“Jaeyun…”

“Hmm…”

Ihyeon looked up at the ceiling with a hollow expression. After overhearing the conversation between Binnari and the guild leader, he roughly understood the situation at the school and let out a deep sigh again.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Well, that’s because you didn’t want to talk about it yourself!! You were so worried that grandfather would be furious!”

“Still, I’m your partner. You know I won’t do anything that Binnari dislikes. Above all, Jaeyun and I have been close friends since we were young.”

“I’m sorry…”

Objectively speaking, it was a situation where Ihyeon had every right to be upset, so Binnari just looked down, fidgeting her fingers without any excuses.

We said we would act together, but out of habit, she tried to handle it alone again. That’s why things almost got twisted. In an organization, these things shouldn’t be hidden.

“It’s not that I didn’t trust you and the guild leader, just…”

“I know. What Binnari was worried about. But it’s okay. I may not know about the Holy War, but I’m on your side. Right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll contact Jaeyun separately tomorrow to see if I can meet him. This kid, at some point he started not answering my calls. So he was acting all high and mighty…”

When Binnari nodded her head uncertainly at his words, Ihyeon put on a smiling face again and said cautiously,

“Ah! Even though the guild leader said that, he really cares about Rude. I feel the same way. So don’t be too hurt…”

“No. I’m not hurt. I was wrong, that’s true.”

Binnari, who hadn’t received sensible advice in a long time, shook her head as she was deep in thought. Sitting on the sofa with her knees drawn up, Binnari glanced at Kang Ihyeon and mumbled,

“And now I trust you. Like you said, I won’t leave for a year. I can’t do that anymore anyway.”

“Oh.”

Ihyeon froze with his mouth open at the unexpected answer. He hoped his impulsive words from earlier would be buried. Ihyeon, rolling his eyes here and there, reflexively asked the reason.

“Why, why?”

“…”

Binnari glanced at Ihyeon, only moving her eyes. As Ihyeon just blinked, Binnari frowned and abruptly stood up from her seat.

“Ah, I don’t know! If you’re that nice, you’ll be used by bad guys later?! I’m serious?!”

“What?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know, I’m going home!”

“Uh, it would be better if you ate dinner before you leave…!”

“Shut up, I’m going now?!”

Binnari, with only her ears turning red, put on her outer clothes and opened a dimensional rift. Just before quickly crossing over to the other side, Binnari turned around slightly and looked at Ihyeon.

“Kang Ihyeon.”

“Yes?”

“…See you tomorrow.”

“Ah, yes!! See you tomorrow!”

Binnari, who had been looking at Ihyeon for a moment, quickly turned her head and entered the dimensional rift.

A black indirect message appeared in front of Binnari.

[Honestly, the Lord of Chaos strokes his chin.] [I thought you would take care of Kang Ihyeon. It would have stabilized your heart. The Lord of Chaos says, looking at you.]

“…Shut up. Isn’t it enough that I’m this stable now?! Are you really looking out for me or trying to use me?!”

[Of course, it’s for our pretty little sister. This elder brother only thinks about Binnari day and night, the Lord of Chaos shakes his head.]

“Hmph! I don’t believe it anymore.”

[Anyway, I’m glad our Binnari is a little more comfortable, the Lord of Chaos pats your head.]

“Even if you pretend to like it now, it won’t work.”

Binnari looked at the status message that had appeared in front of her eyes since earlier.

At that moment when she heard the story that Ihyeon was worried that he might be just a passerby to Binnari, but also worried that she might be just a passerby to him.

When Binnari realized that Kang Ihyeon was not the 2nd ranked prince, the son of a national hero, and the only incarnation of the Archangel, but just an ordinary person feeling anxiety like herself, her status abnormality changed.

Of course, at that moment, her mind power ran wild and she became emotional. But even that, Kang Ihyeon accepted.

No, rather, he revealed his own weaknesses together to match Binnari’s state.

[Status Abnormality :: Anthropophobia is alleviated!] [*Current Status Abnormality – Afflicted with Anthropophobia. When using skills in front of others in your original form, the skill effect is greatly reduced.

However, people you trust are excluded.

Currently applied to: Kang Ihyeon]

Binnari, who understood Kang Ihyeon not just as a person who was always kind, but as an individual with different thoughts and personality from herself, let go of her arrogance.

And once again, she ended up putting her faith in a person. Even though she had been constantly on guard, that’s what happened.

Of course, there was anxiety that this might once again lead to her downfall, but the heart is too easily destroyed and too easily sprouts recovery.

The sunshine was too warm, and the coat was too hot.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ouch, ouch, no! It hurts, grandfather!!”

“Shut up, kid! Do you know how much I’ve been worried sick?! Huh?! You don’t answer the phone, Ihyeon doesn’t say anything! It’s not like you didn’t go to school either! Seeing that the Holy War gate raid is restricted, you must have been inside!”

“Hey, no news is good news! Right? I was scared too. Console me~ Who knew a Devouring would break out as soon as I climbed the wall to skip school~ Right?”

And at Min Jaeyun’s house, Min Jaewon was applying red medicine to the cuts on his fingers, ranting and raving.

Originally, if he were an Awakener, such wounds would heal quickly, but Min Jaeyun, who deliberately kept his recovery speed at the same level as an ordinary person because it would definitely be found out by his grandfather, grumbled.

“That’s not the expression to use in this situation! And you, stop looking at your phone while an adult is talking to you! Huh?!”

“I’m looking at something important. I told you I’m really fine, right? You don’t have to apply medicine!”

Min Jaeyun, who had been searching for all the articles related to the school gate on his phone, made a sharp expression. All day long, he had been obsessively searching for reactions on the internet and SNS.

Min Jaeyun’s expression gradually became serious as he checked to see if any of his friends who had been transported to the hospital had died, and how severe the injuries of the injured were. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.

‘I feel like I will never be able to escape from this school, from that moment, in my entire life.’

Even after 10 years, 20 years, he felt like he would never be able to escape from that school. It felt like he would be wearing a school uniform forever.

Regrets such as ‘If I hadn’t been a high-level Hunter’, ‘If I had acted more decisively’, ‘If I had studied magic a little more’ weighed on his shoulders.

It was clear that even if he was strong, he wouldn’t have been able to save all his friends at school if it weren’t for Rude and Kang Ihyeon.

“Kid, don’t just look at your phone and study, study. How are you going to make a living if you skip school and ruin your SAT like that, without even being an Awakener like Ihyeon? Huh? I won’t let you repeat a grade.”

Contrary to the chilling thoughts that came to Jaeyun’s mind, only words with a playful tone came out of his mouth, lest his grandfather suspect him.

“Heh, but you were worried that your grandson was skipping school every time, and there are good things about being absent without notice, right?”

Expecting another barrage of nagging, he continued to search for his school name on SNS, half ignoring his grandfather’s words. Good reactions and intense reactions coexisted.

It felt like the letters on SNS were devouring him, but he couldn’t stop. If he stayed still, it felt like that moment when his friends were collapsing, the helplessness and regrets he felt then would sweep over him.

After a long silence, he heard his grandfather’s words.

“…Right.”

“Huh? Really?”

Min Jaeyun put down his cell phone and looked at Min Jaewon with a playful smile, then made a surprised expression. Grandfather was holding his hand tightly.

“I’m so glad. Really…”

“Uh, grandfather?”

Grandfather’s shoulders were gradually trembling. Grandfather grabbed his hand tightly with both hands, and soon let out a sound similar to a sob.

“Thank you, Jaeyun. Thank you, thank you so much for being safe. I, this old man, really thought I would lose you too…”

“Oh no, grandfather, I’m fine! Look. I told you I’m really good at avoiding things like that, right? Right?”

“You don’t know, you don’t know. Jaeyun. People die so easily… If I lose you too, this old man can’t live…”

Min Jaeyun’s expression gradually hardened.

And he realized something. Just as he couldn’t escape from the memory of what happened at school, his grandfather could never escape from the demon’s dungeon, from that moment.

Numerous thoughts flooded his mind. Grandfather, Hunter Min Jaewon, was his imminent future.

Ironically, grandfather had no choice but to live in the very place where he lost his son and daughter-in-law. So he, too, would have no choice but to live in the school where he nearly lost his friends.

Ding dong, and a notification came to Min Jaeyun’s cell phone.

[You worked hard today, Jaeyun. I’m sorry for bothering you late at night while you’re resting, but Rude says he has something to say about the Devouring issue, so can you come out? Tomorrow. Contact me when you’re free.]

Min Jaeyun roughly read the content of the message and turned off the phone screen.

Ihyeon’s spiritual power and Rude’s mind power being realized at that time still lingered in his head. What would have happened if they hadn’t saved him then?

When Jaeyun was at the scene, at least he had Ihyeon and Rude by his side. He could get their help. But what about his grandfather, who didn’t even have such people?

Who will save grandfather, who will forever remain alone in that dungeon?

“…Grandfather. I’m really okay. Truly.”

Min Jaeyun held Min Jaewon’s trembling hand. Min Jaeyun finally read his grandfather’s emotions. It was fear.

The fear that such a thing might happen again. The trauma that even the slightest sign feels like that incident will engulf him again.

Min Jaeyun thought that now he could share his grandfather’s fear together.

Because he is the Demon King. Because he is the king who can bury the demons that still torment his grandfather in a pit and carve their names into the Magic Book.

“Don’t cry. It’s okay now.”

When Min Jaewon sobbed, Min Jaeyun, who patted his shoulder, said seriously. He’s about to graduate from high school soon. It’s time to decide on a career path, and it’s time to stand tall as an adult.

Now, Jaeyun is no longer a high school student who needs protection, but an adult who should know how to protect someone. And he has to be.

Otherwise, as Rude said, he will definitely regret someday that he could have done it but didn’t. The people he couldn’t save will linger in his head.

Min Jaeyun, who had thought that far, closed his eyes tightly. And while patting Min Jaewon’s back, he quietly said,

“…Grandfather. I have something to confess. Can you listen to me?”