Chapter: 93
Lian doesn’t care about his own body.
This wasn’t just Noah’s thought; it was a sentiment shared by everyone who cherished him.
Noah knew the gruesome details about the cruel experiments Lian had endured in Mia the dark sorcerer’s lab, while the other kids remained oblivious to what Lian had truly experienced. Still, no one could deny that Lian had a strong self-sacrificial side.
Lian often treated his body recklessly even in daily life.
He had once shoved his finger into boiling water just to check the temperature, and he often shrugged off injuries he sustained while cooking.
When he got hurt playing with the kids, he would tough it out until he was discovered.
He always wore a bright smile, but it seemed like there were worms eating away at his insides. Yet everyone managed to get through three years of their lives with smiles because Lian was their brother, their older sibling, and their father figure.
Because he was their brother, their older sibling, their father, and their family.
So, they thought it was okay.
But then, Lian returned with a gaping wound in his stomach, a pale face, shallow breaths, and a body that was growing colder by the minute.
Like a child witnessing their parent cry for the first time, the kids were stunned.
They finally realized that their “adult” and precious “family” could actually die.
As Lian remained unconscious longer, their anxiety continued to mount, and eventually…
Clank.
Noah didn’t stop the shackles from being put on Lian’s ankle.
*
“Sigh…”
I lay sprawled on the bed, letting out a long sigh.
‘I had a fight with Noah…’
Honestly, I’m not even sure if you could call it a fight. It was more like… I got scolded.
‘She seemed really angry… What should I do?’
I wasn’t actually mad at Noah. I just felt bad that I made her, who’s usually so rational, freak out like that. Strangely, it felt kind of nice too.
‘Still, it’s kind of ticklish getting worried about, isn’t it?’
If Noah heard that, she might just smash my head, but oh well.
In the gag world, you rarely get people to worry about you unless something huge happens. The thought that someone cares about you gives a tingle of excitement.
‘Although she might slice me up nicely with a sword, so I better keep quiet about it.’
After sorting out my silly thoughts, I started brainstorming how to make up with Noah.
*
In the dark room where all the lights were off, Noah was curled up with her forehead resting on her knees. She had removed the magic tools and bandages pressing against her chest, standing there like a human ball.
[Why are you playing the cave dweller again?]
Julianna zipped in and chatted with Noah. Noah, sadly looking with empty eyes, peeked out from beneath her blanket.
“Master, am I doing well?”
[Why? Are you upset because you couldn’t protect Lian?]
Noah clammed up at Julianna’s pointed jab.
[That was unavoidable. If you had left the main building to run to the annex, most of those in the main building would have been wiped out.]
“But… in the end, I couldn’t protect him.”
[But he’s alive! You can protect him now!]
“This isn’t the first time!”
Noah unintentionally raised her voice, startling herself as her eyes began to twitch.
“…Sorry for yelling.”
[It’s okay. It’s better to say what’s on your mind than keep it bottled up.]
Julianna nestled next to Noah and nodded.
[Talk freely. Don’t bottle it up like some people we know.]
Julianna was referring to Lian, encouraging Noah not to hide her feelings and suffer like Lian did, always burying his pain.
Eventually, Noah opened up.
“All this time, I’ve tried to be stronger to protect everyone, especially Lian.”
[Yes, you’ve worked hard and done well.]
“But… when it really mattered, I couldn’t help him at all. Every time he faced danger, I…”
[Countless times, I’ve told you that was unavoidable.]
“But if I’d taken out the monsters faster, I could have hurried to protect Lian.”
A flood of “what ifs” crashed over her.
What if I had spotted the enemy sooner?
What if I had kept Lian in the main building?
What if I had hidden the main building better?
.
.
She knew these thoughts just hurt her without any help, but she couldn’t stop them from flooding in.
Julianna thought that Noah’s face twisted with despair resembled self-harm.
She was repeatedly punishing herself for not protecting him, almost like she was giving herself a time-out.
[Well then, we’ve found a solution.]
“Really?”
Noah’s head whipped towards Julianna, surprised to hear about a solution out of nowhere.
[You said that if you’d only defeated those monsters a little faster, you could’ve reached Lian in time.]
Julianna floated in the air, looking down at her.
[So the answer is simple. Get even stronger.]
“Stronger… than I already am?”
[Yes.]
“But…”
Noah bit her lip and looked down, feeling defeated. She had hit a wall two years ago and had been stuck ever since. Telling her to just “get stronger” wouldn’t help, it just deepened her sadness.
[You’re stuck, aren’t you?]
“…!”
[There’s a way to break through.]
“A way?”
[Yes.]
Julianna gazed down at Noah seriously, continuing.
[But it comes with a risk to your life.]
“I don’t mind.”
Flap!
Noah flung off her blanket and brightened up.
“As long as I can get stronger!”
And yes, that means protecting Lian.
[Alright then.]
Julianna put down the book she was bound to in front of Noah.
Swoosh!
[If you overcome the trials I faced, you will become stronger. Just remember, you might die.]
Light erupted from the book, flooding the room.
[Time inside might drag, but very little time will pass outside. So don’t rush, take it step by step.]
At Julianna’s warning, Noah smiled and said,
“Thanks, Master.”
[Just come back safely, okay?]
Swallowed by the brilliant light, Noah stumbled and then collapsed onto the bed. Only her consciousness was sent into the trials.
[Noah, you must keep moving forward.]
The moment despair chained her feet and made her stop, Noah would construct a wall around herself, get trapped there, and end up endlessly wandering until she collapsed.
Julianna had seen countless geniuses fall into such traps in the past.
[Shatter the chains that bind you down and soar higher… then…]
Julianna suddenly smirked devilishly and muttered.
[I’ll show you how to keep that man who’s always worrying you tied right beside you.]
She hummed lightly to herself and said.
[When’s a good time to throw a party for that?]
*
At the exact moment Noah began the trial.
Clank.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
Lian fiddled with the shank on his ankle. Even with a shackle strapped to his leg, there was no one in the room. The magical tools monitored him well enough, so no one had to babysit him.
The biggest reason everyone had vanished was to deal with the aftermath of the chaos at the base. Jess and Iris were taking care of the kids per Lian’s request.
They’d probably show up in about three hours. Lian wanted to meet up with Noah and apologize before then. He was dying to run out, but the shackle around his ankle grounded him.
“I need to get this off if I want to apologize, dammit…”
Lian pictured cutting off his ankle with a loud snap! and sticking it back. But imagining a blood-soaked bed with two shanks instead held him back from executing such a plan.
There were plenty of bizarre solutions, but anything he could think of would only make things worse, so he ditched the idea.
What should I do? Should I just sit here and wait for Noah?
Rolling around on the bed, the clacking noise got louder and louder.
Knock, knock.
Then, someone knocked on the door.
“Come in!”
He shouted, all hyped up.
Creeeak…
The door opened slowly, and in walked someone in a heavily hooded robe.
Tap.
‘…Who is it?’
For a moment, Lian wondered if it was an enemy, with a suspicious aura surrounding them.
“Ah…”
A voice, slightly hoarse but high-pitched, exclaimed.
“Lian-nim!”
“…?!”
Oh wow! Too shocked to respond, Lian was like a statue.
Thud!
The suspicious person dashed to Lian’s bedside.
Flap! The hood flew back with the momentum.
“Huh? Pia?”
“Ah, Lian-nim!”
Lian stared in disbelief at Pia, who kneeled beside his bed, shocked out of his mind. But Pia didn’t stop there; she leaned forward and threw herself onto the floor in a traditional Japanese dogeza-style bow.
“…?”
Pia had entirely thrown a wrench into the works, confusing even a Gag Resident!
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