Chick 317
by Cristae317
On Ijo grinned playfully and tapped his own head.
“I just knew. If I didn’t give up my powers there, the tower wouldn’t be conquered.”
On Ijo was a hero.
It was no exaggeration to say he had climbed to the ninety-ninth floor on his own strength.
The title of “the one closest to god” existed precisely for him.
What he had built was by no means trivial.
In fact, a fight to the death with the Master of the 99th Floor would have been a more hopeful proposal.
Professor Kim, jaw dropped as he listened to On Ijo’s story, blurted out in excitement.
“Th-then! You mean you lost your power in order to conquer the tower?!”
Unlike the excited professor, On Ijo answered dispassionately,
“Yes.”
At that moment, Jin Siwon blinked.
[‘Unknown Title’ laughs.]
It flashed by in an instant, but he had seen it clearly.
An indirect message, appearing on On Ijo.
‘What…was that?’
But it vanished so quickly, Jin Siwon couldn’t be sure what he’d seen.
A hallucination…?
He needed to confirm if it had been, or if it hadn’t.
“Professor Kim.”
Jin Siwon spoke into the microphone.
Professor Kim fiddled with the earpiece in his ear—he was listening.
“Please ask Hunter On Ijo again. ‘Have you truly lost all your power?’”
Professor Kim pretended to check his questionnaire, then asked once more,
“Please think carefully before answering. Have you truly lost all your power?”
“Yes.”
On Ijo answered again.
Jin Siwon’s abrupt request prompted murmurs from those around him.
“What is it?”
“What’s going on?”
“Team Leader Jin, did you see something? Why the questions?”
Even as Go Kang asked, Jin Siwon took the microphone again.
“One more. Please allow me one more question.”
“Team Leader Jin?”
On Joorim, perhaps sensing something, turned her gaze toward Jin Siwon.
He glanced briefly at Joorim, then returned his focus to On Ijo.
It resembled the indirect message he’d once seen from that unknown presence with On Joorim.
Back then, Jin Siwon had imagined the message must have come from something like his own summoned familiar, Barret.
But if so, then On Ijo’s claim of having lost all his power made no sense.
It couldn’t be the ‘truth.’
“Professor Kim. Please ask again if he is truly On Ijo.”
Professor Kim cleared his throat.
He too seemed to sense the unease in the monitor room.
The question of whether this was On Ijo had already been settled, Jin Siwon himself had already pronounced it genuine.
And now he wanted to ask again?
It was odd, but Professor Kim had no choice but to comply.
“Are you On Ijo?”
For some reason, On Ijo stared straight ahead.
His and Jin Siwon’s eyes locked.
On Ijo answered.
“I am On Ijo.”
The monitor issued a rapid flutter of sound.
The polygraph’s graph traced a steady, stable line.
The machine was judging his statement to be true.
Jin Siwon bit down hard on his lower lip.
What he saw with his own eyes was, undoubtedly, the truth.
And yet…
Bang!
Just then, a powerful force yanked Jin Siwon out of the room.
“Uhk!”
Go Kang tried to follow, but an unseen power blocked his way.
Joorim stood in front of the monitor room’s door, arms bracing the frame, trapping Jin Siwon within her embrace.
“Be honest. What did you see? Is that— not really On Ijo?”
Joorim nodded inward toward the room.
From inside, Go Kang pounded on the door—bang, bang!
But Joorim left the door closed, waiting for an answer, and after a moment’s hesitation, Jin Siwon spoke quietly.
“Everything I saw was true. It’s the truth, but… I can’t say for sure he’s lost all his power.”
“Why not?”
“When someone has a familiar, sometimes I see two thoughts at once. It’s the same with Guild Master On.”
“You’re saying you saw two thoughts from my brother?”
“Yes. Just barely. So briefly it’s hard to be certain.”
“And if it’s an item?”
“That’s entirely possible, depending on the situation…”
Bang, bang, bang!
“On Joorim! Aren’t you opening this door?”
Go Kang’s bellowed voice struck the room.
Perhaps reassured by the suggestion that it could all be due to an item, Joorim moved to take her hand from the door, but Jin Siwon caught her wrist and spoke quickly.
“Whatever it is, I think he’s hiding something.”
“……”
Joorim fell silent, then whispered into Jin Siwon’s ear.
“Team Leader Jin, let’s keep this between us. For now, I’ll keep watch.”
University Hospital, VIP Ward.
Having returned from a battery of tests, On Ijo collapsed onto his bed.
The attending physician, consulting his chart, slid a hand into his white coat.
“Lie down carefully. The IV might come out.”
“These tests were a lot rougher than I expected.”
“You chose a hard road, Master.”
“Ahaha, you’re right.”
“As I mentioned, the results show you’re a non-awakened, with no other unusual findings expected.”
“Yurian?”
“We received her from ‘that woman’ and the hospital is caring for her well. She hasn’t woken up yet—she must have exhausted all her energy at once. Let’s keep watching for a little longer.”
“That woman” was the one who’d picked up Yurian from the carrier and experimented on her.
‘If I find out, I won’t let her be.’
“Keep it a secret from Yurian that that woman brought her here.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Mmm. Thank you for everything~”
The attending physician watched in silence as the head of Gnosis waved his hand like a jellyfish.
“There was no need to reveal your identity.”
“No.”
On Ijo smiled.
“It was necessary.”
It had to be done. Han Rowoon could never be On Groo’s father.
He was willing to bear all the risks—he wanted to be the child’s father no matter what.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Brother.”
It was Joorim.
“You’re here?”
On Ijo, face lighting up, straightened in bed.
“Well, take care of yourself. I’ll be going now.”
The attending physician bowed slightly to Joorim, who returned the gesture.
But On Ijo’s gaze was fixed elsewhere.
Groo, holding hands with Joorim, entered the room.
The child’s eyes rolled wide upon noticing On Ijo.
“……”
“……”
A silence hung in the air.
On Ijo, lips tightly sealed, glanced nervously at the child and smoothed the wrinkles from his clothes, looking unusually ill-at-ease.
“Hello.”
“H-hello…”
Clearing his throat, On Ijo greeted her, and Joorim stifled a laugh.
Hiding something? That guy?
Joorim looked on in disbelief at the bashful Ijo.
The man who had been so composed before the polygraph couldn’t hide the pounding of his heart before his own child.
“Groo.”
With a faintly pained expression, Joorim patted Groo’s back.
Now, it was time for her to be formally introduced to her real father.
She had found her dad, and he had come home—Joorim would now be the uncle.
Just as he struggled to collect his bittersweet feelings,
Groo, urged forward by Joorim, squeezed her eyes shut tight and shouted,
“Hello! U-uncle!”
“……?”
On Ijo’s lips flapped silently as he tilted his head in puzzlement.
Un-cle?