Before Nam Woo-jin, who stood with his arms crossed as if daring him to explain, Uijae mumbled and started to explain the situation. Right after Honeybee and Yoon Gaeul got out, Lee Sa-young pushed his hand away, saying he couldn’t leave. Feeling indignant, he borrowed Gaeul’s ability to briefly visit Sa-young. Sa-young didn’t recognize him at first, but at the last moment, he did. Gaeul said that Sa-young seemed too deeply connected to the dungeon to escape…

“In short.”

This time, it was Minggijeok, who was now crafting a butterfly from tangerine peel, who spoke.

“It means we can access the notebook’s information because the guildmaster is still inside. Without that, we can’t even guess how long developing a vaccine might take. Which is why we can’t just yank him out, right?”

“Exactly.”

“And the guildmaster got… well, let’s say overly excited… because you visited him briefly, and he left his proof here like this.”

“He’s crazy!”

“Indeed, well. In that case…”

Minggijeok rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“Wouldn’t the best course be to simply wait? He is our guildmaster, but still—given the current situation, the vaccine is the top priority.”

He glanced sideways at Uijae.

“Should I put it more gently? For the sake of the world… let’s keep the guildmaster locked up a little longer.”

“What’s the point of acting coy when you already said it? That wasn’t even remotely gentle!”

Nam Woo-jin smacked Minggijeok’s head with a clipboard with a loud thwap. Minggijeok just peeled his tangerine as if nothing happened. Uijae shrugged.

“He’s right. That’s the reality.”

He’d expected this kind of moment to come someday. A moment where he’d have to weigh the world against Lee Sa-young. In the past, Uijae would’ve chosen to save the world without hesitation. And even if he were the one trapped, he’d have endured it without complaint. Better himself than someone else.

But now—

Lee Sa-young, carefully sorting through preservation stones. Struggling in that glass tube. Waiting for ages, without any certainty, just to keep a promise. The way he fell apart when Uijae wasn’t there…

“…….”

Cha Uijae couldn’t abandon him. That boy who was his only one. The only person who waited for him. The one who broke himself, just to hold on. To leave him behind with his own hands… it was just too…

“…It’s true, but…”

Uijae murmured softly.

“I’d like to try finding another way.”

“Figured as much. I mean, I need my paycheck, and he’s the one who signs it. Here—this is for you.”

Minggijeok handed over a piece of tangerine peel, shaped into a dragon. …A dragon? He really made a dragon out of tangerine peel? Uijae blinked at him, confused, but Minggijeok already had his next tangerine in hand.

“I’ve got a workplace injury to file, so yeah—we’ll need the guildmaster back.”

“No one’s asking my opinion, huh?”

Nam Woo-jin tilted his head. Ah—right. Uijae glanced at him cautiously. The notebook was his, after all. And he was the one working at the front lines to develop the vaccine for everyone. Woo-jin let out a sigh, arms still crossed.

“Well, I’m not going to stop you. I don’t like assuming someone’s sacrifice is a given.”

“…….”

“Having the notebook is convenient, sure. It helps reduce mistakes by referencing past records. But in the end, I’m the one who has to finish the job.”

He tapped [N O V E L I G H T] Uijae’s head lightly with his clipboard. It didn’t hurt at all.

“Do as you like. But…”

As Uijae looked up, Woo-jin’s face twisted like a goblin’s. His mature expression from moments ago vanished. He jabbed a finger at Uijae and shouted.

“Tell that bastard Lee Sa-young—if he ever pulls that shit again, I’ll smear Kraken ink all over that slippery little face of his! Scribbling crap on a perfectly clean page, who does that! There were plenty of empty pages, and he just had to pick that one!”

“…….”

“Why aren’t you answering?!”

“Yes, yes…”

“Hmph.”

Woo-jin spun around. Uijae hurried to stop him.

“W-wait!”

“What now.”

“If it’s okay… could I borrow the notebook for a while?”

Woo-jin tossed the notebook over his shoulder, dragging his Crocs toward the door.

“Give it to my assistant when you’re done.”

“Thanks.”

Clack. The sliding hospital room door closed. Uijae let out a long sigh as he held the notebook. Minggijeok patted his shoulder while chewing tangerine.

“He’s been especially cranky these days. You’ll have to bear with it.”

“…….”

“When he gets mad, I’m the one who suffers. He treats people with emotion-based medicine.”

Uijae flipped open the notebook again, breathing in the sweet and tangy scent of citrus. The page after the “ink-terror” was blank. Nothing had been written there yet. He turned to the very last page. Something was scribbled in small writing on the edge of the paper.

[I’ll wait for you]

“…….”

Goddamn idiot. Uijae let out a quiet sigh and gently rubbed the corner of the page.

That’s when Minggijeok, now wiping his hands with a wet tissue, spoke.

“Well then… Shall we start drawing up the rescue plan for our guildmaster?”

The return of the most methodical man of all—Demon of Schemes, Ajujak-eun-gijeok Minggijeok—had just been announced.

***

A dark monitor room filled with screens. Gayoung stood alone, intently staring at one of the monitors. Click, click, click. She played, paused, played, paused again. She replayed the CCTV footage showing Gaeul in bed. Gaeul had been lying still—and then disappeared in an instant.

Gayoung paused at the exact moment and lowered her head, groaning. Gaeul had truly vanished in a blink. No device, no trace left behind.

Bang!

She slammed the console with her fist and gritted her teeth.

“They said the Pado Guild’s shadow Awakened is still recovering… Mackerel’s also on break. Then who the hell took her?”

“…….”

“If she disappeared like that, she should resurface somewhere… Did you find any trace?”

The soldier in a black mask shook his head.

“Nothing at all.”

“Her house? School? Friends? Relatives?”

“We checked everything. She’s really gone.”

“Seriously? Not lying? People don’t just disappear without a trace—”

“Gayoung sister!”

The monitor room door burst open. A priest in a white robe hurried inside and whispered,

“The Prophet wishes to see you…”

“That son of a bitch has no damn sense of timing?!”

Gayoung snapped, shoving the priest away. He landed on his butt, staring up at her in shock.

“S-Sister?”

“Get lost!”

“…Yes, ma’am.”

The soldier helped the priest up and guided him out. Gayoung turned back to the monitors.

“Where the hell did you go, seriously…!”

She began biting her thumb in agitation. It was dangerous out there. Too dangerous for a young girl to be wandering alone. What if she was attacked by monsters? What if she couldn’t get treatment? If she died—again—right before Gayoung’s eyes…

Crunch, crunch. Her teeth broke skin. Blood streamed down her thumb. Only then did she let go.

A small gasp escaped her lips.

“Ah.”

Her dazed eyes stared at the screen. The moment the girl vanished without a trace.

“…Ah, ahhh… That’s right… She’s an Awakened, isn’t she? Of course…”

Her vacant gaze regained its focus.

“…She won’t die from lack of treatment.”

Her glowing eyes narrowed. A wicked smile curled her red lips. Then Gayoung doubled over, laughing.

“Pfft… Pffft, ahahahaha!”

“…Miss Gayoung?”

“Oh… Look at me. I’m totally losing it these days…”

Still chuckling, Gayoung staggered over and gripped the soldier’s shoulder.

“Can you call my friend for me? Haven’t heard from him lately… It’s about time I dropped off some info, don’t you think?”

“You’re right.”

“Tell him to report back—what Nam Woo-jin is doing, what his latest research is, if there are any new drug combinations… All of it. Unless he wants to see his kid turn into a monster.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, and…”

Her eyes gleamed dangerously behind her glasses. Her smile deepened.

“Check with the Awakened Control Bureau, and the other guilds too—I don’t care who. Ask every mole we’ve planted if they’ve seen a high school girl show up anywhere recently.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good, good… Love how efficient you are.”

Gayoung hummed a strange tune and strolled out of the monitor room. The soldier left behind closed the door carefully. Then approached the monitors.

“…….”

He stared at them quietly, then pulled off his black mask. Wisps of messy, sky-blue hair stood out with static. His gray eyes scanned the monitors with amused curiosity. His eyes darted from one screen to the next.

“Ah~ That was quite the fun little story…”

The young man—Gyugyu—grinned.