138
Seojun picked up a small acorn and looked at Siwoo. The face that had been pale last night when he and Jihan hyung had put him to bed now had a healthy color.
No matter how well one sleeps, it’s impossible for the body to become this healthy in just a day. It would be impossible without the help of a special ability.
“You’ve been holding the acorn the whole time, right?”
Seojun lightly brushed the smooth surface of the acorn with his fingertips as he spoke.
“I don’t know. It was just in my hand when I woke up.”
“And your body feels perfectly fine, almost unnaturally so?”
Seojun handed the acorn back to Siwoo and continued questioning. Siwoo hesitated, then nodded as he met Seojun’s sparkling golden eyes.
Since carrying the acorn, his recovery had noticeably sped up. Especially today, not even the slightest pain remained.
“Explain it to me in detail.”
If Siwoo hadn’t received the barrier stone, he would have thought of it as just an ‘acorn filled with luck’. But now that he knew there were people who could transfer abilities into objects, he saw the acorn differently.
“I don’t know exactly what it is either.”
Seojun pulled up a chair opposite him and made Siwoo sit. Then, with his gaze fixed on the acorn and pebble in Siwoo’s hand, he tilted his head slightly.
“I just know that when I have it, my body hurts less and wounds heal faster. And.”
Seojun paused for a moment, then lifted his gaze to stare at Siwoo’s white face.
“I know who gave it to me.”
“Who?”
Siwoo leaned forward, examining Seojun more closely as if urging him on. While Taebeom had provided the barrier stone, he didn’t know who had given him the acorn.
If it contained healing abilities as he suspected, it would be very precious. Since healing abilities themselves were very rare, it would be even more valuable than the barrier stone.
Who could have given such a precious thing? He couldn’t guess who had left it at his door without a word, not even asking for anything in return.
“The former Guild Leader.”
Seojun’s answer made Siwoo even more puzzled.
“The former Guild Leader…?”
Siwoo had never met this person. He tilted his head, gripping the acorn, as this was someone he had no connection with.
“He was Korea’s first healing-type esper, you know.”
Was that so? Siwoo widened his eyes, trying to recall. It was a figure who had retired from the field long ago and was forgotten by many. Siwoo had very little information about the former Guild Leader.
“He doesn’t appear in public much because he’s always working, so many people don’t know about him.”
Seojun’s expression became calm as he stared at the acorn clutched in Siwoo’s hand.
“He’s a good person.”
For Seojun, he was a lifesaver. Without him, he wouldn’t be sitting here face to face with Siwoo now. He would have been dead long ago.
“I was often sick when I was young, and that’s when he gave me this. After that, even when I got hurt, I healed quickly and recovered faster.”
“You’ve known him since you were young?”
“Yes, he raised me.”
Seojun briefly revealed his past in a calm tone. He wanted to tell Siwoo everything, if no one else. He felt certain that he could tell him anything. He believed that Siwoo wouldn’t see him as a monster or simply pity him.
“Rare beastkin fetch high prices, you know. The more excessively large or bizarre the original form, the higher the value.”
He had been sold to various places before he could even walk. There were times when he was treated worse than animals and was on the brink of death. It was the former Guild Leader who personally appeared and took Seojun out of the cage.
He provided tutors for Seojun, who hadn’t even learned to speak, and gifted him a nice room. Seojun stayed at the former Guild Leader’s mansion until he became an adult. Although he rarely saw the busy man’s face, he often received news through his secretary.
Despite his tight schedule, he would personally gift Seojun new clothes when the time came and check on his health. It was all thanks to the former Guild Leader that Seojun didn’t go astray despite his painful past.
“It seems to contain his ability. But that’s just my guess.”
Seojun shrugged and ended his words ambiguously. To him, the acorn was just a mysterious object. He had told Siwoo to keep it because at least it wouldn’t cause harm.
Siwoo, who had been listening quietly, rested his knee against Seojun’s knee. As if holding his hand.
Seojun smiled at Siwoo’s gesture. His small actions and expressions provided more comfort than many words could.
“What’s that stone?”
“A barrier stone.”
Siwoo showed the barrier stone to Seojun in detail. Since Seojun seemed completely unfamiliar with it, Siwoo relayed the explanation he had heard from the secretary.
“There’s an esper who can transfer abilities?”
“Yes.”
It seems to be a rare ability not well-known even among espers. It might also be because Seojun is still young.
“Then…”
Their sparkling eyes exchanged glances before looking down at the acorn together. As they examined its smooth surface closely, they had the same thought.
“Do you still have it?”
“No, I lost it after carrying it around for about a year.”
Looking back, it seemed to have disappeared on its own. The young Seojun had treasured the acorn very much. He used to keep it by his pillow even when sleeping. When Siwoo told him this, he rubbed his chin with a detective-like expression.
“Does it disappear when the contained ability fades?”
“That could be possible.”
Just as their speculation about the acorn containing an ability, like the barrier stone, was turning into certainty—
“Are you guys talking about the acorn right now?”
Siwoo and Seojun, who had been muttering with their heads seriously pressed together, looked up abruptly. Jihan was trying to hold back laughter as he watched them.
“You scared me! Make some noise when you move!”
Seojun quietly rubbed his chest, seeming as startled as Siwoo. Jihan found the maknae and Siwoo quite amusing.
“I thought you were secretly eating something delicious.”
“Knock, I said knock!”
Siwoo gave the grinning Jihan a good beating. Jihan took all the hits, but soon caught the cotton club.
“How’s your body? Is your butt okay?”
A fierce kick flew at Jihan for specifically mentioning the ‘butt’. Siwoo strongly hit Jihan’s abdomen with his leg instead of his caught hand. It was a more definitive answer than a hundred words. His body seemed perfectly fine. Including his plump bottom.
“You healed quickly. Did you take painkillers or something?”
“Where’s Kang Geonho?”
Ignoring Jihan, Siwoo asked Seojun. For some reason, the one who always arrived before the maknae wasn’t visible.
Of course, Kang Taebeom would be working, so he didn’t even look for him. By the way, when did he fall asleep?
Siwoo thought he had fallen asleep from exhaustion. His memory was hazy from the moment he had clung to him and burst into tears.
“Geonho hyung is sleeping.”
At the maknae’s delayed answer, Siwoo looked out at the bright window. The sun was already high in the sky. Thinking it must be at least noon, he left the room to wash up.
“Wake up Kang Geonho and get him ready.”
Jihan and Seojun simultaneously made faces as if to say, “Surely not.” Their doubt was confirmed. Siwoo, who had energetically rushed into the bathroom, was planning to go to the field starting today.
He didn’t want to delay anymore. He wanted to get them out of the cramped indoor space as soon as possible, even if just for a day.
“You guys get ready and come out too.”
That way, the leader would be less busy too.
* * *
Siwoo, who had gotten ready in an instant, moved to the site first with Jihan. Seojun had gone to fetch Geonho.
“Are you really okay, Guide?”
Jihan examined Siwoo’s pale face as he released his firmly held waist. He had brought Siwoo to the center of Zone A. Despite it being the first day, he deliberately chose the place they frequented the most, not lowering the difficulty.
“Is it hard to breathe?”
Watching Siwoo look around, Jihan debated whether to surround him with a barrier. It wasn’t difficult to spread a barrier, but he hesitated, worried that the enthusiastic guide might underestimate the site.
Jihan judged that Siwoo’s spirit needed to be dampened a bit. That’s why he brought him to the center where gates opened actively, even within Zone A.
“This is our assigned area, so we come here the most. You’ll be coming here often in the future too.”
He thought if Siwoo knew that on-site guiding wasn’t easy, he might take better care of himself. Since everyone tends to overdo it when they’re most enthusiastic, there was a need to show him the reality.
Thinking this, Jihan completely removed the barrier he had vaguely spread. Of course, he kept his arms spread towards Siwoo so he could lean on him anytime.
“Is it always this crowded?”
However, contrary to expectations, Siwoo seemed excessively fine. He didn’t even seem to find the air stuffy, breathing comfortably.
“It’s less when Geonho is here, but we’ve increased the deployment recently since he couldn’t come out.”
Jihan continued to watch Siwoo while clasping his hands together, feeling empty without someone leaning on them. Siwoo looked around the unfamiliar space, pricking up his ears at the various noises coming from all directions.
As it was a place where gates opened actively 365 days a year, numerous espers were fighting monsters in the sky too. Very rarely, some beastkin espers were also visible.
“Are you really not struggling? Not feeling dizzy?”
Jihan tried to subtly embrace Siwoo, indicating that he could lean on him anytime. However, Siwoo sharply brushed off the hand creeping towards his waist.
“Don’t worry about me and go do your work.”
“How can I not worry? It’s the first time you’ve come to the field properly as a guide.”
No matter how much training he had received, it was only a week after all. It would take at least a month to adapt to the energy emitted by the gates and monsters.
“I’m fine because of this.”
Siwoo pulled Jihan’s arm and quickly showed him the barrier stone he took out of his pocket. He quickly put it back in his pocket to prevent others from seeing it. He treasured it greatly as a precious item.
“That… Could it be a barrier stone?”
Jihan recognized the stone at a glance. As expected, being much older than the maknae, he knew more.
“The leader gave it to me.”
Siwoo took out the barrier stone again and moved it to the inner pocket of his combat jacket. This seemed safer. Or maybe not. Perhaps the pants pocket would be better.
While Siwoo was feeling his body and pondering, Jihan stood speechless for a moment. Judging by his expression, he seemed quite surprised by the barrier stone.
Siwoo hadn’t expected him to be so surprised that even his usually noisy mouth was shut. He once again realized the value of the barrier stone.
“…gives.”
Jihan’s lips moved as he mumbled something. Siwoo, who hadn’t heard properly, took a step closer to Jihan. Just as he was about to ask him to repeat, a massive vibration began to rumble beneath their feet.
“Huh…?”
Simultaneously, a sound like something exploding rang out behind Siwoo’s back. It was the sound of the earth splitting.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
