There’s a Monster Inside Me Chapter 22

There’s a Monster Inside Me

Chapter 22

“Spatial Formation!”

I overlaid a transparent space toward Utam who was charging at me.

“How ridiculous!”

Utam didn’t slow down.

SWISH!

The sword energy infused with spiritual power tore through the space in one breath. It didn’t matter. The transparent space was just a means to divert attention.

While Utam was tearing through the space, I focused on his face. My extended finger moved as if carving something over his face.

I gently pushed it in front of Utam’s face, so it would stick to his face unknowingly when he moved forward.

“This guy, are your legs frozen?”

Loud footsteps came from behind my back on the opposite side. Gilbo was charging with his sword raised.

I changed direction and quickly fled.

“You bastard, stop right there!”

After rushing at incredible speed past rocks and bushes, Gilbo who was chasing me stopped, panting heavily.

This time I covered the area around Gilbo with transparent space.

“Spatial Formation!”

“Such a shabby trick!”

While Gilbo was breaking the space, I again focused on his facial contour.

Instead of a massive space covering his entire body, I created a small space just enough to reach from the edge of his forehead to the tip of his chin.

I pushed this thin, small space in front of Gilbo’s eyes.

“Spatial Formation!”

I deliberately created another space while making noise so he wouldn’t notice this fact.

“Stop this nonsense!”

Gilbo broke the space angrily. He was completely unaware of the smaller barrier in front of him.

RUSTLE!…

The face-sized barrier approached without a trace and stuck to Gilbo’s face, barely touching it. Like an invisible mask.

This was a transformation technique I created by fusing the Illusion Transformation Technique with Space Formation. Would it work properly?

“Spatial Formation! Impossible Space!”

I began creating transparent spaces randomly throughout the forest. I created spaces everywhere and twisted them so their shapes couldn’t be guessed.

The spaces I created were weak and simple enough to disappear after a few spiritual power-infused sword strikes, but that didn’t matter.

Instead of infusing energy into each space, I chose to win by quantity.

“Space Formation! Impossible Space!”

I created spaces continuously and twisted them again.

“You bastard, stop right there!”

Finally, Utam who had fallen behind was running toward me.

I quickly hid myself somewhere between Gilbo and Utam.

“You bastard!”

“How dare you?!”

Utam and Gilbo shouted at each other. The spaces I created filled the area between them.

In the dark forest, multiple spaces overlapped and distorted, making it impossible to see each other’s faces clearly.

“Impossible Space!”

Finally, I created a massive space large enough to trap both of them and twisted the ends of the space.

This should prevent them from following me for a while.

From the tip of a tall oak tree, I looked down at the two.

“I won’t let you get away with this!”

“You just wait right there!”

I had cast the Illusion Transformation Technique on their faces. Because of this, Utam and Gilbo couldn’t recognize each other.

If it had been bright daylight or if there was bright light, I couldn’t have deceived them as my technique wasn’t fully mastered yet.

But now it was dark night, and this was a treacherous forest with numerous trees and rocks in disarray.

Those two pointing swords at each other would find it difficult to judge whether the faces seen through the distorted images were illusions or not.

“Good, let’s go!”

Having bought time, that was enough. I left the two behind and ran toward the Monster Forest.

As I reached the Monster Forest, my stomach churned violently.

GULP!

A large furry creature immediately rushed into the Monster Forest.

“CHOMP! CHOMP!”

Soon, the brutal sounds of a predator echoed.

“KREEEEK!”

“KIIIIK!”

The monsters’ horrific screams covered the forest.

Even normally, the monsters in the Monster Forest often harm each other and fight to test their strength. No one would think it strange if the food spirit demon caused a commotion.

I climbed the tallest tree and looked down below.

“URGH, regrettably, I’ll stop here for now.”

The food spirit demon, having finished off ten monsters in an instant, returned obediently.

Together with it, I ran back to the forest where I had left Utam and Gilbo.

Though I hadn’t slept at all, thanks to the spirit orbs that the food spirit demon had eaten and spat out, I didn’t feel tired.

“HEHE, why are those two doing that?”

After stuffing the laughing food spirit demon back into my stomach, I observed Utam and Gilbo.

They seemed to have been swinging swords at each other continuously. Deep and shallow wounds covered their bodies.

Utam and Gilbo had diligently destroyed the spaces between them, but despite that, a considerable number still remained.

The two were confronting each other from opposite sides of the impossible space, hiding behind rocks and trees. They were still mistaking each other for me.

Seeing them completely exhausted, just panting without the energy to stand up, I thought that my Illusion Transformation Technique was quite useful.

Still, I couldn’t believe they hadn’t recognized each other’s identities even after so much time had passed…

“Good grief…”

I removed all remaining barriers while simultaneously breaking the Illusion Transformation Technique I had cast on their faces.

Only then did the two recognize each other.

“Utam, where have you been?”

“Gilbo, you too…”

“And where did that Bada Maru bastard go…?”

While the two people were looking around, I wandered among the trees here and there, rolling three wild bird eggs into my sleeve.

I returned to the dormitory as if nothing had happened.

***

After class, Dol Jin-dallae was called by Professor Unbong from the healing department.

Upon entering the professor’s office, the professor’s strict and cold expression changed surprisingly soft.

“Oh, Student Jin-dallae. Come sit here.”

“Yes, Professor.”

The professor even honored her with warm tea.

“How is life these days? Any discomfort?”

“No, none at all.”

Professor Unbong stared at Jin-dallae’s red hair. Jin-dallae was stiffly nervous, just like her rigid hair texture.

“Student Jin-dallae, what book are you reading these days?”

“Book?”

“Yes, healing department books.”

Professor Unbong knew that Jin-dallae always carried books other than textbooks under her arm.

“Well… ‘Physiological Function Modulation of Internal Organs and Internal Meridians’ and ‘Verification of Northeast Ancient Medical Books’…”

“Oh!”

An exclamation naturally escaped from Professor Unbong’s mouth.

Aren’t those books that even advanced healing department students might not cover? They were serious professional texts only given separately to students who chose the healing track.

“Which section of ‘Verification of Northeast Ancient Medical Books’ are you reading?”

“Well… I’m reading the ‘Herb Collection’ section.”

“How is it? Can you understand it?”

Jin-dallae shook her head.

“There’s still a lot I don’t understand… but I think someday I’ll understand. I’m reading it even if I have to force myself.”

Professor Unbong slapped her knee.

This child not only has natural talent but puts in deep effort too!

A strong desire arose to bring Dol Jin-dallae under her wing before other healing department professors discovered this hidden gem.

Professor Unbong swallowed her saliva and said:

“How about it? I was just planning to read ‘Verification of Northeast Ancient Medical Books’ with my direct disciples. Would you like to join?”

“Uh… what! M-me?”

“Yes.”

“B-but… how could I possibly…?”

“I believe that you can do it. What do you think?”

Jin-dallae’s eyes shook frantically. It was an unclear reaction, whether from joy or dislike.

Professor Unbong anxiously waited for her answer.

Jin-dallae, her face contorted in a mess, knelt on the spot.

“Thank you, Professor! Please bestow your teachings!”

Seeing Jin-dallae bow her forehead, Professor Unbong exhaled a sigh of relief. She secretly clenched her fist without Jin-dallae noticing.

‘Success! She is mine!’

It was a satisfying deal for both.

***

Gurumi and I were invited to Jin-dallae’s room.

Gurumi’s hands were full of various snacks.

Good-natured and sociable Gurumi was deeply loved by the kitchen matrons. The matrons were eager to provide him with anything.

Although Gurumi was the one receiving the food, the biggest beneficiary of this generosity was definitely Dol Jin-dallae.

As if possessed by a ghost who died hungry, Jin-dallae couldn’t control herself when food was placed in front of her.

Gurumi, trying to give even more to Jin-dallae who showed signs of hunger, was exactly like an eldest brother.

“Welcome, benefactor! Come in, Gurumi.”

“Th-thank you for the invitation, Princess.”

Despite being next door, I had never entered the room since Princess Eun-deok arrived.

“EEEK!”

“WHAAAAT!”

Jin-dallae’s room seemed to have undergone a major transformation.

What was unmistakably Princess Eun-deok’s bed was now draped with pink curtains.

The translucent curtains were full of delicate embroidery patterns.

“W-what is all this…?”

The floor was covered with a gold-threaded carpet, and instead of an ordinary table, there was an artisan’s table carved with numerous leaf patterns.

“Something good happened to Jin-dallae, so I decided to invite you two. Come in, come in!”

“Ah, yes yes…”

We sat around the ostentatious table, looking thoroughly intimidated. Jin-dallae, with flushed cheeks, brought out a small jar from under the bed.

“You guys drink this. Princess too.”

Jin-dallae had secretly brewed flower wine from all the flowers she had picked while roaming the mountains in spring.

I screamed out.

“Wine? Are you out of your mind!?”

“This isn’t wine. It’s in the ‘Northeast Medical Compendium.’ It’s medicine effective for releasing blood clots and controlling anger!”

“It is medicine, Benefactor Maru! Delicious medicine that makes you tipsy! Hehe…”

Princess Eun-deok smiled mischievously, as if she already knew the taste.

Well, this explanation is even better than the reality!

Anyway, sipping the alleged medicinal wine, we congratulated Jin-dallae.

“Somehow, Professor Unbong’s eyes looked different when seeing you!”

“So will you go to the professor’s office separately from now on?”

“Yes…”

“Aww, that’s great! Jin-dallae!”

Princess Eun-deok rejoiced as if it were her own good news. As the noble lady grabbed both hands and spun around, Jin-dallae’s cheeks reddened.

“So will you go to the healing department’s practical lab every day?”

“Not every day, about once every five days. She said we’ll read assigned books, gather for discussions, and make medicine too. Twice a year, we can go out with the professor to directly take care of patients.”

“Wow, that’s really great!”

“That’s really amazing!”

We sincerely cheered for Jin-dallae.

Jin-dallae definitely had exceptional talent in the healing field. Her almost completely open sense of smell would clearly be a great help in treatment.

“Were you always interested in medicine, Jin-dallae?”

At Princess Eun-deok’s question, Gurumi and I also looked at Jin-dallae.

SIP.

Jin-dallae’s eyes trembled as she drank the flower wine.

“Yes, I really… wanted to become a divine healer.”

Jin-dallae’s gaze fell into her cup.

“My mother and siblings who died pathetically without even receiving medicine… I felt resentful and bitter about that… I desperately wanted to become a divine healer. I swore to heaven to do so.”

Silence covered the room.

This was the first time Jin-dallae had talked about her family.

I recalled Jin-dallae’s appearance at the entrance ceremony.

A girl in tattered clothes patched here and there… The girl who went crazy at the sight of food had lost her family and lived through harsh, barren days.

“I wish no one would die without being able to afford medicine. I wish everyone in the world could live out their full lifespan before dying.”

It was hard to even imagine how difficult the days must have been for the young girl who lost her family and remained alone until entering the Millennium Academy.

“HEHE…”

Jin-dallae rubbed her eyes with her forearm and gave a blank smile.

She tried to erase her pain with a foolish smile, but that made the hearts of those watching even more bitter.

It was a strange feeling – apologetic, proud, and sad all at once – like we had peered into the depths of Jin-dallae’s tightly wrapped heart.

“You’ll be a good doctor.”

“Yes, definitely!”

“I think so too! Later, I’ll definitely summon you to the palace. You must come to the palace as the best divine healer. Understand, Jin-dallae?”

“Yes, HEHEHE…”

Jin-dallae smiled brightly with her reddened cheeks.

Her cheeks, as red as her hair, were covered with freckles.

I thought that I must see Jin-dallae become a renowned divine healer.

For that to happen, protecting this world would have to come first.

A small but not so modest wish filled my heart completely.