Chapter 14: A Lure and a Disappearance

He quickly regained his senses and checked the time. Thirty minutes had already flown by.

‘What the?!’

He had just gained some free time—or rather, a strategic moment—only to squander it. A hollow laugh escaped him, born of disbelief.

Perhaps it was because he truly felt like a Regressor. Whenever that blunt man was involved, Sagyeol found himself constantly flustered.

Sagyeol gazed at the private elevator, slowly ascending.

Inside, Lee Hyun-su was likely cursing a blue streak, carrying thirteen servings of steak in both hands.

Steak. Steak, indeed.

‘Should I cast a lure?’

Even a clumsy trap would do. It was merely a test, requiring little preparation or risk. Having decided his course, Sagyeol rose from the sofa.

He straightened his clothes and stood before the elevator. As the doors parted, Lee Hyun-su, who had been about to step in with a fierce expression, recoiled in shock.

“Wh-what are you doing in front of the door—”

“Three servings. Which one is it?”

Taken aback, Lee Hyun-su hesitantly offered one of the shopping bags. Sagyeol snatched it, brushed past him, and stepped into the elevator.

“That’s your lunch. Eat well and work hard. Good heavens, steak! I truly am a boss who looks after his subordinates, wouldn’t you say?”

“……”

“I’m going out.”

The doors closed. Faint sounds of protest could be heard, but Sagyeol paid them no mind.

He placed the shopping bag on a sofa inside the elevator, then adjusted his attire once more, using the reflective wall as a mirror.

He thought of the presumed Regressor, who was likely waiting patiently at the hospital. When he’d seen the photo in the report, he’d found the face to his liking.

‘But the real prize was the chest.’

Being an ID photo, it had been cropped below the collarbone, so he hadn’t known. Tsk, they should have used a full-body shot.

Sagyeol lamented Lee Hyun-su’s handling of the matter, yet the thought of Kim Cheol-su’s chest filled him with a certain grandeur.

‘…It was ample.’

It wasn’t just to his taste; it was a perfect gold standard.

His eyes had been drawn to it from the moment he first saw it at the scene where Spenta had rampaged. He’d felt a certain thickness even through the sturdy work clothes, but once Kim Cheol-su wore the thin patient gown, it was truly something else.

‘Well, if things go according to plan, won’t I get a proper look someday?’

Sagyeol decided to act with the composure and patience befitting an intellectual. However, things did not unfold as he intended.

“What did you just say?”

It was the fifth day of his hospital visits. The Regressor, who had greeted him with a sullen expression that seemed to ask, ‘Why are you here again?’ no matter what he brought, had vanished without a trace.

All that greeted Sagyeol, despite his composed and patient approach, was an empty hospital bed.

“What did you just say?”

“Hup.”

Startled by the sudden drop in temperature, the nurse gasped. Sagyeol quickly restored the atmosphere with a smile.

But the damage was done, and the nurse was visibly terrified. Sagyeol inwardly clicked his tongue, then asked as gently as possible.

“They were discharged?”

“…Yes.”

His smile deepened. He showed no anger, no annoyance. He simply acknowledged the news and left the hospital.

Sagyeol, who had instinctively tapped his device to contact Lee Hyun-su, then remembered that his subordinate had already departed Baekdam on an airship.

“Ha.”

Letting out a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, then crossed his arms on the wide boulevard.

“They’ve pulled quite a ‘cute’ stunt, just as I expected from their appearance.”

After being ejected from the hospital room for not being a guardian, Sagyeol had, of course, taken measures. He had personally pressured a high-ranking hospital official, explicitly ensuring that Kim Cheol-su would under no circumstances be discharged.

‘Discharged, my foot. They just bolted.’

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have paid the bill.”

Yet, if he had seen that bastard Joo Jae-yeong—or was it Joo Gae-yeong?—gleefully pay the bill and claim Kim Cheol-su for himself, Sagyeol might have been enraged enough to tear the hospital down.

Sagyeol swiftly organized his thoughts and revised his plan. He tapped his device once more.

The recipient answered before the third ring.

[S-S-Sagyeol Guild Master?]

“Yes, Association President. It’s me.”

[W-what brings you to call, of all people…]

“Why pretend you don’t know? My airship is docked on the Association’s rooftop.”

The Association President jumped, seemingly stung by Sagyeol’s feigned sarcasm.

[No, no! I was just informed that the airship had returned to Grisha, so I naturally assumed you had left!]

“That was a half-baked report, then. Only my subordinate returned. I’m still here in Baekdam.”

[……]

Though it wasn’t a video call, the Association President’s expression seemed palpable through the device. Sagyeol offered a silent prayer for the soul of whoever had submitted that report.

‘Well, it’s none of my business.’

Sagyeol chuckled inwardly.

“Anyway, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

[…You, asking me?]

The tone implied, ‘Why would a snake ask a mouse for a favor?’ Sagyeol feigned ignorance.

“Yes. Is that a problem?”

[Th-that’s impossible! Just tell me what you need! I’ll do my best to grant whatever I can!]

“As expected of the Association President, agreeing without even hearing the details. I’ve always known you to be a man of great resolve, but my judgment clearly wasn’t mistaken.”

There was no sign of the praise inflating the other man’s ego. Instead, only a profound unease filled the air, as if the President was wondering if Sagyeol had eaten something strange, or what monumental favor he was about to request to warrant such pretense.

“So, what’s the point?”

This could be interpreted as, ‘I’m anxious, so just spit it out, you bastard.’ Sagyeol considered toying with him a little longer, but then decided against it.

He had been blindsided in an unexpected turn of events. He needed to track down his audacious Regressor as quickly as possible.

“First, I’d like to get some information on someone working in the Post-Processing Department.”

The other end of the device fell silent for a moment, as if completely taken aback by his words.

[…The Post-Processing Department? Why there?]

“It seems someone with whom I wish to form a very deep and enduring relationship works there. Oh, right. There’s a section chief named Joo Jae-yeong there, isn’t there? I’d like to fire that man and take his place as a temporary employee.”

[……]

“You’ll cooperate, won’t you?”

The Association President of Baekdam City’s Hunter Association remained utterly speechless.

After leaving the hospital and returning home, I secluded myself in my room for three days. I didn’t even go to work.

I hinted to Park Myeong-seok that my body had fully recovered but that I wanted to rest a little. Since I had spoken as if I were going on a trip, he would likely believe it.

Confined to the house, time dragged on. My body had already undergone several transformations; physical training was meaningless.

‘Should I look at a dictionary?’

I opened a thick dictionary and flipped through a few pages, but found it impossible to concentrate.

Finally, with a sigh, I shifted my gaze to the wall. My thoughts drifted back over the past few days.

At the hospital, I had undergone several tests.

It was only belatedly that I realized I might be exposed as a Regressor. My mind raced with questions: What if I was discovered? Should I accelerate my plans? Ultimately, however, I wasn’t caught.

Still, it was a frightening experience, so I intended to be discharged immediately after the tests were completed.

‘…Discharged?’

The nurse’s reaction had been strange. She mumbled, avoiding my questions without mentioning consulting the doctor, and then fled the room.

Just as she left, a man carrying a shopping bag entered, passing her in the doorway.

‘I’m here!’

‘……’

Go away.

I swallowed the words that had risen to the tip of my tongue. Conversation had been the most difficult thing since returning to the Middle World, yet in front of this man, if I let my guard down even a little, words threatened to spill out.

‘Did you miss me?’

‘…No—’

‘Haha. Just kidding.’

I felt I understood the reason. I pressed my fingertips against my brow.

After being expelled, the man had somehow acquired re-entry permission to the room within hours. He then proceeded to bring me food. Naturally, I refused.

‘You’re not eating it? Then I’ll throw it away.’

‘……!’

My jaw dropped in disbelief, and the man simply grinned. He wasn’t joking. If I refused twice, perfectly good food would end up in the trash.

Owing to past memories of starvation, I was weak when it came to food.

In the end, I accepted it with a sigh.

The day before yesterday, it had been beef; yesterday, ribs; and today, sushi. Each time I ate one of the neatly arranged, colorful sushi pieces, I felt the man’s subtle gaze.

He came again the next day. This time, it was a luxurious bento box. I silently stared at the appetizingly spread-out meal.

‘Why.’

Why do you keep coming?

Even without a complete question, the man answered skillfully.

‘Well, why indeed?’

He had been chattering away perfectly well, but avoided this particular question. ‘Please don’t come anymore.’ Before I could utter those words, the man, beaming, preempted me.

‘How about this? If you guess why I’m doing this, I won’t bother you anymore.’

‘……’

I pondered throughout the afternoon and offered three answers, but none of them were correct. The man filled the silent gaps of my deliberation with stories.

There was no specific topic. Since I didn’t respond, no true conversation was formed. Yet, his words flowed naturally, like water.

The broad range of subjects eventually narrowed to food and animals.

‘One of my subordinates has a dog. She recently gave birth, and the puppies are absolute spitting images of their mother. She even sent me photos; they’re quite cute. Would you like to see them?’

I tried not to look, but my eyes betrayed my will and rolled over. The device screen showed a spotted dog with its tongue lolling out, smiling.

I also had a pet at the lord’s castle. It was a sleek, glossy horse. Rather than cute, it was more on the magnificent side, and very affectionate.

I had parted ways with it when I was dragged off by Kratus, but I trusted that the remaining demonkin had taken good care of it. Conversely, even if they had chased it away, it would have survived well. It was, after all, originally the leader of a herd on the plains.

‘There’s a large shopping mall nearby. It’s a multiplex with a movie theater, arcade, restaurants, and cafes all integrated.’

Ah. This wasn’t something I was interested in.

I felt relieved. It was only later that I realized something was off, though I couldn’t precisely explain what.

‘The terrace cafe nearby is famous for its cakes.’

Cake.

The single word pierced my heart. I had never tasted it. Yet, as a child, whenever my birthday approached, that word filled me with such anticipation.

As I wore a blank expression, the man sitting opposite me smiled, his eyes lighting up slightly.

‘They say the seasonal fruit cakes, the chocolate tart generously topped with rich raw chocolate, and the Sacher Torte are especially delicious.’

Involuntarily, I swallowed, my Adam’s apple moving noticeably. I flinched, belatedly wondering if he had seen. I glanced at the man, and he grinned widely.

‘Let’s go together sometime.’

‘……’

That night, I secretly slipped out of the hospital. I had a premonition that if I stayed there any longer, something irreversible would happen. What that ‘something’ was, I probably wouldn’t know even in the future. And that was fine. I didn’t want to know.

I preferred things just as they were.