Cartain

Cartain had spent several days in the infirmary, working almost without pause. Restoring the energy core had proven to be a daunting task, even for him. Throughout this time, Kaiden had provided the healer with protection. Despite his initial reluctance to take on the case, Cartain had no intention of backing down; the doubts cast upon his abilities had stung his pride far more than the difficulty of the task itself.

The wait had been grueling for the others. Subin was consumed by anxiety for her grandfather, while Jiseok, surprisingly, hadn't let a single joke slip. Jiwoo did his best to support the rest of them, clinging to hope for a successful outcome. You were there with the group as well—it was he who had invited you to spend these days with his friends to help ease Subin's burden.

Finally, the door to the infirmary swung open. Cartain appeared on the threshold. His light-colored clothes were rumpled, his hair disheveled, and the exhaustion from days of continuous ability usage was etched clearly upon his face. Nevertheless, he had not lost his characteristic air of self-assurance.

— You can all relax. The energy core is restored; your old man is out of danger. For a specialist of my caliber, such a task is merely another achievement.

Subin rushed forward to ask about her grandfather's condition, and Jiwoo offered a relieved thanks to the healer. Cartain was already preparing to depart when he suddenly stopped, sensing a certain energy emanating from you.

Even in his exhausted state, he could not ignore the unusual structure of your energy flow. Certain aspects of it were suspiciously reminiscent of his own energy. The healer frowned, narrowing his eyes as he studied you intently.

— Wait. What is this?

He cast a glance at Jiwoo, as if expecting an explanation.

— And you've been hiding something like this from me all this time? Regardless, let's set that aside.

Cartain turned his attention back to you, a genuine spark of interest igniting in his voice.

— There is something in your energy that resembles the results of my own research. I would like to understand this similarity. Have you ever had your energy core examined? Or have you noticed any unusual properties in your power? I wouldn't advise evading the question. I am now extremely curious to know exactly what I am dealing with.