Chapter 110 – Action (3)

Rachel and I walked along Road D-3C. The D meant it led to a dungeon, the 3 denoted that it was the third road, and the C signified that the dungeon had been conquered. The tunnel walls listed the monsters from the dungeon and heroes who participated in the dungeon.

“It feels like I’m in an aquarium.”

The transparent walls revealed a beautiful sight. We stood about 75 meters under sea level, which was too shallow for monsters above intermediate rank. The monsters here only looked cute.

I didn’t find the view too appealing, so I continued walking forward before realizing that Rachel had disappeared.

“…?”

I turned around and found her observing a school of fish far behind me. Her ocean-colored eyes sparkled like emeralds.

I sneaked back to her and pretended to also look while rummaging through my jacket for the bracelet. How should I give it to her? Would now be too random? I had little experience in giving presents. What was I supposed to say?

I picked it up on my way here… sounded weird. Thank you for everything until now… made it seem like I would disappear. It’ll help with your development… sounded like a scammer trying to sell a product.

“Wow.”

Rachel exclaimed like a child. I followed her line of sight to a school of tiny fish swimming in a line. They formed a giant blob the size of a whale.

“Amazing.”

“Right? Korea is the only country with an underwater tunnel of this size!” Rachel excitedly explained.

“Is that so?”

“Yes! I read many research papers on underground tunnels.”

It would be difficult to name a better duo than Rachel and research papers.

“I worked hard to understand those research papers in Korean. It’s even more amazing now that I’m looking at the real thing.”

“I see.”

Korean had become a shared language throughout this world and most papers used it.

“Yes, because translated versions often lose the meaning.”

“Ah, I see. Translated versions… right. I’m grateful Korean is my first language.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. I had bombed English on the College Scholastic Ability Test and regretted not taking more English classes.

“I’m jealous. Ah, apparently English was the shared language before Outcall. Isn’t that interesting?”

“Oh, then—”

“Wow, look! A shark… ah, a baby shark!”

“You’re right.”

This princess loved the ocean as she stared in awe at the tiny shark. This felt like the perfect moment.

“Huu.”

I took in a deep breath.

“Um, Rachel?”

“Yes?”

She turned from the baby shark as I awkwardly smiled and took out the bracelet. I had sealed the butterfly seedling’s dust inside its platinum outer shell.

“This might be sudden, but it seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

“…”

Rachel only blankly stared at me. She didn’t say anything or try to take the bracelet. I muttered the excuse I prepared beforehand.

“About this. Remember how you helped me a lot before as the team captain? Everyone chipped in to buy this bracelet, so don’t misunderstand.”

Rachel remained silent. A second felt like ten seconds.

Screw it.

I held the bracelet in my right hand and Rachel’s wrist in the other. Then I forced the bracelet onto her.

Click.

The butterfly seedling’s dust would seep into her once she unleashed her magic power.

I sighed in relief as Rachel silently looked back and forth between me and the bracelet. She looked a bit sad and dropped her head. She almost spoke when…

—KOONG.

A sudden vibration shook the tunnel and all the lights flickered off. It instantly went dark as I took out the Desert Eagle. Rachel also pulled out her rapier.

Tak, tak. We could hear footsteps. I turned towards the sound, but not even my thousand-mile eyes could catch the source.

“What?”

[You’re with a companion.]

A dark voice rang out. I couldn’t quite understand what he said since he spoke in English with a British accent, but I knew it was Lancaster. Rachel’s face stiffened.

“Sir Lancaster.”

[Don’t worry. I’m only here to talk. I’m not in the mood to fight since I watched something amusing today.]

I could only understand the first half that he only wanted to talk.

[Here.]

A corpse suddenly dropped from the sky. It looked bloodied from head to toe, and its limbs twisted in strange directions.

“Hiik!”

“Whoa! What the fuck is this!”

I cursed subconsciously out of shock. Rachel’s eyes widened at me. “Y-You cursed…”

“Ah, cough.”

I awkwardly coughed before we focused again on Lancaster.

[That person is an agent who has been guarding you from the shadows.]

“…”

[Princess, I wanted you to know that I am always watching.]

Lancaster’s voice disappeared as I struggled to comprehend the situation. I expected him to appear, but I didn’t recall anything like this. He should’ve sent a few assassins and Rachel should’ve awakened her ability by defeating them. He should’ve said, My goal today was only to scare you. However, he chucked out a corpse instead?

“The heck.”

No other threats occurred as the lights returned. The corpse also disappeared.

“Where did the corpse go?”

I muttered in a daze when Rachel tapped my shoulder.

“Hajin, let’s… go outside.”

“Ah, yes.”

We walked back with our guards up. The eerie atmosphere gave me goosebumps. Rachel glanced at me and asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yes? Ah, of course. It just surprised me. Who was that?”

“Um… I… I’ll tell you later.”

We came out to the main tunnel. Everyone else already returned and looked serious.

“Hajin, come here.”

Kim Suho called me over.

“What’s up with them? Um, hold on.” I left Rachel and ran up to Kim Suho.

“What’s up?”

“Hajin, you see…”

Kim Suho told me that Chae Jinyoon showed signs of waking up and that Chae Nayun had left to visit him. I blacked out the moment I heard and found myself running somewhere by the time I regained my senses.

***

I would’ve gone there by bike, but left it at home today. I took the Busan portal and ran to Daehyun’s VIP hospital in Seoul.

“Haa, haa…”

I finally arrived in front of the hospital. My heart screamed in pain and my lungs almost burst. I caught my breath as a familiar voice rang out.

“You heard the news?”

I turned around startled. Yoo Yeonha also arrived in a hurry, but her appearance remained the same.

“Yeah, you too?”

“Yes. I participate in all important matters related to the Chae clan. Why did you run over in such a hurry?”

“…”

I glared at the hospital without answering. I had predicted that the devil seed would sprout in January with the Book of Truth. I thought I still had time since it was only October. However, I forgot one important thing. Chae Jinyoon could wake up before the devil seed sprouted.

Things would get more complicated if that happened. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that killing an unconscious patient would be significantly easier than killing a conscious patient. A piece of cloth suddenly touched my forehead. I looked up in surprise at Yoo Yeonha right in front of me.

“Why are you sweating so much? Are you that worried?”

Yoo Yeonha personally wiped my sweat off with her handkerchief. I wondered why we stood perfectly at eye-level until I noticed that she wore high heels.

“Done. Here, you can have this.”

She gave me the handkerchief.

“Uh, yeah… thanks.”

I took it and looked at the hospital. Then I subconsciously sighed.

“He didn’t wake up, but showed signs. It’s not something to make a big deal about,” Yoo Yeonha answered my burning question.

I see. That’s great.

I turned back.

“Eh? You’re going back already? Don’t you want to see Nayun?”

Yoo Yeonha sounded surprised. I replied as I walked away, “No, I don’t think I belong here.”

I only ran for a while, but my body and mind felt exhausted. Was this how mental exhaustion felt?

“Haa…”

My smartwatch received another message as I sighed.

[Little apprentice, I got the alert that you received yoru item.] [Your. So when are you goign to take on your next misson?]

It came from Boss. I realized once again that she was my only hope. I clenched my teeth and immediately replied.

[I can start tomorrow.]

***

Yoo Yeonha watched Kim Hajin slowly disappear as she thought about what he said.

— I don’t think I belong here.

“Pft. It sounds like a line from a drama. I don’t think I belong here.”

She murmured in a deep voice when she received a message.

[Yeonha, I’m heading over right now. Is Nayun doing okay?]

It came from Kim Suho.

[I haven’t even met…

She suddenly came to a realization as she typed.

“Did he leave to make room for Kim Suho?”

Everyone knew that Chae Nayun had favorable feelings for Kim Suho. She clearly acted differently in front of him.

“Hmm…”

Indeed, Kim Hajin would’ve realized that Chae Nayun liked Kim Suho. Yoo Yeonha half-heartedly replied, [not yet—] before heading inside. No, she almost entered when Chae Nayun trudged out from the entrance. She seemed to have aged by 5 years, but faintly smiled. Yoo Yeonha raised her hand.

“Nayun.”

“Ah, Yeonha.”

Chae Nayun saw Yoo Yeonha and scurried up to her with a bright smile. She desperately needed someone to talk to. Chae Nayun and Yoo Yeonha sat at a nearby bench. Then Yoo Yeonha carefully asked, “How’s the situation?”

“He’s still uncon… I don’t know. Um, the doctor said that the graph is spiking up and down. He chased me out, saying that oppa needed to rest.”

Yoo Yeonha understood what Chae Nayun implied.

“That’s good news, right?”

“Yeah. Patients in similar cases all woke up within three months.”

Chae Nayun placed her hands over her chest.

“I feel like my heart is about to burst. How embarrassing… I shouldn’t cry…”

Chae Nayun lived the past five years thinking Chae Jinyoon would never wake. Her pent-up sorrow and struggles seemed to overflow as she clenched her teeth and cupped her hands over her face. Soon, her feelings came out as she sobbed and her whole body trembled. She should’ve cried out of happiness, but she seemed rather sad and pitiful.

“…”

Yoo Yeonha patted her back without saying anything. Frankly, she couldn’t empathize with Chae Nayun at all. Yoo Yeonha had a happy family despite an obsessive father and an ambitious mother.

Chae Jinyoon had been in a coma for 5 years with no signs of waking. The passing time could’ve only cycled between rage, sadness, frustration, despair, and resignation. Hope finally returned when it had almost disappeared. A family member thought to be lost forever could finally come back.

Yoo Yeonha couldn’t imagine what Chae Nayun felt.

“Ah, hic… hic. My chest hurts.”

“Oh right, Kim Suho is coming soon. That person already came by.”

Yoo Yeonha spoke once Chae Nayun calmed.

“That person?”

“Kim Hajin.”

“Kim Hajin came too?”

“Yeah.”

Yoo Yeonha pictured the Kim Hajin she just met. He was covered in sweat and looked like he would cry.

“He arrived even before me all covered in sweat.”

“…”

Chae Nayun slowly looked around for someone in hiding.

“He already left.”

“Eh? Why?”

“I don’t know.”

Yoo Yeonha smiled mischievously. “Maybe he yielded the seat to Kim Suho.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you like him? Kim Suho, I mean.”

Chae Nayun’s face stiffened. Yoo Yeonha slightly turned before she could respond.

“Or maybe you used to like him?”

“N-No, it’s neither. W-What are you talking about?”

“Really? That’s not how I saw it.”

Yoo Yeonha smirked and teased her. However, Nayun seemed to have lost all her energy from crying and didn’t react much. Then they felt several people running towards them. Yoo Yeonha and Chae Nayun simultaneously turned and spotted Kim Suho, Yun Seung-Ah, and Shin Jonghak.