If the Body Is Strong, the Mind Does Not Suffer.

Lee Sa-young forgot the rule of the world that "the first time is hard, but the second time is easy," and fell into the trap of infinite finger play.

Whenever Lee Sa-young made a hand gesture, Park Ha-eun would shout, "Again!" So Lee Sa-young would show it once more, only for Park Ha-eun to shout, "Again!" Seeing someone from TV performing in front of her was quite thrilling. Even after doing it about twenty times, Park Ha-eun showed no signs of getting bored.

As Lee Sa-young spread his fingers once more, he thought,

'Aren't you afraid of poison?'

Most people avoided coming near him. Even though he always wore a gas mask, special anti-poison gloves custom-made by Hong Ye-seong, and carried an antidote, people kept their distance.

Lee Sa-young didn't mind this. In fact, he thought it was very natural. If he relaxed his guard even for a moment while breathing, the person next to him could die. It was easier for him if people kept their distance.

But Park Ha-eun and Cha Eui-jae were different.

"Again!"

When Lee Sa-young heard "again," he moved like a machine and fell into thought.

Park Ha-eun was young and might not understand why Lee Sa-young wore a gas mask and never took off his gloves. Or maybe she understood but couldn't fully grasp the danger. Kids could be brave to the point of recklessness.

But Cha Eui-jae was different. He had almost died from Lee Sa-young's poison, yet he would casually grab Lee Sa-young's arm without any fear. He wasn't a child and knew how dangerous the world could be.

Lee Sa-young couldn't easily understand Cha Eui-jae. But did that inexplicability make him uncomfortable…?

"You almost died."

No. It wasn't so bad. Of course, there were frustrating and tense moments. The image of Cha Eui-jae coughing up bright red blood was still vivid in Lee Sa-young's mind.

For the first time since his awakening, he felt a sense of urgency. He couldn't understand why the antidote wasn't working. Logical questions didn't even occur to him.

Cha Eui-jae must not die. He couldn't let him die.

That was the only thought in his mind. The red alert was blaring in his head. Lee Sa-young used the divine dew obtained from a first-class dungeon on Cha Eui-jae without hesitation. Its price and value didn't matter at all at that moment. What mattered was only…

"Again, again!"

Park Ha-eun demanded once more. While Lee Sa-young showed the hand gesture again, a boy in a white gown approached them. The boy, who looked as if he was made of smooth, delicate white porcelain, wasn't actually a boy but…

"Lee Sa-young."

It was a marionette given to Nam Woo-jin by an Italian puppeteer in gratitude for saving his life. The puppet looked up at Lee Sa-young with an expressionless face.

"Park Ha-eun, go read your book now."

"Aww…"

Park Ha-eun pouted and alternated her gaze between the boy marionette and Lee Sa-young before reluctantly heading to the children's book section. Her attitude was in stark contrast to her persistent demands for more hand gestures.

'Being perceptive when it matters…'

Lee Sa-young thought of Cha Eui-jae but quickly shook his head to block out the ensuing thoughts. Only after confirming that Park Ha-eun had settled down with a book did Lee Sa-young nod his head.

"Speak."

The marionette began briefing in a mechanical voice.

"The patient you requested a consultation for has finished his appointment. The master is choosing the treatment method, so I'm here to deliver the situation instead."

Lee Sa-young asked succinctly,

"Status?"

"The master diagnosed it as rheumatoid arthritis1. Symptoms appeared in the hands first, and due to delayed treatment, it spread to the knees."

"Cure."

"If medication and consistent management are combined, there will be significant improvement. The master also suggested focusing on reducing pain and managing the condition to avoid interfering with daily life rather than aiming for a complete cure."

"No use of ability."

"Yes. Since the disease was caused by natural factors according to real-world laws, the master's ability could not heal it."

"…"

Lee Sa-young nodded in understanding. The marionette, after a slight bow, brought up a second issue.

"Recently, we have made good use of the large quantity of PRO-009 you sent. The master asked me to convey his thanks."

PRO-009 was the temporary code name for the drugs that Cha Eui-jae had risked his life to retrieve.

The drugs they had analyzed so far had been evolving and strengthening little by little. Each time they found new variations, they updated the number. The latest discovery differed enough from previous drugs to be designated as '9.' Given the nine stages of evolution, it was the most potent and dangerous drug they had encountered.

The marionette suggested,

"The master recommended that you visit the lab to review the analysis results. The librarians will take care of the child."

"…"

Lee Sa-young looked down at the puppet standing before him with a chilly gaze.

It was a logically sound suggestion, but not strictly necessary. He could receive a detailed report on the analysis later. Why was Nam Woo-jin so insistent on sending him to the lab?

"…Alright."

Whatever his ulterior motives, Nam Woo-jin could not harm him or Cha Eui-jae. Judging based on rationality rather than trust, Lee Sa-young slowly made his way to the lab.

***

"…It's not an incurable disease, but it requires ongoing management. Think of it like diabetes; you'll need to be cautious for the rest of your life."

Nam Woo-jin's consultation room was deep within the maze-like library. After passing through dimly lit corridors filled with books, a metal door opened to reveal a typical doctor's office.

The elderly woman, supported by a guild member, headed to the physical therapy room, leaving only Nam Woo-jin and Cha Eui-jae in the consultation room. Nam Woo-jin clicked his pen and continued,

"My ability can only heal injuries that occur under the system's laws… I'm sorry I couldn't provide a complete cure."

"No, I'm grateful just for the consultation."

Cha Eui-jae cautiously asked,

"Which hospital should she go to in the future? She can't always come here."

"Right. My schedule is quite unpredictable, so I can't see her every time. But…"

Nam Woo-jin typed something on the keyboard and wrote down the name of a hospital on a yellow sticky note. It was a university hospital in the heart of Seoul.

"I'll contact the hospital, so she can go there from now on."

"Oh, thank you."

"No need to pay for consultations or medications either. Seowon Guild will cover all costs."

"Huh? Why?"

Cha Eui-jae asked in surprise. This was his first time meeting Nam Woo-jin, so why would he pay for a stranger's hospital bills? Rheumatoid arthritis wasn't even a rare disease. Nam Woo-jin, instead of answering directly, gazed at Cha Eui-jae with his transparent white eyes.

"Now that my work as a doctor is done, let me introduce myself as a fellow hunter."

He slowly blinked his white eyes and continued,

"I'm Nam Woo-jin, ranked 7th in South Korea. I'm the Guild Leader of Seowon Guild and the owner of this library. Are you Cha Eui-jae?"

"Yes."

"You are Lee Sa-young's 'associate.'"

"…"

Cha Eui-jae's eyes sharpened slightly. Nam Woo-jin maintained the polite smile he had shown the elderly woman and continued,

"You don't have to answer. Your presence here is already an answer."

He was making a definitive statement. Cha Eui-jae pondered his words.

"Why does my presence here count as an answer?"

"…Lee Sa-young has never brought anyone here before. You are the first person to set foot here through Lee Sa-young's introduction."

Nam Woo-jin stood up and looked down at Cha Eui-jae.

"Would you like to take a walk?"

Cha Eui-jae stood up without a word. As Nam Woo-jin took a step, the white consultation room disappeared, and a blue garden appeared. The scent of grass and the gentle breeze felt just like a real garden. Was this Nam Woo-jin's skill? As Nam Woo-jin walked ahead, he spoke,

"Since the Day of the Rift, I have been deeply interested in this changed world. What is the system? What is the rift? Where do the monsters come from?"

These were questions everyone was curious about. But no one in South Korea or the world, including Cha Eui-jae, could provide clear answers. Nam Woo-jin didn't seem to expect an answer and continued,

"I have been gathering as much knowledge as possible to find answers to these questions. I maintain a good collaborative relationship with Lee Sa-young as well."

"I see."

As the dew-soaked grass softly squished underfoot, Nam Woo-jin stopped.

"Seems you find it quite interesting."

"…"

"Then… how about this story?"

His eyes, burned white, reflected Cha Eui-jae's face fully. Nam Woo-jin watched for any small change in expression and spoke a single word,

"Lee Sa-young was an experimental subject of Prometheus2."

◄☰►Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that mostly affects joints. It occurs when the immune system, which normally helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues.

↩︎Prometheus, in Greek religion, is one of the Titans, the supreme trickster, and a god of fire. His intellectual side was emphasized by the apparent meaning of his name, Forethinker.