HIF 71

Don’t Regret It

I was trying to gauge Min Joo-hyuk’s expression when suddenly, a ‘ding’ sounded, completely out of place for the situation. A vivid Quest Window blocked my view.

What? What is this? Wait, give me a moment to gather my thoughts.

But as always, there was no way I’d be given time to think calmly. The time limit ticked away. While everything around me was stained red by the sunset, only the space before my eyes was bright blue.

I blinked blankly. Just when I thought the situation was being sorted out, another situation had begun that I had to navigate. This was nonsense. The System shouldn’t be doing this to me.

“Seon Yi-han. Don’t touch that.”

Min Joo-hyuk’s stiff voice snapped me out of my thoughts. My left hand, which had been reaching to pull out the blade, was suddenly jerked upward. Turning my head, I saw that my wrist was wrapped in Azure Light and fixed in mid-air, making it impossible to move.

‘But I have to pull the knife out for the wound to heal properly…?’

My wavering gaze shifted toward Min Joo-hyuk, and for a moment, I flinched. I had never seen him make an expression like that. His eyes were bloodshot. His distorted face, which looked angry at a glance, seemed as if he were crying even without a single tear.

“Uh… I just need to pull this out quickly.”

“You can’t just pull it out.”

“Um, it’s not that serious right now.”

“Your voice is shaking, and your complexion is….”

Min Joo-hyuk couldn’t finish his sentence, as if he were overwhelmed. Usually, things look the way one thinks they are. I was fine; it just didn’t look that way because he was worrying about me.

I wished Min Joo-hyuk wouldn’t make such a face, as if he were about to cry. However, the more I spoke, the more strained his voice sounded in response, so I shut my mouth. How was I supposed to comfort him?

“No. It’ll be fine, so just stay still.”

After thinking for a moment, Min Joo-hyuk changed the direction of his words, perhaps worried that I might become anxious. Then, contrary to his voice which had sounded as if he were chewing on every word, he used an incredibly careful touch to help me, who was crouching, sit up straight.

Time was passing. It was impossible to succeed in the quest within this timeframe. I remembered the Laen Quest, which I had failed despite trying so hard. If that were the case, I was doomed to faint this time as well.

From over there, I heard the village representative screaming at the top of his lungs. I couldn’t hear exactly what he was saying, but his voice seemed drenched in resentment and hatred.

Without taking his eyes off me, Min Joo-hyuk flicked his hand to the side. In an instant, the village representative’s voice died down. The quiet sound of leaves rustling in the wind filled the space.

Since I was going to faint soon, I had to tell Min Joo-hyuk in advance. To please wake me up after exactly two minutes—no, let’s make it a generous five minutes.

“Min Joo-hyuk, I….”

The moment I spoke, Min Joo-hyuk grabbed my chin and forced my mouth open with a grip so firm it could be described as desperate.

“Wait… mmpf.”

Before I knew it, Min Joo-hyuk had created a small glass bottle in mid-air. He poured the sticky liquid inside into my mouth.

I felt the liquid that I couldn’t swallow in time slide slickly down my chin. My right shoulder, pierced by the knife, didn’t hurt, but it wouldn’t move, so I couldn’t even wipe the liquid away.

“It’s a painkiller. Swallow it.”

At his low voice, my throat moved instinctively. I didn’t need something like this. I frowned slightly, bothered by the bitter taste of the potion and my clothes, which were still damp, perhaps because blood was still flowing.

Min Joo-hyuk’s face as he looked at me was the same. He wasn’t injured anywhere, but seeing the expression of agony on his face, it seemed the painkiller was actually needed for him.

As I looked at the time ticking urgently above the Quest Window, my pupils wavered involuntarily. Let’s calm down. I couldn’t be like this right now. I had to be the one to keep my head.

‘Maybe what Min Joo-hyuk regrets is bringing me to this place?’

But I hoped he wouldn’t regret it. For me, it was much better for me to be hurt than for Min Joo-hyuk to be. I forced my eyes open and looked straight at him.

Actually, there was nothing for Min Joo-hyuk to worry about. Because I didn’t feel any pain at all. He seemed to have forgotten for a moment due to the sudden situation, but a wound this large would heal on its own. If I told him that, wouldn’t it lighten the burden on his heart even a little?

“Hey, calm do— mmpf!”

No, let me speak. Min Joo-hyuk stuffed a thick, white cloth into my mouth. The cloth seemed to carry a fluffy, cool scent of wind.

It was a nice scent, but I didn’t want to be holding this in my mouth right now. However, I had no hands to remove it. The cloth was too thick, and Min Joo-hyuk had stuffed it in so deep that I couldn’t spit it out. All that came out was a muffled “mmpf.”

This is no time for this, Min Joo-hyuk. I shook my head violently.

I’m going to faint soon, so can you please wake me up in a few minutes? I looked at Min Joo-hyuk desperately, sending that message through my eyes. I hoped our hearts would communicate even without words.

There was no way the System would wake me up after I fainted. If so, I didn’t know how long I would be unconscious this time.

“I’m sorry. Just bear with it for a moment, Seon Yi-han. I’m sorry. Sorry….”

Min Joo-hyuk had been repeating the same words for a while. My vision was blurry, so I couldn’t see his expression clearly, but his voice sounded as if he were sobbing.

‘Wait, Min Joo-hyuk, what are you doing?’

I suddenly snapped awake. Blood was dripping from Min Joo-hyuk’s hand. The red blood, permeated by the sunset, shone vividly. Min Joo-hyuk was gripping the blade embedded in my shoulder tightly in his hand. Since when had he been doing this?

Because there was no handle, the blade was cutting into his palm. The veins on the back of his hand were bulging from how hard he was gripping it. Min Joo-hyuk wouldn’t have Pain Immunity like I do.

Min Joo-hyuk breathed raggedly. Between his trembling breaths, apologies were spat out incessantly. Even though there wasn’t a single reason for him to be sorry.

If he would just take the cloth out of my mouth, I could tell him immediately that I was fine. I desperately wanted to say just one word, but Min Joo-hyuk seemed to have no intention of removing the cloth.

Wanting to heal Min Joo-hyuk right away, I tried to put strength into my fingertips, but naturally, I couldn’t move. If I faint, I can’t even heal you. With my mouth blocked, I couldn’t convey the words properly.

Min Joo-hyuk repeated “I’m sorry” as if reciting a prayer, then finally turned his head toward me as if he had made a decision.

“I’m sorry. I’ll finish this quickly.”

At those words, I felt the blade embedded in my shoulder slide out.

And the time limit ended. A new Quest Window appeared before my eyes.

A ‘tick’ sound was heard as the numbers decreased.

My eyes closed. I felt as if my body slumped against Min Joo-hyuk because my strength vanished. I really should have told him that I was going to faint.

I’m fine, so I hope Min Joo-hyuk isn’t too shocked.

◇

Thwack!

The vivid sound of flesh being pierced drove deep into the ears of Min Joo-hyuk, who had slumped to the ground.

‘What, why now…?’

What just happened? I had released the Trap Magic that was closing in from all sides, something flew toward us, and Seon Yi-han pushed me. Sensing the presence of the village representative over there, I reflexively used capture magic. And then….

‘I was too late.’

Before my eyes, on the ground, blood was flowing and pooling. My heart dropped. I slowly lifted my head, frozen in fear.

The sun was setting behind Seon Yi-han. Against the backdrop of the pouring sunset, Seon Yi-han stood precariously. His snow-white clothes were being stained red. Not by the light of the sunset, but by the flowing, hot blood.

A sharp blade was embedded in Seon Yi-han’s right shoulder. Seon Yi-han was biting his lip, reaching his hand toward it. As if trying to pull that blade out.

My ears felt muffled, as if I were hearing tinnitus. My insides were so hot that even my tears dried up. I didn’t know what this emotion was.

“I…”

A voice escaped my lips involuntarily. I don’t even know what I said. Soon, Seon Yi-han collapsed and slumped down in front of me.

Seon Yi-han’s face as he looked at me was pale. Cold sweat had formed on his forehead. Seon Yi-han’s gaze seemed to be drifting. Perhaps he couldn’t focus because the blood loss was too great.

I hurriedly stopped the hand trying to grab the blade and silenced the screaming village representative over there with Silence Magic. Seon Yi-han came first. Looking at that human was second.

I hurriedly summoned a painkiller. Would this be enough? No, it probably wouldn’t. Still, I had to make him take this. Because I had to pull the knife out.

‘Can Seon Yi-han endure this?’

The color was already draining from his lips. I quickly poured the potion into his mouth. Seon Yi-han seemed to be in great pain, as he frowned slightly while struggling to swallow the potion.

Seeing Seon Yi-han like this, I had no room to think of anything else. Feeling as if I had half lost my mind, I put a cloth in Seon Yi-han’s mouth and gripped the knife firmly embedded in his shoulder.

What cut me more sharply than the blade touching my hand was the pale face drenched in cold sweat before my eyes. Even if the knife had been embedded in my own body, I don’t think it would have been this agonizing.

Seon Yi-han shook his head violently. My face was reflected in his water-colored eyes, which looked at me desperately as if pleading. Seeing that his focus seemed blurrier than before, there was no time to delay.

“…mmpf, mmpf!”

Seon Yi-han seemed to be trying to say something urgently. I’m sorry. Sorry. Those were the only words I could say. I knew he would be scared, but I couldn’t leave him in this state.

Strength entered the hand gripping the blade. The longer it was delayed, the more Seon Yi-han would suffer.

“I’m sorry. I’ll finish this quickly.”

Seon Yi-han’s eyes widened, and his wavering gaze met mine.

And the moment I pulled the blade out, Seon Yi-han’s eyes flew open for a split second. In the final moment, Seon Yi-han lost consciousness without making a single groan. At the same time, my breath caught in my throat.

Ah. Deep despair makes one forget how to breathe.