Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: After Everything Ended - (2)
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***
*Click….*
With each step she took, her light-blue hair swayed unsteadily.
But the eyes set in her pale face darted about even more erratically than her hair.
...For a moment, I couldn't look away.
I remembered the student's face. I had seen her for the first time yesterday, and I had been briefed on her condition today.
‘Her name was... Karite, I believe.’
I was thinking blankly as I watched the student approach.
*Click. Click….*
As she continued to close the distance to the infirmary, a few others reacted in surprise.
“That student... Isn't she the one from yesterday?”
“That's Karite Esildereun. I believe she’s the student who disappeared with Han Cheon-seong yesterday....”
As they reacted with confusion, I had no choice but to speak first.
“One moment.”
I didn't know why... but I felt as though I had to be the one to receive this student.
I wanted to ask what on earth had happened in the Aile Forest yesterday with Student Han Cheon-seong. But the Student Karite who came into view didn't look like she was in any state to speak.
I’d heard she was suffering from extreme mental distress and that her stability was the top priority.
...Though I had no idea how she was even walking here right now.
"I'll go."
I had to be the one to meet her.
*Click.*
I took a few steps forward to greet Student Karite.
As I stood before her, the student, who had been walking so unsteadily, lifted her head with a truly vacant expression.
“...”
Seeing her up close, I was momentarily at a loss for words.
...The student's condition was just too devastating.
Disheveled hair, anxious eyes, a haggard complexion. How could they let a student in this state wander around? It was enough to make me suspect that Student Karite hadn't even been assigned proper care.
For a moment, Student Karite’s lips parted as if to speak, but I found myself talking first.
“If it's hard to talk... you don't have to say anything.”
Just the slight parting of her lips showed me how much she was struggling right now.
I didn't know if Student Han Cheon-seong had tried to protect Student Karite yesterday. But based on the information I'd received, I thought he probably had.
While Student Han Cheon-seong had suffered extreme physical damage and lost consciousness, it seemed that even though Student Karite was conscious, she had suffered immense mental trauma.
“Student Karite Esildereun... right?”
Watching the student nod weakly at my words, I carefully added another question.
“Are you... here to see Student Han Cheon-seong?”
It was the only reason Student Karite would come here.
*Nod.*
As expected, the sight of the student weakly nodding her head made me feel strangely apologetic.
“Instructor Adelia is using her healing trait on Student Han Cheon-seong right now. So you won't be able to go in for a while.”
...She froze.
I carefully reached out to the student, who had stopped in her tracks, staring blankly up at me.
*Swoosh.*
My heart felt heavy even as I placed a hand on her slender shoulder.
Whatever happened yesterday, Student Karite's current state did not look like that of someone who had found stability.
If anything, she seemed to need more rest. The time to collect her thoughts would be far from enough for now....
And yet, I couldn't bring myself to tell Student Karite to go back and rest.
Except for the personnel dispatched in top secret and the instructors present at the scene, no one was allowed to approach Student Han Cheon-seong right now.
“Student Karite. Would you like to... wait with me?”
Without thinking, I had let the words slip out.
At my words, Student Karite blankly nodded her head.
And then, those lifeless lips that had been sealed shut finally opened.
“......Yes. Thank you.”
Hearing the incredibly subdued voice that came from her lips with great difficulty, I gently stroked the student’s shoulder and slowly led her away.
“Instructor Kalli...?”
“It can't be helped... I suppose.”
Looking at the surprised people, I slowly nodded my head.
It was just as one of them had said.
I believed that situations like this, where there was no other choice, could exist.
If I sent Student Karite back now, it would do her no good.
Sometimes, there are situations that rules and regulations alone cannot account for.
…
Later, as I waited with Student Karite in the waiting room for Instructor Adelia's healing to finish.
*Click.*
After a full hour, the infirmary door finally opened.
“...The treatment is finished.”
Seeing Instructor Adelia's exhausted expression, I didn't ask about his progress.
For now, the fact that the corners of Instructor Adelia’s eyes were gently curved was enough to set my mind at ease.
"You worked hard."
"...You look very tired."
*Click.*
As I carefully guided Student Karite, who had stood up with me, Instructor Adelia's eyes questioned me for a moment, but I gently shook my head.
I couldn't explain the situation with Student Karite in words.
After receiving Instructor Adelia’s consideration and entering the infirmary, I could see it.
Han Cheon-seong's face, which held distinctly more life than before. At the same time, my body reacted first.
*Thud.*
“...Student Karite!? Are you okay?”
As I spoke distractedly, I could see Student Karite's hands trembling, even as she leaned on me for support.
...There wasn't a shred of strength left in the student's body.
And yet, I could see that Student Karite was only looking at Han Cheon-seong.
*Click.*
When Student Karite finally took a step forward, I was able to withdraw the hand that had been supporting her.
*Click. Click….*
As I watched Student Karite gradually approach Han Cheon-seong... my heart ached for some reason.
“Hoo.”
“What on earth did those two students go through yesterday?”
...As another instructor spoke, as if unable to step any further inside, a sigh escaped my lips as well.
“We’ll have to hear about that from the students after they regain consciousness... slowly.”
It wasn't just Student Han Cheon-seong, who hadn't regained consciousness yet; it seemed too cruel to question Student Karite about the circumstances right now, even though she was awake, given how much she was struggling.
Nevertheless, I was certain the two of them had been through something major.
It was definitely... not an ordinary accident.
There was a being that could never be forgiven.
‘The culprit must not be dead.’
If Student Han Cheon-seong had unleashed the full power of a skill, it would have been difficult for any ordinary being to even withstand it.
To see Han Cheon-seong as a simple student with a level 4 trait was a mistake; the concept of the skill he wielded had already far transcended the level of a mere trait.
And yet, nothing other than the two students was found in the space that appeared.
Then the culprit... was clearly still alive.
"..."
*Squeeze.* I clenched my fist, suppressing the rising emotions within me.
***
Ever since she regained consciousness, Karite's mind had been in a fog.
The auditory hallucinations and negative emotions no longer tormented her.
Despite the sense of liberation that had come after so many years, Karite found it difficult to maintain her sanity.
“......”
A bizarre sensation, as if she wasn't herself.
But strangely, her memory of that moment was crystal clear.
The space filled with darkness.
The series of events that unfolded within it.
And even the grotesque voice of the strange violet being she had encountered.
—*Human. No, I should call you Han Cheon-seong.*
—*You do not seem to be a being of this world. Is that not so?*
—*You feel as alien as we do. For a human to exude such a distinct sense of otherness is truly, truly a curious thing.*
—*What kind of nonsense are you spouting!*
—*Child. Come here.*
……
She hadn't understood any of the words that had been spoken.
But the events that followed replayed in her mind with terrifying clarity.
'Leteia, the Apostle of Sacrifice….'
That was what Han Cheon-seong had called that violet thing.
An Apostle....
Within that space, unable to do anything, she had seen it all.
She saw Han Cheon-seong, again and again... confronting the Apostle.
She saw him trying to fight the Apostle, unleashing a power incomparably greater than what he had used against the ghouls.
She saw him repeatedly sent flying by massive impacts, getting injured, and rolling wretchedly on the ground. She saw him coughing up blood and crying out in pain.
Then, when the Apostle dragged her away, Han Cheon-seong fought even more desperately.
At one point, when Han Cheon-seong manifested an overwhelmingly powerful presence, the memory of that moment felt like a dream.
—A nightmare.
Yes, she thought she was having a nightmare... one she never wanted to experience again.
But she could never forget the end of that nightmare.
Even if the rest of the nightmare's memories weren't there, that final scene... remained so vividly.
The image of his spear turning completely to ash and disappearing, of Han Cheon-seong collapsing to the ground, groaning in agony and coughing up a frightening amount of blood...
—*Cough!*
That was why, after waking up, she couldn't possibly stay still.
Even without the hallucinations and negative thoughts, her heart was more anxious and shaken than ever before.
Because she had seen Han Cheon-seong dying....
Even if she thought it was just a nightmare.
It felt so much like reality....
She just couldn't stay still.
…
"......"
As she stared blankly at Han Cheon-seong before her, her vision strangely blurred.
The hand of Han Cheon-seong that she held was definitely warm.
A very warm and gentle heat.
...It was undeniable proof that he was alive.
Even though his eyes were still closed, even though he hadn't opened them, she was satisfied nonetheless.
“Thank... good... ness.”
Her voice broke as she spoke.
That the nightmare with the terrible ending wasn't real.
Han Cheon-seong was clearly, right here before her, alive.
'Yes, no matter what anyone says....'
Han Cheon-seong was alive and breathing.
And she wished for nothing more.
"......"
Even as something continued to stream down her cheeks from her endlessly blurring vision....
With the immense, almost overwhelming sense of relief she was feeling for the first time... her heart found a stability it had never known.