Chapter 118
Chapter 118
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 118
Chapter Title: A Time of Pain
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Meanwhile, in the infirmary.
Cheon-seong's surprise at Adelia's sudden action was brief.
He soon found himself listening intently to Adelia's calm explanation.
And he came to understand why she had removed her outer coat.
—!
Just as a faint green light seemed to shimmer around Adelia's entire body, the temperature inside the room changed drastically.
It was a warmth that emanated from Adelia's body.
No, it was more than warmth; it was closer to intense heat.
Indeed, Adelia's skin was tinged a faint red. To Cheon-seong, who was facing her up close, the temperature felt scorching.
“The pain that has been suppressed for the past few days will soon return. In fact, on the first night you were unconscious, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, you had a strange seizure. I used my 'Sense Control' skill then, and I've had to use it several more times since.”
At these unexpected words, Cheon-seong blinked before taking them in with gravity.
"...Instructor. I will endure the pain."
When he declared his resolve in a firm tone, Adelia shook her head with a soft sigh.
“No matter how strong your will is, Cadet Han Cheon-seong, this is not a type of pain that can be endured. I've learned this from treating the injuries of countless people. The pain you are about to feel will likely be an extreme agony, close to traumatic shock.”
As Adelia sat down beside him and spoke, Cheon-seong was momentarily speechless.
—Pain close to traumatic shock.
Cheon-seong had expected as much, but hearing it said aloud, he found himself unable to claim he would be fine.
The pain he had felt when he first regained consciousness and tried to reclaim sensation in his body.
Even that pain had been nearly unbearable for him.
And now, the reality of facing an even greater pain was upon him.
“Furthermore, my skill, Sense Control, causes the recipient to develop a resistance if used too frequently. My skill doesn't suppress someone's body... so I usually avoid using it repeatedly in a short time. However, your pain kept flaring up so severely that I had no choice but to use the skill again and again."
“Does that mean…”
“I will now temporarily interfere with your body to completely block your senses. It will be very difficult... but you must endure that pain.”
*Rustle.*
As Adelia, having said this, reached out her hands, Cheon-seong accepted it without a word.
*Click. Click….*
A strange heat radiated from Adelia's hands as she slowly unbuttoned Cheon-seong's shirt, passing through the fabric.
To Cheon-seong, it felt incredibly hot, a sensation as if his body was bursting into flames just from the proximity of her touch.
“From now on, you must not resist at all. Understood?”
At Adelia's serious tone, Cheon-seong dazedly nodded his head.
*Click. Click….*
Having unfastened all the buttons, Adelia smoothly removed the shirt, baring Cheon-seong's upper body.
Despite the reveal of a well-trained male physique, Adelia's expression remained unchanged.
She naturally channeled her energy, slowly bringing her hands into direct contact.
The heat gathering in her hands was not merely a matter of hot air.
*Touch.*
Cheon-seong flinched as her slender hands touched his torso.
To him, it felt as if a great flame had been pressed against his upper body.
Simultaneously, sensation began to fade from the areas she touched, but ironically, a pain like a terrible burn spread from the other parts of his body where feeling remained.
“...!”
As Cheon-seong squeezed his eyes shut, Adelia continued speaking softly.
“I know it's an incredibly difficult pain to bear. Nevertheless, you must endure it. If you can't withstand this, the pain that comes later will be incomparable to what you're feeling now.”
Even as Adelia explained calmly, Cheon-seong did not reply.
"..."
Biting his lip hard, he suppressed the urge to pull her hands away from his body.
That was how excruciating the pain was.
...But it wasn't an entirely unbearable pain.
Two days ago. The pain of that moment when he had coughed up blood in front of Leteia. Compared to that horrific agony, which felt like his limbs were being torn apart... Cheon-seong could endure this.
As Cheon-seong persevered, recalling that even more difficult time...
*Gently.*
Adelia carefully reached out her other hand and caressed Cheon-seong's tightly clenched fist.
*Grasp!*
Though Cheon-seong reflexively gripped her hand hard, Adelia said nothing.
*Slowly. Slowly….*
After focusing on his torso for a moment, Adelia's hands soon began to move over his entire body.
A dreadful heat spread through Cheon-seong's body.
…
The ten minutes or so that followed felt like an eternity for both Cheon-seong and Adelia.
Despite her exhaustion, Adelia continued to channel her mana to block Cheon-seong's senses, while Cheon-seong endured the agonizing pain of the process, clinging to a consciousness that wanted to give up on everything.
And then, the end came.
*Slowly….*
Carefully removing her hands from Cheon-seong's body, Adelia breathed shallowly and looked at him.
In her sight was Cheon-seong, his breathing incredibly faint.
“......”
The cadet's entire body was drenched in a cold sweat from enduring the sensation-blocking touch, yet he had not let out a single pained groan throughout the process.
...To me, that was simply astonishing.
It was a process of forcibly erasing his senses with a pain several degrees less severe, all to suppress an agony that could cause traumatic shock.
For the one undergoing it, it must have been a moment akin to a different kind of hell.
A terrible pain that most would not be able to endure.
And yet.
...A mere cadet had just endured all of that pain.
I could clearly see that he had bitten his lip so hard that the corner of his mouth was torn and bleeding.
Only then did it truly hit me.
I finally understood why Instructor Kalli and the other instructors praised Cadet Han Cheon-seong's will so highly. It felt as if I was witnessing it firsthand.
“...”
Then, perhaps belatedly realizing he no longer had to feel the immense pain...
*Slowly.*
I met Cadet Han Cheon-seong's gaze as he slowly opened his eyes, and I offered a very faint smile.
“Cadet Han Cheon-seong, you really... you endured it well. For the next five hours or so, you must remain still in this state. That will also be very difficult, but once this moment passes, there will be no more crises.”
As I calmly informed him of his current condition, the cadet blinked his eyes weakly.
Seeing his eyes, now completely hazed over, a part of my heart ached.
It hadn't even been half a day since the cadet, who had suffered a major accident, regained consciousness.
To have to experience such pain again was simply too cruel.
*Drip.*
Even as a drop of blood trickled down from his torn lip, the cadet showed no reaction.
When he opened his mouth with great effort, his face completely drained, I immediately leaned in to listen.
“Instruc...tor Adel...ia... Thank... you... for the treatment.”
As he expressed his gratitude for the treatment in a halting voice,
"......"
I hesitated for a moment before nodding my head blankly.
*'I made him feel such terrible pain.'*
I was prepared to accept his resentment.
But. Even in this moment, Cadet Han Cheon-seong did not let go of his will.
He expressed his gratitude to me, the one who had inflicted such excruciating pain, without a trace of ill feeling.
That... felt unreal to me.
*'So this... is possible.'*
I carefully reached out with my hand, from which the heat had now completely faded, and picked up a towel.
*Wipe.*
As I gently wiped the cold sweat from Cheon-seong's entire body, I couldn't easily find the words to speak.
‘What words could possibly comfort him.'
To me, Cadet Han Cheon-seong's situation just felt too harsh.
*Wipe.*
Then, as I gently wiped the blood from his lips, only a small sigh escaped me.
‘How difficult must it have been….’
Watching someone suffer unbearable pain was agonizing, even from the healer's perspective.
And yet, someone had to do it.
That was the only way to save them.
I was taught that if you are blessed with a healing-related trait, you must bear the corresponding responsibility. And I felt that way myself.
“Cadet Han Cheon-seong. You can rest now.”
As I spoke gently, his unfocused eyes carefully closed.
Even seeing the cadet like this, I couldn't feel at ease.
The major pain was gone for now, but residual pain still lingered within his body.
Although I had blocked all sensation, the pain that would well up from deep within his body later was something Cadet Han Cheon-seong would have to endure alone.
...There was nothing more I could do for him here.
Feeling sorry about that, I suddenly looked down at the hand he had gripped.
“......”
He had gripped my hand tightly to endure the pain for only the first few minutes. After that, as if he no longer had the strength, his hand had fallen limply outside the blanket.
*Gently.*
I carefully caressed his hand, hoping he would feel some comfort.
And so, I kept watch by the side of Cadet Han Cheon-seong, who was breathing deeply as if asleep.
In the quiet stillness.
I slowly turned off the light.
In cases of such extreme pain, no one can ever truly understand it except the person who has experienced it directly.
In truth, I had little experience taking such temporary measures to prevent traumatic shock.
Usually, it was performed on only one severely injured area.
A case like Cadet Han Cheon-seong, where his entire body had ruptured and required treatment on every part, was exceedingly rare.
“Haa….”
Sighs kept escaping me.
...I had to at least stay by his side, so that Cadet Han Cheon-seong could endure the pain to come.
*Slowly.*
I gently released his hand and picked up the outer coat I had taken off.
The uniform, specialized for cold resistance, blocked even the heat I had just generated, so I couldn't possibly have performed the treatment while wearing it.
As I put my clothes back on, a bitter smile inadvertently appeared on my face.
‘How admirable.’
Without my uniform, the contours of my body were quite clearly defined.
And yet, Cadet Han Cheon-seong had not given me a single lustful glance.
He had followed my instructions well, and after enduring a pain more difficult than anyone could imagine, he expressed his gratitude to me.
Is that why?
My gaze kept returning to him.
It's not often you see such a commendable cadet.
I looked at his exhausted face and gently stroked his cheek.
"..."
What on earth did Cadet Han Cheon-seong do to deserve such pain?
Seeing Cadet Karite's behavior yesterday and today, I could guess what kind of action Cadet Han Cheon-seong must have taken.
‘He must have used the concept of that 'reaching' skill.’
He probably forced himself to use it to escape a crisis. That would explain why such terrible wounds were carved all over his body.
There were almost no external wounds.
Only severe injuries that had ravaged his body from the inside, as if a great power had manifested within him.
‘Did he try to protect someone, even at the cost of sacrificing himself?’
The more I thought about it, the more a bitter laugh escaped me.
*Knock, knock.*
Then, the sound of a knock on the door made me blink.
“Who is it?”
It was already nearing midnight. There was no reason for anyone to visit at this hour.