Chapter 152: Villa
Hwang Mi-reu's private uninhabited island villa. A single villa stood prominently on that small island. Sage Lunaris had stored the guardian's corpse inside this villa. She was staying here continuously, concerned that dispatched monsters might grow too large.
Time passed like that. Kang Geon evolved Medical Mushroom into Medical Angel. After confirming it had resurrection abilities, he dispatched Medical Angel to Sage Lunaris without delay.
"Oh? You're here?"
Pink liquid began beading in the air in front of Sage Lunaris. The liquid slowly grew in size. Gradually, it took on a human form.
"Fortunately, the size seems the same as when it was in the Ancient Labyrinth."
For reference, the dispatch method varied each time. Sometimes they tore through dimensions to appear. Other times, they revealed themselves naturally. There were various other ways too, but this time it was the natural emergence type.
Medical Angel fully formed. Spotting Sage in front of her, she waved happily.
Medical instantly recognized Sage as one of Kang Geon's Jo-ryeokja. She'd seen the Jo-ryeokja directory before, and there was a familiar feeling about her—like they were connected by threads of fate.
Sage immediately posted a chat update: Medical Angel had arrived safely, with no change in size.
Afterward, she cautiously approached Medical and greeted her.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sage Lunaris. This is the first time seeing you in person."
Medical Angel responded with a cheerful sound.
"No time to waste, so straight to business. Do you know why you were dispatched here today?"
Medical nodded. She already knew why she'd been dispatched. Before evolving, she'd overheard Kang Geon roughly explain Earth's situation and the need to resurrect the guardian.
"Good you know. Then let's go resurrect the guardian right away."
Sage led Medical into the villa. Medical gently clutched Sage's skirt hem and followed her footsteps.
In the quiet silence, Sage and Medical entered the villa's interior. A large coffin in the middle of the living room greeted them.
"The guardian's body is preserved inside there."
Sage stopped in front of the coffin. Her cautious hand touched the lid. With a heavy creeeak—, the lid slowly slid aside.
Inside lay the guardian's corpse, resembling a human, peacefully at rest.
"What do you think? Can you resurrect this one too?"
Medical Angel blinked. She slowly circled the coffin, meticulously observing the guardian's body.
Watching her, Sage Lunaris pondered. Just how far did Medical Angel's resurrection ability extend?
Recently deceased. Long dead but soul still lingering. Soul departed. Soul departed and already reincarnated.
The first case was already confirmed. She'd shown the miracle of resurrecting Poison Apple before dispatch.
'The third and fourth are impossible anyway, and I don't even hope for them... Please, at least the second case...'
As Sage fervently wished, Medical Angel stopped abruptly and flapped her small wings.
In that instant, condensed pink liquid spewed from Medical's mouth like vomit. It instantly enveloped the guardian's body.
Earth's Jo-ryeokja. Seo Dan-bi, Shin So-mang, Ha Yu-mi, Hwang Mi-reu. The four women crossed the sea on a yacht and docked at the island where Sage was staying. The yacht was, of course, Hwang Mi-reu's.
"Wow. I expected something Dokdo-sized since it was a small island, but it's way bigger than I thought."
Ha Yu-mi, stepping onto land first, spoke up. Shin So-mang followed off the yacht, taking in the island's scenery with a gasp of admiration.
In contrast, Seo Dan-bi acted familiar. She roughly scanned the scenery, then headed to the villa with Hwang Mi-reu, urging the two lagging behind.
"What're you doing? Sightsee later—hurry up."
"Ah, yeah!"
"Okay!"
Ha Yu-mi and Shin So-mang hurried after Seo Dan-bi.
Ha Yu-mi asked Seo Dan-bi curiously.
"Pruru, you've been here a few times before?"
"Yeah, came twice before with Mire."
"Just you two?"
"Yep. We usually hang out just us two. And Mire hates getting hit on by guys, so we come to places like this with no people on purpose."
"You'd never get hit on anyway if you're with Pruru!"
Shin So-mang chimed in slyly. Seo Dan-bi ignored her as best she could. Sure, as a woman, she'd often been approached by those bull-like guys who charged in blindly, but she didn't want to brag about it.
Cafes, libraries, restaurants—even funeral homes. Being hit on by horny guys regardless of time or place was just shameful history.
As Seo Dan-bi fell silent, Hwang Mi-reu, walking ahead, glanced back and said,
"You don't know. Our Dan-bi is surprisingly popular with guys. So many approach everywhere just to get her number."
"Really? You're that popular—how are you still single? Not like me, swamped with work."
Ha Yu-mi eyed Seo Dan-bi's face in surprise, while
"Popular? Why?"
Shin So-mang tilted her head genuinely puzzled. No malice in her expression.
Popular 'cause she looks easy? The thought crossed her mind, but she didn't voice it.
"What do you mean 'why'...? Honestly, objectively, Dan-bi is pretty. Gotta admit what's true."
"Is she?" 🤔
Shin So-mang made the exact emoji face she often used. Irked by it, Seo Dan-bi flicked her forehead.
"Ow! Why'd you hit me!"
"Just did."
Shin So-mang glared angrily at Seo Dan-bi, who turned away and quickened her pace.
The four women arrived at the villa. The door was open, and inside, three figures sat on the living room sofa.
"Oh? You're here already?"
Sage Lunaris. The dispatched Medical Angel. And
A girl with unusual paired horns on her head, thick long tails growing from her back and hips, and green eyes and hair captured the Jo-ryeokja's attention. She was Earth's guardian, resurrected by Medical Angel's power.
The Jo-ryeokja chats flooded in. It seemed the dispatched Medical Angel had successfully resurrected Earth's guardian.
Afterward, he heard a bit about the guardian. Her name was 'Nokya.' Sage Lunaris roughly assessed her threat level at E-grade.
And as Sage predicted, Nokya was indeed the being that had protected Earth with dimensional barriers since ancient times. She'd been kidnapped and killed by humans while sleeping to maintain the barrier fully.
"...So, how's the dimensional barrier now?"
"Did you ask the guardian Nokya to deploy a new barrier?"
Such thoughts flashed by quickly. But no.
Sage said despite being killed by humans, Nokya harbored no hatred and still seemed to love them.
"No power left now?"
"What's that?"
"Huh? Taken by another guardian deity?"
Suddenly? Did another dimension's guardian deity exploit the weakened barrier to approach her?
As that thought crossed his mind, another chat from Sage appeared.