Chapter 76: Rebirth (2)

Chapter 76: Rebirth (2)

A spiral staircase connected to the laboratory came into view. Jhordin gripped Ronan’s shoulder and spoke.

“We need to start Experiment 144. Right now.”

“Right now?”

Instead of answering, Jhordin turned and began descending the stairs with unsteady steps, like a deer on unsteady legs. The essence of Pure blood was still clutched in Ronan’s hand.

“God dammit.”

Ronan, scratching his head, followed Jhordin. The dimly lit laboratory still smelled of ink, iron, and the overpowering scent of roses.

A glass container containing Sunya sparkled like starlight in the distance. Ronan stepped over fallen leaves of books as he moved forward.

“You’re late.”

Jhordin, who had arrived earlier, was rummaging through his notes as if he was mad. Without even looking, he reached out his hand.

“Come here. We need to extract mana quickly.”

“Isn’t it supposed to go in all at once?”

“A small amount is sufficient. It will be done quickly, so just wait a bit.”

On the old and worn desk lay the tools used to extract mana from Sarante’s ring in the past. With the essence of Pure blood in hand, Jhordin immediately began the extraction.

It took less than 10 minutes for the process to be completed. The separated mana from the Pure blood pulsed within a small flask. Jhordin took a deep breath and spoke.

“Now, let’s begin Experiment Resurrection no. 144. The experimenter is Jhordin Stonesong. The test subject is Sunya.”

Holding two flasks, Jhordin headed towards the glass container. In the other flask, mana extracted from Sarante’s ring shimmered.

Sunya, with her eyes still closed, floated in the middle of the glass container. She wore a different dress than before.

As Jhordin chanted a spell, the two types of mana inside the flasks transferred into the glass container. A scene reminiscent of mixing red and blue paint unfolded. A dry voice escaped through cracked lips.

“Please...”

Ssshh –

Mana began to slowly permeate into Sunya’s body, mingling with an unknown liquid. Jhordin watched this scene for a while before turning away.

“Let me say this first. Thank you.”Read latest chapters at novelhall.com Only

“Is it all done now?”

“No, we have to wait until all the mana has permeated. It should take about an hour.”

Jhordin’s face showed a mixture of hope and resignation. It was the expression of someone who was aware that this, too, was just one attempt among countless others. Jhordin spoke.

“I apologize for my rashness. The essence of pure blood is best when it’s as fresh as possible.”

“It’s okay.”

“I appreciate your understanding. Do you have some time?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, let’s chat for a bit.”

Ronan nodded his head. There were so many questions they wanted to ask each other. They sat side by side on the bed and began their conversation.

“Why are you helping me?”

“Because I want to.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to. But there’s one thing I must know. What did you do to get your hands on the essence of that crazy vampire?”

“Wait, you knew?”

“Yeah. I had a feeling, and it turned out to be what I suspected.”

“Um... it’s a bit of a long story.”

Ronan briefly explained the events of the previous night, albeit with some embellishments. The conspiracy involving the Blood Hook, the bet with the Valzac, and as the story progressed, Jhordin’s eyes gradually widened.

“Betting on yourself, you’re crazy.”

“As long as the result is good, that’s all that matters, right?”

“By the way, that guy Valzac, Is he still looking for me?”

“He’s completely obsessed with you. What kind of wonderful experience did you give him to make him like that?”

“That’s part of it, of course, and I need to apologize. But the biggest reason is to answer the question I’ve been asked countless times: why did you marry her?”

“What will you say?”

“First, no matter who asks, I’ll punch them in the face. And... ”

As Jhordin trailed off, he looked at Ronan. His eyes, deeply embedded, were now bloodshot. His mouth opened with a low growl.

“Just... I’ll answer that I married her because I love her.”

Ronan couldn’t say anything. At that moment, the chime signaling an hour passed, resonated through the room. Simultaneously, both of them turned to look at the glass container. Jhordin’s face froze.

“···”

No more mana remained visible. Sunya still had her eyes closed. After observing for another five minutes, Jhordin stood up. He placed his hand on the glass container and muttered quietly.

“...It’s a failure.”

Jhordin’s expression was grim. He then shuffled over to his desk and slumped down onto the chair.

Before long, the sound of a feather pen scribbling echoed in the silence. He must have been writing about the 144th failure. Ronan twisted his lips in frustration.

“Damn it...”

In a way, it was expected. Despite the grandiose materials used, this was just one attempt among countless others. Ronan was about to take a step forward when an unfamiliar sound rang in his ears.

– Gurgling.

“Hmm?”

Ronan turned around. At the same time, his eyes widened. Suppressing the urge to shout, he called out to Jhordin, who was still writing his report.

“Jhordin?”

“What is it?”

“I think you should come and see this.”

Jhordin slowly turned his head. Ronan’s eyes were wide, as if about to pop out of his head, and he was pointing at the glass container. Jhordin’s gaze landed on Sunya. The feather pen he had been holding slipped from his hand.

“Oh my goodness.”

Jhordin got up, but his legs seemed to have lost their strength, and he stumbled three times in the short distance of less than five steps.

Finally, he reached the glass container and fell on the floor. Transparent tears streamed down Jhordin’s cheeks incessantly. He clutched the glass container and buried his head in it. His frail shoulders began to tremble.

“Ah... Ahhh...”

Bubbles were rising at the corner of Sunya’s lips. They appeared at a steady pace, like breathing. Her once pale body now had a subtle flush of color.

***

Ronan left the 41st Tower. The atmosphere inside was unbearable. Jhordin, who had been sobbing uncontrollably a moment ago, had now gone back to his research as if driven insane.

“Anyway, it seems like it went well. It was different from before.”

The 144th attempt at revival was not a failure. Sunya had started breathing again and exhibited signs of life.

However, her consciousness had not yet returned, and her eyes remained closed. Whether Jhordin had truly succeeded in fully reviving a person would require further observation.

As Ronan walked around the campus, he thought about the story of Jhordin and Sunya. It was truly a tale that complicated the human heart.

‘I married her because I love her.’

Ronan returned to the dormitory as it was. Somehow, he felt like he hadn’t slept at all. Just as he was about to enter the building, he heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Ronan.”

Ronan turned his head. A tall girl was leaning against the wall of the building. She held a set of martial arts department clothing in her hand. Ronan raised an eyebrow.

“Adeshan?”

“Yeah. It hasn’t been that long... just a day.”

“What’s going on here?”

“The Rising Star of the Empire was looking for you, so I came here just in case. He was talking about a mission or something.”

“A mission?”

“Yeah. He said it was extremely urgent. He asked me to bring you to the club building quickly.”

“What the hell is that guy up to now... Thanks for letting me know.”

He wanted to ignore it, but it wasn’t a topic he could dismiss. As Ronan was about to turn and go inside the building, Adeshan, who had stepped away from the wall, grabbed his sleeve.

“Just wait a moment.”