THIFSGSTW CH 72

Chapter 72: Too Late

The weight of Sun Yi-han as he collapsed against me felt so light, it was almost unreal. He didn’t move at all. His dark hair was soaked with sweat. His whole body was damp with cold sweat and growing colder by the second.

“Sun Yi-han…”

Even though I knew my voice wouldn’t reach him, the words slipped out before I could stop them. Maybe it was better that he’d lost consciousness. The pain must’ve been unbearable. But even so, it was still hard to look at him with his eyes closed, completely still.

‘I need to stop the bleeding first.’

I held him up and grabbed the fabric around the wound. The blood-soaked cloth clung to my hand. It was still hot and wet, still bleeding. My hands trembled in fear.

Rip.

As I tore the clothing away, his pale, dry shoulder came into view. Just above his collarbone, a terrifyingly deep wound gaped open. A bluish glow was sizzling and gathering around it.

‘Huh…?’

The wound was healing, slowly closing up. The crimson blood gradually stopped flowing, and fresh, pale skin stitched itself back together. I couldn’t take my eyes off the unnatural sight. The blue light soon vanished, absorbed entirely into Sun Yi-han.

I urgently brushed over the delicate skin and wiped the blood from his shoulder. Even after double-checking, there was no wound left. Only a dark, thick scar remained.

I clenched my fists tightly. Sun Yi-han had once said that he couldn’t die yet. He told me not to worry, even if he got hurt.

‘But that doesn’t mean…’

The pain you felt doesn’t just disappear, Sun Yi-han.

I pulled the cloth that had been in Sun Yi-han’s mouth out. Transparent saliva mixed with red blood stretched thinly as it came out. My heart raced as if it would burst.

I could see his soft, red tongue inside his mouth. I almost tightened my grip on his jaw without realizing it, but I managed to regain my composure. As I carefully pressed down on his soft tongue, I found no trace of a wound.

It didn’t seem like he had bitten anywhere. Or perhaps any bite wounds had already healed.

“Who… asked you to do this…?”

Did I ask you to save me? Did I ask you to get hurt in my place?

I buried my face in Sun Yi-han’s limp body. I couldn’t even cry. He smelled of blood, a scent so strong it overpowered his usual soft soap fragrance, a smell that was bitter and painful. The words I couldn’t spit out weighed heavily on my heart. My whole body felt like it was boiling. I knew this was despair. Blistering, searing despair.

“Sun Yi-han, do you know why I entered the Department of Defensive Magic at the academy?”

I lifted my head and looked at his face. When I brushed his pale cheek, the blood from my own hand left a sticky red mark. Probably from the wound I’d gotten pulling out that blade earlier.

“Because I wanted to protect people. Because I didn’t want to watch anyone else get hurt in front of me.”

Sun Yi-han didn’t shed a single tear. His expression was peaceful.

“I want to protect you.”

I really wanted to protect you.

Something like this had happened before. When Song Ha-gyeon pushed me aside. That hurt, too. But this time… it was worse. So much worse I didn’t even feel like I had the right to say it hurt.

I think I wanted to keep you safe and sound.

“I shouldn’t have let you come with me.”

I should’ve gone alone. Or I should’ve noticed the attack sooner. Or I should’ve put up a protective barrier before I disarmed the trap. Or better yet, maybe I should’ve figured out the village representative’s intentions from the start.

In the end, I didn’t do anything. You saved me, and I…

‘Why is it always like this with me?’

I didn’t deserve this. I had no right to wish I could stay by your side. I wanted you to lean on me. But not like this, not unconscious and limp in my arms.

I used a cleaning magic on Sun Yi-han. The blood disappeared, and he looked clean and white again. But holding his thin body in my arms now felt so unfamiliar.

I wanted to say I was sorry. But I didn’t think I could get the words out. I was too afraid. I didn’t even know what exactly I was afraid of. But I couldn’t face Sun Yi-han when he woke up. I didn’t think I’d be able to stay by his side.

I gently supported his slack neck and stood in front of the village representative, who was sprawled out nearby. His face twisted in rage, veins bulging red across his forehead, as he glared up at me. Even with the binding magic holding him down, he kept trying to move. I released the silence magic I had cast on him.

“Ugh, die! You deserve the same! People like you are useless—!”

His voice was wild, irrational. I immediately reapplied the silence magic. If anyone had the right to lose control right now, it was me. I wanted to kick that hateful face in. The same? He said we deserved the same? If I really followed that logic, then…

No. That’s not the point. Whatever the reason, I couldn’t forgive him—but I still needed to understand what was going on.

My head throbbed like it might burst. I clenched my teeth and grabbed the village representative by the collar. Even touching his clothes disgusted me, but I forced myself to cast a teleportation magic.

Whoosh.

The moment we returned to the first floor of the inn, my vision spun. I had already pushed my mana too far, and then I’d used more to break the trap, and on top of that, teleported three people at once.

“Joohyuk-ah, what happened? What’s wrong with Yi-han?”

I felt someone rush over and help me stay upright. Park Yul carefully took Sun Yi-han from my arms, letting Yi-han’s head rest gently on his shoulder and slowly rubbing his back.

Then, using magic, he summoned a chair and guided me into it. I couldn’t speak. I rested my elbows on the table and buried my face in my hands.

‘So they all made it back safely…’

I shouldn’t have followed them. I should have thought things through a little more calmly. I should have assessed the situation more carefully. I shouldn’t have made hasty decisions.

This wasn’t just a mistake. It was my fault. If I had been more aware, Sun Yi-han wouldn’t have gotten hurt like this.

A sharp sound echoed as someone snapped their fingers, making me lift my head. Park Yul was quietly watching the village representative, who was still rolling on the ground, bound by capture and silence magic.

“Undo the magic on him for now. I left them in place.”

As the magic was released, the mana that had been escaping seemed to settle, calming my churning stomach. However, I was still out of breath. It wasn’t because of the mana, it was because it was painful to see Sun Yi-han in front of me.

The bandages that Park Yul conjured in the air wrapped around my hands. I had only just remembered that I had been injured. No, this wasn’t even an injury. Did I have the right to think I was hurting in front of Sun Yi-han?

Park Yul was still gently comforting Sun Yi-han’s back. Perhaps because he had lost a lot of blood, he seemed to be using magic to warm Sun Yi-han’s cold body.

Thinking about that made my heart sink again. Just as Park Yul was about to say something to me, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps coming down the wooden stairs. Raen and Song Ha-gyeon rushed in, looking like they had just come out of the room.

“What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“…Min Joo-hyuk. Drink this.”

Song Ha-gyeon quickly placed a potion on the table. I didn’t want to drink it, but Raen flicked his hand to open the potion’s cap and floated it toward me.

The potion had a sweet taste. It felt like my tense body was starting to relax a bit. But as soon as I felt that, I wanted to spit it out. I was fine right now. I had been fine earlier too. Of course, I would be. Sun Yi-han wasn’t fine in my place. I felt pathetic.

Song Ha-gyeon carefully examined Sun Yi-han’s condition, who was cradled in Park Yul’s arms. His expression was calm as usual, but his hand trembled slightly as he lifted Sun Yi-han’s delicate wrist to check his pulse.

“…There’s nothing unusual. Just like last time, I don’t know when he’ll wake up.”

Raen gently clasped Sun Yi-han’s pale hand with both of his. His eyes, which were usually calm, were now filled with a fierce intensity.

“So, Min Joo-hyuk. What happened?”

Park Yul’s calm voice reached my ears. I forced my mouth to open, which felt heavy. As I finished speaking, the sound of summer insects crept into the heavy silence that had settled.

Park Yul brushed his hair back and lowered his head. I could see the veins standing out on his neck. The hand holding Sun Yi-han was tense. After taking a deep breath, Park Yul raised his head again with a slightly calmer expression.

“Min Joo-hyuk, you’ve worked hard. It’s not your fault, so relax your hands. You’ll reopen your wounds.”

As soon as Park Yul released the silence magic, the village representative’s words poured out immediately.

“It’s too late. What good is it showing up now? What the hell have you people even done? And you still call yourselves heroes?”

“We’re only letting you speak to hear your reasons. You’d better choose your words wisely.”

Park Yul’s voice was calm. It felt empty, yet it also seemed so full that there was no room for anything else. The village representative spat and sneered.

“So worked up over your own friends, huh? What a shame. If it weren’t for that priest, everything would’ve gone as planned… Ugh.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Park Yul.”

Song Ha-gyeon quickly stepped in. In front of the village representative, whose face was gradually paling, Park Yul blinked slowly. Then, in his usual gentle voice, he continued.

“Take it easy, Ha-gyeon.”

Just like he said, he loosened the magic around the man’s neck at the perfect time. Then he watched silently as the man gasped for breath. The village representative glared up at Park Yul, bloodshot eyes flashing.

“Fine. You said you deal with monsters, right? Then what’s your definition of a monster?”

“Enough nonsense. I told you to explain why you did it.”

“Are you not going to answer? I asked what the criteria for a monster are.”

“This isn’t going to work.”

Park Yul waved his hand slightly, silencing the village representative again.

“It seems this conversation is going to take a while, so we should lay Yi-han down first.”

Rising from his seat, Park Yul walked toward the second floor. The sound of his footsteps on the wooden stairs gradually faded away.

Raen’s red hair fluttered slightly as he rose to his feet. Mana crackled faintly in the air around him. His eyes were rimmed red, his energy visibly trembling as he fought to keep it under control.

A flask floated in the air above the table, spinning in place. As leaves like those of a plant crumbled into the flask’s opening, the color of the liquid inside began to change gradually.

“It’s been a while since we used a truth serum.”

Song Ha-gyeon was looking at the village representative with a cold gaze.

I quietly looked down at the village representative and clenched my hands. Blood seeped through the white bandages. The night that had settled in was seeping through the window. It seemed like it would be a long night.