The Heretic of Cleric Academy-Chapter 83

The fire that broke out at Basar Shopping Center was quickly suppressed by the Seoul Eastern Holy Knight Order.

Among the Holy Knight Orders known for their laziness, particularly the Seoul Eastern Holy Knight Order famous for being incompetent at work, there were two main reasons why they were able to suppress the fire so quickly.

First was the newly appointed commander Han Dae-ho.

While other Holy Knights couldn’t grasp the situation and were standing around confused, Han Dae-ho single-handedly rescued 27 citizens.

Additionally, Han Dae-ho had doubled the firefighting training hours to respond to the frequent fires that had been occurring recently. Thanks to this, they were able to suppress this fire quickly.

And second was an unnamed trainee Holy Knight.

The trainee Holy Knight who bravely attempted to rush into the burning building not only suppressed the fire on the 2nd floor but also rescued a whopping 12 citizens. It was less than half of Han Dae-ho’s number, but considering he was a trainee Holy Knight, it was tremendous merit.

"So, what’s the name of the guy who came on dispatch this time?"

Han Dae-ho grabbed any subordinate Holy Knight nearby and asked for the name of the trainee Holy Knight who came on dispatch this time.

He was thinking of recruiting him quickly before other Holy Knight Orders could snatch him away. The subordinate Holy Knight looked puzzled and tilted his head at the question.

"Uh, could you repeat that once more?"

"What’s the name of the trainee Holy Knight who came on dispatch from Florence this time? I was going to praise the guy, but he didn’t even give his rank and name and disappeared all by himself..."

"Commander, there... there’s no Holy Knight who came on dispatch this time. I believe it’s not dispatch season yet."

"What are you talking about, man. Then what I saw was a ghost? Why isn’t there anyone who came on dispatch?"

Han Dae-ho yelled in frustration. The thought that that guy absolutely couldn’t be allowed to go to another Holy Knight Order made him feel impatient for no reason.

No, if he went to another Holy Knight Order, that would be fortunate. If he suddenly changed his career path and decided to become a Holy Warrior, there would be nothing more heartbreaking. He had to quickly catch and recruit him before that.

Contrary to Han Dae-ho’s feelings, his subordinate just tilted his head for a long time as if hearing this for the first time.

"Commander, didn’t you really see a ghost...? Dispatch season is around July, but now... Besides, students are busy preparing for exams right now, so they don’t have time for dispatch."

"What? Hey, you. The guy who went into the building with me, suppressed the 2nd floor fire and rescued 11 or 12 people. Didn’t you see him? That guy said with his own mouth that he was a trainee Holy Knight."

"Ah, I saw him. But wasn’t that Holy Knight Pi Du-ho?"

"Pi Du-ho worked night shift yesterday and went home to sleep. No, what. If it’s not dispatch season then what... did I really see a ghost?"

Han Dae-ho let out a hollow laugh as if absurd.

A ghost impersonated a Holy Knight, entered a building, and rescued 12 citizens?

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. It was truly nonsensical talk.

While Han Dae-ho was pondering, four or five members of the Central Holy Knight Order support team came running over.

"Are you Seoul Eastern Holy Knight Order Commander Han Dae-ho?"

"...Ah, yes. I’m Commander Han Dae-ho." 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Han Dae-ho quickly organized his thoughts and bowed to the support team.

He was smiling with his mouth, but deep wrinkles were carved between his brows. It was because he found it quite unpleasant that guys who were at most priests or bishops by ecclesiastical rank were calling him Han Dae-ho, Han Dae-ho, leaving out the honorific ’sir.’

Normally he would have immediately started yelling and scolding them, but the Central Holy Knight Order was strictly a direct organization under the Vatican. While Seoul Eastern wasn’t exactly a small Holy Knight Order, its status was shabby compared to ’Central.’

"But what brings the Central Holy Knight Order here?"

Han Dae-ho barely suppressed his boiling insides and smiled brightly.

The Holy Knight who seemed to be the team leader of the Central Holy Knight Order support team rummaged through his belongings, then eventually held out a piece of paper.

"This is a bill for the support sent from Central. Please review it and reply as soon as possible."

"Ah~ yes, yes. A bill. Central has this. Yes, thank you. Please take care, yes~"

Han Dae-ho crumpled the bill they handed him and stuffed it into his pocket, then quickly loaded the support team into an ambulance to send them back.

"What support did they give, billing us for nothing."

When the car carrying the support team had completely disappeared from view, Han Dae-ho muttered to himself in a sharp tone, clearly heated.

It was a grumbling about regretting his choice of choosing to be the head of a snake rather than the tail of a dragon when he came to Seoul Eastern Holy Knight Order.

"Isn’t that too much between fellow Holy Knights? What bill when they didn’t do anything."

A subordinate came up beside Han Dae-ho and joined in cursing Central. Unlike other Holy Knight Orders, support from the Central Holy Knight Order always came with a bill attached.

Central’s logic was that Central’s personnel were valuable, and since they sent valuable personnel, appropriate compensation should be given.

Therefore, the Central Holy Knight Order was a thorn in the side of many other Holy Knight Orders.

"What can we do. All those guys from Central are like that. Still, compared to those priest bastards, we’re angels, angels."

"Ah, right. When you suppressed that villa fire last time, didn’t priests suddenly come and make a fuss telling us what to do?"

"They did. Anyway, those priest bastards’ meddling... Ah."

Han Dae-ho, who had been nodding at his subordinate’s words, suddenly had his eyes flash open. There was a face that flashed through his mind like lightning.

During the villa fire, that crazy bastard who jumped into the flames saying he would retrieve some keepsake or something.

"...Right, that bastard."

"By that bastard, do you mean Holy Knight Pi Du-ho?"

"No no, not that guy."

Han Dae-ho shook his head. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"...There’s one bastard who’s nicely crazy."

* * *

The main auditorium where the appointment ceremony was in full swing was filled with chaos. It was because of the news that Do Seon-woo, who had been selected for the Holy Name of Charity, was absent.

"Is he dead?"

"At this point, it should be seen as refusing the appointment. Shouldn’t they pick someone else..."

"That guy is always late anyway. Isn’t he still sleeping at home?"

Speculation was rampant everywhere. Do Seon-woo was discussed by students and became either dead, a delinquent student, or a gutsy crazy bastard who refused the appointment.

"...What are both of those guys doing, really."

In the midst of the chaos, Jeong In-ah muttered to herself and put down her phone.

It had already been 30 minutes since the appointment ceremony started. Yet Do Seon-woo was nowhere to be seen. She sent texts and SNS messages but got no replies, and when she called, he didn’t answer.

Do Seon-woo wasn’t the only one absent. Gu Jun-hyeok was also absent. Like Do Seon-woo, he couldn’t be reached at all.

Jeong In-ah was continuously expressing her complicated feelings through sighs.

Screech!

At that moment, the microphone on the podium was turned on, creating sharp noise. The commotion ended, and in the settling silence, Chairman Kim Chang-won grabbed the microphone. Deep wrinkles were carved between his brows.

"Due to the absence of student Do Seon-woo, who was ’scheduled’ to be selected for the Holy Name of Charity, there has been a disruption in the appointment ceremony. Before the announcement, I apologize to the students who must have been bored."

Kim Chang-won spoke in a sharply edged tone. The statement had been corrected from Do Seon-woo who was selected for the Holy Name of Charity to Do Seon-woo who was ’scheduled’ to be selected for the Holy Name of Charity.

Jeong In-ah swallowed and called Do Seon-woo again. As expected, he didn’t answer.

"Currently, since we cannot reach student Do Seon-woo, the appointment has been indefinitely delayed. Therefore, what the teachers decided through a meeting... cough, cough!"

Kim Chang-won coughed in the middle of speaking. The cough was very heavy and rough. Healing priests and teachers from behind hurriedly approached and handed Kim Chang-won a handkerchief. Kim Chang-won covered his mouth with the handkerchief and coughed continuously.

Even after the cough finally stopped, Kim Chang-won took a long time to catch his breath. The handkerchief he removed from his mouth was thoroughly soaked with blood.

The fact that Chairman Kim Chang-won was suffering from a long-term illness and that his condition had been particularly worsening recently was well known not only to teachers but even to students.

"Looks like it’s about time for him to go."

"What? You crazy girl. Please lower your voice."

Looking at Kim Chang-won coughing as if about to die, Yeo Min-seo muttered quietly, and Han Su-ryeon, who heard it, was startled and covered her mouth.

Kang Dae-man sitting next to them was sleeping with his arms crossed, and Seong Ha-yeon was frowning with one eyebrow and tilting her head as if puzzled.

Absent?

Seong Ha-yeon suddenly recalled Do Seon-woo she had met in the ark.

His eyes climbing against the waterfall and rejecting her proposal coldly were burning with obsession.

It didn’t seem like such a Do Seon-woo would be absent from the appointment ceremony for no reason. She thought there must be some reason, but she couldn’t guess what that reason might be at all.

"I will continue. As a result of the meeting with teachers and elders, the absence from the appointment ceremony is clearly seen as an intention to refuse the appointment, and accordingly..."

Kim Chang-won paused there and caught his breath.

Teachers and students guessed it was difficult for him to speak at length due to his chronic illness. A quiet silence still flowed distantly in the auditorium.

"...we have been forced to reverse the decision."

Finally, Kim Chang-won’s following words deepened the silence in the auditorium even more.

Reversing the decision. That meant Do Seon-woo had not been selected for the Holy Name of Charity.

Students sitting in their seats were still silent, but there was definitely a strange current flowing among them.

The Holy Name of Charity had become vacant again.

That meant another opportunity had come for the majority of ordinary students who could only sit in their seats and look up at the auditorium with longing eyes.

Some students were showing obvious joy with expectant, sparkling eyes.

Jeong In-ah felt displeasure seeing them. While Do Seon-woo’s absence from the appointment ceremony was his fault, seeing those who were so openly happy about it made her suddenly angry.

"What, I came all this way for this. How boring."

"...Surprise. Who, who are you?"

At that moment, someone sitting next to Jeong In-ah muttered to themselves. Jeong In-ah turned her head in surprise.

There had definitely been no one next to her just a moment ago, but now a man she’d never seen before was sitting in the seat next to her.

"Huh? Is this seat taken by any chance? Then move over."

The man looked at Jeong In-ah with sharply raised eyes as if scanning her and spoke.

"...No, that’s not it."

At that sticky and unpleasant gaze, Jeong In-ah lightly shuddered and shook her head. The man smiled. There was something fishy and sticky about his smile.

"But what class are you in? I’ve never seen your face before."

"..."

"Won’t even tell me what class. Then what are you doing after this ends? Where’s your house? Nearby?"

The man asked in a smooth tone. Jeong In-ah kept her mouth shut and hung her head. A strange man’s sudden approach when neither Do Seon-woo nor Gu Jun-hyeok were there. It was a bewildering situation beyond confusion.

"Ahem, hmm."

Just then, the sound of Kim Chang-won clearing his throat came from the podium. Jeong In-ah felt grateful for that sound and looked up. The man who had been persistently talking to Jeong In-ah also turned his head toward the podium.

"Therefore, we will end the appointment ceremony here. Regarding the re-election of the Holy Name of Charity, we will hold a meeting and inform you of the results later..."

The moment Kim Chang-won declared the end of the appointment ceremony in a low voice.

Thud!

At the dull sound from behind, students all turned their heads at once.

He who had roughly pushed open the door and entered the auditorium was dragging heavy steps as he crossed through the students.

"..."

Kim Chang-won silently looked at him.

Hair soaked with sweat. Rough breathing. Clothes that had become tattered with someone’s blood darkly stuck and dried. His bloodshot red eyes were clearly staring at Kim Chang-won on the podium.

With that body that wouldn’t be strange if he lost consciousness at any moment, he crossed the auditorium and walked up to the podium.

Step, step, step...

His steps were powerless and heavy as if dragging brass. The sound of his footsteps climbing the stairs was particularly loud. The silence that had settled in the auditorium was deeper than ever.

Thud.

He collapsed as if falling in the center of the podium. Ash-like things fell from his bowed head. Kim Chang-won looked down at him with furrowed brows.

Looking closely, his condition was even worse. The expression "battered and bruised" was insufficient. It was no different from a living corpse. It seemed miraculous that he had walked up to the podium.

"I’m late. I’m sorry."

He said with his head bowed. His voice was clearly trembling, but there was no break in his words at all. Kim Chang-won grabbed the microphone. And brought it to his mouth. However, his mouth wouldn’t open easily.

"...Do Seon-woo."

The mouth that was barely opened was calling the name of him who had climbed onto the podium.

"Is it over?"

Do Seon-woo said. Kim Chang-won couldn’t bring himself to answer.

"The appointment ceremony..."

Thud.

Do Seon-woo’s last words couldn’t reach their end.

With those words as his last, Do Seon-woo collapsed. The dull sound echoed throughout the auditorium filled with silence. A distant silence flowed as if time had stopped.

While everyone was staring at the collapsed Do Seon-woo with their mouths open, only two students were smiling. One was Yeo Min-seo, and the other was the man who had been sitting next to Jeong In-ah.

"Right... It should be at least this much to be worth coming."

The man said with a smile, nodding. Only then did Jeong In-ah grasp the situation and jump up from her seat to run to the podium.

Starting with Jeong In-ah, other students also began to belatedly understand the situation, and soon the auditorium was filled with chaos.

"Chairman! Your daughter..."

It was then that news came that Kim Chang-won’s daughter, Kim Jin-seo, had been hospitalized.