Chapter 57: Rumors (3)

“…A familiar ceiling.”

When he opened his eyes, he saw the ceiling of the infirmary—one he’d seen before. 

The burning pain that had felt like it was eating through his entire body had vanished, and he felt dry, clean, and in a surprisingly good mood. 

It seemed his body had returned to normal. 

After suffering without rest for an entire week, he thought, Should I just relax for a bit on this soft hospital bed?

But just as that thought crossed his mind, a sudden uneasy idea flashed through his head. 

“…No way.”

Flap!

What came to mind was the last time he regained consciousness in the infirmary. 

Back then, he’d fallen into a coma from the aftermath of self-detonation and lost a whole month—precious time he couldn’t afford to waste. 

Already strapped for time to grow stronger, if something like that had happened again, it would be a disaster. 

So he quickly sat up in bed. 

As he moved, he noticed the patient gown was a bit small. 

The tightness around his chest and shoulders was uncomfortable, but since he’d be taking it off soon anyway, he didn’t care that the buttons were straining, and got out of bed to pull back the curtain. 

Shhhk—!

“I’ve cast regeneration magic on your shoulders and arms, so the cast can be removed in a week.”

As he pulled the curtain open, his vision cleared—and from the opposite bed behind another curtain came a familiar voice. 

He strode over to that voice, grabbed the curtain, and yanked it open. 

Shhhk!

“Hm? Who—oh, Cadet Yang Woobin. You’re awake?” 

“It’s been a while, doctor.”

The one who greeted him with a calm, unchanged expression, even though he’d just flung the curtain open without warning, was Baek Woohee—the doctor from.Daecheon who had treated him before. 

He had something he urgently wanted to ask her, so he opened his mouth—but the question didn’t make it out. 

“E-Eeeek…?!” 

“Ah.” 

That was because the patient in the bed across from him, the one Dr. Baek had been treating none other than Yasuri Yaiba. 

“I-I’m sorry! I was wrong! I’ll never do it again! I’ll live a good life, please spare me! I don’t want to be hurt, I’m scared, please, no, stop!”

The moment Yaiba saw him, she immediately bowed her head, curled up on the bed with her knees drawn up, trembling like a leaf as she poured out her apologies. 

It was definitely a good sign that the fear had been engraved into her more deeply than intended—but among her ramblings, there were a few lines that couldn’t be ignored. 

“No, stop, please don’t…”—That made it sound like he’d done something really messed up. 

He was about to correct the misunderstanding to avoid any unnecessary rumors, but then he reconsidered and shut his mouth. 

If a misunderstanding like that damaged his personal reputation, it would bring down his family’s reputation along with it.

That… wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for him. 

“W-What is this…”

“Dr. Baek Woohee, don’t worry about that. She’ll calm down if you leave her be. More importantly, I have something to ask you…”

So, drawing Baek Woohee’s attention away from Yaiba’s panic attack, Woobin tried to ask the question he originally had. 

Shhhk—!

“Stop right there, you villainous fiend! This is the infirmary—one of the few remaining sanctuaries where defenseless patients can find peace! And yet here you are, bringing your wicked tyranny even into this sacred place. Have you no human decency, Yang Woobin?!”

But once again, my question never made it out of my mouth—interrupted by an uninvited guest who opened the curtain and revealed themselves. 

“Uh, huh? What’s this now? Woojin, are you friends with Cadet Yang Woobin?” 

The one who cut me off was Baek Woojin, his chest wrapped tightly in bandages. 

“Sister, get away from him! And run! That guy’s insanely dangerous!” 

That guy was the younger brother of Baek Woohee, the doctor from Daecheon who was right in front of me. 

Since the older sister was a kind person, it was easy to imagine that the younger brother grew up watching her and developed a strong sense of justice. 

It really showed how important a family environment could be. 

In that sense, the fact that I grew up so sound and upright despite being raised in the utter garbage dump that is the Yang family—what a testament to my greatness. 

Sure, I’m pretending to be a thug right now… but at my core, I’m a decent guy. Yep. 

“This bastard… It wasn’t enough to do that to my friend Yaiba—now you’re trying to sink your claws into my one and only sister too? You think I’m just gonna sit back and let that happen…?!” 

As I was having a sentimental moment watching the sibling bond between Baek Woohee and Baek Woojin, the latter, eyes blazing with righteous fury, got down from the bed with determination. 

“……”

Baek Woojin looked like he was about to lunge at me any second, but I just stood there watching him, then calmly turned back to Baek Woohee. 

“You’re ignoring me?! Fine then, I’ve got no choice. I’ll settle the score from last time… ngh!”

Of course, Baek Woojin’s current condition wasn’t exactly fight-ready—his chest and ribs had been shattered by my punch when I activated Solar Body, and even standing up must’ve been tough. 

Thud!

Right on cue, I heard him collapse to his knees, clutching his chest in pain. 

“Woojin, get back on the bed and lie down! What are you doing making such a ruckus in the infirmary!” 

At that, Baek Woohee finally frowned for the first time, her tone sharp with scolding as she turned to him. 

So even the most righteous soul in Daecheon, Baek Woohee, became a strict big sister when it came to her bratty younger brother, huh? 

As a veteran of Reversal Hero Saga, I found this unfamiliar side of her quite enjoyable to watch.

But then she turned back to me, a gentle apology tugging at the corners of her brows. 

“I’m sorry, Cadet Woobin. My brother’s not a bad kid—he just has a bit of a fiery temper. But really, he’s kind.”

“I know.” 

I knew that all too well. I also knew about the fiery temper. 

“…Oh, really? That’s… good to hear.” 

Surprised by my quick reply, Baek Woohee blinked at me before slowly nodding. 

Meanwhile, Baek Woojin was still glaring at me through his pain, clutching his chest, while Yasuri Yaiba sat with her head buried in her knees, muttering to herself. 

Things seemed to have settled down, but staying here much longer didn’t feel like a good idea, so I cut straight to the point. 

“How long was I asleep?” 

“Hmm, about an hour?”

“Oh, really?” 

As soon as I heard her answer, a wave of relief washed over me, from deep in my chest to the tips of my toes. 

I hadn’t fallen into a coma and wasted precious time like last time.

I closed my eyes and gave myself a silent pat on the back. 

Good job, Yang Woobin. Holding back and using your strength wisely this time really paid off.

“Oh, but Cadet Woobin—you were really in danger again. Even after giving you high-dose fever reducers, using healing magic, and with Cadet Jin Sejeong pouring mana into me to assist, your fever just wouldn’t go down. If that had kept up, you probably wouldn’t be sitting here talking to me right now…”

“…Huh?”

Then Baek Woohee said something I couldn’t ignore. 

I was in danger again?

My condition was that bad?

But I feel way too refreshed for someone who was on the brink like that… what the hell? 

That question was soon answered by her next words. 

“But then, when Cadet Fuyuno Tsubaki came in and touched your forehead—your fever just dropped instantly. I don’t know if it was good timing or if she actually did something, but… either way, it was a close call.”

“Tsubaki did? Ah, I see…”

The heat that had scorched my body had originated from the mana of the Solar Body. 

In the game Reversal Hero Saga, the heat generated by the Solar Body couldn’t be extinguished by any means.

That’s why the Disaster Witch, who wielded the Solar Body and brought about great calamities, was known as the “Wailing Wall.”

But that didn’t mean there was absolutely no way to suppress the heat from the Solar Body. 

It just never appeared in the game, but in this world, a method definitely existed. 

That method was none other than Fuyuno Tsubaki’s Extreme Yin Body—a trait of the same grade as my Solar Body, and its perfect polar opposite. 

“Hmm? Cadet Woobin, do you know something? When I asked Cadet Fuyuno Tsubaki what she did, she looked completely dazed and said she hadn’t expected it to work.”

Seeing my reaction, Baek Woohee asked if I knew anything—but this was something I figured I should keep secret. 

So instead, I just gave a sly grin and offered a response fitting for someone in my current position. 

“Well, I guess it takes at least three women to suppress my overflowing yang energy.”

“…Excuse me?”

Yes.

What I had just said was outright sexual harassment. 

“Well then, since I’m feeling better, I’ll be taking my leave.” 

Leaving behind Baek Woohee, who stood there stunned and uncomprehending at my blatantly inappropriate comment, I walked out of the infirmary. 

The fact that Fuyuno Tsubaki could suppress the heat of my Solar Body… Now that was a good thing to learn. 

A discovery that would be an enormous help to my growth going forward.