The Female Lead Saves the World - Chapter 403

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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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Yeo Joo Saves the World
Part 3, Episode 7

“Why all of a sudden…?”
I bolted upright and rushed toward Yoo Jin Rok.
The blanket draped over me caught on my feet, nearly tripping me, but my gaze remained fixed on Yu Ga Young.
“Wait, let me see your wrist…!”
I checked Yu Ga Young’s scanner first.
A wristwatch-type scanner appeared, but since it wasn’t the right size for a child, Yu Ga Young was wearing the bracelet I’d given her before.
But something was wrong.
The Darkness Addiction scanner displayed green, indicating a stable state.

[ Yu Ga Young ??
Unawakened (!Awakening Imminent!)
Status Abnormality – Darkness Addiction 15%, Darkness Vulnerability, Rampage Syndrome ]

The addiction level was low.
Looking at her now, Yu Ga Young’s condition was different from when she’d been rampaging and coughing up black blood.
Her trembling limbs and wide-open eyes didn’t seem to reflect pain so much as terror—the fear of facing something horrifying.
“Yeo Joo…”
The urgency in Yoo Jin Rok’s voice snapped me back to focus.
I could investigate the cause of Yu Ga Young’s condition later.
I grasped her small, rigid, trembling hand and activated my skill.

[ Skill ‘Physical Healing’ activated. ]
[ No target to heal. ]

What nonsense is this?
Frowning at the System’s incomprehensible response, I tried the skill again.

[ Skill ‘Physical Healing’ activated. ]
[ No target to heal. ]

But the same message kept repeating itself.
I had healed countless people over the years, yet I had never encountered a case like this.
The child was suffering, but there was no target to heal?
Grasping at straws, I attempted to use a different skill.

[ Skill ‘Dark Purification’ is being used. ]
[ Purification efficiency decreases due to the target’s special constitution. ]
[ Purification efficiency increases due to high affinity. ]
[ Target’s dark addiction rate: 15% ]
[ Dark Purification successful! ]
[ Target’s current dark addiction rate: 0% ]

Fortunately, the message “target not found” did not appear.
Yet the situation had not improved.
Yu Ga Young’s seizures persisted.
In the end, I had to accept it.
“We need to transfer her to the Awakened Healer Hospital.”
This was beyond my capabilities.

* * *

Yu Ga Young’s seizures stopped naturally during the transfer to the hospital.
Yet she did not open her eyes to any external stimulus.
As if fallen into a deep sleep from which she could not awaken, she remained that way even now, as night had fallen.
Knock, knock.
With a soft knock, Seo Yu Baek entered the Hospital Room.
“According to the test results, there are no abnormalities.”
“Then… then why is Ga Young suffering again…?”
To Yoo Jin Rok’s confused question, Seo Yu Baek could only shake his head.
“I apologize. At present, we cannot determine the cause of the seizures.”
Even as he spoke those words, his pale hands rested gently on Yu Ga Young’s small shoulders.

[ Skill ‘Physician’s Oath’ has been activated. ]
[ Skill ‘Emergency Treatment’ has been activated. ]

Even with successive S-rank healing skills applied, Yu Ga Young showed no signs of improvement.
“As expected, there’s no response to the skills either.”
I could see Yoo Jin Rok’s shoulders slump, as if he’d been clinging to a faint hope.
“At least the seizure has stopped, so let’s observe for a bit longer. I know it’s difficult, but you should rest too, guardian.”
“…Understood, Doctor.”
After Seo Yu Baek left, the quiet Hospital Room was filled only with Yu Ga Young’s steady breathing.
I spoke carefully, trying not to startle Yoo Jin Rok, who was gazing endlessly at his daughter’s face.
“Would you like me to get you some coffee?”
“Hm? No, it’s fine. Like the Director said, I should get some rest too.”
There was no strength in Yoo Jin Rok’s voice as he answered with a smile.
Unable to voice any comfort that came to mind, I hesitated—but it was Yoo Jin Rok who gently patted my shoulder instead.
“You were quite startled, weren’t you? You’ve been so busy lately, and we’ve caused you so much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all. If you need anything, please let me know. I can bring it from home.”
“They sell everything at the Underground Convenience Store down here. I’ve been playing guardian for years now, so don’t worry.”
“…Then I should get going. Please let me know when Ga Young wakes up.”
I lacked tact.
There was nothing I could heal with my skills, and stepping aside would be more helpful than anything else.
As I hurriedly gathered my things and stood up, Yoo Jin Rok called out to me.
“Yeo Joo.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
I didn’t understand.
My skills hadn’t healed Yu Ga Young.
“For a while, thanks to you, Ga Young was healthy. Before she joined the Justice Guild, this was our daily life.”
Yoo Jin Rok said this while massaging his daughter’s legs as she lay in her hospital gown.
“So don’t apologize for what happened today. Understand?”
I could see right through what he was doing.
“…I’ll come again tomorrow.”
So I had no choice but to leave the Hospital Room without turning back to face Yoo Jin Rok.

* * *

My hurried footsteps came to a stop at the Emergency Stairwell.

[ I’m by the main entrance. Come out slowly. ]

The text message from Kang Han disappeared as my phone screen went dark.
I sank down onto the stairs, my bottom hitting the cold steps.
If I left in this state, I’d only end up worrying Kang Han.
I’d been sitting there blankly with my face buried in my knees for who knows how long when something cold touched my cheek, startling me into lifting my head—and there was Seo Yu Baek, smiling.
“Teacher?”
“I thought I’d find you here. Whenever I’m unsettled, I always end up in the emergency stairwell too.”
Seo Yu Baek sat down on the stairs beside me with a thud, seemingly unconcerned about his white coat.
Then he held out a chocolate milk with cold droplets beading on its surface.
“I wanted to get you a glass bottle, but this was all they had.”
“…I like this too. Thank you.”
I bowed politely and put the straw he’d inserted into my mouth.
As the cold, sweet liquid entered, I felt my mind clearing a little.
“It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Being a Healer and yet feeling helpless.”
Yoo Jin Rok had felt the same way, and now Seo Yu Baek was poking at my sore spot as if he could read my mind.
“I feel foolish. I keep worrying about what if another situation like this happens, and I’m anxious that other things I’m concerned about will fall apart too.”
Seo Yu Baek’s death, the sixth Dungeon Break, and Shin Tae Jung along with the Apocalypse Cult.
Heavy words like boulders drifted through my mind, and my head kept drooping downward.
“Sometimes all a Healer or a Doctor can do is wait for the patient to overcome it themselves. We’re not gods, after all. We can’t save everyone.”
“Have you experienced something like this before, Teacher?”
At my question, Seo Yu Baek’s eyes widened behind his glasses, then he smiled.
“Don’t you remember? The day Yeo Joo was brought in after receiving a System penalty.”
“Huh?”
“Back then, Yeo Joo was just like Yu Ga Young. No response, healing skills didn’t work.”
“Then could Yu Ga Young also…?”
“It’s probably a symptom related to the System.”
That damned System.
Did it need to torment even a child like this to feel satisfied?
Even as I ground my teeth inwardly, I felt my heart lighten a little.
It was the strength that came from advice given by someone with experience.
I reached out and gently tugged on the hem of Seo Yu Baek’s white coat as I spoke.
“Teacher, you need to stay healthy for a long time.”
At that, Seo Yu Baek, who’d been drinking an ion beverage from a can, tilted his head slightly.
“Are you teasing me about my age now? Am I not understanding something?”
“No, it’s just… I suddenly realized how important you are to me.”
“Hmm, you’ve been like this before too—always looking after my health?”
The tip of his cold white finger, chilled by the drink, poked my cheek.
“Did you have a dream that I died or something?”
“…Yes.”
“Really?”
It wasn’t a dream exactly, but it was close enough.
I was serious, but Seo Yu Baek’s voice was brimming with playfulness.
“How did you end up dying?”
“A Dungeon Break erupted, so I rushed over and collapsed from exhaustion while treating people.”
“…That does sound like something I’d do.”
“Teacher.”
When I glared at him, Seo Yu Baek finally burst into laughter.
“No, I can’t help it. It’s like a Healer’s instinct.”
“You’re always telling me to protect myself first.”
Since we were already on the subject, I figured I should scold him a bit too.
“You absolutely cannot do that. You’re not alone, teacher.”
“Is it because of the Awakened Healer Hospital?”
He was still smiling, but bitterness crept into the end of his question.
“No? It’s because of me?”
“…Yeo Joo?”
“Pharmacists handle medicine, but Seo Yu Baek’s teacher handles Yeo Joo’s health. Especially mental health—it works wonders. You can trust me; I’m a verified user.”
I flashed a thumbs up, and Seo Yu Baek laughed loudly again.
Later, he wiped away tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes and leaned his back against the wall.
I noticed his irises looked particularly deep, perhaps because of the dim emergency stairwell lighting and his long lashes.
Having laughed so hard he’d lost his strength, Seo Yu Baek murmured in a drowsy voice.
“I can’t take it—you’re too much for me, Yeo Joo.”

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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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