chapter_0073

Chapter 71: The First Emotion

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After the incident involving Yoon Ga-eun’s attack, even after a month had passed, there was no sign of Siwoo’s emotions returning.

He would smile at happy events and appear downcast when something sad happened.

However, he often passed situations with an awkward smile, unable to express his emotions outwardly.

He visited the hospital every weekend for counseling and took his medication three times a day.

But as expected, the situation did not improve dramatically.

In fact, there was no sign of improvement at all.

It was barely enough to prevent things from getting worse.

It seemed unlikely that drug treatment and counseling alone could restore Siwoo’s emotions.

“Well, it seems we can’t expect him to naturally improve like this.”

Seria, holding the test results from the psychiatric hospital, spoke with a bitter expression.

The contents of the results were not much different from what they had expected.

The situation hadn’t improved, and there were no signs of worsening, but that was all.

If he continued living with medication and frequent visits to the psychiatric hospital, his current state might remain stable.

Like the remains of a bomb that had already exploded, as long as water was poured on it daily and it was carefully managed, there wouldn’t be any new problems.

But if the management was neglected, the embers hidden in the remains and the untouched gunpowder could meet and cause another explosion.

What emotions would be the next to fade away?

Would it be happiness?

Or sadness?

The thought of it filled their minds with a scene they didn’t even want to imagine.

“… You said we’ve done everything possible with hospital treatment, right?”

“Yes, they said hospitalization was also an option, but…”

“Are you crazy? There’s no way an ordinary person could handle Siwoo’s charm.”

If Siwoo suppressed his imprinting to the limit, even an ordinary person could face him for a few days without issue.

However, if the time spent with him increased, a problem was inevitable.

Especially if the charm built up in the body of an ordinary person who didn’t know how to resist it, an incident would happen eventually.

“Even if the hospital staff were all hunters, there would still be problems. And even if only men were allowed to approach him…”

“If the charm spreads, women who lose their reason will come to spy on him from time to time.”

It wasn’t that they were disregarding the patience of the hospital staff.

The nature of the charm was something ordinary humans couldn’t withstand.

It was a problem that couldn’t be solved through effort and will alone.

“From the beginning, it’s useless to talk about hospitalizing him among ourselves. Siwoo would firmly refuse.”

With Kitsunezawa’s firm statement, everyone nodded in agreement.

If they were going to have this conversation, at least they should have done it with Siwoo present.

Trying to put him in a psychiatric hospital based on their own thoughts was no different from the women who had tormented him during his host days.

They were no different from beasts who didn’t even show the bare minimum of courtesy.

“Even if we did try to hospitalize him, if he goes on a rampage, we wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

“Actually, we couldn’t handle it because it’s us.”

“No, if it were someone like Kang Hong-yeon, she could probably handle it.”

“The moment her name was mentioned, it was already hopeless.”

Unless someone was at least an A-rank Hunter, no one could stop Siwoo if he went on a rampage.

The charm was a problem, but his skills had rapidly improved since his time at the academy.

“He grows so much every time he goes into real combat. As a mentor, I’m truly grateful, but…”

“He’s gotten so strong that it’s scary when he goes on a rampage…”

“Even without a sword, a C-rank Hunter could easily beat him. A B-rank Hunter, if they had the right weapon, would definitely win, and even if he fought an A-rank Hunter, he wouldn’t lose easily.”

“They didn’t raise him to be such a weak Hunter.”

“The world’s top S-rank Hunters…”

“As a mentor, it’s both a happy and a sad thing.”

“There’s no helping it. Once Siwoo asked, we didn’t have the option to stop teaching him.”

The remaining two nodded in unison.

Even if they had known that this kind of situation would happen in the future, the three of them would have continued to teach him.

Siwoo wanted to grow stronger.

Even if they knew that they would face difficulties in the future, they couldn’t disappoint someone they loved.

Even if it meant they would suffer, they wished that the one they loved wouldn’t.

“Even after holding these regular meetings, the policy hasn’t changed.”

“It’s only been a month. You know that the situation isn’t good enough for the policy to change in such a short time.”

“Yeah, in the end, we should just focus on what we need to do.”

At Jeong Se-ah’s words, everyone nodded in agreement.

What needed to be done hadn’t changed.

Those who could enter the gates would explore the technologies of other worlds, and those who couldn’t would continue their studies in preparation for when their emotions return.

Just as they were about to wrap up the meeting.

“Actually, I’d like to make one suggestion.”

Seria raised her hand carefully.

“Oh, come to think of it, you did say you had something to say?”

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it, but… this seems like the most reliable option.”

The academy, having finished the finals, was soon going into summer vacation.

During that time, Siwoo’s task was already decided.

“Siwoo will probably focus on the gate raids during the summer vacation.”

“I thought that would be the case. Even now, he’s been working with Hunter Cheong Harin on the gate raids.”

That’s something everyone here knows.

We’ve also confirmed Hunter Cheong Harin’s condition, right?

“By any chance, has Cheong Harin fallen for Siwoo?”

Im So-yeon’s question made Seria shake her head.

If that were the case, she wouldn’t have even hesitated to bring it up.

Moreover, if it were Cheong Harin, even if she had feelings of love, she wouldn’t show them, making her more suitable as Siwoo’s partner than anyone gathered here.

“So what exactly are you suggesting?”

“I’d like you all to help find the gates Siwoo will enter.”

It wasn’t a difficult task.

In fact, the number of gates had been increasing exponentially.

Finding a few B and C-rank gates using their connections would be no problem at all.

“But isn’t it possible for you to find them yourself?”

“Right. If we ask Kang Hong-yeon unnie, she could probably get us a few.”

“No, what I’m asking for aren’t just regular gates.”

She was asking for gates related to demons.

Only one person understood the true intent behind Seria’s request.

“Devil’s hatred symbol.”

It was the fourth mark Siwoo had received with Kang Hong-yeon.

A mark created solely for the purpose of killing demons.

The description and effects of that mark were filled with pure hatred toward demons.

Yoo Seoha, who remembered that mark and its power, was the only one who understood Seria’s thought process and furrowed her brow.

“That’s a rather extreme approach.”

“Yes, but… if we continue waiting without any certainty, will anything change?”

It was an extreme suggestion, but no one could refute it.

Everyone had thought about it at least once.

If they continued trying and ultimately couldn’t find a solution, they’d be left watching Siwoo deteriorate.

What if he forgets more emotions along the way?

What would they do then?

They had thought about it countless times and lost sleep over it.

But in the end, they had no answers and would just watch Siwoo from afar, seemingly fine.

“… I saw Siwoo angry for the first time.”

“You said it was when we talked about demons, right?”

“Yes, but I don’t think that emotion was originally his.”

When accepting the knowledge of the mark, it was highly likely that he had absorbed those emotions as well.

And that emotion was undoubtedly negative—hatred and anger.

It was a feeling they didn’t want to return, but…

“That emotion was something we had to bear anyway.”

If they didn’t return the negative emotions they didn’t want to face, but only returned the desire to be loved, could they still call themselves human?