LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 12 - Last Night’s Chicken Was Pretty Bad (3)
Chapter 12 – Last Night’s Chicken Was Pretty Bad (3)
Sunal, who had been staring blankly into the air for a moment, forced a smile and spoke again.
“…Ah. Your heart was racing, wasn’t it?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
The Dullahan shut his eyes tightly, as if realizing how strange his own words sounded.
“From my perspective, if your chest is hurting, perhaps heading to a nearby hospital would be the best course of action. If it’s not that, then congratulations. Could it be love?”
As he glanced outside, the crimson leaves were falling.
Autumn.
A perfect season to be dumped.
“N-no, that’s not it. It’s not some foolishness brought on by old age!”
The Dullahan swung his hand widely as soon as he understood Sunal’s intention.
“If it’s due to a magical influence, I recommend you go to the police instead.”
For instance, those indirectly affected by magic often experienced side effects in some form or another.
Most people have a natural resistance to magic, but this is relative, and the side effects could be quite severe.
“It’s not that either.”
“Hmm. Then, could you calmly explain exactly why your heart started racing?”
Sunal was genuinely curious about the cause of this racing heart.
If it wasn’t magic, and it wasn’t love, there could only be one explanation left.
“Thank you. This place is different, after all. At least you listen to what I have to say.”
“It’s my job to listen, so let’s start from there.”
Sunal spoke naturally, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world in response to the Dullahan’s gratitude.
The Dullahan let out a soft chuckle and began to speak.
“I think this racing heart was caused by the succubus in the hospital.”
‘Of course.’
Sunal had already been thinking of succubi and incubi.
But the drowsy expression on his face instantly vanished at the Dullahan’s words, and his eyes narrowed.
“It felt similar to the charm I had been under before. You know what I mean?”
“I understand. If that’s the case, it’s very dangerous.”
Sunal began to take the situation more seriously. Just yesterday, while dealing with the grievance from Keron and Loren, he had encountered a werewolf attempting to blow himself up with a bomb.
That werewolf had been under the influence of charm magic, which made the Dullahan’s story about the succubus all the more unsettling.
Except for one thing.
“But the charm power that the succubus species possesses must adhere to strict regulations, so it shouldn’t be able to break through the building, right?”
“I thought the same.”
The Dullahan reached up and scratched under his chin.
“So I was going to report it to the police, but what if it’s just my imagination?”
“That’s possible.”
“I’d like you to verify it. If it’s true, it could lead to discrimination against the succubus species, and I believe the Interethnic Grievance Resolution Special Unit should step in.”
The Dullahan smiled gently, without the evasiveness from earlier, like an old gentleman.
“Where is this hospital?”
“It’s the Mesthos Hospital nearby. Though, I’m not sure if calling it a university hospital is more accurate.”
‘Mesthos Hospital…?’
It sounded familiar to Sunal’s ears.
―Got it. That werewolf was sent to Mesthos Hospital, the one near our department, for further testing.
Edina’s words from yesterday echoed in his mind.
Something didn’t feel right.
“For now, please record it.”
Sunal handed over the complaint form.
The complainant always had to fill out the form.
To avoid any misunderstandings later, it was necessary to properly file the complaint. That was the basic principle.
Scribble.
As Sunal looked at the complaint form being filled out, his eyes landed on the name of the complainant.
Avion Trop.
He thought it was a rather peculiar name.
“Mr. Sunal.”
Avion, who had handed over the document, directed his gaze toward Sunal’s ID badge.
His gaze felt heavy.
“I like your attitude very much.”
It had only been about a month since he had received direct training from Edina, and just a little over a week since he started fieldwork. But it was the first time he had received a look like this.
It felt almost like the gaze of a superior officer.
“It seems your superior is calling you.”
As Avion stood up, he grasped his head in his hand.
At that moment, the door behind him really did open.
Sunal’s eyes widened.
‘How did he know that?’
Normally, soundproofing magic was cast during complaint consultations.
There’s no way Avion could have known what sounds were coming from Edina’s direction.
Sunal looked at Avion, but by then, he had already vanished.
It felt as if he had seen a ghost.
“Sunal.”
Edina’s voice reached him, and Sunal turned around.
The soundproofing magic was only applied to the space where the consultation took place.
Edina couldn’t hear the consultation, but she could hear conversations happening outside of that space, including those between him and his colleagues.
“Yes, Chief.”
Sunal answered, still clutching his aching stomach.
“Did you call me to tell me to go to the hospital?”
“How did you know?”
It was Sunal’s turn to be surprised by Edina’s response.
How lucky. Maybe she had noticed that he still hadn’t been able to go to the hospital.
“Can I go now?”
“But Sunal, here’s the thing. There’s just the perfect fieldwork that came in.”
“…What?”
Fieldwork?
“Didn’t you just call me to tell me to go to the hospital?”
“The police requested cooperation, and, well, it just so happens that the job is at the hospital.”
Sunal’s face twisted in an instant.
“That’s too much.”
“No wonder we’re always short-staffed at the Interethnic Grievance Resolution Special Unit. No one wants to apply. People at the community center always say we’re crazy for working here, right? To be honest, I think the same. They work us too hard.”
Edina wore a deeply sympathetic expression as she subtly slid a document toward him.
Sunal took the document with a dissatisfied look and said, “Your words and actions don’t match.”
“Yeah, I know. Believe me, I really don’t like doing this either. But with work coming in, I can’t refuse. I thought, well, maybe since you’re already going to the hospital, you could take care of this at the same time?”
“To a sick person? I’m still the rookie, you know?”
Sunal, while looking at the complaint form being filled out, noticed the complainant’s name.
Avion Trop.
He thought it was a rather unusual name.
“Mr. Sunal.”
Avion, who handed over the document, directed his gaze toward Sunal’s employee badge.
His gaze felt heavy.
“I like your attitude very much.”
It had only been about a month since he’d received direct training from Edina, and only a little over a week since he had started actual fieldwork. This was the first time he had encountered such a gaze.
It felt almost like the gaze of a superior officer.
“It seems your superior is calling you.”
As Avion stood up, he held his head in his hand.
At that moment, the door behind him really did open.
Sunal’s eyes widened.
‘How did he know?’
Soundproofing magic was always activated during complaint consultations. There was no way Avion could have heard anything from Edina’s direction.
Sunal looked at Avion, but he had already disappeared, almost like a ghost.
“Sunal.”
Hearing Edina’s voice, Sunal turned around.
The soundproofing magic only worked within the consultation space. Although Edina couldn’t hear what happened during the consultation, she could hear other conversations, including his own.
“Yes, Team Leader.”
Sunal answered, still clutching his aching stomach.
“Did you call me to tell me to go to the hospital?”
“How did you know?”
Now it was Sunal who was surprised by Edina’s response.
What luck. Maybe she had noticed that he hadn’t been able to visit the hospital yet.
“Can I go now?”
“But, Sunal, there’s just the perfect fieldwork that came in.”
“…What?”
Fieldwork?
“Didn’t you just call me to tell me to go to the hospital?”
“The police requested cooperation, and it just so happens that the assignment is at the hospital.”
Sunal’s face instantly twisted.
“This is too much.”
“No wonder we’re always short-staffed at the Interethnic Grievance Resolution Special Unit. No one wants to apply. People at the community center say we’re crazy for working here, right? Honestly, I think the same. They really work us too hard.”
Edina, with a deeply sympathetic look, subtly slid a document toward him.
Sunal accepted the paper with a disgruntled expression and said, “Your words and actions don’t match.”
“Yeah, I know. Believe me, I hate doing this too. But with work coming in, I can’t refuse. I thought, well, since you’re already going to the hospital, why not handle this too while you’re at it?”
“You want me to handle this while I’m sick? I’m still the rookie, aren’t I?”
“Only at times like this?”
Edina almost flared up at Sunal’s shameless remark, but she quickly composed herself and smiled calmly.
“If you handle just this one task, you can go home right away, Sunal. I’d love to send Terisha or Lee Rang with you, but more fieldwork just came in. Honestly, those other two assignments are even harder.”
Edina deliberately lowered her voice for that last part.
“…That’s terrible.”
Sunal knew she wasn’t lying, so he resigned himself and looked at the documents.
The place he had to go was listed as Mesthos University Hospital.
‘What the…? This is from the complaint I just received.’
It was the very complaint from the Dullahan who had been here earlier.
Sunal fiddled with the papers, his eyes darting back and forth.
‘Is the charm magic really spreading beyond the building?’
It was strange.
Even vampires like Edina suppressed their hypnotic powers with medication. Unless it was a rare case, like the Medusa species, where medicine had no effect, most species managed to control their abilities with drugs.
‘Looks like I’ll need to be well-prepared for this… Hmm.’
Sunal suddenly had a strong desire to just escape for a while.
“Strange, isn’t it?”
At that moment, Edina’s voice startled him, and his shoulders twitched.
However, he quickly regained his composure, putting on a more serious expression.
“It is strange. It implies that the charm magic is spreading outside.”
“Honestly, even if you weren’t supposed to go to the hospital, I’d have asked you to take care of this. Charm and hypnotic powers like this are incredibly dangerous, especially during peaceful times.”
“I know. Just yesterday, I dealt with a werewolf tangled up in charm magic.”
Sunal’s eyebrows briefly furrowed before raising again.
He understood why he had to go.
After all, he might be the only one able to cast the resistance-boosting magic on the spot.
“Make sure you get your checkup too.”
“Well… I’ll try.”
Sunal’s reluctance was written all over his face.
“Don’t forget to send me a picture of the medicine packet.”
“Do I really have to go that far?”
“Of course. Especially since you know why I’m even more concerned about you, right?”
Sunal immediately understood what Edina meant.
‘…Yeah, back then, even I thought I was a mess.’
It wasn’t that Sunal had never faced hardships before, but it was during a time when he had lost all motivation—like a snapped thread—that he met Edina.
She had seen him at his worst. It would have been strange if she wasn’t worried.
“I understand.”
“Thank you, Sunal.”
Edina beamed as she pulled out her phone, her fingers swiftly typing away.
Buzz, buzz.
Soon, Sunal felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
[Team Leader: A special gift has arrived from your ‘Team Leader’.]
Sunal’s eyes widened as he saw the message.
She had ordered him porridge.
“It’s porridge. Order it when you feel like it, Sunal.”
Sunal silently stared at the screen. Seeing this, Edina lightly patted his shoulder.
“Hey, no need to be so moved.”
“It’s not that. I’m allergic to seafood, so I can’t eat abalone….”
“W-wait, Sunal! I accidentally ordered the wrong one. I meant to send beef porridge!”
Edina’s visible panic made Sunal’s lips twitch upward.
“I mentioned that before as well…”
“10 seconds! Give me 10 seconds!”
“Thank you, Team Leader.”
Sunal expressed his gratitude and then glanced at his wristwatch.
“Oh, there are 7 seconds left.”
Edina gave him a brief, reproachful look, but Sunal wasn’t about to miss the chance to tease her.
I hate Mondays. I hate Tuesdays. I hate Wednesdays. I hate going to work the most.
Sunal momentarily glanced up at the sky, listening to the music playing through his wireless earbuds.
The sky was far too clear.
‘Perfect weather to run away.’
As he left for the field, Terisha and Lee Rang looked at him with pity in their eyes, but Sunal simply gave them a knowing smile, as if to say they’d soon be in his shoes too.
‘…Ha. Being a noble had its perks.’
Lineal’s life, if seen from a distance, could be described as unfortunate, but on a smaller scale, it had its happy moments.
At least there were no financial worries.
‘No, I’m happy now. I can use magic, after all. I just hate working, and it’s depressing that my bank account isn’t growing as fast as I’d like.’
As Sunal found himself once again deeply resonating with his favorite song, he neared the hospital and couldn’t believe his eyes.
‘…?’
People passing by were staring toward the hospital.
And the crowd of people trying to enter the hospital? It was as if they were lining up to buy a limited-edition item.
‘How could they have missed this? Seriously? Even a quick glance would tell you it’s the influence of charm magic.’
Sunal relaxed his shoulders.
What on earth had the police been doing all this time? They should’ve noticed it during their patrols.
His eyes moved slightly.
‘…Oh, right.’
Mesthos University Hospital was near the community center where he worked, and wasn’t there a major corporation close by?
‘The area already has high foot traffic, huh?’
Sunal glanced at the towering corporate building standing alone among the other structures, then shifted his gaze back.
Even though the area was always busy, the line of people trying to get into the hospital struck him as particularly strange.
‘First things first, I need to cast a spell.’
Sunal began to manipulate the mana within his Mana Circle. As it quickly gathered at his fingertips, he cast a spell.
[Blocks charm and hypnosis.]
Charm. Hypnosis. Block.
Though the words were simple, Sunal imbued the form of mana carrying charm power into the spell, allowing his own mana to recognize and resist it.
The same went for hypnotic power.
Having memorized the mana forms unique to each species, Sunal cast a spell to block any mana carrying charm or hypnosis from touching his body, creating resistance.
The resistance magic was exceptionally difficult, to the point where the government had to legally enforce the suppression of species’ powers through medication rather than magic.
Once Sunal’s body was protected from the powers of charm and hypnosis, the spell was etched onto his clothing, and he smiled softly.
‘Good. Perfect.’
He adjusted his government ID around his neck to make it more visible and then entered the hospital.
The details of the complaint were mostly vague.
The complainant, Avion Trop, who was a Dullahan, had speculated that the charm magic might have spread beyond the building. The police’s request for cooperation from the Interethnic Grievance Resolution Special Unit was similarly unclear.
The police often asked for assistance on cases like this, where they received a report of something like “charm magic seems to be affecting people outside the building,” but nothing concrete.
Collaboration between the police and the Special Unit was common, especially in cases that had strong ties to different species—cases without clear evidence or ones that fell outside the jurisdiction of normal police procedures.
As Sunal entered the hospital, he sniffed slightly.
‘First, let’s get the measuring device out.’
Sunal rummaged through his bag and pulled out the device, as required by protocol. It was a magical machine designed to measure the various powers held by different species.
He pressed the button labeled “charm” on the screen.
According to regulations, if the charm power exceeded a level of 50, the police were required to intervene, but for now, they had simply requested cooperation.
‘Just looking at it, it’s obvious this will easily go over 50. How could they not come? They’re completely slacking.’
Beep. Beep.
The device started beeping, and the numbers began moving. Sunal stared off into space, waiting for the measurement to finish, when a long, sharp beep brought his attention back to the screen.
‘Do they think the Special Unit is some kind of fixer for everything…? Huh?’
49.
It didn’t breach the regulated limit, so the police couldn’t investigate.
No way.
Even when he tried again, the number remained the same.
49.
It wouldn’t go any higher.
Sunal’s eyes drifted upward.
Roughly half the people in the waiting area were sitting there, grinning stupidly under the influence of charm magic. Of that half, around two-thirds seemed to be patients, either receiving treatment or waiting to be treated. The remaining third appeared to be wandering aimlessly, clearly disoriented, as if they were searching for the succubus responsible for the charm magic.
‘How is it this bad, and yet the reading is only 49?’
From what Sunal could see, the situation in the hospital was far more serious than the reading suggested.
Something was definitely off.