“We have defeated all the Named, including the boss inside the gate. We confirmed the clear message, and undoubtedly, the exit was also open. However, there were no dropped items, and that was the only thing missing. It could only be considered a successful subjugation.”

As Junhwan recalled the memory, clouds gathered on his face. Uttering each word carefully, he muttered.

“So? What else? The gate was already closed. All we can do now is pray for Master’s recovery.”

“What the…!”

Suhyun, sounding choked, swung at Junhwan’s neck. He met Suhyun’s gaze without freeing himself from her grip.

“Yeah. We did nothing. Master ended up like that all by himself while we were escaping.”

His voice was soaked.

“So, we didn’t have to do anything.”

“…”

“Sorry.”
Suhyun couldn’t say anything. Because the eyes that spoke like that were─.

“Really… sorry…”

Because they were so red.

Slowly, Suhyun’s hand, which had gripped Junhwan’s collar, descended as she let go.

“Aren’t you a doctor?”

Kyeongho’s shout came from behind the closed door. His voice was as excited as Suhyun’s.

Without straightening his disheveled cloak, Junhwan quietly turned away from Suhyun.

Thunk.

When the door opened, sure enough, Kyeongho, who confronted the doctor with a force that seemed to overturn the entire examination room, was visible. He confronted the doctor with a force that seemed to overturn the entire examination room, visibly raised his temper.

“What? Are the injuries from the gate different from the injuries we get in everyday life? So what? Does that mean you won’t do anything like this?”

“I will do my best, but as you know, dealing with cases related to ‘curses’ is difficult with modern medicine…”

The doctor repeated the same words several times.

Eunha, leaning against the wall of the corner of the examination room, silently watched them from there, not coming forward or leaving that place.

In fact, everyone there knew. That Minju ended up like that not because of the doctor’s fault. But.

“Damn! You’re a doctor. Aren’t you supposed to save people!”

It seemed impossible to endure without bumping into someone with this exclamation.

However, the moment Kyeongho forcefully grabbed the doctor’s collar,

“Stop.”

A peculiar clacking sound approached.

“Are you not a doctor?”

The hesitating Kyeongho turned his head toward the source of the unfamiliar shoe sound.

“…Dr. Plant?”

One of South Korea’s S-rank hunters and the most famous and excellent healing hunter, the owner of the rose, Geum Roje.

In the breathless silence, the sound of footsteps continued calmly and stopped abruptly in one place.

Thud.

Roje lightly struck Kyeongho’s hand, which was holding the doctor’s collar.

“No matter how outstanding a doctor is, you can’t save every patient. Just like a hunter can’t save every civilian.”

“…”

“Moreover, you must have heard it too. A Trickster’s injury is a curse. So stop catching a strict person and taking it out on them.”

Kyeongho bit down hard on his lower lip in response to Roje’s words. Her words were right. He already knew it. He knew, but…

In the end, Kyeongho sat down in that spot.

“Heuk…!”

Leaving Kyeongho, who cried like a child, behind, Roje quietly turned her gaze to the trembling doctor.

“I’m sure you know, but you have to keep your mouth shut about Trickster injuries. Especially with reporters. It will be a mess in public news coverage within an hour.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

The doctor nodded urgently.
“Try to stop the deterioration as much as possible. Rose will send someone even from the Rose Guild. First, evacuate this entire ward. Strictly prohibit entry except for medical staff and guardians. Thoroughly.”

“Then go out. When Rose nodded towards the door, the doctor, as if waiting, quickly moved away.

Rose, sitting slightly on the desk, took a deep breath and then slowly scanned the remaining people in the room, one by one.

Kyeongho, sitting on the floor and sobbing as if he had lost his mind. Junhwan, who clenched his fist and maintained silence with a heavy face. And─.

…?”

Rose’s gaze changed subtly.

A hunter who had been watching the entire situation while leaning against the wall.

Black dress, black umbrella. It was firmly engraved in Rose’s memory.

“…So, it’s you.”

Rose’s gaze towards Eunha was filled with an unknown light.

At the moment when Rose was about to say something to Eunha, with her lips slightly trembling…

“You put the master into the Unknown Gate.”

Kyeongho, who was sitting on the floor, was now looking up at Rose with eyes full of resentment. Rose’s gaze shifted from Eunha to Kyeongho.

“Stop it, Seok Kyeongho. Anyway, someone among the S-ranks had to go to the Unknown Gate.”

Though Junhwan tried to stop Kyeongho, he didn’t withdraw his intense gaze from Rose.

“So why did it have to be our master!”

Ignoring Kyeongho, who cried like a child, Rose turned her gaze quietly towards the trembling doctor.

“I’m sure you know, but you have to keep your mouth shut about Trickster injuries. Especially with reporters. It will be a mess in public news coverage within an hour.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

The doctor nodded urgently.

“Doctor, is there really no way to cure the master…?”

Junhwan asked Rose.

While Kyeongho had an expression filled with resentment, Junhwan, with a calmer face compared to Kyeongho, shared the same sentiments. He would want to overturn everything right now and somehow save Minju.

However, Rose’s subsequent words were not very hopeful.

“The only way is to concoct and feed items that might have an effect on the curse. Since only the one who placed the curse can know the content of the curse.”

“I will get them. Whatever it is.”

Junhwan, who had a determined expression, was staring intently at Rose, but she did not seem to care.

“However, Doctor, is there really no way…?”

Kyeongho asked Rose.

Rose sighed softly after scrutinizing her silent response.

“How about it? It must be tough.”

Thud.

Junhwan dropped the paper he had held in his hand onto the floor, his face drenched in despair.