Chapter 53: Countdown (5)

Ianna didn’t wake up until much later.

Cold.

The first thing she felt was a chill cold enough for her breath to fog in the air.

Realizing she was left alone in a room filled with an unexplainable cold, Ianna immediately tried to sit up and look for Byeolhwa.

But—

Her body wouldn’t move.

“…”

It was as if she were dead.

All she could do was lie there in bed.

The sleeping gas that had filled the room was already gone without a trace.

‘…Sleeping gas.’

She wasn’t too shocked by the fact that gas had come from the vents.

After experiencing so many bizarre things, this didn’t even rank.

And—

There was only one person who could gas both his daughter and her without a shred of hesitation.

Han Hojoon.

‘…’

Ianna clenched her teeth.

If—if even a single scratch had been inflicted on Han Byeolhwa…

She wouldn’t sit still anymore.

She’d ruin everything Hojoon had planned, even if it killed her.

Even if it meant breaking her promise.

No matter how rampant the magical girl madness was, killing your own daughter was still unfathomable.

Cruelty.

It was a tragic and heartless tale.

“…You’re watching, aren’t you?”

Ianna called out into the air.

She had already figured out that Hojoon’s eyes and ears were planted in this room.

“Why… would you… do something like this…?”

But her voice barely came out.

Because her body was still soaked in the gas.

Her head was spinning violently, making deep thought impossible.

She could barely maintain a grip on her rationality.

Ianna realized that trying to converse with Hojoon in this state would be completely useless.

‘…’

Unconsciously, Ianna was identifying Byeolhwa with herself.

Yearning for parental love.

A background of growing up practically orphaned—they were too similar.

And it wasn’t just Byeolhwa.

Ianna saw herself in the other magical girls as well.

There were many among them who had grown up unloved and alone.

Maybe that was why magical girl breakdowns happened so frequently.

If it involved a precious comrade or junior, she couldn’t help but be emotional.

Even if they hurt her, all she could do was shield them.

Because she understood them better than anyone.

That, she believed, was her role.

The protector of girls with nowhere else to lean on.

She thought she’d upheld that duty all this time.

So of course, she was worried about Byeolhwa’s safety.

There were no signs of an explosion in the room.

The bomb hadn’t gone off—but Byeolhwa had also been knocked out by the gas.

She had no idea what Hojoon might’ve done to her.

Should she call it apathy?

Or cruelty?

Hojoon had deliberately neglected Byeolhwa.

Pushed her into dangerous assignments, delayed her evaluations and aid.

Among all the magical girls, Han Byeolhwa—Starlight Cluster—was always pushed to the bottom of the list.

Byeolhwa had confronted him directly many times.

Each time, Hojoon brushed it off.

Because he knew she wouldn’t dare raise a blade against him.

And yet, Hojoon didn’t treat other magical girls like that.

He was polite and friendly, always smiling kindly, always gentle.

He got along fine with the rest.

Even Heosang and Cheonching, despite what they had done to her, were never punished.

Even though it severely damaged the Bureau’s reputation—which he so valued.

Sometimes, while walking the halls with her aide, her wheelchair would suddenly flip, sending her sprawling on the floor.

The candy she’d been saving would go missing.

Her white hair would be drenched in spit.

Most of these were the work of magical girls stationed at the Bureau.

Hojoon maintained friendly relations even with them.

‘…’

She knew all too well that she and Byeolhwa were disposable pieces—just sacrificial pawns.

But still…

Even if she could accept her own treatment…

Why his own daughter…?

Wait.

Hojoon’s conflict with Starlight had surfaced many times.

Most agents in the Bureau knew about it.

‘…A strategic sacrifice.’

Clang,

Creeeak—

The sound of metal scraping against metal echoed as the heavy iron door opened.

Thud.

Hojoon entered.

Ianna tightly shut her eyes and pretended to sleep.

Facing him directly was far too unpleasant.

Because deep down, she was instinctively afraid of him.

Gulp—

Ianna swallowed hard, cold sweat dripping from her temples.

Hojoon stared at her quietly.

Then, slowly, steadily, he began walking toward her.

Thud, thud.

His footsteps rang out over the marble floor.

Ianna squeezed her eyes tighter.

She didn’t realize her trembling limbs were already in his view.

“Hm…”

Hojoon touched his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

“Snrk, snore… Hrrk… Snnnrk…”

Panicking, Ianna desperately faked sleep.

Reversion to infantile behaviour had taken over.

“…Wake up.”

“Snnnrk… Snnr…”

Despite his cold summons, Ianna continued to pretend to sleep.

Hojoon said nothing further.

He simply came closer.

Close enough for their faces to almost touch.

As the silence deepened, Ianna, curious about what was happening, cautiously peeked through her eyelashes—

“Ah, ahhh…!”

“…You’re awake.”

Seeing his face right in front of her, she convulsed and flailed in panic.

“H-how… did you know?”

“Your sleep pattern was off. You snored for less time than usual.”

Ianna stared up at him in horror.

He knew even her sleep patterns?

“I’m joking. You spoke first.”

“…Oh.”

She recalled yelling into the air earlier and finally let out a sigh of relief.

No matter how much of a control freak he was, tracking her snoring duration was a bit too much.

Of course, Hojoon did remember her snoring duration, and even the nonsense she mumbled in her sleep every other day—but Ianna was blissfully unaware of this.

Shrinking back, Ianna glanced sideways at Hojoon’s face.

It was different from usual.

Expressionless… but lonely.

“Um…”

Something felt off.

Realizing the situation wasn’t going as expected, Ianna cautiously tried to speak—but Hojoon didn’t respond.

He just kept staring down at her head.

‘…’

A short silence passed.

And then, it was Hojoon who spoke first.

“Do you believe in God?”

To Ianna, it seemed like a random question.

She never expected those words from an atheist like Hojoon.

…Wait.

How did she even know he was an atheist?

In the past few years they’d spent together, he’d never once talked about that.

They barely exchanged any personal conversation at all.

Then why…?

“…Yeah.”

It just felt impossible that he didn’t exist.

“Why?”

“Well…”

A strange sense of danger swept over her.

If she answered honestly, it felt like she might actually die.

Talking about her own experiences felt like the worst possible move.

So—

Ianna quickly glanced at Hojoon’s wrist.

‘The band.’

Sure enough, there was a white band wrapped around it.

Hojoon had been reading her thoughts.

Leading her into a trap she couldn’t escape.

Ianna desperately tried to hide her thoughts.

She also tried desperately to hide the fact that she’d wet herself slightly on the bed while paralyzed.

“…There’s no need to hide that.”

“Ugh…”

He had already noticed.

No wonder he stood up immediately after sitting near the foot of the bed.

His attitude had grown colder. Ianna shivered as she cautiously asked—

“Um…”

How long had he been wearing the band?

Why was he asking these questions?

What was he hiding in the hand behind his back?

Had his attitude changed because of that?

What happened to Byeolhwa?

Before she could speak the questions aloud—

Hojoon answered first.

“Since earlier. All along.”

“…”

Cold sweat.

It dripped from Ianna’s forehead.

Since earlier—meaning since she was being carried on his back to Ae-won’s room…

Everything she’d thought—

“I know all of it now.”

“…”

Ianna stared up at him, trembling, like she would burst into tears any moment.

Her body was finally starting to move, but facing Hojoon’s overwhelming presence, she didn’t dare resist.

“I, um… listen…”

“Your daughter is safe. I’ll overlook this incident quietly.”

“Th-that’s… a relief…”

“More importantly—I have a question.”

Hojoon gently swept his large hand across Ianna’s forehead—

And slowly pressed down on her eyelids.

“Who are you?”

Ianna’s face turned ghostly pale.

She couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Her bladder gave out with a splash.

The sheets and her clothes were soaked in an instant.