S-Rank Healer Gets Kidnapped First Chapter 6

…What is this supposed to mean?

As if trying to help me understand, the system window waited patiently.

After reading the same sentence repeatedly, I let out a short sigh.

‘Another error.’

It was getting my hopes up for nothing.

‘I nearly died, came back to life, and suddenly became S-rank with special privileges. It sounded so real.’

I let out a powerless breath and closed the window, which was clearly the result of some kind of error.

Right now, I need to heal someone named Childuk. I had no intention of continuing to endure Cha Seohae’s terrifying stare.

‘God’s Grace.’

In an instant, a warm energy gathered at my fingertips.

Unlike the cold energy, the power I emitted was golden.

But somehow…

‘Doesn’t the color look deeper?’

I frowned at the strange feeling.

‘Was the skill effect always this large? It seems to be sparkling excessively compared to before.’

It wasn’t just my imagination.

I’d been using my skills almost every day because of the shortage of healers. There was no way I wouldn’t notice a change like this.

“E-Excuse me, hostage?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m grateful that you healed me, but….”

“Yes?”

“I think I’m completely healed….”

“Already? That can’t be.”

Healing worked best when treating a hunter of a lower rank than oneself.

But judging from the way this man named Childuk handled his skills, there was no way he was below B-rank.

‘Besides, no matter how smoothly the healing goes, there’s no way I can completely heal someone in just a few seconds.’

“Would you like to see?”

Since I didn’t believe him, he peeled off the bandage covering his forehead.

“…It’s really gone.”

“It was definitely an injury that should’ve left a scar, but it’s completely gone. Thank you! Haha! Hahaa… ha…?”

He’d been laughing heartily, but his laughter gradually faded.

It was because neither Cha Seohae nor I reacted.

“What….”

“Get out.”

“Huh?”

“I said, go outside for a while.”

“Yes…? Ah, yes. If you want me to leave, I’ll leave. Yes.”

It was hard to believe this was the same person who’d been so careful to read the room through the rearview mirror.

‘He really does speak that straightforwardly even outside the car.’

With those sunglasses, I hadn’t been able to read him at all.

I snapped out of my thoughts as I watched Childuk leave.

‘That’s not what’s important right now.’

[Name: Moon Yeonhee]
[Awakening: Pope]
[Class: Healer]
[Rank: S]
[Skills: God’s Grace / God’s Protection / God’s Blessing]
[Special Trait: S-Rank Privilege Activated (Additional buffs applied to each skill)]

[There is unread information remaining.]

[Some skills are locked.]

[Skill Unlock Condition
▶ An Unyielding Heart]

Just in case, I opened the system window.

A lot had definitely changed.

‘Then was this the system window I saw right before I collapsed?’

“What changed?”

I was about to check the unread information when he suddenly spoke to me, making me turn my head.

“Nothing in particular….”

My instinct to stay on guard made me deny it first.

Then, struck by a sudden question, I fell silent.

‘Do I even need to hide this?’

After seeing the system window, my heart was still pounding so hard that I couldn’t calm down.

An S-rank healer?

It was unbelievable.

On the other hand, my mind had become remarkably clear.

I knew that becoming an S-rank was the only chance I had of protecting my life.

I lightly tapped my chest and secretly glanced at Cha Seohae.

The white curtain and his complexion were nearly identical in color.

‘He looks tired.’

Even in the car, he’d repeatedly rubbed the area around his eyes.

‘Well, a guild master must have plenty of work to do.’

On top of that, there was the unwanted gift he’d received from the Association.

That might have piled even more fatigue onto him.

Perhaps Cha Seohae was even squeezing out time he didn’t have just to be here right now.

‘He said Baekyang’s healer was A-rank, didn’t he? He must have been receiving healing until I regained consciousness, but if he’s still this exhausted, he clearly hasn’t received enough healing yet.’

I’d heard that there were only three A-rank healers in South Korea.

And I thought one of them was in Baekyang.

Most of the rumors about major guilds circulating on online communities were just rumors, but it would be strange for a guild as large as Baekyang not to have a healer.

‘If I use this properly, maybe I can receive different treatment from before.’

I didn’t want to be in the position of the “lower party” anymore.

I didn’t want to live by having my abilities exploited, nor did I want a relationship where I was the only one constantly worrying.

‘Did I ever demand a higher position? Or beg you to love me?’

I only joined because I wanted a stable job!

The more I thought about it, the more unfair it felt.

‘Maybe this is the first time luck has finally come my way after having nothing but bad luck.’

I’d made up my mind.

Now all I had to do was say it.

I cleared my throat and began.

“Is the offer you made earlier still valid?”

“Suddenly?”

Perhaps because I hadn’t said anything, he’d apparently closed his eyes in the meantime.

Cha Seohae opened his eyes and asked back.

I nodded as I looked at his slightly unfocused gaze.

“Why? Weren’t you planning to go back to the Association?”

Cha Seohae stretched as if trying to shake off his fatigue.

He slowly rotated his neck in a circle.

“You liked seeing Joo-yeon, didn’t you?”

“…Why are you saying I liked it?”

“Didn’t you?”

“…….”

“Looks like you did.”

His irritating smile made it seem like he had no intention of making the offer after all, and it frustrated me.

‘Even if he doesn’t know I’m S-rank, still. There’s no way even a B-rank healer should be treated like this.’

Was he acting this way because Baekyang already had an A-rank healer?

Even I thought a healer would be more useful the more you had, which was probably why he’d made the offer in the first place.

“You were practically grinning when you saw Joo-yeon. How am I supposed to trust you? Who knows when you’ll betray me.”

“I mean, I wasn’t grinning like that. I was just surprised.”

I knew my answer was completely missing the point.

‘But it’s unfair!’

The constant frustration made my replies increasingly confrontational.

“So you’re saying you’re not going to make the offer again?”

Cha Seohae didn’t answer. One of his cheeks puffed out. Judging by the way his tongue moved inside his mouth, he seemed to be deliberating.

‘At least he’s considering it.’

As long as he wasn’t thinking of withdrawing the offer altogether, I still had a chance.

“Your healers seem to be in short supply. Are you really sure you don’t need to make the offer?”

“What are you scheming?”

His face remained indifferent, but his voice was sharp.

So this is what it’s like when someone can overpower you with nothing but their voice.

I clenched my trembling hands tightly.

“What I’m hearing is that you don’t want to go back to the Association and would rather join the guild. Am I right?”

Cha Seohae urged me to answer with a tilt of his chin.

I’d already been kidnapped, after all.

I had no intention of going back, but even if I did, they’d probably just pin everything on me as though it were my fault. After leaving the infirmary today, it was practically the end of any possibility of having a good relationship with the Association.

With the encouragement of the system window that had just corrected my rank to S, I nodded.

“That’s right.”

“What changed your mind?”

‘I should’ve accepted his offer in the car.’

Even I could understand why he wouldn’t easily let his suspicions go.

‘But he’s so scary….’

What good was that strange little smile?

‘Does he seriously not realize how twisted his expression looks when he smiles like that?’

His eyes were so piercing that I felt like he might appear in my nightmares.

‘Just hold out a little longer.’

If I didn’t want to become the weaker party, I had to act more confidently. I couldn’t let him see that I was afraid. Otherwise, there was no telling when he might use that momentum to pressure me.

“Revenge.”

“…….”

“I want revenge.”

I had opened my mouth intending to give him a reasonable explanation, and surprisingly, a decent answer had come out.

‘That must be how desperate I am.’

Desperate enough for it to slip out unconsciously.

“Ahh…. Revenge.”

Cha Seohae also seemed to accept it without finding anything strange.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, right? I don’t want to go back to the Association. If you can properly protect my safety from them, I’ll provide the Baekyang Guild with quality healing.”

“Did you hear something?”

“Hear what?”

I wondered what he meant and waited for his answer.

Cha Seohae stared at me silently for quite some time. His gaze seemed intent on digging something out of me.

Since I hadn’t heard anything from the Association, I confidently met his eyes.

“Fine.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll accept the offer.”

Hearing his positive answer finally eased some of the tension in me.

But that wasn’t enough. I abruptly grabbed his wrist.

“What are you doing?”

His sharp voice alternated between looking at me and my hand around his wrist.

Honestly, I had been prepared for him to shake me off when I grabbed him. So I could endure that much of a reaction.

“A standard contract won’t do.”

“What?”

“With special clauses attached.”

When I firmly conveyed my intention, his eyes widened slightly. They soon returned to normal, and the corners of Cha Seohae’s lips curled crookedly upward.

“Looks like you’ve found something to rely on. You seemed hesitant just a moment ago.”

“So you’re willing to accept the special clauses?”

“I am. I’m curious what suddenly gave you the confidence to become so proactive.”

He accepted my proposal surprisingly easily, leaving me blinking.

‘I thought he’d tell me to heal him first.’

If he did, I was planning to test my skill again as well.

‘Should I just try it?’

He wouldn’t get angry just because I healed him, would he? I’d never seen a Hunter get angry because someone healed them.

I opened the system window to activate my skill.

At that moment, the man sitting down suddenly stood up, pulling my arm up with him.

“What are you doing? Where are you going?”

“Since we’re talking about it, we might as well go write the contract right now. I also need to hear what those special clauses are.”

“Huh?”

Where exactly are we going to write it?

‘Come to think of it, where am I?’

I’d been so focused on finding a way to survive that only now did I wonder where I actually was.

“You know what? Hold on. Where are we?”

“You agreed to special clauses without even knowing where you are?”

He looked at me as if I were ridiculous.

“We haven’t signed the contract yet, so technically, you’re right in the middle of enemy territory.”

“Huh?”

“What? I thought you knew all this. I even thought you were pretty bold.”

I hadn’t known any of it. I’d been too busy fighting for my life.

“If someone other than me had been here, you would’ve been in serious trouble.”

“Someone more dangerous than you….”

I swallowed the thought that there couldn’t possibly be anyone more dangerous than him.

“More dangerous than me?”

“…Never mind.”

“You’re in enemy territory, yet you keep choosing the most dangerous things to do.”

Perhaps he decided the teasing had gone far enough. He rubbed the area around his eyes before getting up.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

I hurried to get ready before I lost sight of him. I even lifted the blanket to check whether I was properly dressed.

‘Come to think of it, who changed me into these patient clothes?’

I looked around for my clothes and shoes, but none of them were anywhere in sight.

‘Can I just wear slippers?’

I was going to sign a contract, after all….

After pondering for a moment, I pointed at the slippers.

“I’m going to wear these, okay?”

Standing by the door, he glanced at me and gave a careless nod.

I lowered my legs from the bed and was about to put on the slippers when—

“Oh, right. You’re injured.”

What was he about to say with that?

I stopped and looked up at him.

‘His voice sounds ominous.’

The teasing tone from earlier had clearly returned.

I frowned, nervous that he was about to say something strange.

“Want me to carry you?”