Chapter 235: Openness (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 235: Openness (1)
I opened my eyes.
It wasn't an unfamiliar ceiling.
It was the same one I always saw when I came to after a battle.
It was practically my private hospital room.
I rolled my stiff neck and slowly sat up.
“…….
Surprisingly, my body didn't feel heavy.
If I had passed out right after Alexei's crescent moon blade pierced my abdomen, I'd probably be hovering between life and death right now...
But Cheon Yeo-wool had healed me during the fight.
I clenched and unclenched my fist, checking my condition.
Yes, thanks to her, I was in pretty good shape.
I let out a breath.
Looking back, it had been an incredibly sudden and reckless battle.
A surprise encounter for which we had made no preparations whatsoever.
I never imagined Seong Young-il was plotting something like that from the heart of the Cult.
And to think he did it by smuggling out Seong Si-woo's corpse.
The scale of it was absurd, too.
There were two Apostles.
“Yeo-wool…”
She did… so well.
She was without a doubt the MVP of this battle.
I don't know how she found out and initiated the Heretic Judgment, but if she'd been even a little later, it would have been too late to do anything.
Everything would have already been over.
‘I'm sorry…’
The image of Cheon Yeo-wool's face, covered in tears and sweat as she apologized to me, flickered in my mind.
Was she sorry for not having burned Seong Si-woo's body completely?
Sometimes, it feels like the girls try desperately not to make even the slightest mistake around me.
It's ridiculous.
Perfection… is next to impossible.
Humans are bound to make mistakes, and it's impossible to gather up water once it's been spilled.
Instead, we learn from those mistakes how to handle things the next time.
We think about how to avoid repeating them in the future.
And it's our duty to find the courage to get back up again.
I will always be there to help them through that process.
So, in my mind, Cheon Yeo-wool did nothing wrong.
I would've fallen for it myself, anyway.
We won in the end. There's no reason for her to apologize.
– Beep.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I turned on my watch.
A hologram projected into the air.
Alright, let's get this straight.
The not-insignificant gains we made from this battle.
First, the external achievements.
One.
This was a completely unexpected triumph.
The Apostle, Aria… is dead.
Her heart, the vessel and core that held the Evil God's energy, was torn out, and her body was miserably discarded.
Although it was ultimately the Evil God's choice, Seong Si-woo also failed to resurrect, making it a pure loss for them.
With the one in charge of corruption and temptation gone, that's one less variable to worry about in the future.
Two.
We completely incinerated Seong Si-woo's corpse.
To be honest, that was something I hadn't even considered.
But it seems the Evil God placed a high value on that body.
After all, it was a body that held… the potential of a protagonist.
If those bastards had taken full possession of that body, there's no telling what kind of monster would have been born.
But now, that possibility is completely gone.
Three.
We eliminated… Alexei's arm.
That bastard uses a power that distorts causality in exchange for permanently losing parts of his body.
His right arm, both legs.
And… his neck.
So, four more times?
In truth, even that is up to him, so I can't know for sure.
Still, it's comforting to think of it as defusing a potential time bomb.
Now for the internal achievements.
First, Arcadia has been unified.
It will enjoy an era of peace purely under Cheon Yeo-wool. From now on.
Considering her influence until now… I'd say it was about 80%.
It was overwhelming, but there were always impurities that left a bad taste.
But now, Arcadia is completely under her control.
It's easier to think of it as having one of humanity's largest religions backing us.
You get the picture.
I quickly searched the news.
“Not yet.”
It seemed the media was only aware that Arcadia's main gate was closed; they didn't know what was happening inside.
Looks like they've placed an embargo.
The whole world is probably wondering.
If, at this exact moment, Cheon Yeo-wool were to open the gates and come out…
And declare, ‘We have judged the heretics within and executed an Apostle’?
The publicity would be immense.
Two.
I confirmed Sion's compatibility with Artemis's Bow.
She was a goddess.
I almost fell for her. Well, I already have, but my heart started racing all over again.
Who knew that little bunny had a side like this?
In any case, it seemed to be a good match for her abilities.
And that's the end of the tally.
“This is insane.”
I nodded in satisfaction.
It's all the more staggering because it was a completely unexpected harvest.
I might have almost died, but almost isn't dead.
It was then.
– Creeak.
The door to the room opened cautiously.
A considerate touch, as if trying not to wake a sleeping patient.
The person who slipped quietly through the door was Cheon Yeo-wool.
She was holding a basin with a wet towel in it, muffling her footsteps as she entered.
“Oh?”
She froze on the spot when she saw me sitting up perfectly fine in bed, looking at her.
“Hey.”
I smiled and waved.
Cheon Yeo-wool's eyes widened.
“You're awake?”
“Yeah, thanks to you.”
I said, pointing to my stomach.
“You saved me.”
At those words, Cheon Yeo-wool's expression crumbled.
– Clang.
She carelessly dropped the basin she was holding and rushed to my bedside.
Then she knelt beside the bed and grabbed my hand.
“I'm sorry… Hae-in…”
She began to rub her wet cheek against my palm.
“I was too complacent. I shouldn't have been…”
Her voice was thick with tears.
It was heartbreaking.
I immediately began to gently stroke her cheek.
“Yeo-wool.”
I looked her straight in the eye and said firmly.
You don't need to blame yourself at all.
“Don't blame yourself. Really, there's nothing wrong.”
She sniffled, pressing her face deeper into my hand.
No more words were needed.
For a moment, we simply shared each other's warmth and breath.
Cheon Yeo-wool lifted her head from beside the bed.
The rims of her eyes were still red.
“Is your body okay?”
“Yeah, no problem.”
I feel like I could go outside right now.
My condition felt no different from before I collapsed.
“……Are you sure?”
Cheon Yeo-wool slowly got up and pressed her body close to me on the bed.
As she leaned her upper body forward, a certain part of Cheon Yeo-wool's body was inevitably placed right before my eyes.
Eventually, her face was just inches from mine.
Her sweet scent tickled my nose.
“Is it… okay if I check?”
Her eyes curving alluringly, she stealthily slipped a hand under the covers.
“You can just stay still. I'll check myself, okay?”
Cheon Yeo-wool slowly lowered her head….
– Bang.
The hospital room door was thrown open.
“Hey.”
Someone else had come in.
“You came in with a basin… and didn't come out. I was starting to wonder.”
It was Kang A-rin.
She strode right up to the bedside.
– Mwah.
“You're up?”
She greeted me cheerfully, planting a light kiss on my cheek.
“Yeah.”
“That's a relief. I was worried.”
While smiling and talking to me… Kang A-rin suddenly yanked back the covers.
– Grab.
And snatched the wrist that was stealthily making its way toward my groin.
“Save this for later, won't you, Saintess?”
Kang A-rin narrowed her eyes.
“Hmph…”
Cheon Yeo-wool lowered her head.
“I gave you ten minutes before the press conference because you asked for it.”
What, so that's what this was.
“Hey, hurry up and go.”
I also gave an awkward smile and gestured for them to go.
Kang A-rin smiled and whispered in my ear.
“I'll be back soon. Wait for me, okay?”
But, to be certain, I asked her.
“By the way, is Aria…?”
“Dead.”
She answered calmly before I could even finish the question.
Hearing those words, it finally started to feel real.
“Seong Si-woo's corpse was just dust, so we ground it up with Holy Water and incinerated…”
“Ah, that's enough.”
They must have really taken care of it this time.
I didn't want to hear the details.
“Let's go out together.”
Feeling refreshed, I also got out of bed.
Just as I was about to leave the room with them.
– Slam.
The door burst open once more.
“Hwaaah…”
“Huh?”
It was Yoon Chae-ha.
The moment the door opened, she burst in crying, her eyes puffy and swollen.
“Hae-iiin…”
She ran to me and threw her arms tightly around my waist.
“Is she part of the press conference too?”
Doesn't look like it, with her eyes all swollen.
“No.”
Then what's this about?
“What's wrong, Chae-ha?”
I held her and gently patted her back.
Why are you crying so sorrowfully?
“But… you didn't wake up… for two weeks…”
She mumbled between hiccups.
Two weeks?
Wait a minute.
“…How long was I out?”
I froze and looked at Kang A-rin.
Kang A-rin held up two fingers and said nonchalantly.
“Two weeks.”
“……”
I was out for longer than I thought.
I guess my body felt light simply because I'd rested for so long.
“…I'll see you two later.”
I sent Cheon Yeo-wool and Kang A-rin out.
The door closed with both of their gazes fixed on Yoon Chae-ha.
Once again, it was just the two of us in the room: me, and Yoon Chae-ha, sniffling in my arms.
“Come on.”
I wiped the wet corners of Yoon Chae-ha's eyes with my thumb.
Instead of answering, she just hugged my waist tighter, refusing to let go.
Holding her in my arms, I slowly backed up.
My destination was the bed I had just gotten out of.
– Plop.
I sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her onto my lap.
I gently stroked Yoon Chae-ha's back and whispered in her ear.
“Were you upset?”
“Mhm…”
“Stop crying now… okay?”
– Peck.
I soothed her with a kiss on the cheek.
Chae-ha needs to be comforted.
Because she's a baby.