"Ah, my wrist is already killing me from the pain. This is quite an unfortunate incident, isn't it?"
"We have no words of excuse. Our dBP Corporation will take responsibility and provide treatment. If you wish, we can even feed all those security guards to the fish."
"What? No... There's no need to go that far. Just covering the medical expenses would be enough."
Uncle scratched his head sheepishly as he continued speaking.
"Anyway, shall we start by checking the contract details?"
Uncle excitedly pulled out the contract and handed it to Bae Jeong-hwan. Bae Jeong-hwan received the contract as if he were receiving gold, making a big fuss.
"First, dBP Corporation will donate three high-quality holy items to the Voodoo sect."
Uncle began explaining the contract conditions with a triumphant face like a creditor standing before a debtor. Just looking at his tone and expression, you'd believe he was a loan shark.
"Second, the amount specified in the contract will be offered as a donation. Of course, we only accept the full amount in cash. We can't have any records left of this business."
"Yes, of course."
"Oh, and information about the Voodoo sect must never be disclosed. If anything happens to the leader's safety, your wife's life could also be in danger, you know?"
"Of course. Naturally. How could I stab my benefactors in the back?"
Bae Jeong-hwan was prepared to agree to whatever we said. Since we were the ones who saved his wife from her coma, it was natural. In Bae Jeong-hwan's eyes, we were no different from gods.
"Well, this should be enough. You can give us the donation when you attend the next worship service, and we'll schedule the holy item donation sometime next week."
Uncle said this and was about to get up from his seat. I grabbed Uncle and made him sit back down.
I had a few things to say about Bae Jeong-hwan's son. That is, Bae Seong-hyeon.
"Your son is a Florence student, isn't he?"
When I said this, Bae Jeong-hwan looked up in surprise. Soon his pupils began trembling wildly. Even his lips were quivering.
He seemed to feel fear toward me.
"Yes, that's correct."
"Hasn't your son been coming home late at night recently?"
"How do you know that...!"
The fearful expression on Bae Jeong-hwan's face deepened.
"Haha, the leader sometimes sees through our hearts."
Uncle told this lie without his expression changing at all.
I don't have the ability to peer into people's hearts. I just knew what Bae Seong-hyeon's usual behavior was like. Since I go to the same school as Bae Seong-hyeon.
Well, anyway, this wasn't the important part.
"It would be better for you to reduce the money you spend on your son a bit. Things like allowance or donations to Florence."
"What? May I ask the reason?"
"Money given without cost is leading your son down the path of delinquency. For your son's future, it would be better to reduce spending. It would also be good to scold him sternly."
"The leader sometimes foresees our future too, haha."
When I spoke, Uncle chimed in from the side. I don't even know my own future, so how could I foresee someone else's? Why is Uncle Lee Jin-seong telling such ridiculous lies?
However, Bae Jeong-hwan seemed to believe Uncle's lies completely. His eyes were sparkling with belief and faith.
Well, people who fall into religion do tend to believe whatever they're told. Though it wasn't something I, as a leader, should say.
"It's not a demand, just advice I'm giving out of concern for your son's future."
I said this while glancing sideways at Uncle Lee Jin-seong, who was casually spouting lies.
"My goodness, you already saved my wife, and now you're even caring about my son. Really, I can only say thank you."
"Not at all. Well then, we'll be going now."
I got up from my seat with those final words. After getting in the elevator and taking off my mask, Uncle Lee Jin-seong opened his mouth as if he'd been waiting.
"Hey, but why did you bring up that son business?"
"Just because. The kid's personality is a bit strange."
"Why? Is he bullying you, by any chance?"
"Not me. He's bullying another kid."
"Huh, really? If he's the chairman's son, he must have a lot of money. Why would he do that?"
Uncle Lee Jin-seong frowned as if he couldn't understand. I couldn't understand Bae Seong-hyeon either.
Why would a kid who grew up lacking nothing in a wealthy family go around bullying other friends?
The reason I bothered to bring up unnecessary talk to Bae Jeong-hwan at the end was hoping that Bae Seong-hyeon's behavior would improve a bit.
Having gone this far, Bae Seong-hyeon should figure things out for himself.
Thinking it was no big deal, I left dBP Hospital. And I got into Uncle's car parked in the parking lot.
As promised with Bae Jeong-hwan, all CCTV records from dBP Hospital today would be erased.
* * *
The weekend remaining after finishing Bae Jeong-hwan's request. I was alone in my studio apartment practicing divine power.
Successfully creating low-grade blessing circles. However, I repeatedly failed at creating intermediate blessing circles.
For reference, all Florence students except me know how to handle intermediate blessings. It meant I was the only one falling behind.
After concentrating on drawing intermediate blessing circles for an hour like this.
"I did it!"
Finally, I succeeded in drawing an intermediate blessing circle.
[What do you mean you did it? It's a failure.]
However, no blessing light flowed from the blessing circle I drew. The blessing circle drawn in the air soon lost color and crumbled, and at the same time my heart filled with anticipation also crumbled.
"Ah."
I let out a deep sigh and casually tried drawing a spell circle with Voodoo magic power.
Not only intermediate but even advanced spell circles were drawn so easily. Beautiful and mysterious purple mist was spreading thickly from the drawn spell circle.
Handling Voodoo magic power was this easy, so why was handling divine power so difficult? Do I have no talent for divine power? If I have no talent for divine power, what will happen to becoming a high-ranking cleric, and before that, how will I graduate?
The anxiety and despair hidden in one corner of my heart raised their heads.
[It's okay. Don't you have talent for Voodoo magic power!]
Legba spoke to me as I was falling into despair. As always, it wasn't comforting. It only made the emptiness grow.
For the sake of tomorrow's "that class," I had to succeed in creating intermediate blessing circles today.
However, no matter how many times I repeated it, only failures accumulated, and there was no sign of success.
[Again!]
When my heart was about to collapse from frequent failures, I would hear Legba's voice and pull myself together again.
Believing that with will and effort, there was nothing that couldn't be achieved.
* * *
Eventually the next day, morning came. Maybe because I didn't sleep properly, my head was spinning. My steps to school were as heavy as lead. If I lost focus even slightly, my legs seemed ready to give out at any moment.
The problem was staying up all night determined to somehow draw intermediate blessing circles.
Still, I somehow arrived without being late, and the morning assembly passed in a blur. And the "that class" I'd been waiting for began.
"Nice to meet you! Since we already greeted each other during assembly, let's skip that and start class right away, shall we?"
Ha Ye-jin's energetic voice announced the start of class. Ha Ye-jin picked up chalk and wrote something on the blackboard.
It was the name of the subject currently being taught. As the name suggested, it was time to learn about divine power. It was also why I had stayed up all night drawing blessing circles.
"This is the first time I'm coming into our classroom for class. Well anyway, as you all know, in this period we'll learn three ways to use divine power, including blessings."
Ha Ye-jin said this while emitting divine power and drawing two blessing circles. Ha Ye-jin's divine power was incomparably better quality than that of ordinary students.
What was even more amazing was that it took less than 3 seconds to draw the two blessing circles.
As expected, Florence teachers are on a different level. I was newly impressed.
"I just drew two blessing circles. At first glance, they look the same. But they are clearly different types of blessing circles. They're different from their very essence."
Ha Ye-jin continued her explanation.
"So here's a question. What's the way to distinguish between these two? Can anyone explain?"
Ha Ye-jin looked around at the students with a bright smile. Students all lowered their heads to avoid her gaze. For several seconds, cold silence flowed through the Charity class classroom.
Just as Ha Ye-jin was about to harden her face in disappointment at the listless class attitude.
"I think I know."
Someone raised their hand. Everyone looked at her with surprised eyes. Jeong In-ah opened her mouth with a faint smile.
"The shape of the blessing's core seems a bit different."
"More precisely. Can you explain in a little more detail?"
Color returned to Ha Ye-jin's hardening face.
"To speak of the core shapes first, one is spherical while the other is closer to an ellipsoid. Uh, um. And..."
"Good, good. Can you explain more?"
Jeong In-ah's face, who was giving the presentation, turned noticeably red. She seemed conscious of the children's gazes looking at her.
Ha Ye-jin, unaware of Jeong In-ah's feelings, encouraged her further.
"The one with a spherical core is a blessing circle, and the one with an ellipsoidal core is a healing circle... It's not completely accurate, but that's how it looks."
"Perfect!"
Ha Ye-jin beamed and clapped. Students awkwardly clapped following Ha Ye-jin. Jeong In-ah received the applause and sat down shyly.
"These two blessing circles here look the same, but the core shapes are very slightly different. And just by slightly changing the core shape, the essence of the blessing circle can change. Until now you've all been drawing blessing circles by feel, but if you pay attention to this core shape when drawing blessing circles, you'll be able to draw more precise and complete blessing circles."
Ha Ye-jin explained excitedly. To summarize, paying attention to the core when drawing blessing circles makes it easier.
For me, who can't even properly draw intermediate blessing circles, this was very useful information. I copied Ha Ye-jin's words into my notebook.
"Like this, divine power is used by drawing blessing circles or healing circles. Now, here's another question!"
Soon Ha Ye-jin's question time came around again. Students were already lowering their heads before even hearing what the question was.
"Besides blessing circles and healing circles, isn't there another way to use divine power?"
"I'll answer."
This time it was Bae Seong-hyeon who answered.
"Oh, good. Then please explain."
"Besides blessing circles and healing circles, divine power can also be used in a way called 'miracles.'"
"Yes, good."
Ha Ye-jin smiled with satisfaction. There wasn't the same applause as before. Bae Seong-hyeon didn't like this and sat down with a scowl.
"You all only know how to handle blessing circles and healing circles now, but when your level gets higher, you'll be able to handle something called 'miracles.' What is a 'miracle'? Well, it's easier to show you directly than explain with words."
Ha Ye-jin modestly clasped both hands to her chest. When she closed her eyes and muttered as if praying, divine power began flowing from Ha Ye-jin's body.
It soon became a cloud. The color was black and murky, heavy as if it had absorbed lots of rain.
It was a dark cloud.
The dark cloud soon filled the classroom ceiling completely.
Whoooosh!
Soon, rain began to fall.
"Like this, reproducing the miracles that saints and the great one in heaven showed in the past, albeit weakly. Precisely it's 'miracle reproduction,' but we simply shorten it to 'miracle.' Oh my, this rainfall is stronger than I thought."
Ha Ye-jin said this and clasped her hands to her chest again. Divine power flowed from her body, and the divine power soon became a small sun that shone on us.
The sunlight warmly dried us who had gotten soaked from the rain.
"You all probably can't use 'miracles' yet. Of course, there's no need to be discouraged. It's natural not to be able to use miracles at your age. If you work hard, you'll all be able to use 'miracles' someday."
Ha Ye-jin continued with a bright smile.
"Well, sometimes even with time, if you don't have talent you might not be able to use them. Anyway! Then shall we rest for a moment while our clothes dry? About 1 minute."
Ha Ye-jin, who had been continuing class passionately, suggested a break. Ha Ye-jin's class had such a fast tempo that just listening drained all my energy.
If it's this hard for us listening, it must be even harder for Ha Ye-jin teaching the class.
I understood Ha Ye-jin's feelings in suggesting a break.
"Everyone's clothes seem dry, so let's start class again."
After 1 minute passed, Ha Ye-jin pulled herself together again and resumed class. It was amazing recovery power.
She was a person overflowing with energy when it came to teaching.
"What I'm going to explain now needs two people who are good at handling divine power. Hmm, hmm. Who would be good."
Ha Ye-jin looked around at the students with hawk eyes. I looked out the window and pretended not to notice.
Then I inadvertently made eye contact with Ha Ye-jin. Her eyes that met mine sparkled for an instant.
I had an ominous premonition.
"I think the two people who received high scores on the diagnostic evaluation would be good."
And ominous premonitions never fail to come true.
"Do Seon-woo, Bae Seong-hyeon. Could you two students come to the front for a moment?"