Chapter 74

Minji lay motionless on the medical gurney as if she were dead. The bedsheet was stained red, as if it had always been that way. There was no need to check; it was all Minji's blood.

"Master...!"

Suhyun clamped her mouth in shock. She couldn't even scream at the sight of Minji's ghastly state and began to tremble violently.

"..."

The other guild members standing nearby, even Galaxy, who usually showed no expression, were the same. Galaxy's black pupils dilated widely, and she stood frozen.

"Please, guardian. Not now—"

Pushing aside the transport officer, Suhyun approached Minji step by step.

The red bandage, soaked in blood, covered the small boy's entire head and even his eyes. Below it, the bridge of his nose was drenched in cold sweat like beads.

Even someone with no medical knowledge could tell. The condition was the worst.

"Mas... Minji..."

Suhyun extended her trembling hand. Before it could touch, Minji's cloak, drenched in blood and dark red, fell helplessly to the ground.

The green cloak, soaked in blood, had turned almost black. The stars embroidered in gold thread were now pitch black.

"Ugh..."

Suhyun clamped her mouth and collapsed on the spot. Tears she couldn't hold back fell like heavy rain.

"I will transport her."

The EMT, speaking heavily, grabbed the bed handle. But then.

"...Me."

Twitch.

Minji, who had been lying motionless like a corpse, moved her fingers slightly. With a weak, labored breath, Minji moved her lips slightly.

"Nu... Pi... Kyuho..."

"Yes, Master. Yura has arrived."

A heavily suppressed voice. It was Junho. Biting his lower lip hard, he turned his head toward Galaxy.

Galaxy, receiving his nod, hesitated for a moment before cautiously approaching Minji.

"..."

But that was all. Galaxy stood frozen, unable to move her lips. Minji's condition, seen up close, was indescribably horrific.

Rustle—

The sound of the blanket brushing against something was heard. Minji, with the bandage, stretched out her hand with great effort.

The small hand, which had once deftly handled a self-made rifle, had transformed like a rotten leaf.

With a needle thicker than her pinky finger stuck in the back of her hand, Minji groped aimlessly in the air.

"Nu... Na... Are you... there, Yo?"

"...Yes."

Galaxy replied softly.

Was her voice too soft? Minji, feeling the sheet surface, moved her lips with great effort again.

"Nu... Na, come... here, Yo?"

"Yes, I'm here."

This time, she answered a little louder. But Minji's hand still remained in the air.

"Junho, hyung... Nu... Na, feel...?"

As if she hadn't heard Galaxy's voice.

Minji no longer showed any small movements.

With a face etched with cracks, Galaxy, who had stiffened, noticed the thin thread tightly clutched in the small hand.

It was dirty with mud, but Galaxy knew it was originally orange.

An orange, wish bracelet.

***

"What the hell happened?"

In the silent corridor, Suhyun's voice, suppressing her anger, echoed.

Among the guild members who hung their heads in shame, Junho spoke heavily.

"Calm down. The priority now is Master's recovery."

Recovery? Suhyun frowned as if she had heard something absurd.

Suhyun had already confirmed Minji's condition. Was it really a level that could be hoped for recovery?

No. Absolutely not.

Even after the surgery, Minji's condition had become even more horrific.

Electrocardiogram cables stuck all over her body, a thick tube inserted through her lips to secure the airway, and an IV needle piercing her thin hand without mercy. Various other medical devices were densely attached to her small body.

"Master never went to the hospital even when she had a cold. She hates injections so much..."

Suhyun, biting her lower lip, narrowed her eyes.

"Tell me. Right now."

I'll kill you all. Something slipped and fell from under Suhyun's cloak.

A tail. A red-furred fox tail.

Junho, who had been silently observing her, finally spoke softly.

"Give it up. What can you do? The Unknown Gate is already closed. All we can do now is pray for Master's recovery."

"Exactly...!"

Suhyun, exclaiming, grabbed Junho's collar. The veins on his clenched fist stood out.

"What were you doing? What did you do to let Master end up like this?"

"..."

Suhyun blinked in disbelief.

"You left Master behind and ran away first?"

Without letting go of Junho's collar, he met Suhyun's gaze.

"We defeated all the named enemies, including the boss inside the gate. We confirmed the clear message, and the exit was definitely open. The only thing was that no items dropped, but it was a situation that could only be considered a successful raid."

Dark clouds covered Junho's face as he recalled the memory. He spoke as if spitting out each word.

"So? You did nothing? Even when Master was in such a state?"

Suhyun shouted as if screaming.

Junho, still with his collar grabbed, only said this.

"Yes. We did nothing. Master did it alone for us."

His voice was damp.

"So, we didn't have to do anything."

"..."

"..."

"I'm sorry."

Suhyun had no choice but to close her mouth. Because his eyes, saying that—

"Really... sorry..."

were so red.

Suhyun's hand, gripping Junho's collar, slowly fell.

"Aren't you a doctor?"

A security guard's shout came from behind the closed door. His voice was as agitated as Suhyun's.

Junho, without straightening his disheveled cloak, quietly turned his back on Suhyun.

Click.

As expected, a security guard was raising his voice at the doctor. He seemed ready to tear the entire clinic apart.

"What? Injuries from the gate are different from those in daily life? So? Are you saying you'll do nothing?"

"I will do my best, but as you know, in cases involving 'curses,' modern medicine has its limitations..."

The doctor was repeating the same thing over and over.

Leaning against the wall in the corner of the clinic, Galaxy neither stepped forward nor left, but silently observed them.

In fact, everyone there knew that it wasn't the doctor's fault that Minji was in such a state. But.

"Damn! You're a doctor. Isn't your job to save people?"

It was something he couldn't bear without venting his frustration at someone.

But the moment the security guard grabbed the doctor's collar,

"Stop it."

Clack, the sound of unfamiliar footsteps approached.

"Doctors aren't gods."

The security guard, startled, turned his head stiffly toward the source of the voice.

"...Doctor Plant?"

One of the S-class hunters in South Korea and the most famous and skilled healing hunter.

The owner of the Rose, Jinroje.

In the suffocating silence, the calm footsteps stopped.

Thud.

Jeinroje lightly slapped the back of the security guard's hand, which was grabbing the doctor's collar.

"No matter how skilled a doctor is, they can't save every patient. Just like how hunters can't save every civilian."

"..."

"Moreover, you've heard it. Trickster's injuries are a curse. So stop taking out your anger on the wrong person."

Jeinroje's words made the security guard bite his lower lip. She was right. He knew it. He knew it, but...

The security guard finally collapsed to the ground.

"Ugh...!"

Behind the security guard, who was sobbing like a child, Jeinroje quietly turned her gaze to the trembling doctor.

"You know you have to keep quiet about Trickster's case. Especially to the media. It'll be all over the news and search trends in less than an hour."

"Yes, I understand."

The doctor nodded hurriedly.

"I'll contact the association separately. Focus on Trickster's treatment for now."

"Yes? But the curse..."

"Try to at least stop the deterioration. I'll send people from the Rose. Clear out this entire ward. No entry except for medical staff and guardians. Thoroughly."

Now, get out. Jeinroje nodded toward the door, and the doctor hurriedly left.

Jeinroje, sitting on the edge of the desk, sighed and slowly scanned the remaining people.

The security guard, collapsed on the floor, sobbing as if he had lost his mind. Junho, with his arms crossed, maintaining a heavy silence. And—

"..."

Jeinroje's eyes changed suddenly.

A hunter, leaning against the wall, observing the entire situation.

Black dress, black umbrella. Jeinroje clearly remembered her.

"...So, it's you."

Jeinroje's gaze on Galaxy was filled with an indescribable light.

Just as Jeinroje was about to say something to Galaxy,

"You're the one who sent Master into the Unknown Gate."

The security guard, collapsed on the floor, was now looking up at Jeinroje with a resentful gaze. Jeinroje's gaze shifted from Galaxy to the security guard.

"Stop it, Seok Kyungho. Someone among the S-class had to go to the Unknown Gate."

Junho, unable to bear it, tried to stop the security guard, but he didn't take his fierce gaze off Jeinroje.

"So why did it have to be our Master?"

Jeinroje, standing beside them, remained silent, as if she had nothing to say or nothing to do.

"Doctor. Is there... any way to cure Master?"

Junho asked Jeinroje.

Although Junho's face was calm compared to the security guard, his heart was the same. He must have wanted to tear everything apart and save Minji right now.

But Jeinroje's words were not very hopeful.

"Only by administering items that might be effective against the curse. Only the person who cast the curse knows its content."

"I'll get them. Whatever it is."

Jeinroje, staring intently at Junho's determined face, sighed and rummaged through her lab coat pocket.

"Can you really do it?"

Finally, she pulled out a piece of paper with neat handwriting. It seemed to be a list of potion ingredients she had recorded.

"Can you get these?"

Junho, breathless, took the paper and checked the contents. But.

"How about it? It will be difficult, right?"

"..."

Thud.

Junho, with a face filled with despair, dropped the paper to the ground.