S-Rank Healer Gets Kidnapped First Chapter 1

“It’s accumulated fatigue. That’s what happens when you keep using Heal without taking a break.”

I weakly lowered my head at the medical officer’s words as he read out the results of my examination.

A healer suffering from accumulated fatigue. And not just any healer—the healer of the Association’s First Team, which was famous for treating its members well.

“Haven’t your teammates been saying lately that your healing isn’t enough, or that it runs out too quickly?”

“Hey, are you actually training your stamina? Why is the amount of healing you can use so low?”

“Yeonhee, anyone would think you’re the only one working overtime. We’re the ones actually going out into the field.”

“You’re not even overusing your skills, but your Heal is being consumed differently from usual. Go to the infirmary and get yourself checked.”

I quietly answered the things I had heard this morning.

“I did.”

“That’s all because your physical condition isn’t good. Just how have you been taking care of yourself? If you’re part of the First Team, you should have paid more attention.”

His words sounded more like a reprimand than concern.

Hearing that, I wondered if I had ever actually had time to rest. They surely knew that, because of the healer shortage, I was also assigned to several teams besides the First Team.

“I’ll give you some fatigue-recovery medicine, so get plenty of sleep and make sure you take your medicine and eat properly. But don’t eat so much that your body gets heavy, either. Even the slightest discomfort on your part affects the entire team.”

I listened silently before leaving the infirmary.

Seeing the empty hallway made my heart feel hollow.

‘Other teams would even come to pick up their healer when they went to the infirmary.’

Then, for some reason, I remembered my teammates dressing up in their uniforms and getting ready in the early morning.

“…They’re busy.”

I felt a faint pang of guilt for having such thoughts about the people who were probably out there fighting in another abandoned field today.

“I must just be exhausted. I should hurry up and take my medicine.”

It had been a long time since I’d visited the infirmary, so I must have become weak not only physically, but mentally as well. Afraid that I might start harboring nothing but pointless complaints, I hurried outside.

“Did you hear the news? You know that person? They’re back!”

The moment I stepped out, I heard someone say that loudly. They weren’t the only ones excited. Several people were running around with flushed, excited expressions.

“What’s going on?”

Dungeon Sinks have been occurring frequently lately. The Association was already tense because of these disasters that showed no consideration for their circumstances.

Perhaps because I had grown accustomed to the gloomy atmosphere, this commotion felt unfamiliar.

“Did the First Team return after clearing a dungeon?”

If that was the reason, it made some sense. Whenever people heard good news about a dungeon being cleared, the atmosphere would brighten at least a little.

‘I’ll probably be needed soon.’

Without even remembering that I had intended to take my medicine, I naturally changed direction toward where everyone was heading.

‘It’s them.’

I spotted the First Team and followed them through the crowd.

It was difficult to catch up because people weren’t readily moving aside. Even if I called out to them, they probably wouldn’t hear me over all the commotion.

I had no choice but to move toward the outskirts and take a longer route around.

“Haa… haa.”

I finally made it through the crowd and caught my breath. Just as I was about to open the door to the waiting room where they should have been—

“When you look at that pathetic amount of Heal she has, you have to wonder if she’s even really B-rank.”

A voice from beyond the door sounded as though it wanted someone to acknowledge all the trouble they had gone through.

And the complaints didn’t end there.

Familiar voices began airing out all the grievances they had been holding in. It was almost as if they were competing over who had put up with the most.

“But now that Park Jiwon is here…”

The conversation that seemed like it would never end finally quieted down because of someone other than me.

Unlike their previous complaining tones, their voices became gentle when they called that name.

The strength drained from the hand gripping the doorknob.

 

***

 

Habits are frightening.

I couldn’t bring myself to confront them about anything. I simply turned around and came back.

“Come with me to the infirmary? You’re not a kid. Go by yourself if it’s such a hassle.”

“I just got back. I want to rest, so ask someone else.”

“You’re still moving around, so you can endure it. I’m busy, so don’t bother me.”

“…It’s difficult right now. It’s not urgent, is it? Let’s just go in the morning.”

Memories from the past suddenly came rushing back.

At first, I consoled myself by thinking that I had asked too much of them, or that I had chosen a bad time.

Especially asking someone to accompany me to the infirmary. I even thought that was childish.

But the other requests had been unavoidable.

Asking them to get something from a high place, asking them to bring me medicine, asking if they could accompany me because it was late at night.

Healers were precious, and because of that, the Association tried to protect them. I was often scolded for going around alone.

Even if it hadn’t been about that, they were still things I should have been able to ask for at least once as a member of the team.

But unlike me, who had struggled to bring myself to ask, they had rejected me without even a moment’s hesitation.

To them, I was a stranger.

Not a teammate.

When I came to my senses, I was already in the lobby.

The lobby was bustling with the news that the Association President’s niece had returned.

I didn’t want to see them in my current state of mind, but…

‘She was definitely with them.’

I had heard the name Park Jiwon.

The Association President’s niece who had been with the First Team, and whom so many people had been waiting for.

“There she comes!”

The person beside me raised their voice.

And soon, my intuition proved to be exactly right.

The Association President, the four members of the First Team, and standing proudly among them was Park Jiwon.

Her class was Healer.

I instinctively knew.

The position of dedicated healer for the First Team was no longer mine.

“Ms. Park Jiwon! Two years ago, you were caught in a sacrifice-type dungeon and suffered a major accident, after which you never returned! What happened to you during that time?!”

“Back then, it was announced that Hunter Park Jiwon was not the one who cleared that dungeon, but Hunter Yoon Jooha! Do you remember what happened inside?”

There were an incredible number of reporters.

They had all been called by the Association President.

It might have looked excessive, but no one saw the situation that way.

The Association President’s niece, Park Jiwon, was an A-rank healer.

From his perspective, there was no reason not to make the most of that fact.

“Did you avoid the responsibilities you were supposed to bear as a healer because of excessive workload and pressure?”

“If you came back from the brink of death, do you have any proof?!”

Some of the questions were harsh and unpleasant enough to cross the line.

How would she respond?

I looked at Park Jiwon.

Light brown hair, dark brown eyes, porcelain-white skin, and a small, well-defined nose.

She was so beautiful that it was hard to believe she had been missing in a dungeon all this time.

She didn’t look like someone who had ever experienced accumulated fatigue, either.

When one of the questions clearly crossed the line, Jang Jeongin, a member of the First Team, stepped in front of Park Jiwon protectively.

“Rude questions will not be tolerated. From this point forward, anyone who asks questions regarding the incident two years ago will have a hard time keeping their life.”

Was it really okay for a public figure to say something like that to civilians?

Still, it was incredibly effective. The crowd fell silent in an instant.

‘So she knows how to step in, too.’

I felt strangely surprised. When I had been a member of the team, I couldn’t remember ever being protected from reporters like that.

A hollow laugh naturally escaped me.

“Ms. Park Jiwon! We heard that your physical condition and Awakening Rank have both been reassessed! How are you doing?”

It was a reasonable question.

Only then did Jang Jeongin, who had been standing protectively beside Park Jiwon, step back.

“I know there are many people who have been waiting for me and worrying about me.”

It was the first time Park Jiwon had spoken.

Her voice was clear and melodious. Everyone stared at her as if they had been captivated by it.

“My physical condition hasn’t fully recovered yet. However, I’m pleased to inform you that my Healer Awakening and rank remain unchanged.”

“That means…!”

Someone let out a voice filled with emotion.

Park Jiwon smiled in response to the exclamation.

“That’s right. I have retained my A-rank Awakening.”

Her confident answer was met with a wave of cheers.

Everyone was delighted by the return of an A-rank healer.

Until now, there had only been three A-rank healers in all of South Korea, including Park Jiwon.

However, the other two belonged to different guilds. Because of that, the Association President had often raged about how ridiculous it was for the Association not to have an A-rank healer.

‘So now the Association has an A-rank healer again.’

Sure enough, the Association President’s gaze toward his niece on the platform was gentle.

He looked as though he were looking at a precious treasure rather than merely his niece.

“Thank you all for worrying about me during this time.”

The atmosphere was practically like an awards ceremony.

At the same time, the First Team members patted her on the shoulder, telling her she had done well.

There was nothing particularly problematic about the gesture.

The problem was that, to me, who had once been on the same team, the entire warm and friendly atmosphere felt completely foreign.

Around then, the Association President stepped up to the microphone.

“Ahem. There’s something I need to announce urgently.”

As soon as the Association President began, the reporters quickly pulled out their notebooks.

“I would like to take this opportunity to announce the replacement of the First Team’s healer, who has personally led the team in dungeon raids until now. To ensure stable operations, Healer Park Jiwon will be taking over as the First Team’s healer from now on. I swear in the name of the Association President that the instability we have seen until now will never happen again.”

The reporters taking down his words began flashing their cameras, while the spectators cheered.

It was an obvious reaction when they were being promised that their livelihoods and homes would be kept safer.

‘The instability we have seen until now.’

I couldn’t bring myself to laugh, feeling as though I were the only person who had been cast out into a completely different world.

“Now that an A-rank healer has returned, can we also expect news of additional tankers or damage dealers?”

“What will happen to the existing B-rank healer?”

Questions came pouring in from the reporters.

Then Do Juyeon, who had remained glued to Park Jiwon’s side, stepped forward.

“We’ll have a Q&A session. Please wait your turn.”

The question-and-answer session continued for quite some time.

Do Juyeon answered every question sincerely.

“She’s a wonderful healer who has taken care of several teams for us. We’ll discuss moving her to a position where she can better utilize her abilities.”

Even when questions about me came up, he gave nothing but neat, polished answers.

In other words, it sounded nice on the surface, but ultimately meant they were going to send me to another team.

‘Even though he knows I’m standing right here…’

There was no way someone as perceptive as him didn’t know.

He had been the kindest person in the First Team, at least by my standards.

That was why the disappointment was all the greater.

I turned around and left the festive scene behind me.

I could feel someone watching me, but I didn’t stop.

‘Since she’s B-rank, I’ll probably be sent to the Second or Third Team.’

They wouldn’t throw me out completely.

Healers were valuable personnel, and even a B-rank healer couldn’t simply be disregarded.

‘They’re just ignoring me for now so they can ride the momentum behind Park Jiwon.’

Their shameless attitude left me speechless.

“This is so damn humiliating…”

Somehow, I was the one who had ended up suffering from accumulated fatigue—a condition that rarely occurred in healers—because I had been healing everyone nonstop.

But there was something else that was even more unfair.

Even knowing that I was going to be kicked out of the First Team, there was nothing I could do.

All I could do was watch Park Jiwon reign as the First Team’s sole healer.

They had arranged this entire event without saying a word to me beforehand.

And of all times, I had happened to encounter this situation while I was already feeling unwell and returning from the infirmary.

Knowing all of that didn’t change the fact that there was nothing I could do right now.

“This feels absolutely awful…”

I muttered as I ran a hand through my hair, then abruptly stopped walking.

I hadn’t heard a single sound, but there was a car stopped directly in front of me.

It hadn’t honked.

It had simply pulled up silently.

My body instinctively went on alert. I tried to move away, but the door opened and someone stepped out.

“Are you Moon Yeonhee?”

“…Who are you?”

As I spoke, I glanced toward the main entrance.

Because of the press conference, outside visitors were apparently being allowed inside, and there were plenty of people around.

‘They could blend right in without anyone noticing.’

Just how useless was the Association President going to be?

“You’re not planning to do anything with this many people around, are you?”

“If you stay quiet, there won’t be any trouble.”

His voice was gentle, but his manner was rigid.

The man, whose demeanor gave off two completely contradictory impressions, jerked his chin toward the car as if telling me to get in.

No matter how distracted I was, I wasn’t about to listen to a complete stranger.

‘A car with heavily tinted windows and a man in a black suit.’

He looked suspicious as hell.

“Are you crazy? You think I’m going to get in just because you tell me to?”

The moment I finished speaking and tried to run—

“You should have listened while I was asking nicely.”

“Let me go!”

In an instant, my body was lifted off the ground.

I shouted desperately, but the outsiders around us were looking elsewhere.

“I’m not going to kill you, so stop making things difficult.”

The man put me into the car and climbed in after me.

“Bind her.”

The moment the words left his mouth, I felt something wrap around my wrists and ankles.

Chains.

“Let me go!”

“We’re going like this? Fine.”

Skrrrreeech!

And just like that, I was kidnapped.