The Cult Leader in the Clergy Academy

Chapter 332

Jin-Seo returned after finishing the conversation with Ha-Yeon. Simon and Han Sol stared at Jin-Seo with puzzled expressions.

"Uh... Deputy Director, were you acquainted with Priest Ha-Yeon?" Simon asked.

Jin-Seo nodded as if it was not a big deal. "Yeah. You didn’t know?"

"I didn't. You’ve never mentioned it, so of course..." Simon said as he glanced at Ha-Yeon, leading the crowd away in the distance. "How do you two know each other?"

"We were in the same grade at Florence Academy."

"Ah, now that you mention it, that makes sense. That’s quite fascinating."

Simon found it interesting that Jin-Seo and Ha-Yeon knew each other. Although it wasn’t all that surprising, considering they were similar in age, what surprised him the most was Ha-Yeon’s reputation.

Ha-Yeon was a researcher and scholar who had invented numerous blessings and holy artifacts. Despite Ha-Yeon's reputation suffering due to Sung Yu-Da's death and the unsavory rumors surrounding it, she was still a great priest and clergyman.

In terms of reputation, Jin-Seo, considered one of the core members of the Northern Crusader Order, was just as renowned as Ha-Yeon. However, the fact that the two knew each other made it seem like their relationship was special to Simon.

"It seems like you were close in school, seeing how she hugged you and all. How was Priest Ha-Yeon during your time at Florence Academy?”

"I'm not sure," Jin-Seo answered.

"What?" Simon asked.

Jin-Seo absentmindedly put her hand in her pocket, her face looking like she had zoned out. She felt the item that Ha-Yeon had secretly placed in her pocket and carefully took out the object. It was a hard and round sphere. She couldn't guess the object's use and doubted if it was useful. It didn't look like a holy artifact, but it couldn't just be trash either.

"What's that?" Simon asked, looking at the sphere in Jin-Seo's hand.

Jin-Seo shook her head with a bewildered expression. "To be honest, I have no idea either."

She had no clue what this object that Ha-Yeon handed over through the hug was, nor did she understand the meaning of the whispered words ‘be careful.’ Only a lingering sense of discomfort and unease remained with her.

***

"Before the appointment, I would like to express my gratitude to Adonai for allowing this to happen."

The inquisitor appointment ceremony began at the cathedral. In Jin-Seo's opinion, it was an incredibly huge cathedral, even more grandiose than the Central Priesthood's affiliated cathedral.

Many people attended the appointment, and many personnel stood on guard. Jin-Seo, Simon, and Han Sol were armed and waiting at the back of the cathedral. All security personnel wore anti-Voodoo masks to counter the Voodoo Cult's spell attacks.

Simon scanned the faces of other security personnel.

"There’s East Paladin Order's director, Han Dae-Ho," he said.

Upon hearing his comment, Jin-Seo stole a glance in the direction of the other security workers. As Simon had mentioned, Han Dae-Ho, the director of the East Paladin Order, stood at the back of the cathedral wearing an anti-Voodoo mask. It was hard to make out his face under the mask. Nevertheless, she could still tell that he was Han Dae-Ho. He stood out even among the crowd gathered at the cathedral, mainly because of his large build and above all, his missing right arm.

Beside Han Dae-Ho was Dae-Man. Dae-Man was huge himself, so much so that it was hard to judge who was bigger, Han Dae-Ho or Dae-Man.

"Come to think of it, aren’t you acquainted with Paladin Dae-Man as well, Deputy Director?" Simon asked.

Jin-Seo didn't respond.

"When you think about it, you’ve got quite the connections. Priest Ha-Yeon, Paladin Dae-Man, and..."

"Quiet down."

"Ah, right. Got it." Simon finally stopped chattering and closed his mouth.

Jin-Seo stood with her hands behind her back and looked around. She considered the possibility of suspicious figures mixing in with the crowd to enter the cathedral. However, there was no such person. The prelates and personnel prepared to secure the event were the only ones present.

The event proceeded smoothly. Before the main event, they performed traditional rituals, such as hymns and mass. Finally, the appointment ceremony was about to begin. The priest in charge called out names, and prelates chosen to become inquisitors made their way to the stage one by one. Nothing had happened yet.

"I'll be back in a moment," Jin-Seo said while the appointment ceremony was in full swing.

Simon raised his eyebrows. "Are you going out for a smoke?"

“Yeah," Jin-Seo replied as she left the cathedral for a brief moment.

The sky had turned dark. People were still walking on the streets. Many children were also present since many people had come with their families. She couldn’t smoke in a place like this, so she entered an alley behind the cathedral. Fortunately, no one was there. Only a few cigarette butts were on the ground.

She took out a cigarette and lit it up. Or rather, she tried to.

"...”

However, she couldn't light the fire. The lighter was acting up. Jin-Seo continued to try igniting the lighter, but it resorted to mindless fiddling as the light wouldn’t catch fire.

She frowned. The lighter had been working fine until yesterday. Why did the lighter stop working suddenly and right now at all times? She was frustrated.

Right then, a man lit her cigarette.

"..."

Jin-Seo stared blankly at the man who lit the fire. The bright red flame at the man's fingertips drove away the alley's darkness. Jin-Seo took a puff of the cigarette smoke and exhaled. She leaned against the wall.

"Didn't you say you quit smoking?" the man said.

She looked up at the hazy smoke rising to the sky and said, "I'm smoking again, thanks to you."

"How about quitting again?"

"Depends on how you act."

The man burst into laughter. He laughed for a while. Then, his expression hardened in an instant. His face was so expressionless that it sent chills down her back.

He stared sharply at Jin-Seo and hissed, "I thought I warned you not to come."

"..."

Jin-Seo didn't respond. The flame at the man's fingertips grew larger. The intense heat felt like it could melt her skin if it slightly grazed her.

The man pointed his finger at the sky. The flame grew more prominent and soon left his fingertips, leaving a long trail as it shot up into the sky.

Boom–!

The flame he shot up rose high into the sky and finally exploded. It scattered in multiple directions, illuminating the street brightly. Cheers could be heard from afar. The explosion of the flame seemed like a grand ritual announcing the beginning of the Festival of Light.

The light that exploded in the sky illuminated the alley.

"Why won’t you listen?" he said.

Jin-Seo chuckled. "I tried rebelling for once."

"I hate rebels."

"Really? I thought you would like it. You liked it when you rebelled a little last time," Jin-Seo said.

She attempted to provoke and confuse Sun-Woo. Jin-Seo dropped the cigarette in her hand. She lowered her posture, gripped the blade handle, and unleashed divine power. The light of blessing enveloped her legs. Jin-Seo kicked off the ground hard, drew her sword, and swung it toward Sun-Woo. She completed all of these actions before the cigarette hit the ground.

Jin-Seo's sword was swift. Her sword fiercely approached Sun-Woo's neck. However, she made a fatal mistake: she hesitated to cut through. The hesitation created a significant opening for Sun-Woo to draw a spell array. A purple mist enveloped Jin-Seo’s face. Her eyes widened. She tried not to let go of the sword until the end, but she couldn't do anything about the legs that had given out underneath her. Jin-Seo ended up slumping down to the floor.

Sun-Woo looked down at her. "You were always weak to spells.”

Fading in and out of consciousness, Jin-Seo could vaguely hear Sun-Woo's voice. She struggled to get up, doing everything she could, but her arms and legs wouldn’t move. She couldn't even open her eyes properly, let alone stand up.

Jin-Seo ran her trembling hands through her pockets, searching for her walkie-talkie to call for backup from Simon and Han Sol. However, Jin-Seo couldn't find the walkie-talkie. Instead, the sphere that Ha-Yeon had secretly slipped into Jin-Seo's pocket fell to the ground.

The sphere cracked open, emitting a brilliant, pure light of blessing—clear and radiant.

In an instant, her mind also became clear, mirroring the clarity of light from the sphere.

***

Boom–!

An explosion occurred outside the cathedral. Simon looked around. The appointment ceremony was still ongoing, and the security personnel waiting inside the cathedral remained still. Simon was the only one who had heard the sound.

At that moment, Simon made eye contact with Han So. She was also looking around.

"Paladin Simon, did you hear that sound?"

"Yeah, did you hear it too?"

"Yes, what do you think happened?"

"Well, I'm not sure, but..." Simon trailed off.

Simon glanced around cautiously. Jin-Seo had yet to return. Furthermore, the other security personnel waiting inside the cathedral showed no reaction to the sound from outside. Simon couldn’t act solely on his judgment without Jin-Seo’s orders. If any problems arose, the responsibility would fall entirely on him.

"Let's just wait a bit longer for now."

Han Sol nodded. "Yes, sir."

Simon had planned to wait until Jin-Seo returned. Since Jin-Seo had gone outside the cathedral to smoke, she would have contacted Simon if anything happened outside. So, there was no need to rush to judgment, Simon thought.

"For the new inquisitors, servants of Adonai, soon to be the blades of the Romanian Church, I, representing His Holiness the Pope, will bestow upon you the light of blessing bestowed by the Holy One..."

Despite the mysterious sound outside the cathedral, the appointment ceremony proceeded smoothly. The priest conducting the ceremony clasped his hands in prayer. A light of blessing appeared from his hands. Unlike the usual light of blessing, it was brighter and more magnificent. The ceremony would be over once that light was bestowed upon the new inquisitors.

"Please offer your congratulations and encouragement when the light from His Holiness shines upon the heads of the inquisitors with applause―"

Click, click, click.

However, at that moment, an uninvited guest ascended the stage. Long hair flowed down to his shoulders, and on his face was a scruffy beard while his body was adorned with rags.

Simon’s eyes widened. "Huh?"

It was the homeless man Simon had kicked out yesterday.

The security guards waiting below jumped onto the stage. The burly guards, twice as big as the old man, tried pulling him down. However, the old man didn't budge. Even with four guards clinging onto him, they couldn't pull the old man down. And then the unbelievable happened.

Bang!

The old man threw one of the paladin’s bodies below. The guard crumpled beneath the stage.

"Ahh, ahh. Ahhh!"

"..."

The paladin clutched his broken shoulder and rolled on the ground, screaming. The faces of the people in the cathedral turned pale.