CH 119

“Yes. It’s a rare ability. Can you explain it to us?”

“Is that so? It’s actually pretty simple.”

Chloe raised the teacup and continued.

“As you two know, I can see the energy of the other person with my own eyes. To be honest, when I first met Talented Han Yi-gyeol, I used my ability to check your energy. It was the same when I met Healer Min Ah-rin earlier.”

“Are you able to use your ability so quickly?”

“The fewer restrictions you have on using your ability, the higher your rank is. I have no side effects or limitations according to the SS-rank.”

A sparkling powder of light passed through Chloe’s bright smile. It made me realize that Chloe was using her ability. The light I saw when I met her at the airport wasn’t an illusion.

“Every person is different, from the colour to the size of their energy. Just as no one is perfectly alike, neither does the energy. It’s also possible to distinguish people by energy.”

“Colour and size… then can you see the colour of my energy?”

Min Ah-rin, who was listening to her explanation with a face full of interest, actively asked questions. As if Min Ah-rin was cute, Chloe answered with a soft voice.

“Sure. Healer Min Ah-rin is a very warm and soft amber colour like the air of a spring day. It’s much bigger than A-rank healers.”

Since I had experience receiving the healing power of a healer other than Min Ah-rin, Chloe’s words resonated with him.

“Certainly, Healer Min Ah-rin’s ability is great.”

“That’s right.”

As Park Geon-ho and I spoke one word at a time, Min Ah-rin dyed her cheeks red with shyness and stroked the ends of her hair.

“I told Team Leader Park Geon-ho before that his energy is a very strong and vivid sky blue. Secretary Woo Seo-hyuk is green, reminiscent of a midsummer forest… Talented Han Yi-gyeol’s ability. You are dark blue. It’s closer to indigo.”

Chloe put down the empty teacup and blinked as she looked at me.

“Actually, I thought a lighter colour would suit you. It’s still not bad either.”

It was only then that I got a sense of how Chloe identified a person’s energy. Is the energy of Han Yi-gyeol dark blue? It seemed to fit him.

Actually, there was one person who was more curious than Han Yi-gyeol or the others. However, it wasn’t easy to ask. Chloe frowned with a playful expression at the sight of me in conflict with only my lips twitching.

“Talented Han Yi-gyeol.”

“Yes?”

“Are you curious about the energy of Master Cheon Sa-yeon?”

“……”

Damn it. You’re too quick. Park Geon-ho, who saw it when I couldn’t even respond to my embarrassment and only swept the nape of my neck, said as if teasingly.

“Well, I don’t know if you like him or hate him.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Honestly, I’m curious about Master’s energy.”

Kwon Jeong-han, who was sitting next to me and quietly drinking tea, added a word with a light smile.

“I’m sorry to say something obvious while everyone was looking forward to it, but of course, Master Cheon Sa-yeon is naturally red. It’s a very beautiful and vivid blood colour like a jewel. Since he’s an SS-rank, the size of his energy is so great that it can’t be compared with others.”

As expected. As I nodded, Chloe, who had been explaining with a bright face, bowed her head slightly and touched the corner of her mouth.

“…it certainly was, but when I saw it two days ago, it was a little different. The colour has become a little deeper and darker, and the energy has increased.”

“That’s why you asked me? About Master.”

“That’s right.”

Chloe, answering Park Geon-ho’s question, leaned her back on the sofa and blinked slowly.

“There is no way to know if Master Cheon Sa-yeon decides to hide it, so I asked this with the feeling of catching straw. I can’t help it. The person who was concerned doesn’t say anything, so I can’t go into it any further.”

Park Geon-ho, who bit his tongue, folded his arms and sighed.

“That’s true. I’ve seen Master for a long time, but I still don’t know what’s inside him.”

“I remembered he was cute when he was younger than now.”

Chloe lowered the tip of her eyebrows as if she was genuinely upset. Cheon Sa-yeon was cute… when Cheon Sa-yeon was younger. I couldn’t even imagine it.

While quietly listening to the conversation between Chloe and Park Geon-ho, who couldn’t be bothered to interrupt, a knock on the drawing room door resounded.

“It looks like our Eddy has arrived.”

“I will open it.”

Kwon Jeong-han, who was sitting on the outermost side, put down his teacup and got up. Looking at Kwon Jeong-han’s straight back as he walked towards the door, I turned to Chloe.

“Then is Producer Edward also a member of the Athena Guild?”

“Oh, no. Eddy, like Talented Han Yi-gyeol, is an independent. He said he wanted to travel to various countries and meet people in need.”

“It’s amazing at such a young age.”

“Right? I was against it at first too, but I couldn’t break his stubbornness. Still, that’s not dangerous…”

“Cough!”

Kwon Jeong-han’s harsh cough could be heard through Chloe’s words. When I turned my head in surprise, I saw Kwon Jeong-han’s back, who was staggering with the door of the drawing room open.

“Kwon Jeong-han-ssi?”

“Ku, ugh…”

“Wait, Han Yi-gyeol!”

Park Geon-ho, who noticed something, grabbed my shoulder, and at the same time, Kwon Jeong-han’s body fell down. Small feet trampled the bright red bloodstains on the floor.

It was Edward, a blond boy, standing with a blood-stained dagger. Edward’s big eyes were out of focus, like a dreamer.

“Wha, what is this… Eddy!”

Chloe, who found Edward, screamed with a pale face. Her body began to tremble slightly at the sudden situation.

“Han Yi-gyeol. Calm down.”

Park Geon-ho, noticing that my breathing was getting rough, whispered softly without taking his eyes off Edward. As he said, I wanted to somehow calm my beating heart, but I kept seeing Kwon Jeong-han lying on the floor.

“Cough, ugh…”

Kwon Jeong-han, who spat out a bloody cough, couldn’t get up while clutching his stomach. There was a steady stream of slimy blood from the properly stabbed stomach.

“Hello, everyone.”

Edward, who slowly came out and looked at Park Geon-ho, Min Ah-rin, and Chloe in turn, greeted in a calm tone. It was a strange expression, with only his mouth smiling compared to his blank eyes.

“Haha, you must have been very surprised. Your expressions… are quite worth seeing.”

“…who are you?”

Chloe, who had hardened her face so terribly, bit her lips and looked at Edward. Everyone in this place, including me, knew it. Now Edward’s mind was controlled by someone.

“Who is it? This is the Edward Asner you have been waiting for.”

As if singing a song, Edward turned the dagger he was holding lightly once.

“I was expecting a little bit because it was said to be the number one guild in Korea, but it was so sloppy. You don’t even check whether the guest is sane or not.”

Uhum, hmm. Edward entered the drawing room leisurely while humming and looking at us standing with a lot of tension.

“I hope you don’t do anything useless. I don’t have as much time as you can see. Shall we go easily?”

“What do you want?”

Chloe asked sharply, conscious of the blood-stained dagger. Chloe was afraid that the low dagger might turn towards Edward himself.

Park Geon-ho, who was standing behind me, couldn’t easily throw the iron ball he took out in a hurry and frowned. The opponent was Edward, Chloe’s younger brother. Everyone in the room, including the bodyguards guarding the front door of the drawing room, couldn’t move easily and looked at Edward.

“You know it so well, but why are you asking, Deputy Master of Athena.”

Edward’s hazy eyes turned to me, smiling with the corners of his lips raised up. I took a step back involuntarily to those dark eyes and swallowed dry saliva.

“…are you doing this to take me away?”

“Right. It’s worth to put this much effort.”

I clenched my cold hands at the answer that came without hesitation.

Again. Again, this happened because of me. I felt a chill as if blood had drained out of my body under my feet.

“Han Yi-gyeol.”

Park Geon-ho, who realized what I was thinking, shook my shoulder slightly, but nothing touched me. The screams of several people were heard at random, and darkness gathered around me.

Losing my composure, seeing me sweating and sinking down into hallucinations, Edward held the dagger to his neck without hesitation, with an expression that he had found something interesting.

“Eddy!”

Drops of blood began to form as soon as the sharp blade touched his white, soft neck. Chloe couldn’t even rush, restless, and biting her lips.

“Come with me, Talented Han Yi-gyeol.”

“……”

“Of course, you can refuse. Unless the lives of this child and the bodyguard are not worth it.”

As the strength in the hand holding the dagger increased, the amount of blood flowing from his neck increased. Chloe had a desperate expression on the red blood that was dripping down.

“Even though it’s a B-class, it’s an item sword. This delicate neck can be cut off at once.”

I stared at the red blood running down Edward’s neck then turned to Kwon Jeong-han, who was struggling to get himself up.

“Now, please choose.”

Kwon Jeong-han’s condition, which was white and sweating in a cold sweat, was as serious as if he would stop breathing at any moment. Kwon Jeong-han, noticing what kind of answer I would give, opened his eyes with difficulty and opened his mouth.

“Gasp, gasp… No, can’t… Talented Han Yi-gyeol…”

It was a question you didn’t even need to think about. I got out of Park Geon-ho’s arms and answered calmly.

“I will do what you want… Put down your sword.”

“Yi-gyeol-ssi!”

Min Ah-rin, who was still observing the situation, shook her head at my decision, but there was no other way than this. Edward, who smiled with his eyebrows curled as if satisfied, lowered his dagger and said.

“It’s a wise choice, Talented Han Yi-gyeol.”

“……”

“I hate unnecessary killing, too. I think you and I will get along really well in many ways.”

Edward, who shrugged his shoulders lightly, beckoned me.

“What are you doing, just stand there. Please come to my side.”

I swallowed a sigh and tried to approach Edward, but Park Geon-ho grabbed my arm again with a ferocious face.

“Don’t go, Han Yi-gyeol.”

“Team Leader.”

“The opponent is a mental ability person. If you get too close…”

“I have to go.”

I was nervous because he would pick up the dagger again if I was hesitant. I shook off Park Geon-ho’s hand somewhat roughly and stepped toward Edward. Watching me approaching, Edward swung the dagger once more.