Chapter 226
Mok Jinwoo, who saw Lee Hyun reluctantly agreeing, smiled and asked how he was.
"How's your body doing?"
"It's just so-so. Not good, not bad..."
Then Lee Hyun hesitated and opened his mouth.
"Um, by any chance, the test results?"
"They said you'll need some time to recuperate to recover. Of course, that makes sense. Your shoulder was half blown off, your ribs shattered, and even your internal organs were completely shaken up..."
"..."
"Well, rest assured. They said there's no danger to your life at all."
Mok Jinwoo shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal. It was clearly a serious injury, but not to the extent that life or death had to be a concern.
In fact, as someone active as an expert, encountering dark mages and demonic beasts, injuries of that level were practically routine.
However, upon hearing his words, Lee Hyun somehow fell deep into thought. He was recalling the words of the old doctor he had consulted in the past.
-Imagine a jar with dozens of tiny, invisible cracks etched into it.
-At first glance, it might seem no different than before, and practically, it really isn't.
And even the irritating whispers of a vile witch.
-You. Your body is collapsing, isn't it?
Those words were heard in succession. Collapse syndrome was said to occur suddenly without any warning.
That was the reason he couldn't simply be reassured by the words he just heard.
However, Lee Hyun shook his head and brushed away the distracting thoughts. If he had protected the precious things, paying a life debt was a small price to pay.
And he replied, pretending to be calm.
"...That's a relief."
Then Mok Jinwoo jokingly made a motion as if to smack Lee Hyun.
"You brat. Do you know how shocked I was when I heard the news? Huh? I almost died too because of you."
"You too, Branch Chief? Don't tell me there was an attack there as well..."
"If you had died, do you think those women would've left me alone? They would've captured me alive and buried me in the ground."
"Ah, the older sisters..."
Lee Hyun, who had a reluctant expression, soon asked another question.
"How many days have I been unconscious?"
"Let me see. About six days, maybe... Once it's past midnight today, it'll be exactly a week."
"How's the damage to the Cradle? Were there any casualties or..."
Then Mok Jinwoo shook his head.
"As far as I know, there were no human casualties. We will have to overhaul the defense system on a large scale, but that kind of thing is just pocket change. After all, it's the Cradle, where donation money piles up..."
At his words, Lee Hyun let out a small sigh of relief. Once again, he felt overwhelmed by the sense of accomplishment that he had protected his precious people.
Soon, following the flow of his thoughts, Lee Hyun recalled the existence of someone he had momentarily forgotten.
Carefully, he opened his mouth and asked Mok Jinwoo.
"By any chance, do you know what happened to the person I saved? Her name is Yena... A 1st-year female student..."
At those words, Mok Jinwoo looked at him with an expression containing somewhat complicated emotions.
And after a pause, he opened his mouth.
"She's currently detained in Anhwa."
"Anhwa...?"
"Anhwa Central Prison. It's the highest-grade security facility that only houses heinous criminals ranked as high-level wanted or above. You've probably heard of it at least once. Some of the dark mage fugitives you've captured are also held there."
"That means..."
"Yes, she confessed to everything."
Mok Jinwoo nodded heavily.
"That she's a being called a witch and even admitted to the misdeeds she's committed so far."
"..."
"Well, to be honest, I'm not sure if the term 'detained' is the right one. In this case, it's closer to her walking in there herself. Escaping from that place would be extremely easy for her..."
Then he asked Lee Hyun, who seemed somehow stunned.
"Did you know? That she was a witch."
"I just found out this time. I never imagined Yena would... not even in my dreams..."
"Yena, Yena..."
Mok Jinwoo let out a dry laugh. Shedding his playfulness, he looked at Lee Hyun with a slightly colder gaze and asked.
"You call her name so casually."
"..."
"Have you already forgotten the scene I showed you? Don't be deceived by appearances. They're just invaders wearing our skin. Don't tell me you still think of her as your friend?"
A cephalopod moving fluidly in liquid. Its entire body seemed to be made of tentacles, a grotesque form that couldn't possibly be considered of this world.
The shape of the biological specimen he had seen at the confidential records archive flashed through Lee Hyun's mind.
However, for some reason, he couldn't forget the desperate expression of the female student who had pleaded while looking at him.
"...I'm not sure. Whether she's a friend or not. But..."
After pondering deeply, he opened his mouth again.
"At the very least, I don't think she's a being that poses a threat to us..."
"..."
At Lee Hyun's steadfast answer, Mok Jinwoo stared at him fiercely for a while.
"Hmph..."
However, as if it never happened, he let out a sigh and returned to his usual expression.
"Good grief..."
In truth, he seemed to be struggling to make sense of it all as well. He fell into deep thought, mulling over something.
"...She said to tell you thank you."
And glancing at Lee Hyun, he spoke in a puzzling tone.
"She said thanks to you tearing out what was embedded in her body, she was able to gain freedom. She also said you don't have to worry, as it will never happen again."
"...Is that so? That's a relief."
"And she asked about your condition."
"She... asked about me?"
"Yes. How much you were hurt, whether you're recovering well..."
Mok Jinwoo, as if trying to dispel his complex feelings, lit a cigarette.
"And whether or not you hate her."
"..."
In an instant, colorful smoke filled the hospital room.
Frowning, Mok Jinwoo shook his head.
"A witch asking about the well-being of a friend... Have I lived too long? Such a strange thing..."
He exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke, turned to Lee Hyun, and asked.
"...She asked if you could come to see her later."
"Yena... said that?"
"Yes. She insisted that I convey her words. Oh, how earnest she was..."
Then, he suddenly wore a playful smile.
"In a way, it's an amazing talent. Not just people, but even witches are captivated by your face..."
"...Don't tease me. Yena has never even seen my face."
Lee Hyun, who had been momentarily lost in thought, hesitated before replying.
"And... I think I'll need some time to think about that matter."
"Of course. That matter is up to you. I'll prepare the entry permit in advance."
For a while, silence filled the hospital room. Mok Jinwoo, who had burned out his cigarette, extinguished it in the ashtray and began to speak.
"This incident is said to have been orchestrated by a witch named Regulus. She is considered the leader of all the existing witches."
"Did Yena tell you that too?"
"Yes."
Mok Jinwoo nodded.
"If her plan had succeeded and the core exploded, not only Cradle but also the Eastern Region of the capital would have been affected. And we would have lost all the promising mages who are destined to lead the future. You prevented such a major catastrophe."
"You're too kind."
"It's not kindness. What future would there be for a country left with only old mages? If the core had exploded, we would have been on the path to destruction within ten years."
He chuckled but then slightly toned down his playfulness.
"...She has been very cooperative with the investigation. Thanks to her, we were able to uncover a lot of information: the number of witches in the current generation, their disguised identities, and even the conspiracies they are plotting. Things are progressing so well that it's almost suspicious. I even wondered if they have started using deception tactics."
"..."
"Anyway... Thanks to her, we were able to establish a response plan for their invasion. We were even planning to formally announce the existence of witches, gain the council's approval, and begin a massive subjugation of them. But then..."
Mok Jinwoo stopped mid-sentence and turned to look out the window.
Lee Hyun also followed his gaze.
-Boom...! Boom-boom!
The window facing eastward connected to the western direction of the capital. From there, intermittent mysterious explosion sounds were still echoing.
Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease creeping in, Lee Hyun opened his mouth.
"Now that I think about it, Cradle seems too quiet."
"...Cradle is currently on indefinite leave."
Mok Jinwoo, still gazing out the window, replied.
"Students born into prestigious families have temporarily returned to their main families, while only those from the frontier with no proper place to go or whose hometowns are far away remain. Perhaps about thirty percent of them..."
"What...? Has something happened...? You clearly said earlier that there were no casualties..."
Seeing Lee Hyun's bewildered face, Mok Jinwoo added an explanation.
"That statement is undoubtedly true. Cradle's closure and the students' return have entirely different reasons."
"...Is something happening in the capital? And what about those explosion sounds...?"
"..."
After a brief pause, Mok Jinwoo answered.
"We are currently in a civil war. We're engaged in a battle against rebel forces."
"What? A rebellion?"
Lee Hyun, utterly stunned, asked again. Before he knew it, his fists were tightly clenched.
"At such a crucial time, who on earth...!"
And Mok Jinwoo answered in a subdued voice.
"Paechun."