Reunion with the Demon (2)
"I've come to pick you up."
Dahong looked at Seha. Blood trickled from his forehead. A gash marred his cheek. He was panting heavily. His T-shirt was torn and filthy in places. He was a total mess.
Dahong's eyes widened ever so slightly. It was an expression she'd never seen before. An expression the demon who'd lived for thousands of years had never shown. Surprise.
Seha chuckled dryly.
"Dahong, you're flustered too, huh."
Dahong caught herself and schooled her features. She turned her head slightly.
"...When did I."
"Your eyes got bigger."
"They're always like this."
"That's a lie."
"It's not."
Just then.
"Nyaang!"
Ruby leaped into the car. She kicked off the floor and hopped onto the seat, rubbing her head against Dahong's stomach. Nuzzling. Her tail wagged like crazy.
"Aooong! Grrr grrr."
Dahong reached to pet Ruby's head.
Clank.
The chains pulled taut. She couldn't reach.
"Just wait a sec."
Seha spoke and jumped out of the car. Moments later, the rest of Group 1 arrived together, having subdued the remaining hunters. When they showed off their weapons as proof of taking down Donghwi, the enemies surrendered without a fight. They bound the hunters with handcuffs.
"Everyone, stand back."
Harin arrived at the car and hoisted her axe high.
Krunch!
The chains linking the restraint device to the car shattered.
Clatter.
Dahong rose from her seat, arms hanging limp. She staggered out, savoring the night air like a breath of freedom.
"Whoa, what the hell? They hung all those restraint devices on her arms like ornaments?"
Harin muttered in disbelief.
"Guess they thought she was that dangerous."
Jinho crossed his arms and grumbled.
"What's so scary about Dahong unnie?"
Isol scolded him.
"She's gotta be at least S-rank, easy. Even a great demon's courting her, and the audit director's obsessed."
"Dahong unnie's sweet. Her threat level isn't that high."
"Says who?"
"Anyway, is it over now?"
Harin lowered her axe. Explosions still boomed ahead, but things were quiet here.
"Let's bail quick. No telling how long Belzar can hold out."
"Yeah."
"The aftermath's gonna be a pain, though."
"Hngh! Eh, Yoo Seha'll handle it."
"True that."
"Haha..."
Harin stretched with a yawn, acting like it was someone else's problem, and everyone chuckled. They all figured the crisis was over and relaxed.
That instant.
Shwick!
Golden cords bound Harin's hands as she stretched.
"Huh!?"
Thud!
Harin was yanked to the ground.
"What the--!?"
Shwick shwick!
Isol's limbs. Jinho's limbs. Seha's limbs. Golden cords wrapped their arms and legs, dragging them down.
Thump. Crash. Crash.
"Ngh!"
"What...?"
"Nyaa!!"
Ruby thrashed, ensnared by a golden cord too.
It happened in a flash. Everyone except Dahong was bound and rolling on the ground.
Light descended from the sky. Six pairs of wings. A brilliance that mimicked daylight.
The Archangel.
A Pegasus descended slowly above it. The Pegasus flapped its wings and landed on the road. The woman riding it surveyed Group 1.
Isol. Harin. Jinho. Seha. All her students.
Seoyeonn's face twisted in disbelief. She let out a sigh.
"......You kids."
Seoyeonn pressed her forehead. No one could answer. The mana-forged golden cords tightened unyieldingly. They couldn't move.
Seoyeonn looked at Dahong.
"It's over."
"......"
"You know it is. Don't make this bigger."
Seoyeonn pointed to the transport vehicle.
"Get back in the car. If you do it now, I can cover for you."
"......"
"Escaping here means no going back. For Seha, these kids, all of them."
Seoyeonn's voice trembled. She meant every word.
On the road, Seha heard her.
Go back? His limbs wouldn't budge.
Still, he tried to stand.
Scraaape.
He pushed his forehead against the asphalt.
Scraaape. Scraaape.
Dragging his head along the ground, he tried to lift his torso. Blood flowed. The gash from fighting Donghwi had reopened.
He ignored it.
"No."
Grind.
He gritted his teeth.
"I can't... let Dahong go."
"Seha. Stop."
Seoyeonn said.
"This isn't something you can handle."
"Even so!"
Seha shouted. He managed to get to his knees. He lifted his torso. Blood soaked his shirt.
"Dahong's my summon! I've come to get her! I can't send her back!"
Seoyeonn looked down at Seha. Her lips quivered.
Dahong stood still, gazing at him. His struggles looked like a maggot writhing.
But he didn't care what he looked like. A human rising for her sake, even as his forehead scraped the asphalt and bled.
It felt strange.
Dahong walked.
Clink. Clink.
The restraint device rattled.
The Archangel shifted its head to follow her. A warning.
Dahong ignored it.
Step.
She stood before Seha. Before the boy kneeling on the ground. Restraints dangling.
"My summoner says no."
Seoyeonn's eyes trembled. Dahong was smiling. A sly grin.
"......"
White flames ignited at the tip of the Archangel's spear. Fire lethal to demons, its natural predator.
Holy Fire.
But Dahong didn't flinch.
"Teacher."
"......"
"Just one question."
Dahong said.
"What do you want? To protect your students, or follow the rules?"
"......"
"You can't have both, right?"
Seoyeonn clamped her mouth shut.
"Teacher."
Seoyeonn's gaze shifted to Seha.
"I'm sorry. For stealing your documents, for causing all this. It's all my fault."
"......"
"But I can't let Dahong go."
Seha's eyes were resolute. Bloodied face. On his knees. Immobile. Yet ready to fight even like this.
"Because Dahong's my summon."
"......"
Seoyeonn looked at the two. Dahong in restraints, Seha kneeling at her feet.
Both a mess.
Seoyeonn thought. What she wanted. Her ultimate goal: subduing Dahong. Making Seha strong enough to control her.
But right now, a different path unfolded before her.
Dahong had called Seha "my summoner" of her own accord. Stood to protect him.
Maybe a whim. Or maybe she'd opened her heart without realizing.
If Dahong grew attached to Seha, subjugation could happen another way.
"......"
Seoyeonn closed her eyes. The Archangel's light faded.
The golden cords binding Group 1 loosened.
Ruby sprang up with a nya!
Everyone stared at Seoyeonn, dumbfounded.
"Fine. But you'll follow my orders after. It's necessary to clean this up."
Their faces lit up.
"Thank you!"
Seha bowed repeatedly. Still on his knees, it looked like full prostration.
Seoyeonn smiled wryly, bittersweet.
Around then.
On the vehicle's hood, Donghwi opened his eyes.
"......Urgh."
His solar plexus throbbed. Consciousness returned slowly.
Seha. Mana bullet. Flying sensation. Impact.
Memories flooded back. Defeated and knocked out by a failing student.
Pain and humiliation twisted his face. Donghwi gritted his teeth and sat up. He slid off the hood, landing on all fours on the asphalt.
His suit torn, lips split and bleeding. Ribs probably cracked. Vision still blurry.
Then.
Voices chatting drifted over.
'Talking?'
Donghwi hid behind the car and peeked ahead.
Near the transport vehicle. Seoyeonn with her Archangel. Facing her: Dahong in restraints. And Yoo Seha with the brats.
The brats were bound and rolling on the ground.
'What happened? Did Kang Seoyeonn subdue them?'
But Dahong still stood. Why not strike immediately, even restrained? Seoyeonn's Archangel could easily handle a shackled demon.
Then.
The Archangel dimmed. Darkness fell over the once-daylit road.
'What?'
Donghwi panicked. To him, Seoyeonn had no reason to back down.
Immediately after, the golden cords vanished from the brats.
Donghwi's eyes bulged. He nearly yelled.
'She's letting them go!?'
Seoyeonn said something to Seha. He bowed like he was praying.
'This psycho...!'
Letting go the summon thief. The terrorist who attacked the convoy.
Just like that?
Donghwi's lips curled slowly.
"Kuhuhu."
'Perfect.'
Blood trickled from his lips.
'Perfect, Kang Seoyeonn.'
He'd seen it all. Her condoning the criminals. Aiding the summon theft. Ignoring her students' crimes.
Evidence? His own eyes.
Report to HQ, and Seoyeonn was done. Seha too. All of them.
Donghwi laughed. Bloodstained teeth bared.
"You're finished, Kang Seoyeonn. This time for sure--"
"Finished with what?"
A boy's voice came from right behind.
Donghwi's face froze. He turned slowly.
A boy stood there. Black curly hair. Red eyes. White shirt, black vest. Not a speck of dust on him.
Belzar.
And beside him, like an attendant, the black mage.
Eloise.
Donghwi frantically checked behind Belzar. Two S-rank hunters down on the road. Three A-ranks too. All of them.
'......When!'
"Fun show."
Belzar tapped his lips with a finger. Like an innocent kid.
"You're the audit director, right? The one who locked up my love?"
"......"
Donghwi's legs shook. A different pressure from what he'd felt from Dahong in the office.
"Just don't kill him, yeah?"
Belzar grinned.
He reached out slowly. A small, pale hand.
Toward Donghwi's head.
"N-no--!"
Donghwi's scream leaked out.
The boy's hand rested on his crown.
"Bye."
Donghwi's eyes rolled back white.