The elder.
The existence who was the leader of Hyunmoo Team 1.
The one who had bestowed “goblin pranks” on the agents through the window of that clubroom-like waiting room, letting them enter the Sparkling Dragon Palace in the form of small children.
‘They can’t be human.’
I was almost certain of it.
So I had expected that through that window in the waiting room, we would perform some kind of magical rite and go meet the “elder.”
But that was not how things went.
“Hup, let’s go carefully.”
Thunk.
We traveled by car.
“…??”
“It’s not that far, maybe around forty minutes?”
I supposed I should at least be grateful it was not by bicycle.
The three agents used an absurdly ordinary means of transportation and headed through Seoul toward their destination.
That place was….
[Blue Hope Hospital]
“…….”
A white building in a quiet area.
A convalescent hospital.
Judging from how kind the staff all were and how many visitors there seemed to be, it looked like a very well-managed place….
As if they were familiar with it, the agents entered the front doors without hesitation.
“Excuse me, we’re here to visit Park Hongrim-nim.”
“Ah, of course! This way….”
When we went up to the fifth floor, we found a sunlit private room.
And….
There, on a bed washed in the warm light of the sunset from the window, lay an elderly woman with a peaceful face.
If she had been awake, I would have thought her someone bright and gentle-looking.
Truly… an elder.
“Grape. Say hello. This is our elder.”
“…….”
On the table sat a framed rolling paper, full of messages people had written.
Just like in the waiting room of Hyunmoo Team 1.
-Hongrim eonni, I really, really love you
-Thank you always
-Leaving proof that I rescued the Andong…