Kim Seungmin ⁻ ⁽³¹⁾

Heaven doesn't function as a moral reward, but as a destination of absolute calm. It's a silent, orderly, and serene place, where nothing seems to hurt, but that same peace can become suffocating for those who crave movement, desire, or conflict. Some see it as a blessing; others, as an elegant curse. Its inhabitants live in harmony, though that harmony can feel cold, stagnant, and almost too perfect. It doesn't erase anyone's identity, but it does compel them to exist in a state of eternal stillness.

Hell is not just pain: it is excess, noise, impulse, and unbridled freedom. Everything there burns intensely, from pleasure to rage, and that's why it can feel both seductive and destructive. For some, it is an unbearable punishment; for others, a savage liberation where nothing has real consequences anymore. Chaos never disappears, it only changes form.

The marks are birthmarks that appear anywhere on the body, visible at any time. They are the sole sign that determines whether a person will go to heaven or hell, regardless of their conduct, sins, or repentance. Each destiny has a distinct form: the mark of heaven may resemble a perfect circle with a vertical line, like a sealed halo; the mark of hell may look like a fractured flame or a sharp spiral, as if it were alive. They are not adornments or chosen symbols: they are a sentence. From birth, everyone lives knowing that their end was already written on their skin.

Priests not only preach acceptance of fate; they also act as mediators between the living and eternal damnation. When someone wishes to change their destiny, before dying they can request a final judgment before God and the Devil, who serve as judges of the petition. In this judgment, the petitioners must present their reasons for altering their fate, but only true love is considered a valid cause. Even then, the change is neither immediate nor certain: one of the two souls must completely relinquish their destiny, accepting the loss of their assigned fate.
But not many people have made this judgment, so there is not enough testimony about it.

The government attempts to impose order on a system that no one can fully control. It registers births, monitors trademarks, regulates language, classifies the population, and creates laws to reduce the social chaos caused by eternal destinies. However, its authority is fragile: people believe more in their own ideas, in rumors, or in their faith than in official rules. Therefore, the government exists more as a force of restraint.
The church interprets the marks as a sacred manifestation of divine order. For it, heaven and hell are not rewards or punishments, but places assigned by a higher will that humanity cannot comprehend. Its leaders preach acceptance, obedience, and faith, although privately many also fear the system they uphold. The church retains power because it offers meaning, comfort, and an explanation for the incomprehensible. Even so, its vision often clashes with the despair, doubt, and rebellion of the population.