Chapter 12: The Ambiguous Man

I sensed a profound strangeness emanating from him. I had always believed Kratus would be the first and last madman I encountered in my life, yet this man, though of a different ilk, was clearly just as unhinged.

My hospital gown was damp with cold sweat.

Demons, in my experience, possessed clear attitudes and intuitive demands. If they desired something, they stated it unequivocally, often with pronouncements like, ‘Fight if you dare,’ or ‘Annihilate your enemies and return.’ Their communication was refreshingly direct.

The Mid-world, however, operated on entirely different principles. Its inhabitants often spoke in veiled, convoluted terms, even for the simplest matters. This propensity for indirection had, at first, led me to many perplexing and frustrating situations.

While I chose post-processing work primarily for its lucrative pay, a significant draw was the straightforward communication style of my colleagues. At least with them, minimal interaction was possible without interpretive dances.

Even so, considering all of that, I found myself utterly unable to decipher the man’s true intentions.

He brought up the siphoned magic stones. ‘Was he trying to threaten me?’ I thought, but before I could fully process it, he casually dismissed the matter, stating it was of no consequence. Then, without warning, he complimented my voice, calling it sexy.

This unknown, far exceeding the limits of my comprehension, brought on a throbbing headache. My mind, still steeped in the brutal pragmatism of the Demon Realm, swiftly conjured a simple, immediate solution.

‘Should I… kill him?’

Creak.

With impeccable timing, he rose from the chair. The man, standing like a towering wall beside my bed, extended a hand toward me.

His firm hand closed around my left shoulder. Perhaps it was the complete absence of malice, replaced instead by a curious warmth, that caused my hand, already poised for a defensive strike, to falter.

His grip was subtle, neither overtly strong nor conspicuously weak, yet undeniably firm. It felt precisely like the man’s presence itself, a tangible reflection of his ambiguous nature.

In that moment, I understood why this man was so profoundly unsettling.

‘…He’s ambiguous.’

He occupied a line that was neither deeply ingrained nor superficially drawn.

He perpetually stood upon that ambiguous line. His uncanny ability to test the boundaries, always on the verge of crossing but never fully committing, was exquisite. This was in stark contrast to the denizens of the Demon Realm, who never once considered the consequences of their actions.

If he were to delve too deeply, I could simply sharpen my resolve and push him away. If he merely observed from a distance, that would be precisely what I desired. Yet, this enigmatic creature, smiling as though privy to all secrets, had chosen to nest firmly within the gray area.

Incompatible.

The word, ‘Incompatible,’ seared itself into my mind like a brand, just as my brain threatened to go on strike.

“You’re in quite good shape, aren’t you?”

“……”

“Do you maintain a separate fitness regimen, I wonder? This physique isn’t one sculpted solely by post-processing work.”

His hand, subtly and smoothly, slid down my neck. My pupils dilated in shock. Unable to react to this wholly unexpected gesture, I simply rolled my eyes, fixated on the man’s beaming, unconcerned smile.

Drrr-lak, bang!

“Brother! Are you alright?!”

I was saved.

I sharply tilted my stiff body sideways, turning to face the door. The initial thought of timely, appropriate assistance, regardless of the helper’s identity, vanished completely the moment I recognized the uninvited guest.

It was Joo Jae-yeong.

“What? Who are you?”

Upon seeing the man, Joo Jae-yeong immediately grew wary, his brows furrowing. His youthful vigor practically overflowed. The luxury brands adorning him from head to toe hinted at both ostentation and an undeniable narcissism.

Sagyeol merely smiled, offering no reply. His eyes, the only cold aspect of his demeanor, subtly flickered to me, and his expression clearly conveyed a silent question: ‘What is your relationship with this brat?’

‘Nothing at all,’ I almost replied, but then I hesitated. I had, after all, encountered Joo Jae-yeong a few times at the site and exchanged words with him. If forced to compare, this man before me was the one who truly meant ‘nothing at all’.

When I stared at him, he merely smiled, feigning an innocence that utterly failed to suit him. Yes, that deceptive attitude was precisely the problem. It felt so unnervingly natural that I found myself constantly drawn into his web.

“Goodness, your face is utterly marred! Let me see. How badly are you injured?”

Joo Jae-yeong fussed dramatically as he approached the bed. His ‘accidental’ bump against Sagyeol’s shoulder along the way was, without a doubt, entirely intentional.

His hand, extended without warning, busily fumbled over various parts of my body. Although I had endured similar treatment from laborers once before, this sensation was entirely different. An undeniable surge of discomfort welled up within me.

The jerk, feigning concern, lifted my hospital gown, exposing my muscular abdomen. Any further, and the scars on my chest would have been visible. Flustered, I hastily pulled the gown back down. Simultaneously, a hand shot out from beside me, seizing Joo Jae-yeong’s wrist.

“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Though he still smiled, it held no genuine warmth. A chilling, cerulean light flickered in his eyes. Joo Jae-yeong flinched, and I, too, was startled.

I had suspected he was no ordinary individual when he silenced Spenta with a mere shard of ice, but I hadn’t anticipated such a potent display. The subtly revealed power was truly extraordinary. A forgotten tension, dormant since my arrival in the Mid-world, stiffened my entire body.

Joo Jae-yeong, who had been momentarily dumbfounded, belatedly attempted to wrench his hand free, but Sagyeol’s grip remained unyielding. His pride wounded, Joo Jae-yeong’s face flushed crimson as he swung a fist.

The man easily dodged, released his hand, and simultaneously tripped Joo Jae-yeong. My eyes met Joo Jae-yeong’s as he tumbled helplessly to the floor, his face now a vivid scarlet.

“Tsk, tsk, what kind of antics are these in a hospital room? You always seemed to lack common sense, but it turns out you’re a truly ill-mannered fellow, devoid of even basic decency, aren’t you?”

“W-what?!”

“Mr. Kim Cheol-su, there is no benefit in associating with such a person. If you were unaware, perhaps now is the opportune moment to sever ties with him?”

“Ha! What in blazes is this bastard spouting?”

Joo Jae-yeong, his eyes wild with fury, sprang up and lunged forward. Although he refrained from using his abilities—perhaps a sliver of reason still remained—a mana-user was not an opponent to be defeated without one’s own powers.

After a prolonged period of punching nothing but air, Joo Jae-yeong finally retreated, panting heavily. The man, meanwhile, maintained his languid smile.

“What the hell, who are you, you bastard?!”

“Hmm. An A-rank Hunter just passing by?”

“What kind of—”

“Then, I happened upon a low-rank Hunter in distress, and lo and behold, he was incredibly handsome. I was utterly smitten at first sight.”

The man finished, letting out a dramatic sigh.

“The atmosphere was perfectly pleasant until you, you little brat, barged in and ruined everything. How do you intend to take responsibility for that?”

‘…Isn’t this guy just completely insane?’

I never imagined the day would arrive when I’d find myself in agreement with Joo Jae-yeong, yet here I was, sharing his exact sentiment. This man wasn’t merely insane; he was two and a half turns beyond it. Sagyeol merely shrugged.

“Is spitting on your own face your hobby? From my perspective, you look quite similar to me.”

Though I couldn’t fathom his meaning, Joo Jae-yeong seemed to grasp something. His expression stiffened, and he suddenly cast a furtive glance my way.

Despite his searching gaze, I had no idea what was truly transpiring. As I subtly avoided his eyes, Joo Jae-yeong sharply snapped his head back towards Sagyeol, his bloodshot gaze raking over him from head to toe.

Even with his overwhelming narcissism, Joo Jae-yeong still possessed working eyes. Objectively, Sagyeol surpassed him considerably in height, physique, and facial features.

“Just passing by, you claim? That’s an outer district. Does it truly make sense to ‘just happen to pass by’ there at such an early hour?”

“I had someone to visit at the charnel house. An old mentor, you see, and busy as I am, that was the only time I could spare.”

“You said you’re an A-rank Hunter. Which city are you affiliated with?”

Having been outmaneuvered in appearance, rank, and words, Joo Jae-yeong now resorted to leveraging his connections. Sagyeol tilted his head quizzically.

“Oh, are you asking about my affiliation because you possess some formidable backing? In a city as insignificant as this, even the most impressive backing would merely be a slightly larger speck of dust.”

“This bastard, he really—”

“Ah, never mind. I generally understand what you’re thinking, so there’s no need to elaborate. An airship? Yes, yes, they’re expensive. Especially for long-distance travel, they’re veritable magic stone guzzlers, aren’t they?”

Joo Jae-yeong fell silent at the unexpected words. For the first time, a flicker of ‘surely not’ appeared in his eyes. It was then that Sagyeol’s languid smile mixed with contempt and arrogance, clearly looking down on his opponent.

“Did you perhaps take me for a businessman with a Hunter background, on vacation from some nearby small town? What a pity. I’ve traveled from a place that takes four days even by airship.”

Joo Jae-yeong froze. His visible bewilderment at this unexpected turn of events was palpable.

I, too, was surprised. Baekdam was a remote area, even among the peripheries. To travel here from a major city, one whose name would be instantly recognizable, would indeed require an unimaginable quantity of magic stones, just as the man claimed. It was an feat impossible for anyone less than a high-ranking executive of a truly colossal guild.

This implied that the man before me held a position comparable to an executive.

“……”

‘Had that guild decided to ruin itself?’

Joo Jae-yeong’s expression grew peculiar. That fool, he must have been thinking the same thing as me. Not once, but twice, I found myself agreeing with Joo Jae-yeong. The corner of my eye twitched subtly. The man’s head, which had been fixed on Joo Jae-yeong, snapped back to me.

“Did you just frown?”

“……”

“You’ve been expressionless this whole time, but you react to something like this? How cute.”

What?

‘C-cute…’

The utterly unthinkable word paralyzed my brain. I looked at Joo Jae-yeong, choosing the lesser evil, but he was still reeling from the man’s ‘four-day airship journey’ comment.

His mind was visibly a tangled mess. As I awkwardly stood there alone, a knock sounded.

*Knock, knock.*

A short-haired nurse entered.

“Kim Cheol-su, your examination… Is everything alright in here?”

She asked, her face suggesting she was ready to hit the emergency bell at any moment. The man smiled, feigning harmlessness.

“Everything is fine. What can I do for you?”

Did working in a hospital grant one some superhuman intuition? Despite the man’s smooth, charming face and his amiable question, the nurse remained unmoved. In fact, she grew even more wary than when she first entered the room, turning to me.

“Mr. Kim Cheol-su, we need to perform your examination. Who is your guardian?”

“I am.”

“I am.”

Sagyeol and Joo Jae-yeong answered simultaneously, then glared at each other in unison. The nurse, without a hint of perturbation, asked me again.

“Who is your guardian?”

“I don’t have one.”

My answer was immediate and direct. The communication difficulties I had constantly faced in the Mid-world vanished completely in that moment. The nurse, her face like a mannequin’s, turned to Sagyeol and Joo Jae-yeong.

“Both of you, please leave.”

“……”

Sagyeol, who had been observing, raised his hand.

“I’ll pay the hospital fees…”

“Leave.”

“……”

The two men were unceremoniously ushered out.