"I'd like Lin Young-Jae to join the guild, Legion."
Everyone could already tell each other's shock faces when they heard what this man said.
Especially the indescribable crack in Lin Ji-Young's hand that was surrounded by ice. That lady wanted to curse at him so much but held back the urge because of that ounce of respect hanging by a loose thread.
Shin In Soo was able to regain his composure quickly, smiling like a fox as he looked at Park Do Hyun. "Why did you suddenly say this, Guild Master Park?" He asked.
"He told me he would pay us back with the best of his abilities." He started. Of course, Lin Ji-Young was baffled by what he said but continued. "He added that he might ask you for a payment first and then slowly pay it back when he's capable."
Hearing that, a slight tug in Lin Ji-Young's heart moved and she imagined how cute it would be for her younger brother to do that. The awkwardness in his adorable face trying to think how he could pay back favors. However, the following words from the Legion's guild master immediately pulled her down to despair.
"But he retracted the idea because he felt like he didn't have that long to even reach adulthood."
But by bit, the ice covering her hand fell into the ground and shattered. Lin Ji-Young stared at Park Do Hyun, searching for lies in his words, but in the end, this man had no reason to lie, making this conversation even more painful for her who had seen all his brother's suffering at a young age.
"No, Lin Young-Jae's results had been 'normal'. There had been no illness detected in his body." Shin In Soo said calmly, not wishing to admit that he too, believed such a sad end would come to the boy. "He is just... Weaker than everyone else." This is what the doctors kept telling them. Since there are no findings on discovered illness, it must be the body and mind itself.
"I understand this concern." Park Do Hyun spoke sympathy without even showing signs of it in his expression nor action. He crossed his arms and calmly inhaled. "It's regarding his awakened ability." He started.
The two members of Aegis eyed him. There was a hint of 'I knew it' expression on their faces the moment the boy's name was brought up. "Lin Young-Jae is awakened with a pure mana core. But his ability never expanded due to his weak constitution. In the first place, everyone tends to avoid contamination to prolong their lives, but his awakened ability is to absorb the bad things and might make it worse." Shin In Soo started.
Make it worse? "He didn't have the strength to stand up when we first met." He started, the words seems like a knife stabbing Lin Ji-Young for so many reasons. But the man ignored her feelings and continued. "But later on, he was able to stand up and endure for fifteen to twenty minutes before breaking a sweat and he didn't pass out easily after our travel."
The two were surprised by this positive development. Normally, Lin Young-Jae can only stand at least two to five minutes before collapsing. And in terms of consciousness, Lin Young-Jae's body gives in at random times within three hours. It's a mystery why, but the doctors were adamant that he was just anemic. It was unbelievable, but knowing that they have no medical knowledge to rebut, they had to believe that it was while doubting if it is.
"During our time spent together in the dungeon, he was absorbing bits of my malicious mana."
"You just let him?"
"That's the main point, hunter Ji-Young. The moment he started absorbing my contaminated mana, he started getting better."
The ice huntress looked at him in disbelief. All this time, everyone thought that the only option for his little brother was not to use his ability and maintain his pure mana. But why is this person stating otherwise?
"It would be better to observe a little more." Shin In Soo suggested. "We are not too sure since Lin Young-Jae is the first ever case in history to have this kind of illness. As much as we want him to be cured, we also want him to be safe."
"Yes. I understand. His safety is indeed a priority. That's why I'd like him to join my guild." The conversation went back to one.
Lin Ji-Young felt an irk, and ice started coating her hands again. Her cold gaze directed towards Park Do Hyun as if ready to freeze him to death. "Are you implying that I can't protect him?"
The man on the opposite side of the room was calm. He had maintained his crossed legged and arms posture, showing an elegant yet authoritative aura.
And without hesitation, he answered her. "Yes." You can't protect him. That boy had died from his first life and first regression.
"You—"
"I can." He cut her off. "Aegis had been infiltrated by spies and anti-peace factions. This incident proves that your guild needs some cleaning up."
Shin In Soo didn't know whether he should laugh or get angry. So he did both, holding the back of his neck as he looked at Park Do Hyun sharply. So, he's going to use the guild's weakness to secure Lin Young-Jae? He never thought that this guy was more scheming than him.
"Hah, guild master Park Do Hyun. Why are you so keen on getting your hands on my younger brother? If it's for his ability, I will not just stand here and let you exploit it without knowing the side effects of him from using it." Lin Ji-Young tried to calm herself. She shouldn't act rashly. This person saved her brother so she was grateful, but she hated how he was trying to steal him away.
Park Do Hyun didn't make any unnecessary expression. In fact, among the three, he was the one who had not broken his character yet. He was like a falling boulder that was raging through the hill and stomping down on every tree indiscriminately without stopping.
"Let's see."
He was intending on keeping the information about the final boss for a while since Lin Ji-Young is still sane.
He needed the strength of Aegis so he wanted Shin In Soo to do a thorough clean up without getting distracted on protecting Young-Jae. Also, the shadow of final boss had set its eyes on Young-Jae when he was in the cave. He needed to know what it did to the young man in order not to face another tragedy.
So in order to do that, he'll have to take that boy under his wing so they can all focus on what's needed to be settled and so that he can observe properly. With this in mind, Park Do Hyun looked at them again, thinking serious and deep. His mind immediately remembered how the young man looked too meek and innocent during their travel like a frightened little rabbit.
"It's because he is adorable."
"What?"
"What?"
The two Aegis members couldn't help but scratch their ears as if they heard it wrong. Someone with a straight face just said something about Young-Jae being adorable, right?
"I said he is cute."
There it is again. The boulder said cute. Well sure, Young-Jae is really cute because he smiles really angelic, speaks softly, and is very obedient. But why do they have to hear it from the Guild master of Legion? Why does it sound so wrong when he say it? This punk is asking to be killed by the sister, is he?
"So, you want to covet my brother's cuteness?" Something cracked on Ji-Young's hands again and ice fell.
How. Dare. He?!
"Yes, that's right." Park Do Hyun confidently replied. They're finally getting to something. "Because he is cute." He added again.
Three times now.
He said that her baby Young-Jae is cute with that mouth and even admitted that he covets it! That's it, the remaining respect and self control she has had now been trampled by the rolling boulder.
"Hah! Guild master Shin In Soo, don't stop me—"
"W-wait! Hunter Ji-Young, calm down!"
Lin Ji-Young had one foot on the coffee table with an ice spear in hand, raised to stab Park Do Hyun in her fit of rage. Shin In Soo held her waist, stopping her from getting any closer to the Legion's guild leader. Meanwhile the latter was just as calm as a statue. As if no one was threatening to take his life.
This spectacle was witnessed by some Legion hunters lead by Lee Seok Jin who had just arrived to report the situation.
Who would have thought that there'll be a day where Guild master Park Do Hyun will anger someone to the point that another guild master had to stop it. When Lee Seok Jin heard the reason, he almost lost his eyeballs from how wide they've become in disbelief.
But in the end, the three had to settle for Lin Young-Jae's decision. Whether he wanted to go to Legion or stay in Aegis.
.
"His mana has been cleared of contamination. We can now continue testing." A doctor's cold hand under the surgical gloves touched the young man's thin arm. On the other hand, he held a syringe, extracting blood out of the unconscious person.
One syringe, two, three, four... Ten samples were extracted out from the youth's blood. If Lin Young-Jae was awake, he would have told them to just use one big bag to make life easier.
The doctors inside the lab were busy again, moving from one computer to another cylinder.
This process continued on for hours until sundown to midnight.
It had been a long day. Resting in the locker room, the doctor drank water from his thermos. The warm water moistened his dry throat nicely after hours of overtime just to distribute the extracted blood to manufacture more samples.
He wanted to go home and hit the bed once he was done packing.
Opening his locker, without question, and without even notice, his head suddenly had a hole. Falling into the ground with his blood soaking the white tiles behind him, turning it blood red.
Together with his falling body, a photo picture of his family, which was attached to the door of his locker landed beside him. In that family picture, only his face was burned away.
Now, he lay there, waiting for his body to be discovered.