Chapter 190 - A Bond is Broken

[You grew up well, Chang Mi. Learn everything you can. You will need a lot of knowledge soon… ]

Seong Hwan's voice sounded a little metallic and artificial, with a slight feedback noise. Chang Mi saw his powerful presence in the shade. He noticed black beings, who looked like crows perched on the Fairy Eater, moving restlessly and merging in the shade. The reflection of green and red light dots, coming from the nearby equipment, touched his father's pale and crazy face.

Chang Mi knew he was dreaming, but he also knew it wasn't just a dream. He nodded. Now he was sure that the Devourer saw through his eyes. And he knew where and with whom he was.

"You are not going to touch what I protect," he said grimly. Chang Mi was afraid, but that wouldn't stop him from saying it. 

The Devourer laughed, delighted,

"Yes, you have found your vocation in your heart… A Guardian. Just don't get in my way, tell him to get you out of my way, tellhimhimhim ... ohohohtellonemustwaywaywayway ..." the Devourer voice rolled up and mixed with choking and laughing, distorted radio sounds and static noise. Chang Mi opened his eyes suddenly, feeling Hunter Shin's eyes piercing his face, such as the heavy finger poking on his forehead, between the brows. 

"Did you make it this time?" he asked the Hunter.

"Are you alright?" Shin asked, without answering, tapping the student on the shoulder to calm him down. They were in the bed they shared since Chang Mi's little trick worked. But the official purpose was also working. The Hunter was trying to 'watch his dreams' until today, with the help of a magic object.

"Even if I didn't live with him, like you, hyung, and I don't know what it's like to have filial devotion to him, it's painful to see him like this. You spoke the truth. He seems to have fits of conscience when he talks to me in my dreams. But even he knows that he is deranged and without control over his all actions. If you had seen…"

" This time I saw. A little. I don't know if he realized that I saw him or not. But he has definitely seen through your eyes during this time," apparently the Hunter was unaware of this side effect caused by the thorn. But Chang Mi felt a shiver whenever he was awake and felt the Devourer looking into his eyes to peer on his companions and activities. 

Seong Hwan already knew where the noonas were, and all thanks to Chang Mi!

"Take it from me. You must get this out of me," he said, showing the band-aid on the finger stuck with the thorn. The Hunter made a face, and stood up.

Chang Mi followed him to the laboratory. They walked in silence, so as not to wake the women in their rooms.

"He said that I am a Guardian ... Is he saying this just because he knows that I am acting as Ye Rim Noona's bodyguard?" he asked as soon as they closed the door behind them, sensing that there was more than that.

"He thinks you found your calling because you said you would face him if needed, Chang Mi. He knows that you have a sense of who he is. He knows that even if I didn't tell you, you are a smart boy and would find out for yourself that it would be your first and last battle," Shin opened the box with the thorn, but Chang Mi realized that this time there was another thorn inside the box, side by side with what he knew. This new thorn seemed to be what Eun Ha had shown him. The thorn that hurt Eun Ha's mother to death.

The Hunter lit a fire in a container on a metal tripod, and threw the thorn inside, after a little hesitation. Chang Mi felt a horrible throbbing pain in his hand at this point. He grabbed the injured hand with the other, curling on himself and bitting his lips to muffle any sound.

But it stopped hurting only when the flames completely consumed the thorn.

'Wow, motherf.u.c.ker! He could have warned me! ' Chang Mi couldn't help thinking, taking a deep breath and taking the band-aid off the small but deep wound. It was no longer there, and there was no scar or sign that it had been there to begin with. Sitting in an armchair, still panting, he asked,

"Okay… I saw that noona gave you the thorn that killed her mother. Does he also have a bond with my… with the Devourer?"

The Hunter replied,

"Yes, it has. But I intend to trap him with his own poison. I'm making a weapon instilled with his own magic. Now that I know who could hurt him."

The Hunter wouldn't have told him that before freeing Chang Mi from the Devourer's influence, of course.

"Me?" Chang Mi had mixed feelings about this idea. As much as he felt ready to defend the noonas to the end, he didn't feel that being Luke Skywalker from fairy people was anything to him. He didn't know if he would hesitate at the last moment.

But the answer surprised him,

"Ye Rim, actually."

"But she's ..."

"She's a human. She's a human and a woman?" the Hunter raised one brow, questioning his logic.

"That' not what I meant. And yes, I can't imagine how Ye Rim Noona could do that when a fairy like Hunter Shin failed, " he didn't want to be rude but needed to explain himself.

"Indeed. It seems strange at first that it's possible. But he can't hurt or affect her to get the magic out of her. She, otherwise, could find a way to hurt him, and he knows it. "

"But then Ye Ri will hunt him down and destroy the Devourer?"

"No. She needs the thorn to defend herself. I'm trying to think how Seong Hwan would think. He's a predator, and recently discovered a human with an incredible gift. He has failed to kill her mother in the past, even though she was an apparently ordinary human. After that, Ye Rim received the last and most powerful magic that Myung Hee could summon at the time of her death. She's destined to free all the souls of the fairies that The Devourer consumed. I don't think he knows these details, but he has already discovered that she is a threat."

"Makes sense. He was probably attracted to Eun Ha noona, but he backed away from realizing Ye Rim was around his prey, having to rethink his strategies. He even preferred to attack more experienced fairies first, with smart and convoluted  plans," at least that's what the young student could think, now that he was aware of many facts told by Eun Ha. "He was probably trying to find a way to attack when hyung approached them."

"I also think so, Persimmon Boy," said the Hunter, closing the box with the thorn, "He has even been doing tests around Ye Rim, like the karaoke incident. And even chose a very interesting method, music, as he has been studying a way to dominate Ye Rim. He may have a lot more information about her than we think. Seong Hwan is extremely intelligent, methodical and dangerous."

"So how do you think his modus operandi will be?" Chang Mi was interested in how a Hunter did his hunting. The Devourer was the Shin Hye Seong's Great White Tiger. He was very knowledgeable about his biggest and most desired prey.

"I believe that if she's wounded by a human, the Devourer would take advantage of the fact that she's weak.  And consume the magic that's within her, thus breaking the spell. So, basically, he has to move pieces for a human to be the offender. And believe me, he will be very creative, because he also knows that he's being hunted. That's why Ye Rim needs to have the thorn prepared."

"But ... does she already know that?" 

"No. I need Eun Ha's help to finish the instillation as soon as possible. When the magic weapon is ready, I'll talk to Ye Rim. This is an extra precaution. I intend to find the Devourer before he can do something to Ye Rim."

"Er," Chang Mi scratched the back of his neck, "And does Eun Ha noona know about the risk that Ye Rim noona takes? Like… does she really have a clue?"

"Yes, she's aware. I just don't know if Ye Rim is aware of the risk that her unnie takes because Eun Ha wants to be close to her right now, "replied the Hunter in a grim tone.

"Can't you keep them away for a while?"

"Eun Ha needs to study to be presented to the Council, but I understand that she's concerned."

"And I… Can I ever be introduced to the Council, hyung? To be accepted as a fairy? Or do you think that is impossible?" he already understood that his birth made him an outcast. Not only because he was a half-fairy, but also because he was the son of Seong Hwan, the Devourer. But why did he have to pay for it and live on the run? Even the Fairy Devourer knew what it would be like for him, and said that Chang Mi should prepare for a difficult future. Chang Mi really wanted to know what the Hunter had to say about it.

And Shin looked at him seriously, before saying anything,

"Chang Mi… Things don't change quickly. Don't expect it. But as I promised, I won't abandon you."

Having been abandoned as a baby, as he believed much of his life, made him grow up with tingling distrust of people. He'd like to trust the Hunter fully, but perhaps it would demand time. A long time.

"How can you protect something you have already hunted? And ... You know I like her," he was fierce and faced his Tutor.

"I think I need to trust you. Or you won't trust me," he said, as if reading his heart.

Chang Mi gaped at Hunter Shin's words. Then there was a brief knock on the door. It was Mr. Ahn.

"Master, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid I need to. Miss. Nam left the house about seven minutes away by cab."

Chang Mi swore under his breath, "Aish! That stubborn noona!"

But, a shiver ran his spine once again. Was the bond with his father just a magic thing?