PARADOX 39

“But hasn’t he improved compared to before? Even if there’s no visible difference, I feel like the vibe has changed somewhat.”

“That’s only natural since the Matching Guide he’s been waiting and waiting for finally appeared.”

Even so, it doesn’t seem like the effect is that incredible. Seong Semin thought.

If the matching rate is as high as 98%, shouldn’t his wavelength stabilize immediately just by holding hands?

Wait, could it be that Gu Jeyi got scammed?

At that exact moment, the door opened and a familiar face walked inside.

“Team Leader!”

Woo Taegyu welcomed the newcomer with a bright face. On the other hand, Seong Semin’s face crumpled instantly. There was a reason for the saying that if you speak of the tiger, it will appear.

Why is he here already when it’s not even night? Did he suddenly feel like tormenting people early today?

While grumbling internally, Seong Semin spotted a small face peeking out from behind Gu Jeyi. He hadn’t realized someone was hidden by Gu Jeyi’s large frame.

“Eh?”

Woo Taegyu also seemed to recognize the person, staring blankly with wide eyes. Soon, a boisterous shout rang out.

“Has the Hyeongsu-nim arrived as well!”

The room turned chilly in an instant. Only Woo Taegyu remained innocent, blinking his eyes as if he had no idea what the problem was.

“What do you mean, Hyeongsu-nim, for a man?”

Seong Semin snapped irritably. It was a disgusting thing to hear.

Approaching with large strides that matched his long legs, Seong Semin pushed Woo Taegyu aside and stood in front of the uninvited guest.

He had seen him at the wedding hall, but this was the first time seeing him at such a close distance. He had thought the guy didn’t look like a man at all back then, but seeing him up close made it even more apparent.

What’s with his looks?

With a small, white face, large eyes, and red lips, he looked exactly like the dolls girls play with. But so what if he was pretty? The fact that they were both equipped with the same parts didn’t change.

At Seong Semin’s fierce gaze, the uninvited guest lowered his eyes as if intimidated. Seong Semin let out a “Hmph” and a snort before looking at Gu Jeyi.

“Why did you bring him here?”

“I didn’t come to see you.”

“That’s right, he came to see me.”

Answering for Gu Jeyi, a woman with short hair walked down the stairs. It was Baek Haeryeong, who had returned from her dispatch early this morning. Seong Semin furrowed his brows.

“Why would the Team Leader need you, Noona? Is he hurt somewhere?”

“Not him.”

The uninvited guest was standing where Gu Jeyi gestured with his eyes. Only then did Seong Semin notice the bandage wrapped around the guest’s hand. His frowning face turned into one of absurdity.

“Did he get a finger cut off or something?”

“It’s broken.”

“Broken? You’re getting treatment from Haeryeong Noona just for that?”

Baek Haeryeong was the busiest and most precious person at the Center next to Gu Jeyi. It wasn’t a total exaggeration to say that if you lined up the people waiting to be treated by her, they could cross the globe.

And yet, he was getting treatment from Baek Haeryeong just for a broken arm? Seong Semin glared at the uninvited guest for no reason.

“Wow, this is really not it. Really not it.”

“I said it’s fine, so why are you acting like that?”

Baek Haeryeong ignored Seong Semin naturally.

“Ignore that grumbler and come this way. This is the first time we’re greeting each other properly, right? I’m Baek Haeryeong.”

“…I am Yeo Hanseo.”

Yeo Hanseo seemed slightly tense, as if he were shy. Baek Haeryeong glanced at Gu Jeyi. Usually, in a situation like this, the person who brought the guest should initiate greetings and introductions to loosen the atmosphere. However, Gu Jeyi was simply standing there morosely without a word, as usual.

The Team Leader is really something. Baek Haeryeong shook her head internally. Then again, when would Gu Jeyi have ever introduced anyone to anyone? A man who had no friends or lovers suddenly ended up with a husband…

Baek Haeryeong looked at Yeo Hanseo, who was standing awkwardly. Since Seong Semin had detested male Guides from the start, he acted hostile toward Yeo Hanseo, but Baek Haeryeong was different.

The fact that an Esper found a Matching Guide was something worth celebrating. Moreover, if the matching rate was 98%, it could only be described as a miracle from God. An Esper’s rampage was a problem that couldn’t be fixed even if an S-rank healer came, let alone an A-rank.

Baek Haeryeong sent a warm smile toward Yeo Hanseo, welcoming him on behalf of Seong Semin as well.

For some reason, Yeo Hanseo seemed to stiffen even more upon seeing that smile, but she assumed it must be her imagination.

“Could you give me your injured hand?”

After a moment of hesitation, Yeo Hanseo reached out. Baek Haeryeong placed Yeo Hanseo’s injured hand on top of hers and covered it with her other hand. A soft, warm light, like the morning sun, flowed from Baek Haeryeong.

Once the light faded, Baek Haeryeong pulled her hand away and began unwrapping the bandage from Yeo Hanseo’s hand. The loosened bandage fell to the floor, revealing the bare hand.

“Ta-da, it’s all healed.”

Just as Baek Haeryeong said, the hand was perfectly healed, as if it had never been injured in the first place. Yeo Hanseo’s eyes widened as if he were surprised by the miracle he had just witnessed. Baek Haeryeong, who enjoyed seeing the surprise and admiration of people experiencing her ability, became cheerful at Yeo Hanseo’s reaction.

“It’s your first time seeing something like this, right? Not just anyone gets to see this.”

As soon as Baek Haeryeong boasted playfully, Seong Semin cut in.

“Exactly, where else would you see something like this? Calling a precious healer just for a single broken hand. Especially since an A-rank healer is a talent who can bring the dead back to life.”

“No, I can’t do that.”

“…”

Seong Semin sent a resentful look toward Baek Haeryeong for not playing along with his words. However, Baek Haeryeong even went as far as to add one more thing.

“Semin-ah, how can I bring a dead person back to life? Then I wouldn’t be a healer, I’d be a god.”

Baek Haeryeong was an extremely realistic person, contrary to her soft appearance and affectionate way of speaking.

“…”

Yeo Hanseo watched the scene quietly.

In fact, he had seen Baek Haeryeong in his past life.

But he hadn’t known Baek Haeryeong was this kind of person.

So you knew.

The Baek Haeryeong Hanseo remembered could be explained in a single sentence.

She knew that the dead could not be brought back to life.

Baek Haeryeong was a lunatic.

After a gate of unknown rank, called the Great Catastrophe, appeared, numerous Espers struggled to conquer that gate.

However, everyone died. Except for one person—Baek Haeryeong.

Baek Haeryeong’s outstanding healing power didn’t apply only to others. Baek Haeryeong, who returned alive, formed a team again to enter the gate, and returned alive alone once more. By that time, Baek Haeryeong was the only healer left in the world. Entering a gate without a healer was no different from a suicidal act. Therefore, Baek Haeryeong constantly entered gates with new teams.

And then, eventually, she went completely mad.

At that time, Hanseo was moving with the Cult Leader. All the Espers who wanted to save the world were dead, and only the wicked ones, like the Cult Leader and his followers, remained, seeking a way to survive while avoiding the monsters.

During that time, Hanseo saw a woman rummaging through a pile of corpses. At first, he didn’t recognize who she was, but he realized her identity after seeing her actions. Baek Haeryeong was constantly using her ability on someone collapsed on the floor. Even though it was a corpse whose breath had already stopped.

The Cult Leader thought Baek Haeryeong was useful and recruited her, and so Seong Semin’s younger brother, who was with Baek Haeryeong at the time, also became a follower of the Church of Infinite Connection.

“Mister Yeo Hanseo?”

At the voice calling him, Hanseo emerged from his horrific memories of the past.

“Are you okay? Were you too surprised because it’s your first time seeing this?”

Baek Haeryeong was looking at him with a worried expression. That clear face was the same as in his memory, yet completely different. Hanseo parted his dry lips.

“No, thank you for treating me.”

“Don’t mention it. Since the Team Leader caused it, I should take responsibility as a team member.”

It seemed Gu Jeyi had told Baek Haeryeong why his hand ended up like this. Certainly, Baek Haeryeong’s skill was amazing, both in his past life and now. He tried moving his hand, which no longer felt any pain, when Gu Jeyi spoke.

“Now that the treatment is over, we’ll be going.”

“Why are you leaving already when you’ve come all this way? Stay a bit longer.”

“That’s right. It’ll be disappointing if you leave like this.”

Baek Haeryeong and Woo Taegyu held onto Gu Jeyi, who tried to leave as soon as his business was finished. Watching the two of them, Seong Semin’s face crumpled like someone who had stepped on dung.

Watching Gu Jeyi, who had an expression saying ‘I don’t know why I should stay longer,’ Baek Haeryeong shook her head slightly.

“We’ll be seeing each other often in the future, so we should at least greet each other properly.”

Hanseo glanced at Gu Jeyi. His face was still unreadable, but if he were to guess, he was probably thinking something like, ‘There won’t be many occasions to see each other in the future.’

Hanseo thought the same. Why would he see Gu Jeyi’s team members often? It’s not like he was going to follow them into the Gates.

“This person is…”

Just as Gu Jeyi was about to speak, Baek Haeryeong’s watch suddenly rang loudly.

Hanseo saw the team members’ expressions stiffen in an instant. Baek Haeryeong, who had been smiling playfully until just now, also looked pale.

Baek Haeryeong, who checked her watch, slowly raised her head. Her face was completely devoid of any trace of a smile.

“Team Leader, they say the Miudong Gate conquest has failed.”