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Chapter 140

If I were to describe Noel’s impression, it would be like glass. Transparent glass that seems like it would shatter with just the slightest touch at the fingertips.

Perhaps it wasn’t solely due to her delicate appearance. The entire environment within this cabin was structured entirely around Noel, which made that impression even easier to grasp.

The scenery inside the cabin was different from what Yeon-woo had seen before the summer break. Where it previously felt like a simple room, now the furniture seemed to have gathered all around the bed.

A basin by the window, a bookshelf next to the bedside, and remnants of meals left on the desk.

It was as if everything was designed to allow one to handle everything while sitting on the bed.

“You look like you think this is a house where someone who can’t move lives.”

“Oops.”

Noel muttered to herself while watching Shar and Tae-oh play outside with Momo through the window, sending chills down Yeon-woo’s spine. Because she was indeed thinking just that.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s not entirely untrue.”

And yet, she says it so casually? With a smile, Noel pushed herself up from the head of the bed where she had been leaning.

Using the wooden cane that had been propped against the bed, Noel slowly extracted her lower body from the blankets and stood on the floor.

Yeon-woo could do nothing but watch anxiously.

Experience had taught her that most people with mobility issues didn’t appreciate unsolicited help. So, if Noel needed assistance, Yeon-woo wanted to be ready to help whenever she called.

“Whew…”

Though it was covered by blankets and hard to see, Noel, wobbling slightly yet supporting herself on the cane, was wearing pajama shorts. Yeon-woo’s gaze instinctively drifted to the bare skin exposed beneath her soft thighs.

There was no impure intention behind it. It was just that something could not help but catch her eye regarding her legs.

“Is it really okay for you to get up, Noel?”

“I told you it’s fine. I know my body, okay?”

Yeon-woo thought that she did not look fine at all. There was nothing wrong with her upper thighs. The problem lay beneath her knees.

Something purple spread below her knees as if blood was flowing along the veins, or as if purple roots were growing beneath her skin, spreading like branches.

It might just look like an unusual tattoo at first glance.

However, Yeon-woo instinctively realized what it was and gathered mana at her eyes.

As Yeon-woo’s pupils glowed golden, she began to dissect what was visible in her sight.

“…What happened to you?”

“W-Why are you so scared suddenly? Your eyes look strange too.”

“It’s a boring special trait. How did this happen?”

Boring special trait? What does that even mean…?

As she mumbled this, Noel, shivering slightly, opened her mouth again.

“I-I’m a hero, you know… right?”

“Yeah, I heard. I don’t know the details, though.”

“Phew, that’s a relief. Then you must know that there’s something called a demon lord’s commander. I somehow managed to take one of those down, but after killing it, this happened.”

“Right… Could that be getting worse?”

“Huh? How did you know? But don’t worry, it doesn’t seem to be contagious.”

Noel answered brightly as she took one slow step after another. Meanwhile, Yeon-woo was comparing the symptoms she had seen before her return with what was right in front of her now.

‘Diminished function in the area where the pattern has appeared, slowly expanding… The symptoms are pretty much the same. It’s not a hundred percent, but at least ninety-five percent sure.’

She would need to hear the exact details, but perhaps she could prevent another disaster from approaching in the future.

First, after getting Noel to where the children were playing with Momo, Yeon-woo decided to exit the gate and wait for Yuri in the Department Head’s Office.

Noel had only moved about thirty steps, yet she was sweating profusely and looked exhausted. It seemed she wouldn’t be moving for a while.

Sitting on the sofa in the Department Head’s Office while waiting for Yuri, it wasn’t long before Yuri opened the door and walked in.

“Whoa, what a surprise! What are you doing sitting here?”

“I have something to discuss with my teacher. You don’t have to worry about Noel; she’s playing nicely with the kids inside.”

“Right, you’d handle it well, wouldn’t you? So? What’s the matter?”

“One of them is this.”

Yeon-woo placed the envelope she had been holding onto the coffee table. Seeing this, Yuri sat down on the sofa across from her.

“What is this… Hmm? Wait a second. Can I open it?”

“Of course, it’s fine. I brought this to consult with you about where to use it.”

With a squint of disbelief, Yuri picked up the envelope. An indescribable refreshing energy was seeping out from the opening of the tightly rolled envelope.

“What the heck is this? How did you get it!? Did you steal it or something!?”

“No way! How could I steal it? Can you imagine me stealing from you, teacher?”

Yuri, unable to contain her shock, reached the point where she treated her only disciple like a criminal. Yeon-woo understood this wasn’t an unusual situation, as it was indeed something to be alarmed about.

“No, but… How on earth did you get your hands on this? I received reports that you increased your achievements at the Namgung family, but still, it shouldn’t qualify you for the Changgyeondan!”

That was one part Yeon-woo didn’t quite know. Namgung-yang had suddenly brought the Changgyeondan on the last day when he normally delivered the Cheongneudan. What kind of logical explanation could be provided for this? In the end, she decided to be honest.

“…The Changgyeong Sword King gave it to me as a gift.”

“…? That old man has lost his marbles?”

“He seemed perfectly sane to me, but I’m a bit unsure too. After all, he threw it to me as a gift.”

The Changgyeondan was thought to be that exceptional. For example, when one considers the ice crystal received from the Ice Palace, it was regarded as a medium-level elixir for ice users, and an upper-level elixir for non-users.

So how valuable would the Changgyeondan be? It would be comparable to the ultimate elixir of everlasting ice crystals, something irreplaceable for any user, regardless of their martial arts type.

There were no restrictions based on types of martial arts, and it affected not just mana but also the purity of mana paths, and even the basic and most crucial aspects of warriors, making it a supreme elixir.

It’s no wonder that if one offers such a thing, multiple groups would rush in, willing to lay everything down for it.

“Congrats on getting something great. Make sure to ask the old man for some guidance when consuming it. With a potion like the Changgyeondan, if you’re not careful, it could be tough even for you to control.”

“Ah, about that…”

As Yeon-woo smacked her lips, Yuri squinted her eyes.

“Are you seriously planning to refuse to eat it? A hero like you refusing the Changgyeondan? Did you somehow catch dementia from Namgung-yang?”

“…If I have the Changgyeondan, I can definitely heal Noel. No disadvantages, no aftereffects.”

“Come on, you idiot. You think you can heal someone who’s already dead with a miracle drug? You think the Changgyeondan will help?”

Believing Yeon-woo was joking, Yuri scoffed.

And really, she had a point. Yuri would have become the Department Head to heal Noel’s ailment, and until now, even the best doctors, even the saint, had only managed to maintain her condition.

“Teacher, I really can heal her. I promise. I’ve never been wrong when I’ve said I could do something.”

“…That’s true, but… No one can even guess the cause of that girl’s illness, and you really expect a fifteen-year-old to be able to heal her? Isn’t that hard to believe?”

“You’re right. But what’s important is who the girl is. Who am I, teacher?”

Yeon-woo’s gaze met Yuri’s. Noticing how serious Yeon-woo’s eyes were shining more than ever, Yuri opened her mouth.

“…This isn’t a good deal for you. You have that precious Changgyeondan, and even if you heal the girl, you won’t gain anything. Outwardly, the girl will appear to have no issues and will just be resting. There’s no fame in that either.”

“Were you worried about that part? Don’t worry; I’m taking care of my own gains in my way.”

“What exactly are you gaining from this? There’s nothing left for you.”

Suddenly, Yuri slammed her hand onto the coffee table, raising her voice in agitation. What’s up with this person getting angry over something like this?

“A person lived! A hero at that! That’ll definitely be helpful someday. For me, or someone else.”

No matter how calmly Yeon-woo spoke, Yuri stared at her with a face filled with frustration.

*

In the Department Head’s Office, after Yeon-woo had left, Yuri leaned back tiredly against the sofa. She wasn’t pleased with this situation.

Yuri loved children. Not in a strange way, but simply believed that children were the most precious thing in this world.

Perhaps that’s why she had always avoided even associating with those who abused children. Not only that, but she had often rushed in to smash groups that engaged in child trafficking.

That was a duty and an obligation that Yuri believed she needed to fulfill as an adult.

However, for some time now, the world had started to feel suffocating. A child barely nine years old being chosen by the goddess as the hero to save the world, and other worlds training children as elite hunters from a young age.

Truly absurd circumstances. It was utterly frustrating. That was why the old man had insisted on teaching heroes himself.

That, too, had not lasted long as he could no longer bear to watch people suffer.

It felt like the world was forcing Yuri to accept the flow of the times.

If it was natural for Yuri, as an elder, to protect children, then it meant that there would also be kids willing to protect people whose names and faces they didn’t even know, despite their young age.

Her newly admitted disciple was a similar child. One eager to save lives, no matter the cost to herself.

She would rather they pursued fame instead. If they were blinded by wealth, she could at least understand them. Yet, her disciples always held onto the belief that such things were secondary.

The old man found this infuriating.

Even after gaining the title of Sword Saint, there were still so many things he couldn’t do. Despite mastering every sword, he could only wish for things he couldn’t achieve while holding a sword.

Staring down at the splendidly shining Changgyeondan occupying his palm, Yuri could only sigh.

(Continued in the next part)

 

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