Please Give Me A Kiss, Healer! Chapter 22

“But…”

“If this little stone can save a child’s life, isn’t that worth more than anything?”

“Guildmaster…”

Jiwoo’s eyes grew unbelievably moist.

She looked back and forth between the escape stone glowing in her palm and Shin Woohyuk, who seemed to radiate an even brighter halo than the artifact itself.

Then suddenly—

Her small hands began to frantically grope around Shin Woohyuk’s back.

At the firm, persistent touch of her fingers, Shin Woohyuk’s face flushed red like a boiled sweet potato.

“D-Do Hunter Do Jiwoo! W-What are you doing!”

“Wait, hold still for a moment! That’s strange, your wings should be right here!”

“…What? What are you talking about?!”

“There’s no way someone this kind-hearted is human! You must be an angel who fell from the heavens!”

“S-Stop touching me… please…!”

Even his ears turned red as Shin Woohyuk leaned his body far back, startled.

And just like that, the heavy, solemn atmosphere that had filled the air completely shattered.

Jiwoo stood up with a mischievous grin.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I mean, if we’re going to do something we have to do anyway, why not do it with a smile?”

She hated serious moods.

In movies, a serious scene is always followed by a sad one.

If we part ways like this… it’ll feel like it’s the last time.

With her eyes gently curved, Jiwoo gripped the escape stone he had given her tightly in her hand.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

“But…”

“If this little stone can save a child’s life, isn’t that more than worth it?”

“Guild Leader…”

Jiwoo’s eyes glistened with emotion.

She stared at the escape stone glowing in her palm, then at Shin Woo-hyuk, who seemed to shine even brighter.

And then suddenly—

She started patting and feeling around Woo-hyuk’s back with both hands.

His face turned bright red like a roasted sweet potato under her firm, insistent fingers.

“D-Do, Hunter Do Jiwoo! What are you doing!”

“Hold still! This is weird. You should have wings here somewhere!”

“…What are you talking about?!”

“There’s no way someone this kind-hearted is human! You’re clearly an angel who fell from heaven!”

“P-Please stop touching me…!”

Woo-hyuk’s ears flushed red as he pulled his body away.

And with that, the heavy atmosphere that had sunk around them evaporated in an instant.

Jiwoo stood up with a mischievous grin.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. If we have to do this anyway, wouldn’t it be better to do it with a smile?”

She hated serious moments.

In movies, a serious scene always meant a sad scene would follow.

“Letting you go like this… it feels too much like a final farewell.”

With her eyes curved gently, Jiwoo gripped the escape stone he had given her tightly.

Everything afterward flowed smoothly, just as planned.

While Woo-hyuk drew the Ant Queen’s attention, Jiwoo accessed the missing child Mina through the ceiling.

Once they escaped the cell, she even confirmed Mina using the escape stone and vanishing safely!

“Now all that’s left is for the Guild Leader to get out unharmed.”

Jiwoo hurried back to the rendezvous point.

She arrived right at the 30-minute mark they agreed on— but Woo-hyuk was nowhere to be found.

“Maybe I should have cast a heal before leaving…”

Right before they separated, Jiwoo had tried to heal him since he was exhausted from the fighting.

But—

‘No one knows when a complication might arise. Please prioritize yourself over me, Hunter.’

He rejected her plainly, and Jiwoo backed off.

Well… he was an S-rank damage dealer. She assumed he would be fine.

“…But I shouldn’t have thought that.”

More time passed, and there was still no sign of him.

“Why is he taking so long…?”

Jiwoo paced anxiously.

Eventually, she couldn’t wait anymore and moved to look for him.

Tracing her memory, she headed toward the chamber where the Ant Queen had been.

Then—

BOOM!

A rock-shattering crash echoed nearby.

Sprinting toward the sound, she arrived at a brutal scene.

“Guild Leader!”

Shin Woo-hyuk was fighting the Ant Queen head-on, sword raised.

Originally, he was supposed to distract her and retreat… but clearly, that plan had failed miserably.

He had been fighting for a long time — his body was in ruins.

Open wounds dripped red, one shoulder looked dislocated, and his movements were sluggish.

The only good news was that the Ant Queen was also half-dead.

“[Heal!], [Heal!].”

Jiwoo cast heal repeatedly as she approached Woo-hyuk.

Some color returned to his pallid face… but only briefly.

“Ghh… Hunter Do Jiwoo. I can handle this alone.”

“Handle what?! Are you trying to stage a friendly double suicide with that monster or something?!”

Self-sacrifice this extreme was practically a disease.

A terminal one.

Fortunately, the Ant Queen hesitated at Jiwoo’s sudden appearance, stepping back.

Jiwoo quickly tried her skill [Welcome to My Home].

But of course—

[A monster is currently engaging you in combat. This skill cannot be used.]

Sigh.

Looks like they really had to take down the creature.

Jiwoo watched the Ant Queen while checking Woo-hyuk’s state.

“Guild Leader, can you still move?”

“Yes. Leave first. I’ll follow.”

…Lie.

He could barely stand. He was too exhausted to even walk.

‘How can someone be so good to the bone…’

If he were just a bit selfish, she could’ve dragged him out already.

Jiwoo sighed and lifted her staff.

“I’d love to heal you more, but we don’t have time.”

Every time the Ant Queen moved, the ground trembled.

She seemed to see Jiwoo as fresh prey— her excitement grew.

KEEEEEHHH!

Her whip-like antenna slashed the ground, leaving deep gouges.

Jiwoo didn’t dodge.

Instead, she raised her old wooden staff.

“[Shield!].”

System

〈Supporter of All〉 Awakening enhances your skill!

A thick barrier enveloped Jiwoo and the collapsed Woo-hyuk behind her.

Each strike from the Ant Queen’s sharp legs cracked the barrier.

“Fine! Let’s see who lasts longer! [Shield!], [Shield!], [Shield!].”

Would the half-mutilated Ant Queen die first? Or would Jiwoo’s mana run dry, making her an easy snack?

Whoever collapsed first would lose.

Mana drained rapidly with every barrier.

‘My regen can’t keep up… I’ll run out soon.’

Her vision swayed with each cast.

Still, she had no option but to face the monster head-on.

“[Shield!], [Shield!], [Shield!].”

While spamming shields, Jiwoo watched the Ant Queen closely.

Come on… think, Jiwoo. Think!

Even a giant monster had to have a weakness.

Woo-hyuk had one — being too righteous. And Jiwoo had one — being unable to ignore someone like him.

The Ant Queen surely had one too.

‘Ant Queen… Ant Queen’s weakness…’

Then — something flashed through her memory.

‘An Ant Queen has extreme attachment to her nest.’

“That’s it!”

Jiwoo’s eyes gleamed.

“Guild Leader! Can you attack once more?”

“…Yes. As many times as needed.”

His voice was dying, but the resolve inside remained strong.

“Just once is enough!”

At that moment, the Ant Queen’s strike shattered the barrier.

Jiwoo summoned a fireball.

“[Fireball!].”

It shot past the Ant Queen— straight into her nest.

The dried nest burst into flames.

KYAAAAAAHHH!!

The Ant Queen’s reaction was even more extreme than Jiwoo expected.

She panicked, turning her back to protect the burning nest.

“Guild Leader! Now!”

While the Ant Queen scrambled to save her nest, Woo-hyuk staggered to his feet.

Thanks to Jiwoo’s healing, he managed to pull up the last of his strength and prepared his final blow.

The signature skill of the Guild Master of Blank Guild.

[Burning Shock]

The moment he cast it, heat erupted like a burst of molten lava.

Red aura rippled around his sword, then surged outward.

Woo-hyuk drove the blazing blade into the Ant Queen’s abdomen.

“Step back.”

And then—

BOOM! BOOOOM! BOOM!!

Explosions erupted inside the monster’s body.

Fire flared, deafening explosions rang out, and flames engulfed the Ant Queen.

It was everything he had — one last, all-out attack.

With her organs shredded and her insides exploding, the Ant Queen shouldn’t have survived.

“Is… is it over?”

Jiwoo waited.

Smoke filled her vision, hiding the creature’s final state.

A moment passed—

“…Ah.”

As the smoke cleared, the Ant Queen’s ruined form appeared.

Her abdomen was blown open, guts torn apart, flames consuming her body.

But—

KEEEEEEHH!!

Even with a hole through her torso, she didn’t die.

Instead, enraged, she lunged, dripping acidic slime.

“[Shield!].”

Jiwoo barely blocked it.

“…Hah. What now.”

Her face went pale.

She wasn’t built for front-line combat.

She was a healer who should’ve been supporting from behind — not taking on monsters S-rank dealers struggled with.

Just days ago she’d been an E-rank healer.

Even after her second awakening, she had no real combat skills.

And after burning the nest, she had almost no mana left.

If I could stall while dodging, maybe… but—

She glanced back at Woo-hyuk.

He had collapsed unconscious after his final attack.

If I retreat, the Guild Leader will die.

Better to face death head-on than watch him get struck down.

Jiwoo squeezed out the last of her strength and shut her eyes.

Thankfully, the Ant Queen seemed exhausted too. Her movements slowed.

Victory depended on who fell first.

Jiwoo’s shield cracked, the monster’s sharp leg piercing closer.

Its glowing eyes dimmed— but her old staff also began to break apart.

Then — just when one side was about to shatter—

KYYYAAAAAAAH!

A flash of light burst before her eyes.

A chilling scream rang out.  The Ant Queen’s thrashing stopped.

Its six legs trembled — then fell still.

Jiwoo stared blankly.

An orange blade pierced straight down, severing the monster’s final lifeline.

The massive beast collapsed.

And the one who ended it—

A man Jiwoo could never forget.

“…Kangwoo.”

Hearing her say his name, Kangwoo turned with a bright smile.

“I missed you, Jiwoo.”