Bang! The sound of the door being kicked open echoed through the mansion.
Maybe she used too much force, as a creaking noise was also heard when the door was struck, but right now, both Sylvia and I weren’t in a situation to worry about doors.
We realized that the sacred remnants could amplify Sylvia’s abilities and that might improve Yoon Si-woo’s condition.
Our minds were filled with the thought that we needed to get to Yoon Si-woo as quickly as possible.
Thinking about it, Yoon Si-woo’s room wasn’t far, and he wasn’t going to disappear in that brief moment, so there was really no need to rush.
Yet, in that moment, completely overwhelmed by the thought that we might be able to wake Yoon Si-woo up, we couldn’t even think of such simple things.
Arriving at Yoon Si-woo’s room slightly ahead of Sylvia, I flung the door open.
Beyond the roughly opened door, the sight of Yoon Si-woo, unchanged from before, greeted me.
As always, he lay on the bed, looking pale as if he were dead.
“Ugh…”
In that moment, a sudden wave of anxiety surged.
What if Yoon Si-woo didn’t wake up this time either? What if this method was useless…?
What if Yoon Si-woo never wakes up and stays like this forever…?
“…What’s wrong, Scarlet?”
Just as those dark thoughts began to spiral, Sylvia, who followed right behind, spoke up.
Noticing my anxiety, her voice was filled with concern and kindness.
Unable to hide my unease, I trembled and replied.
“Sylvia… what if Yoon Si-woo doesn’t wake up this time either? If this method doesn’t work…”
I was scared.
It was a valid concern, making it all the more terrifying.
Just then, as I was trembling with anxiety and fear, Sylvia spoke to me.
“Well, then there’s nothing we can do.”
“…What?”
I couldn’t help but be taken aback at Sylvia’s words.
My mind felt blank.
It sounded as if she was saying it didn’t matter if Yoon Si-woo never woke up.
I thought Sylvia would certainly see Yoon Si-woo as a friend, but was that not the case?
I never thought Sylvia could be so heartless…
Just as I felt disappointed in Sylvia, she seemed to notice something from my expression and hurriedly added.
“Ah! Please don’t misunderstand. What I meant is that if this method doesn’t work, we can find another way.”
“Another, way?”
“Yes. If this method fails, we find another method. And if that fails, we search for yet another method. Until we succeed. Were you planning to give up on waking Yoon Si-woo if this method didn’t work? You wouldn’t, right?”
Sylvia asked, smiling brightly at me.
Upon hearing her question, I felt my face flush with rising embarrassment.
I was such a fool.
It was ridiculous of me to think that Sylvia, who was taking care of Yoon Si-woo in her mansion, would consider giving up like that.
What was more pathetic was that I was worried about what would happen if Yoon Si-woo didn’t wake up.
As Sylvia said, I should have thought of finding another method if this one failed.
Just like when Yoon Si-woo saved me, despite his body becoming ragged, I should never give up on him, no matter what.
“…Yeah, you’re right. Of course, I won’t give up.”
Realizing that, I silently apologized to Sylvia in my heart and answered.
Perhaps it was because of my experience of losing my precious parents.
Whenever it was something related to anyone dear to me, I tended to get emotionally shaken without realizing it.
But knowing the pain and fear of losing people I cherish, I realized once again that I had to muster my strength to protect them and never lose them again.
Right, so I needed to brace myself.
Even if Yoon Si-woo doesn’t wake up this time, I will not let my heart waver and will keep pushing forward.
With that resolve, I clenched my fist.
Maybe it was due to my renewed determination.
The anxiety that had tormented me just moments ago had calmed down, and my body’s trembling ceased.
Noticing my change, Sylvia smiled slightly and approached Yoon Si-woo, who was inside the room.
As she reached him, she carefully raised her right hand and placed it over Yoon Si-woo’s body.
Then, holding the sacred remnants in her left hand, she softly spoke.
“Well then, I’ll begin. I’ll be pouring all my strength into this, so it might have an adverse effect on you, Scarlet. Please wait a little further back.”
“…Okay, I’ll leave it to you.”
As I stepped back a few paces, Sylvia nodded and took a deep breath.
Then, from the hand she placed on Yoon Si-woo, light began to emanate.
A pure white radiant light.
That beautiful light, which even felt divine, slowly flowed from Sylvia’s hand into Yoon Si-woo’s body.
However, Yoon Si-woo’s body showed no signs of movement.
Logically, if light was infused like that, there should be some changes, but Yoon Si-woo lay completely unchanged, as if water was poured into a bottomless vat.
It was the usual reaction similar to what we had seen in Sylvia’s treatments up to that point, but in that moment Sylvia shouted with an expression as if to say, let’s try it differently.
“This time, it’s going to be different!”
At that moment, the light pouring from Sylvia’s hand became even brighter than before.
Watching the scene intently, I could tell it was simultaneous with the sacred remnants beginning to resonate with a low, rumbling sound.
As if the remnants were trembling and releasing blue light, it blended together with Sylvia’s starlight, becoming even more luminous.
And that light wasn’t just bright.
In an instant, the small pot in the room, where a plant was potted, bloomed with beautiful flowers the moment it touched the light.
Just like how Sylvia, with the power of the World Tree, turned barren land into a lush forest in the blink of an eye.
The brilliant light swirling around now contained that kind of life force.
If we don’t call such power a miracle, what on earth should we call a miracle?
I gazed at that miraculous force and carefully brought my hands together.
Then I closed my eyes and prayed earnestly.
Just like when your voice saved me when I was in the most perilous situation.
Hoping that this voice would reach you and a miracle would happen.
In this moment, I utter my most fervent wish.
“…Come back, Yoon Si-woo.”
With that small murmur, I opened my previously closed eyes.
The light swirling in the room had almost faded away by now.
But,
“…Hmm.”
“…Uhmm.”
Even after all that light had flowed into Yoon Si-woo’s body, there was still no visible change in him.
“…I think it’s a failure. Ugh… I was pretty confident, actually…”
With a bitter smile, Sylvia muttered, lowering her head, now looking disheartened.
Even though she had said earlier it was something we couldn’t do anything about if it failed, she seemed quite dispirited at the reality of it.
Perhaps it was more painful because she had personally exerted her powers.
She couldn’t help but feel that it was her abilities that had let us down.
So I approached the dejected Sylvia, hoping to console her.
Suddenly, I heard a sound akin to an eggshell cracking.
“…Was that sound just now from you, Sylvia?”
“No? It wasn’t me…”
That was strange.
There were only Sylvia and me in this room, so who could make such a sound?
“Then who’s—”
But just as I spoke, I quickly turned my head.
If it wasn’t me or Sylvia, then who could it be…?
“…!”
Turning my head, I let out a silent scream.
Yoon Si-woo’s whole body seemed like it was about to shatter at any moment, covered in cracks.
But, but.
I quickly realized that it wasn’t cracks in his body.
The cracked parts were slowly peeling away from Yoon Si-woo’s body.
Only Yoon Si-woo’s skin was cracked.
Crack.
Like a snake shedding its skin, pieces of cracked skin were slowly falling away from Yoon Si-woo’s body.
As the first layer shed, Yoon Si-woo’s body took on a healthy rosy hue.
And then, then.
I, who was watching without even remembering to breathe, saw it.
The fingers, which had been motionless, were twitching.
His eyes, which had been tightly shut, were slowly opening.
His lips, which had been firmly sealed, parted slightly.
“…Ah.”
Perhaps having not spoken in a long while, the boy’s voice mixed with a metallic sound as he cleared his throat and gazed around the room.
His eyes widened in surprise.
In those eyes, brimming with tears, the face of a girl reflected back.
With the girl captured in his gaze, the boy’s mouth began to move.
“…Sorry, did I keep you waiting too long?”
He said with a small smile, in a voice filled with longing.
“…I’m back.”
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