STL

Chapter 7: One-Man Army

Added 2025-06-09 18:05:29 +0000 UTC

Dan Ga-yeon (1)

Comet tilted her head in front of the private room and knocked. A voice answered, telling her to come in. She cautiously opened the door and peeked inside, seeing Dan Ga-yeon sitting on the bed, looking back at her.

Comet opened the door completely, entered, and sat on the chair next to the bed.

"Officer Dan, you have no idea how surprised I was."

"Haha… Comet-nim was the first to find me, right? I vaguely remember seeing something."

"Really? How much?"

Dan Ga-yeon's gaze blurred as if she was trying to recall.

"I saw you looking down with a blue sky as the background."

Comet clapped her hands once, for no particular reason.

"And then?"

"Well, I was in a daze, so…"

"I see. I was so surprised. The smoke rising was too faint to be a signal flare, so I was dubious, but I never imagined Officer would be collapsed there."

"I really thought I was done for back then. Thank you for protecting me until the rescue came."

Dan Ga-yeon lowered her head.

"You can thank me as much as you want. It's not like I did much."

Comet chuckled softly.

"Not much? If a Monster had come, I would have died before the rescue arrived. Comet-nim saved me by half."

"If you see it that way, then yes, I saved you by half. Does that mean I have a half-share in the rest of Officer Dan's life?"

"Haha."

Dan Ga-yeon, with a faint smile, handed over a plate of fruit. It was a slightly awkward smile.

"Since you're here, please have some. I don't have much of an appetite, so it's hard to eat it all myself."

Comet stared silently at the fruit plate. It seemed a little scary that a murder suspect was talking about life shares, changing the subject. She was quick on the uptake.

Comet took the plate and picked up a fork. She stabbed a peach. It was sweet.

"Delicious. Fruits must be expensive. Did Chairwoman visit or something?"

"Just family."

Dan Ga-yeon seemed reluctant to talk, as if there were family matters involved. Comet nodded vaguely and put down the fruit plate.

"How did the signal flare end up like that? The smoke was too faint."

Comet asked casually. Dan Ga-yeon paused and averted her gaze.

"…Things got twisted."

Through the window, several buildings could be seen under the sky.

"It was going smoothly, but I heard a noise. I decided to go check it out. Then I found a Monster, and I thought I could catch it."

The sound of the ticking clock echoed.

"It had magic resistance, so we planned a strategy and tried to hunt it. But it was stronger than we thought, and it was a mess. One of my arms was ruined, Officer Jung had difficulty using magic, and the Monster was howling."

Dan Ga-yeon squeezed a recycled rubber ball with the hand of her healed arm.

"But I thought if we could create an opportunity just once, we could kill it, so I shouted at Officer Jung to do something, anything. Even now, it was a stupid move that sold out the future, but thanks to that, an opening was created. So, I desperately finished off the Monster."

Comet blinked.

"After that, we were coming down the mountain together, and Officer Jung, who lost his footing, died absurdly, and I collapsed trying to take his body with me."

"…That's unlucky."

Dan Ga-yeon smiled faintly.

"I know, it's unlucky. If I had to find someone to blame, it would be up in that sky. Tell them to eat shit."

The last curse sounded quite sincere.

Comet chuckled and spread her arms wide. She hugged Dan Ga-yeon tightly, and she could feel her surprise.

"Officer Dan, you know I really like you, right?"

"Yes? Thank you…?"

Comet chuckled and stepped out of her embrace.

"I have good news. Are you curious?"

"When you ask like that, I feel like I have to be curious even if I'm not."

"Good. Since you're curious, I'll tell you."

Comet got up from her seat and spun around once. She was in a good mood.

"The good news is, drumroll please…"

I'm going to help you meet complete death.

"It's a secret."

Dan Ga-yeon gave a hollow laugh.

"It's better not to know good things."

Comet smiled faintly.

"Come to think of it, you said you didn't have an appetite?"

"Yes. I've been treated, but I'm losing energy and I don't have an appetite."

"That's because there's a problem with your soul. It's a similar principle to when an Awakened's body changes with a low Assimilation rate. Time will solve it, but…"

Comet took out a small glass bottle from her pocket.

"It just so happens that the world's best Necromancer was here? Here, a get-well gift."

"This is?"

"A Necromancer's special potion. It's good for the soul."

Dan Ga-yeon examined the small glass bottle and held it up to the fluorescent light. The glass bottle was as clear as if nothing was in it. It would look like an empty glass bottle to someone who wasn't a Necromancer.

"Oh, thank you."

"Drink it right away."

"How do I drink it?"

"Open the lid and then have the will to drink it down."

Dan Ga-yeon glanced back and forth between Comet and the glass bottle. She seemed to be gauging whether it was a joke or for real.

"Don't you trust me?"

"…Of course, I do."

Dan Ga-yeon opened the lid.

"What happens if I turn this upside down?"

"It doesn't matter. It won't spill."

Dan Ga-yeon turned the glass bottle upside down. Of course, nothing happened. Dan Ga-yeon glanced at Comet, then grabbed the glass bottle straight and concentrated. She seemed to be trying to have the will to drink it down as instructed.

In fact, will wasn't necessary. What will is needed to drink something? Comet watched without saying a word.

Dan Ga-yeon held up the glass bottle and pretended to drink. One of the souls contained in the glass bottle screamed and was swallowed.

Dan Ga-yeon's eyes widened, and she turned to look at Comet.

"It works!"

"Of course, it does. Judging by your reaction, you didn't trust me."

"Haha…"

Comet shrugged.

After that, trivial small talk continued. Starting with a conversation about how her appetite might return, but hospital food is not tasty anyway, the topic shifted here and there.

Before long, Chairwoman visited with her aides.

"Sorry I'm late. I was planning to come quickly, but things piled up and I was late."

"Late? I'm grateful that you came to visit, even though you're busy."

Dan Ga-yeon probably still had resentment towards Chairwoman, who had ordered the investigation to be closed, but that was that, and she naturally showed courtesy.

Chairwoman nodded as if acknowledging that she was busy.

"So, how are you doing?"

Dan Ga-yeon paused. She seemed to be fiercely contemplating whether to feign illness to get time off work in a fleeting moment.

"…I'm fine. The doctor said I need mental and physical rest, but after drinking the potion that Comet-nim made, I feel really fine."

"Potion?"

Chairwoman turned to look at Comet. It was a look that seemed to ask what kind of potion a Necromancer would make.

Comet's pride as a Necromancer was hurt, but it was the truth, so she couldn't deny it. To an Alchemist, it was a result that was embarrassing to call a potion.

Comet scratched her cheek for no reason and looked away.

"That's a relief. So, when are you being discharged?"

Chairwoman asked as if wondering if she could go to work right away.

"When the mental and physical rest is over…?"

In Comet's view, Dan Ga-yeon seemed to be in urgent need of mental and physical rest right now.

Hearing the clumsy answer, Chairwoman called the doctor. At the call of the supreme authority of the supralegal organization, the doctor hurriedly visited. The doctor checked Dan Ga-yeon's condition, asked Comet for her Necromantic opinion, and then immediately made a diagnosis.

"Rest today and check your condition again tomorrow."

"What happens if you're fine tomorrow too?"

"I think you can be discharged right away."

Dan Ga-yeon's complexion turned pale. She didn't seem to want to go to work from tomorrow.

"Hmm. Get discharged and rest for about 4 days before going to work. I'd like to give you a longer break, but the committee is busy right now."

"Yes."

"Then we'll leave you to rest comfortably."

"I'll be going too. Let's have a meal sometime."

Comet went to the bathroom and left the hospital. Chairwoman was smoking a cigarette next to the parked car. Comet stared silently and then turned in another direction.

"Hey! Comet."

Chairwoman beckoned as if telling her to come. Comet scratched her cheek.

"Do you like mountains?"

"No."

"How about walks?"

"I don't know."

"Wasn't going out at night a walk? Then what do you do at night? Do you actively collect souls or something?"

Chairwoman asked casually. Comet blinked.

"Of course, I'm taking a walk."

"You like walks. Let's go for a walk with me now."

The aide opened the car door, and Chairwoman got in. Comet was dumbfounded by the Q&A with a predetermined conclusion.

When Comet got in, the car started.

"There are many good things about having my body changed. My Stamina is good, and I don't have any pain."

"I see."

Comet nodded vaguely.

"When do Necromancers usually get their equipment?"

"Equipment? It depends on the build, but if it's a build focused on close combat, you have to get it from the beginning."

"When should a certain world's best Necromancer get it?"

Comet stared silently at Chairwoman.

"You already have a knife. Honestly, a scythe is just for show, so even if you give it to me, I wouldn't carry it around. Armor… well, if it's an opponent that requires armor, armor alone won't be enough. Because Stats are low due to the Assimilation rate."

"But it's good to have, right?"

"If you have it, the scope of combat will change depending on the performance."

"That's good. I'll get you some armor."

Comet twisted her side hair.

"I'd take it if you gave it to me, but the committee isn't that well-off, is it?"

"I'll adjust that well as the Chairwoman. Which would you prefer, practicality or design?"

"Both."

"You have demanding requirements."

"I've always been like that, Alchemist-nim."

"It won't come out right away."

"That's obvious. Give it to me slowly."

Comet was looking out the car window when she felt a sense of déjà vu from the scenery.