Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: No, Not Really
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"No, not really."
Yang Min-ji had a rather unique experience.
It felt like gliding across the water's surface. But it wasn't relaxing.
All she could hear were screams and agonized groans. Echoes of souls pleading to live.
Deep down, Yang Min-ji wanted to scream too. She wanted to cry out that she wanted to live.
But she didn't. She didn't have to.
The reason was really nothing special.
—Hand over your soul, you brat.
She could see everything. The people fighting for her sake.
It was a formidable foe. Even Kim Tae-hyun, the most talented person she'd ever seen, was struggling, reduced to pure defense in the end.
And yet, the reason they'd won.
—Behold the power of this Raphael!!
—Shut up!! Hurry up!!
It was that man. The one who either ignored you or bolted when spoken to—one or the other. He was the one doing the fighting.
If you asked who it was for, it'd be the students whose souls had been stolen, but something felt off.
A guy who'd only ever run away, now fighting for her—this sensation was entirely new.
Watching him and his partner dispatch monsters that even Kim Tae-hyun couldn't properly handle, in a single blow... it was like seeing a hero straight out of a comic book. Her chest tingled with excitement.
'When I get back.'
She'd say thank you. To Kim Tae-hyun, to that man, and to that pretty lady too.
And.
If he ignored her, she'd follow him around, talking until he responded.
She'd keep saying thank you until she got an answer.
And so, Yang Min-ji—for the first time as a soul—was drawn into a light that warmed her very heart.
When she opened her eyes again—
"Hey. You're awake?"
She was on a bed. Unlike her soul state, she could feel her body. The sensation of being alive made her wiggle her hands and feet without thinking, over and over.
Glancing to the side, there was a black-haired man. The pretty blonde who looked a bit down, Isia, and Kim Tae-hyun too.
Yang Min-ji racked her brain for what to say in this moment. After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"Thank you!"
It was a pure, unblemished smile. Or so she thought herself.
"I've always known life doesn't go the way you want it to. I knew that!! But I never dreamed it'd be like this. Taking back what you gave? How's that fair? At this rate, I can't even call myself an angel—!!"
"It's not taking back. You said it was mana recharge. How's that giving and taking? Be grateful it happened at all."
"You're kidding, right? Wings are my identity! I can't function without them. And having just one pair is bad enough for fuel efficiency. I can't even fly properly. The mana I can use is a pittance. How does one spell make them vanish?!"
Raphael kept grumbling nonstop beside me, but I gave half-hearted replies while sorting my inventory.
The incident had, of course, wrapped up nicely. We'd caught the reaper at the center of it all, and with people rushing over after seeing the pillar of light, everything ended smoothly.
Fortunately, zero casualties. Raphael had confirmed all six souls returned to their bodies, so zero worries there either.
Which left the important stuff.
I eyed the new additions in my inventory.
"Hm."
Full reaper series. These were what remained after Raphael's Angel Fall obliterated everything—spoils of war, basically.
I wanted to check each one's stats, but the message was the same for all.
So they're untouchable! No point looking if I can't use 'em. I wanted to say that, but the Death Reaper deserved a check.
It's a scythe, right? And I've got Scythe Mastery (A+)?
"Holy crap."
A legendary-grade weapon. No wonder it felt off. Those attacks were brutal. If only I could deal with this Curse thing.
A legendary weapon in my hands? Wow. Almost makes the reaper attack feel profitable. But I shook my head.
Thinking back to tumbling around still gives me chills. No more rolling for me. I'd rather watch from behind. A comfy life is best.
"This place is nice, though. We can make noise in a hospital and no one cares. Is this that VVIP thing? Feels like pulling rank."
"Nah."
Just perks of having money. We're in a hospital right now. Makes sense after a battle—we had to come here first.
Isia and Kim Tae-hyun, who got blown away by the wind, arrived unconscious too. This is the so-called VVIP room. Super spacious and comfy.
Only me and Raphael are awake, though.
Looking around: Isia and Kim Tae-hyun on their beds.
And in walks Yang Min-ji. Yep. That's right.
This was her exclusive room, but she heard we took down the reaper and called us over.
Who called? Her dad, obviously. Guild master of Dawn Guild.
I wasn't dying to meet him, but since we saved his daughter, maybe some crumbs would fall my way? That's why I'm sitting here.
Call me materialistic. It's true!
"Materialistic."
Don't actually say it. I'm more sensitive than I look.
"More importantly, when's this guy showing up? It's already 11. Good kids should be in bed."
"You're the one who stays up past 1 watching TV and fiddling with your smartphone. What good kid is that?"
She launches into some angel excuse. She was definitely Miss Angel earlier, but now her wings are gone, back to her damn blonde self.
Whatever, I'm used to this version. Raphael blocking wind with wings and wiping out enemies with massive attacks? Eugh. Weird.
Recalling that Raphael gave me cognitive dissonance. Shaking it off, my eyes landed on Isia.
She was stirring awake, smacking her lips and groaning something like "Mmgh..."—
"I just thought of a fun prank."
"What is it?"
Raphael, bored as usual, followed me to Isia's bedside. I whispered.
"Isia. Time to get up. You have school."
Whispering made her squirm. Frowning, mumbling something. Straining to hear:
"Mmgh... Just a bit. A little longer..."
Whining, she pulled the blanket over her head. I grinned and kept whispering.
You're late. No breakfast if you don't get up. Get up now to greet Dad. Classic mom lines.
From under the blanket came stuff like "Ugh, come on~ Mom~", "I said five more minutes..." So I grinned wider and grabbed the blanket.
What next? Obvious. Raphael caught on—"I'll do it! Me!!"—so we teamed up.
Mouthing a countdown: 3. 2. 1. We yanked the blanket off together, yelling.
"Get up!!"
"Ah!! Mom!! I said five more minutes—!!! ...Huh?"
Silence.
Isia, locking eyes with me, shut her mouth. Her eyes darted frantically, lips trembling.
Realization hit—her eyes quaking like an earthquake.
Then.
Whoosh.
Her face turned beet red, hands shaking.
I held back laughter out of some shred of conscience, but the damn blonde next to me had no such restraint.
After rolling her eyes for ages, the tomato finally spoke.
"G-Good... morning..?"
Good after-hours to you.
Not long after Isia woke up, our noise roused Kim Tae-hyun too.
And as if waiting for everyone to be up, the door opened. In walked a middle-aged man in a bowler hat.
He removed his hat, revealing a face scarred all over, clad in a black coat.
"You lot. The ones who took down the wraith."
His voice was heavy. So low and dark, it barely seemed human.
I swallowed dryly without thinking, but what he did next was pretty striking.
"Thank you, truly. If not for you... my daughter—!!"
He bowed his head. Yeah, that's the standard parent reaction to a savior, but this guy's a guild master.
The head of Korea's largest guild bowing to mere students—Raphael could grasp what that meant without explanation.
"Ah, no big deal. We were just passing by—"
"Yes. Isia. I owe the Association big time."
"No, it's not the Association—"
The guy wasn't listening, looking teary-eyed. He's grown on me—Uncle it is now.
This uncle's a total daughter fool. If the Magic Association head's a tsundere dad, this one's straight-up doting.
What that means: he says stuff like this casually.
"If you're so grateful, hook us up? I need something. Holy water, in bulk— Mmph!! Mrrgh!! Mmph mrrph!!"
"Are you insane?! Don't you know who he is? Shut up!! Please!!"
"Mrrgh!! Mmph!!"
Isia panicked and clamped my mouth. A sweet scent hit my nose, but that's beside the point.
Plugging my mouth won't fix this—you're naive, Isia.
"A house would satisfy me. With a yard, ideally. I pulled my weight this time, so that's fair, right? Daughter's life value— Mmph?! Mrrph?!"
"Have you all lost your minds!!"
Isia crossed her arms, blocking both our mouths. No, it's fine? He's not the type to get mad over this.
"Haha!! What fun kids. Sure, a house is doable. Can't skimp after you saved my girl. But is that enough? I'll give you something bigger. A spot in our Dawn Guild after graduation—"
Wow. Worst gift ever. As Isia released her grip at his decent reaction,
Raphael and I spoke in unison.
""No. Not really.""
"Huh?"
I heard Isia smack her forehead and the guild master's dumbfounded noise.