I Became the Childhood Friend Who Commits Suicide

Chapter 68

“Take off the mask. Then I’ll tell you.”

At Si woo’s suggestion, the girl responded after a brief silence.

“That’s not possible. My teacher told me not to show my face to just anyone.”

“You have to give something to get something.”

“It seems you don’t fully understand your position. I can kill you at any time.”

Despite the threatening words, Si woo kept his composure. He wanted to save Si-hyun, who lay unconscious beside him, but he knew that acting recklessly might provoke his opponent.

“Fine. Then forget the mask. Just save my friend lying next to you.”

“Do you really think I would accept such a proposal?”

“You asked who Yoo Hana is, didn’t you? Why are you so curious?”

Was this an unexpected question?

For the first time, the girl, who had been responding coldly, seemed at a loss for words. After hesitating for a while, she murmured softly.

“It’s just…”

“You said earlier that it made you feel nostalgic and tender for some reason.”

As the conversation progressed, the girl’s intensity weakened. She seemed to lose her will to fight, and the oppressive aura that had weighed on them faded.

Si woo sensed an opportunity.

Taking a cautious step forward, he spoke.

“Could it be… that you have no memories of the past?”

“…”

“So, it’s true. You’re not White Sheep. Yoo Hana—that’s your real name.”

Even through the mask, he could sense the girl’s turmoil. She looked deeply shocked, then shook her head vigorously in denial.

“I don’t believe it. The words of a human…”

“You’re human too, not a demon, but like us, a human.”

“Shut up!”

With a firm expression, Si woo slowly stepped closer to the girl.

She backed away, as if trying to escape, but eventually, the distance between them grew smaller until they were nearly within arm’s reach.

“It’s okay. I’m on your side.”

He had thought she was gone, believed he’d never see her again.

And yet, if a miracle allowed him to meet her again…

He had decided that, then, he would live only for her.

No matter the cost.

Even if it meant betraying the entire world.

He reached out to remove the white sheep mask and see her face.

Thud.

But the girl did not allow his touch. Knocking away his hand, White Sheep readjusted her disrupted mask and spoke.

“I… am White Sheep.”

It was a statement, as if to permit no further conversation. Raising her aura again, she seemed to be resolute about ending this confrontation, her mind made up.

With the intention of killing her opponent with a single strike.

A cross of light appeared behind her, radiating a concentrated energy stronger than ever before.

At the sight of the cross, Si woo immediately lost the will to fight. He saw no way to defeat her with his current strength.

At that moment, something crashed into the shrine wall beside them, causing it to collapse completely. Turning his gaze through the thick dust, Si woo finally realized what had been thrown.

“…Damn.”

The priestess he had been speaking to just moments earlier had been thrown here in a bloodied, terrible state. She appeared on the brink of death, barely holding onto life.

From a distance, a casual voice called out.

“Oops, sorry! You were standing right there, huh? You okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“That’s good. That woman was annoyingly resilient; she took up more time than expected.”

The woman who appeared had blood-red eyes, silver hair that flowed gracefully, and white skin stained with blood, giving her a chilling appearance.

However, despite her appearance, she seemed surprisingly calm.

“So, the Grail? Did you find it?”

“No, I’m sorry. I haven’t found it yet.”

“Really? Is there anywhere you haven’t checked?”

“I’ve searched everywhere except the innermost shrine.”

“Then it’s probably a bust. I think the golden lion went there.”

The casual exchange hinted at something unsettling.

Had another demon gone to the place where everyone had evacuated?

Si woo gritted his teeth. What should he do now?

The priestess who had been fighting the demon had ultimately fallen in battle. At this rate, he’d be lucky to make it out alive, let alone save Yoo Hana.

Then, suddenly, a massive pillar of light shot up from the direction of the shrine, soaring from the ground to the sky, capturing everyone’s attention.

“That’s…”

He remembered learning about it at the academy.

Instantly, hope flickered within Si woo. In contrast, Blue Shark scratched his head with a sigh of irritation.

“Damn. This is getting troublesome.”

“What is that?”

“It’s a hero support request. The color determines the rank of the hero who’ll come, and a rainbow like that means…”

An S-rank hero support request.

S-rank support could only be requested in places of special importance to humanity.

Blue Shark muttered, looking puzzled.

“If the Grail isn’t here, this doesn’t make sense… Whatever. Let’s get out of here.”

“Sir, what about the teacher’s request?”

“Huh? Oh, the academy kids? Not much we can do about that. Our lives are more important right now.”

In that instant, Si woo and White Sheep’s eyes met among the rubble.

“…Yes, let’s run.”

“Here comes that golden lion, too.”

Another demon approached from the direction of the shrine, with two other figures following.

“Looks like they’re being chased? This isn’t good.”

Under normal conditions, the two apostles might have held their ground, but in their weakened state, they were in real danger against an S-rank hero.

Meanwhile, Si woo, noticing their attempt to flee, resolved to stop them. As he held his breath, waiting for an opening, a hand suddenly grasped his ankle, startling him.

The owner of the hand was the priestess.

“…Are you okay?”

“The Grail…”

“Oh, it’s… disappeared. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect it.”

The priestess weakly shook her head, struggling to speak.

“Use… the Grail.”

“What?”

“Quickly!”

But suddenly using the Grail? How was he supposed to do that when it had vanished upon contact?

“Ouch…!”

A sudden headache brought forth an image of the Grail he had seen earlier, flashing again in his mind.

And the hand lifting it…

Wait. Could it be…?

He visualized the scene more clearly, bringing the hazy image into sharper focus, recognizing his own face.

Instantly, a golden light enveloped him, illuminating the surroundings. Under the light, the priestess’s wounds healed completely.

“This is risky, but… Golden Lion! Rookie! Get into this water!”

Meanwhile, the demons tried to escape, using their powers to the limit. Blue Shark jumped into the pool of water she had created, with Golden Lion right behind her.

Throwing knives flew toward them, and the ground froze, encroaching upon the pool.

“Rookie! What are you doing!?”

Despite her urging, White Sheep simply stared at the collapsed shrine, transfixed by the light shining from within. She murmured as if in a trance.

“The Grail… it was with you.”

“Ugh! Really! Just wait till we get back!”

Finally, Blue Shark impatiently grabbed White Sheep by the waist and dove into the water.

As they vanished, Si woo dashed out of the building, catching her eye one last time.

There was no time.

So many words left unsaid, only to part this way.

If it truly was her, if she had lost her memory and sided with the demons…

What could he say to bring her back?

With all his strength, Si woo shouted the answer he had come up with.

“Don’t let Sophie’s sacrifice be in vain! Yoo Hana!!!”

But he didn’t get to hear her response as she disappeared into the pool.

***

“Where’s Blue Shark?”

“Paying the price for overusing her power.”

Golden Lion’s expression was anything but pleased.

Even facing two S-rank heroes, fleeing so shamefully stung his pride. To have escaped only by overtaxing his allies was humiliating.

Black Goat nodded silently, then asked the most crucial question.

“Did you find the Grail?”

“No.”

“Hmm.”

“But the rookie said one of the academy brats has it.”

“A brat with the Grail… That complicates things.”

Given the Redeemer’s current instability, the Grail was essential.

“What do you intend to do?”

“Retrieve it.”

“But the target is an academy student.”

“Then we’ll just have to bring down the academy.”

At Black Goat’s blunt response, Golden Lion chuckled lowly.

“I like that plan.”

“Where is the Redeemer?”

“Shut up in her room since she got here. She seems pretty shaken.”

“Hmm. I should go check on her.”

As expected, the girl was holed up in her room.

The sound of crashing waves came through a half-open window as she sat curled up against the wall, her face buried in her knees.

So fragile and delicate she barely seemed like a member of the world’s worst criminal organization.

In a hoarse voice, the girl whispered to herself.

“…Sophie.”

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