Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: An Offer to Yu Jin-rok
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“Yu Ga-young! What am I supposed to do if you come out here without a word? Dad was so worried…… Nayeo-ju Hunter?”
“Yes, it's been a while. Your daughter is just so cute, sweet, and smart. We were just sitting here chatting for a bit, and those snacks were mine, but…… Anyway, hello, Yu Jin-rok Hunter.”
I jumped up from my seat and greeted him.
If I'd known it was Yu Ga-young, I wouldn't have nagged!
And running into my top recruitment target, Yu Jin-rok Hunter, while he's in patient garb, of all things.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
“What a coincidence running into you here! But why are you at the hospital…… Ah! Something happened in the dungeon, right? Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, I'm perfectly fine. I just got admitted to rest for a day.”
“That's a relief. I hope my daughter didn't bother you? She's always been such a big fan of you, Nayeo-ju Hunter……”
“Oh, no, not at all. We were just sharing snacks like good friends. Right, Ga-young?”
“Yeah! Unnie gave me snacks!”
Yu Ga-young seemed reluctant to tell her dad about our conversation, too.
It made sense now that this was Yu Jin-rok's daughter—the kid going on about life and death earlier.
The hospital had called it some unexplained illness, right?
Now that I knew, her complexion did look a bit pale.
And Yu Jin-rok Hunter's face was just as ashen.
It was only natural.
His daughter was sick, and the guild he'd been with had just been absorbed by Sama Guild.
Until now, he'd been able to work as a consultant thanks to his experience.
But the odds of Sama Guild, crawling with hunters far more seasoned than him, keeping him on were slim.
As I mulled this over, Yu Jin-rok Hunter was gently scolding his daughter.
“I told you to always tell Dad or the nurse when you go outside, didn't I?”
“It was just right out front—what's the big deal? Some people even go out to the yard without saying anything!”
Pretending to watch the father-daughter duo, I pulled up Yu Ga-young's status window.
……As expected.
Yu Ga-young was born with the same Dark Vulnerability as Han Ji-seong.
And next to it was a new term I'd never seen: 'Rampage Syndrome.'
From the name, it seemed like a condition that caused more frequent rampages than normal.
That must be why the hospital called it an inexplicable illness.
Jeong Je-hwa hadn't developed a scanner to precisely measure Dark Addiction levels yet, so even a specialist awakener hospital was helpless.
There was still time before Jeong Je-hwa finished that scanner.
Maybe I should nudge him toward prioritizing that over items.
That was when it happened.
“G-Ga-young!”
Yu Jin-rok Hunter's scream-like cry rang out.
Startled, I turned to them. The kid who'd been arguing back at her dad just moments ago was now in his arms, vomiting blood.
Black, ink-like blood.
Yu Ga-young, not even awakened yet, was rampaging.
Yu Jin-rok and I could only stare blankly through the glass window at Yu Ga-young fighting for her life.
There was nothing we could do for an unawakened child in rampage except have the hospital's healers rush in to replenish her stamina.
“Get another healer! Hurry!”
“All the on-duty doctors are already here!”
“Then call someone off-shift!”
But even that treatment had its limits.
Healers were rare to begin with, especially ones with low awakening odds, so even at an awakener hospital, they weren't plentiful.
Listening to the staff's frantic exchange, I stepped through the open door and spoke up.
“I'm a healer. Can I help?”
The staff lit up at 'healer' but hesitated upon seeing my patient gown, not responding right away.
Then Yu Ga-young's attending physician cautiously said,
“If the guardian agrees……”
“Y-Yes, I agree! Please, Nayeo-ju Hunter!”
What father would refuse help when his child was suffering right in front of him?
I rolled up my gown sleeves and took position among the medical staff.
With the final message, Yu Ga-young's complexion visibly improved.
The black blood still trickled from her mouth, but with her stamina restored, her ragged breathing steadied.
“She's going to be okay……”
“An A-rank healer really is on another level……”
One of the staff murmured like a sigh of relief.
Yu Ga-young's attending physician then explained to Yu Jin-rok Hunter.
“Sir, as you know, at this stage……”
“Yes, all we can do now is hope Ga-young pulls through.”
Familiar with this unknown rampage syndrome whose cause and cure were mysteries, Yu Jin-rok Hunter gripped his daughter's hand and replied.
Soon, the staff left, leaving only Yu Ga-young occasionally vomiting black blood, and Yu Jin-rok Hunter and me watching over her.
As Yu Jin-rok Hunter had said to the staff, all that was left was to wait.
Rampage symptoms could last from minutes to days.
So this is Rampage Syndrome.
Yu Ga-young's Dark Addiction was only at 65% right now.
Yet she was rampaging.
Unlike the norm, where it hit 100% first.
And she was just a child with Dark Vulnerability.
Far more sensitive to darkness than Han Ji-seong, who could hold out fine outside gates.
Dungeon byproducts were everywhere in daily life in this mana-stone acclimated society.
“Thank you so much, Nayeo-ju Hunter.”
Looking more pained by his daughter's suffering than anyone, Yu Jin-rok Hunter thanked me.
“As you heard, it's up to Ga-young now. I'll come properly thank you once she's better.”
His already poor complexion from the park looked years more fatigued.
Seeing the father-daughter pair still clutching hands, I spoke up.
“Can I help?”
“……Pardon?”
“I can't cure Ga-young's illness completely, but I think I can make it better.”
“Is…… is that true?”
Yu Jin-rok Hunter shot up from his chair.
“Do you really know a treatment?”
“Yes. But I have a condition.”
“Name it!”
“Keep it secret.”
I had no intention of making mana oaths or NDAs here.
I trusted a father's love for his daughter.
“I won't tell a soul! If you'll just help Ga-young…… make her even a little more comfortable……”
His voice choked, and he gazed at me desperately.
This was the look I'd been waiting for.
“Could you step aside? And close the door, please.”
At my words, Yu Jin-rok Hunter swiftly drew the hallway window curtains and locked the door.
I approached the bed and took Yu Ga-young's left hand, where Yu Jin-rok Hunter had been holding it.
The moment the skill ended, the intermittent black blood stopped completely.
Her closed eyes twitched, as if she might wake soon.
“G-Ga-young……”
“She's exhausted. Let her sleep for now.”
Yu Jin-rok Hunter nodded silently.
Gently stroking her daughter's disheveled hair with his fingertips.
After a moment of silence, he bowed deeply to me.
“Thank you. Thank you, Nayeo-ju Hunter.”
“As I said, it's not a full cure. Ga-young might still have rampage symptoms.”
“I…… see.”
“Unless I keep treating her.”
For a moment, hope flickered in Yu Jin-rok Hunter's eyes.
And instinct told me now was the time to make my prepared pitch.
I glanced at Yu Ga-young one last time, then turned to Yu Jin-rok Hunter.
“Yu Jin-rok Hunter, will you sign with Justice Guild?”