The Cult Leader in the Clergy Academy

Chapter 194

A man was sitting on a lavishly adorned chair. His hair was fiery red, and his eyes sparkled vibrantly like gemstones.

The man was reading a book. Suddenly, the man’s hands, which were holding onto the book, began to quiver uncontrollably. Black veins began to grotesquely protrude out from the back of his hand. The veins propagated out from his hands to his arms, shoulders, neck, and eventually to his forehead.

"You wretched fool!"

Bam!

The man abruptly stood up from his seat and threw the book he was reading onto the floor. He had thrown it with such force that it had punched a hole through the wooden floor.

The woman next to him was startled by this, and she cautiously approached the man. She was dressed in clothing that barely covered her body, but the man showed no interest in her appearance.

"Darling, why are you so angry? You scared me, really," the woman said, pressing her body against the man.

She was wearing a thin piece of fabric that accentuated her allure. Her voice was sweet, like honey. The woman’s hot breath touched the man’s ear.

However, far from succumbing to temptation, the man pushed her away as if he were annoyed.

“I’m still angry when I think about how the passage was cut off because of that one idiot. Just how did that happen?”

"There are plenty of opportunities, so calm down. Shall we go to bed for now, darling?"

"No, I can't. I just can't understand. I put so much effort into raising that guy, only for him to get killed by some inferior being from the Romanican Church!”

"Darling, how come you look so cool even when you're angry...?"

The woman grabbed the man’s hand and placed it on her body. The cloth that had been covering her body had already been discarded on the floor.

Smack!

However, the man swatted away the woman's touch and looked at her with bloodshot eyes. His eyes were burning intensely with flames of wrath, which seemed as if they would continue burning for all eternity.

The man soon let out a deep sigh and said, "There is a time and place for flirting.”

"I couldn't resist because you look so attractive when you’re angry. Look, I'm already like this..."

Crash!

Suddenly, a massive projectile smashed through the window and entered the man's room at an incredible speed. Glass shards wildly sprayed out and stabbed into the man’s skin.

The man jumped up in shock and exclaimed, “What the fuck? What’s going on now?!”

With deeply furrowed brows, the man pulled out the glass shards embedded in his skin. He was more annoyed by the unwelcome intruder in his room than by the pain from the glass shards. The intruder turned out to be a bird.

It was a giant parrot. The bird tilted its head after looking at the man and then cleaned its wings. Sawdust sprayed out along with feathers. The bird was a taxidermied creature. The man could easily deduce that it was a bird that Jun-Hyuk had sent.

"Ah, it was you? The name that you were using most recently was... Jong-Pal? No, it was Jun-Hyuk, right? It’s such a difficult name to pronounce. Anyway, what's going on?"

"Chang-Shik! Are you going? To Korea,” the bird asked.

The bird's voice somewhat resembled Jun-Hyuk's voice, but its manner of speech was awkward. The structure of his sentences was all jumbled up.

However, the man could roughly figure out what the bird was saying and nodded. "Yeah. It looks like my arrival will be slightly delayed, but I’ll arrive soon.”

"Chang-Shik! I understand. Thinking of eating? The fingernail."

"Are you asking whether I will eat the fingernail?"

"Exactly."

"Yeah. I’m going to go eat the fingernail, and along the way, I plan on bringing back a child that has caught my interest,” the man casually said.

Then he suddenly tilted his head as if he were curious about something and said, "But why do you call me Chang-Shik? That’s a strange name."

"Child of a slut. It’s an abbreviation for that. Haha!"[1]

"W-what? This, this, inferior, lowly Asian son of a bitch!"

The man tried to kick the bird in anger, but he soon stopped. It was because the bird's unfocused eyes were staring at him. He didn't know what kind of black magic Jun-Hyuk would use with that Third Eye of his. They strictly considered only the destructiveness of their black magic, and he wouldn’t be able to win against Jun-Hyuk.

"...No, come to think of it, there's no reason for us to fight each other."

"You scared?"

"It’s just that I don't want to waste my strength fighting with you during such a major event. If you want to conserve your strength, shouldn't you also have to refrain from using black magic for a while?"

"You're right. Chang-Shik!"

"Don't call me Chang-Shik, you bastard," the man angrily spat, black veins popping out on his forehead.

He sighed and just barely managed to suppress his anger.

"...So, what brings you here? You didn't come all this way just to tease me, did you?" the man asked.

"I have a request. No attacking! Both of you."

"You came to ask me not to attack two people. So, who are these two people?"

"Photos. Take a look!"

Splutter, splutter...

The bird opened its beak wide and then vomited. Within the contents of the vomit, there were two photos. In one of the photos was a woman with brown hair and brown eyes, and she looked round. In the other photo, there was a man with black hair, black eyes, and a gloomy atmosphere.

"So you’re asking me not to touch those two. Is there a reason?"

"Obey when I tell you to obey. Chang-Shik."

"..."

The man bit his lip and didn't answer. His bloodshot eyes stared straight into the bird's dilated pupils. The man felt irritated by the bird’s commanding tone and his unpleasant nickname, Chang-Shik. All of those provocations were constantly triggering him. The man touched a bulging black vein on his forehead and smirked.

"No, come to think of it... Do I really have to listen to the words of a guy who can't do anything after getting locked up in prison?" he said.

"Haha! Haha!"

The man's words made the bird laugh. It wasn't a genuine laugh, but rather a crude imitation. As a result, the sound was eerie.

After laughing for a while, the bird's eyes focused on the man's face. Tilting its head, the bird opened its beak and said, “Do I look like a joke to you? Because I’m like this?”

"..."

The man stared into the bird's eyes without saying a word, then eventually lowered his eyes.

"Just kidding, Jun-Hyuk. You’re reacting so seriously that it’s unsettling.”

The man laughed and diffused the situation. Jun-Hyuk was a nutcase who swallowed Pride because he thought that Pride sounded like the leader of the Seven Deadly Sins, and it was unacceptable for someone weaker than him to have a name like that. At the moment, he was trapped in prison, and he had lost a lot of his strength, but it was uncertain when he would regain his strength and be released from prison. It was better to listen to his requests if possible.

"Then, it doesn’t matter what happens to the other Florence Academy students? Like Jin-Seo for example.”

"Do whatever you want with them."

"Okay, okay. Then I won’t touch the two friends you mentioned."

"It’s a promise! You better keep it. Well then, until we meet again!"

Flutter!

After uttering a brief farewell, the bird spread its wings and flew out through the window. The man watched the bird flap its massive wings as it freely soared in the sky. Gradually, the silhouette of the bird became smaller and eventually disappeared.

Soon, the man's face began to contort. His complexion turned a deep red, almost purple with anger. At that moment, the woman who had been observing the situation approached and hugged the man tightly.

"Darling, you can stop being angry."

"...Yeah, I will."

"But, I have a question to ask."

The woman pressed her nose against the man's chest and asked, "Why are you so obsessed with that child named Jin-Seo? She seemed like an ordinary girl. My face looks better as well."

"No, she’s not just some ordinary girl," the man laughed.

"That girl’s body is superior... to the point where it's hard to believe she's Asian."

While feeling up the woman's body, the man continued, "I originally planned to capture her when she was young, but unfortunately, I was unable to catch her."

"Instead, you killed her foster mother," the woman said in a trembling voice as she coquettishly rubbed her body against the man’s hand.

"Her mother's body was of very poor quality. Only her heart was somewhat usable. So I just killed her. Except for her heart."

"What parts of that girl’s body will you use?"

"The legs, the eyes, and a few muscle fibers."

"And then?"

"With that, I will be able to create the most superior being..." the man said while breathing heavily as if he was greatly excited. The woman looked at him proudly.

"In the end, I will transplant my brain."

***

Ha-Yeon nervously sweated as she watched Sun-Woo shake hands and exchange greetings with her father. At first glance, Sun-Woo's expression seemed ordinary. It looked as if meeting her father was actually a joyful and honorable experience. However, despite his smiling lips, there was clear hostility in his eyes.

No, even the word hostility couldn't fully express the intensity of that gaze. Ha-Yeon couldn't find the words to describe Sun-Woo's strange gaze.

Sung Yu-Da let go of the handshake and said, "...I think we’ve exchanged enough greetings. Let’s go inside.”

"Yes, I understand," Sun-Woo replied with a smile.

At that moment, Ha-Yeon looked at Sun-Woo's face once again. This time, there was no trace of animosity in his eyes. His eyes glittered with reverence, and there were even uncharacteristically hints of innocence in his eyes. It was completely different from the gaze she had seen earlier.

"..."

Had she seen it wrong?

When she thought about it, Sun-Woo had no reason to hold any hostility toward her father. Sun-Woo was the one who first expressed his desire to meet her father, and her father was a former cardinal who had made significant contributions to the development of the Romanican Church. Even though he wasn’t a great father at home, he was at least respected in society.

Ha-Yeon assumed she had seen things incorrectly and decided to dismiss them as unimportant. If she hadn't seen things incorrectly, then there was no explanation for what she had witnessed.

Sung Yu-Da led Ha-Yeon and Sun-Woo to the reception room, and along the way, he instructed the servant to bring tea. The three of them sat in a circle in the reception room.

Soon, the servant brought the tea, and Sung Yu-Da calmly took a sip before he said, "I heard you wanted to meet me."

Placing the teacup silently on the table, Sung Yu-Da continued, "I'm curious about the reason... Is there something you want to ask me?"

Sung Yu-Da's tone was gentle and soft. Considering his age and his hierarchy within the church, it was clear that Sun-Woo was of lower status. However, regardless of the other person’s status, Sung Yu-Da had a habit of using honorifics when addressing someone.

Sun-Woo adjusted his posture upon hearing Sung Yu-Da's question and leaned slightly forward. "Yes. I would like to ask one question regarding my career and one about the conclave."

Sun-Woo's tone was neither overly rigid nor excessively soft. There was a suitable level of formality and courtesy in his manner of speaking and his attitude.

It was Ha-Yeon’s first time seeing him like this. Sun-Woo, who was so polite, seemed awkward yet refreshing. Ha-Yeon glanced back and forth between the two of them. Neither of the two were revealing their true selves to each other, and perhaps because of that, there was a chilly atmosphere between them. There was no room for her to intervene in the conversation. Naturally, it became a situation where only the two of them exchanged words.

"I would like to hear the question about your career path first... I'm not sure if my advice will actually be helpful."

"It will definitely be helpful─"

"No, it might not be as helpful as you think," Sung Yu-Da firmly interrupted Sun-Woo.

Sun-Woo, however, did not show any signs of displeasure and silently listened to Sung Yu-Da.

"To be honest, my advice won’t be helpful in general situations," Sung Yu-Da said.

"I'm not sure what you mean..." Sun-Woo replied.

“What is your final goal?” Sung Yu-Da suddenly asked in an aggressive manner.

Ha-Yeon was puzzled. She couldn't understand why her father, who had always spoken gently with a faint smile, suddenly showed such an attitude.

Sun-Woo seemed a little taken aback, but he didn't show fear and instead smiled widely.

"...My first goal is to become an inquisitor, and my second goal is to become a cardinal, just like Sir Sung Yu-Da."

"From my understanding, you are in the Department of Paladins. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that's right."

"In that case, my advice would be even more meaningless," Sung Yu-Da said while sipping his tea.

"Realistically speaking, with the way the church is structured, it's difficult for paladins to become prelates. If becoming a prelate is the goal, becoming a priest is the most advantageous."

"I've always known it to be that way. When Sung Yu-Da became a cardinal—"

"No, the situation was better back then."

Thud.

Sung Yu-Da put down his teacup.

This time, there was a sound. Ha-Yeon swallowed her saliva. It wasn’t an atmosphere where she could intervene. To be frank, she didn’t have any intention of intervening in the first place.

Sung Yu-Da slowly closed and opened his eyes. "Back then, it was a chaotic time with the emergence of Satanists and the division of the Voodoo Cult. Because of that, the abilities of an individual were more important than ever before, and as a result, paladins had opportunities to shine."

"..."

"To put it bluntly, today, lineage is more important than abilities, and there is no place for paladins to shine."

Sung Yu-Da's voice was calm yet powerful.

"Back then, even without lineage, as long as you had abilities, you could become a prelate. But now, that is no longer the case. Even if you have abilities, without lineage, it is impossible to ascend beyond a certain level in today’s era."

"I’m well aware of that as well."

"If you know, then transfer to a different department. It will be easier and faster to give up on being an inquisitor and become a priest, or you can become a crusader so that you can become an honorary inquisitor once you become a cardinal.”

Sung Yu-Da's words were as cold as they were relentless, but they were realistic. Ha-Yeon bit her lip. It was because it felt like she was being scolded for some reason. She glanced briefly at Sun-Woo. He simply smiled without showing any signs of displeasure.

"I believe that the same chaos that occurred back then will arise again. That's why I chose the Department of Paladins," Sun-Woo calmly said. "The number of demons and demonic beasts is increasing day by day, and even Satanists have started to appear in Florence Academy. Their actions are becoming more proactive and daring."

"..."

"It was after the arrest of the Satanist named Wrath that the activities of the Satanists increased dramatically, and I heard that was also when you became an archbishop, Sir Sung Yu-Da. This time, the Satanist named Envy has been arrested, so the same situation will occur again."

"You have quite the insight. However, this is not a problem that you can think of so simply.”

Sung Yu-Da no longer held his teacup. He was now fully immersed in the conversation with Sun-Woo.

"It is true that paladins have more opportunities to shine in such situations. However, the mortality rate also increases. If you don't have confidence in your abilities, you will die before you can achieve anything."

"I have confidence in my abilities. I have unintentionally achieved success several times already. I’m sure you already know that."

"...However, as I mentioned earlier, it's not just about abilities. Without connections, it's difficult to become a prelate. The hierarchical system within the church that we have established will not easily disappear, even if times change."

Sun-Woo slowly nodded after listening to Sung Yu-Da's words. Then, he raised his teacup and took a sip. During the span of the conversation, the tea had already cooled down. He silently put down his teacup.

"Although it may be a bit much to be called a connection, I know a few paladins," Sun-Woo said.

"May I ask who they are?"

"Han Dae-Ho from the Eastern Paladin Order, and... Inquisitor Joseph from the Central Paladin Order."

Ha-Yeon, who had been quietly listening, widened her eyes in surprise. She vaguely knew that Han Dae-Ho was acquainted with him, but she had no idea that he also had connections with an inquisitor. She didn't have many friends at school, so she didn't know, but it seemed like he had quite a wide network.

Sung Yu-Da also had a surprised expression on his face. He stared at Sun-Woo and said, "They are all skilled paladins... I'm curious how you came to know them. There wouldn't have been many contacts within Florence Academy."

"Director Han Dae-Ho was involved in the Bazaar Fire, and as for Inquisitor Joseph... I established a connection with him through an incident involving the Satanist in Florence Academy."

"Well, if you have such close connections, you could ask them for help instead of me. Why did you come to me?" Sung Yu-Da asked.

Sung Yu-Da raised his teacup and took a sip. His gaze was fixed on Sun-Woo.

"I do have connections with those two, but I don't know how to utilize those connections. It wasn't intentional, but my situation is far from ordinary compared to other students."

Sun-Woo calmly continued, "I came to seek advice that would be helpful in a situation that is not ordinary. That's why I sought you out, Sung Yu-Da."

Ha-Yeon understood the determination behind those words. It wasn't just about wanting to learn how to utilize connections. He wanted to see beyond the surface of the Romanican Church.

Sung Yu-Da smiled, seemingly satisfied with his answer.

"...Indeed, you are not ordinary."

With that, Sung Yu-Da stood up from his seat.

"Stay here. I will go to my study and bring something that might be helpful for you."

1. Chang-Shik(??) can be an abbreviation for child of a prostitute(??? ??) ☜