Chapter 245
Even though a considerable amount of time had passed, the trembling in my body continued. I stared beyond the window with lingering unease. It was the direction where the Unit Commander and my older sisters would be.
"Hah..."
A terrible and unpleasant dream. A dream where I, as the Unit Commander, was pierced through the chest by a witch. Have I been too on edge lately in that regard? But even so, there should be a limit...
The dreadful dream was swelling my delusions even further. I tried hard to calm the unnecessary distracting thoughts, but it wasn't easy.
Was it because it was too vivid to be just a mere dream? If it's something related to them, I couldn't let anything slip by carelessly. I continued to sink into the swamp of my thoughts.
...What if.
What if the scene I saw wasn't a dream but something that really happened in reality...
"...Let's stop."
Along with the suffocating sensation, I returned to consciousness. Just thinking about it for a moment was absurdly upsetting.
Both the Unit Commander and my older sisters. Aren't they veterans who've roamed the battlefield countless times for over a decade?
There's no way those people could fall to something like a witch...
"Dad..."
"Soo-ah?"
I turned my head at the sudden voice I heard. Soo-ah, who had woken up from her sleep, was rubbing her eyes. Her swollen eye area still glistened with tears.
Did my presence wake her up from her sleep? I covered her with the quilt again, but Soo-ah didn't close her eyes. Instead, she hesitated as if she had something to say and stared at me.
"Soo-ah. Do you have something you want to say?"
And then, Soo-ah, who had been hesitating, finally opened her mouth.
"Dad... did you... use it again...?"
"Use...?"
"The power... Soo-ah gave you..."
Was she talking about the power of authority and magic? After contemplating for a moment, I nodded. And, to reassure Soo-ah, I deliberately spoke with confidence.
"I'm using it well. I even used it not long ago. Thanks to you..."
"Uhh..."
I think I gave the wrong answer. Soo-ah dropped her head deeply and began to shed tears one after another.
"You can't..."
My chest sank slightly. There's no way Soo-ah could know about Collapse Syndrome. Was it some instinct as the original owner of the power...?
"Dad..."
After a moment, Soo-ah raised her head and, with a tear-soaked voice, squeezed out her words.
"You can't use it anymore..."
"...Can't use it?"
"...Yeah. The power Soo-ah gave... you must never use it again..."
I was already planning to be really cautious now. No one was more keenly aware of my worsening physical condition than me.
Of course, I couldn't guarantee that I would never use the authority and magic again... but I planned to exercise at least the minimum amount of caution.
However, a peculiar flow surrounded my body momentarily. More than just a simple worry, something else was reflected in Soo-ah's pupils as she looked at me.
For now, reassuring Soo-ah came first. Just as I was about to speak again.
Soo-ah, who had been hesitating, suddenly spoke as if vomiting out something she had been holding in.
"If you use it again... then you'll really die..."
And then, the air sank heavily.
I lost my words and stared at Soo-ah. The child, who resembled Yeon, was still shedding tears endlessly.
"Now... Soo-ah can't fix it either..."
It wasn't difficult to grasp the meaning behind her words. Only one word came to mind.
'Collapse.'
Like a reaper tightening its grip around my neck, I suddenly felt suffocated. Soo-ah's words pointed to just one fact.
That now, there were no chances left for me.
"...Soo-ah. Can I ask you just one thing?"
After a moment, I cautiously opened my mouth. A question filled with half worry and half curiosity came to mind. It was a question that had to be resolved.
And perhaps, the Soo-ah in front of me might be the only one who could solve this question.
"Do you perhaps know how long Dad might have left to live?"
"..."
Soo-ah then stared straight at me. She furrowed her brows and mumbled with her lips as if lost in thought.
Soon, Soo-ah extended her small finger forward and seemed to calculate something. Then, two numbers that crossed repeatedly came into view. Six and ten.
"...60 years old?"
Does that mean I could live until then? I felt a bit deflated. It seemed far more generous than I expected.
For a mage, it's rather short-lived. Dying at 60 falls far below the average lifespan of a mage.
Of course, from my standpoint, it's more than enough time.
If I don't overdo it, could I enjoy a sufficient life? Actually, small magic might be fine. It's only when I release the highest-tier combat magics that it places extreme strain on the body.
Maybe a solution will come up in the meantime. Medical technology might develop, or we could figure out a method by chasing down witches... anything.
Such thoughts quickly flashed through my mind.
"Uhh..."
Soo-ah cautiously shook her head. Along with that, the relief I had just felt melted away without a trace.
And with lingering sorrow, Soo-ah slowly opened her mouth.
"Sixty... nights."
***
I woke up to the blue light of dawn. Checking the time, it had only been two hours since I fell asleep.
When I got up, Soo-ah was nowhere to be seen. The only traces left were a few soft strands of fur and the moist, slightly rough sensation on my lips.
Was this Soo-ah's version of treatment?
I didn't know the principle behind it, but at least I was certain of one thing—Soo-ah had been taking care of me, knowingly or unknowingly.
If it weren't for that child, wouldn't I have already turned to ashes and disappeared?
I only felt gratitude toward Soo-ah. It was just a bit regretful that her efforts could no longer shine through.
Mechanically, I prepared for the day by putting on my school uniform.
Meanwhile, I reflected on yesterday's conversation with Soo-ah.
Surprisingly, there was no turmoil in my heart. My head, too, was rather calm and composed.
Was it because it was something beyond my control now? Or perhaps there was still no sense of reality to it.
Two months... is it 59 days now? Either way, it's no different from living one day at a time. Yet my body feels too fine. If I were lying in bed groaning in pain, perhaps I'd be more aware of death.
Even though I felt somewhat restless, I had no significant regrets left. I gave my all at every moment, always achieving the best results.
That's all there is.
The campus was bustling with students attending class. Everything was as usual, almost to the point of disbelief.
If there was a difference, it was that, perhaps because of yesterday's events, the gazes directed at me were sharper than usual.
"Hah, the celebrity has arrived."
And inside the lecture hall, I was greeted by a snarky, big-built male student. It was Choi Woojin, the younger brother of Discipline Head Choi Ireh.
It's been quite a while since I last spoke to this guy. Was it back when we were rummaging through the Cradle looking for Professor Shin Jae-yu? Oh, I did see his grinning face from afar yesterday...
"Man, it's surprising every time I see you. How do you always manage to stir up incidents and accidents..."
"Just shut up. You're annoying."
This guy probably doesn't even know I saved his life. I have no intention of bragging, but it's a bit infuriating.
Should I smack his face a few times before I die? It doesn't seem like a bad idea.
Soon, with the professor's call, the lecture began. Ever since the principal returned, the Cradle was quickly regaining its former state. As if nothing had happened, daily life was flowing as usual.
And even after the lecture started, Choi Woojin kept murmuring in a low voice, endlessly expressing his curiosity.
"Hey. Creepy guy. Let me ask you one thing. That cute girl. Is she really your daughter..."
"Would she be my daughter? Think before you speak. Isn't she Senior Baek Seoyeon's sister or relative?"
"Hmm..."
The guy, who unnecessarily hummed, nodded as if convinced.
"I mean, no matter how much of a rascal you are, you wouldn't dare to touch the precious jewel of Paechun. Not unless you're ready for an all-out war between families..."
"Who are you calling a rascal..."
"Oh right, by the way, did you hear the news?"
Choi Woojin ignored my words and changed the subject.
"News?"
"Senior Baek Seoyeon and Senior Yeon Minha. I heard their disciplinary room schedule was extended by another day... didn't know that, huh?"
It was news to me. The guy, with a sly smile still lingering on his lips, continued speaking as if having fun.
"I heard the disciplinary room was almost half-destroyed. Because the two of them clashed inside."
"...What?"
"They said it was a situation almost akin to a half-war. Even Lady Hae Wolhwa was enraged upon hearing the news. Well, considering that, an extra day in the disciplinary room might actually be a lenient punishment..."
Damn it, could the noise I heard from afar before going to sleep have been the sound of the disciplinary room being destroyed?
It feels like the homework I had been putting off has suddenly appeared right in front of me. On the other hand, I could at least gain a slight awareness of the fragments of the reality I was facing.
How should I explain my death to the two? I had no clue where to even begin.
Since I still couldn't feel a sense of reality myself... perhaps that was only natural.
In the current situation, there is only one thing I can be certain of.
Right now, I am... in no position to make any choice.
"So, which one is it?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Between the two, which one are you talking about?"
And this guy, without understanding my situation, kept provoking me. Why did it have to be that the only seat left was next to this guy...
"You know 'both of them' is never an option, right? If you go that way, you'll end up being executed as a public enemy."
"For the love of... shut up. I can't hear the professor because of you..."
-Clang!
And my retort was abruptly cut off as the door flung open with a loud noise. A guy with a disheveled appearance was panting heavily, leaning on the doorframe. Soon, all the gazes in the lecture hall fixated on him.
The elderly professor, whose sour expression showed how displeased he was at the interruption of the lecture, frowned as he looked at the man.
"What are you doing now, barging in during a lecture like this..."
"It's... it's an urgent report from the frontlines...!"
However, the desperate cry that burst out completely silenced the professor's anger. In the Republic, there was only one place that could be referred to as the frontlines. The Northern Region.
And the only urgent news that would come from there was one thing.
"The Great Invasion of the Demonic Army... the barrier has been breached...!"