Chapter 114
Chapter 114
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Han Cheon-seong Awakens
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***
“Please... don't try to force your senses back. I'm using my skill to limit them right now, Cadet Han Cheon-seong."
At Adelia's voice, I immediately relaxed my entire body.
If she was limiting my senses, I didn't need any further explanation. My body already understood the skill's effect.
The pain I had just felt was so excruciating I couldn't hold back a groan.
And yet, that meant what I had just felt was a mere fraction of the true pain.
‘If I try to regain more of my senses from here…’
*Gulp.*
I tensed up just swallowing.
I couldn't even begin to imagine how horrific the actual pain was.
“No need for any further explanation, is there? You seem to have understood the skill from that brief exchange.”
As Adelia smiled faintly and slowly caressed my face, I said nothing. No, I couldn't say anything.
Instead, I tried my best to convey my thoughts to Instructor Adelia with my eyes.
I wanted her to explain my current condition.
“I know that now that you're conscious, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, you must be curious about everything. The state of your body, what the situation is, why you're lying here like this... But there will be plenty of time to explain all of that later. For now, just focus on relaxing. I'll suppress the pain as much as I can. Do you understand, Cadet Han Cheon-seong?”
At her gentle explanation, as if she were soothing a child, I gave a slight nod.
...Right now, I didn't even have the courage to refuse her.
And at the same time, I remembered.
The moment my memory cut off...
That moment when I surged toward Leteia with all my strength, even looking back on it now...
‘It was an act of madness.’
Even though I knew the toll it would take on my body, I unleashed every last bit of power I had.
It was no different from forcibly activating a skill with my life as collateral.
And at that time, I... simply wanted that power.
I didn't care how broken my body became; I just wanted the power to reach Leteia right then and there.
And I certainly did attain that power.
—To pierce a single point and twist.
At the end, I even manifested it more strongly, as if wringing out the very concept.
I could never forget that moment.
And I couldn't begin to imagine the toll it had taken on my body right after.
I remembered collapsing, vomiting blood.
"..."
Lost in thought, I glanced down at my body.
My body, now dressed in white clothes, thankfully... still had all its limbs attached.
I didn't know if I'd received immediate treatment or how things had ended, but it seemed, by some great fortune, that everything had turned out all right.
“Cadet Han Cheon-seong. Whatever you're thinking, don't dwell on it.”
At her gentle voice again, I very carefully opened my mouth.
“...Yes.”
The words ‘Thank you for treating me’ remained unspoken, lingering in my mouth.
Just that small reply felt as if the inside of my mouth had been completely scraped raw.
...It was a situation where my body reacted strongly to even the slightest stimulus.
No, it felt more like my body was amplifying every sensation.
My once-solid body felt incredibly fragile.
So when I conveyed my gratitude with my eyes, Adelia smiled benevolently.
A warm and gentle smile...
*Stroke.* As she caressed my cheek again, she suddenly let out a deep sigh.
“Haa... Cadet Han Cheon-seong. I'm only saying this as a precaution, but you absolutely cannot disobey me right now. If you do, I'll be truly angry this time... Got it?”
Her eyes turned cold as she spoke, and I immediately nodded.
...*Gulp.*
As if her benevolent appearance from a moment ago had been a lie, Adelia's gaze was terrifying.
The way Adelia's eyes looked down on me now felt far more terrifying than when she had tested me with that cold gaze before.
Afterward, Adelia, having softened her coldness a bit, slowly nodded.
*Stroke.*
Then, the hand that was caressing my cheek began to slowly move downward.
From my cheek to my neck, down my neck to my collarbone... and again from my collarbone to my chest and then to my waist...
Her touch, which seemed to caress my entire body, brought an indescribable warmth.
A cozy, pleasant warmth. It felt as if it was spreading from her touch, slowly seeping into my body.
“I'm using my skill to suppress the pain while I perform the treatment. So, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, you're not, by any chance, feeling anything from my touch, are you?”
...Surprised by the unexpected words, I quickly shook my head.
For a moment, I opened my mouth to strongly deny it, but then quickly shut it.
*Grin.*
Adelia, who had completely erased her coldness, was now wearing a playful smile.
‘...I'll just quietly entrust my body to her.’
With that, I also relaxed and entrusted my body to her.
…
After that, Adelia's treatment continued for much longer than I had expected.
Adelia's hands moved over my body without hesitation, repeatedly caressing every part.
And during that time, Adelia explained the state of my body in detail.
She said that when she first saw me, I was in a critical state where nearly all the muscles in my body had ruptured, and that just treating me at first was a huge struggle.
She told me she'd managed to force my body back into shape, getting me through the worst of it.
And that afterward, a second round of treatment remained, which would involve receiving a priest's blessing to enhance the healing effects...
*Lift.*
“...Hoo.”
Adelia, who seemed to have finished the treatment and removed her hands from me, had a completely different expression than when I first saw her.
Her exhausted expression and the cold sweat on her face clearly showed how much energy she had consumed.
“...”
So I simply accepted it all quietly.
Our eyes met for a moment, and Adelia smiled brightly, as if erasing her exhaustion.
“Remember that you must get absolute rest after this, okay? For the time being, forget about training; you need to focus solely on recovering while lying here.”
“...I'll be sure to remember.”
My body's condition had improved enough that I could manage a simple reply.
*Stroke.*
Then Adelia placed her hand on my cheek again and suddenly met my gaze.
“...”
“...”
As I unconsciously held her gaze, Adelia suddenly began to move her hand cautiously.
With my senses having improved, I could now clearly feel her touch.
It was a distinctly different sensation from before.
As she stroked my cheek with a peculiar touch, the warmth from before now gone, I began to feel strange as well.
“I wonder... is it because of your face? Or your personality?”
“...Pardon?”
“It's because so many people are worried about you, Cadet Han Cheon-seong. It's nothing. In any case, you should prepare for visitors soon. There's no need to be tense, though. For now, I'll just let them check on your condition.”
As I awkwardly nodded at her sudden words, Adelia slowly gathered herself and stood up.
*Click.*
Soon, the sound of the door opening was followed by faint voices.
The treatment is over. He's conscious, so you can check... It seemed to be that kind of conversation.
*Clack. Clack.*
At the sound of multiple footsteps, my gaze also turned to the entrance.
“You're awake.”
Seeing Kalli, who looked greatly relieved, I awkwardly tried to adjust my position.
"It's okay. You can stay lying down."
"...Thank you."
“I'm so glad you've regained consciousness. Cadet Han Cheon-seong, for now, just think about resting. You can think about everything else later. Alright?”
As I blankly nodded at Kalli's gentle voice...
I saw a woman rushing quickly toward me.
*Swish...*
With her fluttering sky-blue hair... the sight of the woman filling my vision... made my eyes widen.
Karite's face was very close, but at the same time, my heart seemed to sink.
“...Karite?”
She approached me without a word, so I spoke first.
“Ah, yes. I'm... really glad you're awake.”
Seeing her answer in a halting voice, I quickly turned my gaze to Kalli and Adelia.
It was strange.
It felt like I wasn't the one with the problem, so why were the two of them looking at Karite and saying nothing?
“Isn't Karite's condition more serious?”
I forced the words out, looking at them as if to ask if this was right.
Before I lost consciousness, I thought I had prevented Leteia from laying a single hand on Karite.
Moreover, considering that I, who collapsed right in front of Leteia, was still alive, I was sure Karite would be fine.
‘But why…’
Why did Karite's face look so haggard?
She looked to be in worse shape now than when I first met her and felt a sense of alarm.
“Han Cheon-seong... I'm fine.”
“What do you mean, you're fine!? Your face is so worn. It looks like you need to rest more than I do...”
It was a strain to keep speaking.
That's how worried I was about Karite.
Was it because I couldn't finish things properly at the end? Did Leteia have some other negative effect on Karite?
I clearly remembered Leteia's form flickering unstably.
I thought Leteia and I had ended in mutual destruction, but if that wasn't it...
*Grasp.*
Suddenly, my face was cupped in her hands, and my train of thought broke.
“Han Cheon-seong, I'm really fine. I'm better than I've ever been. You don't... have to worry.”
...Faced with Karite speaking so resolutely, I couldn't say a word.
Above her haggard complexion, her eyes, filled with a stronger will than ever before, captured my gaze.
“......”
"......"
Her eyes held a more intense will than I had ever seen in them before.
In those red eyes staring straight at me, there wasn't a hint of anxiety or impatience.
Far from any negative signs, I was simply amazed that Karite could look at me with such strong determination.
“Cadets these days... are so passionate.”
At Adelia's playful voice, Karite's eyes, which were looking at me, widened.
“...!”
*Whoosh!*
Watching her hastily pull away from me, I was also bewildered.
“Instructor Adelia. Th-this is...!”
My gaze shifted to Adelia, along with Karite, who was now rambling with a face red as a beet.
Seeing her mischievous smile, a dry laugh escaped my lips without me realizing it.
'Really... does she want to joke around even at a time like this?'