HIF 65

Since it’s a Supporting Role

I also turned my gaze in that direction. The monster that had been bound was disappearing as if evaporating, gradually dispersing from its spot. And soon, it vanished completely.

Now, Min Joo-hyuk’s capture magic, which had been enveloping the now-empty spot where the monster had been in a blue light, shattered with a crisp sound.

“I expected this, but it’s become a bit troublesome. When a monster has seeped in like this, we need to find its core and stab a sword into it.”

Even without this, I was wondering how to handle a monster that doesn’t have a proper form and is spread out widely in a fog-like state.

But Park Yul’s tone sounded flat, as if analyzing the situation from a distance. No matter how much I healed him and he’s now in good condition, he was so composed that you wouldn’t even think he was the one who had just been attacked by a monster.

“…Park Yul hyung. What do you need?”

Song Ha-gyun looked like he was about to summon a flask with a potion right away, but Park Yul firmly continued speaking.

“I’m fine now. Thanks, Yi-han-ah. It would’ve taken a while to recover.”

Park Yul patted my shoulder lightly and then opened his mouth.

“Let’s head back first. It seems we’ve confirmed everything. Right?”

Park Yul made eye contact with everyone one by one, as if seeking agreement. Everyone seemed like they wanted to say something to Park Yul, but his gentle voice was a step faster.

“Let’s talk about the details when we get back.”

And then, Park Yul vanished in front of our eyes.

I felt Raen’s hand wrapping around my shoulder. Soon, with a strong wind, the scenery before my eyes changed. It was the wooden building we had left earlier. The sun was already slowly setting.

Creak.

We opened the door and entered. It smelled of wood. Somehow, beneath that, there seemed to be a faint scent of something savory and sweet. Maybe because there’s a cooking area on the first floor. I hadn’t noticed it earlier, but after going outside and coming back in, it felt newly apparent.

Park Yul was sitting in front of the round table on the first floor. Park Yul, who had been quietly looking up at a map floating in the air with white light, turned his gaze toward us as we entered.

“You’re here already.”

“Is it okay to talk right away without resting?”

“Yeah. Since Yi-han healed me. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s sit down first. Look here, hyung said the monster doesn’t have a core. What that exactly means is…”

A cross-section of the valley, something like a diagram, was overlaid on the map. The sunken bottom and pebble-like things embedded in that bottom surface were sketched.

Before I knew it, everyone had sat down with serious expressions. Maybe Park Yul was used to moving past situations like this. Park Yul pointed at the cross-section with his hand and slowly continued speaking.

“It seems the monster’s main body is spread out on the valley floor. What seeped into the clouds is part of the monster.”

“So that’s why we couldn’t find the core inside, Leader hyung.”

“Right. To find the core, we have to break through the clouds, but the attack patterns are tricky.”

“…And the magical energy is dense.”

“It seems because the rift opened and was left unattended for a long time.”

Then, isn’t breaking through that too dangerous?

‘Isn’t there a way for the twisted space to return to normal?’

If only that fog-like thing would disappear, dealing with the monster would become somewhat easier. If it’s true that the space is twisted due to divine power, couldn’t we ask to have that power withdrawn?

There probably isn’t a large building like a temple here. But if there’s even a small building serving a god, it might be possible to offer prayers inside and convey our words.

Since it’s my first time coming out here to see, I don’t know well, but since it’s a village, there’s a possibility that a place serving a god exists, even if it’s a small building, so we need to look into it.

As I was thinking that, Park Yul’s words continued.

“I felt the magical energy tightening around my throat. We need to be careful. Don’t leave defense only to Ju-hyeok; let’s each be mindful ourselves.”

“Huh? Leader hyung, are you okay now…”

Before Raen’s urgent words could even finish, a clattering sound came from the kitchen in the back. My body flinched. There should only be us here, right? Something floated up from inside the kitchen and slowly flew toward us.

‘A plate?’

On top of it, roundly baked pancakes were stacked respectively. Steam rose from them as if they had just been completed, and a savory scent wafted. The plates were placed one by one in front of us.

Could it be that Park Yul made them with magic as soon as we arrived earlier? When Park Yul flicked his fingers in front, a large butter appeared in the center of the table. That butter was cut into pieces by itself and placed neatly on top of the pancakes, then slowly melted.

“Let’s talk while eating.”

Upon hearing Park Yul’s words, Raen thought for a moment and then opened his mouth with a calm voice.

“Alright.”

Raen poured milk into glasses and placed them next to each plate. Park Yul’s voice continued.

“Yi-han-ah, since you healed me, I recovered quickly. I’ll be careful, but it seems dealing with the monster this time will be a bit tricky, so I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, Yul hyung. I’ll do my best.”

“Not ‘do your best,’ only when absolutely necessary. If it looks dangerous, don’t step forward.”

“Right, Seon Yi-han. Stay still unless absolutely necessary. I’ll do my best as much as possible.”

I couldn’t do that. There’s no such thing as an injury that doesn’t need healing. Besides, everyone is taking risks and fighting at the front; I don’t want to just stay back and protect myself.

But since I had to answer anyway, I nodded appropriately. Park Yul, who had been quietly watching my face, smiled slightly and waved his hand in the air.

“Looking at your expression, I think I know what you’re thinking.”

That can’t be. I’m not the type to show my thoughts on my face. Still, I quickly composed my expression.

A wide glass bottle appeared over my plate. The surface of the bottle had red leaves drawn on it, and inside was a transparent syrup with a light brownish tint. The bottle tilted, and the syrup flowed down onto the pancake.

“Actually, it’s for Yi-han, but it’s also for us.”

A sweet scent rose sharply from the syrup. It was a sweet talk just like that, but I don’t easily fall for such words.

“You need to stay back and not get hurt so that you can heal us at the truly critical moment. Right?”

Oops, that’s right. My perspective was too narrow. Maybe a Healer should only be in the rear, not the front. Since it’s a supporting role. There’s no reason to force myself unnecessarily, so I nodded right away.

“I understand what you mean. Alright, hyung.”

“Good, Yi-han.”

Raen picked up my glass filled with milk. Then he poured a little honey into it, stirred it with a small teaspoon, and continued speaking.

“Only heal after the situation is completely resolved.”

The glass Raen handed back to me felt lukewarm and at a comfortable temperature. As I was quietly drinking the sweet milk, the pancake in front of me was cut into bite-sized pieces, and the fork placed beside it floated up and speared a piece.

“…Eat.”

It was Song Ha-gyun sitting across from me. I was planning to eat even without this. But when I moved my hand to grab the fork, the fork handle swiftly turned to the opposite side.

I stared intently at Song Ha-gyun. Song Ha-gyun, who met my gaze, nodded. What on earth does that mean? Anyway, I opened my mouth. The pancake piece slid into my mouth, and the fork settled back onto the table.

The pancake melted softly in my mouth, and the syrup had a unique scent I was tasting for the first time. Without realizing it, I chewed thoroughly enough to swallow because it was delicious.

Min Joo-hyuk, sitting next to me, tousled my hair and opened his mouth.

“I’ve roughly figured out how to set up the Defense magic. From now on, I’ll do it without mistakes.”

“Good. Let’s try without overdoing it.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

“And it wasn’t a mistake. We needed to see the monster’s attack pattern at least once.”

Park Yul turned his head toward Song Ha-gyun. Song Ha-gyun opened his notebook and continued speaking.

“Park Yul hyung is right. There was a mass that looked like the monster’s main body on the valley floor. When Park Yul hyung stabbed it with his sword, it instantly moved sideways and dodged.”

“I see. Then even breaking through the clouds won’t be easy.”

“Yeah. It’s hard to grasp the monster’s movements from below.”

So Song Ha-gyun was observing even that. He must have been recording it all along from the side. Song Ha-gyun paused briefly for a moment and then opened his mouth hesitantly.

“The valley floor was completely exposed only when the clouds surged up all at once.”

“You mean when it attacked Park Yul hyung-nim?”

“…Yeah.”

“Ha-gyeon, that means…”

“Bait. That method is the most certain.”

Someone has to be the bait. Hearing that, I suddenly felt suffocated. The air seemed to have grown a bit heavier.

‘He said earlier that the magical energy is dense, making it more tricky to deal with.’

Why didn’t the village representative even accept contact, let alone reach out, until the situation became like this? Everyone didn’t specifically mention it, but I think I dislike that person a bit.

I know I shouldn’t hastily think this way without knowing what the situation was. Still, I can’t help that I already feel uncomfortable.

Even if that person didn’t do it intentionally, there are people being harmed because of it. Of course, even if I meet the so-called village representative later, it’s not something I should outwardly show. The right to speak about that belongs to you, not me.

Still, I wish the village representative would reflect a little. I think they should at least feel sorry toward you.

“Alright. Let’s keep that as a last resort for now.”

Park Yul’s voice, lighter than usual as if to lighten the heavy atmosphere, broke my reverie. Song Ha-gyun also nodded and changed the subject to continue speaking.

“I’ve grasped the monster’s attack range. Also, how close we can approach.”

“I also got a sense of how to attack to inflict damage. I’ll need to use magic a few more times to know for sure, though.”

“Good. Well done. Then it seems things are gradually getting sorted out.”

Park Yul got up from his seat and approached the window. When he drew back the closed curtains, darkness had already settled outside. Time had passed quickly. Park Yul turned his body this way and continued speaking.

“Let’s wrap up here today and come back again tomorrow.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

The bowls and cups placed on the table clattered and were tidied up in an instant. After finishing all the cleaning like that, we went up to the room.

Song Ha-gyun, who entered the room first, was standing in front of the desk. Song Ha-gyun tapped the lamp on the desk. The orange light flowing from within lightly covered the darkness.

“…It’s night.”