Yoon Nahee was in Sector 4, close to Sector 1. Fortunately, they were able to drive there by car.
If she had been hidden somewhere further away, it might have been difficult for Raon, who was under multiple layers of protection from the Center, to go himself.
“Huu.”
The car stopped in a secluded area.
The place Raon had requested help from was a company privately established by Espers who had been part of the military and the Center.
Siwoo also knew an Esper there, allowing them to make the request without any problems later.
“Hyung, stay here. I’ll bring Mother out.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”
“Of course.”
Siwoo wore the most confident expression.
Raon couldn’t help but chuckle softly because he looked so trustworthy.
“Alright. I’ll wait.”
“Yes.”
“Hurry back.”
As soon as Siwoo got out of the car, he swiftly headed toward the house.
[Yoon Siwoo Contamination Level: High (72%)]
Siwoo’s current contamination level was now slightly higher than the maximum level recorded just before his rampage.
According to Luca, he might be able to exert even greater power than what he showed in the Double Gate.
Indeed, Siwoo now seemed to be completely one with his ability, water.
He infiltrated the building quickly, like water, without being detected by anyone.
Then, a moment of silence passed.
It was so quiet that Raon even wondered if Siwoo wasn’t doing anything at all.
“Huh.”
But that was Raon’s misunderstanding.
Suddenly, he realized someone was in the passenger seat, which had been empty.
It was Siwoo, who had just entered the house.
“Is your second ability teleportation?”
“What are you talking about?”
“No… Ah, where is Mother?”
“I have her in the back.”
“Ah.”
Surprised, Raon turned around.
Someone was lying asleep in the back seat, wrapped in a soft blanket, breathing softly.
“She was already asleep when I got there. So I intentionally didn’t wake her and brought her out.”
“Good, you did well.”
It was the middle of the day, not the time for sleep.
However, Yoon Nahee was in such a deep slumber that she wouldn’t have woken up even if someone had carried her away.
‘Han Minon, that bastard, surely…’
An unpleasant assumption spread in his mind.
Yoon Nahee was not the same kind of person as Raon’s own mother.
She wasn’t a miser who would easily give up her child for a few pennies and live contentedly.
She must have tried for a long time to find Han Raon. So, she wouldn’t have given up even after falling into Han Minon’s clutches.
Han Minon must have found such a Yoon Nahee annoying.
The current situation made sense if Han Minon had deliberately put Yoon Nahee to sleep using drugs.
Yoon Nahee, who was not an Esper, would have been easily addicted to common drugs.
“Shall we go to the safe house?”
“Yeah, and we need to call a doctor.”
“Let’s do that.”
Siwoo also seemed to sense that something was wrong, and he nodded with a dark expression.
Since Yoon Nahee could not be taken to a house monitored by the Center, they decided to take her to a separately prepared safe house.
Raon then asked the private company to find a discreet doctor.
“We’ve arrived.”
Siwoo stopped the car and, without Raon even having to say it, carefully carried Yoon Nahee into the safe house.
Raon followed him with a heavy heart.
“The doctor will be here soon.”
“…Yeah.”
Raon nodded heavily and looked down at Yoon Nahee, who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed.
Perhaps because Han Raon looked so much like Han Myunghoon, Yoon Nahee didn’t seem to have much in common with him at a glance.
Moreover, Yoon Nahee was heartbreakingly thin.
Her exposed arms and hands were so devoid of flesh that her bones stood out.
This was enough to suspect malnutrition.
“Hyung, the doctor is here.”
“Ah.”
Siwoo brought in a man wearing a white jacket.
Perhaps accustomed to such situations, the doctor quickly scanned the calm room and immediately looked down at Yoon Nahee.
“Is this the patient?”
“Yes.”
Raon stepped aside so the doctor could examine Yoon Nahee properly.
The doctor soon began his examination.
The doctor, who first took Yoon Nahee’s arm, clicked his tongue.
Raon watched the scene from behind with complex eyes.
“It seems like she should be hospitalized immediately… but I suppose that’s a difficult situation?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll just take the necessary measures for now.”
Opening his bag, the doctor inserted a syringe into Yoon Nahee’s arm.
Then he connected an IV drip.
As Raon had expected, Yoon Nahee was in a state of drug dependency.
Although the exact composition would have to be determined through further testing, the simple examination showed that, thankfully, there were no major issues other than her body being severely weakened.
“We need more component analysis, but the kit reaction suggests it’s not a type that causes severe harm to the human body. For now, she needs to recover her condition by resting well and eating properly while receiving the IV fluids.”
“Yes.”
“I will also prescribe some medicine, and she should take it as directed.”
“Thank you.”
The doctor left the room after a lengthy examination.
Yoon Nahee still had not woken up and remained asleep.
“He said it will take some time for the effects of the drug to wear off, so let’s wait.”
“We should.”
He hadn’t expected Yoon Nahee to be sick.
Raon thought he should find someone to care for Yoon Nahee at the safe house right away.
Until then, he planned to stay by her side.
“Ugh.”
“…!”
Just then, the sleeping Yoon Nahee let out a faint groan.
Raon flinched and turned his head.
Perhaps because she was receiving IV fluids to counteract the drugs, the process seemed to be taking a toll on her body.
Raon quickly approached her.
“Yoo… uh, Mother?”
Raon, who was about to call her by her name like a stranger, hurriedly corrected his address.
However, Yoon Nahee only groaned softly and did not open her eyes.
Sweat was pouring down her face.
Raon instinctively reached out to wipe the sweat but paused and withdrew his hand.
Siwoo stepped in and used his ability to clear the sweat and cool her forehead instead.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
Siwoo shook his head, telling him not to worry.
When he stepped back slightly, Raon, feeling nervous again, looked down at Yoon Nahee.
Just then, her lips parted.
“Ra-Raon-ah.”
“…!”
Yoon Nahee distinctly called Raon’s name.
But it didn’t seem like she was fully conscious.
Was she seeing Han Raon even in her dreams?
To miss and cherish her child that much—he personally couldn’t understand that feeling.
“Raon-ah.”
“…”
“Mom is, sorry.”
Yoon Nahee kept apologizing to Han Raon, letting out feverish groans.
Raon stared at the sight with confused eyes.
Why was she apologizing to Han Raon?
She hadn’t easily abandoned her child like his own mother.
On the contrary, she should have abandoned Han Raon according to the contract, but instead, hadn’t she raised him with utmost care and treated him preciously?
She had even flatly refused Han Myunghoon when he demanded Han Raon, who had awakened as an S-class Guide.
Raon couldn’t understand the emotion he was feeling now.
He had never expected anything from his own mother from the start, so he didn’t feel any resentment.
Nothing would change anyway.
But perhaps because Yoon Nahee, who was so clearly different, was right in front of him, a certain emotion welled up belatedly.
It was sadness.
A long-suppressed, old feeling that he hadn’t been able to express because he was always mindful of his mother since childhood.
He recalled his past self, who had suppressed his emotions, telling himself that nothing would change even if he threw a tantrum.
If he had been with a mother like Yoon Nahee back then, would many things have been different? Would he have avoided feeling this distress?
“Hyung, are you okay?”
“…Yeah, I’m fine.”
Siwoo, who had approached, put his arm around Raon’s shoulder.
Raon, finally tearing his gaze away from Yoon Nahee’s face, turned to Siwoo and smiled.
“It looks like it’ll take some time for her to wake up.”
“Still, stay here until it’s time to go back.”
“Okay, thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He suddenly remembered that he was supposed to give Siwoo a guiding session when they returned home.
Raon patted Siwoo’s hand, which was wrapped around his shoulder.
He felt sorry and grateful to him for silently watching over him.
He stayed by Yoon Nahee’s side until evening, then returned home due to the Center’s constant urging.
Fortunately, he was able to secure personnel to care for her, so he went back with some peace of mind.
The next day, Raon received word that Yoon Nahee had woken up and headed back to Sector 4.
He felt more nervous today than yesterday.
“She’ll be fine. There were no major issues with her body, right?”
“Yes.”
Siwoo, who didn’t fully understand Raon’s true feelings, seemed to think he was merely worried that Yoon Nahee might be sick.
Raon mechanically nodded at Siwoo’s kind words of comfort.
‘What if Yoon Nahee sees through me?’
He needed to meet her, reassure her, and tell her that he wouldn’t be able to see her often until the Irregular Gate was completely suppressed.
He worried that Yoon Nahee, who had personally raised Han Raon, might notice he was an impostor during that short time.
Raon, unable to calm down, entered the safe house with a stiff face.
“The madam is resting inside.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The person caring for Yoon Nahee was a professional caregiver with a very pleasant demeanor.
Raon gave her the gift he had hastily bought and added a request for her kind attention.
“Should I wait outside?”
“Oh, I’d appreciate that.”
“Take your time talking and come out.”
“Okay.”
Raon was secretly relieved by Siwoo’s thoughtfulness, as it would be troublesome if his true identity were revealed to Yoon Nahee.
Creak.
He slowly opened the door.
He saw Yoon Nahee’s profile as she stared blankly out the window.
