ALL NOVEL Chapter 271
Chapter 271: Why (2)
Min Yu-ri’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected statement.
She spoke in a somewhat flustered voice.
“Right now?!”
“More precisely, it should be around tonight.”
“That’s so soon….”
“I anticipated that the work would be delayed, so I requested it in advance.”
The various discussions surrounding the crimes committed by Desa in Kallem and the ensuing punishments.
In principle, they would only be able to leave the Hero Department after everything was resolved.
Yu Ji-han decided to take him to the hospital where Min Yu-ri’s younger sister was admitted, under a few conditions, like being accompanied by Yang Ji-cheol.
“Uh, what should I do…?”
“What do you mean, what should you do?”
“I need to contact my parents too!”
“For safety reasons, it will be difficult for a civilian to accompany us.”
“Ah, that makes sense.”
Desa was certainly well-informed about Magic Discoloration Syndrome.
He could even cast the curse directly upon a perfectly healthy person.
However, if he suddenly went berserk and spread the curse to civilians, there would be no way to stop it.
“Congratulations, Yu-ri.”
“Uh? No, not yet to the point of congratulations…”
Min Yu-ri waved her hands in embarrassment as Lee Mi-a offered her congratulations.
Yet, contrary to her actions, a great sense of anticipation flickered across her face.
Yu Ji-han sent a slightly concerned glance her way.
‘The results must live up to expectations.’
What transpired in Kallem was merely a matter for Kallem.
There was no guarantee that the abilities Desa held would work here as well.
——You’re overly trusting of me.
Right after Alo’s father was healed, Min Yu-ri clung to Desa even more.
Desa himself mentioned feeling the burden of her high expectations.
He wanted to advise her to temper her expectations a little.
‘How could I say such a thing after seeing that?’
Seeing Min Yu-ri’s eyes sparkling like stars as she smiled,
Yu Ji-han couldn’t bring himself to voice those concerns.
*
“Welcome back.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Clang!
Yu Ji-han lightly clinked the cola he grabbed from the vending machine against the drink can Kazimir offered.
Then he looked at Kazimir’s drink and said,
“Your taste is as consistent as ever.”
“You, too, have no appreciation for the beauty of mint chocolate.”
“It’s an area I simply cannot comprehend.”
An aluminum can labeled “Mint Chocolate Soda.”
Kazimir lightly flicked the can with his finger.
“You’ll understand once you try it. Mint chocolate is such a wonderful thing…”
“I like mint, but I dislike mint chocolate.”
“They finally come together to create tremendous synergy. I dare say it’s a substitute for human blood.”
“I respect your taste.”
“Well, it won’t be bad for you to live your life in ignorance till the end.”
Glug!
Kazimir took a sip of soda with a satisfied expression.
After a while, during which he gazed silently out the break room window, he muttered,
“Were the omens of destruction that arose in Kallem… really gone?”
“They’re gone. Without a trace, very neatly.”
“Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
“My eyesight is still good. I can see incoming arrows and dodge them.”
“……”
Kazimir slowly nodded.
He knew that Yu Ji-han’s reaction speed and eyesight surpassed those of an ordinary human.
Moreover, the illusions that humans of Ajesia commonly used didn’t affect Yu Ji-han at all.
The likelihood that Yu Ji-han, who had even peered into memories to verify the omens of destruction, would be mistaken was nearly zero.
“I wish I had taken a picture.”
“That’s just how it is.”
Cameras did not function at the dimensional boundary.
And upon crossing dimensions, all the camera lenses brought by the expedition team suffered permanent damage.
It was impossible to capture footage from another dimension with an ordinary camera.
“In the end, you guys managed to prevent the destruction of a world.”
“Considering Yoon Do-ha, it’s also the opposite.”
“Even if Yoon Do-ha hadn’t intervened, that Desa guy would still have made a move.”
“That’s true.”
Yoon Do-ha was merely swept up in Desa’s plans.
Even if there had been no heroes in Kallem, Desa would have plotted in other ways.
Whether that would lead to Kallem’s destruction was another matter altogether.
“Were the omens of destruction something that could have been eliminated…?”
“At least in Kallem, it was possible.”
“Quite different from me.”
The Curse of Blood.
A term denoting the phenomenon where one’s blood within their body completely disappears.
Unlike Yu Ji-han, who managed to prevent destruction in Kallem,
Kazimir and the other vampires could not fend off that Curse of Blood in their own world.
‘Would it have been possible if I had the power too?’
Wasn’t it conceivable that the destruction of my world could have been prevented just like Kallem’s?
Now rooted on Earth, Kazimir found himself utterly uncertain about that answer.
“Kazimir oppa!”
“……?!”
Thud!
Just then, Nirochi suddenly ran over and delivered a low kick to Kazimir, who had been deep in thought.
Kazimir’s knee almost buckled, and he narrowed his eyes.
“What’s that out of nowhere?”
“Oppa! Why are you being such a gloomy Gus?”
“I was ponderously contemplating.”
“Contemplating? What a load of nonsense! I heard everything from over there!”
Nirochi pointed at the corner that turned to the right.
“Your thoughts are obvious. You must be wallowing in self-blame.”
“Well…”
“What good is that kind of thinking? Don’t forget that you’re currently in Korea.”
Nirochi, who knew Kazimir so well that she could predict his thoughts, struck with pinpoint accuracy, leaving him speechless.
“Ji-han oppa.”
“You look healthier than before.”
“When you eat well and sleep well as a child, you naturally grow strong!”
“You’re saying you’re a child? But your age is closer to mine…”
“Hey, be quiet.”
Despite her youthful appearance, Nirochi was nearly 60 years old.
But upon seeing her ferocious gaze, Yu Ji-han quickly swallowed his words.
“How was the sampling?”
“Excellent.”
The lingering images led to the desired answers in one way or another.
Whether it was truly possible to reach that answer was another question altogether.
The developed sampling abilities provided Yu Ji-han with essential assistance in various situations.
“It gets a bit headache-inducing when you use it too many times.”
“How many times specifically?”
“I don’t really recall the exact number… There were about 20 overlapping images right in front of me.”
“Hey! Are you out of your mind?!”
Thud!
Nirochi aimed a heartfelt low kick at Yu Ji-han’s shin.
“Yow!”
Yet, thanks to his sturdy body, it was Nirochi who ended up in pain.
She grimaced, rubbing her shin as she shouted.
“I warned you not to use it so much! Your brain could burst!”
“It was only once!”
“Hey! Sylph!”
—Hmm?
At the sharp call, the sylph, who had been hiding and minimizing her size, floated into the air.
Nirochi glared at the sylph and said,
“Are you not managing your contractor properly?”
—but Ji-han doesn’t listen!
“Before that, you should have avoided creating such situations. How can a spirit that has lived for over 50 years be so ineffective?”
—Grrr…!
“Remember clearly. If Ji-han gets hurt while using his skill, it’s all your fault.”
—I got it.
The sylph spun around as if to show she understood.
The sylph, in contract with Yu Ji-han, had the power to control his unique skill, Sampling.
In the worst-case scenario, the sylph could obstruct him.
“I used it only when necessary, so don’t scold me too harshly.”
“Oppa, you need to be a little more cautious.”
Having made much progress from merely calculating probabilities, his unique skill now had significantly reduced dangers and yielded results incomparable to before.
Yet, Nirochi could not quell her worries.
‘If this man dies, it’s a loss of cosmic proportions.’
He held that much value.
“Since I’ve run into you guys, I want to consult about something.”
“What about?”
“I discovered a strange piece of paper before leaving Kallem…”
Yu Ji-han brought up the mysterious existence known as the Traveler and engaged in a deep conversation with Kazimir and Nirochi.
*
As the sun set and the moon rose at night.
Yu Ji-han looked up at the dark night sky.
‘Only one, huh.’
Unlike Kallem, there was only one moon.
It was smaller and appeared to emit much weaker moonlight than Kallem, but
looking up at it filled Yu Ji-han with a sense of relief as if he had returned home.
“What a lonely and shabby moon it is.”
“Are you dissatisfied with that?”
“……Maybe that moon suits me better.”
With solid magic handcuffs on both hands, Desa was being led by Yu Ji-han.
Around them were his party members and Hero Department officials, including Yang Ji-cheol.
Kim Si-hu scratched his cheek and said,
“Is it alright to gather this many people?”
“Chirp chirp! I’ll guard the entrance!”
“Your big body won’t fit in anyway.”
“I could break the door down and get in. Chirp…”
Chilla muttered back, slightly aggrieved at Lee Mi-a’s remark.
Walking briskly, Yang Ji-cheol checked the time on his mobile phone.
“I have notified the hospital about our visit. A nurse and one doctor will be present.”
“Got it.”
Yu Ji-han soon arrived in front of the university hospital where Min Yu-ri’s younger sister, Min So-yeon, was admitted.
The doctor and nurse waiting at the entrance appeared slightly tense upon seeing them.
“Chilla, go play with the people over there.”
“Got it! Chirp!”
While Chilla headed towards the people watching him in front of the hospital,
The rest of the group followed the doctor into the elevator.
And when they reached the single patient room, the lights turned on to reveal Min So-yeon fast asleep on the white bed.
“What about the herbs?”
“We administered a sap made according to the formula from Kabuum.”
A safe stamina booster that had been verified several times in Kallem.
Thanks to that, Min So-yeon’s complexion had improved significantly compared to before.
That was the reason many doctors had requested to observe this scene.
“Shall we begin?”
“……Yes.”
When Min Yu-ri replied softly, Yu Ji-han unlocked Desa’s handcuffs with the key.
Clank!
With the handcuffs released, Desa regained all his freedom.
He rubbed his freed wrists and glanced at the people glaring at him, weapons in hand.
“What terrifying gazes you have.”
“Let’s begin the treatment.”
“This isn’t treatment; it’s breaking a curse.”
Finally, Desa turned his gaze toward the bed.
As she stood by, Min Yu-ri notched a magic arrow on her bowstring, ready to launch it at a moment’s notice.
“Let’s start.”
Desa grabbed Min So-yeon’s wrist.
As he did, her emaciated wrist instantly darkened.
Thump! Thump!
As Desa closed his eyes and concentrated, Min Yu-ri’s heart raced as if it would explode.
‘So-yeon is finally…!’
With every exhale through her nose and mouth, warm breaths flowed out.
As she thought that her younger sister, who had been lying down for years, would awaken, she could hardly calm herself.
“Please set down your bow.”
Sensing her unstable condition, Yu Ji-han urged her to lower the bow.
Then, after about a minute of Desa keeping his eyes closed,
He gently let go of the wrist he had been holding and placed it back on the bed.
‘It’s black.’
The result was not what she hoped for.
Min So-yeon’s wrist, illuminated by the room’s lights, remained darkened.
Without saying a word, Yu Ji-han pressed his lips together firmly.
Eventually, Desa turned his body and shook his head.
“……Why?”
Min Yu-ri’s voice, mixed with confusion and despair, escaped her lips.
How could the one who healed Alo’s father just moments ago
not be able to awaken her younger sister lying in the sickbed?
This felt so unfair.
“Why?”
Min Yu-ri’s face, turned icy with chilling disappointment, was once again pointed at Desa, drawn bow in hand.
“Answer me! Why?!”
“To break the curse, the burden required is too much for this woman’s body and stamina. If we continue like this, side effects will occur.”
“But in Kallem, it was definitely…”
“That was a curse I used, and those were humans who had only recently been cursed.”
“……!”
“If it hadn’t been for the herbs I retrieved from Kabuum, your sister would have likely died within three months. She got lucky.”
Screeech!
As Min Yu-ri pulled back her bowstring hard, it felt as if it would snap at any moment.
The massive magic concentrated on the arrow could potentially blow up not just Desa but the entire hospital room.
Yet, even facing that threat, Desa remained completely unfazed.
He wasn’t lying.
“Even if your sister could never walk, speak, or hear or see for her entire life, would you still be okay if I release the curse right now?”
“Shut up—!!”
“Stop!”
“Yu-ri unni! Please stop!”
As the arrow’s magic blazed like a fiery blue flame,
the aura it emitted startled Yang Ji-cheol and the medical personnel, prompting them to retreat in fear.
Despite their urgent pleas, Min Yu-ri continued to aim her bow, and Yu Ji-han stepped in front of her to block the arrow.
“Eh…!”
“Lower your arrow. Right now.”
Only after the fierce command did Min Yu-ri regain her senses and extinguish her magic.
She dropped her bow and slumped to the floor.
Then Yu Ji-han shouted,
“Desa! Healing isn’t entirely impossible, right?”
“It’s not healing; it’s breaking a curse.”
“Don’t add unnecessary commentary.”
“It won’t be easy.”
“If it’s not impossible, that’s sufficient.”
Yu Ji-han gritted his teeth.
“I’ll make it happen no matter what.”