Chapter 32

“Ah… ah…”

I plopped down.

Yoon Seong’s blood stained my knees and hands.

The moment I saw Yoon Seong, with one arm shattered and his entire body drenched in blood, I couldn’t think of anything.

“Y-Yoon Seong…”

No answer came from him.

‘Why…’

Why did it come to this?

I came back to prevent this outcome. And yet, here we are again…?

“No, sob… why… please…”

Though my legs felt weak, I crawled over to Yoon Seong to check if he was still breathing.

“….!”

I felt his faint breath.

“He’s… he’s alive. A priest, we need a priest…!”

A voice called out from ahead.

“Ugh… damn… bastard!”

Unconsciously, I turned my gaze toward the voice and saw someone wearing the Hwashin Clan’s uniform.

It was clear that this person had done this to Yoon Seong, and for a moment, I felt an overwhelming rage. But right now, revenge wasn’t the priority.

No, honestly, I couldn’t think straight. All I could think about was saving Yoon Seong.

“…. Ugh… damn bug bastard… what? Yoo Ju…?”

“….. Sob… Yoon Seong… please hold on a little longer… I, I’ll…”

I could hear the guy rambling ahead, but I had to move Yoon Seong first.

“… Damn it, things got messed up. Because of that bug…!”

Just as I was about to carry Yoon Seong and run to the infirmary run by the training facility, the guy threw a dagger.

“Trainee Yoo Ju, I regret this.”

Just as the dagger was about to reach Yoo Ju.

Someone jumped in instantly and kicked the dagger away.

Thud.

Clink –

“You…”

The person who kicked the dagger looked at the scene and swallowed hard.

“What the… hell…”

It was Yoon Yeon who had kicked the dagger.

“… Joo Seung-hwan?”

“Yoon Yeon…!”

Yoon Yeon had rushed over after sensing a faint explosion and a flow of magical energy within the training facility grounds.

As soon as she arrived, what Yoon Yeon saw was a trainee covered in blood and Yoo Ju carrying him. And someone throwing a dagger at Yoo Ju.

“Joo Seung-hwan. What the hell are you doing…? Did you… lay a hand on a trainee?”

“Ha…! Of all people, it had to be you..! Just pretend you didn’t see this. Unless you want to make an enemy of the Hwashin Clan.”

“…. Joo Seung-hwan. Are you out of your mind?”

“… What?”

“Do you… even know what you’re doing right now?”

Just as Yoon Yeon was about to continue speaking to Joo Seung-hwan, she suddenly felt a hand grabbing her.

“Please… Instructor Yoon Yeon! Please save our Yoon Seong…!”

“… Trainee Lee Yoon Seong?!”

Only then did Yoon Yeon recognize the face of the person Yoo Ju was carrying.

“……!”

“Instructor. Please… take Yoon Seong to the infirmary…!”

Joo Seung-hwan, sensing that the situation was getting out of hand, shouted at Yoon Yeon.

“Hey! Don’t listen to the trainee! Think about your relationship with the Hwashin Clan…!”

Before Joo Seung-hwan could finish, Yoon Yeon rushed toward him at an incredible speed and threw a punch.

— Bang!

“Ugh…! Gurgle…”

Joo Seung-hwan took Yoon Yeon’s punch to the stomach and collapsed, foaming at the mouth.

“Crazy bastard…”

Though she wasn’t sure exactly what had happened, it was clear that Joo Seung-hwan had assaulted and tried to kill trainee Lee Yoon Seong.

Yoon Yeon immediately approached Yoo Ju and spoke.

“Trainee Yoo Ju. I’ll carry Lee Yoon Seong. Hurry…!”

“Yes, yes..!”

“…. Are you injured anywhere, Trainee Yoo Ju…?”

“Don’t worry about me, please just save Yoon Seong…!”

Yoon Yeon gritted her teeth.

******

The news of Lee Yoon Seong’s injury that night caused a huge uproar within the training facility.

It wasn’t just an injury—it was the news that a trainee had nearly been killed by a member of a large clan.

Naturally, the members of the raid party who heard the news were no exception.

“Wh-what the hell…?! What is this…? Is this Yoon Seong?”

“Bro…!”

“Sob… Yoon Seong oppa…!”

The party members couldn’t believe what they were seeing as they looked at Lee Yoon Seong lying in the hospital bed. One of his arms was missing, and his face was burned.

Hyeon-jin asked Yoo Ju with a trembling voice.

“Y-Yoo Ju noona… how… how did this happen…?”

“……..”

Yoo Ju sat motionless beside Lee Yoon Seong with a blank expression.

It was Yoon Yeon who answered Hyeon-jin’s question.

“….. If you have any questions, ask me. I’ll answer what I know. As you can see… Trainee Yoo Ju isn’t in the right state of mind.”

Even Yoon Yeon’s expression didn’t look good.

“Wh-what happened? Why is Yoon Seong hyung in this state…!?”

“…. I don’t know the details, but it seems a member of the Hwashin Clan personally called out Lee Yoon Seong, threatened and assaulted him, and then tried to kill him.”

Kang I-seo, hearing Yoon Yeon’s answer, was furious.

“This…! Damn bastards…! How could they do this to someone?! These damn bastards…!”

“N-noona! Please calm down! Please…!”

“Let go of me! Damn it! Can’t you see?! They turned him into a rag, and where the hell are those Hwashin Clan bastards now?!”

Hyeon-jin barely managed to restrain Kang I-seo, who was raging wildly.

Ho-won, who had been watching the situation with a serious expression, also spoke to Kang I-seo.

“…. I-seo. Calm down first. Thankfully, the instructor here is doing something… There must be a way.”

“Uncle! Look at his arm! One arm is completely blown off! How can I calm down?!”

Kang I-seo screamed in anguish.

“He… he must have been in so much pain…! This guy… he never showed when he was struggling, but look at his face… He looks like he’s about to die. Sob…”

“…”



“First, calm down. I understand how you feel, but you’re next to a patient.”

“Sniff…”

Yoo Rim and Yoo Hyun were sobbing next to Lee Yun-seong. Yoo Rim, seeing the part where Lee Yun-seong’s arm was missing, couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.

“Sniff… What do we do… What about Yoon Seong oppa’s arm…”

Seo Yoo-ju, who had been silent, slowly opened her mouth with a dry voice.

“…Instructor Yoon Yeon… Is, is Yoon Seong’s arm… treatable?”

Yoon Yeon closed her eyes tightly and answered with difficulty.

“…It’s impossible.”

Everyone was stunned after hearing Yoon Yeon’s answer. They all knew what it meant to lose an arm in this world.

Practically… Lee Yun-seong’s future as a combatant was over. A mage with one arm couldn’t form a contract with a familiar.

Mages who have reached a certain level can use magic without forming a contract, but that also requires a certain amount of experience and knowledge.

Seo Yoo-ju hung her head low, and Yoo Rim tearfully spoke to Yoon Yeon.

“Is, is there really no way at all? Sniff… Why…”

“…..”

“Instructor Yoon Yeon. Please… If there’s any way, please tell us. We can’t leave Yoon Seong hyung like this…”

Yoon Yeon was silent for a while before carefully opening her mouth.

“…Actually, there is one way… but it’s practically impossible.”

Hearing the answer, Seo Yoo-ju asked.

“Wh, what is it?”

“…There is a priest of time on this continent. Not a foreigner like us, but an indigenous person.”

“…….”

Seo Yoo-ju’s eyes lit up for a moment, as if she understood what Yoon Yeon was saying.

“Her power can restore a body to its state up to a week ago. It’s… a ridiculously powerful ability. As long as the life isn’t completely cut off, she can save it.”

While the others listened to Yoon Yeon’s story with a glimmer of hope, Seo Yoo-ju’s eyes were lifeless.

“Then…!”

Just as Kang I-seo, who had been listening, was about to speak, Yoon Yeon cut her off and revealed an important fact.

“However, because of the immense power, her miracle can only be used once a year.”

“….. Don’t tell me she’s already used it?”

Everyone’s faces turned pale.

“No. As far as I know, she hasn’t used it yet.”

“Th, then we can ask her…!”

“But the problem is, she has no reason to use her once-a-year miracle on a mere trainee.”

Everyone who heard this realized the reality. Yes, logically, why would she use such an incredible power on a trainee?

“That’s…”

“The reason I said it’s practically impossible is because of this. It will be really hard for you all, but you should give up on treating the arm…”

“No.”

Seo Yoo-ju cut off Yoon Yeon and spoke.

“There seems to be a way.”

“Trainee Seo Yoo-ju. I’ll say it again, she has no reason to use her power on a mere trainee…”

“The Hwashin Clan.”

“……”

“I plan to hold the Hwashin Clan responsible for this and demand that they bring the priest of time.”

“…It might be possible to make the demand. But will the Hwashin Clan really agree? The cost of bringing her here would be a significant burden for the Hwashin Clan as well.”

“If they don’t agree, I plan to take it to court. The evidence is clear.”

“…If the Hwashin Clan pushes back hard, it will be a tough fight. They are a large clan, after all.”

“But we have to do it. We can’t just sit back and do nothing. And we have a card to play.”

“What…?”

“I think I know why the Hwashin Clan called Yoon Seong personally and did this.”

“…..”

“Yoon Seong and I, along with the rest of our party, were supposed to join the Hwashin Clan. I’ve already signed the contract.”

Yoon Yeon seemed to understand what Seo Yoo-ju was getting at.

“They did this right after the demonstration. It’s clear they did this because they didn’t want Yoon Seong’s talent to join the clan. And, one more thing…”

“….”

“When I signed the contract with the Hwashin Clan, it was an indefinite contract.”

As soon as she heard the words “indefinite contract,” Yoon Yeon looked incredulous and asked again.

“…Is that really true, Trainee Seo Yoo-ju?”

“Yes. The unspoken rule for new recruits is that the contract period is a maximum of two years, right?”

“…Did you know that when you signed?”

“Yes. I agreed on the condition that we all join the clan together.”

“If what Trainee Seo Yoo-ju says is true… the Hwashin Clan’s position is definitely at a disadvantage. Even though they are a large clan, they can’t ignore public opinion. The charges of coercion and attempted murder against a trainee, the indefinite contract, and the fact that they agreed to Lee Yun-seong’s joining through an indefinite contract with Trainee Seo Yoo-ju, yet still did this…”

“……”

“There’s a slight possibility.”

“…So, Instructor, I have one request.”

“…Go ahead.”

“I’m really sorry to ask this, but if things get serious, could you be a witness for us…?”

Seo Yoo-ju looked at Yoon Yeon with a desperate expression.

“…Of course.”

“Thank you so much…”

Seo Yoo-ju bowed her head to Yoon Yeon in gratitude.

The others also bowed their heads to Yoon Yeon, expressing their thanks.