Don't you remember? You were tight with Do Seon-woo."
"Hey, what... We weren't close. Be real."
Same middle school as Do Seon-woo? And close?
Seong Ha-yeon's mind reeled. She couldn't grasp it. She'd first seen him at Florence—no middle school memories.
"Do Seon-woo reminds me—that time you said you hated even his breath on you?"
"No, it was sharing the same air, right? Something like that. Wonder what started it."
"Dunno, must've deserved it."
The two excluding Kim Ra-hee giggled over memories. Fond for them, maybe trauma for him. While they talked, Kim Ra-hee stayed quiet—she hadn't known either.
Seong Ha-yeon's face hardened.
"Me? I said that? I don't remember. When did I say something so ridiculous..."
"C'mon, pretending again."
"Seriously don't recall? They say the victim remembers forever, attacker forgets quick."
"Isn't it the opposite? Attacker forgets, victim remembers."
"Order doesn't matter. Point is the same."
"It changes the meaning, dummy."
Seong Ha-yeon's eyes wavered. She'd apparently hurled plenty more abuse at him. Attacker forgets, victim remembers forever... The words echoed.
She didn't even recall her own venom. But he'd harbored every word eternally.
That explained his hatred. Not baseless—her past self's barbs and loathing rebounding on her now.
"..."
Pen in hand, but focus gone. His face haunted her: forehead clutched like her gaze alone caused migraines, eyes brimming with utter contempt.
It kept flashing before her eyes.
(To be continued next time)