Ch.105Someone’s Memory(T)

# 105. Someone’s Memory (T)

While I was encouraging Soyu, Yuri and the rest of Team 2 joined us. Subin looked tired, Seyeon was just a bit sweaty, and Yehyun… she seemed exhausted both mentally and physically.

“Was, was it always like this?”

“Like what?”

“Difficult, or something.”

“Ah. No. This floor was actually quite easy. We never faced any dangerous enemies, right?”

“…I see.”

Seeing Yehyun space out momentarily before nodding at Seyeon’s calm response, I briefly imagined what it would have been like if Yehyun had come here for the first time.

‘Yehyun would have adapted too, but still. Seyeon’s mental fortitude was extraordinary from the beginning.’

She doesn’t particularly stand out, but she’s the type who quietly does her job while providing stability to the core.

Anyway, our rank hadn’t been determined yet, and the expedition members were either resting comfortably or chatting with each other.

I noticed Danya, who would normally be stuck to me like glue, staring blankly at the mountain range. I moved over to sit beside her.

“Danya.”

“Nyang.”

[Yes.]

“Aren’t you going to tell me?”

“…Nyaang.”

[…Tell you what?]

“One Subin is enough when it comes to pretending nothing’s wrong. When your whole body is screaming ‘I’m not feeling well’ while claiming it’s nothing, it’s not very convincing.”

Danya didn’t answer and tried to subtly move away from me. I knew she was feeling down, but I was worried this would just keep getting postponed, so I grabbed her and lifted her up.

“Nyaat!”

[Let me go!]

“See? Normally you even enjoy belly rubs, but now you’re fiercely resisting just being picked up. That itself is strange.”

“Nyaat! Nyaaat!”

[I never liked that! And I can feel different ways at different times!]

As Danya tried to raise her claws, I deliberately put on a dejected expression and set her down.

“Fine. If that’s what Danya says, then I guess that’s how it is.”

“Nyat.”

[Ah.]

“But if something happens, you have to tell me. Understand?”

Without waiting for Danya’s answer, I got up and joined the expedition members’ conversation. Glancing sideways, I saw Danya staring at me blankly.

‘Hmm. I’ve given her an opening, so she’ll probably come talk to me soon.’

[Rank – S]

The simultaneous cheers died down quickly as we were soon transferred to the familiar reward space.

“It feels strange coming back here. When I was first summoned, I was too disoriented to notice.”

“Isn’t that because you were drunk at the time, Yehyun?”

“Shh!”

“Only one left now.”

This was already my sixth time here. For Seyeon and Yuri, this place probably felt more familiar than dreamlike by now.

Looking at the letter T among the seven alphabets, I said:

“Should we all go together this time?”

“Why not?”

I led the expedition members to stand in front of T. As I silently stared at the letter, feeling unsettled, Subin asked:

“By the way, can we still choose the other letters?”

“They seem deactivated since their lights are off, but let’s check.”

Subin pressed R next to T and shook her head.

“But oppa, thinking about it, V is you, right? What happens if we press V?”

“Good question. Let’s try pressing V too.”

This time I tried pressing it. Nothing happened. There might be other prerequisites, but that wasn’t important right now.

“Huh, that’s weird.”

“We can figure that out later if we come back. Yehyun, do you want to do it?”

“Me?”

“Yes. There was kind of an unwritten rule that the most recently summoned person gets to choose.”

“Ah, okay.”

Yehyun timidly stepped forward, but before touching T, she turned to me and asked:

“So when I press this, the backdoor person comes, right?”

“Yes.”

“They’ll come… normally, right?”

“What?”

What is Yehyun suddenly talking about?

“Actually, in the last chat I had before coming here, the backdoor person said they might not be able to contact anyone for a few days because they were having surgery.”

“What? Surgery?”

Everyone was surprised.

‘I don’t know what kind of surgery, but was the backdoor person that sick?’

Should we not summon them then?

Wait, why is she only mentioning something this important now?

But something felt off about the atmosphere.

All the women except Yehyun were staring at Subin.

“Subin, you knew about this all along.”

“Yeah.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything!”

“What difference would it make if I told you?”

“What difference? We could be bringing someone who can’t even chat because they’re recovering from surgery, and you ask what difference it makes!”

What’s going on?

What does she mean by “knew all along”?

“Yuri. Calm down and listen to the whole story first.”

“How can I stay calm! ‘What difference would it make,’ seriously!”

“Right now, how many of us think we’re 100% purely ourselves? Raise your hand.”

“Why are you changing the subject?”

“I’m not changing the subject. Does this body feel like it’s really our original body?”

Yehyun raised her hand.

“Um, this is a bit embarrassing to say, but I think I was myself when I came here… including being drunk.”

“I’m not so sure, unni. You might not have noticed, but many things probably changed even then.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“The current me is basically Eun Subin with impurities of Yebeop Nojeong mixed in. Otherwise, how could I have this hair color, slightly improved looks, and somehow figure out and develop magic—a science and phenomenon that doesn’t even exist on Earth—all by myself? Don’t ask me how it works. Just like no one knows how Ban Seonghyeon was suddenly kidnapped here, I don’t know either.”

Subin pointed at her legs.

“The backdoor person has leg problems. Serious enough to require multiple surgeries. They’ve improved over the past two years to the point where they can at least sit in a chair and be active to some extent. That’s why they were able to play games.”

“Subin, how do you know all this?”

“Later. If my guess is right, the backdoor person will be able to move perfectly fine the moment they arrive here. They’ll be the backdoor person, but not purely so. Yehyun coming here drunk? That was probably just a minor issue.”

Subin spoke with such conviction that, even though it was just a guess, it was hard to argue against.

“But what if your guess is wrong and they come in that condition… what then?”

“Yehyun, you said they were about to have surgery right before coming here, right?”

“Huh? Yes.”

“Then even if that happens, it’ll be okay. That was probably their final scheduled surgery. It would take a long time, but they would have rehabilitation planned too. It’s not a permanent disability. Soyu and Yehyun could heal them.”

“What? I’m not a doctor!”

“Yehyun, this isn’t Earth. This is a place where even mangled limbs can be not just stopped from bleeding but completely healed with enough of Soyu’s light.”

Is this right?

Even though I said I’d be more shameless, even though this is the sixth person we’re bringing… is it right to summon someone who just had surgery and can’t even walk?

“Hey. Didn’t you say you’d be more shameless?”

“That’s different from this.”

“It might actually be better. Having legs that have been painful and inconvenient for years suddenly become normal.”

“Hey, that’s too—”

“Ban Seonghyeon, you’re not really in a position to talk, are you?”

Tsk.

I have nothing to say to that.

“I’ll explain everything later, so let’s summon them now. Yehyun.”

“Ugh.”

“If you can’t do it, I will.”

Yehyun looked at me. Then everyone else looked at me too.

‘Right. I have to make this decision too.’

I thought for a moment.

‘I said I wouldn’t leave anyone alone. Being a patient is a big variable, but…’

Of course, this was entirely my perspective and my commitment, but it would be ridiculous to back out now.

“Yehyun, let’s do it.”

“…Okay. I understand.”

After I made the final decision, Yehyun hesitantly pressed T.

Soon, the familiar darkness enveloped us.

**

“Daddy, Daddy! There’s a ‘Chinese character’ section under my name here! I don’t have to fill it out, right?!”

“Hmm? Where… Ah. Sweetie, you don’t know Chinese characters yet, do you? Can I see? I’ll write it for you.”

“Okay!”

(Name) Tae Arang

(Chinese characters) 太娥朗

“You might not know it now, but this is also your name, so you’ll need to learn how to write it someday, okay?”

“Ugh. It’s hard…”

“Haha. Do you know what your name means?”

“My name?”

“Yes. Your name. Your name means…”

Beautiful and bright child.

“Beautiful and bright?”

“That’s right! Our daughter is the most beautiful and brightest child in the world! Let me see. My goodness. How can you be so pretty and cute every day! Hmm? Speaking of which, how about a kiss for daddy? Mwah—”

“Ugh! Daddy! Your stubble hurts! Mommy! Help meee!”

**

Beep- Beep- Beep-

“Are you a guardian of patient Tae Arang?”

“I’m the child’s aunt. This is my husband.”

It hurts.

It hurts so much.

It hurts so much!

“The child’s parents, who were in the driver’s and passenger’s seats, died instantly in the accident. It’s a miracle this child survived. However… her legs are completely damaged and will require surgery that’s almost at the level of reconstruction. Moreover, since she’s still a growing child, she’ll need additional surgeries periodically.”

“…If I may ask, approximately how much will this cost?”

Daddy. Mommy.

My legs hurt so much.

Daddy…

Mommy…

Save me….