How a Mythic Paladin Lives as a Villain - Chapter 12

The church and the orphanage were truly a stroke of genius.

“Going to church again?”

Shin Soo-kyung said worriedly to Go Yo-han.

“It’s more like I’m going to volunteer at the orphanage.”

Ever since Go Yo-han started reading, he had odd stories. Especially because young Go Yo-han had read not only the Bible but also the Buddhist scriptures, the Vedas of ancient India, and even literature from cult religions.

“… I think I should check it out once.”

While having a religion is a freedom, there was concern if young Go Yo-han was being influenced by someone or might fall into a strange religion.

“No, Uncle Jae-kyung isn’t like that.”

“But still…”

“If mom or others come, it’ll be troublesome. It’s just a quiet and small place, and if they know it’s sponsored by Shinsaeng, it’ll get noisy.”

“Th-that makes sense, I guess?”

Only then did Shin Soo-kyung nod and stroke Go Yo-han’s hair.

“Our son, acting all grown-up.”

It was the moment when she sighed.

“Still, I should visit once. Let’s go together later, mom.”

“Later! Later!”

So Go Yo-han hurriedly left and headed to the church with Lee Jae-kyung. Although it was in the outskirts of Seoul, it was surrounded only by mountains and remained quiet as new believers were not accepted. It was then—

Boom!

At the sound of an explosion from the church, Lee Jae-kyung squinted.

“Hey, I told you to take it easy.”

It wasn’t a look of someone worried about an assault on the church. Go Yo-han was the same. Just as the two had finished parking—

“Have you arrived?”

Kang In, now in a guard uniform, approached and bowed. He was a player who had lost his leg.

“I hear explosions.”

At Lee Jae-kyung’s words, Kang In awkwardly smiled and said,

“I told them to be careful… sorry.”

The church had changed much compared to before. The shabby exterior was repeatedly repaired to be cleaner, and renovations were said to be continuously happening inside. Following Kang In, Go Yo-han and Lee Jae-kyung stopped in front of an elevator.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened. Although no button was pressed—

Rumble.

The elevator began moving underground as the doors closed.

“Every time I see it, it makes me proud.”

Lee Jae-kyung smiled with satisfaction. He was a player even before Go Yo-han was born. As a ranker active in Shinsaeng, his assets were beyond imagination. That wasn’t all.

Ding.

The other four players also had considerable wealth, worthy of their ranker status. While it was meaningless compared to large guilds like Shinsaeng, it was comparable to small guilds. All their assets went into the church. Just as the elevator doors opened—

Swish!

Black flames engulfed Go Yo-han and Lee Jae-kyung. With sharp eyes, Lee Jae-kyung moved first.

Swish.

A longsword appeared in his hand seemingly from nowhere.

Flash!

The approaching fireball split into dozens of pieces and scattered.

“I told you to be careful!”

Lee Jae-kyung shouted irritably.

“I’m sorry.”

It was the voice of Yoon Seung-ah.

“Who would yell at Seung-ah?”

Lee Jae-kyung shook his head.

“Can’t even handle Seung-ah—what’s this sight?”

The revealed underground was magnificent enough to remind one of a standard guild headquarters. The inner walls were made of rare metal meant to block ranker-level skills, and the quality of training weapons appeared excellent.

“Don’t speak so easily.”

Shin Seul-hye appeared.

“Pffft.”

Lee Jae-kyung burst out laughing. Known as the “Moon Hunter,” Shin Seul-hye was famous for both her sharpness and pretty appearance. And here she was, charred black, with even her hair singed.

Swoosh.

Park Do-young and Choi Byung-soo stood up from where they had been sitting.

“Have you arrived?”

Their appearances were no different.

*****
“Should we replace the inner wall with mithril or something?”

Lee Jae-kyung said.

“Is Shinsaeng doing well for you?”

“……”

At this, Lee Jae-kyung frowned. Shinsaeng’s salary was top in the industry, and he received billions with every gate strategy. If he got even a decent item, it was a jackpot.

“What good is earning well if it all goes into repair fees?”

All that money went into the underground repairs. In a corner of the underground—

“How’s school?”

Yoon Seung-ah cautiously spoke to Go Yo-han.

“……”

Seeing no response, Yoon Seung-ah softly smiled, which made Go Yo-han frown.

“… Seung-ah, you should prepare for school too.”

“……What?”

“They said the paperwork is mostly done, so there shouldn’t be an issue.”

“……”

Yoon Seung-ah’s face stiffened, looking like an abandoned puppy.

“… Am I becoming useless…?”

“What are you saying?”

Go Yo-han replied.

“Anyway…”

Yoon Seung-ah, and others like her in the future, they were—

“Living properly will be hard. So for now, experience life like an ordinary child.”

Their roles were predetermined. Living a harsh life, which was only thought of because a villain decides to become a demon. It was meant as care.

“Don’t worry about things like that.”

“What do you mean by ‘things like that’?”

Seung-ah smiled silently, and Go Yo-han closed his mouth. She seemed to be suggesting that he, too, didn’t want to go to school.

“Do what you want. If you have anything in mind, let the others know.”

“Got it.”

Lee Jae-kyung, watching this, smiled. It was humorous seeing a kid around nine years old lecturing a high school-looking girl roughly sixteen.

“By the way.”

That’s when Go Yo-han stood up and spoke.

“There’s a bit of a problem.”

Everyone tensed at his small statement.

“It’s not a complaint. It’s an unavoidable issue.”

Yoon Seung-ah had considerable talent, to the extent of being considered the vessel for a great demon. Especially the power awakened in that process—

‘It wouldn’t be too much to handle the rankers here at once.’

Training in this tight space naturally posed challenges. Letting them out was not an option either.

‘Still unstable.’

Yoon Seung-ah’s power was unstable, and too much attention would be drawn to her young age.

“Regarding that.”

A solution came to mind.

“I think attacking gates would be better.”

Training was sufficient already. Four players hadn’t had proper practice since recovering. The others’ eyes sparkled at Go Yo-han’s suggestion.

“But it’s still too soon to reveal.”

Park Do-young was the one to respond.

“Using Shinsaeng’s name would make it easy for them to realize something is amiss.”

That’s why, despite their itching to act, players held back.

“No need to reveal.”

Go Yo-han moved his hand. The world seen through God’s Eyes, a world made of countless threads.

Ping.

When the thread pinged—

“C-crazy…”
“What…. In the world….”

A gate appeared underground.

*****

It wasn’t creating something from nothing. Through God’s Eyes, he knew how changes occurred during gate emergence. It wasn’t a black gate, but knowing the usual gate-open positions and inducing an activation from the church was a possibility Go Yo-han had already explored experimentally.

“It’s just that we activated a gate meant to appear nearby in the church.”

Suddenly, they found themselves inside the gate. Except for Kang In, who needed to guard the church.

“Ssh, ha….”
“…This feeling.”

Park Do-young and Shin Seul-hye genuinely marveled.

The association had no way of spotting the gate generation. Though an ordinary church, subtle measures were already taken nearby by Go Yo-han. Just as with the Black Gate.

“Let’s have one proper match each week.”

The group’s expressions brightened at Go Yo-han’s words. Training underground couldn’t compare to this.

“Don’t be too excited; the grade of the gates…”

Here, where they stood—

“I plan to always activate them at a slightly challenging level.”

It was a C-grade gate.
Excluding B-grade and above, targeted by major guilds, C-grade was the highest-grade gate based on party standards. It was the maximum difficulty gate attainable without forming a raid group for a party.
The available manpower was insufficient even if considering party standards.

Swish.

But they had a swordmaster, and the others, while not top-tier, were players at the ranker’s edge or just below.
Those four were clearly eager to hunt.

Boom-boom.

Just in time, when it seemed like presence was noticed, a black shadow loomed in the sky.

“A harpy’s nest was it.”

Having realized the gate’s inner state upon seeing it firsthand, it was clear. A harpy as a solo entity was lacking compared to a C-grade gate, but they formed flocks and—

“Cawww!”

Being flying monsters, their specialty designated them as C-grade monsters.

“First.”

Then.
Go Yo-han slowly reached out his hand.

Crunch.

A sound as if holding onto something in the sky. And when Go Yo-han moved his hand again.

Crack-crackle-crackle!

Harpy hordes flying toward them tore apart in half, falling down.

“……!”

At this scene, Park Do-young and Shin Seul-hye were in shock.

“What-what…”

Even if familiarity had lessened surprise, it was astounding.

Healing ability, power to open gates—no one thought anything could be more astounding than those.

“There seems to be nothing to worry about.”

It was the first time witnessing Go Yo-han’s power directly.

Strong was expected, yet this was beyond common sense.

‘What skill is that?’
‘Is it even really a skill?’
‘What level is he?’

Numerous questions flooded their minds, but they held them back.

“Yoon Seung-ah.”
“Yes.”
“It must’ve been frustrating; here, it’s fine.”

Yoon Seung-ah’s eyes sparkled at Go Yo-han’s words.

“Besides, it’s necessary to confirm.”

Pointing to the harpy swarm gathering as if summoned.

“Give it your all.”

Just as Go Yo-han mentioned the need to verify what Yoon Seung-ah possessed.

Flame!

A sweltering heat surged from behind.
A giant fireball.
And above it—

Swish-swish-swish!

Dozens, even hundreds of small fireballs appeared.

“Burn them.”

At those words, a hundred harpies turned to ashes and fell.

“Not bad.”

Except for Go Yo-han, no one else spoke.
And then—

[Shinseong Middle School]

Time passed, and Go Yo-han turned fifteen years old.