Chapter 153
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 153
Chapter Title: What I Gained and What I Lost
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I still remember that pain.
The feeling of something being implanted into my abdomen without anesthesia, and the agony of having one eye gouged out raw.
That was my last memory—fainting from the sheer torment in a situation where I couldn't even scream.
"Hngh—!"
I snapped awake with a yell, as if reliving that agony all over again.
"Hah… Hoo…."
At least I'm alive.
Thankfully, I wasn't still in that place.
Where am I? What happened?
Suddenly, I sensed something off about my body. There were other issues, but the most glaring one was…
I've pretty much lost vision in one eye.
My left eye's sight was completely shot. If I closed my right eye and looked only with the left, everything was a blur.
Damn it….
"L-Lee Yun-seong?"
What?
I turned toward the voice and saw Wi Ho-yeon staring at me with wide eyes.
"L-Lee Yun-seong! You're awake? How's your body feeling?!"
I was taken aback by Wi Ho-yeon's attitude at first, but I quickly pieced it together.
Right—from the clan members' perspective, I basically came back from the dead.
"Ugh…!"
There were no visible wounds on my body, but phantom pains shot through my eye and abdomen from the horrific ordeal.
To be honest, my mental fortitude wasn't anything special—pretty average, really.
So having one eye ripped out raw and my gut sliced open? Feeling phantom pain was hardly surprising.
"Lee Yun-seong, are you hurt somewhere? Suddenly…"
"No, it's nothing. What about the others…?"
Wi Ho-yeon seemed to catch on to what I was asking.
"The rest are wrapping up matters while holding a meeting. I stayed behind alone in the tent to nurse you."
...So they kept the promise after all.
Since I'd accepted the offer, Aditi must have withdrawn as agreed.
Wi Ho-yeon looked like she'd noticed something odd and asked me,
"Lee Yun-seong, but why is your left eye…?"
"Ah…"
Damn it, is it that obvious?
From the way Wi Ho-yeon was asking, it seemed apparent even externally.
"….."
As I hesitated to answer, Wi Ho-yeon pressed,
"Lee Yun-seong, what's wrong with your left eye… why is it like that? How…?"
"...Ho-yeon, does my left eye look off on the outside?"
"It's… really cloudy. If your pupil was almost black before, now it's closer to gray. Like you've lost your sight… Ah?"
"….."
"Lee Yun-seong, don't tell me…?"
"Yeah, I can barely see out of my left eye."
"No way…"
There was no point hiding it anyway, so I just told her straight.
And honestly, losing one eye wasn't so bad.
Mental gymnastics, maybe, but it was way better than losing an arm.
Lee Jae-hyo lost an eye in this fight too, and honestly, for what I gained, this is a bargain.
Losing vision in one eye sucked, but compared to what I'd gotten, it was a small price.
And I didn't lose my abilities.
A Mythic-grade entity has forcibly created a new organ in your body. Check your Unique Trait for details.
Insane.
A full-on Mythic-grade trait. Losing one eye for this? Totally worth it.
And I got materials that'll help with chimera crafting too.
At this point, I'd almost want to kowtow to that monster Aditi.
But Wi Ho-yeon, unaware I'd profited from the eye deal, was fixated solely on the fact that I'd lost vision in one eye.
"H-How… How…? It's my fault. I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. I failed to protect you again. I…"
No, Ho-yeon, this is a win. I came out way ahead.
"I don't know how to take responsibility… I have no face to show you or the Clan Master. Because of my shortcomings…"
Wi Ho-yeon dropped to her knees in a daze, bowing her head to the ground.
Suddenly, she was groveling at my feet.
"Whoa, w-wait a second. Why are you doing this again?!"
How many times is this now?!
"...I'll take responsibility somehow. I'll dedicate my life to you, Lee Yun-seong."
What the hell is this woman saying?!
"What…? Ho-yeon, why? It's just this—why pledge your life over it…?"
"Lee Yun-seong, you can't brush off losing an eye. Imagine if you were a swordsman. Would losing one eye not hinder your martial prowess?"
"Uh…"
She's got a point…
"It's no exaggeration—if a bodyguard fails to protect their charge and that person loses an eye, it's usually a death sentence."
"Death penalty? What?!"
I was floored by Wi Ho-yeon's words.
"Or… just kill me yourself…"
"Are you insane? Why would I kill you, Ho-yeon?"
I jumped at her words.
Kill her? What? Am I some king now?
Her values seemed straight out of the Joseon era.
"Then… I have a duty to take responsibility for you."
"Ha… Are you my parent or something? Fine, say you take responsibility. How? Am I supposed to sue for damages?"
I didn't mean it seriously, but she took it that way.
"...I have no money, but I do have one thing to offer."
"No, I get it—just stand up already. Stop kneeling…"
"I'll give you my entire remaining life."
"What?!"
I thought I'd misheard and asked again.
"What did you… say? Did I hear that right?"
"...Yes. I'll devote my entire remaining life to you."
"What…"
I was speechless.
"I failed to protect you from those outlaws too. Even after promising rescue, I didn't keep it."
"That was…"
She was still hung up on that?
"One mistake is enough. But this makes twice I've failed to protect you. As a bodyguard, a second failure is unforgivable."
No, seriously. Losing my eye wasn't your fault.
I couldn't exactly say I'd traded my eye for a gut-ripping new organ. It was frustratingly impossible to explain.
In truth, I'd lost the eye due to the deal, but Wi Ho-yeon had no way of knowing.
"Since you won't hold me accountable, I'll make amends my way."
Wi Ho-yeon finished speaking and stood. She bowed to me and continued,
"I'll go fetch the others."
"Ah…"
Before I could respond, she left the tent.
"Yun-seong!"
Seo Yu-ju's reaction upon seeing me left me flustered.
She'd come charging over and thrown her arms around me.
The sudden skinship was awkward, but reassuring her took priority, so I spoke up.
"Haha… Yu-ju, I'm fine."
"Hic… Still, I'm just glad you're safe. Really…"
She must've been really worried.
"Why… why did you shield me like that?! It was so reckless! What if something had happened…?!"
I was getting an earful after the rescue, but it didn't feel bad.
"I… I just moved on instinct. Sorry for worrying you, Yu-ju."
"Hic… Why are you apologizing, Yun-seong? I… I'm the sorry one…"
I patted Seo Yu-ju's back reassuringly.
"What the… you two…"
Kang I-seo started to say something upon seeing us, but
"Master, Lee Yun-seong looks uncomfortable. He's a patient, so you should step back. He needs rest."
Wi Ho-yeon wedged herself between us.
"......"
What…?
Seo Yu-ju stared silently at Wi Ho-yeon.
I could instinctively sense the weird vibe.
The other clan members looked flustered by the sudden tension too.
What's with you all?
I had to jump in desperately.
"Ah! So, uh, what's the situation?"
"Oppa, is that really important right now? You almost died… Huh? What's wrong with your left eye?"
At Lee Yu-rim's words, everyone looked at me.
Seo Yu-ju hugging me earlier had blocked the view, but now my left eye was visible.
"What? Hey, what's up with your left eye?!"
"Hyung-nim's eye…"
Damn it, this is driving me nuts.
I was already exhausted from dealing with Wi Ho-yeon about it earlier.
Predictably, Seo Yu-ju had the most intense reaction.
"Y-Yun-seong, what's wrong with your eye?"
"Ah… Well…"
As I struggled to respond, Wi Ho-yeon answered for me.
"Lee Yun-seong… has lost vision in his left eye."
"What…? Lost his vision…?"
Seo Yu-ju looked like her world had ended. You'd think it was her who'd gone blind.
"How… how…?"
"I don't know the details, but it happened inside that golem. Even I don't know the exact cause. Still, it's just one eye, so no need to worry too much. It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?! Do you even know what it means for Yun-seong to lose sight in an eye on this continent?!"
...Same argument as Wi Ho-yeon.
I wasn't frontline melee, while Seo Yu-ju and Wi Ho-yeon were, so our views differed.
"Still, it's way better than losing an arm…"
"...You call that better?!"
Hey, don't raise your voice at me! I did it to save you, sis.
"Ha… So I shouldn't have saved you, is that it?"
The words slipped out grumpily before I knew it.
But Seo Yu-ju's reaction was worse.
She looked like the sky had fallen, at a total loss.
"Ah… Ah…"
She must've realized the root cause—I'd lost the eye trying to save her.
I instantly knew I'd messed up.
Shit…
"...I misspoke, Yu-ju. That wasn't what I meant."
"Ahh…"
Damn, why's she scaring me like this?
She seemed broken, like a malfunctioning person.
"Yu-ju? Yu-ju?!"
"Ah… My fault, my fault. Of course. It happened because of me…"
"No, I didn't mean it was your fault."
"It is. Looking at the facts, it all comes back to me. Because of me…"
"Nah, Yu-ju noona. Yun-seong hyung didn't mean it like that. We're just being annoying, right hyung?"
Thanks, Hyun-jin.
I nodded quickly at Cha Hyun-jin's save.
"Really…?"
"Yes, exactly what Hyun-jin said. Would I ever resent you, Yu-ju? I'm just relieved you're safe."
"Yun-seong…"
Seo Yu-ju looked deeply touched.
Damn, Hyun-jin—hyung owes you one later.
I was genuinely grateful for Cha Hyun-jin's timely help.