Ch.7927. Yuri’s True Heart (2)

“Guild Master?”

I looked at Yuri in response to her sudden action. I had nothing more to say to her.

But she was staring at me with an extremely urgent expression.

“What’s wrong?”

Yuri remained silent for a moment. Then she released my hand. In that instant, I seemed to understand why she was acting this way. She probably had something she wanted to tell me.

Yuri moved to sit beside me at the table.

“You look like you’re in really bad shape.”

Sitting next to me, she suddenly grabbed my hand again.

Then unexpectedly, she pulled me into an embrace.

“I knew it. Your body is so hot…”

As Yuri said, the high fever had subsided somewhat. But despite Arini’s treatment and care, the mana load was still inevitably churning inside me.

With the second seal released, my mana capacity had increased. My body had been damaged to the point where death would have been natural. My mana load couldn’t return to its previous state with simple treatment.

Even my body, which originally had complete immunity to flame, now takes damage whenever I manipulate flame-attribute mana.

In the end, it’s as if I’m burning my own body. Even now, I feel a searing pain stabbing throughout my entire body.

‘Yuri is casting a spell…’

Yuri’s body glowed with a faint blue light. The magical light that appears when using freezing spells.

Yuri embraced me tightly, as if entering my arms. As our bodies pressed closer together, her ice-attribute mana enveloped my entire body.

Yuri’s coldness temporarily relieved the burning pain. She spoke with a deeply concerned voice.

“Why… why are you pushing yourself when you’re in such poor condition… Really… Are you sure you can continue working as a hunter like this?”

She was right. The more powerful spells I use, the more magic I cast, the worse the leakage of my source mana will become.

In this condition, I should quit being a hunter. Or if I stay, I should only work as a pure operator, like when I first joined Flame.

‘If I had a future, that’s what I would do.’

Yuri might not immediately realize that I’m terminally ill, but my current condition alone seemed enough to worry her.

‘I absolutely cannot do that. Being just an operator isn’t enough…’

Even now, if a member of the Red Lake were in front of me, my hatred remains unchanged to the point where I’d want to burn them to death with my own hands.

If I hadn’t intended to complete my revenge personally, I wouldn’t have endured the rehabilitation that was more painful than death.

And now that the second seal has been released, it’s like I’ve unleashed the second form of the Ruby that I was using as gear.

In other words, if I can just forcibly endure this pain, I can actively engage in combat like I did against Eins.

‘Actually, even this pain brings me joy.’

Above all, Chae Min-ah is alive.

I absolutely needed to meet her again—Chae Min-ah who joined the Red Lake, or perhaps was part of it from the beginning. Right now, I have too little information about her.

Yuri continued speaking.

“If you can’t work anymore, an office position at Flame would be fine… I’ll arrange it with my authority, so please don’t push yourself like this…”

That’s absolutely not an option. Just as Yuri’s Flame guild received a great reward from this S-rank cooperative mission.

By staying with Yuri, I’ll get closer to the source of the Red Lake. My revenge hasn’t even begun yet. Obviously, if I stay in an office position, I won’t be able to get near Chae Min-ah until the day I die.

Even being just an operator has its limitations. An office job is out of the question.

I pulled Yuri, who had briefly moved away from me, into a tight embrace.

“Eek?!! M-Minsu?”

And I whispered into the ear of the flustered Yuri.

“I’ve just returned to the hunter world. Isn’t it too harsh to tell me to take an office job? Are you looking down on me?”

I spoke into her ear with a somewhat angry voice, as if scolding her.

“Th-that’s not it! I’m just worried about you…”

“Yuri Tarkovskaya.”

And instead of calling her Guild Master as I had consistently done since joining Flame, I called her by name.

I released Yuri from my embrace. Our eyes met. Her blue eyes were trembling.

To her, who seemed too frightened to speak, I said:

“Yuri. As the student council president of the 19th class, you must know why I joined Flame.”

“…… The Eins Tragedy… for revenge against the Red Lake.”

Yuri knew well. She must have read my introduction letter when I applied. And she participated directly in the interview.

But then she lowered her head.

“I haven’t forgotten what I need to do either. But the Eins Tragedy… it’s all my responsibility. I’ll end the Red Lake by any means necessary. That’s why I created Flame.”

“I know. But you also know that the current Flame alone can’t do that, right?”

“But…”

I had directly dismissed Flame in front of the Guild Master.

Yet despite this, Yuri couldn’t retort and just kept her head lowered.

Of course, that wasn’t my true feeling. Flame is the most ideal guild to enable my revenge. Above all, it’s a guild created directly by Yuri, a key figure among Arcahunters.

Naturally, this Flame alone is the most ideal guild for me to directly approach the Red Lake.

‘So I need to eliminate all variables. To ensure my revenge succeeds through this Flame.’

Something like Yuri trying to keep me away from the field should absolutely never happen.

This S-rank cooperative mission, and after confirming Chae Min-ah’s existence, my heart has become more urgent. Especially now that the second seal has been released.

‘Now I really don’t have the luxury for clumsy love games.’

So I intended to make my attitude clear. I can’t be led around. Unless I’m the one directly moving Yuri.

I embraced her again in my arms, as if comforting her. Right now, I needed to reassure Yuri who was worried about me.

Making Flame into a major corporation.

To get closer to the Red Lake. I needed to make Yuri focus on that task. I said:

“I know. You’ve been desperate too.”

And as I patted her back, she trembled at the action, seemingly surprised. But then she nestled deeper into my arms.

“No… All of it… is my responsibility… It happened because of my mistake… I have to take responsibility.”

That’s natural for Yuri with her strong sense of responsibility.

I couldn’t help but think about how Yuri must have run Flame over the past two years. She must have had many painful moments.

‘No. This isn’t the time for such sympathy.’

I steadied my wavering heart again.

A clear goal. I must focus only on revenge. The more I waver, the more victims there will be, like in the Eins Tragedy.

It’s enough if I’m the only one who dies at the end of this revenge.

Now that Yuri has created Flame and joined the revenge, my job is to desperately help her. And like with Siwoo, to prevent the death of original characters.

‘And also to prevent irregulars like Chae Min-ah.’

I steeled my resolve. For everyone’s sake, I can put on any act. I spoke in the most gentle voice I could manage:

“You don’t need to blame yourself so much. We were all deceived by the Suspicious Dark Spirit. And I know how desperate you’ve been to make Flame an S-rank guild. So no more guilt…”

But then Yuri buried her face in my chest and cried out:

“No… Actually, that’s not it either. The truth is… I created Flame… all for you!”

***

I fell silent at Yuri’s words.

Yuri was also silent, but soon opened her mouth again and said:

“Remember? You said you had something to tell me after the graduation ceremony.”

Of course I remember. After graduation, I was planning to confess to Yuri.

That I liked her. And that I wanted her to wait for me until I earned the right to stand by her side.

‘Since Yuri would join the Snow Knight Order after graduation.’

It was natural for her as the successor to Grand Duke Andrei. And since the Snow Knight Order was pureblooded, I couldn’t join.

Instead, I planned to join Manseong’s elite team and succeed as a hunter. If I could achieve becoming the youngest S-rank hunter. If I could make a name for myself in the hunter world.

I thought that would give me, an orphan with no background, the minimum qualification to date Yuri.

Of course, that confession never happened. Instead, the Eins Tragedy occurred.

I remained silent at Yuri’s words. Yuri continued:

“And I had something to tell you then too. Regardless of what you were going to say. Because I had already made up my mind by then.”

I didn’t want to hear those words. They were all in the past tense. But at the same time, I felt a contradictory desire to hear them.

“What were you…”

At those words, Yuri placed both hands on my shoulders and said:

“That I liked you. And that I had already created a guild for you. I wanted to ask you to join that guild… the Phoenix Flame.”

I was speechless. No, for a moment, I felt my mana heart churning again, and my heart pounded.

‘So… Flame… Flame’s original name was…’

The Phoenix Flame was the fire spell I created. And the fire spell that first defeated Yuri.

In this moment, I understood Yuri’s true feelings. And in the end, Yuri was the one who confessed to me first.

But unlike myself just before graduation, I couldn’t give Yuri an answer to that confession.

Our eyes met for a moment. Her blue eyes were trembling more than before. From the brief silence and my expression, she seemed to have read my feelings.

Unlike the two of us before, we couldn’t go back to that time and become lovers as if nothing had happened. The Eins Tragedy and the past two years were too deep and heavy.

But Yuri still had her face buried in my chest. After staying silent for a while, I finally embraced her.

Yuri looked up at me with a startled face. Tears were already welling in her eyes.

“I need Flame.”

I don’t know if it was a proper answer, but it was the best answer I could give, and it was sincere. Yuri responded:

“Then… me too?”

Flame is Yuri’s guild. Yuri is Flame’s Guild Master. She seems to have understood the meaning of my words to some extent.

If I need Flame, then naturally I need Yuri too.

Instead of answering, I nodded. It was neither an affirmation nor a denial of Yuri’s confession. But Yuri, after stopping her tears and thinking for a while with a contemplative expression, finally said:

“But… you’re already dating Arini. When you say you need me… it’s just because you need Flame…”

“Arini and I aren’t like that.”

“You wouldn’t kiss a woman who means nothing to you!”

I was momentarily speechless at those words. It seems Yuri saw what happened in the temporary barracks in Paju recently.

Due to a momentary panic and anxiety attack, I unconsciously leaned on Arini again. If Yuri hadn’t come in, I might have done more than just kiss her.

Of course, I’m fine now. During the two weeks I was sick in bed. While getting used to the released second seal.

Rather, my heart has hardened even colder.

I answered while still holding Yuri:

“I was… confused then. Anyway, Arini and I are just senior and junior. And right now, I just want to focus on Flame’s work.”

“What about Soso? Soso has always liked you! And now Soso is… she has a good figure and she’s pretty. Naturally, you’re a man and…”

Yuri was persistent. But I denied that too.

“Soso and I are just friends.”

Yuri seemed relieved at those words. I could feel her arms tightening around me.

And she said, as if making an excuse:

“I’m not doubting your words. I don’t want to interfere with what you’re doing… no, if there’s something you want to do, somehow… anyone… more than any other woman!”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I’m not thinking of dating anyone right now. Like I just said.”

Yuri made a strange expression at those words. She seemed relieved but also disappointed. But the persistent expression from earlier had softened somewhat.

“I… I see. I understand what you mean. I’m also a guild master. So I know how to separate public and private matters. Just…”

Yuri, who had paused briefly, looked at me again.

Her eyes trembled as if she was contemplating something, but then, as if she had made up her mind, Yuri wrapped her arms around my neck.

Her lips touched mine.