Chapter 13: An Unexpected Invitation

He was scheduled to finish the crafting by today. From tomorrow, the intricate work of engraving magical formulas and fine-tuning with special threads to ensure mana circulation would begin in earnest.

Once this was fully completed, the first stage of processing for his first graduation artifact would be done. Therefore, he had to refine all of it by the end of today.

Tomorrow.

As he considered the coming day, Doyoo’s gaze deepened. There were no completely identical elements between the outlaw’s magic and Cheongshin’s, yet several striking similarities were apparent.

Every mage possessed their own unique methodology. It was much like how, in computer science, different developers might implement a function in the same language but produce distinct codes.

Cheongshin, however, exhibited the very same similarities Doyoo had observed in the outlaw’s magic. Doyoo was certain that if he could directly witness Cheongshin engraving magic, he would undoubtedly find absolute proof.

Given the connection with San Eunha, who had been a prime suspect in the Phantom Column incident, Doyoo believed that if Cheongshin and San Eunha were indeed accomplices, this tiresome affair could finally be brought to a conclusive end.

Snick!

“Ah.”

Doyoo stared blankly at his hand. Red blood immediately welled up, pooling on his palm before beginning to trickle down.

It seemed he had been deeply cut by the crafting tool. With just a slight movement, the skin parted, revealing the raw flesh beneath.

“Senior? What’s wrong? …Senior!”

Cheongshin discovered Doyoo, who was dripping blood, and rushed over in horror. Doyoo shifted his hand to the side, preventing blood from staining the artifact frame he had been meticulously carving.

“Sorry,” he said, “Don’t worry about it.”

With that, he casually pulled out a tissue and pressed it against his palm. The cut was long and deep, and the tissue quickly became saturated with red.

Cheongshin grabbed Doyoo’s hand.

“How can I not worry?” Cheongshin exclaimed. “Let me see your hand.”

Without giving Doyoo a chance to react, Cheongshin pulled out a handkerchief and immediately cast a spell. A faint light swirled around the fabric, transforming it into a long, bandage-like strip.

It was a combination of shape-shifting and purification magic. Doyoo recognized the magical patterns that briefly appeared above the handkerchief and blinked in surprise.

“Cheongshin, you just used magic—”

“Is that important, Senior? You’re bleeding so much. Does it hurt a lot?”

As if genuinely distressed, Cheongshin’s eyes reddened as he tightly wrapped Doyoo’s palm with the makeshift bandage.

Honestly, Doyoo didn’t even consider this a serious wound, and it didn’t hurt as much as he expected. He felt a bit awkward from the fuss.

“This is enough. I’m fine, Cheongshin!”

“What do you mean, ‘fine’?” Cheongshin lamented. “Oh, for such a wound to be on my beloved Senior’s hand.”

Doyoo watched in utter shock as Cheongshin carefully held his bandaged hand and subtly pressed a kiss to it.

Regardless of Doyoo’s astonishment, Cheongshin made such a sorrowful face that it would make anyone’s heart ache. Then, with a determined gaze, he spoke.

“This won’t do, Senior.”

Doyoo didn’t even have time to ask what wouldn’t do. Cheongshin simply half-dragged him out of the lab.

Unable to immediately comprehend the events that had unfolded so quickly, Doyoo clutched his forehead.

Cheongshin put Doyoo in his car and immediately drove him to a large hospital. For some reason, they saw a doctor without any registration or waiting.

After providing basic treatment, the doctor, unable to resist Cheongshin’s insistent gaze, even gave Doyoo an injection to prevent potential infection.

Even up to that point, the situation was difficult for Doyoo to accept. Then, Cheongshin put him back in the car.

“Cheongshin.”

“Yes, Senior Doyoo. Does it still hurt? Or do you have a headache? Why are you holding your head? Should we go back to the hospital?”

“Calm down. I’m not hurting,” Doyoo said. “More importantly, where are we going?”

Seeing the car, which had left the hospital, heading in a different direction than the Academy, he couldn’t help but ask.

“I’ll take you home, Senior Doyoo. Since you can’t use your right hand today, I’ll attend to you. Don’t worry, Senior. I’m good at housework, and even at bathing.”

“…No, there’s no need for that,” Doyoo stammered. “Do you even know my home address?”

“Wasn’t it listed in the contract before?” Cheongshin replied.

“W-well, yes, but.”

‘Had he deliberately memorized it?’ Doyoo thought, flustered.

“Until your hand heals, I’ll stay right by your side and help you, so don’t worry.”

‘You coming to my house is what worries me,’ Doyoo thought, barely swallowing his words.

Judging by Cheongshin’s momentum, if they arrived at Doyoo’s house like this, he would undoubtedly barge in with all sorts of excuses.

Recalling the scattered papers on his floor, meticulously analyzing the magic of both the outlaw and Cheongshin, Doyoo bit his lip in mounting anxiety.

The accommodation provided by Kadan was set up with an internal artifact designed to explode, leaving nothing behind, the moment an illegal intrusion occurred.

However, if Doyoo entered with someone or opened the door himself, the artifact would not activate.

This meant that if things continued as they were, Doyoo’s suspicion and investigation into Cheongshin would inevitably be exposed.

Doyoo grabbed Cheongshin’s hand, which was resting on the steering wheel.

“Senior?” Cheongshin asked, surprised.

“That’s enough,” Doyoo said firmly. “Cheongshin, thank you for your help today. I can go home alone. Please, let me off here.”

“I’m just worried, okay?” Cheongshin insisted.

“No. It’s unne—”

“Senior…”

Facing Cheongshin’s sadly smiling face, Doyoo swallowed a silent scream. He desperately wanted to shout at him to look ahead while driving, but Cheongshin’s incredibly sorrowful gaze rendered him utterly speechless.

“Alright, Senior,” Cheongshin said. “I don’t want to make things difficult for you, so I won’t insist on going to your house anymore.”

Doyoo’s eyes widened in surprise at Cheongshin’s unexpected words. He had fully expected him to push the issue further.

‘What’s gotten into this guy?’ he wondered.

While working on their graduation project, Cheongshin had always subtly pushed his own agenda regarding anything related to Doyoo.

He would feed Doyoo sweets he liked, suggest they eat together, or insist on going to the bookstore together because he “wanted to be with him.” For him to suddenly back down as if he had regained his conscience, Doyoo was thoroughly flustered.

“How about coming to my place, Senior?”

“Your place…?” Doyoo echoed.

“Yes. I’m so worried about you, Senior,” Cheongshin explained, his voice laced with concern. “I had an acquaintance who passed away from a bacterial infection due to a small wound sustained while crafting artifacts, just like yours. I’m truly scared right now.”

Doyoo remained silent.

He recalled the information about San Eunha, who had a connection with Cheongshin. There was indeed an acquaintance of San Eunha’s who had died for the very reason Cheongshin now stated.

Cheongshin, focused on driving, did not notice Doyoo’s once-flustered blue eyes settle into a calm, calculating gaze.

“So, what do you say, Senior?”

Originally, Doyoo had intended to refuse. However, he changed his mind. A strong intuition told him he might find a crucial clue at Cheongshin’s house.

“Alright then. I’ll impose on you for a bit.”

“Thank you.”

At Doyoo’s consent, Cheongshin smiled brightly.

Upon arriving at Cheongshin’s house, Doyoo’s eyes widened, not at the fact that it was a three-story detached house in a wealthy neighborhood, but at the powerful barrier magic surrounding it.

Currently, Doyoo’s mana sensitivity was heightened, and he was suppressing his senses with medication to maintain a stable, albeit occasionally shifting, vision.

Despite having a similar perception to ordinary people, he could clearly discern that the barrier magic around Cheongshin’s house was incredibly potent.

“Welcome. It’s my first time inviting anyone to my home.”

Cheongshin smiled shyly. Doyoo relaxed his stiff expression and followed him inside. As he saw the interior, which looked like something out of a magazine, Doyoo’s body tensed with renewed apprehension.

The barrier magic outside the house was one thing, but what was with the barrier magic cast inside the house?

Each area—the living room, the stairs leading to the second floor, the kitchen, and even closed room doors—was protected by different barrier spells.

The Kadan Association headquarters was similarly protected, but that was an association building. This was a private residence belonging to a single mage. Such a level of security was clearly abnormal.

‘Is he hiding something after all?’ Doyoo wondered, observing Cheongshin intently.

“Senior, please have a seat for a moment. You must be very hungry, right? I’ll make you something to eat.”

“Ah, no. It’s fine…”

Doyoo said, feigning shyness, but Cheongshin shook his head resolutely. This was a decisiveness utterly unlike the gentle demeanor he had shown so far.

“You must eat. You haven’t eaten properly yesterday or today, have you? And you haven’t slept deeply either.”

“How did you know?”

“I could tell because you were walking 0.5 seconds slower than usual, and your body lacked strength.”

Doyoo wanted to ask how he perceived a 0.5-second difference, and if he had been observing him constantly. However, he swallowed his words.

Moreover, for Cheongshin to notice his body lacked strength, despite Doyoo acting with extra caution due to his poor condition, was unnerving. The probability of Cheongshin being the outlaw rose further in Doyoo’s mind.

“And now you’re injured in such a vulnerable state… You’ll eat, and then take your medicine. Understood?”

The coaxing tone, as if he were soothing a child, bothered Doyoo. However, if Cheongshin was occupied in the kitchen, it would buy Doyoo time to look around, so he obediently nodded.

“Good. Would you like something to drink first?”

“No, thank you.”

“Then I’ll make you some porridge. It’ll take about twenty minutes since I’ll be making it from scratch. You’ll have to wait a little.”

“Mm-hm. Thank you.”

In fact, the more time he had, the better. Cheongshin then disappeared into the kitchen.