Capítulo 36: The Hero’s Comeback
[You're really making a mess of things, huh?]
A familiar and yet unfamiliar male voice.
[It's not like I don't understand why... But this is dangerous, you know? Even if it's you, causality will swing back like a bitch. Going this far while you're still unprepared will bite you in the ass in the long run. It'll be fine for a while, but...]
I know. Even so, I have to do it, don't I?
[True. The ripples started from the moment you arrived, so the only way to stop them is to cause more. But it's going to end poorly for you later. At least, you're gonna be in for a world of hurt.]
It's fine. I can take it.
[Heh. Well, I'll leave you be again. Thought I'd check in since our connection got even thinner than before. But I will say one thing.]
Yeah?
[...You're really gonna be a coward and not commit to any of those girls, huh?]
...Says the guy who committed to Seonhwa, picked up Seohui, and then lost to everyone else and hurt everyone.
[...Tch. Can't argue with you there.]
A figure that looked similar to me- No, to 'Seol Jihu'. He turned his back and walked off with a spear over his shoulder, black armor clattering as he did.
[Take care of yourself... And balance that energy. It's going to kill you sooner rather than later if you don't.]
I'll remember that.
With a wave, the guy vanished.
At the same time-
"He's coming back! His heart started again!"
"But this is bad! His left arm is rotting away from the inside and his legs... What kind of monsters did he fight to get to this state? No, what kind of monster is he to live even when his body is like this?"
-I heard some frantic voices.
I couldn't see anything. I couldn't feel anything. The only sense I had was my hearing.
But I didn't need senses to perceive where I was.
[Temple of Luxuria, Emergency Room]
You are currently undergoing severe emergency healing.
Priests present: 3
Ah. So Flone managed to bring me here properly. That's good.
"What do we do? Healing water and Massive healing spells aren't working!"
"Didn't you hear the royal order? This man is the hero of Haramark! If he dies here, all of our heads are on the line!"
"But... what can we do?! The wounds... they aren't even something a person should be capable of having while alive! Trying to heal that-"
Suddenly, a hush fell over the room. At the same time, I heard soft footsteps come in. Soon after, a calm and refined female voice echoed. "Get out. I'll treat him."
A gasp. "But Lady Yu-!"
"Out."
Footsteps shuffled, and then I heard that same set of footsteps that entered the room approach me. After that...
"...Meanie. I was so worried."
A grumbling female voice that was chastising and yet filled with relief.
After that, I felt a light touch on my left arm and then my heart.
The woman... No. I knew who it was.
Seo Yuhui sighed and said, "If she knew you were doing things like this... I wonder. Would she throw everything away to run to your side?"
'She?'
A faint rustling. Probably Seo Yuhui shaking her head. "No, I should be considerate... Hah. Still... You idiot. Who told you to work this hard?"
It couldn't be helped, you know?
"Cure Critical Wounds."
Seo Yuhui's voice rang out. The moment it did, a bright light filled the area, visible even through my dim senses.
A warm power, gently seeping into every corner of my body.
But it wasn't enough. Something like that would be enough to heal an ordinary life-threatening injury, but it wasn't enough to bring back my body that was already just mince meat.
"H-Huh?"
Her panicked voice.
"T-That should have...?! C-Cure Critical Wounds!"
Again, she cast the spell.
Again, I felt the warm energy seep into my body.
But it wouldn't heal me. I could already tell. Still, it gave me enough to work with.
The fundamental problem... Right. That guy mentioned it. I had too much destructive energy in me. Energies that a human body wasn't meant to handle. So then, in order to balance that, I needed some healing energy. So...
I took the energy from the spell Yuhui cast and circulated it. Carefully drawing out threads from my core, enhancing the spell, supporting it.
And then, like that, my senses began to return. Well, mostly pain. But pain meant that it was healing.
A relieved sigh. Yuhui's.
Hearing that, it seemed like I wasn't going to drop dead anytime soon.
So... since it's like this...
It's fine if I take a nap, right?
xxx
That day, early in the morning, an unbelievable piece of news spread throughout Paradise.
The Warrior that saved Teresa Hussey and destroyed the mass production factory returned alive. Although he was in critical condition due to the wounds suffered along the way, the important point was that he lived, fought, and returned with his life.
xxx
In the Haramark Royal Palace, Teresa stared blankly at the report in her hands. The news sent to her by the priests in the Temple of Luxuria. The news that the one who saved her had returned alive.
Crumpling it in her hands, she shook her head and muttered, "You idiot. Who told you to try and be my hero?" While the words sounded bitter, there was a watery smile on her face.
xxx
In Carpe Diem, around the first floor.
"What?! Seol's back?" Chohong blinked and then shook her head. "That's... You're kidding me, right?"
Ian shook his head. "Flone came back late last night after dropping him off at the temple." The Alchemist let out a wry smile and said, "Our friend is a bit prone to dramatic timing it seems."
Chohong blinked and then said, "Wait, then is he there right now? Let's go!"
"Well, I'd love to check in on our friend as well, but that might be a bit hard at the moment..."
"Why? Were his injuries that bad?"
"Yes. It seems like our friend went a tad overboard in the return trip..."
Hugo yawned and walked down from the stairs above. Seeing Ian standing next to Chohong, he waved and said, "Morning Ian. We ready to go?"
"Morning, Hugo. As for our trip... Well, it seems like our friend decided to make it irrelevant on us. You see-"
The door slammed open.
Did she not want to wait?
Before either of the men could react, Chohong was already gone.
xxx
And then, somewhere in Scheherazade.
A beautiful woman with silky black hair and sharp dark eyes stared out a window. With her back turned to a man kneeling on the ground in front of her desk, she said, "Did that guy really survive on his own?"
"Yes, Lady. We're looking into the matter, but it seems to be the case. While one of his comrades brought him to the Temple of Luxuria for healing, it would appear that he returned from the ruins of the laboratory on his own."
"Interesting... And you say that he's only a Level 2 Warrior?"
"So it would appear."
"Hm..." Yun Seohui walked back to her desk and glanced over the report. "Seol Jihu, is it? The Hero of Haramark..."
xxx
The news spread quickly. But even so, the subject of that news was completely oblivious to the world.
xxx
I had a dream. No, was I dreaming?
I couldn't quite tell.
It was an odd setting. Bodies littered the ground, both Parasites and humans. A wasteland filled with blood and entrails from countless clashes.
Among it all, only I was alive.
My body was cold. Sapped dry. Even with all my power, I had been worked to the bone. Only grit and determination were moving my body now.
How long did I walk?
I didn't know, but I knew I had to keep moving. That I had to find someone.
And eventually, I saw it. A warm light, a soft presence.
I couldn't remember what it was. Who that was. But my body did.
A faint voice, soft and melodious. "Go back."
An order. Directed not to me, but to the one standing in front of her.
That... I couldn't recognize it. My vision- No, my senses were failing me. After all, it was only through my will that my body continued to move.
But that was enough.
"My answer is the same no matter how many times you ask me."
I swept my hand to the side, clearing the path before me. At the same time, I drew my sword... No. It was missing, so I conjured a blade and stepped forward.
Raising it, I muttered, "Get... away from her."
xxx
A private chamber in the back of Haramark's Temple of Luxuria. One reserved for Seo Yuhui.
There, a Level 6 Bishop from the main temple had come to try and convince Yuhui to return.
But she was adamant. She did not wish to return.
The Bishop tried to convince her one last time.
And then the door clicked open.
The Bishop reflexively looked towards it, but then found himself faced with a young man wielding a sword of ominous crimson light. His eyes were blank, but they were steady, fixed upon the Bishop's body.
The Bishop blinked and tried to move. But before he could, the sword was at his neck. Staring at him, the young man said in a quiet but firm voice. "Get... away from her."
Tremendous killing intent, like the devil incarnate. Even among resentful spirits, the Bishop had never felt such malice.
Seo Yuhui looked up and then sighed. "Jihu. Stop it."
The youth's gaze flicked towards Seo Yuhui. However, his sword arm never wavered. "...Threat..."
"It's fine. We were just having a conversation."
The youth stared at the Bishop and tilted his head.
The expression of a butcherer wondering how best to cleave apart the meat from a carcass.
"Jihu! You're still healing, so you need to lay down and rest! Don't make me tell the others on you!" Seo Yuhui scolded him.
The Bishop started sweating. This... who was this man? And why was he here? No, to be that protective of Lady Yuhui...?
"...Fine..." The youth lowered his sword after heavy reluctance. Still, it seemed that he didn't want to let down his guard since he staggered his way over to Seo Yuhui, leaning against the wall behind her. Of course, since he wasn't completely conscious, he slowly started to slump to the ground.
Seo Yuhui sighed and then pulled the youth onto her lap. With that done, she gazed down at him with a gentle smile and began tousling his hair. "You dummy. Get some proper sleep. I'll be fine."
"...Worried..." The youth mumbled.
"I know, I know. But I'm worried about you too, you know? And a lot of other people too. So sleep well and rest up. Okay?"
"Mm..." After that last response, the young man's eyes finally closed, the sword in his hand dispersing into motes of light.
When she saw that, Seo Yuhui sighed and turned her gaze back to the Bishop. "Sorry about that. His instincts seem to kick in when he's unconscious so he doesn't have the rationale to stop them." A faint smile crossed her face and she said, "Honestly. He should really be thinking about himself more in this situation instead of trying to protect me."
Seeing that, the Bishop could only absently nod. "That's... understandable."
Seo Yuhui sighed. "Maybe this is my fault though. It would have been fine if I just let him be, but since I kept coming in and out of the room... maybe he's worried that something's happening?"
"I... see." The Bishop blankly nodded. That was all he could do.
"Excuse us. I should get him back to bed." Saying that, Seo Yuhui picked up the young man and walked off, leaving the Bishop alone.
The Bishop sat there for a long time, his brain trying and failing to comprehend what had just happened.
The infamous ice wall, not only gingerly caring for a young man, but going out of her way to carry him back to his room. That same young man being so driven as to threaten attack despite apparently being on his sickbed, approaching with just the faint acknowledgement that Yuhui was in danger.
Still unable to wrap his head around it, the Bishop decided to simply leave, hoping that it would make sense when he had time to himself.
xxx
A clean and pristine white room. A window allowed sunlight to filter in from the side and there were a few chairs off to the side for guests.
I was lying on a bed. That was the first thing I realized. So then, to gather my bearings, I sat up. But when I did-
*BANG*
-The door leading out of the room slammed open. Not long after, a woman marched into the room. Her milky white skin was flushed, and her shirt, a white tank top, was slightly damp from sweat, clinging to her body.
When she entered the room, she froze, her eyes locking onto mine.
I stared at her, my mind still a bit foggy, and tried to recall who she was.
"You..." The woman opened her mouth to say something, but immediately closed it. As if wishing to say a thousand words but unable to express herself, she simply stood there for a few moments, staring. But then, after exchanging glances a few more times, she said, "Say something. What are you looking at? Did you forget my face in just a week?"
Clipped words. Rushed. They sounded rude, but I had the sense that they weren't said out of that sentiment, but due to embarrassment.
Still...
"I'm... sorry?" I stared at her, frowning.
"You're... sorry?" The woman looked confused.
I slowly nodded and said, "I can't quite remember who you are right now. But it seems like you know me... Right?"
The woman's eyes widened. At the same time, she started to tremble. "Th-That's.... You're shitting me, right? R-Right now. That's just a joke, right? P-Payback since I wasn't any help?"
I frowned. "No. That would be really cruel. I... honestly don't remember you. No. I do. But..."
A fuzzy feeling. Like memories mixing together.
What was it? How did I get here?
A hospital bed... No. This wasn't a hospital bed. This was a treatment room. And a treatment room in... Wait. I can just use my insight.
I stared at the woman and-
*static*
-I remembered.
[Chong Chohong]
Level 4 Warrior from Carpe Diem.
Your fellow comrade and a good friend.
Emotionally shaken.
Chohong. Right. Her name was Chohong. And this place was Paradise. But...
"What about Dylan?" Chohong stepped forward, slowly approaching me. "And Hugo? What about Carpe Diem? Elysium? Ian? Flone?"
Familiar names. Flashes of faces and places in my head.
Chohong reached the edge of the bed and knelt down to look at me, her eyes red. "You really forgot... everything?"
I frowned, trying to gather my thoughts.
"You... don't remember even a single name? That can't be, right? Right?"
Chohong stared at me, her usually strong gaze weak and frail.
Seeing that was... wrong. And with that wrong, I remembered.
Static filling my mind. No, not static. Memories. Clutching my temple at the sensation, I shook my head and looked up at Chohong.
She stared back, her eyes tearing up.
Seeing that, I reached out and brushed them away. "Crying doesn't suit you, Cho... Chohong. Right?"
She froze, the tears stopping in an instant. After that, she looked up, hope growing.
I nodded, the memories slotting back into place. "Right. Chohong. And this place is... Ah. I got it now." Glancing around, I could see some faint symbols. Markings of Luxuria. "This is the Temple of Luxuria, right? Looks like Flone dragged my sorry ass here after I fainted." I sighed and scratched the back of my head. "Sorry to worry you, Chohong."
"You... You idiot." Even though the words were harsh, a bright smile was on her face. She sniffed and brushed away her tears. "Who told you to go and play hero on us? We already lost Dylan, so if you were gone too, I-"
"Jihu!" Footsteps raced from the corridor outside, and then a beautiful woman with silver hair and blue eyes ran inside. "You're awake!"
Before I could react, the woman ran forward and jumped at me. But, probably considerate of my injuries, she turned herself into a half-mist state. Thus, when she collided, it only felt like a soft wind struck me.
I smiled and hugged her back. "It's a bit too early to act this excited, Flone."
She smiled and giggled before curling up next to me like a cat.
Chohong stared at her for a moment before muttering, "Of course. You would remember her first."
I shifted Flone to the side and said, "To be fair, Chohong, Flone was the one who brought me here and literally the last person I saw before I fell unconscious from my injuries. If I *didn't* remember her, that would be a serious problem."
"Aw! I love you too, Jihu!"
Chohong glared at Flone and said, "Aren't you married? Quit clinging to Seol like an unmarried maiden."
"Even if I was, I'm a widow now. So that's fine, right?"
I sighed and said, "Could you two behave? I've still got a bit of a headache."
"...Sorry, Jihu."
"Sorry Seol."
I shook my head and adjusted my position in my bed to look at the two. But as I did, more footsteps echoed from outside and a refined voice drifted in.
"It's quite noisy in here."
"What? Is Oppa flirting with his other girls this early in the morning?"
Two women entered the room, each carrying a basket in their hands.
The first was a refined blonde woman with glasses and a maid outfit.
The other was a younger blonde woman with a bit of a childish air, wearing only a large white T-shirt.
"Claire? Maria?" I blinked and said, "What are you two doing here?"
Chohong stood up and turned around. "Right. Why are you here? And that bi- I mean, Miss Maria too?"
Maria scoffed. "Obviously I'm here to check up on Oppa. We're friends, so I should do that much, right?" She placed her basket on the table nearby and hopped into a chair.
Chohong blinked and then looked at Claire. "And you, Miss Agnes?"
"I'm... here to see my disciple." She muttered that, but as she did, her right hand adjusted the ring on her left ring finger.
Seeing that, Flone's eyes narrowed a bit.
Claire noticed and coughed, flushing a light red. "In any case. Jihu." She looked at me and held up her basket. "Would you like some fruits?"
It was an odd expression to see on someone usually so stern and severe. But I took it in stride and nodded, giving a smile in return. "I'd love some. I haven't had breakfast yet, so fruits would be great."
"Psh." Maria scoffed and dug around her basket. "Who cares about some dinky fruits. I brought some liquor, so let's have a party to celebrate Oppa's return!"
Chohong rounded on Maria and said, "Are you insane? You're trying to get a patient to drink hard liquor?"
Maria froze. "That's... Huh. For once your dumbass brain makes sense."
"Dumbass brain?! You're the fucking bitch who-"
Seeing the two break out into a fierce argument, I tuned them out and focused on Claire instead.
She walked over, sitting on my left, and placed her basket on her lap. Once that was done, she pulled out an apple and began peeling it with a knife.
Flone seemed content to just lean against me, so I let her be and looked at Claire.
"Are your injuries healed?"
Claire nodded and said, "I am in perfect health. Better than before I was injured, in fact." She glanced at her left hand and then gave me a sidelong stare. "All thanks to the gift that you gave me prior to the mission."
I let out a sigh and smiled. "That's a relief. I was worried that there might be lasting effects, but I'm glad that there aren't any."
"Yes. The ring was very effective. However, Jihu. Why did you-"
Before she could finish it, the door slammed open again, revealing a large black man wearing a tank top and jeans. He quickly scanned the room and then charged at me, his eyes teary. "Seol! Seooooool!"
Before he could take two steps though, a sheathed rapier reached out and hooked his shirt, pulling him back. After that, a bright and suave voice echoed. "Now, now, Hugo. Let our friend Jihu get his rest. Thehero is still recovering from his arduous journey, you know?"
Ian stepped into the room and winked.
Shortly after...
"Mister Seol! I knew that you would get back alive!"
"Good work, and congratulations."
Mikhail and Veronika came...
"You really were alive. Thank the gods... And once more, thank you for saving my sister."
Kazuki came.
And finally...
"My hero! You're back and alive!"
...Teresa arrived, dressed in a soft pink gown and a silver tiara.
The treatment room was already a bit rowdy from Chohong and Maria, but now that it was filled with almost a dozen people, it was become complete mayhem.
A warm and cheerful atmosphere. And the reason for it was...
'Because of me, huh?'
It was a weird feeling.
Even so, I didn't dislike it.
xxx
After a while, my visitors slowly dwindled. Kazuki was the first to leave, followed by Mikhail and Veronica. After that, Claire left, but not before wishing me good health. Then Maria, and finally Teresa, but only after extracting a promise for me to visit her at the royal palace when I have time.
And then it was just five of us. Me, Ian, Flone, Chohong, and Hugo.
Was it because of the aftermath from people leaving, or something else? Either way, the mood was somber.
And because of that, I remembered.
Glancing at Chohong and Hugo, I straightened myself and said, "I'm sorry. When I found Dylan-"
"It's fine." Chohong shook her head and said, "We heard from Mister Kazuki."
Hugo sighed. "That guy held onto the bitter end, right?"
I nodded. "That's right."
"Then it's fine." Hugo nodded and smiled. "Dylan wouldn't want us to be moping around because he died. So don't be too hung up over it, right?"
Chohong nodded and said, "Yeah!" She looked at me and said, "Don't look so down! The mission was a success. We rescued four people and saved the other two. Not only that, but we- No, *you* screwed the Parasites's plans big time by blowing that place to smithereens."
Flone spoke up too. "They're right, Jihu. Don't be too hard on yourself, alright?"
I sighed. "I know, I know. I still wish it didn't have to be like this though..." I looked up at Chohong and Hugo and said, "What are you two going to do now? Carpe Diem lost its leader, so... Is one of you going to take over? Are you going to recruit more members?"
Ian spoke up and said, "I can't speak for their plans, but I do have something to mention to you about Carpe Diem, Jihu."
"Hm?"
Ian coughed and said, "You see... Since we weren't sure what state you were in... I went ahead and joined Carpe Diem."
I blinked.
He coughed again and said, "It was meant to be temporary... but since things ended up like this... Why don't you join as well? We're all friends right, so won't it make sense to support each other at times like this?"
Hugo smacked his fist into an open palm and said, "That's right!" He looked at me and said, "Why don't you join us, Seol? Dylan really wanted you to join before, but he didn't get the chance."
I frowned. "I... don't know."
Chohong chimed in as well. "If you're worried about being bossed around, well don't be. After all, the gods know neither Hugo or I are in a position to be giving orders. If anybody's going to run the show, it'll be either you or Ian."
That was true. And the main issue I had was following someone's orders, so...
"Ooh!" Flone spoke up and said, "If we join Carpe Diem, doesn't that mean we can join the buildings together? It'd be one big house!"
Ian laughed. "Well, that's a bit of a tall order... but that would indeed be possible. After all, if we are one team, then there's no reason not to. Right? Besides..." Ian gave me a meaningful look and said, "After your recent exploits, my dear friend, it would be good to have a name that carries some weight. Don't you think so?"
I froze.
Right. I forgot about that, but now that news spread that I returned alive, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that I would start getting probed by all the organizations to try and scout me.
While Ian was a good shield, and Teresa was as well, they were just individuals. In short, there was no real 'tie' keeping me to a particular place or team. So then...
"Alright." I nodded and said, "I'll join Carpe Diem." I smiled and said, "I'd been interested in that training facility anyways... so it'll be nice to have one to use instead of making one from scratch."
"Woohoo!" Hugo punched the air and said, "Seol's joining our team!"
Chohong looked at me and then said, "Um... That's great and all, but are you sure, Seol? I mean, we asked, but-"
Ian laughed and placed an arm over Chohong's shoulder. "Miss Chohong, being meek doesn't suit you. Just admit that you fancy our friend over here and- Kuh!"
Chohong punched Ian in the gut and shoved him aside. "Perverted old man..." She shook her head and then looked at me. "In any case... If you're serious about joining Carpe Diem... Then welcome to the team." She smiled, a bright expression that completely contrasted with her prickly attitude.
I smiled back and nodded. But then I focused back on the main topic. "With that aside... You never mentioned what you two are planning to do."
"Oh." Chohong nodded and said, "Me and Hugo were planning to head back to Earth pretty soon. Need some time to rest and relax after... everything."
"Understandable."
They had just lost their team's lynchpin as well as a dear friend. It would be good to head back to check on him as well as sort their thoughts.
"What about you?" Chohong looked at me and said, "Are you going to stay around here? Or are you going to head back too?"
"Mm... I'm thinking of heading back. With everything the way it is, it might be best to let things blow over a little. But I'm a bit worried about Flone."
Flone looked at me and said, "I'll be fine, Jihu! I'm not a little girl, you know?"
I poked her and said, "I know. But you're a rascal and you know it."
She stuck out her tongue at me.
Ian finally recovered from his blow and stood back up. "Well, if you're worried about someone being around with Miss Flone, I'll be here. There's a lot of paperwork to sort through if we're going to dissolve Elysium and join with Carpe Diem. Not to mention getting a head start and connecting the buildings."
I looked at Ian and said, "Are you sure? That sounds like a lot of work."
He grinned and said, "Leave it to me. I might not look the part, but I dabbled in quite a bit of architecture while working as the Royal Magician."
Chohong rolled her eyes. "You mean the Princess kicked you around like a dog to build her fortress with your magic."
Ian shrugged. "In any case, Jihu." He looked at me and said, "Don't worry about us. It's been a while since you've returned to Earth, hasn't it? Take the time off to reconvene with friends and family. I assure you, Paradise can wait... Ah. And Miss Kim Hannah wanted me to pass you a message to meet her on Earth as soon as you can."
"Huh?" Hugo looked up and then said, "Kim Hannah... Miss Foxy?" He looked to me and said, "You're contracted to Sinyoung?"
"Of course not. Those guys were trying to tie me down so that I wouldn't run off like Sung Shihyun." I shook my head and said, "Hannah's my Inviter and I have a personal contract with her but... Well, it's more like a partnership." I paused and said, "Though she wants me to meet her as soon as I can huh? Seems like things might be troublesome..."
Hopefully it wasn't anything bad. Didn't seem to be the case, but...
"Wow." Hugo picked out a fruit from my basket and took a bite. "That means you turned down Sinyoung, huh? Well, I guess you are a Gold Mark."
I shook my head. "Sinyoung's not even that impressive. All the power they have is just from being a middleman. At least I built up my corporation legitimately on Earth from my own merits."
Well, if you considered using my powers to cheat and replicate future tech as my own merits.
"Hm?" Chohong looked up and said, "You have a corporation on Earth?"
"Yeah. It's- Ah, it's still a secret right now. Come to think about it, that's probably what Hannah wants to talk with me about."
Ian sighed. "My friend. Could you please stop pulling out so many surprises? This old heart of mine might not be able to take it."
I rubbed the back of my neck and smiled.
xxx
"Tell Yuhui thanks for me, alright?" I waved at the priestess manning the front desk and said, "I'll send her a thank you card on Earth or something later."
"T-That. Um..." The woman was flustered and shook her head. "I-"
I shook my hand and said, "It's fine. She probably told you not to tell me that it was her, right? Just let her know that I figured it out- Actually, never mind. I'll probably run into her later today anyway..." I mumbled and then walked over to the transfer gate.
"I'll... see what I can do, Sir." The priestess said that to me as I left.
I waved and then stared at the transfer gate.
A glowing blue disc, leading back to Earth.
With one final nod, I stepped forward.
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