Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Newbie! (2)
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* * *
Seonal was so embarrassed he didn't even want to think about it again.
The spirits didn't let him go until he boarded the taxi heading to the hospital.
He'd really been carried lying down all the way to the taxi.
It had been comfortable, but the waves of shame every time people came into view were a different story.
'Is this what they call workplace bullying?'
Seonal pondered for a moment, then looked at Maeve.
"Ah, how have you been lately, Ms. Maeve?"
"Me... lately?"
"Yeah. Have things been going well for you these days?"
"Lately...? Just normal. And that's why I like it."
Seonal felt satisfied as Maeve smiled.
"But it's still too soon to let your guard down, so let me take a quick look at your bracelet. Don't be startled."
Something felt reversed, but Maeve's eyes were drawn to the flames flickering in Seonal's pupils.
Those flames were strangely fascinating up close.
"...You'll need to keep wearing the bracelet a bit longer. The mana waves haven't stabilized yet. But you've been through a lot. It must have been terrifying to avoid taking the medicine, but you stuck with it."
"You're right. Habits are scary. I almost took the pills so many times."
Maeve clenched her fist tightly.
She knew how the enchanting power worked on other races, so avoiding the medicine hadn't been easy.
As she exhaled shortly and opened her mouth to speak again, a flicker of doubt appeared in her eyes.
Only then did she notice where she was sitting, and Seonal seated in the examination chair.
She was the doctor, and Seonal was the patient.
"...You drank alcohol, didn't you?"
Maeve asked firmly.
He needed a good scolding.
As Seonal looked away in embarrassment, Maeve continued.
"And did you fail a spell? Your body took a major shock."
"...How did you know?"
"Mages come in sometimes. It looks similar to symptoms I've seen. They say failing a spell comes with a huge penalty."
"Correct. Spell failure can happen if mana rejects the casting, or if someone interrupts mid-cast. The former usually hurts more. The mana in your body destabilizes, bursting blood vessels or damaging organs."
"That's it exactly. No internal bleeding, at least, but... hmm. Wouldn't a more thorough check be better?"
"I didn't fail a spell. And I wouldn't."
Maeve couldn't dismiss it as mere bragging given Seonal's strong confidence.
His magic was just different.
"I'll be fine after sleeping it off tonight. I don't need to come back anymore, right?"
"Let me see you once more. You still have some pain, don't you?"
"......"
As Seonal fell silent, Maeve smiled lightly.
"Leaving gastritis untreated won't do you any good. It could turn chronic. Still under a lot of stress?"
"...Yes. Lots of overtime."
"Does the fatigue linger too?"
"Yes."
"And sleep?"
"I lean on the sofa after work, wake up, and it's morning. Still tired."
"Then..."
"I've heard about my condition. We've talked it over, and I'm much better now. Except for the fatigue."
Seonal curved his lips softly upward.
"Thanks for your concern, Ms. Maeve."
"No, I... I'm the doctor."
Maeve looked flustered. She hadn't done it expecting thanks.
Fatigue. Sleepy eyes. A face slow and lazy like a doll with cut strings.
Come to think of it, weren't these familiar symptoms?
"Well then, time for me to get up."
Seonal rose from his seat.
"I hope we don't see each other too often."
Maeve said with a smile. Seeing her as a doctor probably wasn't ideal.
"Same here. And Ms. Maeve."
"Yes?"
"You might have heard from the police, but we caught the culprit."
"I... haven't heard yet. Really?"
"Yes. No more worries. Well then."
Seonal left the room, smiling at Maeve, and walked through the hospital.
Mestus Hospital, free of the enchanting power, now had an unfamiliar tranquility.
The air purifiers were new, masks gone from staff and nurses' faces, and everyone looked more relaxed with some breathing room.
Seonal walked slowly, lips curving up.
'...Nice to see the changes.'
His gaze drifted farther, out the window.
The sky was beautiful.
Bzzz.
His phone buzzed, and Seonal pulled it out to check.
Team Leader.
"Yes, Team Leader."
[How'd it go? What'd she say?]
"I'm fine. Might need one more hospital visit."
[Good. Hurry back, Seonal. Lunch is ordered.]
"Thank you."
Seonal hung up and exited the hospital.
* * *
"...Ta-da."
Edinal proudly presented three sheets of paper.
"Did everyone else see them too?"
Seonal sipped water from a paper cup.
A glance sideways showed the coffee pot floating midair, pouring fresh brew into a mug.
Thanks to all the fuss over his "magic shock," lunch break was leisurely for once.
It was those damn Mage Association mages who'd taken the hit, not him.
'They won't listen even if I say so.'
Seonal pondered briefly.
"Of course. They all saw. You're dead last, Seonal."
Edinal grinned brightly, eyeing the sugar floating through the air.
Seonal's casual use of magic, like breathing, was always mesmerizing.
"If I'd known, I'd have learned magic too. I don't want much—just enough to pick up a pen off the floor."
"Weren't there plenty of chances to learn?"
"There were."
Edinal's eyes curved slightly.
Sugar sprinkled into the steaming mug.
"But my family wouldn't allow it."
"Why? You could have been the world's strongest mage."
Seonal looked at Edinal, then down at the documents.
"You heard last time, right? I'm pureblood vampire. Couldn't become a mage. Something about noble blood."
"Did you... want to be a mage?"
Seonal's raised gaze was more serious than expected, startling Edinal briefly.
It wasn't just serious.
*You too?*
It felt like he was asking that, giving Edinal an odd sensation.
She'd always thought Seonal was a natural genius mage.
"No. Not really. Just idle talk."
Edinal laughed lightly, wrapping it up.
Seonal ducked his head, looking awkward.
"Magic talk... gets me a bit excited."
"I know."
Seonal calmly eyed the documents as Edinal spoke.
Three applications.
Giant race, dullahan race, and spirit beast race.
Seonal's gaze stopped at spirit beast.
"...A spirit beast applied?"
"Surprising, right? I was too."
"They don't like people much."
Spirit beasts took animal forms and were the rarest among heteroraces.
They mostly lived in mountains, so Seonal hadn't seen many himself.
"Aren't you excited now?"
Edinal beamed, but Seonal didn't.
"Excited? Resume says... hmm. Digging dirt."
"Sturdy hands, I guess."
"Finding good trees."
"Good nose, spots valuables."
"Watching clouds... long?"
"Persistent at tasks."
"...Team Leader."
"Yeah?"
"Isn't this grounds for rejection?"
"Oh. You wouldn't know since it's your first time, Seonal."
"Know what?"
"To join Complaints, this doesn't matter. Other things do."
Edinal shook the papers.
"Resumes are just to check personality before interviews. We don't care about schools or activities. What matters is grit, warm heart, tolerance, decisiveness, snap judgment, composure, guts, courage..."
"I'll fail them all. No wonder we get few applicants."
Seonal leaned back, staring at the resume, and Edinal waved lightly, laughing.
"Nah, we ignore activities. They weren't even real—just padding the resume. Where's the sincerity?"
"...How did you hire me?"
"You had it all?"
"You're joking."
"I don't joke about this. If you knew how hard I scouted you, you'd be crying now."
Edinal gazed expectantly, but Seonal adjusted his glasses with a weary look.
Annoying.
Edinal pointed at the papers.
"Anyway, they all passed the physical test. You know what that is?"
"No. Scout hire here. Special Task Force too."
Seonal's paper-cup-holding wrist dangled side to side.
Annoying.
Edinal huffed. Annoying looks didn't change talent.
"Not as tough as Special Task Force. Just how well they handle crowds in combat, fearlessness, crisis response? Easy with racial abilities."
Edinal spoke vaguely, but Seonal got it.
―1 vs. 5? Piece of cake.
She overlapped briefly with the old Special Task Force leader. He understood, but it wasn't cakewalk.
"Interview when?"
"Around 5 today?"
"...5? Am I participating?"
Seonal asked calmly first.
Sudden fatigue vanished.
"Of course. No more fieldwork today, straight home after. Tomorrow, though?"
"That's why everyone wants a newbie."
Seonal gripped the coffee mug, eyes lively for the first time in ages as he looked at Edinal.
"Seonal."
"Yes, Team Leader."
"All seen?"
"Yes. Memorized perfectly."
"Time to work?"
At "work," Seonal's face grew lazier, sipping coffee leisurely.
"...Construction firm case? To police?"
"Yep. Construction halts soon. Even if not, no worries."
Edinal smirked, sharp fangs glinting.
She exuded a chilling aura, ready to bite.
"Good work, Seonal. Heard from Irang you held the collapsing building with magic. And how you took the taxi..."
"Back to work."
Seonal stood immediately.
That embarrassing bit got reported.
Edinal's cackling laughter followed.
As Seonal strolled over, Irang cleared his throat.
Consultation seemed done.
Seonal beamed at Irang.
"...Thank you, so, so much, Irang."
"Glad it helped. Use it again. Spirits liked it too, so I'm happy."
Irang grinned slyly, pressing the button.
Seonal sighed at the changing number, then moved to wash hands or whatever.
'Weakened, huh.'
"How's the body?"
As Seonal sat, Terisha peeked over.
The fairy mage from earlier came to mind unbidden.
Terisha was different despite same race. She hated rumors, for one.
"Thanks for worrying. Much better now. Took the meds well. One more hospital trip, but oh well."
Seonal sat.
Work piled on his desk.
Short exhale, then stacked some papers to block view and floated them midair.
As Rinell, he'd spent most time on documents. To become mage, had to read books.
One glance per page, so floated docs, flipped next, dropped reviewed ones, repeat.
Onlookers paused, staring in wonder.
After a minute, Seonal sorted, dropped them, ran magic scanner.
Sipping coffee, a chill made him turn.
'...Not again?'
"N-Nosebleed!"
Tutun's shout had Seonal half-risen, glancing at Tutun then mug.
Sure enough, Tutun's hand reached for him instead.
Blood dripped on Tutun's hand, clotting small.
'Body surprised from using illusion magic after so long?'
Seonal pulled a handkerchief from his bag, wiping familiarly.
"Tutun."
Seonal called firmly.
Why here?
Tutun stayed at the center pre-tree planting, temp Complaints cleaner.
But not cleaning time now.
"...Wh-What do? O-Okay?"
Tutun shifted to child form, worriedly eyeing Seonal.
"I'm fine. But now..."
Seonal paused.
Terisha in view. Same face, but angry.
"...Who?"
Not imagination—Terisha's eyes narrowed.
"Who... who?"
"The mages who attacked Seonal. On bodycam."
Seonal gripped his bodycam unconsciously at her intensity.
"No, I mean..."
"Who attacked Seonal?"
Tutun freaked.
Even with sound-block magic, no commotion wanted.
Seonal felt chill, faced forward.
'What? Again...?'
Twin vampire sister Keron loomed table-close, radiating heavy fury.
When'd she arrive?
"Tell me who. I'll punish them."
"No, Keron. You can't be here. Loren too."
Seonal startled spoke at their appearance.
"B-But Seonal bleeding. Smell blood!"
Round-eyed Loren sniffed persistently, eyes narrowing.
Soon licked lips.
"But... Seonal's blood smells... different."