Competent Lee Ha-yul (2)
Competent Lee Ha-yul (2)
An ominous air hung over Erteria.
In just a matter of days, dungeons across the region had erupted into chain rampages, and monsters had been sighted multiple times right on the city's doorstep.
There had been no official announcement, but the grim portents were unmistakable.
Even the Tower Faith, which should have been the one to quell the anxiety, was too busy bracing for the rampage to act. The unease spreading through the city swelled immensely in a very short time.
Short-term shortages became the norm. Those with the means fled to other regions, and among those who remained, the first signs of deteriorating public order began to show.
This was the state of things a few hours ago.
- Crash!
A slender bolt of lightning slammed down, as if mocking the defensive barrier.
Under normal circumstances, it would have sent people fleeing in panic, calling it a freak phenomenon.
Instead, the passersby heaved sighs of relief and went about their business. A few even offered prayers toward the point of impact.
Because they understood the lightning not as a disaster, but as a form of divine punishment.
"Please follow instructions! The gates are under constant activation, so move in an orderly fashion!"
The voices of Association staff, deployed in orderly fashion throughout the city, were magically amplified to carry far and wide.
The evacuation order had just been issued to Erteria and its neighboring cities under the authority of the Acting Association President.
The fully opened gates were bustling, bringing in supplies and reinforcements while transporting civilians to safe zones.
The Tower Faith, as the city's administrator, was extremely cooperative, so there was no friction.
"Surprisingly calm. Normally, this is when chaos erupts and someone gets their hair ripped out."
"Heh, after seeing a few thugs get struck by lightning and dragged off for causing trouble, anyone with a brain would restrain themselves."
An Association staff member, pausing to wet their throat, chuckled at the quiet murmuring.
"It really is amazing, though. How does it hit so precisely? They say when you first arrived, you wiped out every monster too?"
"Ah, that... heh heh, the survey team saw the signals vanish and thought it was equipment failure. Caused quite a commotion."
The streaks of lightning striking irregularly across the city's interior and exterior killed monsters.
Against people, ordinary citizens and superhumans alike, a single painful jolt was enough to render them unconscious, and no more.
There were no misfires.
Even when it struck in the middle of the city, it precisely targeted only the troublemakers. Those standing right beside them wouldn't feel a single stray spark.
It was an environment where even the boldest wouldn't dare start a riot.
'But that's not the only reason crowd control is so easy...'
The staff member glanced around.
The evacuation order had been issued against the backdrop of a forecasted chain rampage centered on a Grade 1 Dungeon, coupled with the potential emergence of a 2nd-Rank monster.
Even a 3rd Rank was treated as a near-catastrophe; a 2nd Rank needed no further comment.
Monsters whose appearances throughout the entire Chaos Period could be counted on one hand.
Despite the threat that such a monster might appear, the civilians' anxiety remained subdued.
The Association staff felt the same. They were wearily annoyed that yet another disaster-class threat in the form of a 2nd-Rank monster had appeared, but their fear wasn't great.
After all, they had witnessed who had come to this city.
Lee Ha-yul.
The moment the man saw Lee Ha-yul step through the gate, he instantly understood why people turn to religion to build a pillar for their hearts.
'If that's how I feel, how much deeper must it be for those who actually have faith?'
Coincidentally, before one even considered the depth of faith, this city was already filled with believers of the Tower Faith.
And having witnessed Lee Ha-yul's majesty and miracles firsthand, their faith could only have deepened—without their fear growing in proportion.
.
.
.
At present, access to the Erteria Archdiocese was restricted to civilians.
And the situation inside had also begun running smoothly the moment Lee Ha-yul arrived.
'I knew the little one was capable, but experiencing it firsthand is astonishing.'
Watching Lee Ha-yul from behind, Liana marveled inwardly.
The moment they first arrived in the city, Liana had noticed Lee Ha-yul assess the chaotic urban center before launching Heavenly Thunder into the sky as a deliberate display.
Then, in the plaza before the Grand Cathedral where all eyes were gathered, he had hidden his embarrassment and brazenly revealed his appearance.
And he had used Heavenly Thunder to firmly discipline those who disturbed the peace, leaving a powerful impression.
Once inside the Grand Cathedral, Lee Ha-yul's actions remained unhesitating.
After swiftly issuing orders to the archbishop and the observers,
Lee Ha-yul immediately saw to the observation devices personally.
They had been assessed as nearing the end of their operational lifespan, but just a few touches from Lee Ha-yul restored their performance as if they were newly manufactured.
Thanks to that, the previously sluggish data observation and analysis were now proceeding rapidly.
He then exercised his authority as Acting Association President. Through the gate, he secured supplies and, more importantly, requisitioned a portion of the Defense Army to construct a frontline centered on the city.
Normally, constructing the frontline around the dungeon area was standard procedure. But with the rampage imminent and the distance to the dungeon too narrow, the city had to be incorporated into the line.
With the archbishop leading the Tower Faith in providing total support for the process, the work was handled smoothly, swiftly, and without a single hitch.
All of this unfolded in just a few short hours since Lee Ha-yul's arrival.
It wasn't only Liana who was impressed by the clean, rapid execution—Ellia and Lee Ha-sol were, too.
It was a belated impression of someone who had manipulated an entire space to create a world that birthed spirits. But that feat had been so high-dimensional that it scarcely felt real.
Now, it felt very real.
All the more so because Liana, who had been on active duty until just a few years ago, knew exactly how chaotic and disastrous such emergency situations usually became.
And that was precisely why she was also worried.
It was true, after all, that Lee Ha-yul had rushed here in the middle of creating an entire world.
She had already seen him overexert himself to the point of coughing up a trickle of blood. Watching him bustle around tirelessly, her worry was lodged in her throat.
Naturally, Ellia's eyes clouded with concern, and the gaze of Lee Ha-sol—the very reason for Lee Ha-yul's visit—grew increasingly anguished.
Lee Seo-yul, having volunteered as his escort, kept her mouth shut, but silently fluttered her wings, sending waves of worried intent.
[...I will handle things up to this point for now. Do not forget the outstanding issues, and ensure the orders are relayed accurately.]
"Yes, we will carry out the orders."
[I will be resting in my room for a while. If you need me, please come find me immediately.]
Perhaps it was because those earnest gazes kept prodding the back of his head.
After handing over on-site command to the visiting Association branch chief, Lee Ha-yul entered the finest VIP room the Tower Faith had to offer.
"Phew..."
As the door quietly closed, Lee Ha-yul let out a deep breath.
Even for the Tower Faith, which regarded frugality as a virtue, the room prepared for honored guests was spacious and comfortable. Yet he had no chance to look around before he was surrounded on all sides by four women.
"Little one, no matter how urgent the situation, you really shouldn't push yourself so hard."
"You were already overworking yourself before you even got here, remember? I understand you feel pressed for time, but you need to rest properly to manage your condition."
Liana gently caressed his face, while Lee Seo-yul, having removed her armor, swept her hair back.
"There now, our sweet little one... shall we lie down in bed together and get some shut-eye?"
Ellia came up from behind, placed both hands on his shoulders, and gently nudged him toward the bed.
The determination to make him rest, even if only for a moment, was palpable.
At that, Lee Ha-yul spun around and buried his face directly into the voluptuous chest before him.
"Ha-yul?"
"I'm a little tired..."
[Fatigue]
Simultaneously, his two arms wrapped around her slender waist, and he mumbled as he squirmed his way deeper into her embrace.
[Softness]
[Happiness]
"...Ah."
His words were muffled against her chest, but they weren't hard to understand.
Ellia's bright yellow eyes blinked, and soon she smiled softly, cradling Lee Ha-yul's head with utmost care.
"There, there. It was hard, wasn't it? Working and then coming straight here to work again..."
"Yeah..."
As a hand steeped in maternal warmth stroked his head and back, Lee Ha-yul burrowed even deeper into her arms, whining.
By then, the others had also grasped the situation.
Earlier, Lee Ha-yul had been wearing a mask for public dealings.
A figure who revealed an almost impossibly beautiful face—one might have thought it should be hidden behind a veil—while suppressing his emotions to project a mysterious, overwhelming presence.
Now, that mask was melting softly away, exposing the childish neediness he had been struggling to hold back.
"Oh my, you did? You worked so hard holding it in. There's no one but us in the room now, so you can snuggle all you want. Yes, that's it, good boy..."
"I like this... pat me gently."
"Alright, there..."
Ellia gently patted Lee Ha-yul's back and waist and naturally lay down with him on the bed.
When she offered her arm instead of a pillow, he murmured his approval and nestled right into her embrace. Giggling, Ellia pulled up the blanket and covered them both.
"Good boy... shall we sleep tight in mommy's arms?"
[Yes]
[Sleepiness]
"Okay..."
Lee Ha-yul slowly nodded his head. It was no act; his mind and body were genuinely exhausted.
How much mana and heart power had gone into shaping the Reverse Side's environment?
Only a few drops of blood had escaped his lips, but he had nearly ended up heaving out whole bucketfuls.
'Tired...'
He had taken initial countermeasures. Now, things should run themselves even without him on site.
He was maintaining the observation continuously, so the moment he sensed any sign of a rampage, he could get up immediately.
"Hungry..."
[Hunger]
"Ah, now that you mention it, it's been quite a while since you last ate."
Ellia, her eyes crinkling, slipped the hand that was patting his back under the blanket.
Fwump... The sound of something dropping, and then a soft mound of flesh cradled his face.
Liana, having abruptly lost her window of opportunity, crossed her arms in silent complaint. Lee Seo-yul simply stared at the now-bulging blanket with an unreadable expression.
"...Isn't nursing in front of the kid a bit much?"
"To suddenly bring common sense and the moral high ground into this..."
Liana and Ellia flinched.
* * *
"So what you're saying is, the kid is fast asleep?"
"Yes, I suppose he got all his work done, because he's out like a light."
Liana answered with an awkward smile.
Leaning her back against the wall, Hong Yeon-hwa looked down at Lee Ha-yul's peacefully sleeping face and let out a hollow laugh.
"Unbelievable... I came racing here, worried I'd be late, and this Golden Child is snoozing away after a nice, milky meal?"
"Mmmnnh..."
When she poked his squishy cheek with her finger, he whined and buried his face even deeper into Liana's chest to hide.
Hong Yeon-hwa's eyebrow twitched.
"Oh ho, running away, are we?"
"Yeon-hwa, Yeon-hwa, don't you think bullying the kid while he's sleeping is a bit much? He's been working and just managed to get some rest."
Baek A-rin, who had been watching from the side, clicked her tongue.
"What are you saying? You were the first one to squish his cheek."
"Ahem, unlike some people, my intention wasn't to bully him."
Hong Yeon-hwa shot Baek A-rin a sidelong glare and flicked her sword. The crimson blade scattered into individual strands and draped itself over her like a winged garment.
Grinning, Baek A-rin had already dismissed her own armaments into the same garment form.
Liana, who had dozed off while holding Lee Ha-yul, looked around and asked.
"What about the others?"
"Professor Atra, Daera, and Ellia are making the rounds nearby. Ha-sol just left, saying she was going to meet some contacts."
Hong Yeon-hwa answered, twirling the ends of her hair with her finger. She looked down at Lee Ha-yul and let out a heavy sigh.
With Lee Ha-yul asleep, the sigh she didn't bother to suppress was a mixture of relief and a tiny grain of complaint.
The relief came from the fact that Lee Ha-yul was unharmed and that she herself wasn't too late. The complaint...
"You don't think this kid is pretending to be deep asleep to avoid getting scolded, do you?"
"Hm."
At Hong Yeon-hwa's sudden suspicion, Baek A-rin rested her chin on her hand and nodded.
"You have a point. Ha-yul possesses the Authority of Observation, after all. It's no coincidence he always manages to predict the exact moment he's about to get in trouble and dodges it like a ghost."
A collection of half-lidded gazes homed in on Lee Ha-yul. His shoulder gave the faintest of trembles.
Hong Yeon-hwa's eyebrow twitched.
"You awake now?"
At her gentle voice, the face buried in Liana's chest slowly lifted. As his faintly quivering lashes fluttered open, dreamy gray eyes were revealed.
Those beautiful eyes, utterly impossible to ever grow used to, rolled around nervously. Hong Yeon-hwa smiled brightly.
"So, my baby went and had a nice meal and a good nap, all without calling for us again, hmm?"
"...I think the rampage will start soon."
"See that? He's definitely dodging on purpose."
"Nyaaangh..."
Baek A-rin lightly pinched Lee Ha-yul's nose.
Despite being someone who wouldn't get a scratch even if a boulder the size of a house dropped on him, Lee Ha-yul whined and pretended it hurt.