The Lawyer Who Reads Tomorrow - Chapter 56

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 56

 

 

Living life, all sorts of things happen.

 

I silently stared at the composite photo and text on that small card.

Suddenly, I was reminded of when I received the obituary text about myself.

 

Compared to receiving a wedding invitation for my own wedding that only I didn’t know about, which one is worse?

 

“Are you surprised?”

“Yes.”

 

When I answered honestly, the woman smiled kindly and spoke.

Rather than words spoken to a future husband, it was more like the tone an experienced senior would use with a newcomer.

 

“This is truly a great blessing. This Sunday, none other than… Kim Yo-han Protosophy himself has agreed to personally perform the baptism.”

 

Roughly interpreting what this cult member was saying, it seems like some important person within the religious order is coming to see me.

 

I kept my mouth shut as much as possible to avoid going against her mood.

The glares from the two men who had firmly restrained Do-hyuk’s arms were quite ominous.

 

“I see.”

“Of course! You’ll be delighted. You may not understand the truth well yet… but if you just open your heart a little and recite the gospel, surely! Mr. Sung Tae-hyun will also be moved.”

 

As if that would happen.

 

I didn’t avoid the gaze of the woman who looked at me with seemingly innocent eyes.

She truly seemed to believe that what she knew was the truth.

Things like Protosophy and whatnot.

 

If she knew that the me before her was a ghost wearing Sung Tae-hyun’s skin, wouldn’t her face be quite a sight to see?

 

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Ah, Protosophy… Yes. Since you’ll be my partner, I believed you would surely be wise.”

 

The woman spoke with eyes sparkling as if she might shed tears at any moment.

 

Good.

Should I dig a little deeper?

 

When I suddenly spoke as if I had been moved by the cult’s doctrine, Do-hyuk’s expression, restrained across from me, changed strangely.

I winked at him to signal him to shut up, then opened my mouth again.

 

“I’d like to learn more deeply about the doctrine. Isn’t there a way to study it?”

 

My intention is clear.

 

Those who kidnapped me won’t kill or harm me.

If they intended to kill me, they would have done so already and then some.

Just like those who killed Kim Wook-han did.

 

But these people want something from me.

 

“Of course! To show such enthusiasm already… It feels like a blessed reward has come to my heart for deciding to become your wife and form Ecclesia 111…”

 

The woman finally shed tears.

It was a scene very difficult for me to accept.

 

Nevertheless, I took a deep breath and offered the woman a handkerchief.

I naturally offered it since it was something I always carried, but even so, the woman was newly moved and dabbed her tears with the handkerchief.

 

“Surely, Protosophy will understand Mr. Sung Tae-hyun’s heart… If there’s anything you desire for the path of the gospel, please request it from me anytime.”

 

The woman spoke with a gentle sigh.

 

“Then may I make one request?”

 

Of course, she didn’t seem to expect me to make a request so immediately.

The woman, who hesitated for a moment, wiped around her eyes with the handkerchief and then answered kindly.

 

“Of course. Soon Mr. Sung Tae-hyun will become my partner… Whatever it is, please tell me.”

 

…Do cult members originally have such verbose speech patterns?

Or is it just this woman who’s particularly like that?

Anyway, I went along with her roughly and stated what I wanted.

 

“Park Mu-hyun Ke…”

 

What was it again.

Since I had heard it in one ear and let it flow out the other, I couldn’t remember the full name.

Do-hyuk, who quickly caught on, made hints with his mouth shape toward me.

 

“…rius. I mean.”

“Ah, yes. You mean that person…”

 

The woman didn’t seem to notice.

Her expression changed to one that seemed very heartbroken and bitter, as if it was too painful to say more.

 

“It’s a sad matter. That Kerius… went through such a thing… But he’ll overcome it soon.”

 

For a woman who seems quite high-ranking in this fanatic group to have this level of reaction.

Is divorce also taboo here?

 

Well, this woman.

She did talk about marriage as if she were dreaming, calling it being partners and such.

 

I roughly inferred and opened my mouth.

 

“Park Mu-hyun Kerius said he chose me.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. I’m embarrassed to say… even though I’ve studied as Ecclesia’s Bride for a long time, I still haven’t been able to find the right match.”

“….”

“But this time, Kerius personally found my match for me. And that’s you, Sung Tae-hyun.”

 

The woman looked at me and blushed.

This couldn’t be affection for a stranger named ‘Sung Tae-hyun’ she was seeing for the first time.

It was probably excitement about finally achieving her purpose as a believer.

 

In any case, it was a pace difficult to follow with ordinary thinking.

 

“I’d like to learn the doctrine directly from Park Mu-hyun Kerius.”

“…!”

 

The woman opened her mouth for a moment.

She made her already reddened face even redder and let out a trembling sigh.

It seemed like several seconds of contemplation followed.

 

“That’s actually… oh, really… normally contact with unbaptized outsiders is… forbidden, but…”

“Park Mu-hyun already brought me and senior Lim Do-hyuk here, didn’t he.”

“…That’s true too.”

 

Didn’t Park Mu-hyun say he’d only meet if we memorized the gospel?

I had no intention of memorizing the doctrine from this thick book.

So this was the workaround I chose.

 

“Oh… you’re really putting me to the test…”

 

The woman pondered while drawing out her words.

 

“If that’s impossible, at least let me contact the outside world.”

“…! That’s…”

“It’s my wedding, so I should at least contact my mother, don’t you think?”

 

The woman now looked even more troubled.

She didn’t seem to be fundamentally a bad person. It’s just that she was in a cult.

Finally, as if she had made up her mind, the woman slowly opened her mouth.

 

“Contact with the outside world is… possible after baptism is complete. I really can’t do anything about this…”

“Then what about learning doctrine from Park Mu-hyun Ke… rius?”

“Alright. This is really beyond my authority, but…”

 

The woman slowly got up with a face like someone who had awakened from a long dream.

The two men who had been restraining Lim Do-hyuk across from us also released him following her instructions.

 

“I’ll try to arrange for Kerius to see Sung Tae-hyun today.”

“It’s nice that my future wife is so flexible.”

 

At my words, Lim Do-hyuk looked shocked and rolled his eyes.

What, you bastard.

 

“Oh, to say such things…”

 

The woman briefly recited another prayer and said as she headed outside the door.

 

“Until we meet again, may you be complete in Cardia’s gospel…”

 

* * *

 

“Are you really planning to get married or something?”

 

After the door closed, Lim Do-hyuk asked me in an urgent tone.

Despite not looking like it, Lim Do-hyuk had some naive aspects.

 

“If necessary, I’ll have to.”

 

When I answered teasingly, Lim Do-hyuk’s face instantly turned pale.

It seemed like he was blaming himself for this situation.

 

But I didn’t bother to correct him.

It was right for him to feel this level of responsibility.

 

“Senior.”

“…Yeah.”

“We’re outnumbered. There don’t seem to be any surveillance devices here, but let’s be careful anyway.”

“…! How do you know that?”

 

How do I know?

 

Before coming to Park Mu-hyun’s office, I had secretly brought along a surveillance detection device that 404 had sent me.

Seeing that it was still in the leather case at the bottom of my bag, it didn’t seem like they had discovered it either.

 

“Are you… doing some kind of dangerous part-time job?”

 

Lim Do-hyuk’s eyes widened after seeing the quite professional RF detector.

 

“What part-time job.”

 

Even before knowing Park Mu-hyun was in a cult, he had been a suspicious person.

Going to such a person’s office without any preparation.

That was impossible for Kim Wook-han after having died once.

 

The fact that 404, who was excited as if filming a spy movie, had given it to me was even more of a secret.

 

“I didn’t walk around the room for nothing, making my legs hurt.”

“…Amazing, really.”

 

At my words, Lim Do-hyuk sighed.

Suddenly, he jumped up as if realizing something he had forgotten.

 

“Ah, what are you really going to do? What’s the point of calling out Park Mu-hyun?”

“What do you mean what’s the point? I have to ask him to send us home.”

“Do you think that’ll lead to a conversation?”

 

It wouldn’t.

But I was planning to at least try some threats while I was at it.

 

“If we stay cooped up here until Sunday, I think our mental health will deteriorate. I want to try appealing with that.”

“…It’s only two days anyway. Really, it’ll be over in no time.”

 

Lim Do-hyuk’s words were right too.

 

If my memory was correct, the day we were kidnapped was Wednesday.

Since I woke up on Friday afternoon after being unconscious for two days.

 

…There really wasn’t much time left until Sunday.

 

“While I’m at it, it’d be even better to learn about this religious order’s structure.”

 

Park Mu-hyun’s office wouldn’t have rooms like this.

I was almost certain of it.

 

If it was truly a business that claimed to offer high-end asset management and only met with high-ranking officials’ children.

They would hide this kind of appearance for the sake of managing their external image.

 

Especially those clothes with Cardia logos that the two men wore earlier – they definitely wouldn’t wear those at the office.

 

“So you should pretend to be influenced too, senior.”

“…”

“Even if it’s annoying, at least pretend to act a bit unhinged.”

 

Lim Do-hyuk bit his lip.

Was this him saying he’d rather die than pretend to be a cult fanatic?

 

If that was his conviction, then there was nothing I could do about it.

Just as I was about to give up, Lim Do-hyuk pressed his lips together firmly and nodded.

It was such a firm resolve that anyone watching might think he was about to join the independence movement.

 

“Alright.”

“…”

“I’ll try my best.”

 

Again, the door opened.

 

* * *

 

I thought it would be Park Mu-hyun, but it wasn’t.

The ones who opened the door were two boys who appeared to be in their mid-teens.

 

“Sung Tae-hyun, and our honored guest.”

 

The boys spoke in unison with expressionless faces.

 

“Protosoph has invited you to join the evening feast.”

 

Now that I looked at them, their clothing was quite peculiar.

The boys were all wearing flowing robes so elaborate they seemed difficult to move in.

If I had to describe them, they looked like long cloaks.

 

I turned my gaze to glance at Lim Do-hyuk.

It was meant to tell him to do well, but however he interpreted it, he suddenly stood up and approached the boys with mechanical steps.

 

And then.

 

“Protosophy personally invited us to the evening feast?”

 

He suddenly placed his hand on his chest as if struck by an arrow to the heart and began to stagger.

 

Did this guy take some kind of drug?

Lim Do-hyuk looked at me as if checking my expression, then began acting with even more obvious immersion.

 

“How moving. Let’s go right now.”

 

…What exactly was he trying to imitate?

 

But surprisingly, that acting seemed to work on the boys.

For a moment, a gentle light appeared on their previously expressionless faces.

 

“As expected… our honored guest truly understands Protosophy’s grace.”

 

The children’s whispers were a bit loud.

I slowly followed behind Lim Do-hyuk, who signaled me with a wink.

 

Now that it had come to this, I should learn about the religious order’s geography, including the dining hall.

It would definitely be helpful.

 

“This way. Sung Tae-hyun, and our honored guest.”

 

The children, seemingly relaxed now, chattered as they guided us.

The place where we had been confined was like a hotel, with red velvet carpets laid in the corridors and large rooms connected in succession.

 

“Right now, Cardia is holding a year-end event to achieve Ecclesia 111. It’s an event where all believers gather to spend a week together, praying for the complete and sacred union of believers.”

 

I was memorizing a map of the surrounding area while following the children.

 

“A week…?”

“Yes! It’s the biggest event of the year.”

 

Despite there being an elevator, the children walked down the velvet-covered stairs toward the first floor lobby.

Then they passed through a lounge connected to another building and guided us to a dining hall that was even magnificent.

 

“…!”

 

Walls and floors decorated with marble and gold, every table wrapped in tablecloths, and the ceiling and floor adorned with fresh flowers.

 

This level of decoration was something I’d only seen in wedding halls.

 

“The event will start soon.”

 

The children whispered among themselves as they pulled out chairs for me and Lim Do-hyuk.

Their words seemed true as the hall was packed with people.

 

At the very front of the massive hall, a boy wearing a Cardia cloak stepped onto the grand stage.

 

– Brothers and sisters of Cardia who walk together on the sacred path of Ecclesia 111.

 

As the boy’s clear voice echoed through the hall, the noisy atmosphere was instantly settled.

 

Soon, several people wearing the same cloaks came up onto the stage.

Gentle music was flowing.

 

– Before the evening feast, our Sacred Ritual Team will offer hymns in response to Protosophy’s will.

 

Slowly, the Sacred Ritual Team’s harmony began to captivate the hall.

And I made eye contact with Lim Do-hyuk.

Both of us were shocked, having spotted someone in the Sacred Ritual Team who shouldn’t be there.

 

‘Why is Attorney Yoon Ha-young here?!’

 

That’s right.

She, who handles the force and intelligence of our law office, was singing as one of the Sacred Ritual Team members.

 

…While keeping her gaze fixed on me and Lim Do-hyuk.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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