Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: I'll Rest for a Week
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Choi Su-ah's face glowed with a luster it hadn't possessed when she first arrived.
It was a phenomenon brought on by expelling all the magi from her body.
"My body feels so refreshed. It's almost unbelievable."
"You had a significant buildup of magi. Removing it alone should resolve any issues with exerting your strength."
As an S-Rank Hunter, her sensitivity to mana was far higher than most.
She must have felt reborn.
"Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Doctor, I never would have experienced this."
"If we'd left it any longer, you would have turned into a villain."
"Was it that bad?"
"Yes."
She had been right on the edge.
Some Mana-Ways were even altered to more readily accept magi.
Choi Su-ah clutched her coffee cup, lost in thought.
"Your body is still attuned to magi since we only recently removed it. Avoid entering any dungeons for a week."
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
Her expression softened noticeably after sipping the coffee.
"Who knew coffee could taste this good first thing in the morning."
Watching her melt into bliss brought a smile to my face.
It was the exact same expression I'd seen on others I'd treated.
Expelling the toxic waste known as magi from the body sharpened the senses in ways they'd never been before.
Birds chirped more clearly in the morning, the scent of air was more vivid, food tasted richer—those kinds of sensations.
It was the reactivation of senses dulled by magi.
Reactions like that usually meant they'd passed the dangerous threshold.
Choi Su-ah wouldn't turn villain now.
"How did you repair the holy sword? Everyone else shook their heads and said it was impossible..."
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
It was only natural.
I'd repaired a Mystic ego sword—one that took physical form and harbored hostility toward anyone but its owner, impossible to fix otherwise.
"Mystics are highly sensitive to mana. They react to even the slightest contamination."
"I know. Each person's mana has unique traits, so it recognizes its owner's."
"It's natural for it to reject anyone whose mana signature differs. But what if it's mana that hasn't passed through human hands?"
Choi Su-ah's eyes widened at that.
She looked like she'd pieced it together from the implication of untouched mana.
Quick on the uptake.
"Th-then, the reason you burned the mana incense..."
"Exactly. I needed pure, natural mana unaffected by the human body."
To repair the sword and treat Choi Su-ah, I'd needed a massive amount of mana, so I'd even burned the fast-burning mana incense.
The thicker the mana in the air, the easier the repair process.
Hearing that, Choi Su-ah looked at me with concern instead.
"Is it okay to tell me this? What if I learned the method and used it? Wouldn't that hurt your business, Doctor?"
"No issue. It's not something you can just do because I told you. Even as an S-Rank Hunter, it'd be tough for you, Su-ah."
Even Lee Na-eun, another S-Rank, had tried and failed.
-How the hell do you do it? No matter what I try, it doesn't work.
-Using natural mana without processing it... I just can't wrap my head around it. Is this even possible?
That's why I could speak freely.
"Anyway, the issues with your body and sword stemmed from overexertion."
I set out some snacks that paired well with coffee as I spoke.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself just because you're an S-Rank Hunter. Even if you slack off a bit, others will step up to help."
"...You really think so?"
"Of course. No guild crumbles because one S-Rank takes a break. If it does, the problem's with the guild, not the S-Rank Hunter."
"......"
"Put your own happiness first."
Choi Su-ah accepted a snack, her face deep in thought.
"Come back next week for a check-up. We've cleared all the magi, but I need to confirm your condition."
"Yes. Understood."
Even after finishing her coffee, Choi Su-ah hesitated to rise.
"Is there something else?"
"Doctor, could I ask a favor?"
"Go ahead."
"That cushion over there... Could I take one? It's just so cute..."
"Pardon?"
"I'll pay for it!"
She must have really taken a shine to the cushion.
Some patients reacted this way.
The stability they felt during treatment got tied to the cushion they held in that moment.
The cushions absorbed the mana incense's scent, the ambient mana, even the patient's own mana aroma.
That evoked memories of the treatment session.
Hugging it at home recreated that sense of calm, so I happily gave them to interested patients.
'It helps with the therapy.'
That's why I kept plenty stocked.
"Feel free to take it. You've given me a great gift in return, after all."
"Really? Thank you!"
She hugged the blue cat cushion to her chest and bowed deeply.
She really loves it.
"Hmmm~."
Back home, Choi Su-ah smiled at the long-lost sensation.
She couldn't stop grinning even when just sitting still.
She'd hummed the whole way back.
How long had it been since she'd smiled like this?
Before finding peace, she'd had to raid dungeons, always approaching battles with utmost seriousness. Even after peace arrived, she'd fought to bear the weight of her position.
It was a role that demanded constant gravity.
Her every expression made headlines, so she had no choice but to maintain a stern face.
Who knew a mere smile could feel this liberating?
A first for her.
She'd learned that genuine happiness triggered automatic smiles and hums.
At home, her eyes fell on the cat cushion gifted from the clinic.
Seeing it brought back the treatment.
The thrilling sensations when Kim Jinwoo touched and repaired her holy sword.
The odd tingle that stimulated her whole body—painful yet ticklish.
The feeling of magi melting away through her entire being resurfaced vividly.
-Don't put too much pressure on yourself just because you're an S-Rank Hunter.
-Put your own happiness first.
No one had ever said that to her before.
You're an S-Rank Hunter, so you must bear that responsibility.
It has to be you. Please.
Sacrifice for humanity.
Sacrifice and devotion.
Words always directed at Choi Su-ah.
'Until when?'
How long must she alone sacrifice and devote herself?
That forced devotion crushed her shoulders—how long must she suffer alone?
But Kim Jinwoo hadn't said such things.
He'd told her to think of her own happiness.
A first.
The first to prioritize Choi Su-ah's happiness over devotion to humanity.
Perhaps only possible because he was a clinic director treating patients.
Someone who valued the patient before him over all humanity.
Whatever the reason, he was undeniably the first to urge her to seek her own happiness.
"Happiness..."
Choi Su-ah had planned to resume dungeon raids on schedule once her body recovered fully.
Regularly clearing S-Rank dungeons was routine for her now.
She picked up her phone.
The recipient: the Guild Master.
The Dawn Guild Master who'd sent dozens of calls daily during her disappearance.
He picked up before the first ring finished.
-Su-ah, where are you? I thought something terrible had happened...
"Guild Master, I'm home now."
-Home? Stay put—I'm coming over. The dungeons and contracts you left hanging are piling up.
Instead of worry, he vented about unresolved contracts the moment he answered.
He hadn't always been like this.
When she first joined Dawn Guild, he'd cared for his members more than anyone.
Devoting himself to guildmates and civilians had been his virtue.
His self-sacrificing efforts to save guild members had impressed her deeply.
That's why so many followed him.
That's why she'd settled here.
'Is this the Dawn Guild I wanted?'
No.
At least, not changed like this.
"Guild Master, I'm taking a week off."
-What do you mean?
"Sorry for vanishing without a word and now suddenly asking for time off. I did a lot of thinking while away. About what I need. Right now, I need rest."
-Su-ah, in your position, you can't act so rashly. The penalties we'll face from your actions...
"Until when do I have to be the only one sacrificing and devoting myself?"
-What?
The Guild Master's voice faltered in surprise.
"You said it yourself: bear responsibility equal to your power. Devote yourself. But why must I alone keep suffering? Do you even know what almost happened to my body?"
-It's your destiny to bear. If not you, who can clear S-Rank dungeons?
Ah.
He has no intention of letting me go.
He only plans to use me forever.
It's not worry for me—he's just emphasizing my duties again.
"Also, I won't re-sign when this contract ends."
-What are you saying?
"Once this year's contract expires, I'm leaving Dawn Guild."
-Su-ah, wait—just let me come over and we'll talk in person.
"No need. It won't change anything. I'll cover the penalties from my disappearance. Sorry."
She hung up.
She hadn't planned to terminate early.
With their shared history, maybe she could stay longer—she'd held onto that hope.
But his immediate response killed the last of those feelings.
She realized the old Guild Master—who prioritized members and public safety—was gone.
'Why didn't I see it before?'
The years together had blinded her.
"What a relief."
Articles cursing her sudden vanishing would flood in.
She might not rest peacefully for that week.
But it didn't matter.
As the doctor said, no dungeons.
'For me.'
For my happiness.
She never wanted to experience her body breaking from magi again.
She hurled the wailing phone far away and hugged the cat cushion.
It smelled nice.
"Phew, more customers than expected."
Even on opening day, the clinic saw steady traffic.
-I'll make sure to spread the word!
Yang Deok-chun must have wide connections—hunters from all sorts of jobs showed up.
-My back checks out fine, but it throbs during monster fights.
-My hands go numb every time I enter a dungeon.
-My creature has separation anxiety and won't leave my side. Any treatment?
-I can't sleep properly for days after a raid.
From frontline raiders to recovery team hunters gathering mana stones, even non-combat personnel.
Diverse jobs meant diverse symptoms.
Treating them all took some effort.
Some fixed in one go, others needed multiple visits.
I was learning firsthand that even guilds handling low-rank gates had myriad issues.
'The core problems aren't much different from my Celestial days.'
Mostly magi addiction-related.
"The most memorable was my first patient: S-Rank Hunter Choi Su-ah."
She'd come on Lee Na-eun's recommendation.
"I should thank her."
Not just for the VVIP referral—she'd even netted me an S-Rank mana crystal.
I called Lee Na-eun.
-Jinwoo, what's up?
"Just calling to say thanks."
-Su-ah stopped by, huh.
"She was my first patient."
-An S-Rank as your opener? Your clinic's gonna thrive, Jinwoo.
Laughter echoed through the receiver.
-Planning to settle there for good?
"Yeah. Coming home doesn't feel bad. Minimal hassle."
-Good to hear.
She sounded relieved I'd landed safely.
"Swing by the clinic soon. Your consultation's on the house."
-Tempting. But how about dinner instead? You treat.
"Dinner?"
-Craving the meal you buy. Eating solo these days—no one to dine with.
"Sure. Full course it is."
-Hehe, perfect. Oh, did you get Choi Su-ah's autograph? Proof an S-Rank visited your clinic is gold.
Right.
-Why the silence? Don't tell me...
"Didn't get one."
-Sigh.
Her sigh hit heavier than expected.
-Get autographs from any big names from now on. Mandatory.
"I'll snag one next time Su-ah comes."
-Don't forget. Ever.
"Thanks."
-Who else you got?
"Just you. How's it going there?"
-Eh~.
An ambiguous reply.
"Something wrong?"
-Nothing. Not yet.
Why did that sound so ominous?
-I'll visit soon.
Lee Na-eun's voice brightened.
Really nothing, right?
"We're done."
"Boss, we finally cleared an S-Rank dungeon!"
"Guild Master, we did it!"
A group of hunters shared their joy at conquering an S-Rank dungeon.
Their chests bore identical storm-cloud emblems.
Storm Guild.
A mid-tier guild based in Pyeongtaek, South Korea.
An eight-member outfit of a few A-Rank hunters led by Joo Seon-yeong.
All Pyeongtaek natives, all A-Rank hunters—a unique trait.
Small but renowned for its all-A-Rank lineup.
They filled gaps in strike teams without hesitation and once held off a monster wave in Pyeongtaek with just eight members—everyone local knew them.
For Storm Guild members to tackle an S-Rank for the first time, uncontainable elation swept them.
Dungeons weren't "dangerous" per se, but few guilds could claim S-Ranks.
Only ten nationwide had challenged and succeeded.
Standard was an S-Rank hunter or massive teams.
Eight A-Ranks pulling it off? Rare.
Overwhelmed by their tight camaraderie conquering the impossible.
Guild Master and leader Joo Seon-yeong shared the sentiment.
"Everyone, great work."
Clearing S-Ranks meant radically better national support—no hiding the excitement.
Huge subsidies, plus non-monetary perks.
Smooth sailing ahead.
Hard times over, happiness begins.
But.
The magi, meant to dissipate post-clear, suddenly swirled violently.
"Huh?"
"B-Boss!"
"Guild Master!"
The concentrated magi at the dungeon's core shot toward Joo Seon-yeong, the strongest mana user among them.
"Everyone, dodge!"
Either she dodged, and her teammate behind ate it.
'Can't evade.'
One option.
Block it.
'I'll deflect it.'
Parrying monster-fired magi was routine.
Joo Seon-yeong swung her axe at the incoming magi.
And.
"Gaaahhh!"
Her scream echoed through the dungeon.
"Boss!"
"No!"