An F-Rank Veterinarian Physically Heals an S-Rank Magical Beast - Chapter 24

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 24
The front courtyard of Arcana Resort.
The colossal pillar of light descending from the heavens vanished, and in its place stood a radiant being.
Six wings unfurled across his back.
A golden halo hovering above his head.
It was Zeruel, the highest-ranking Archangel of the Heavenly Realm.
His mere presence seemed to purify the murky air of The Abyss.
Yet his expression was less sacred than frantic and sharp, as though pursued by something unseen.
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“Welcome, Zeruel.”
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I bowed respectfully.
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“Are you Kang Jin-hyuk?”
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Zeruel’s voice was crystalline and clear, yet cold as ice.
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“I am. What brings you to this place…?”
“I came to express my gratitude.”
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As Zeruel extended his hand, a holographic image materialized.
Within it appeared Piel, a muscular Angel with wings fluttering majestically as he strode through the Heavenly Realm.
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“Piel was a headache for our Third Legion. A featherless Angel—a disgrace to the Heavenly Realm. Yet you’ve made him so… impressive, indeed excessively robust.”
“Oh, you’re too kind. A doctor is always delighted when his patient is satisfied.”
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I smiled as I replied.
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“That much I commend. However…”
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Zeruel’s gaze shifted in an instant.
Blue flames flickered within his irises.
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“My personal gratitude ends here. Now I shall execute my official duties.”
“Official… duties?”
“Indeed.”
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Zeruel spread his six wings wide.
Tremendous holy power surged forth like a tempest.
The Hospital’s barrier trembled with crackling sounds.
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“In the name of the Heavenly Realm, I declare it! As of this moment, war with The Abyss begins!”
“…What?”
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Kang Jin-hyuk and the Hunters couldn’t believe their ears. War? Out of nowhere?
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“According to the rumors I’ve heard, the Four Great Demon Lords of The Abyss have been rendered powerless by you—through treatment… or rather, modification.”
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Zeruel laughed with a sharp edge.
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“The Plague King has developed obsessive-compulsive disorder and lost his toxins. The Gluttony King has grown weak from dieting. The Frenzy King has become a fool who does nothing but tend to flowers. And I hear the Phantom King does nothing but sleep.”
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The information was accurate. Though the interpretation was somewhat off.
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“Now is the opportunity! While the lords of the Demon Realm are loose screws, I shall completely purify this filthy land! This is the will of God!”
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A colossal spear of light materialized in Zeruel’s hand. The situation hung by a thread. Ma Dong-tak stepped forward with his shield raised.
But then it happened.
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“Who said anything about loose screws?”
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Tremendous demonic power erupted from all sides of the Hospital.
North, South, West, East.
The Four Great Demon Lords appeared simultaneously.
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“Ugh, dust everywhere. Guest, where are your manners?”
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From the North, Plague King Nergal emerged, wiping his armor with wet wipes.
The scent of bleach emanated from his body instead of toxins.
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“I was in the middle of deadlifts, and you’re making a racket about muscle loss?”
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From the South, Gluttony King Beelzebub walked forward, shaking a protein shake.
His body had transformed into sculpted, chiseled muscle.
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“Don’t you dare step on our flower garden. Step on it, and I’ll kill you.”
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From the West, Frenzy King Asura appeared holding garden shears, grinning menacingly.
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“Haaa… it’s nap time…”
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From the east, the Phantom King appeared with a sleep mask pushed up on his forehead, stifling a yawn.
Zeruel’s expression hardened. The intelligence was wrong.
Far from weakening, they were far healthier and more vibrant than before.
Not the damp, sickly aura of the past, but the radiant vitality of those well-fed and well-rested—[Peak Condition] itself.
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“How… how is this possible?”
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Zeruel was flustered.
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“How? They’re fully recovered, that’s how.”
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Jin-hyuk walked forward between the Demon Kings.
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“As you can see, they’re all in excellent health. War? You’re welcome to try, but do you honestly think you alone could handle all four of them?”
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The Four Great Demon Kings simultaneously unleashed their killing intent.
Zeruel broke into a cold sweat.
Four of them, stronger than even their prime.
He couldn’t manage alone.
Yet Zeruel did not retreat.
Rather, it seemed he couldn’t retreat.
He gnawed at his fingernails, muttering incoherently.
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“No… I must purify… I must erase this filth… the balance is broken… order is distorted…”
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He looked less like a righteous judge and more like someone driven by compulsion, hunted by invisible forces.
Jin-hyuk’s eyes narrowed.
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[Skill: ‘Eye of Divine Will (A)’ Activated]
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Zeruel’s status information materialized in Jin-hyuk’s vision.
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[Patient Name: Archangel Zeruel]
[Condition: Extreme Stress, Burnout Syndrome, Nervous Exhaustion.]
[Diagnosis: Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder and Perfectionism.]
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“Ah, I see.”
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Jin-hyuk slapped his knee in realization.
Examining Zeruel’s armor closely, every ornament was perfectly symmetrical, as if measured with a ruler.
Not a single strand of hair was out of place.
He was a patient who pathologically could not tolerate ‘disorder’ and ‘filth’.
That was why he had sought to erase The Abyss, the very symbol of chaos.
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“Excuse me, Archangel.”
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I approached Zeruel.
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“Do not come near! Do not touch me with your filthy hands!”
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Zeruel retreated backward.
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“You must be exhausted, aren’t you?”
“…What?”
“Managing the Heavenly Realm is draining. If a single line is crooked, you can’t sleep. If a cloud’s shape displeases you, you have to reshape it. When your subordinates make mistakes, you get stress-induced illness.”
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Zeruel’s pupils trembled as if struck by an earthquake.
I had struck a nerve.
He was the Heavenly Realm’s commander of discipline and administrator.
Due to his inability to tolerate imperfection, he had done nothing but work for thousands of years without a single day of rest.
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“How… how did you…”
“The dark circles under your eyes extend all the way to your jaw. You’ve hidden them with makeup, but my eyes aren’t so easily deceived.”
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I brushed away—or rather, pretended to brush away—dust from Zeruel’s shoulder that wasn’t actually there.
Zeruel trembled in horror.
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“Put off the war for now. Why not rest here first? Our resort specializes in healing, after all.”
“Don’t be absurd! Rest in a demon’s den? I can only find stability within perfect order!”
“That very order is consuming you.”
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I spoke with conviction.
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“Just three days. Stay for three days. If you still want to wage war afterward, then do so. We’ll need time to prepare our escape anyway.”
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Zeruel wavered.
If we fought now, victory was impossible.
And… truthfully, he was utterly exhausted.
Three days. Yes, if he could justify it as observing the enemy’s movements, he would have grounds to stay.
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“…Fine. However, do not lay a hand on my body. And my room must be absolutely spotless—not a single speck of dust.”
“Rest assured. When it comes to cleaning, our Plague King Nergal is absolutely exceptional.”
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Kang Jin-hyuk winked at Plague King Nergal. Nergal pulled out a wet tissue and gave a thumbs up.
And so, the highest-ranking executive of the Heavenly Realm found himself checking into a Demon Realm resort.
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[Day 1: The Aesthetics of Cleanliness]
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Zeruel was assigned to the VIP suite.
The moment he stepped inside, he donned gloves and ran his fingers along the window frame.
A dust inspection.
It was his habit.
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“Hmm….”
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Nothing came away on his white gloves.
It was perfect.
Cleaner than the administrative office of the Heavenly Realm itself.
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“How is it? Does it suit your tastes?”
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Plague King Nergal asked from behind him.
He was holding a cleaning supply caddy.
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“Did you clean this?”
“I did. I cannot abide filth, you see. I scrubbed it with a special disinfectant—bleach and alcohol mixed in a 7:3 ratio.”
“7:3…?”
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Zeruel’s eyes widened.
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“That is the golden ratio. You know your way around cleaning.”
“Heh. Technique matters. The mop must be pushed at a 45-degree angle, or streaks will form.”
“Ah! I always tell my subordinates the same thing! Those fools keep scrubbing at 90 degrees—that’s the problem!”
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An Angel and a demon.
Two beings fundamentally opposed found complete harmony through a single principle: [hygiene standards].
The two spent the entire night debating “methods for removing stubborn grime” and “the aesthetics of spatial sterilization.”
Zeruel was delighted to have finally met someone whose wavelength matched his own.
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[Day 2: The Joy of Eating]
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“It’s mealtime.”
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Luna wheeled in a cart. The menu featured [Bacon Boar Steak] and [Mandrake Root Salad].
Zeruel’s expression darkened.
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“I don’t eat greasy things like this. I consume only the dew of the Heavenly Realm.”
“That’s precisely why you’re so finicky.”
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Beelzebub, dining at the adjacent table, interjected. He spoke while chewing chicken breast.
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“I used to think eating as much as possible was the only way. But I was wrong. Carbohydrates, protein, fat—the balance of these three macronutrients is what truly matters.”
“Balance…?”
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Zeruel was susceptible to the word “balance.”
A perfectionist through and through.
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“Do try it. Director Kang has calibrated the meal plan with precise calorie calculations.”
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Zeruel carefully cut a piece of steak and placed it in my mouth.
The moment I chewed, the juices burst forth.
The flavors of Earth’s seasonings and the Abyss’s finest ingredients melded into an exquisite taste.
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“…!”
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My eyes widened.
The dew of the Heavenly Realm was pure, but it held no flavor.
But this… it was stimulating.
Profane, yet delicious.
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“Delicious, isn’t it? Eat and exercise, and you won’t gain weight. Want to hit the weights with me?”
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Beelzebub flexed his biceps proudly.
Entranced, I finished my plate.
With my belly full, my mood lifted.
I felt my sharp nerves beginning to ease.
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[Day 3: The Tranquility of Chaos]
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The final day.
Zeruel strolled through Asura’s Flower Garden in the Hospital Backyard.
Since Asura had planted flowers here on a whim, there was no semblance of order.
Sunflowers grew beside roses, and vines crawled across the ground in utter chaos.
The Zeruel of old would have barked, “Rip out all these disorderly weeds!”
Yet something felt different.
Today, that disorder… did not displease me.
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“Beautiful, is it not?”
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Asura approached with a watering can in hand.
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“There is no order. It’s a complete mess.”
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Zeruel grumbled.
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“That is what natural means. Growing as the wind blows, as seeds fall. When you force everything into rigid lines, the flowers wither, and so do those who gaze upon them.”
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Asura plucked a single blossom and offered it to me. A wildflower, crooked and untamed in its growth. Yet its fragrance was richer than any cultivated garden flower.
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“It is fine not to be perfect. That is what being alive truly means.”
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Zeruel accepted the flower and stood motionless.
It was acceptable not to be perfect.
I heard the sound of cracks forming in the obsession that had bound me for millennia.
I lay flat on my back in the grass.
I did not care that my uniform grew soiled.
A crimson moon hung in the sky, and beside me, a mad Demon King hummed a tune.
It was chaos.
Yet… it felt at peace.
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“Ha ha… ha ha ha….”
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Zeruel burst into laughter as if possessed by madness.
The imperative “I must” that had filled my mind vanished, replaced by the emotion “I want to.”
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[Discharge Day: Shocking Announcement]
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The promised three days had passed.
In the Hospital lobby, Kang Jin-hyuk, the Hunters, and the Four Demon Kings gathered.
Zeruel came down with his luggage in hand.
His face was completely transformed from three days ago.
Color had returned to his complexion, and his expression radiated ease.
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“Did you rest well?”
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I asked.
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“Thanks to you. It was the finest vacation of my entire existence.”
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Zeruel admitted it candidly.
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“So you’re going to war now?”
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Ma Dong-tak tensed, gripping his weapon.
Zeruel shook his head.
Then he dropped a bombshell that no one had anticipated.
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“No. I’m not going back.”
“Pardon?”
“Not going back? You mean to the Heavenly Realm?”
“That’s right.”
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Zeruel loosened his necktie and cast it aside.
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“I’m going to resign.”
“…E-excuse me?!”
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Everyone gasped in shock.
An Archangel submitting a resignation? God’s representative?
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“I’m sick of it. Tired of standing in line every day, inspections, harassing subordinates. The Heavenly Realm is suffocating. I can’t breathe there anymore.”
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Zeruel pointed at me.
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“Director Kang. Hire me here.”
“What? You mean employment?”
“Yes. I’ve found my calling. Whether I form a cleaning team with Nergal or become the hospital’s security director, I don’t care. I just want to stay here and enjoy life with you lot.”
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I stared at Zeruel with a dumbfounded expression.
The Heavenly Realm’s greatest force had walked through my door of its own accord.
And as a remarkably powerful ally, no less.
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“What about salary? I’m giving up my Heavenly Realm pension for this, so you’ll need to pay well.”
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Zeruel asked with shameless nonchalance.
I grinned. This was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
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“Room and board included, access to Gluttony King Beelzebub’s gym, walking privileges in Frenzy King Asura’s Flower Garden. And I’ll give you the position of [Honorary Director] at my hospital.”
“Deal.”
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Zeruel and I shook hands. The great unification of the Heavenly Realm and the Demon Realm. No—the moment when the [Sanctuary for Burnt-Out Office Workers] was finally complete.
Then Zeruel said something as if he’d just remembered it.
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“Oh, by the way, when I submit my resignation, the Heavenly Realm’s going to get pretty noisy. My successor is… a bit of a stickler, you know.”
“Who is it?”
“[Michael]. A warmonger. He’ll probably drag the entire army down here to arrest me.”
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My expression and the Hunters’ faces darkened.
Solve one problem, and an even bigger one arrives.
But I soon found my smile again.
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“Let him come. A warmonger? What kind of condition does he have?”
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I threw open the hospital doors wide.
My hospital was no longer a mere treatment facility.
It had become the universe’s one and only [Sanctuary]—where angels, demons, and humans could all find rest.
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“Ma Dong-tak! Prepare another room! It’s for our angel guest!”
“Luna! Adjust a new employee uniform! Make sure to cut holes for the wings!”
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The legend of Arcana Resort continues. Louder, grander in scale than ever before.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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