Episode 30
No, just what the hell hurt so badly that he'd suddenly vomited blood and collapsed?
'Wasn't he discharged because he'd recovered?'
At this rate, he'd end up clearing out a corpse inside the Management Bureau. Gi Taeyeon's face darkened as he hovered over Han Chasu.
"Ugh, I don't want to write an incident report."
It had been quite a while since he'd sent U Jeogeun to fetch Healers. There'd been no word whatsoever on where he was or what he was doing.
In the meantime, the warmth held in his embrace was rapidly fading. Gi Taeyeon, who had been feeling around here and there, seemed to remember something and rifled through his Inventory.
"I'm going crazy."
He'd used them all up last time and forgotten to restock. Since he wasn't the type to particularly need Potions, he kept forgetting every time.
"*Cough!*"
As if taunting him with his impending death, Han Chasu vomited blood once more. Gi Taeyeon looked at the hot stream of blood with a peculiar expression and rolled up his sleeves.
"Hunter Han Chasu."
"…."
"I didn't do this on purpose, so please make allowances for that."
Muttering incomprehensible words, Gi Taeyeon bit straight into his own wrist.
Crack, crunch. The sound of something solid tearing echoed through the room.
"This isn't easy to swallow, so don't spill it and take it all…."
Gi Taeyeon let blue drops of blood fall onto Han Chasu's pale, bloodless lips.
The eyes looking down at Han Chasu, who was gradually regaining his color, gleamed white.
It was after this that U Jeogeun and the Hunters within the Management Bureau came rushing in.
"Uwaaah, I knew this would happen. I knew a day like this would come someday! Director, didn't I tell you that living like this would get your nose broken one day!"
"Well, seems like your own nose might break first."
"Team Leader, the Director is threatening me!"
"…Deputy I, let's get him treated first."
Stepping back, Gi Taeyeon watched the scene of Han Chasu receiving treatment.
With his arms crossed, not a single wound could be found anywhere on his wrist.
***
"Chasu… please open your eyes. I'm begging you. Or else I'll die."
What, is it raining…?
Han Chasu, who had barely come to his senses, was bewildered. Within his blurry vision, water droplets were pouring down.
'Surely they didn't dump me outside just because I coughed up a little blood.'
Feeling bewildered, he barely managed to blink his eyes when—
"Uwaahk! Chasuuu!"
Suddenly, Orange lunged in front of his eyes and screamed.
"Ugh…!"
Ziiiing—his head rang from the high-pitched noise piercing his eardrums. Han Chasu reflexively scrunched up his face.
In the meantime, his recovered eyesight brightened his view. Objects gradually grew clearer, and features formed on Orange's face.
It was Orange, dropping round tears while looking this way and smiling brightly…
'She's the one Jeong Iheun sent, isn't she.'
What's this person doing here? Where did Gi Taeyeon go?
Before Han Chasu could ask, she suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
The sight of tears streaming steadily down above her upturned lips was slightly creepy.
"Ha, Chasu…."
"…."
"S-say something. You haven't gone stupid, right? Your head's fine, right? Right?"
"…It's fine."
"Huaaah, I love you!"
Calming Orange, who was trying to hug him with both arms outstretched, looked quite difficult. However.
"Ah, my head."
Thankfully, as soon as he groaned and clutched his head, she quickly backed away. In the meantime, Han Chasu glanced outside. The sky was growing darker. It was already well past evening.
"What on earth happened?"
"W-well, ahem. The thing is."
After thoroughly shaking the details out of Orange, who had suddenly become evasive, the gist was roughly this:
Orange's true identity was Seon Huida, an A-rank Hunter affiliated with the Cheonryeong Guild. It was true that she had come as a one-day bodyguard at Jeong Iheun's request.
However, the fight at the Exchange hadn't been intentional; she too was bewildered by how things had blown up.
"I'm usually really calm, okay? That's why the Guild Master trusted me with you, Chasu…."
It wasn't a particularly convincing claim, but he set that aside since she said so.
Anyway, engaging in combat between Awakened in broad daylight was a matter that could be treated as a serious crime. It had threatened the safety of civilians, after all.
However, since no civilians had actually been harmed and the Exchange had requested leniency, they had apparently avoided being put in shackles.
However, a week of detention couldn't be avoided.
"…Is this a detention cell?"
They send someone who collapsed vomiting blood to a detention cell? Han Chasu marveled at Gi Taeyeon's character.
They said his personality was trash, which was why he couldn't become Bureau Chief. Makes sense.
"Ah, that's not it. This is a staff recovery room at the Management Bureau headquarters. I just stopped by for a moment to see you, Chasu."
Seon Huida wiped away her tears and replied spiritedly.
"I found out Director Gi had taken you away, so I asked to meet you. Because that bastard would definitely torment you, Chasu."
Orange had quite the accurate eye for people. Han Chasu handed her a water bottle, telling her to continue.
"Kuh," Seon Huida grumbled, having quenched her thirst.
"But he kept insisting it wasn't allowed? That since I was near the scene of the incident, it was suspicious. That an investigation was necessary. No, after grilling us and making us spill everything, I was wondering what the hell his deal was when… suddenly Team Leader U gathered up all the Healers."
Apparently short-handed, he even called away the Healer who had been interrogated together with her.
"What, why did he call you?"
"I came after treating Chasu."
"What?"
Thanks to that, she had been able to figure out what was going on. A frigid light flashed across Seon Huida's eyes as she recalled that moment.
The excited atmosphere instantly settled into solemn calm.
"So I calmly expressed my opinion to Team Leader U."
Seon Huida clenched and unclenched her fist tightly. Han Chasu intuitively grasped that her "opinion" had been expressed physically.
"When I rushed over as expected, Chasu was barely clinging to life? Ha, that fucking bastard Director Gi, for real."
"I understand. Please calm down."
Flames blazed up in Seon Huida's eyes. Han Chasu hurriedly tried to pacify her.
If he listened any longer, he felt Seon Huida would lose her temper and go kill Gi Taeyeon.
'Anyway, it seems Gi Taeyeon did let me go in the end.'
Well, he had used his skill to intimidate him, but he'd only pressed him with words; then Han Chasu suddenly collapsed. Even someone like Gi Taeyeon must have been fairly surprised.
The gamble had paid off. Han Chasu confirmed his activated Regeneration skill and lowered his gaze.
"Huu… I'm sorry. I'm losing it. To think I'd spew such harsh words in front of an injured person."
In the meantime, Seon Huida had suddenly entered a self-blaming mode. She was quite the type for dramatic mood swings.
With a ruthless motion, she tore out clumps of her orange hair.
"I don't know why I can't control myself today of all days. Still, I'm really glad you're safe, Chasu. Really."
"Is that so."
"Yeees, I checked too, so you'll be able to go home soon, Chasu. I'll be stuck here, but it's fine. The Guild Master said he'd get revenge for me."
The orange-haired girl giggled and raised her head. The half-torn strands of hair fluttered in the air.
A faint shock crossed Han Chasu's face.
"Revenge?
Surely they weren't planning to destroy the Awakened Management Bureau. No matter how much of a pushover he was, even he wouldn't go that far. While Han Chasu was worrying, Seon Huida tightly grabbed his hand.
"Ah, don't worry. It's nothing like kidnapping and killing the Bureau Chief. We're just going to make the already-busy Awakened Management Bureau a little extra busy, that's all?"
"…."
"Exilis said they'd cooperate too, so you don't need to worry about a thing, Chasu."
She said not to worry while making him worry even more.
Whatever it was they were planning, he earnestly hoped they would exercise some restraint. Han Chasu spoke with all sincerity.
"If it's because of me, it's fine. You don't have to go that far…."
"No!"
Seon Huida shook her head fiercely.
"I don't know about me or the other Hunters, but Chasu is clearly a victim. A victim who suffered humiliation at the hands of the Management Bureau's oppressive treatment! So please leave everything to us."
This was no longer a state in which she could be stopped. More than anything, it was already too late.
"Unidentified explosions in District 2! Hunters assigned to that area, please stand by for dispatch immediately!"
"Sudden fog appearance at Yulhye-dong Arboretum? Wait, the range keeps expanding? Hey, what the hell is going on!"
Radio transmissions and shouts echoed from the hallway beyond the wall. Han Chasu's eyes trembled at the ominous atmosphere.
"Seon Huida, surely that isn't…"
"Goodness, I wouldn't know anything about that. You're not to worry about a thing, Chasu—just rest up and go home."
To think Seon Huida's sunny disposition could feel so terrifying. It was then that Han Chasu shuddered.
A knock sounded at the door, and someone called for Seon Huida from outside.
"Visiting hours are over. Hunter Seon Huida, come out."
"…."
"If you don't come out within ten seconds, your detention will be extended by another week."
Seon Huida muttered something indecipherable that could have been either a curse or a spell, then rose from her seat.
"Then take care. Until we meet again, please—please stay healthy."
"Sure…."
If he could, that is. Han Chasu, about to shuffle back under the blankets, paused. Then he called out to Seon Huida.
"Wait a moment. Hunter Seon Huida."
"Yes?"
"Earlier, why did you call me VIP?"
He had only asked because it had suddenly come to mind.
The person who had called him VIP like crazy at the Exchange was now perfectly fine calling him "Chasu."
However, the answer he received was unexpected.
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