The Best Cure for Those Returnees is a Beating

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“Who are you…?”

Lee Ha-yeon couldn’t hide her shock at the question.

The Celestial Lady, here? Why now?

Such questions held no significance. What mattered was figuring out a way to overcome this unexpected situation.

However, Lee Ha-yeon was no seasoned executor. She had skillfully infiltrated the headquarters and executed the plan to steal the holy water, but her ability to handle such sudden circumstances was relatively weak.

Thus—

-Swish.

Lee Ha-yeon instinctively took a step back.

It was a clear defensive reaction.

If she had cleverly pretended to be a believer to deceive the other party, she could have easily created an escape route. But overwhelmed, Lee Ha-yeon was unable to make a proper judgment.

‘…Should I attack?’

As a result, her mind inclined towards the most obvious option. Engaging in battle with a Celestial Lady at the headquarters was absurd. Fortunately, Lee Ha-yeon wasn’t reckless enough to engage in such a rash action.

But if that wasn’t an option, what would she do now?

“You…”

At that moment, the other party made the first move. Despite her eyes being covered, the piercing gaze felt as if it was completely seeing through Lee Ha-yeon’s innermost thoughts.

Cold sweat trickled down her cheek. A gentle smile played at the corners of the other’s mouth. Just that alone made it clear who held the upper hand in this situation.

Given the circumstances, fleeing without a second thought was her only option.

-Squeeze.

As Lee Ha-yeon steeled her legs for action—

“Are you a believer? Why are you here at this hour… Have you lost your way?”

“Pardon?”

“The exit is over there. Would you like me to guide you if you’re confused?”

In that moment, Lee Ha-yeon’s tension dissipated entirely.

However, she quickly regained her composure and nodded. If the other party misinterpreted the situation, there was no need to reject their offer.

“Yes! That’s correct. I came to the headquarters for volunteer work today, but I dozed off while I was at the restroom…”

“Oh my, it seems you take your volunteering very seriously.”

Though the excuse felt awkward even to Lee Ha-yeon, the other showed no signs of scrutiny.

“Shall I accompany you to the exit?”

“No! I can’t impose like that. I’ll find my way!”

“Alright then. Take care on your way out.”

“Yes, Celestial Lady! I, I wish for the grace and blessing of Lord Dion to be with you!”

Lee Ha-yeon bowed her head and began to walk towards the exit. Even as she turned the corner of the hallway, her heart was racing so loudly she felt like she might pass out.

…However, nothing happened as she rounded the corner.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Lee Ha-yeon gripped the holy water vial she had hidden in her arms tightly and hurried to the exit.

“…”

And watching Lee Ha-yeon’s retreating figure was a woman who quietly spoke.

“…Please, do take care.”

*

“Is that really the reason for Choi Jin-seo’s parents acting strangely?”

The next day, Lee Ha-yeon, back at the office, presented the holy water sample she had secured to Kwon Tae-ho and Yoo Seol.

“Looks like plain water, huh? This side has a bit of color though.”

“Well, even drugs can be colorless and odorless. You can’t judge by appearance alone. The effects include euphoria, elevated mood, and hallucinations, so it’s practically the same as a drug.”

“There was a time when new types of drugs made by returnees who were alchemists were popular when there were no regulations. This holy water might be one of them.”

As Kwon Tae-ho inspected the holy water, he discreetly opened the lid. A sweet aroma wafted out, making him frown immediately.

“Why does it smell bad?”

“Really? I think it smells sweet and nice.”

Kwon Tae-ho shook his head at Yoo Seol’s remark.

“There are different kinds of sweet scents. This one feels like artificial sweetness meant to lure someone in. I’ve caught a whiff of similar scents before—like those from succubi or the breath of vampires.”

“…You’re not boasting about your experience in entertainment establishments, are you?”

“I smelled it while working. Anyway, the scent from this holy water feels fishy, so I guess we’ll find out more once it’s analyzed by the forensic lab through the management agency. The amount is a bit low though…”

Kwon Tae-ho pointed out that the holy water was only half-filled in the vial. When Lee Ha-yeon heard this, she hurriedly made an excuse.

“I thought if I brought too much, it might look suspicious…!”

“That’s fair enough.”

Seeing Kwon Tae-ho’s understanding nod made Lee Ha-yeon let out a sigh of relief.

‘Sorry, Executor! I lied…!’

In reality, the amount of holy water was small enough to be true. To be precise, it had diminished. Last night, Lee Ha-yeon had gulped it down, unable to resist temptation.

Lee Ha-yeon herself knew it was wrong. But desires are called desires precisely because they are hard to resist.

‘…The addiction is quicker than expected. If I’m not careful, I’ll become enamored with the Truth Religion like the others.’

Fortunately, while Lee Ha-yeon showed signs of addiction to the holy water, she hadn’t been swayed by the precepts of the Truth Religion. Other believers were revering Dion and the Celestial Lady like deities due to the hallucinations the holy water provided.

…Still, from an objective perspective, Lee Ha-yeon’s state was precarious. She should stop the infiltration mission here and cut off access to the holy water to overcome the addiction.

But she couldn’t do that.

She feared if she confessed her worry about becoming addicted to the holy water, it might disappoint Kwon Tae-ho and Yoo Seol. Such concerns swirled in her mind.

‘It’s fine. I just won’t drink it from now on. During worship, I’ll sit in a corner and throw it away while others aren’t looking; then no one will suspect me.’

Although this seemed like a rational decision, it was infused with a level of self-justification.

Whether this was her overconfidence that she’d be fine or an unconscious desire for the holy water, Lee Ha-yeon herself couldn’t tell.

“Are there any other illegal activities being conducted by the Truth Religion?”

“Uh, so far it doesn’t seem like there are any. The worship has been normal, and the volunteer activities have just been competitive volunteer work.”

“In that case, until we receive the forensic results, keep acting as a believer and observe their movements. Report anything unusual immediately.”

“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind. By the way, has there been anything unusual in the office?”

What had Kwon Tae-ho and Yoo Seol been up to while Lee Ha-yeon infiltrated the Truth Religion? It was purely out of curiosity that she asked. For now, they were in the midst of the Executor’s training course.

“Nothing particularly out of the ordinary… Ah, we did arrest a drunk troublemaker. It wasn’t anything special, but it had an unusual story to it.”

“What kind of story?”

“The husband, who was in the middle of divorce proceedings, overheard that his accumulated energy was included in the asset division list, and he lost it, beating up his wife.”

“…Pardon?”

Accrued energy as part of asset division? What on earth did that mean?

Lee Ha-yeon had forgotten her previous worries and concerns upon hearing such an absurd tale. With a shocked expression, she listened as Yoo Seol provided clarification.

“Any property accumulated jointly during marriage is subject to division in divorce. In this case, the husband, who works for a private security company, had accumulated energy using a large-scale was purchased as a couple’s property, which became problematic. Typically, such abilities are not considered to be assets, but the wife’s attorney framed them as a ‘means of profit generation,’ leading to the asset division lawsuit.”

Of course, it was impossible to simply divide the accumulated energy or the abilities that the husband possessed as if they were property.

However, in this country, the use of abilities by ordinary citizens is strictly regulated. Thanks to those regulations, there was an opening for the wife’s side to intervene.

“The attorney requested a division regarding the rights to profit through the husband’s abilities. Each time a profit is generated by using those abilities, the wife’s permission must be acquired, or the husband should pay 40% of the profits made using the energy he accumulated as joint property. Both cases are unprecedented, causing quite a stir in relevant industries.”

“The problem was that when the husband got wind of that info, he happened to be heavily drunk. In his drunken rage, he confronted his wife, leading to the violence. By the time police arrived, he was still struck by alcohol and ended up assaulting them too, which is where I came in.”

“And then what happened?”

“I slapped him and threw him in a cell. I don’t have any information regarding the lawsuit. After all, there’s no need for me to know.”

The Executor’s duty was confined to subduing and arresting criminals.

Any subsequent criminal or civil lawsuits were the responsibility of others. Kwon Tae-ho neither wanted to know nor felt it was necessary to know.

“Still, you never know, right? It might come in handy for you someday.”

At Yoo Seol’s playful inquiry, Kwon Tae-ho chuckled and shook his head.

“Not married, let alone divorced, so why would it matter?”

“Do you plan to get married?”

“If I had a partner.”

“Really?”

Yoo Seol expressed unexpected interest at his simple response. However, Kwon Tae-ho had no wish to prolong this pointless conversation.

“Let’s not dwell on resolved cases any longer. What’s important now is the Truth Religion issue. When’s the next worship?”

“Uh? Oh, Jin-seo said she couldn’t attend weekday worship because she’s busy, so probably Sunday…?”

“If possible, try to get in touch with the church administration that day and gather more information. Ask about the principle of the holy water, for instance. But make sure not to arouse any suspicion.”

Lee Ha-yeon was thinking that participating in worship as a layperson would yield no significant findings. She had just begun to feel that way.

“Yes! I’ll do my best…!”

“I’ve told you several times that you should avoid pushing yourself. If you think you can’t handle it alone, feel free to call me. It might be better for me to flip everything and sort it out later, anyway.”

“Of course you say that because you won’t be the one cleaning up after it, right? I’m already trembling at the thought.”

“That’s exactly why there’s a position for an assistant—to assist, my dear assistant.”

“…Trash.”

“What did you just say?”

“I called you trash.”

“Haha.”

As usual, Lee Ha-yeon chuckled at the bickering between the two.

With the issue of holy water addiction and the pressure of the infiltration mission looming over her, watching them act as usual brought her a sense of relief.

Despite the difficult mission ahead, she believed these two would certainly help her at critical moments.

Thinking that way, a smile crept across her face as she looked at them.

A few days later. Sunday.

Before the forensic results from the lab were available, Lee Ha-yeon attended the Truth Religion worship again.

As usual, after the service, it was time for the holy water communion. Sitting in a corner on purpose, she stealthily discarded the holy water on the floor while looking around.

…To say she didn’t struggle through that process would be a lie.

If it were holy water for returnees, it might be different, but ordinary holy water would have little effect on Lee Ha-yeon. So, a temptation arose that maybe one more sip wouldn’t hurt.

However, Lee Ha-yeon resisted. She felt proud and pleased with herself for overcoming the addiction.

“Ha-yeon unnie.”

Just as she was about to stand, Choi Jin-seo, who had been worshiping at another spot, approached her.

“Yeah, Jin-seo? What’s up?”

“The priest wants to see you for a moment. Do you have time now?”

The priest referred to was the one who presided over the church service. It was similar to the role of a pastor in Protestantism.

“Huh? I have time, but….”

Why would such a person be looking for me? Did I get caught throwing away the holy water?

A wave of questions flooded her mind, but in the end, there was no way to find out unless she met them. Since Kwon Tae-ho had also mentioned asking the administrators about the holy water, it seemed like a fortunate coincidence.

“Let’s go together then.”

Choi Jin-seo took Lee Ha-yeon’s hand and led her towards the inner part of the worship hall. As they entered the priest’s office after passing through the hallway, they were met by an unexpected figure waiting for her.

“Oh, hello!”

“Huh?”

The person who awaited them wasn’t the usual priest. Of course, the priest was there next to her, but there was another individual.

With sky-blue hair and wings sprouting from her head, a brilliant halo and a shroud cloaked her eyes.

“W-What is the Celestial Lady doing here…?”

The Celestial Lady of the Truth Religion, Rozelia, was the one awaiting her. Seeing Lee Ha-yeon’s reaction, the Celestial Lady smiled and spoke.

“It’s nice to meet you for the first time. My name is Rozelia, and it is a privilege to serve as the messenger of the great Lord Dion in this Truth Religion.”

“W-What? It’s our first time meeting…?”

That can’t be right. Didn’t we just see each other a few days ago at the headquarters?

“?? It should be the first time…? I don’t usually come out of the headquarters for ordinary matters. I heard you just recently joined as a believer, is that correct?”

Yet, the Celestial Lady looked as if she truly was seeing Lee Ha-yeon for the first time. While Lee Ha-yeon felt her doubts deepening, she decided to play along and bowed her head respectfully.

“Ah, yes… I must have mistaken you. I’m Lee Ha-yeon. Um, may the grace of Lord Dion be with you…?”

“There’s no need to be so formal. Under the blessing of Father Dion, we are all equal. Now, please feel free to sit over here.”

As Lee Ha-yeon and Choi Jin-seo sat at the table, the priest served them coffee. While Lee Ha-yeon was increasingly confused about what was going on, Choi Jin-seo remained calm, sitting composedly.

“You must be quite startled, huh? The sudden summon and then to find the Celestial Lady waiting for you.”

“Yes? Oh, yes. To be honest, it’s very surprising…”

“There’s no need to be flustered. The reason I came to find you today is that I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal?”

“Do you know about the ‘Paladin Order’?”

When Lee Ha-yeon shook her head, the priest attending beside the Celestial Lady began to explain.

The Paladin Order.

It was the armed group of the Truth Religion that defended the church and its believers from various external forces. It could be thought of as a kind of vigilante.

“Excuse me, but you are a returnee, right?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“I heard from the church’s priest that a returnee had recently come in as a new believer. They mentioned that you appeared to be quite a powerful one. Now that I see you in person, it seems to be true.”

While saying this, the Celestial Lady pointed to her obscured eyes.

“I have the ability to see through the powers possessed by others. From what I can gather, you have very strong abilities. Therefore, I kindly ask that you use that strength to protect members of our church.”

“Are you suggesting that I join the Order?”

“I would like you to join, yes. But it’s merely a request. External forces that wish harm to our church have been increasing lately, and I thought having someone exceptional like you in the Paladin Order would be wonderful.”

External forces seeking to harm the church.

For a moment, Lee Ha-yeon wondered if their existence had been discovered, but no signs indicated that.

However, she couldn’t afford to lower her guard. Lee Ha-yeon considered the Celestial Lady’s proposal with caution.

‘The Paladin Order is essentially a core organization within the Truth Religion. It might offer me the opportunity to uncover the crimes committed by the Truth Religion.’

Although there would be increased risks by infiltrating deeper into the church, the potential returns would be undeniable. Perhaps she could even gather decisive evidence to topple the Truth Religion.

But…

“…I’m truly honored to receive such a proposal, but…I’m not the great returnee you think I am…”

“Who enters into things fully prepared from the beginning? And I believe you will do exceptionally well.”

“Is it okay if I take some time to think it over and respond?”

Rushing into such a decision was not prudent. At the very least, she would need to confer with Kwon Tae-ho and Yoo Seol before deciding.

“…That’s fine. I would prefer you to take your time and come to a decision. Joining the Order brings rights and honors, but with it comes significant responsibility.”

Having said that, the Celestial Lady approached Lee Ha-yeon and lowered her body, grasping both of her hands firmly.

“Still, I genuinely believe you will undoubtedly join the Paladin Order.”

While she claimed to have faith in her, her tone felt imbued with absolute certainty. Lee Ha-yeon felt burdened by the Celestial Lady’s demeanor, causing her to turn her head subconsciously.

Despite the fact that her eyes were covered, standing before the Celestial Lady gave Lee Ha-yeon the impression that everything about her was visible. It felt as if she were completely stripped bare.

“Well then, I hope to see you again soon.”

“…Yes, I’ll see you again, Celestial Lady.”

After exchanging farewells with the Celestial Lady, Lee Ha-yeon left the priest’s office alongside Choi Jin-seo. Once the door closed behind them, a wave of tension washed away, allowing her to exhale a breath of relief.

“I never imagined the Celestial Lady would personally call for me…”

“…”

Lee Ha-yeon joked, thinking she had aged ten years in that moment.

However, Choi Jin-seo didn’t show any strong reaction. Observing her with downcast eyes and a troubled expression, Lee Ha-yeon grew concerned and asked.

“Are you alright? Do you have something on your mind?”

“Huh? Oh, no. I’m fine. I don’t have any… worries. Just… I’m a bit relieved…”

Though there was a hint of discomfort in her demeanor, Lee Ha-yeon brushed it off as inconsequential. Indeed, if she felt tense in front of the Celestial Lady, it would be even more so for someone merely in middle school like Choi Jin-seo.

“Unnie, what will you do about that proposal from earlier?”

“For now, I’ll consult with the Executor. But I’m probably going to accept it. Joining the Order would make it easier to access internal church information.”

“Right? I thought the same. This is definitely a solid opportunity…”

“Yep. If things go well, we might completely dismantle the Truth Religion. Then Jin-seo’s parents and other believers could be liberated from the Truth Religion.”

“Then… it would, right?”

A strange conflict flickered across Choi Jin-seo’s face as she responded that way. Seeing her expression, Lee Ha-yeon guessed something was bothering her.

But she didn’t press the issue. Just moments before, Choi Jin-seo had seemed to exude a strong aura of not wanting to speak about it.

…Well, it involved family, so she must have her own concerns as well.

Though Lee Ha-yeon felt a bit uneasy, she dismissed it and thought it wasn’t a big deal.

….And soon, Lee Ha-yeon would come to regret this moment.

That feeling of unease she sensed then should never have been ignored.