Please Give Me A Kiss, Healer! Chapter 90

What Jiwoo found was a Black Dolphin that was larger than the others, its body faded to a grayish color.

“There’s another whale here… Hm? Is it injured?”

Near its tail was a wound that looked as though something sharp had pierced straight through it. It lay asleep inside the cave with its eyes closed.

— Whiiiiii. (A human attacked Elder-dol.)

This time, the Black Dolphin’s words came through clearly.

“A human…?”

The raid party had only entered the dungeon yesterday afternoon.

Since then, they’d stayed on the northern and southern shores without ever leaving the island.

‘I’m the only one who’s come this far. Could they be talking about humans other than us?’

Jiwoo’s expression hardened.

‘The Antlings said something similar before. They said humans outside the ant nest gave them candy.’

But whenever she asked for details, they would clamp their mouths shut and run away before she could hear the rest of the story.

Even Ant124, who was fairly close to Jiwoo, reacted the same way.

— That was all nonsense-gam. We don’t know anything-gam.

‘Liar! Ant124, you clearly said you stole candy from humans before…’

— Eek! We don’t know-gam! We know nothing-gam!

‘Kangwoo definitely told them to keep quiet.’

She had suspected it for a while now. The Antmen and the Whitebirds all trembled in fear whenever Kangwoo appeared.

But even knowing that, Jiwoo had pretended not to notice and never pressed them for answers.

Partly because she didn’t want to put Kangwoo in a difficult position.

But mostly because that was simply who she was.

She wasn’t the type to dig into things unnecessarily.

Nor the type to volunteer for complicated problems.

If Pandora’s Box had been given to Jiwoo, she never would have opened it.

She would have locked it inside her home safe instead, then nailed shut the door to the room so no one else could get inside.

She’d had a similar thought while reading Bluebeard’s Wife.

If the wife had simply never gone down into the basement, she would have lived happily forever without ever knowing the truth.

‘If I don’t absolutely have to know… I’d rather stay ignorant than burden myself with it.’

But if things had become this tangled…

Then she had to know.

Who exactly were the humans the house guests had met outside the dungeon?

Who was the human who attacked the Black Dolphin?

To find out, she first had to heal the whale before her.

Fortunately, that part was easy.

She was a Second Awakened.

The Supporter of Everyone, capable of healing both humans and monsters alike.

Jiwoo immediately swung her staff.

“[Jiwoo’s hands are healing hands! Filled with love~ Ho~♥]”

It had been a while since she’d used the activation phrase, so it was a little embarrassing.

Still, she said it proudly.

After all, the Black Dolphins couldn’t understand her anyway.

Light enveloped the enormous whale’s body.

The gaping wound slowly closed.

Its eyelids lifted.

Dark eyes opened and turned toward Jiwoo.

[You have reached sufficient Affection. Incomplete Translation has been removed.]

— At last… you’ve come to take us with you, Dol.

“…What?”

— Just as promised… we’ve waited for you for a very long time, Dol…

“A promise…?”

Have we met before?

No. Of course we haven’t.

“Aren’t you mistaking me for someone else?”

— No, Dol. How could I ever fail to recognize Lady Jwoo?

“…!”

Jwoo.

A name buried deep in the farthest corners of her memory.

Her heart sank.

Just as Jiwoo was about to ask about this “Jwoo”—

System

The Black Dolphin has been registered as a resident of <Our Home>.

“Why did you register it without even asking for my permission?”

Jiwoo complained, struggling to keep her irritation under control.

The system ignored her completely and displayed another message.

[Hidden Achievement Completed.]

System

Achievement: Under the Sea

All monsters’ Affection +100

Thanks to this remarkable achievement, <Our Home> gains experience.

Effect: Comfort Level of <Our Home> has increased to Rank C.

This part followed the pattern she already knew.

Whenever a new resident registered, she’d unlock an achievement and Our Home became more comfortable.

Which meant the next thing would be…

[DolDol1 wants to give you a gift.]

Item

Black Dolphin Tattoo (Rank B)

A gill-shaped tattoo belonging to the Black Dolphins, the sea’s lovable friends.

As long as you bear this mark, neutral marine monsters will recognize you as one of their own.

Equip Effect: Black Dolphin’s Breath (Rank B)

‘This is probably related to underwater breathing.’

If she could breathe underwater without maintaining her shield, she’d be able to move around much more freely.

She should have been happy.

She’d just gained another amazing ability.

‘So why… does my heart feel so cold?’

Jiwoo bit her lip.

These new residents who called her Jwoo.

And Kangwoo, who kept desperately hiding something from her.

‘Could it be… they only see me as a substitute for that person?’

Until hearing the name again today, she’d completely forgotten.

The only reason Kangwoo had approached her in the beginning…

…was because he’d mistaken her for that woman.

Everything surrounding her suddenly felt painfully unfamiliar.

Jiwoo spoke, exhaustion written all over her face.

“For now… stay here. I have to return to the Safe Zone and open a portal.”

— As you command, Dol. We shall wait.

The whale obediently closed its eyes.

Watching the smaller Black Dolphins swim protectively around it, Jiwoo activated her skill.

“Skill activation. [Welcome to Our Home!]”

System

Skill [Welcome to Our Home (SSS)] is available.

Would you like to move?

“…Yes.”

Jiwoo answered with a weary sigh.

Moments later, she vanished.

Only endless waves remained, gently rippling through the sea.

Back in the Safe Zone, Jiwoo ran into Heeseong.

“Oh, noona! What brings you here? I thought you said you couldn’t enter the Safe Zone during this expedition!”

Heeseong looked delighted to see his sister after so long.

But unlike usual, Jiwoo greeted him with slumped shoulders.

“…Heeseong, have you seen Kangwoo?”

“Huh? Mr. Kangwoo?”

Caught off guard, Heeseong scratched the back of his neck.

He looked like he knew something…

But also like he didn’t want to say it.

“I’m… not really sure, noona.”

“…”

Why was everyone—

The monsters.

The people.

Even her own little brother.

Why were they all trying to hide something from her?

Feeling suffocated, Jiwoo rubbed her face.

Perhaps because she’d maintained her shield underwater for so long, her head was spinning and her body felt exhausted.

She no longer had the energy to keep talking.

“…Then if you see him later, tell him I need to talk to him. Ask him to contact me when he has time.”

“Okay, I will. Noona… are you feeling sick?”

“No. I’m fine.”

Jiwoo asked Heeseong to open a portal for her.

Then she headed to the Whitebirds’ nest and found White Hawk 31.

“Do you know who ‘Jwoo’ is?”

— …We… we know nothing-bird.

She hadn’t really expected the Whitebirds to tell her the truth.

But hearing them deny it so directly still hurt.

Holding back the tears threatening to spill over, Jiwoo continued.

“I understand. Then could you do me a favor? Go through the portal and welcome our new resident.”

— Understood-bird. …But human… why do you look like you’re about to cry? Did we do something wrong-bird?

— Don’t cry-bird!

— Come over here, human-bird. Being alone only makes you lonelier-bird.

The Whitebirds gathered around her.

Spreading their large wings, they gently embraced Jiwoo.

‘They’re warm…’

Feeling the softness of their feathers, Jiwoo closed her eyes.

Wrapped in the Whitebirds’ comfort, the turmoil in her heart slowly settled.

Her mind became clear again.

‘Right. Now isn’t the time for this.’

She’d already made up her mind the moment she’d met him again inside the dungeon.

No matter what Kangwoo was hiding from her…

She would accept even that secret.

Seo Kangwoo had risked his life to save her.

He was her lifesaver.

The man who had devoted himself to taking care of both her and her brother.

To Jiwoo, Kangwoo was no longer just someone she knew.

He was precious family.

‘Of course… I’m still mad that he never told me any of this until now.’

But that was something they could settle face to face.

“So first…”

“I just have to catch him!”

Jiwoo clenched her fist tightly.

If talking didn’t work…

Then there was only one option left.

A physical conversation.

A very rough and violent one.