LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 60
Kugugugugu…
The sky was stained red as if the end had come.
The vibrations from a recently fallen blood-red meteorite had reached this place.
A muddy and sinister atmosphere filled the air, completely unsuited for the Endo mansion.
This was the Elder’s residence located on the outskirts of the mansion grounds.
It had been fortified with additional wards beyond the mansion’s barriers, allowing it to evade enemy intrusion.
Hatsuki, who had moved everyone to that place, gazed towards the battlefield.
“Are we there yet?”
“I apologize. The enemy’s presence is too strong; it’s difficult to approach.”
The family’s magician, standing beside her, replied to Hatsuki’s question.
Responsible for maintaining the barriers, he possessed the magical ability to see great distances.
“Please keep trying. If you see anything, report it immediately.”
“Understood.”
Having given those instructions, Hatsuki shifted her gaze toward where Kim Il-shin was.
The thunderous sounds that had filled the air since the giant meteorite fell had suddenly stopped.
The aftershocks from the clash of two overwhelming powers were no longer felt.
A lull had set in.
Despite the chaos, there was no easy way to approach.
If the battle was still ongoing, it could become an obstacle for Kim Il-shin.
She had never faced an enemy so powerful in her life.
Bishop Vernika of the Dark Heaven Cult. Her strength was certainly not exaggerated.
Even in a state of restraint, her presence was enough to shatter their resolve.
Had it not been for Kim Il-shin, everyone—including herself—would have either been annihilated or forced to step outside the barrier.
Either way, it was clear that the Endo family would suffer a significant collapse thereafter.
‘He must be safe…’
Yet Hatsuki was more worried about whether Kim Il-shin was injured rather than contemplating defeat.
The thought of his defeat never crossed her mind.
She trusted in Kim Il-shin’s talent and unmatched abilities, as well as the swordmaster’s insight.
There had to be a good reason for the swordmaster to have sent Kim Il-shin out of the barrier.
“F-Found it!”
At that moment, the magician who had been concentrating shouted. His eyes were darting around, drenched in sweat.
Hatsuki immediately approached him.
“What’s the situation?”
“The fighting has stopped. And…! T-The enemy commander is dead! We’ve won!”
As soon as the magician finished his words, cheers erupted.
Some were even moved to tears from the relief of escaping a dire crisis.
However, Hatsuki, devoid of any joy, immediately inquired.
“What is Kim Il-shin’s condition?”
At her question, the magician hurriedly looked around, then furrowed his brow.
His expression was ominous.
“I can see Kim Il-shin. But…! He’s collapsed and not moving! We need to go check on him immediately!”
“Let the healers come with us!”
Hatsuki kicked the door open and dashed outside, followed closely by warriors and healers.
“What is this…!”
“What on earth happened here…?”
The warriors murmured as they looked upon the enormous crater at the battlefield.
It was the mark left by the meteorite that Vernika had dropped. A sinister aura emanated from all directions.
But even more shocking was something else.
The massive trail etched before them. It was the mark of a sword.
It was a scar that not only dug deep into the ground but also seemed to have sliced through the earth itself.
Hatsuki could not grasp even a fragment of its profound mystery.
Even if she could understand it, she would surely not be able to bear it.
She found it nearly impossible to comprehend what kind of achievement had been made during the battle.
It was in that moment that Hatsuki’s faith deepened further.
‘So where is the Sword Deity…?’
Her gaze darting quickly, Hatsuki spotted Kim Il-shin lying in the distance.
Before him knelt a headless corpse—Vernika’s body.
“Kim Il-shin!”
Rushing over, Hatsuki assessed Kim Il-shin’s condition. Her hands were covered in blood as she turned him over.
His entire body was riddled with torn and lacerated wounds.
Though there didn’t seem to be any life-threatening injuries, his internal injuries appeared severe at first glance.
Blood seeped from his eyes and mouth. His irregularly labored breathing sounded precarious.
“We’ll take care of this!”
Healers rushed in beside her.
They poured healing magic into Kim Il-shin and lifted him onto a stretcher.
Kim Il-shin was swiftly transported to the treatment room. Hatsuki urged the healers.
“Make sure he survives.”
*
When Kim Il-shin opened his eyes, he found himself staring at a wooden ceiling.
Though it was a ceiling he had never seen before, it wasn’t difficult to guess where he was.
‘Inside the mansion?’
It seemed he had been moved here after collapsing.
‘It’s a bit hot.’
The room was steaming like a sauna, and he was covered with a thick blanket.
Just as he was about to toss and turn to remove the blanket,
“Ah, you’re awake!”
With a voice full of joy, Hatsuki’s face suddenly filled his vision.
“That’s a little too close for comfort. It’s kind of overwhelming.”
“I’ve been taking care of you from beside you! No one else can enter this room except during treatment times, so you don’t have to feel pressured!”
“Then you….”
“I can’t leave since I need to take care of Kim Il-shin!”
Hatsuki, seemingly not understanding what he meant by ‘too close,’ continued to chatter.
Thankfully, as she propped him up again, he was able to escape his uncomfortable position.
“Are you feeling okay?”
Instead of his condition, he was more concerned about Hatsuki. Her gaze upon him was far too sparkling.
It felt like the look of a child seeing a dinosaur for the first time.
When she called his name, it seemed the word ‘God’ carried extra weight every time. Either way, it was a bit strange.
After all, wasn’t it odd for the heir of the family to be taking care of him, alone in a forbidden room with an outsider?
No matter how much he saved their family, this felt too bizarre.
‘Aren’t they a traditional family…?’
As his thoughts continued, Hatsuki asked again.
“Are you feeling unwell at all…?”
Finally, Kim Il-shin checked on his own condition.
While he had prepared for a long recovery after the battle, surprisingly, he felt normal.
First and foremost, all the numerous wounds had vanished. Not a trace could be found.
His internal injuries weren’t as severe either.
There was a slight ache in his mana circuits, but with a few days of rest, he could completely recover.
He could even start training right now.
“How long has it been since I collapsed?”
“You’ve been lying here for three whole days.”
“Three days….”
‘That alone wouldn’t account for such recovery.’
As Kim Il-shin displayed a look of astonishment, Hatsuki smiled brightly, saying,
“You seem okay. That’s a relief.”
“What happened? This seems to be beyond the effectiveness of just healing magic.”
“First, please lower your tone. A benefactor shouldn’t be addressed so formally.”
“Well, still….”
“A benefactor shouldn’t be addressed so formally.”
“……”
Even if he was a benefactor to the family, saying not to address him formally felt a bit odd.
There seemed to be another reason behind it, but asking her wouldn’t necessarily yield answers, and more importantly, he was curious about what effect this had on him.
“So, can you tell me what happened?”
As Kim Il-shin asked in a casual manner, Hatsuki finally smiled contentedly and replied.
“For external injuries, we used our family’s miracle medicine, the Cheong-go medicine.”
The Cheong-go medicine was one of the patented products of the Endo family’s storeroom.
It was world-renowned for its ability to make any injury vanish with just application.
That explained the healing of his wounds.
But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t understand how his internal injuries could be treated in such a short time of three days.
Without the extraordinary divine medicine known for its skills at healing internal injuries—
“We used divine medicine to treat your internal injuries.”
At Hatsuki’s blunt declaration, Kim Il-shin’s thoughts stopped momentarily.
A hundred-year-old jujube tree bears exceptionally rare fruit when struck by a natural lightning bolt.
It was named divine medicine because it is said that a divine beast lingers when the lightning strikes.
Due to its rarity and efficacy, it fetched hundreds of billions at auctions.
‘Come to think of it…’
Kim Il-shin felt his mana flow more smoothly. The circuits felt solidified.
He could also sense a natural aura emanating from within the Endo mansion.
The heat in the room seemed to be from the effects of the medicine urging healing.
“There’s no need for you to feel burdened. If it’s to save a benefactor, I wouldn’t mind giving even more. In fact, I feel regret for not offering something even better.”
He felt an uncomfortable tension.
Vernika had attacked the Endo family to kill Kim Il-shin.
Of course, Kim Il-shin was not at fault, but from his perspective, it was merely a matter of payback.
“Oh, what happened to Vernika?”
“……”
“……What happened to Vernika?”
“Vernika and her accomplices have all been dealt with. I know there are many things you’re curious about, but I think undergoing a check-up first would be best.”
As Hatsuki stood up to call a healer, she opened the door.
Just as she was about to step outside, she turned around and casually mentioned,
“Oh, the head of the family wants to see you. He said to come visit after you’ve fully recovered.”
“Got it.”
Kim Il-shin answered without hesitation, thinking there would be more to discuss.
At that moment, he would never have imagined the swordmaster would utter the word “marriage.”