Chapter 147
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Isolation (3)
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"No, there's no need for that."
'This voice...'
Definitely Seo Yu-ju's.
"Master, how did you get here...?"
"...I came to rescue Yun-seong and Ho-yeon."
'Did she take down the White Devourer?'
If Seo Yu-ju had come here to rescue us, that meant the battle above was over.
Which also implied she'd regained her memories.
But she hadn't noticed I'd lost my sight yet.
All she could see was Seo Mi-kyung holding a knife to me and Wi Ho-yeon.
"Seo Mi-kyung, what the hell are you doing?"
"W-what?"
During the meeting, Seo Mi-kyung hadn't sensed Yu-ju slip behind her in an instant.
In other words, there was a clear gap in their skills.
So her voice trembled at Yu-ju's icy question.
"Who the hell are you pointing that knife at right now? Did what I said at the meeting sound like a joke to you?"
"No... that's..."
"You're gonna pay for taking my words so lightly."
"Wait...!"
The moment Yu-ju finished speaking, the clash of cold steel rang out.
"E-Eternity Master, hold on!"
"......"
"Misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding! The s-spear...!"
'Misunderstanding my ass. Yu-ju noona, give her hell!'
"....."
From the sounds, Yu-ju was ignoring her and pressing the attack relentlessly.
Still, Mi-kyung was no pushover, so after a while of spear and sword clashing...
Kwachik—
"Kyaaak! My leeeeg!"
A tearing sound ripped through the air as Seo Mi-kyung screamed.
The fight was over.
"This time it's just one leg. Next time, you actually die. Got it?"
"Y-yes! Please, the spear!"
'Yep, nothing a good beating can't fix.'
The bitch who'd been out of her mind and ignoring everyone just moments ago had turned meek the second she tasted the spear.
"I stabbed you right where it counts, so you might limp for life. If that happens, chalk it up as payment."
"Hic... ugh..."
Seok-ho hyung, who'd been watching the fight from beside me, let out a low groan and muttered under his breath just loud enough for me to hear.
"Hmm... Eternity's Master really is a monster... even more impressive than the rumors..."
Anyway, after Yu-ju dealt with Seo Mi-kyung, footsteps approached me.
Along with a voice that sounded like it was on the verge of tears.
A total one-eighty from before.
"Y-Yun-seong... I'm, I'm so sorry... really sorry. I don't know why I... really... hic..."
'Yep, she got her memories back.'
Her voice dripped with guilt over not saving me when I fell.
"I'm really sorry... p-please forgive me..."
"...I'm fine, Yu-ju."
I'd been pretty pissed in that moment, but what could I do? She wasn't herself back then.
"But... I put Yun-seong in... huh?"
"......"
"Y-Yun-seong, you've lost your sight?"
She'd finally noticed.
"Yeah, temporarily, but it happened right after I fell here. Rotten luck, haha..."
"Ah..."
"...Yu-ju?"
"I... what the hell have I done... putting Yun-seong in danger again..."
"It's fine. You had no memory of me. No need to beat yourself up—especially since you could only save one of Hyun-jin or me."
"Ah, that..."
"And Ho-yeon protected me, so I made it out okay. It would've been bad without him."
"......"
"Come to think of it, I haven't thanked Ho-yeon properly. Ho-yeon, thank you so much. I owe you my life. If I'd fallen here alone... blind like this, I'd be dead."
"No, no. Just doing my job as a guard."
"Still. Let me buy you a meal next time. Seriously, you're my lifesaver."
"Ah, th-that's... not true. Lifesaver? No way, Mr. Lee Yun-seong."
I kept praising Wi Ho-yeon on purpose.
I didn't know exactly why, but right now, in front of Yu-ju, that's what I wanted to do.
Yu-ju stayed silent as I went on about him.
Only after a while of me heaping praise and him waving it off did she finally speak.
"...Thank you for protecting Yun-seong, Ho-yeon."
"No problem, Master. Just what I had to do."
Might've been my imagination, but her tone toward him felt subtly guarded.
And then, out of nowhere, Seok-ho hyung started praising Ho-yeon too.
"Ahem... seeing you two trust each other like that is really something. The Sword Empress risks her life for him, he relies on her, shows the bond in Eternity Clan."
"......"
Yu-ju said nothing.
"Always jumping in when the other's in trouble—I half-thought you two were an item. Haha!"
Wi Ho-yeon reacted to Seok-ho's words.
"Th-that's absurd. Someone like me would never dare..."
"Just a manner of speaking. Metaphor, metaphor. And Sword Empress, you undervalue yourself too much. Men fall hard for women who protect them with their lives—just like women do."
'Seok-ho hyung... hold up...'
The mood was getting weird.
"Heh, from what I see, Mr. Lee Yun-seong doesn't dislike the Sword Empress either. You two make a good pair."
'No, what the hell?'
Yu-ju stayed quiet a bit longer before speaking up.
"...Ho-yeon, you keep glancing at Yun-seong. Something up?"
"Ah, n-no, just his wounds..."
"...Right?"
"Yes... that's it."
To shift the topic, I turned to Yu-ju.
"By the way, Yu-ju, how exactly did you get down here? Battle's over up top since you got your memories back?"
"......"
"Yu-ju?"
"...Yeah. Battle ended, and the second I remembered, all I could think was I had to save Yun-seong. Really."
"Ah... yeah. Sure..."
"Sounds like an excuse, I know, but the moment I remembered, I regretted it so much."
'No, that wasn't what I asked...'
"There were collapses everywhere, so I found an open path and came straight down. All I could think about was saving you."
"Ah... I see."
"I swear on everything, I didn't abandon you. Really... really..."
"I get it. How many times do I have to say I'm fine? Let's drop it. I'm alive, end of story."
I didn't want to keep going on this.
Truth was, I'd felt betrayed in that instant, but I got her situation.
Plus, having this talk blind was seriously uncomfortable.
You pick up so much from facial shifts, pupil twitches, lip tremors, gestures—info your eyes normally grab.
Without that, I just didn't want these conversations.
"Anyway... coming down's one thing, but how do we get back up?"
Everyone went quiet.
Down was manageable, but up was the problem.
"We'll use levitation magic. There's a mage waiting where I came down, so let's head there."
"Got it, Yu-ju."
Like she said, as long as it connected to above, we could go up.
"Ho-yeon, mind supporting me? Can't see..."
"Ah, sure. Of co—"
Just as Wi Ho-yeon reached for me.
"No need. You've done plenty, Ho-yeon—I'll support Yun-seong."
Yu-ju pressed up against me as she spoke.
"Y-yes... under...stood, Master."
"H-hey! Wait! Take me too! My legs won't move!"
"......"
"Why's everyone ignoring me! Take me with you!"
All that echoed behind us were Seo Mi-kyung's shouts.
The four of us who'd fallen—me included—were all rescued safely.
And the timing was absurd: my sight returned the moment I got back up top.
Meaning the Black Devourer had just been defeated.
'Well... not exactly simultaneous, but damn close.'
Ironic, considering the White and Black Devourers were practically a matched pair.
"Isn't this... Priest Komer?"
The first thing I saw upon surfacing was the massive White Devourer corpse—and Priest Komer's body, head completely gone.
"Yeah... During the fight with the White Devourer, Komer led the Big Shapes in a rear raid. We had no choice..."
Explained why he'd vanished midway—he'd come to lead the monsters in the ambush.
"But... your eyes, Yun-seong?"
"Looks like the Zone 3 team took down the Black Devourer."
"Ah..."
With my sight back, I took in the surroundings.
It'd only been a short time blind, but seeing the world again felt a little off.
Honestly, even that brief stretch without sight had been pure hell.
'...No wonder most past explorers refused to come back.'
From the look of things, the damage was severe.
Plum Blossom Clan was basically wiped out, and several others had taken heavy hits.
'First things first—Eternity's losses.'
I spotted Sharis scowling at me, so I headed her way.
"Sharis."
"Hmph. Shame you're still kicking. Would've been better if you'd splattered down there."
"Tell me about it. Too bad your master's alive too, huh? We should chat alone later."
She made a face like she'd bitten into shit.
"Anyway, forget me surviving—what I wanna know is..."
"I know. Clan damage, right?"
Sharis nodded toward one spot.
Following her gaze, I saw Lee Jae-hyo... and Song Ha-eun crying her eyes out.
'Jae-hyo...'
"Y-Yun-seong oppa."
"What happened? Jae-hyo..."
"Ah... Mr. Lee Yun-seong. It's nothing. I'm fine."
'Fine? You've lost an eye.'
Lee Jae-hyo was missing his left eye.
"How'd this happen? Your eye..."
Song Ha-eun answered through sobs.
"H-he... tried to protect me... my fault..."
"Ha-eun, I'm fine. Not your fault. Who could've predicted a rear raid?"
Jae-hyo stayed calm despite losing an eye.
She was the one panicking.
"Mind filling me in on the details?"
"Just got ambushed. Bad luck—Ha-eun was in the rear when Komer hit from behind. I pulled her out and got hurt. Was blind at the time too..."
"I see... your eye..."
"It's fine. Lucky it was just one—power's a bit down, but nothing I can't handle."
'Mental strength for days.'
If it'd been me losing an eye, I couldn't have stayed that composed.
"Haha... Bluntly, injuries come with the territory out here. Trading one eye for a clanmate? Profitable deal."
His lighthearted attempt to ease the tension made me respect him even more.
"...Get well soon."
I pulled my eyes from Jae-hyo and Ha-eun, scanning around.
Noticing who I was looking for, Jae-hyo spoke up.
"Looking for Madan Clan's Master?"
"Yeah. Haven't seen Commander Ha Yu-ri..."
"Hmm..."
I caught a troubled look on his face.
"...Something wrong?"
"Not huge, but after the battle... Madan Clan's Master started acting really off."
"Acting off how...?"
He pointed in one direction.
"Don't know the details. Head that way—you'll probably see. Her clanmates took her."