A Terminal Healer Needs an Obsessive Maniac

Chapter 60

St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Once a must-visit tourist attraction for visitors to this city, it was now a place closed by decree of the Austrian Federal Government’s Prime Minister. This was due to rumors that approaching carelessly would result in a spiritual curse.

As Ryu Seo-ha approached the entrance, all doors opened by themselves. The black iron gate with warning signs, the outer stone door with delicate carvings in relief, and the inner wooden door simply decorated with a grid pattern.

-I’ll follow you with my concealment skill. Just act as usual.

The interior of the cathedral, once grand and magnificent, was cold and gloomy, probably because it had not been visited by people for a long time.

Only the sunlight seeping in from outside the stained glass windows and the candles placed in front of the central altar diluted the darkness, with no other lights turned on.

As he looked around, small arrow marks appeared as if drawn with fluorescent material on the floor. Someone was definitely watching.

They must have checked if he came alone as instructed and then displayed the guidance marks. Ryu Seo-ha obediently followed the arrows. Soon, stairs leading down to the catacombs appeared.

At the bottom of the stairs was a single small, black arched door. It seemed a bit too modest for an entrance to an underground communal tomb where the skulls of martyred early Christians were enshrined.

“Show the invitation.”

While he was debating whether to go down the stairs or wait at the top, a voice distorted by mechanical sounds was heard. Startled, he turned around to see a figure wearing a skull mask.

Dressed in a black robe, it was difficult to guess even their gender, let alone body shape. Surely there had been no one there just a moment ago. It seemed they had deactivated their concealment skill after confirming his arrival.

“Follow me.”

After he operated his phone to show the text message, the skull mask began descending the stairs. The staircase wasn’t long, so it only took a few seconds to reach the black door.

Click.

After the skull mask touched the door, the sound of it unlocking was heard. It seemed to be a similar type of door to the magical power recognition device he had seen in the From Hell Guild Master’s office.

“Enter first.”

The skull mask, who had slightly moved aside towards the wall, ordered him in a monotone voice. As he slowly moved forward, he felt the familiar sensation of an arm wrapping around his waist.

“Your tongue is short.”

Splash─!

An unpleasant noise of blood gushing like a fountain rang out, but Ryu Seo-ha didn’t witness any cruel scene with his eyes. This was because his face was buried in Choi Gang-hu’s embrace.

Soon after, he felt the presence of rescue team hunters who had appeared using scroll items. This was possible thanks to Choi Gang-hu transmitting real-time spatial coordinates for movement.

“Front gate team 1, arrived at entrance. Entering immediately.”

With Kwon Se-jeong’s voice contacting the team in charge of the back door, the temperature of the air touching his skin changed. Choi Gang-hu’s [Spatial Jump] skill had been activated.

When he turned his head, the main gate of Prague Castle came into view. Moving from Vienna, Austria to Prague, Czech Republic with just one spatial skill – he was once again amazed by this ability.

“Are you dizzy?”

He must have been unconsciously gripping the coat hem again, as a worried voice and a hand checking his forehead were felt. Ryu Seo-ha shook his head with a slight smile.

“I guess it’s become a habit.”

“May I ask a few questions before that?”

“Speak freely. You’ve already paid a fair price to purchase time here, haven’t you?”

Kitlova was no fool. She was a person famous not only for her healing abilities but also for her unique erudition and wisdom, capable of having in-depth conversations with notable figures in politics and business.

Yet she offered a greeting that would raise the other’s guard from their first meeting? It could only be thought of as an intentional revealing of her affiliation or position. Still, it was necessary to probe once more.

He needed to ask a question that could confirm Kitlova’s position but that Choi Gang-hu, who was likely eavesdropping, wouldn’t immediately understand. Just then, he recalled a rumor that the Czech S-class healer liked to quote passages from various scriptures.

“Do you know of Haman, who was a vizier in ancient Persia?”

“Of course. Isn’t he the villain from the Bible who plotted to massacre the Jews?”

“If I were in the position of Mordecai, the Jew who noticed this extermination policy and was in danger, what should I do?”

“You should seek out Esther. The woman who will thwart the evil plan after reassuring Haman with courage risking her life.”

‘Seek out’ instead of ‘go to’. ‘Will thwart’ instead of ‘thwarted’. It was a subtle choice of English words and tense that implied a nuanced meaning.

Unlike his earlier refusal, Ryu Seo-ha obediently sat down across the table. And he nodded while maintaining direct eye contact with the other person. Kitlova, recognizing the signal, pressed the item button to spread a sonic barrier around them.

“While I’m pleased and glad to meet you like this, let’s skip the introduction as we don’t have much time.”

And as if she wished she could allocate more time but couldn’t due to circumstances, she began with a regretful expression.

“Are you affiliated with the cult?”

When he nodded as if that was what he had been hoping for and asked directly, Kitlova smiled and shook her head.

“I’m just one of their many long-term pawns.”

“Why did you reveal that fact to me?”

“Because only you can save me.”

There were many things he was curious about, such as why she was so certain and how she ended up being used by the cult, but he decided to move on to the main point first.

“It seems you knew in advance that I would come here... Do you also know why I came?”

“Isn’t it to find an answer to ward off the shadow of death that falls without pain?”

He was also curious about how she knew all of this, but finding the cause of the lifespan problem came first.

“And do you know what that answer is?”

“You need to resolve the discrepancy between soul and body.”

“Discrepancy...?”

He couldn’t manage his expression at the unexpected answer.

“Doesn’t your soul have its origin in another world?”

His heart shook violently.

“In that world where the savior of this world, hiding over there, once wandered.”