Chapter 353

“Hmm…?”

When Koo Hui-seo first entered the room, he completely ignored me and strode towards my body that Garam was possessing. However, when he and Garam-ie made eye contact, the ex-chimera blinked, a bit confused.

Then, Garam suddenly looked at me with a sinister smile before turning back to Koo Hui-seo. “Koo Hui-seo-ssi.”

“…Yes?”

“Will you kneel down?”

I realized that Garam-ie was trying to prank the other man and tried to dissuade him; however, that idiotic Koo Hui-seo knelt in front of my body with an astringent expression.

And, Jung Garam kicked him right in his solar plexus. Koo Hui-seo allowed himself to be pushed back without any resistance.

“Pffthahaha!”

“Stop it, Jung Garam!”

“Huh? Lee-kyung-ssi’s voice…” Despite the sudden kick, Koo Hui-seo stood up smoothly and looked around with a puzzled expression. He then squinted his eyes while gazing directly at my location. It felt as if he was trying to discern my form within a hazy fog.

Soon after, Koo Hui-seo opened his eyes wide and approached me with a tearful gaze, “L-Lee-kyung-ssi… Are you dead?”

Jung Garam sneered at him, “Well, aren’t you a total fool?”

“…Please calm down,” I deactivated the [Possession] skill. I closed my eyes at the dizzying sensation that soon followed; when I opened them again, my position had completely changed.

I sighed when I saw Koo Hui-seo’s puzzled face, “I’ve merely used one of my class skills.”

“You startled me…” Koo Hui-seo sniffled.

However, Jung Garam must have found him pathetic. The young Assassin clicked his tongue, “Trying to squeeze out tears that won’t fall… Despicable.”

“By the way, what brings you here?” I asked.

“Sniff… I, that is… I came because I think Kyungman-ie is going to give birth soon.”

“Ah… Already?” I had expected the arrival of the child to some extent, but my body stiffened as the news came earlier than I thought.

On behalf of my rigid self, Dawon stepped forward, “How many hours does he have left?”

“He’s already in pain; the doctor said it’ll all be finished in around eight hours.”

“Your younger brother–Is he still conscious?”

“Barely… As far as I know, he’s been almost completely out of it for the past month…”

At those words, Dawon-ie looked at Choi Kyung-sik immediately.

I followed his gaze and saw the Alchemist’s hardened expression; I recalled, just then, that Koo Kyungman had played a personal and major part in Choi Kyung-sik’s death. Was he disappointed that we had secured Koo Kyungman long before we summoned him? The alchemist couldn’t really do anything to his own murderer.

As expected, Choi Kyung-sik asked, in a cold but dissatisfied tone, “…If we were to touch his body, the delicate balance would shatter, I suppose?”

“I guess Koo Hui-seo Jr, would be the problem.”

“I need the child…” Koo Hui-seo said awkwardly. Then, in a gentle (as if he were being compassionate) voice, said “I’ve prepared a place for you to watch the birth. Mmm… Well, if you want to watch in the operating room, that’s possible as well.”

“Urgh…” I blanched.

In contrast, Choi Kyung-sik didn’t seem to be disturbed. He murmured, “Still, it’s a bit regretful. I’m dead because my organs melted away. I wanted him to feel the same pain I felt by using the exact poison he used…” As he spoke, Choi Kyung-sik’s eyes suddenly twinkled, and he swiftly raised his arm. He waved it about, as if he were searching for something. Perhaps he was fiddling about in his inventory.

“…I found it.”

Soon after, Choi Kyung-sik took out an unlabeled bottle filled with purple liquid. He shook it, mixing the contents and making sure the glistening powder that had settled on the bottom was well emulsified, and smiled. “Koo Hui-seo-ssi. Please guide me to the hospital room.”

“…I must repeat–Kyung-man-ie has to stay alive until he gives birth.”

“Don’t worry. I just want to check on his condition for dosage control.”

Koo Hui-seo looked distrustful, but he eventually closed his mouth without saying any more. I watched the two of them leave the room with an uneasy gaze.

* * *

Choi Kyung-sik returned sooner than expected. Koo Hui-seo was also calm–it seemed like not much had happened.

Subsequently, Kim Sangyoon, who had been in another room, appeared in a DAA combat uniform and stood by my side with a tense expression. “Lee-kyung-nim, have you been well?”

“Yes. What about Sangyoon-ssi?”

“I’ve been very well!”

Koo Hui-seo’s mansion had a training room, and Kim Sangyoon spent at least 12 hours a day in there as soon as he had recovered.

According to Koo Hui-seo, if more than 70% of the training room was destroyed, a skill called [Automatic Recovery] would trigger. Even if the Warrior destroyed the room with his skills, the room would soon recover. Kim Sangyoon had confined himself in the training room and repeatedly practiced until the [Automatic Recovery] was activated at least four times per day.

Honestly, I didn’t feel good when I heard about that. I was worried that the Warrior was overdoing things after our conversation the other day.

However, contrary to my concerns, Kim Sangyoon’s face was quite bright today. While there had been moments before when his eyes looked a bit lifeless, his current appearance truly conveyed the fact that he had been a professional judo athlete. Even though his dyed hair was fading and showing dark roots, he seemed less disheveled than before… Indeed, a person’s gaze was important to their overall impression.

With a serious look on his face, as if he had suddenly steeled his resolve, Kim Sangyoon said, “Lee-kyung nim. Excuse me, about Seo Dawon-nim…”

“Yes?”

“He’ll come for Koo Kyungman’s thing…right?”

“Ahh, yes…” I was a little embarrassed when I realized that Kim Sangyoon still hadn’t realized that Seo Dawon was always with me. Even now, Seo Dawon was standing by my side, staring at the Warrior.

‘It feels a bit off–I feel like I’m deceiving him, however unintentionally…’

Kim Sangyoon, who couldn’t know what I was thinking, looked towards me with an innocent and sincere expression, “Then, by any chance… Could I request a sparring match from Seo Dawon-nim?”

“Ah…” I looked at Dawon-ie with an ambiguous expression. Dawon-ie looked at Kim Sangyoon with chilly eyes; the corners of his mouth crooked upwards. He laughed, “He doesn’t even need to ask. I’ll shatter Sangyoon-ie’s pride anytime.”

“I… Think he’ll probably agree to it.”

“Oh, Thank you!”

Seeing Kim Sang-yoon’s delight made me feel a little complicated, but, from what I could see, Seo Dae-won was subtly guiding the Warrior’s growth despite his harshness. Of course, the Mage would likely deny it if I voiced those thoughts.

Anyway, that atmosphere didn’t last long. Koo Hui-seo received something on his cell phone and soon pressed the power button on the large TV in the room.

The TV clearly displayed the operating room right next door, seemingly capturing Koo Kyungman’s surgery from the ceiling. Fortunately, any graphic details were obscured by the doctors and their green surgical gowns, so it wasn’t as gruesome as I had anticipated.

“Is he going to give birth through a C-section?” Kim Sangyoon asked.

“Ye~es…”

I didn’t particularly want to see the operation, but I focused on the screen without taking my eyes off. The surgery proceeded in a calm and quiet manner…at least, more than I thought it would.

However, not long afterwards…

“Huh?”

“……”

There was no sound coming through the screen, so I couldn’t know the reason, but I noticed that there was a little fuss. The doctors paused, discussed something, and resumed the surgery.

However, there was something strange about Koo Kyungman’s body. Instead of being tranquil in his anesthetized state, Koo Kyungman seemed to be wriggling and moving erratically.

Before long, Koo Kyungman’s eyes flew open.

[Aaaarrghhh–!]

Though I could hear no sound, I could only imagine that his scream must have been piercing. I watched as his mouth formed distinct shapes.

[What is…This…?]

Koo Kyungman, now almost completely out of his mind, opened his bloodshot eyes and tried to move his immobile neck. However, the doctors continued their work even though his consciousness had returned.

He looked between his legs.

And…

[Nooooo, it can’t beeearghh!]

His jaw hinged open as he screamed.

I could only observe to that extent; I finally closed my eyes. However, that didn’t stop me from hearing Choi Kyung-sik’s commentary.

“Childbirth is one of life’s most meaningful moments; it’d be a waste if he were to sleep through it.”