< 76. Resuscitation (2) >
#76
A spiral staircase leading to the laboratory was revealed. Jarrodin held Ronan’s shoulders and opened her mouth.
“We must begin the 144th experiment. “Right now.”
“Now?”
Instead of answering Jarudin turned his back. He walked down the stairs with precarious steps like a deer that had lost its leg. The essence of fresh blood was still held in Ronan’s hand.
“Fuck it.”
Ronan who was scratching his head followed Jarrodin. The dark dark laboratory was still filled with the scent of roses with a strong smell of ink and iron.
The glass tube containing Sunya was twinkling like starlight in the distance. Ronan walked as he stepped on books that lay like fallen leaves.
“You’re late.”
Jarodin who had arrived a long time ago was looking through his notes like a crazy person. He held out his hand without even looking away.
“Can you give it to me? “We need to extract his magic quickly.”
“Wasn’t it supposed to go in entirely?”
“A small amount is enough. “It will be over soon so just wait a moment.”
The tools previously used to extract magic from Sarante’s ring were lined up on the worn-out desk. Jarudin who received the essence of fresh blood immediately began extracting it.
Indeed it took less than 10 minutes for the work to be completed. The separated fresh blood mana was pulsating inside the small flask. Jarudin took a deep breath and continued.
“Then we will begin the 144th resuscitation experiment. The experimenter was Jaradin Stonesong. “The subject is Sue.”
Jarudin headed to the glass tube holding two flasks. In the other one Sarante’s mana extracted from the ring was flickering.
Sunya was still floating in the middle of the glass tube with her eyes closed. There was a different dress from the one I had seen before.
As Jaradin chanted the spell the two types of mana inside the flask were transferred into the glass tube. A scene unfolded as if red and blue paint had been poured. A cracked voice came out between dry lips.
“…please.”
Shu Aa-Mana mixed with her nameless liquid and began to slowly seep into Sunya’s body. Jarrodin watched the scene for a while and then turned his body.
“I should say this first. thanks.”
“Is it all over?”
“no. You have to wait until all the mana permeates. “The results will be available in about an hour.”
Jarudin’s face was a mix of anticipation and resignation. It was the expression of someone who was aware that this was just one of countless attempts. Jarodin said.
“I apologize for being rude. “The fresher the essence of fresh blood the better.”
“are you okay.”
“Thank you for understanding. “Do you have some time?”
“yes.”
“Then let’s talk for a moment.”
Ronan nodded her head. There must have been a mountain of things they wanted to ask each other already. The two sat side by side on the bed and talked.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because I want to.”
“If you don’t want to talk don’t ask. Still I definitely need to listen to this one. “What did you do to obtain the essence of this crazy vampire?”
“What did you know?”
“okay. “I didn’t believe it but it turned out it belonged to someone I knew.”
“Uh…it’s a bit long.”
Ronan briefly explained what happened last night. Of course after appropriate adaptation. The plot of the bloody hook A bet with Balzac that took place in an abandoned tomb. As the story progressed Jarudin’s eyes gradually got bigger.
“It’s absolutely crazy to bet on yourself.”
“It’s okay as long as the results are good.”
“By the way it was Balzac. “That vampire is still looking for me?”
“I was obsessed with it because it completely turned me upside down. “What wonderful experience did you give me to become like that?”
“I can’t answer because there are too many guesses. “It was a fierce battle where it wouldn’t be surprising if each other died ten times.”
Jarudin was curious about Balzac’s current situation and asked him various questions. Ronan answered as he wanted. Lodin who had been listening while touching his chin opened his mouth.
“…I’ve felt this for a long time but when I look at you it reminds me of my younger days.”
“Suddenly?”
“okay. I wasn’t afraid of anything. “I used to be under the illusion that the world revolved around me.”
Ronan shrugged his eyebrows. Jarudin suddenly started talking about his past. His youth was like a tree that grew vertically without any side branches.
“The Stonesong family was the most prestigious magical family in the South. Even there I was a genius something that only happens once every hundred years. “Wealth and fame were as natural as the sun rising every morning.”
“You must be very unlucky to say so yourself.”
“okay. I was arrogant and arrogant. “At that time I treated everyone including my family like a goldfish that walked on two legs.”
Jardin was a genius. I solved a challenge that others risked their entire lives for like blowing my nose with a tissue. He went around seeking out and challenging people known to be strong but in the end he ended up laughing at his opponents’ efforts.
By the time he was eighteen everything had become boring and he went on a wandering journey. There was nothing better than a free mercenary for him to go on a rampage while relying on his blood.
Because he was talented he made a lot of money but he spent it all on drinks and women that night he said. Ronan was completely absorbed in his story. I felt a great sense of kinship in their trashy behavior.
“You were an example of a bastard.”
“I won’t deny it. “If I hadn’t met those two women I would probably still be living like that.”
“One will be my wife. “Who is the other one?”
“Butterfly rose. “It’s a monster you all know well.”
The first encounter the two had was the southern jungle. At the time Nabirose like Jarodin was a free mercenary and funny enough it was the request of the clients to capture each other. Like Jarodin Nabirose’s personality at the time was very different from what it is now.
“It still sounds good to my ears. “I said if he didn’t do his best I would cut off his head and turn him into a lamp.”
“Damn our instructor? “I guess I blew it a bit.”
“Balzac was rather gentle. “Students should have seen the monster pierce a hole in a coconut with its little finger and swallow it.”
Now Rodin shook his head as if he was fed up. He described his struggle with Nabirose for nearly thirty minutes.
Rocks rose like a tidal wave and filled the lake and hundreds of trees were beheaded every time a huge sword was fired. The duel started at noon and ended only at midnight. The winner was Butterfly Rose.
“It was the first loss of my life. No matter what I did I couldn’t win. “The monster threw me half crippled into the middle of the jungle.”
“…I lost more than I thought.”
“It was expensive even for the tuition that taught me humility. “If it weren’t for Sunya who heard the sound and came to see me I would have become food for animals.”
The Sunya were an indigenous people living in the great jungle. She took Rodin who had become her half-sick to her village and nursed him for nearly a year. It was a strange situation not to fall in love with her. At some point Zarodin could not imagine his days without her.
She said “I couldn’t even eat alone and had to sleep on a bed made of straw. Still looking back those were the happiest times.”
The two naturally became lovers and eventually got married with the blessings of the native people. Jarodin who had made a complete comeback immediately returned to the Stonesong family with Sunya. She was good up to this point. Suddenly a shadow appeared on Jarudin’s face.
“The problem is I was a jerk.”
However the views of those around Sunya were not kind at all. The people of her clan treated her more like a curious display piece than her Jarodin her wife of Stone Song.
Of course Sunya did not mind such contempt. She loved her husband as always. The problem was Jardin. He did not get angry at people who asked such questions. The main voice flowed from Jaradin’s mouth.
“… I began to feel ashamed of her wife.”
“Holy shit.”
Ronan almost pulled out her sword. There were about ten minutes left until the experiment ended. Jarodin continued.
“People often ask me why I got married. I gave a different answer every time. “For the sake of friendship with the natives and for some magical research… several questions and answers were conducted in the presence of her wife.”
Every time something like that happened Zarodin apologized to his wife. As she handed her her favorite rose flower. Sunya always smiled like an idiot and repeated her words that it was okay.
She died at a time when Zarodin could no longer even say he was sorry. They say she came back from work and found her dead.
“I don’t know why she died?”
“I don’t know. She was neither a soldier nor a viper. “I couldn’t figure out the cause of death.”
No matter what she tried she couldn’t figure out the cause. What followed was the same as what Ronan had seen in his diary.
He was giving up everything to bring his wife back. After finishing the story Rodin closed his mouth. Ronan got up spitting on the floor.
“It’s a bit weird to say this but you really were an asshole Professor. Even a cub would be better than that.”
“I won’t deny it.”
“So you’re trying to bring your wife back to life to find out the cause of her death?”
“Of course there is that too. You should also apologize. But the biggest reason is to answer the question that has been asked countless times. “Her question is why did you marry her?”
“What are you going to answer?”
“First whoever he is I’m going to blow his face off with my fist. and…”
Rodin the one dragging his horse raised his head and looked at Ronan. The pupils buried deep in his eye sockets were bloodshot and red. His mouth opened quietly.
“I will just answer that I married him because I love him.”
Ronan couldn’t say anything. Then he heard the bell ring indicating that an hour had passed. The two people turned their heads at the same time and looked at the glass tube. Jarudin’s face hardened.
“…”
I could no longer see any remaining mana. Sunya still had her eyes closed. Jarudin who had been watching for five more minutes stood up. He placed his hand on the glass tube and muttered quietly.
“…It was a failure.”
Jaradin’s expression was calm. He stepped in front of his desk and collapsed into his chair.
Soon the sound of his feather pen clicking could be heard in the silence. I was definitely writing about the 144th failure. Ronan twisted his lips.
“Damn….”
In a way it was natural. Although grandiose materials were used this was only one of countless attempts. Ronan turned around and saw the car about to take a step. Suddenly an alien sound tickled his ears.
-Boogle.
“hmm?”
Ronan looked back. At the same time his eyes widened. Ronan barely suppressed the urge to scream and called out to Jardin who was scribbling down a report.
“…Jarodin?”
“But why?”
“I think you should come and see this.”
Zarodin slowly turned his head. Ronan was pointing at the glass tube his eyes popping wide open. His gaze landed on Sunya. The feather pen he was holding fell to the floor.
“…oh my god.”
Zarodin lifted her up. His legs were so weak that he could not stand up right away. He fell three times while covering less than five steps.
Eventually he reached the glass tube and sat down on the floor. Transparent tears were continuously flowing down Jarudin’s cheeks. He hit his head with the glass pipe. His slender shoulders began to shake.
“Ah…ahhh….”
Air bubbles were rising from the corners of Sunya’s mouth. The intervals that occurred were as stable as breathing. His body which was as pale as lead had a subtle complexion.
****
Ronan escaped from Tower 41. He was in no mood to stay. Jarudin who was sobbing while holding the glass tube began to focus frantically on his research again.
‘I guess it worked out well anyway. Because it was different from before.’
The 144th resuscitation attempt was not a failure. Sunya began to breathe alive again and begin to perform her activities as a living being.
However perhaps because her consciousness had not yet returned she was unable to open her eyes. It would be necessary to wait a little longer to find out whether Jaradin had truly succeeded in completely reviving the person.
As Ronan walked around the campus he thought about the story of Jarudin and Sunya. It was a story that really complicated people’s minds.
‘I got married because I love you.’
Ronan returned to the dormitory. Somehow it seemed like the sleep that had come had escaped. He was just about to enter the building when he heard a familiar voice from behind.
“Ronan.”
Ronan turned his head. A tall girl was standing with her back against the wall of the building. In her hand was a coat worn by martial arts students. Ronan tilted his head.
“Adeshan?”
“Yeah. It’s not been that long… it’s been just one day.”
“What’s going on here?”
“The Empire’s Morning Star was looking for you so I came here just in case. The director said something.”
“Moving?”
“Yes. They said it was a very urgent matter. I asked them to come quickly to the club building.”
“Thank you for telling me what the damn thing is…”
I wanted to ignore it but it wasn’t a topic worth doing. Ronan was about to turn her back. Adeshan lifted her body from the wall and she grabbed him by the sleeve.
“wait for a sec.”
