Half a Life
Dan Gayeon (1)
Comet tilted her head in front of the single-patient room before knocking on the door. A reply inviting her in came from inside. She cracked the door open and peeked in to find Dan Gayeon sitting on the bed, looking her way. Comet opened the door fully, stepped inside, and took a seat on the chair beside the bed.
“You have no idea how startled I was, Chief Dan.”
“Haha… You were the one who found me first, right? I have a vague memory of seeing you.”
“Really? How much?”
Dan Gayeon’s gaze drifted as she searched her memory. “I remember looking up at you against a blue sky.”
Comet clapped her hands once for no particular reason. “And?”
“Well, I was in a hazy state, so…”
“I see. I really was shocked, you know. The smoke rising from the signal flare was too faint, so I wasn’t sure at first. Never imagined I’d find you collapsed like that.”
“I thought I was done for back then. Thank you for watching over me until the rescue team arrived.”
Dan Gayeon bowed her head.
“You can thank me as much as you like. Though what I did wasn’t all that much.”
Comet gave a small laugh.
“Not much? If a monster had shown up, I would have died before the rescue team got there. You saved me at least halfway, Comet.”
“If you see it that way, then yes. I saved you about half. That means I own half of whatever life you have left, Chief Dan. Right?”
“Haha.”
Dan Gayeon let out a faint laugh and offered her a plate of fruit. It was a slightly awkward smile.
“Since you’re here, please have some before you go. I don’t have much appetite, so eating it all by myself feels like too much.”
Comet stared quietly at the plate of fruit. It seemed the topic change was because a murder suspect casually talking about owning half her life was a little frightening. She was quick on the uptake. Comet accepted the plate and picked up a fork. A peach sank softly under the tines. It was sweet.
“It’s delicious. Fruit must be expensive these days. Did the Chairman stop by or something?”
“Just family.”
Dan Gayeon seemed reluctant to speak, as if some family matter was involved. Comet nodded vaguely and set the plate of fruit down.
“So what happened with that signal flare? The smoke was awfully faint.”
Comet asked casually. Dan Gayeon flinched and turned her gaze away.
“…Things got complicated.”
A few buildings were visible through the window beneath the sky.
“Everything was going smoothly until I heard a noise. I decided to check it out. That’s when I found the monster. It looked like something we could handle.”
The second hand of the clock ticked loudly.
“It had magic resistance, so we planned our approach and tried to hunt it. But it was stronger than we expected and everything went to hell. One of my arms got wrecked, Chief Jung could barely use his magic anymore, and the monster was roaring.”
Dan Gayeon squeezed a recycled rubber stress ball with the hand of her healed arm.
“Still, I thought if we could just create one opening we could kill it, so I shouted for him to do anything. That’s when Chief Jung fired the signal flare at the monster. Even now it seems like an incredibly stupid move that sold out our future, but it did create an opening. So I desperately finished the monster off.”
Comet blinked.
“After that, we were coming down the mountain together when Chief Jung slipped and died in the most ridiculous way. I tried to at least bring his body with me and then collapsed.”
“…That was unlucky.”
Dan Gayeon smiled faintly.
“Yeah. It really was unlucky. If we’re looking for someone to blame, it would be whatever’s up in that sky. They can go screw themselves.”
The final curse sounded quite sincere. Comet let out a soft chuckle and spread her arms wide. When she pulled Dan Gayeon into a tight hug, she could feel the woman’s surprise.
“Chief Dan, you know how much I like you, right?”
“Pardon? Thank you…?”
Comet chuckled and pulled back from the embrace.
“I have good news. Are you curious?”
“When you ask like that, I feel like I have to be curious even if I’m not.”
“Good. Since you’re curious now, I’ll tell you.”
Comet stood up and spun once in a circle. She was in a good mood.
“The good news is—”
I’m going to help you achieve a perfect death.
“It’s a secret.”
Dan Gayeon let out a hollow laugh.
“Sometimes it’s better not to know the good things.”
Comet smiled softly.
“Now that I think about it, you said you had no appetite?”
“Yes. The treatment worked, but my energy is drained and I can’t seem to get my appetite back.”
“That’s because there’s a problem with your soul. It’s similar to the principle behind an awakened person’s body changing while their synchronization rate drops. Time will fix it, but…”
Comet pulled a small glass vial from her pocket.
“Good thing the world’s greatest necromancer happened to be right here, huh? Here, a get-well gift.”
“This is…?”
“A necromancer special potion. Good for the soul.”
Dan Gayeon examined the small glass vial, then held it up to the fluorescent light. The vial looked completely transparent, as if it contained nothing. To anyone who wasn’t a necromancer, it would appear to be an empty bottle.
“Oh, thank you.”
“Drink it right away.”
“How do I drink it?”
“Open the lid, then swallow it with the will to drink.”
Dan Gayeon glanced back and forth between Comet and the vial. She seemed to be trying to gauge whether this was a joke or serious.
“Don’t you trust me?”
“…Of course I do.”
Dan Gayeon opened the lid.
“What happens if I turn this upside down?”
“Doesn’t matter. It won’t spill.”
Dan Gayeon flipped the vial over. Naturally, nothing happened. She glanced at Comet again, then held the vial upright and focused. She was probably trying to gather the will to drink as instructed. In truth, no will was necessary. What kind of will did you need just to drink something?
Comet watched silently. Dan Gayeon lifted the vial and made a show of drinking. The single soul contained within screamed as it was swallowed.
Dan Gayeon’s eyes widened, and she looked back at Comet.
“It works!”
“Of course it does. From your reaction, it seems you really didn’t trust me.”
“Haha…”
Comet shrugged. After that, trivial small talk continued. Starting with how her appetite would probably return but hospital food tasted terrible anyway, the topics drifted here and there. Before long, the Chairman arrived with his aides.
“Sorry I’m late. I meant to come sooner, but work kept piling up.”
“Late? Not at all. I’m grateful you came to see me when you’re so busy.”
Dan Gayeon might have held a grudge against the Chairman who had ordered the investigation closed, but she set that aside and greeted him with perfect courtesy. The Chairman nodded as if acknowledging that he was indeed busy.
“So, how are you feeling?”
Dan Gayeon hesitated. For a brief moment she seemed to be fiercely debating whether to fake illness and take more time off.
“…I’m fine. The doctor said I needed mental and physical rest, but after drinking the potion Comet made for me, I really do feel completely recovered.”
“Potion?”
The Chairman turned to look at Comet. His gaze seemed to ask what kind of potion a necromancer could possibly make. Comet’s pride as a necromancer was stung, but since it was the truth, she couldn’t deny it. From an alchemist’s perspective, calling the result a potion was rather embarrassing. Comet scratched her cheek awkwardly and looked away.
“That’s good to hear. When will you be discharged, then?”
The Chairman asked as if wondering whether she could return to work immediately. Dan Gayeon’s answer was clumsy.
“After I finish resting mentally and physically…?”
To Comet, it looked like Dan Gayeon had suddenly developed an urgent need for mental and physical rest. The Chairman, hearing the evasive reply, called for a doctor. At the summons of the highest authority in the Supernatural Affairs Agency, the doctor hurried in. He checked Dan Gayeon’s condition, asked Comet for her necromantic opinion, and immediately gave his diagnosis.
“Rest today, and we’ll check again tomorrow.”
“And if she’s fine tomorrow?”
“She should be able to discharge immediately.”
Dan Gayeon’s face turned pale. She clearly did not want to go back to work starting tomorrow. The Chairman hummed.
“After discharge, take four days off before returning to work. I’d like to give you more, but the Committee is swamped right now.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then rest comfortably. We’ll be going.”
“I’ll head out too. Let’s have a meal together sometime.”
Comet stopped by the restroom before leaving the hospital. The Chairman was smoking beside a parked car. Comet stared for a moment, then turned to take a different path.
“Hey! Comet.”
The Chairman beckoned with a flick of his fingers. Comet scratched her cheek.
“Do you like mountains?”
“No.”
“What about walks?”
“Not sure.”
“Wandering around in the middle of the night isn’t a walk? Then what exactly are you doing at night? Actively collecting souls or something?”
The Chairman asked casually. Comet blinked.
“Of course I’m just taking a walk.”
“You like walks, I see. Then come take a walk with me right now.”
An aide opened the car door, and the Chairman got in. Comet was dumbfounded by the conversation that had already reached its predetermined conclusion. Once she got in, the car started moving.
“There are many advantages to having your body changed. Better stamina, no aches or pains anywhere.”
“I suppose so.”
Comet nodded vaguely.
“When does a necromancer usually get their equipment?”
“Equipment? It depends on the build, but if it’s centered around close-quarters combat, you need it from the beginning.”
“When do you think the world’s greatest necromancer somewhere should get theirs?”
Comet stared quietly at the Chairman.
“I already have the knife. The scythe is honestly just for show, so even if you gave me one I wouldn’t carry it around. As for armor… if the opponent requires armor, then armor alone won’t be enough anyway. My stats are low because of my synchronization rate.”
“Still, wouldn’t it be better to have some?”
“Having it would change the range of combat depending on its performance.”
“Perfect. I’ll get you one set of armor.”
Comet twirled a strand of hair by her temple.
“I’ll gladly accept if you give me one, but isn’t the Committee too busy for that?”
“That’s something the Chairman—me—will adjust. Between practicality and design, which do you prefer?”
“Both.”
“Your demands are picky.”
“I’ve always been like this, Alchemist.”
“It won’t be ready right away.”
“Of course not. Take your time.”
Comet looked out the car window and suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu from the scenery.
“By the way, where are we going?”
“For a walk.”
“Where?”
“The mountain where Chief Dan collapsed.”
Comet flinched for no reason at all.