The doctrine class was utterly useless.
In fact, it would have been more surprising if a cult’s lesson had been useful.
To put it plainly, the class involved a very unique interpretation of the Bible, alongside glorifying the leader’s actions.
"Since it’s the first day, should we call it a day here?"
Because of the New Year’s event, everyone except for was absent, leaving only a few existing followers and myself to attend the class.
It was exhausting since I couldn’t even fall asleep. It was harder to endure than forced group living in high school.
"How was the class?"
After the class ended, Choi Mi-yeon ca toward .
"...It was impressive."
"Haha, it’s just the first day. Well, from tonight, you’ll have free ti. I’ll take you to the dorm."
I followed Choi Mi-yeon to the dorm inside the building.
The room was a simple one with two bunk beds, not much in terms of furniture.
Considering how she boasted about having money, the room provided to the followers felt incredibly modest.
Well, I suppose just because the cult has money doesn’t an that they share it with the laity.
"Normally, this four-person room is shared by two, but due to the event, it’s full. The others will be helping with the event preparations and won’t be back until late, probably after 10 p.m."
"So, can I use the space under the bed? I’m a bit sensitive about sleeping."
"Oh, is that so? Of course! Then, I’ll take the top bunk."
Since I needed to go out to the garden at night to analyze the magic circle, I preferred a place where it would be easier to move around.
"Now that you’ve seen the dorm, should we go have dinner and co back afterward?"
I shook my head.
"No, I’m still digesting the lunch. Would it be okay if I just rest for a bit?"
"Oh, is that so? Then please rest, I’ll give you so space."
That was kind of her.
I was expecting her to linger, but surprisingly, Choi Mi-yeon left with little fuss. Maybe it was because it was the first day.
Just as she was about to leave the room...
"ow!"
Leo, who had been clinging to Mi-yeon, struggling to avoid looking at , began to squirm.
Let down! Let down!
"Ah, I see, you’re uncomfortable, huh? Hang on just a little longer."
Why doesn’t he just stay there and stay calm?
But Mi-yeon didn’t let Leo go easily. Even though Leo was in a 'water balloon' state, a hunter is still a hunter, and since he couldn’t refuse my command to act like an ordinary cat, he couldn’t fight back.
Mi-yeon held Leo tighter as she said.
"Well, I’ll go look for a place where I can let this cat go. Honestly, keeping him here in the building isn’t the best."
"I thought you were going to keep him, since you’re so fond of him."
"Haha, well, for a little while maybe, but keeping a cat in the dorm isn’t sothing I can do. And actually..."
In a quiet voice, Mi-yeon added.
"Most people here like animals, but there are so believers who don’t like cats. If they see him, it could cause problems... I was planning to take him far away and let him go secretly."
"Ah... I see."
Now it made sense why Mi-yeon had been carrying him around all day, even though she had the Animal Affinity skill.
After all, black cats were often a symbol of oppression, so people who liked animals might still worry.
"ow! ow!"
I don’t want to! I don’t want to!
Of course, Leo wasn’t interested in the deeper aning and was just throwing a tantrum in Mi-yeon’s arms.
"Just leave him here. I’ll look after him. It’s already late, so we can let him go tomorrow."
"Are you sure? You don’t mind? You said you didn’t like cats..."
"That was a joke. I actually like cats."
With that, Mi-yeon handed Leo over to .
"Wow, he’s being calm now. Could it be that you have the Animal Affinity skill too?"
I don’t have Animal Affinity, but I am his owner.
After Mi-yeon left the room, I was finally left alone.
"ow..."
It’s not my fault...
Of course, Leo, the little whiner, was still here, but I petted him gently as I surveyed the surroundings.
‘Mi-yeon... is lingering nearby.’
I expected her to stay close since she had been assigned to guide , and even though she said I could have so alone ti, I was certain she wouldn’t stray far.
With the inforr lurking around, I wondered if they could even get close to now.
It seed that no matter where I went, eyes were on .
From the restaurant to the doctrine class, at least three people’s eyes were on . It was making feel very on edge.
This made think that the inforr might not be able to reach after all.
Vibrations suddenly ca from my phone.
When I opened it, it was a call from Jung Da-jeong.
"Hello..."
Hey, Jung Da-on!
I almost had my eardrum blown out as soon as I answered. I quickly covered my ear and answered the call again.
"Why are you yelling?"
If you’re going to stay out, you should’ve told in advance! No matter how much you’re at a guild seminar, is it really okay to just inform through a phone call and leave without saying anything? You should at least tell your family!
"Ah, I’m sorry. It was a last-minute thing. But you’re busy too with your year-end company dinner. You’re going to be late anyway."
That’s not the point! I’m worried! How long has it been since you got involved in that dungeon break? And now you’re going to be gone for 2 nights and 3 days?
Jung Da-jeong was ranting.
Does this an you won’t be ho until January 1st?
I couldn’t understand Jung Da-jeong’s words.
I understand her being worried, but I hadn’t told her in advance. That could happen, right? The guild seminar is a good excuse, and I even apologized.
And what does being involved in a dungeon break have to do with staying out? And what’s wrong with staying out until January 1st?
Jung Da-jeong’s anger was very illogical.
"Look, I’m attending a guild seminar. I need to develop my abilities. And, does staying ho with you make any safer? Honestly, it’s probably safer with the guild mbers."
Of course, I didn’t voice that question directly, as I’ve learned social skills over the 19 years of my life.
This was a 100% reasonable answer, right? I gave a solid reason for staying out.
As I was patting myself on the back, a strange noise ca through the phone.
-... I see, so this is how it is, Jung Da-on.
Uh-oh.
This feels dangerous.
"Wait, hold on. Oppa..."
Fine, then. Have a good seminar. Happy New Year.
The call abruptly ended.
Jung Da-jeong had hung up first, sothing she had never done before...
I stood there in shock, unable to say a word, while Leo tapped the screen with his paw.
Is it my fault?
"What? What did I do wrong?"
Of course, no matter how much I asked Leo, he couldn’t give a logical answer.
In the end, I was the one with a headache.
‘...Did she want to do the New Year’s countdown together? Now that I think about it, I think she said sothing like that last year. She wanted to see the New Year’s bell tolling with family...’
If you work on a holiday, they give you extra pay, so Jung Da-jeong had always worked during the holiday season and wasn’t ho.
But now that she had a full-ti job, she said we should do the countdown together this year... That’s when it clicked.
Cold sweat started to trickle down my back.
This is bad. Jung Da-jeong doesn’t get upset easily, but once she does, it lasts a long ti.
What should I do? A cult or not, should I just go ho and apologize? No, at this level of anger, even if I apologize, she might just counter with "So what did I do wrong?" And then I’ll end up apologizing blindly without knowing what I did wrong, and it’ll be a never-ending cycle of scolding. This is worse than dealing with the cult.
‘First, I should try calling her again...’
"Jung Da-on Hunter, are you in?"
"...Yes."
I stopped myself from making the call and put the phone back in my pocket before getting up from the bed.
What’s done is done. I’ll have to deal with it later. For now, I need to solve the imdiate problem.
A small woman, with short hair wrapped in a scarf, entered my dorm room.
"Nice to et you. I’m Lee Ah-rin."
She must have noticed my gaze on her head, as she pointed at it and smiled faintly.
"This hairstyle? Hunters who’ve been in the ‘water balloon’ state for too long tend to lose their hair from the start. Oh, you know what the ‘water balloon’ state is, right?"
"Yes, I’ve heard of it."
"Well, you’ve been hanging out with Mi-yeon, so you must have heard of it. But she probably didn’t explain it properly."
As she spoke, Lee Ah-rin lowered the scarf that had been covering her head.
"Mi-yeon has been a mber of the True Light Church since birth, so she can’t really think properly."
Her hair wasn’t just short; it was sparse, confirming that her state wasn’t normal.
"Because the power of the body and soul aren’t in balance, the immune system malfunctions. It’s a troubleso condition. If only she hadn’t awakened, she would have never gotten this disease."
She wasn’t wrong.
If she hadn’t awakened, she would never have gotten this disease.
Lee Ah-rin quietly sat across from on the opposite bed and continued speaking.
"Honestly, if the True Light Guild hadn’t forced to push further, I’d have stopped at a reasonable level. I didn’t even want to beco an A-rank hunter."
"Forced?"
"Yes, they try to develop potential recruits into guild hunters. They’re valuable labor they can use cheaply."
"Cheap labor?"
"Have you ever heard of the slave contract in the True Light Guild? I thought you’d know since you’ve co this far."
Lee Ah-rin’s words were calm but had an eerie, shadow-like tone. Her complexion was pale, and there was a clear hint of illness.
"In the age of mythology, humans were just playthings of the gods. We die like stones on the road, punished by the gods for so petty reason. The nation is just part of a great story, to be erased completely."
"..."
I had suspected sothing was off when she entered the room, but now it seed clear. Lee Ah-rin was the one who had sent the inforr to .
I stood up.
"Wait a minute, let cast a spell to block listening devices..."
"It’s useless. The mont you draw the magic circle, the people waiting in the next room will rush in."
"Then..."
"Why are you barging in without any plan?"
I couldn’t even finish a sentence.
This seed like sothing Lee Ah-rin had been preparing for a long ti.
It looks like I’ll have to hear her out.
Suddenly, the door to my dorm room slamd shut.
"Why won’t it open? Hey, Ah-rin! You’re not going to open it right now?"
I heard a loud shout.
Soone was trying to open the door from the outside but failed. Only then did I notice the bloodstains on the door handle and the blood dripping from Lee Ah-rin’s fingers.
"What’s that wound?"
"I can control anything that still has my blood on it. But only until the blood dries."
BANG! BANG! BANG! The door was being pounded from the outside, but Lee Ah-rin calmly spoke.
"I’ve got a few months left, so I’m going to do everything I want to do before I go."
"Do what?"
Lee Ah-rin smiled, as if she was about to say sothing exciting.
"I’m going to kill that cult leader."
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