* * *
“I heard everything. You two are having dinner together?”
Dam Yunjin beamed.
“I like getting free meals too. Count me in.”
Seohwa’s expression crumbled instantly. In contrast, Wang Jungsoo laughed heartily.
“Yeah, why not? We’re all comrades taking the same class. Since things turned out this way, let’s all gather. Hey, Maknae! You should join too.”
“Huh? Why me…?”
“Come on, when a senior says let’s go, you just go. Get up already.”
Even the trainee in the cap, who looked like a born introvert, got dragged in.
“Since it’s come to this, let’s invite our instructor too. Sir, you don’t mind, right?”
“Of course not! Right now, I’m your teacher, but once the course ends, we’ll all be colleagues!”
“No, I…”
“We’ll be spending a long time together, so a welcome dinner is a must on the first day!”
Even the instructor, who also seemed introverted, was roped in.
Before he knew it, the group had grown to five people.
Seohwa’s initial sentiment of gratitude vanished, replaced by a cold indifference.
‘I want to run away.’
If it were just Wang Jungsoo and Dam Yunjin, that would’ve been one thing.
But he’d never even had a casual conversation with the instructor or the trainee in the cap.
The thought of it was overwhelming.
“Instructor, did you drive here?”
“I commute using public transportation….”
“Then ride with me.”
“I brought my car, so I’ll follow separately. Maknae and Yuje, whose car are you taking?”
“I just want to go home….”
“You’re riding with me, of course. Hahaha!”
As they headed to the parking lot, Seohwa prayed to whatever god or system might be watching.
‘Please… make the building collapse and drop a steel beam on just me….’
Unfortunately, no such thing happened.
As he schemed for a way to escape, he suddenly sensed someone he had momentarily forgotten—Kang Yigeon.
Kang Yigeon was still lingering in the parking lot.
As Seohwa got closer, he realized who he was talking to.
It was none other than Simjin, the Guild Leader of Danbaek.
Seohwa strained his ears.
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“Yes. The wrist thickness was different, the voice, the build—everything was different.”
“It wasn’t magic, so there must be an unknown skill at play. Mages typically have fewer skills, but Seohwa is an exception.”
‘They’re talking about when we met at the hospital.’
“He even apologized to me. I think there’s a reason he can’t reveal himself.”
“So… his disappearance wasn’t voluntary?”
Simjin pondered for a moment before responding skeptically.
“But Gaius Jung said it himself. The oath was broken. Even under [Mind Reading], it was the truth. With the vow gone, no one can force or compel Seohwa anymore. The side effect of timeline rejection has also disappeared. He is, without a doubt, the world’s strongest mage and an S-rank hunter. His disappearance was entirely his own choice.”
No.
That’s not true.
There was an additional oath!
Seohwa clutched his chest in frustration.
“Yuje, what’s wrong? Are you starving?”
“You must be so happy to be with everyone, Poison King.”
Regardless of the misunderstandings around him, he kept listening to their conversation.
“Have you considered why the timeline rejection disappeared?”
“Because you used the ‘Wish Ticket’ as a hidden reward.”
“I thought so too… until now.”
“You’re saying there’s another reason?”
Seohwa was desperate to know exactly what Kang Yigeon had wished for—down to the last word and particle.
His inability to die was undoubtedly tied to that wish.
But contrary to Seohwa’s hopes, Kang Yigeon showed no signs of repeating his wish aloud in the parking lot.
“It’s just speculation for now. How’s the search for Gaius Jung going?”
“Dongbaek is gathering intel, and we’ll form a pursuit team soon. Even the New Humanity Sect is frantically searching for him. Their leader went into a rage and ordered him to be torn limb from limb.”
That was new information.
Why was the New Humanity Sect looking for Gaius Jung, an elder of the New Humanity Sect?
As expected of the Danbaek Guild Leader and Vice Guild Leader, the information they had was on another level.
“Has Gaius Jung completely left the New Humanity Sect?”
“You could say he was expelled. We’re still looking into the reason.”
“It’s likely related to the ‘D-Day Project.’”
“We think so too. The Security Bureau’s D-Day Response Team believes Gaius Jung stole crucial data about D-Day from the New Humanity Sect… Ah, we’re close enough now. Let’s stop here.”
Simjin and Kang Yigeon noticed the approaching group and cut their conversation short.
‘So, the D-Day Project is some kind of terrorist plot orchestrated by the New Humanity Sect?’
It was something worth investigating further.
“Hey, it’s Simjin!”
As they reached the parking lot, Dam Yunjin spotted Simjin and dashed toward him.
Just like in previous timelines, the two, who were the same age, were close friends in this one as well.
“Oh right, Yunjin. You’re taking this course too.”
“Yeah! What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to pick up Kang Yigeon. There’s a guild event today, and the Vice Guild Leader absolutely has to attend.”
“The Guild Leader himself came to pick him up?”
“Well, our Vice Guild Leader recently had his license revoked, so someone has to play chauffeur. I was the only one free, and this place was nearby, so I figured I’d drop by. And, you know, check in on you too.”
“Yeah, right. As if you care about me.”
Though Dam Yunjin pretended to be sulking, he didn’t seem upset.
In fact, he moved closer to Simjin, chatting with familiarity.
“We’re heading to a team dinner. Want to come? This guy here is treating.”
“I never say no to free meat, but… I told you, I have an event.”
“Do you have to leave right away?”
“Yeah, unfortunately. Oh, introduce me to your classmates.”
The others, eager to meet the Danbaek Guild Leader, lit up.
From the instructor to the youngest trainee, they all introduced themselves.
Seohwa was the last. His heart pounded, and his hands trembled—he wanted nothing more than to sit down.
“I’m Lee Yuje. This is my first time seeing the Danbaek Guild Leader in person. You’re real, huh? Feels like I’m watching TV.”
He kept his reaction appropriately casual, making it clear he was impressed.
But Simjin narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Seohwa’s face.
“That plain-looking face….”
No way.
Did even the Guild Leader know about the Poison King?
“You’re the C-rank hunter who was snooping around Kang Yigeon’s hospital room. Kang Yigeon, this guy says he’s your fan.”
Being known as the Poison King would’ve been better than this.
“My hospital room…?”
For the first time, Kang Yigeon, who had been silently standing by, turned his attention to Lee Yuje.
His gaze swept over Lee Yuje from head to toe, as if he were seeing right through him.
‘Is he going to use a mental skill? Probably [Mind Reading], right?’
Most mental-type skills had short durations and long cooldowns, with diminished effectiveness when used repeatedly on the same target.
However, Kang Yigeon’s [Mind Reading] was practically cooldown-free and could be used multiple times on the same person without losing potency.
Seohwa knew Kang Yigeon had another mental skill, but he doubted he’d use it now.
It was a one-time ability—once used, it could never be used on the same person again.
“Yes. I’m a fan of you, Mr. Kang Yigeon, and I heard rumors that you were hospitalized at the center… Since I’m also hospitalized, I went to see you. I’m really relieved that you’ve woken up. Speaking of which, isn’t your schedule way too tight right after waking up? Just completing the training takes up an entire day, and on top of that, they’re making you attend guild events? You’ve just come out of a coma and should be focusing on rehabilitation, but they’re working you too hard.”
If [Mind Reading] were in use, a message confirming this as the truth would surely appear.
Simjin looked awkward.
“Uh… the way you put it, it makes me sound like a terrible boss.”
“You’re being too harsh. He’s still a patient.”
“Does that look like a patient to you? He looks so healthy that some people are even claiming the coma was a lie and that he was actually on a secret mission.”
“He’s clearly a patient. Look at his face—he’s lost so much weight. He looks like he could collapse any moment.”
“Even if Kang Yigeon’s grandmother came back to life, she wouldn’t have the heart to call him ‘half-dead.’ He looks perfectly fine.”
“Look into those melancholic, violet eyes. They’re drowning in an unfathomable sorrow.”
“Right now, he’s glaring daggers at you.”
“I bet he’s just pretending to be fine on the outside while secretly suffering alone. Don’t overwork him—make sure to take care of his physical and mental health.”
As Seohwa spoke, he felt a sudden wave of pity, and his eyes welled up with tears.
Sniffling as he finished, Kang Yigeon, who had been silently glaring, tilted his chin up.
“Lee Yuje.”
His deep, steady voice called his alias.
It wasn’t warm like in his distant memories, nor was it cold like in his recent ones.
“Say, ‘I’m sorry.’”
“…What exactly did I do wrong that warrants an apology?”
“Right now.”
Was it because Seohwa treated him like a patient in front of everyone?
Because, as the world’s strongest hunter, he needed to appear unshakable?
Seohwa mumbled weakly.
“I’m sorry…”
“Four syllables. Say it exactly: ‘I-AM-SOR-RY.’”
Only then did my mind snap into focus.
It was a test.
‘Hunter Seohwa. I…’
“I’m sorry.”
He remembers.
Because back then, in that hospital room, it was Lee Yuje’s voice that said those words.
* * *
