Chapter 118: If Only I Hadn't Been There
The Management Bureau Hospital.
It was notorious among the employees, especially the office workers.
For one thing, office workers rarely had any reason to visit, so there was much speculation about its shrouded nature.
Rumors abounded—that they used field agents who had outlived their usefulness as test subjects for human experimentation, or that they brought in criminals for the Management Team to use in exploring containment objects.
Whether all of that was true or false, the internal hospital of the Management Bureau was a place viewed with suspicion by the employees, a place that existed only in rampant rumors.
"Here, take this."
While I was lost in pointless thoughts with my muddled head, a round, dark-red pill was placed into my mouth.
"Urk, gah!"
Something round suddenly sliding down my throat, followed shortly by the taste of blood that filled my mouth, made me shudder. Around that time, someone spoke to me.
"It's for when you lose a lot of blood quickly. Side effects include slight insomnia and the taste of blood when you take it?"
"My... injuries..."
"I fixed those on the way here. Sneakily. There shouldn't even be a scar."
I raised my head to find the source of the voice.
Brown hair, eyes that still seemed closed, and the warm sunlight shining from behind.
"...Branch Chief?"
"Are you feeling a bit better?"
Standing before me with the sunlight at her back, the Gangseo Branch Chief was staring intently at me. Or rather, it seemed like she was staring. She probably was.
"The medicine is effective, so blood should be circulating through your body soon."
"..."
She was right, just as she said.
What on earth did they do to that medicine? Just as she stated, my dizzy head immediately returned to its normal state, and my vision began to clear up bit by bit.
"...Where did you get medicine like this?"
"Do you think this is medicine?"
"...It's not?"
"Hehe, finding out won't be good for your mental health. But it is good for your body. The clinical trials are finished, and many people have taken it."
What on earth did this woman just make me take?
I coughed from the fishy taste lingering in my throat, and the Branch Chief handed me some water.
"You had a tough time again this time."
"...Branch Chief."
"You seem to have a lot of questions?"
She looked at me with a smile in her eyes.
"Where should I start?"
"The orphanage."
That's right, the orphanage.
"Is everyone else alright?"
"Everyone else?"
"The people... the ones who became a wall using the pinwheel..."
"Ah. Don't worry."
She smiled softly.
"They returned to normal."
"...That's a relief."
They were children, after all. Leaving them like that would leave a bad taste.
"Anyway, regarding why Kim Chan-ho targeted the orphanage..."
The Branch Chief took out the broken rosary.
"Do you know what this is?"
"...I do."
Thanks to that thing, I died once and came back to life.
"This is... Hmm. Where should I start explaining..."
"The church?"
"Ah, if you know about that place, it'll be easier to explain."
She clapped her hands together once and continued.
"By now, Kim Jae-heon, you've been through a lot, so you probably know about the organizations hostile to the Management Bureau."
"That's right."
Like the Theater Troupe, or the Hospital.
"The Church is a bit different."
"Different?"
"They don't directly antagonize us. In fact, even if we attack them, they just take it."
"...Yes."
"But they're an existence we can't just leave alone."
"..."
"They have their own goals. They talk about God this and that, but, well..."
The Branch Chief trailed off before continuing.
"Anyway... to do that, they need the sacrifice of others."
"Sacrifice."
"Yes. For example."
She held out the broken rosary to me.
"To use this rosary, it requires the lives of ten people."
A completely vicious item, and on top of that, it's cost-ineffective too.
"So, to recharge that rosary...?"
"Not exactly."
She shook her head.
"Remember the hands that appeared when we were leaving?"
"...Yes."
Aren't I in this state because I got torn up by those hands?
Looking down at me, the Branch Chief continued.
"They probably made a deal."
"A deal?"
"In exchange for recharging the rosary, or perhaps for something bigger."
"What that something is..."
"We'll have to find out gradually. This time, our ace went, so he should be back soon."
"...Can he be trusted?"
"...I understand that the recent series of events has made Kim Jae-heon distrustful..."
With a wry smile, the Branch Chief went on.
"But the person who saved you earlier was also him."
"Ah."
That rolling man.
"So don't worry."
"I understand."
If it's that man, he'll probably pull it off without a problem.
"Alright, then..."
With a light heave, the Branch Chief got up from her seat.
"I have to go. There's another thing I need to go dispatch and break."
"If you're so busy, you didn't have to go out of your way to come."
"Hey. Looking after this sort of thing is also part of a superior's role."
"...That's right, Branch Chief."
"Yes?"
She looked at me.
"...Just a moment."
Song A-rin had told me.
If too many people find out about the Regressor, the plan will go awry.
But wouldn't it be okay if this person knew?
Overwhelming combat power far greater than mine, and a long career to boot.
If she were to know, wouldn't she be a great help to me?
"You look like you have something to say."
"...That's right."
The Branch Chief looked at me with a soft smile.
"I'm prepared."
A warm breeze blew in from the window.
"...Hah."
I let out a big breath and opened my mouth.
"Branch Chief, I am fighting a Regressor."
*
The Branch Chief looked at me with a soft smile.
"I'm prepared."
A warm breeze blew in from the window.
What just happened?
"Go on, tell me quickly."
"Branch Chief, no. Did you not hear what I just said?"
"Huh?"
"I said I'm fighting a Regressor."
*
The Branch Chief looked at me with a soft smile.
"I'm prepared."
A warm breeze blew in from the window.
"Branch Chief, I am fighting a Regres-"
*
The Branch Chief looked at me with a soft smile.
"I'm prepared."
A warm breeze blew in from the window.
"...No. It's nothing."
Something is happening.
This is strange. When I talked with Song A-rin, there was no problem like this.
It's not just about the Regressor. Whenever I try to give even a hint, time just winds back like a spring.
First, I need to organize my thoughts. And, I should try consulting someone other than her.
"Oh my, you really don't look well. Are you sure you're alright?"
She looked at me with concern, and I could only nod.
"...Yes, I am."
"Alright. See you later then."
She smiled, waved, and walked past me.
"The others will be here soon, so talk nicely."
"I understand."
With a thud, she went out the door.
What on earth is happening?
"...Ugh."
I tried to move to sit up, but the tearing pain I felt in my side immediately forced me to lie back down.
"Jae-heon!"
You said they'd be here soon. And here they are right away.
With a bang, the door opened and Yu Daon rushed in.
"Jae-heon...! Are you okay now?"
Right. Let's test it out on Yu Daon.
"Daon. This is important."
"...Yes."
At my words, Yu Daon immediately straightened her posture.
"I am currently fighting a Regressor."
Silence flowed.
Don't tell me, has time reset agai-
"...A Regressor...?"
Hearing my words, Yu Daon tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
"Regression? The regression I know?"
"Wait a second, Daon. Can you hear me?"
"...I can hear you?"
Yu Daon stared at me as if looking at a truly pitiful person.
"I am fighting a Regressor right now."
"Uh..."
Yu Daon blinked her eyes, looked at me, and then nodded.
"A Regressor... Okay. What should I do?"
"..."
She can hear it? But only Yu Daon?
"No. Just remember it for me."
"Okay!"
Yu Daon smiled and nodded.
But why is only Yu Daon here?
"Daon."
"Your injury- Yes?"
At my words, Yu Daon lifted her head and looked at me.
"Where are Chae-yeon and Song A-rin?"
"Uh... why those two?"
For some reason, it seemed like the emotion had drained from her voice.
"No, it's just... I was wondering why you're here but the others aren't."
"...I'm not sure either."
She answered with a laugh and perched on the edge of the bed.
"I'll keep you company until the other two arrive!"
She smiled brightly at me.
"Well, I gue-"
-Swiish!
The door opened and Jang Chae-yeon entered.
Jang Chae-yeon, with an expressionless face, looking straight ahead.
The slight crack that seemed to appear on Yu Daon's smiling face must have been my imagination.
Yu Daon turned her head toward Jang Chae-yeon, and Jang Chae-yeon also briefly met her eyes before slowly walking over to my side.
"...Are you okay?"
Soon, breaking the silence, Jang Chae-yeon looked at me and asked with concern, and I also nodded in response to her question.
"Perfectly fine... well, not exactly, but I'm okay."
"Right. That's good."
Jang Chae-yeon let out a sigh of relief.
"Ah, right. Chae-yeon."
"Yeah."
"I am fighting a Regressor."
"Huh?"
"Can you hear me?"
"Yeah."
"What do you think about that?"
"I don't think anything."
What on earth is going on?
"Something has happened."
"That's right."
"Okay. Just tell me."
Saying only that, Jang Chae-yeon closed her mouth again.
It was very much like her.
"...By the way, where did Song A-rin go?"
"...Don't know."
Jang Chae-yeon slowly shook her head.
"Why?"
"...No reason. She might be injured too..."
"She probably isn't as injured as you are, Jae-heon."
Yu Daon answered in a cold voice.
"It's her fault for not managing her own safety and causing harm to others."
"..."
What should I say here?
I looked at Jang Chae-yeon, but she also met my eyes before turning her gaze away.
"Me, and her... we would have done better."
"...That doesn't mean Song A-rin did anything wrong."
At my words, both of them averted their eyes.
"People can get hurt while living their lives."
"...Even so, I wish it hadn't been you, Jae-heon."
Yu Daon muttered as if spitting the words out.
"...For now, shall we talk when Song A-rin arrives?"
And, Song A-rin did not come to see me until the following night.