CHAPTER 23
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Is this the remnants of a dream or the dream itself? The transition from the youthful Han Chorok to the adult version reveals various appearances. These resemble a movie of someone's life. It felt like secretly glimpsing into someone's life and thoughts. This prompted me to avert my focus. If someone delved too deeply into my life, I would feel uncomfortable.
Wouldn't it be unwelcome to dream about being by Lee Jehee's side until death? That's why I focused on the stairs, hastening my descent. I kept descending, feeling like an eternity. Yet, the monotonous scenery slowly filled me with dread.
I began to wonder if I should have been ascending instead. Anxiety overwhelmed me, and I halted to glance back. Suddenly, my legs weakened, and my energy drained. I nearly stumbled but steadied myself against the wall.
What's happening?
The moment was disorienting. Sitting on the stairs, I checked my body, biting my lip at the inexplicable occurrence. Had I not experienced something similar before? Like the first time I exhausted all my mana putting Jehee to sleep, the symptoms mirrored that day.
Could it be that I had depleted all my mana already?
This troubling thought arose, considering the 'Dreamer' skill's high mana consumption. It seemed a real possibility. I hadn't even begun my task. Must I now give up and deactivate the skill?
I remembered that when mana depletes, it's the life force, not physical strength, that diminishes. When mana hits zero, it's not health but lifespan that reduces.
Furrowing his brows, he wondered what to do next, when a faint light emanated from his body and his energy returned.
Could it be... did Jehee do something?
It seemed unlikely for me to suddenly feel energized; undoubtedly, Jehee had intervened from the outside.
Gradually regaining strength, I leaned against the wall to stand up and looked down at my hands. They were empty, yet felt full of power. Clenching my fists, I began to move his legs again with renewed vigor.
Before I became immobilized again, I needed to find out what had happened to Han Chorok, if only that. Fortunately, since it was a dream, I could run without getting out of breath, and I planned to do so as long as time allowed.
"Hey, Han Chorok! Chorok, you bastard! Where are you?!"
Desperately, I called out Han Chorok's name in a continuous, frantic stream as I rushed down the seemingly endless flight of stairs. Each step did little to alleviate the grip of anxiety that clung to me, transforming this descent into a nightmarish journey through an abyss of uncertainty.
The room, meticulously prepared for guests, had never truly expected to accommodate anyone. Jehee found himself perched on the edge of the bed, gazing down at the two slumbering figures, an unexpected surprise coursing through him.
Chorok's visage was one he knew well, having witnessed it daily. Counting every instance of Chorok's regressions, he had spent more time with that face than Chorok had lived in total.
Shifting his attention from the intimately familiar Chorok, Jehee observed the person lying beside him, their face partially obscured by an arm. The closed eyes belonged to the most unfamiliar countenance he had ever encountered in his long and monotonous existence.
Seonwoo was a person of great emotional depth. Despite his attempts to conceal his feelings, his subtly arched eyebrows often gave away his thoughts. His features, while unremarkable, possessed a certain cleanliness, yet his ever-changing expressions negated that impression. His round, light brown eyes exuded a vibrant energy, conveying an array of emotions. They could appear fierce, especially when he narrowed them in irritation.
It was akin to a small white puppy baring its teeth and growling, a humorous individual who wielded sharp words with a stern expression but then softened with sweet words. To Jehee, Seonwoo was precisely that. Like a puppy ready to erupt into frenzied barking, yet ultimately yielding, tucking its tail, and settling beside him with an air of acquiescence, pressing its warm body against him.
That's precisely what made him intriguing.
Over the passage of countless years, heavy and substantial emotions had settled at the deepest recesses of his heart. To Jehee, the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure held little importance. What truly mattered was whether he found solace in the current reality shaped by the intricate web of cause and effect, nothing more.
Yet, the curiosity that persistently clawed its way through that solid emotional barrier, even if just slightly, brought a glimmer of joy to Jehee. This time was no exception. Seonwoo, who often seemed inclined to avoid everything, had cast upon him a gaze of unwavering determination. It marked a departure from his customary behavior of averting his eyes with an uneasy expression.
The reason why the image of those tender, light brown eyes, so distinct from their usual demeanor, continued to linger in his thoughts was perhaps precisely because of that contrast.
A supporter solely for me...
Someone dedicated to me alone, my confidant.
Amidst the complex emotions stirred by that phrase, Jehee cast a gentle smile upon the slumbering Seonwoo.
[Warning: Servant 'Seonwoo's' mana is dropping to dangerous levels. Please attend to your servant as the master!]
[Warning: Servant 'Seonwoo's' mana is dropping to dangerous levels. Please attend to your servant as the master!]
[Warning: Servant 'Seonwoo's' mana is dropping to dangerous levels. Please attend to your servant as the master!]
[(......)]
As if sounding the alarm, a crimson status window incessantly flashed, drawing Jehee's attention to Seonwoo's dire condition. It had been an exceedingly long while since he had witnessed such a dire warning. There had been no recent events that would justify such a perilous status message for Seonwoo.
His gaze instinctively darted to the wristwatch on his arm. A mere thirty minutes had elapsed, and yet Seonwoo's state had deteriorated significantly. After a brief moment of contemplation, Jehee extended his hand into the air and clenched it into a fist. In his palm, a vial of mana potion materialized.
But how was he to administer this elixir to someone in the throes of slumber?
Jehee regarded Seonwoo with a furrowed brow. The serene, untroubled face of the sleeping figure showed no indication of stirring. If he didn't rouse soon, Seonwoo would meet an unfortunate fate.
Alternating his gaze between the mana potion cradled in his hand and Seonwoo, Jehee released a brief sigh. With measured steps, he rose from his seated position and approached where Seonwoo lay face down.
Seonwoo's hand rested atop Han Chorok's. Moving cautiously, Jehee lifted Seonwoo without disturbing their connected hands and gently made him lean against his shoulder.
Exhausted from slumber, Seonwoo's head tilted towards Jehee's chest, his lips slightly parted. Observing this in silence, Jehee felt an unusual tension course through his muscles. Then, as if sensing his hesitation, a new crimson status window materialized.
[Servant 'Seonwoo’s' mana has dropped to ‘0,’ causing a decrease in life force. Please attend to your servant as the master!]
There was no time for hesitation. Jehee bit open the mana potion and poured its contents into Seonwoo's mouth. Holding Seonwoo with one arm, he used the other to gently open Seonwoo's mouth and pressed his lips against Seonwoo's, transferring the life-saving potion. Gradually, the elixir coursed its way into Seonwoo's system.
After a moment, Jehee carefully withdrew his lips and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his gaze fixed quietly on the person in his embrace. The once pallid complexion was slowly regaining its natural hue. Jehee, feeling an unexpected wave of relief, released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his expression tinged with bewilderment. Though they had been apart for just a week, he couldn't fathom why he felt such intense relief. His features betrayed his inner turmoil.
As he was about to lower Seonwoo with a complex expression on his face, he suddenly halted in his movement.
The 30-minute countdown had begun anew. Would Seonwoo awaken within this critical window? Jehee's brows knitted with worry as he glanced at his watch. If Seonwoo remained unresponsive after those 30 minutes elapsed...
Lost in contemplation, he tightened his grip around Seonwoo once more.
He's my confidant, after all.
Resigned to the circumstances, Jehee drew the body closer to him. The supple, warm form conveyed a palpable sense of life, as though serving as a gentle reminder to both Seonwoo and Jehee that they still existed, that they were indeed alive. It felt as though they were being impelled to fiercely fight and embrace life with all their might.
"Ah, damn it! This damned staircase!"
Curses slipped through my teeth in a continuous stream. Although my physical strength wasn't diminishing, what was the point of endless stairs like this? What era was this to still have stairs? Wouldn't it be better to have an elevator or an escalator installed?
I kept descending the stairs, the only path available, but I wasn’t even sure if it was the right way. I had never experienced entering someone else's dream before. I was clueless about where I was or what I was supposed to do, just aimlessly searching for Han Chorok.
During my descent, my legs had nearly given out twice. Fortunately, each time, a faint light emerged from my body, quickly restoring my energy. But not knowing the cause was starting to make me uneasy.
It seemed to be related to mana, but I couldn’t be sure. I had a hunch that Jehee was helping me somehow...
"Ah, fuck! I don’t know anymore!"
My coarse swearing echoed in the confined space. The echo, rebounding off the walls, felt like it was mocking me, and I felt like I was cursing myself.