Chapter 77

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The place where the conversation was heard was not very far away, but it was a moderately secluded place.

There, Lee Myung-Joon and Alice Blesbuck were facing each other with serious expressions on their faces.

For what reason did Yoo Ji-Hyuk's name come up in their conversation?

It was when Han Soo-Young sneakily approached them with that thought.

“Oh, Soo-Young. What's the matter?”

Alice Blesbuck, who noticed her immediately, smiled.

Lee Myung-Joon looked as if he already knew.

"Oh…… I have some business to attend to.”

“Hm, I see.”

“Um, Have you…… Didn't you say Yoo Ji-Hyuk?"

At her question, Blesbuck tilted her head as if she was wondering what she was talking about.

"Huh? No, I never said.”

"Yes…… I see."

Han Soo-Young, who bowed her head, escaped from the spot as if running away.

Just in case, she hid behind the wall, but the two of them didn't open their mouths as if they knew she was there.

There's no way they wouldn't notice.

While muttering like that, Han Soo-Young wondered why the two of them were making such expressions.

‘What am I doing?’

It's none of my business what happens to him.

As she was thinking like that, she remembered the figure of Yoo Ji-Hyuk she had seen earlier, who was literally wounded to the bone.

When she came to her senses, she was entering a nearby bathroom.

Why on earth am I doing this because of him?

Even though she thought so, Han Soo-Young entered the innermost compartment and locked the door.

As she closed her eyes and concentrated her mind, she immediately felt a familiar sensation.

She looked at herself with complicated eyes, sitting reclining as if she was sleeping, and she immediately moved her mind.

While making excuses to herself that it was only because of curiosity. 

"Is it over?"

“Oh, no one is going to hear us now. Whew…… It could have been a big trouble.”

She can feel something like a veil.

Han Soo-Young approached the same position as before and stopped, thinking that she might be caught.

Fortunately, however, the two didn't seem to notice her.

No one had ever noticed her when she was in this form, and it seemed to be the same this time.

"So what the hell do you mean by that? What about Ji-Hyuk? I know well that there's something hidden about the child."

“I didn’t think it would be that much.”

"Is it because of the fact that there's no record of the past?"

Her eyes narrowed and she began to stare at Lee Myung-Joon.

"If you did a background check on our kids again this time…… .”

At Blesbuck's threat, Lee Myung-Joon muttered, calm down.

Then he sighed softly and said.

"First of all, this is just my hypothesis. I've been thinking about it for a long time...… Yoo Ji-Hyuk, that kid...… .”

“Just get to the point. Ji-Hyuk is what?”

“Actually, I was just going to bury it, but you are intelligent, so you'll definitely find out. So I thought it would be better to talk now. Since you're also involved."

“What the hell are you trying to say right now?"

“That kid, I think, has something to do with the orchard.”

Orchard?

Is that the orchard I know?

Why are those words coming out all of a sudden?

Han Soo-Young focused her mind wondering what the two were talking about.

Soon after, the sound of Alice Blessbuck swallowing her breath was heard.

"It, it can't be."

"Alice."

“It can’t be. The orchard is the story we all ended that day. And I checked all the data. Yoo Ji-Hyuk, information about that child…… .”

“There's no law that there should be only one such facility. You remember, how much money they invested in it.”

At his words, Professor Blesbuck shut her mouth.

Soon after, seeing her face contorted with guilt and regret, Lee Myung-Joon said with a sad expression on his face.

“It’s not your fault. How could they have taken your research and used it as they please...… .”

"I was the one who allowed it at first.”

Professor Blesbuck spat out in a voice distorted with grief.

“It's no excuse to simply say that I didn't know. If I had known how much that research could be misused, I should have been more careful... !”

"You didn't do it with any bad intentions, either. Because of the curse in your blood...… .”

“Does that make what I did go away? Would the people who died because of me and my research be satisfied with that story? Would they?"

"It's already past."

"You said that just now! That child might have been subjected to human experimentation because of my research!”

When she said so out of the blue, Han Soo-Young wondered for a moment if she had heard it wrong.

Human experimentation.

Even though it was only a combination of two words, she felt like her heart was jolting and sinking.

“Please, Myung-Joon. Please? Say it's a lie. Just say it...… .”

Alice Blesbuck clenched her teeth and muttered.

“Lyle, it’s really hard for me to atone for that one child…… People whose faces and names I don't even know yet appear in my dreams. But  if there are more...… .”

Lee Myung-Joon said, gently releasing her hand that had grabbed his collar.

“The fact that no traces of the past were found, that he had inside information about the Red Case, and that he was fully aware of their plans.”

Every time he continued, she was just listening quietly.

“He uses poison there. And even power related to the World Tree. You know it too. What kind of experiment was done at that facility, and who were the other collaborators. And how those who were alive died."

“… The people who were trapped died because they couldn't withstand the toxins produced by their own blood and organs. And in addition to the Red Case, the Thorns Cross Society was also directly involved."

"Yes."

Lee Myung-Joon nodded gravely.

The operation at that time was known as a success on the surface.

However, for the people who participated in the operation that day, it remained as a memory that was nothing more than a failure, far from being a success. 

And it was the same story for Lee Myung-Joon.

He continued his words, trying to bury the guilt creeping up in his memory.

“And he detoxified the poison that had poisoned Esmeralda Lysnerger with his own blood."

"*Fatigued sound*…… .”

The core of her research was nothing other than blood.

It might have been inevitable, given that she inherited her vampire blood, but at least she herself would not have known that it would bind him in this way.

“And, crucially, he asked me to bring him into the orchard.”

“Into the orchard?”

"Yes. There must be nothing left already. I don't know why he wanted to go in there...….”

Meanwhile, Alice Blesbuck muttered blankly.

“Purification Potion.”

"What?"

"Come to think of it, Ji-Hyuk once asked me to help make a Purification Potion.”

The Purification Potion was mainly used in three cases.

One is to lift curses on the body, mind, or objects.

One is to annihilate or weaken the undead.

Finally, the third is to pay tribute to the souls of those who have already died, or to offer them to the grave as a gesture of condolence.

Recognizing that fact, Blesbuck slowly sat down.

“Alice, pull yourself together!”

“Myung-Joon.”

Alice Blesbuck mumbled blankly.

"What should I do now?"

"Alice."

“Should I go and get down on my knees? It's because of me that you've suffered such a fate, I, I'm one of your enemies...… Should I say that?"

“Alice, get a grip."

"What should I do…… .”

“Alice Blesbuck, listen to me.”

Lee Myung-Joon opened his mouth with a firm voice as if to say get a grip.

"Why do you think I'm saying this to you? Do you think I said this to simply increase the guilt you feel?"

"Huh?"

He got down on one knee and grabbed her shoulder hard.

“The Red Case and the Thorns Cross Society have been doing such a thing for years and desperately trying to get it. And out of hundreds of people, there is only one living success case that has been confirmed now, that child. Do you understand what I'm talking about?"

"No way…… .”

"Think that the Red Case finds out. Or the Thorn Cross Society.”

Lee Myung-Joon whispered quietly.

“And think about what they are going to do when they find out, and what they're going to do him if he's taken away."

It was only then Alice Blesbuck's face began to turn white, realizing his words.

Lee Myung-Joon muttered quietly.

“And he's burning his revenge on the Red Case by risking his own life. He has somehow managed to overcome it so far, but there is no guarantee that he will do so in the future. Honestly, it's a miracle he's even alive right now."

“Myu, Myung-Joon…… .”

“Get your mind straight. We have to protect the kid from them.”

Lee Myung-Joon whispered quietly.

“As you said, the time has come to make the atonement we hadn’t paid on that day.”

That was the end of it.

Han Soo-Young's mental strength couldn't stand it any longer.

“… Keuk, hoeuk!”

Han Soo-Young, who woke up, knelt down as if she were falling down.

Perhaps because of hyperventilation, her mind was hazy and her vision was blurred.

As she closed and opened her eyes, tears welled up in her eyes, whether it was because of pain, or something else, she had no way of knowing.

Han Soo-Young immediately got out of the bathroom and stepped outside the building.

As she walked as if she was being chased by something, the events of the past were flashing in her mind.

What did he think when she brought and introduced their family and master, Nam Hyun-Hwa, while he was alone?

Why did he not share his personal story with others and start by asking for help?

Why did he always act as if he was drawing a line, like he was telling others not to approach?

What on earth was he thinking when she said she couldn't trust him earlier?

“…… .”

It was when she was sitting blankly on a park bench inside the hospital.

There was a squeak and a wheelchair sound.

“Oh, you were here.”

Yoo Ji-Hyuk was sitting in the wheelchair.

Behind him, Choi Hyun-Woo was pushing a wheelchair.

It was hard to see him in such a mess that he couldn't even push a wheelchair by himself.

No matter how many potions were poured into recovery magic...… No, it was because of those he was like that now.

So how serious was his condition before that?

“Um, that…… I'm sorry. As you said, I guess I was just making excuses for no reason. To be honest, I can understand what you were saying that.”

No.

Don't apologize to me now.

Thinking like that, Han Soo-Young turned her head.

“I’m really sorry. I was insensitive. Somehow the situation got strange, and honestly, I didn't think it would go this far either. It's not that I didn't trust you or that I hid it on purpose. I just want you to know this...… .”

“… Don’t say anything.”

"Huh? No, um. I'm really sorry. Can you give me a chance to apologize...… .”

"Don't say it, please."

Han Soo-Young muttered quietly.

At that sight, Choi Hyun-woo tilted his head slightly. 

"It's not like I'm mad at you. Really, it's not really like that...… .”

Please leave me alone for now.

Han Soo-Young muttered with difficulty as if requesting.

Yoo Ji-Hyuk was quietly perplexed by her appearance, and Choi Hyun-Woo gave a small sigh.

“We'd better talk about it again later.”

At her words, Yoo Ji-Hyuk nodded his head as if he understood.

Even after the two of them disappeared, Han Soo-Young just curled her body and lowered her head.

This was something she couldn't tell anyone.

She couldn't even speak to Choi Hyun-woo or Nam Hyun-Hwa.

No, Was it okay for me to hear this secret in the first place? 

She was resentful of herself just now.

And she tried to push him to believe how a human being who doesn't even tell his story could be trusted...… .

“…… .”

She couldn't even imagine how he had been feeling all this time.

The reason she was able to endure this time was only because of Choi Hyun-Woo and Nam Hyun-Hwa.

The fact that she had spent more time in her mother's womb than she had been at her parents' hands had at times been too hard for her to bear.

But he…… .

“…… .”

It must be because of the Red Case that he got hurt like that.

Come to think of it, it was Thorns Cross Society that had attacked the five streets before.

Okay.

She felt like she knew now.

Why she had learned magic by making such a bloody effort under Nam Hyun-Hwa.

She felt like she knew now.

Red Case.

Thorns Cross Society.

Han Soo-Young muttered quietly as if she would never forget.

* * *

“Let me ask you something.”

As time passed, most of the others returned.

The last ones left were Choi Hyun-Woo and Han Soo-Young.

And still Han Soo-Young hadn't returned to the room, so only Choi Hyun-Woo was guarding them.

After confirming that Yoo Ji-Hyuk was asleep, Choi Hyun-Woo quietly spoke to Jin Ye-Seul as if whispering.

"You knew everything, didn't you?"

At Choi Hyun-Woo's cold question, Jin Ye-Seul, who was pretending to be sleeping, opened her eyes and smiled.

“No?”

"You really didn't know we were outside?"

Choi Hyun-Woo let out a low laugh.

“Ji-Hyuk, his body is in a lot of pain, and it must have been because of the painkillers. But it's hard to believe that you did it when you were fine.”

“I can't understand why you are doing this for?”

Jin Ye-Seul giggled and laughed.

Her attitude and speaking skills, which deliberately stimulated her opponent, were like opposites for Choi Hyun-Woo, who was even honest.

And Choi Hyun-Woo himself was well aware of that.

“But this time it wasn't real.”

Jin Ye-Seul slightly stretched and raised herself.

When she turned her head to look to the side, Yoo Ji-Hyuk was in a state of mindless sleep, whether it was because of the narcotic painkiller, or accumulated fatigue.

It was a defenseless appearance.

That is why Choi Hyun-Woo remained here.

"This time?"

"Yes."

“You sound like you did something last time.”

“Well, maybe……Maybe not...… .”

Jin Ye-Seul, who slipped out of the blanket, leaned against the window and looked at Choi Hyun-Woo.

It was as if she were looking at a well-forged sword.

Jin Ye-Seul just laughed at the ferocious spirit that seemed like it would cut her down if she approached without knowing anything.

"Then can you answer one thing?”

Jin Ye-Seul looked at him intently.

“Are Ji-Hyuk and Soo-Young dating? Or ...... By chance do you and Ji-Hyuk have that kind of relationship?"

Choi Hyun-Woo didn't answer.

But Jin Ye-Seul only laughed as if she was happy that his momentum had become even fiercer.

"Oh, that's a relief."

What I have to do from now on is not to break his friendship with his friends.

She muttered as if talking to herself.

And when Choi Hyun-Woo heard those words, he just thought quietly.

After all, I don't know anyone else, but I don't think I can get along with Jin Ye-Seul.

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