NS - Chapter 445

Chapter 445

T.w. self harm

      Olim-ie implied that Koo Hui-seo was now broken because of Dawon. I knew, from his recent visit to my hospital room, that he was mentally traumatized, but…

     ‘Dawon caused those mental problems?’

     Just because Koo Hui-seo attacked me?

     Uncomfortable, I looked at Dawon. I understood his reasoning, but I also felt that was excessive.

      However, Dawon remained unfazed by Olim’s words and replied, “Sure, it’s true that I did ‘scold’ him a little… But, it’s not my fault that Koo Hui-seo is in *that* state now.”

      As soon as he finished speaking, disbelieving voices popped up from all corners of the gathering.

     “You didn’t?”

     “It wasn’t you?”

     “Come on, hyung. You’re just fibbing because you’re in front of Ham-Lee-kyung…”

     “I said, I didn’t do that.”

     I wasn’t the only one in disbelief; all the others quipped and offered their two cents as if they were surprised as well. How did Dawon’s image become like this…? He definitely didn’t have this reputation before.

     However, when Dawon-ie firmly denied his involvement yet again, everyone shut their mouths.

     Then, Olim, who had been silent, told him, “Then, why is he like *that*? Every time I see him, he’s trying to hurt himself. I’ve had to stop him more times than I can count.”

     “He’s self-harming?”

     “……”

     Olim didn’t answer my question, but, judging by the atmosphere, the other Servants must have witnessed the same thing.

     Shocked, I looked up at Dawon. He remained composed, analyzing the cause of Koo Hui-seo’s condition with a detached expression. “I only interfered physically. I never inflicted him additional psychological pain. His mind was already cracked—if I had pushed any further, he might have died.”

     “…….”

     “To be honest, I wanted to ruin him completely. At least, at first. I was also completely out of my mind back then. But, I didn’t do that–I didn’t think I needed to.”

      “Then, don’t you think Koo Hui-seo’s illness has worsened right now?” Choi Kyung-sik asked.

      “…Perhaps it’s because of his own guilt.” Dawon answered after a very brief silence. I also instinctively realized where his guilt may have originated.

     ‘Just as I thought… What Koo Hui-seo did to me wasn’t anything he could control.’

      After regaining consciousness, there was no way his fragile mind could endure the consequences of his actions—actions he couldn’t even take responsibility for. So, that was why he kept harming himself, crying, and repeating the cycle…

      “Haah…” I couldn’t stop myself from sighing and releasing deep exhales. Once again, I was reminded of just how different Koo Hui-seo was from ordinary people.

      Rather than facing reality and his problems head on, he kept running away, tormenting himself, and atoning in a way that ultimately helped no one.

      Dawon said, in a cold tone, “I’m no psychiatrist, and I have no obligation to fix his psychosis. I know that it’s ultimately better for him to heal–to add to our power, but… I left him alone since I had my own feelings as well. Further, he wasn’t my priority because Lee-kyung-ie was in critical condition.”

      “Yeah, I get it. I apologize for the misunderstanding–I thought you left him like that deliberately.”

     “No need to apologize.”

     After their light remarks, Olim and Dawon fell silent and closed their mouths. Dawon kept his eyes lowered, as if he were deep in thought.

       However, even if he hadn’t deliberately broken Koo Hui-seo, leaving the ex-chimera in that state wasn’t an option. Whether or not it was our duty to help, it was undeniable that this cursed man was someone we needed.

      And, it seemed as if Dawon also came to the same conclusion.

      Breaking the silence, he said, “But, we can’t keep leaving Koo Hui-seo alone. If we leave him to himself, there’s a high possibility he’ll do something even more dangerous.”

      “…I’ve put someone on his tail.”

      Choi Kyung-sik, likely anticipating the same risk, had taken precautions to ensure Koo Hui-seo wouldn’t spiral too far into his own self-destruction.

        However, Dawon shook his head, “We need to treat him properly.  In his current state, we can’t even make use of the parts that are still useful. And from now on, we should put restraints on him if necessary and utilize every combat capability he has. ‘Those guys’ already know we’ve resurrected.” 

      I thought about who ‘Those guys’ could be. Judging by the atmosphere shift amongst the [Red Lotus] members, it couldn’t be anyone but Bae Jaemin and Lim Jisoo.

      “……”

      “In other words, those guys know our pre-death combat capabilities better than anyone else. That’s why raising the power of our exceptions–Kim Sangyoon, Koo Hui-seo, and Lackey–is important. They’re unpredictable–variables in those guys’ plan.”

      “Understood.”

      “The problem, though… If we want Koo Hui-seo to recover to his previous state quickly, he’ll need to be unconscious for a few days.”

      Olim’s eyebrows raised up as if she were troubled, but she soon agreed and acquiesced to the treatment. “Given his current condition, it would have been impossible for him to attend the VIP invitation event anyway.”

     “Well, that’s true.”

     “Then… Are we going to give up on meeting Lee Dojin this time?” Jung Garam pouted.

      Dawon was briefly silent before looking at Olim-ie. 

     Understanding the meaning behind his gaze, she replied, “…Lee Dojin’s next official event is six months from now.”

     “Then, we’ll have to meet her this time after all.”

      “That’s right. Otherwise, it’ll be too delayed.”

     “How about tracking down Lee Dojin’s residence?” Bang Eunji asked.

     But, once again, Dawon-ie shook his head, “Lee Dojin has dozens of workshops. Each one is fortified with defensive barriers, like a dungeon, to prevent intruders. They’re also interconnected, allowing her to escape to another location at any time. So pinpointing the workshop she’s currently located in is meaningless.”

      ‘She’s certainly meticulous….’ I clicked my tongue as I listened to their conversation. It really seemed like the upcoming event was really the only opportunity to meet her.

      But then, Woo Ragi also turned towards Olim and asked a question, “What time is it? That event or whatever it is.”

     “It starts at about seven o’clock in the evening.”

     “Then, where is Lee Dojin coming from?”

     “Why are you asking about that?”

     “You don’t always have to meet at the event site, right?”

     Olim frowned a little at those words…before opening her eyes wide.

* * *

     “It’s an honor to escort you to where you need to go, Lee Dojin-nim.”

     “Mmn, I’ll be in your care.”

     I walked past the man who bowed politely and stepped into the open backseat of the car. The moment the door closed, I immediately summoned [Charon], my personal assistant and the earth spirit essential for weapon crafting, in order to start designing a new weapon.

      Rather than fulfilling orders that come in first, I tend to gravitate towards projects that seduce me. This time, I pulled out a design for a whip commonly used by dragon knights. This weapon wasn’t necessarily meant for striking dragons but rather for dealing with enemies who attempted to attack the riders…

[Usually, Dragon Knights’ enemies attempt to defeat the rider by climbing onto the dragon’s back using auxiliary hook-like devices. You can… think of them as akin to mountain climbers.]

      “Really?”

[The most common of these weapons is known as a claw—weapons shaped like talons. Similarly, some use snow-chain shoe-like gear on their feet to scratch the dragon’s scales as they climb. Since the ultimate goal is to entangle or sweep away these enemies in one fell swoop, I believe a whip with multiple split ends would be the most effective.]

     “Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. And, if you attach a weight…like this…Every time you hurl this whip over your head, you’d end up doing more damage. But, something’s missing… They wouldn’t have spent 12 billion won for me to make such a plebian, ordinary weapon.”

[The prospective owner who made the request was a 155cm tall woman.]

     “Oho…?”

     I was deeply engrossed in an excited back-and-forth conversation with [Charon] about the weapon’s design when suddenly—screech!–The car came to an unnatural, abrupt stop.

    ‘What on earth….?’

     I frowned at this unusual accident and opened the divide that separated the back seat from the driver’s cubicle. 

      The driver, drenched in sweat, immediately started to make excuses to explain himself, “I-I’m sorry, Lee Dojin-nim. Something strange suddenly appeared on the road…”

     “Something strange?”

     “Yes…”

     I turned to look in the direction of his trembling finger—and there it was. Even I had never seen one in real life, only in the bestiaries. A [Death Knight] stood proudly on the road, bathed in the hues of the setting sun. It rode atop its mount and held its gargantuan sword upright!

—-

TL: “How did Dawon’s image become like this…? He definitely didn’t have this reputation before.”… 

… Lee-kyung. My child… I know you’re glazing Seo Dawon because he’s your boyfriend, but literally everyone has said Dawon had a reputation for being the literal worst and cruel af. Everyone totally expects him to do heinous things to Koo Hui-seo.

Also let’s not stop at therapy for Koo Hui-seo. Let’s give it to e v e r y o n e