Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Episode 61. Life Force (1)
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Rats have no natural predators, and under conditions where food and activity are plentiful, they reach adulthood and can reproduce after just six months. A single mother rat can give birth to up to around forty pups in a month. That ferocious vitality and reproductive capacity reached its peak in Europe around the 14th century, when public health and hygiene were at their worst, and cats were reviled as demonic creatures.
Rats multiplied, spreading germs. Nearly 100 million Europeans were infected by them and died. It was the Black Death.
At this moment, why did a phrase from the textbook last semester, something she'd only skimmed over, suddenly come to mind?
Yeoreum felt like she was going to vomit.
Within the clump of dark fur, pinkish flesh was packed densely. The black parts were adult rats, the red ones newborns. Chunks of flesh clung together beside more flesh, forming a single mass sharing dark blue veins while simultaneously appearing as a collection of multiple entities.
Rats mingled with rats. It was so grotesque it was hard to believe such a creature could exist. What made Yeoreum recoil even more was that the moment she laid eyes on them, hundreds—no, thousands—of heads attached to the mass lifted up, their eyes swiveling to meet hers.
"...What the hell is this?"
The regressor answered in a slow voice.
"It's called an artificial chimeric swarm. Someone experimented on rats to create it."
"What kind of experiment?"
Artificial chimeric swarm. In English, Chimeracia.
One of the most dangerous forms of chimera discovered on Earth.
"An experiment to create an undying lifeform."
Chimeras infused with spells or artifacts desiring eternal life endlessly gestate and give birth as a mother body, growing their mass.
That was exactly what the abomination before them was doing.
"Judging by the size, it's about two years old."
On the way there, he'd sensed almost no traces of forest animals. From that, Yoo Ji-tae had intuited this kind of scene awaited them.
"Hey... You're reporting this to the Guidance Office, right?"
"Yeah."
"So what happens to it?"
"It'll be disposed of."
"Disposed of? Oh..."
Yeoreum's fists clenched. It was a being formed from mingled things that weren't rats, but at the same time, rats were there. Her expression soured at the absurdly cruel and vicious form.
The next moment, she suddenly exploded in anger.
"This can't be happening... What the fuck, what the actual fuck... Is this some kind of bullshit?"
"..."
"Who did this? Who the fuck did this shit? Can you find them?"
"What if I could?"
"I'd kill them. Twist their neck until it snaps. Fold their spine in half. Gouge out their fucking eyes."
"..."
"Tell me! Please! You can figure it out, right? Who the fuck this subhuman piece of shit is, you can tell me, right? I'd go and kill them. That inhuman bastard."
One of the rat pup eyes staring at her—it was as if it'd been stepped on. Yeoreum's rage was sudden.
He shook his head.
Thinking about it, he could guess. What the word "life" meant to Yeoreum, what it touched in her heart when a living being had to suffer misfortune just to be born and exist.
He understood the child's anger, but he knew it was impulsive emotion too. He knew approaching such things with raw feelings only led to emptiness, so he stayed silent.
He handed the case over to the Guidance Office and wrapped it up by tipping them off about the perpetrator he'd roughly identified. Later, he heard the culprit was a cadet. A curious but unlucky one from the Mage Tower.
The Guidance Office arrested the cadet and handed them over to the Federation. The Federation would exact punishment for violating one of the "three great taboos of magical engineering"—worse than drugs, rape, or murder. With their life.
The ten hours of on-campus social service ended with that.
Yeoreum was silent the whole way back to the dorm.
Time flew by in the new semester.
Bom's contest was a month away. She'd already written an entire book's worth for it, and hadn't stopped since, churning out nearly four books.
All in the horror genre, and quietly reading them, the contents were all similar: a female criminal on the run encounters a ghost at a mountain lodge and pays for her sins.
"Why write the same thing over and over in different ways?"
"Um... I like this story, but I don't know how to make it work."
Yoo Ji-tae couldn't understand the Green Dragon's writing process.
"So I'm trying one more time for the final version."
He might not understand, but he could support her.
"Tell me if you need anything."
"Okay."
Gaeul had finally found a new hobby.
"Um! Magic seems fun!"
Magic, of all things.
"What kind of magic?"
"Uh, well, Bom unni started teaching me recently?"
"Bom?"
Bom nodded.
"Yeah. I thought it might be necessary. But surprisingly, Gaeul seems hooked."
"Yeah. It's fun!"
"What magic are you learning?"
"Lately, healing magic...?"
She cupped her hands. Soft, serene mana gathered. The mana's hue matched her golden hair.
"But... this is kinda hard to practice."
"Why?"
"You need wounds to practice healing magic, right? But we're all too healthy!"
A fleeting thought: maybe he could help by giving her a cut to heal. Easy enough—slash his forearm with a knife. But the regressor now knew that was outside the subtle frame of normalcy. Gaeul would freak out. She wouldn't like it much.
"Hm... Got it. Keep at it for now."
Plenty of people got hurt every moment. If she got into healing magic, there'd be no shortage of practice.
"Okay!"
And then there was Winter.
"..."
She had her bag on.
"..."
With a thoroughly displeased expression.
"What's up."
"...I don't wanna go to school."
"Why?"
"...Home is better."
"..."
Thinking about it, there was no real need to send her to school. But Winter's social circle was too limited, and lately she spent more time just lying around the house.
Watching her bicker with Yeoreum showed even at her young age she was great at forming bonds. Sending her to school society, she'd probably find enjoyment and do well.
"Go for today. If you really hate it, tell me again then."
"...Okay."
So that morning, Winter held Yoo Ji-tae's hand as they headed to the "Guardian Children Lair Public Elementary School" in the Lair. Pre-registered, she entered the classroom naturally. Once inside, she stared out the window at Yoo Ji-tae for a long time. Until he was gone.
"..."
Amid the noisy kids around her, Winter propped her chin on the desk with a grumpy look. She felt sidelong glances.
Winter recalled what Bom had said last night.
'Winter, you're a dragon. Almost everyone at school will be human.'
'We dragons use polymorph to mimic humans.'
'So we might seem beautiful. People will like you a lot. They'll keep looking at your face. You're such a pretty kid.'
'But don't mind the stares too much. Don't suspect them. Talk slowly, sort out the good people, and make friends with them. There'll definitely be fun things.'
Now Winter knew. She was objectively special. But being special meant she had to try to be ordinary to live a normal life.
A teacher came in and had the kids introduce themselves. Class began. Not very interesting, but Winter quietly focused.
During break, a group of girls cautiously approached and spoke to her.
"H-hi...?"
Winter nodded at the kids.
"...Hi."
"You're really pretty..."
"Y-yeah, like a doll."
"...Thanks."
First day of class. The kids had come wearing their favorite hairpins, clothes, necklaces. Winter realized that.
"...Necklace is pretty."
"R-really?"
"...Yeah. You dress well. Cool."
"Y-yeah, thanks..."
Warm greetings exchanged, the hesitant girls cautiously asked Winter.
"Wanna go to the canteen together?"
"...This. For Daddy."
Yoo Ji-tae thought he'd misheard.
He turned from the study chair. Winter was holding something out.
"Huh?"
"...Yeah?"
"What?"
"...Said to give this to Daddy..."
"Ah."
Winter eyed him carefully. When he casually took the paper, her eyes widened round.
"So, how was school?"
"..."
The child placed both hands on his knee. It had been a while since he'd picked her up; he sat her sideways on his lap and supported her back so she wouldn't fall.
"How was school?"
"...Nothin' special."
"Was it fun? How were the friends and teachers?"
"...So-so."
No complaints was positive. She'd seemed genuinely uncomfortable that morning. Maybe something good happened. Curious, Yoo Ji-tae asked.
"Anything fun happen?"
"..."
But Winter just shook her head. This reaction was new. He always knew what she was up to.
Meaning something he didn't know had happened to her too.
Not a bad feeling.
"...Pick me up tomorrow."
Bom had done it today. He nodded.
"Got it."
Only then did Winter nod in satisfaction.
That evening, the kids clamored to watch a late-night movie. "Horror for Yeoreum!" Winter showed curiosity at Gaeul's words, and Bom joined saying it'd be educational. They left saying they'd be out late.
But Yeoreum didn't go. Since the social service day, she'd been sulky for days, holing up in her room after daily training.
Today too. Feeling stuffy in her room, she came out to the living room, buried in the sofa, glaring at the guardian. That kind of day.
She'd taken his spot, so he awkwardly sat on the side of the sofa.
They sat together. Long silence. She kept glancing at him, seeming like she wanted to say something, but he decided not to prompt until she spoke. To not interrupt her time to think.
Ding dong—
The doorbell rang then.
"Already back?"
Awkward position, Yeoreum got up and headed to the door. Then realized Bom or Gaeul had the dorm card key.
"Huh?"
Then who?
That's when Yoo Ji-tae, who'd approached quietly, placed a hand on her shoulder from behind.
"Go to your room."
Having had a bad experience recently ignoring his words, Yeoreum obediently nodded and went to her room. But she didn't close the door fully, peeking out. Stranger still, Armata the cleaning lady across the living room drew her sword.
Yoo Ji-tae opened the door.
Something resembling a human stood there.
Shaggy hair. Tall, skinny build. Black-and-white striped long-sleeve tee. Long pants. All torn and filthy with grime and blood.
Half-broken sunglasses hung on his face.
This near-burnout of a man was BM.
"What brings you here at this hour looking like that."
Yoo Ji-tae spoke. BM replied.
"Teacher. Mr. Yoo Ji-tae."
"..."
"Not just godlike figures like you can achieve it."
Calm, sagging, melancholic voice. Half sounded human, the other half like an echo from beyond fog.
Yoo Ji-tae sensed pride in his voice.
"You made something."
"That's how it turned out. Came to let you know first. Greet him."
At those words, a small child peeked out from behind BM.
Yeoreum scowled at the kid. Around ten years old? Slightly darker red hair than hers. Red eyes. Less girlish, more like a pretty boy.
The child blankly scanned the dorm interior. Then met Yeoreum's eyes.
"Come in for now. Let's talk."
Yoo Ji-tae welcomed them inside.