The expressions of the party members changed at my words. Jung Heewon’s eyes were wide while Lee Jihye looked confused. Lee Hyunsung had big eyes. Finally, Shin Yoosung…
「 Kim Dok ja has the wrong id ea. 」
The Fourth Wall was heard in my head.
「 It isn’t too la te now. 」
I didn’t know if it was the will of the Fourth Wall or the weak part of my mind. The Fourth Wall reflected my feelings to some extent so both might be true. Either way, this time I made a decision.
“I know it is hard to understand my words.” I had to tell this story to the group of people. “I’ll slowly explain it from the beginning.”
I talked for a long time. One day, the novel I was reading became reality. In that story, I met them. I didn’t tell them the whole story but at the same time, I didn’t lie.
I knew about the group members before I met them. I didn’t speak properly about the fact that I knew the future. I monopolized information alone and deceived people. I spoke about all of it. It was as if I was bringing out the old darkness.
A little further away from the party, Han Sooyoung was staring at me with a frown. I understood her feelings. It was the same with Han Sooyoung of the 1863rd round.
However, I couldn’t live like Han Sooyoung. This story should be done properly. To move forward properly, some stories must be communicated. Someday… just as Yoo Jonghyuk.
「 I am a regressor. 」
Maybe Yoo Jonghyuk also felt like me. He knew the future, experienced the same story again and again and met the party members in countless rounds. Then… he sent them away. I could
understand Yoo Jonghyuk’s feelings when he poured out the story without any tricks.
“…Thus, I brought you here.”
My story was over. Yet no one opened their mouths after the story was over. It wasn’t that they didn’t understand my story. It was a long story that even a young child could comprehend. Nevertheless, the party members didn’t speak.
I bowed and continued. “I want to sincerely apologize to all of you. I’m really sorry to only be telling you this now.”
I wanted to know. What was the group thinking? What were they feeling? Even so, I didn’t use Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. In this situation, it really would be a deception if I read them using this skill.
I wanted to use my own strength without relying on any skills. I wanted to believe that whatever they thought and felt inside, the actions they chose was really their decision.
I slowly looked up and met Lee Jihye’s eyes. Lee Jihye’s eyes were red. The moment I saw these eyes, I suddenly realized something. I already knew these eyes.
「 “Then Master knew all of the future…” 」
They were exactly the same as when Lee Jihye heard Yoo Jonghyuk’s story. Lee Jihye slowly opened her mouth. “Then until now, you knew all about the future…”
As if the original character was reading the given script, Lee Jihye spoke. I also responded to her like there was a script.
「 “That’s right.” 」
“Yes.”
Lee Jihye gritted her teeth and told me, “Then now… why are you telling us this?”
The wounded Sword Demon was furious. I read the original novel and could predict what she would say.
「 “What the hell are we to you?” 」
Lee Jihye’s shoulders trembled slightly as she bowed her head. The situation that followed continued to flow in my mind. Lee Jihye would pull out her sword and might attack me because she couldn’t suppress her anger.
There were many such occasions in the original novel. However, Lee Jihye chose a way that I didn’t expect at all. “Let’s say that you knew the future.”
“…”
“It was all planned and Ahjussi used us for your purpose. Let’s say we are characters of that damn Ways of Survival and everything is set!” Lee Jihye was crying, watching me while biting her pallid lips. “Then… why did you throw your life away for us so many times?”
I saw the tears falling down her cheeks and tried to open my mouth several times. It was an unexpected question. It was because it was unexpected that I couldn’t answer…
“Answer me! If we are really characters in a fictional novel, why did you die for us over and over?”
It was a question that I couldn’t answer with the Ways of Survival that I read.
[The ‘Fourth Wall’ is shaking violently.]
Lee Jihye wiped her eyes and hit my shoulder as she walked past me. Jung Heewon hurriedly chased after her.
“…Dokja-ssi, we’ll talk later.”
Shin Yoosung hesitated as she stared at me helplessly before following after Jung Heewon. Lee Hyunsung had blank eyes as he walked out of the room with a bowed head.
The only ones remaining were Han Sooyoung, Lee Seolhwa and Lee Gilyoung. Lee Gilyoung was staring at me with complicated eyes while Lee Seolhwa bowed her head like she was shocked. Han Sooyoung patted Lee Seolhwa’s back and snapped at me. “Kim Dokja, leave for a while.”
***
A hospital room. I gazed at my mother’s sleeping face. I visited the hospital room in the interlude because the party members didn’t return after a long time.
Since the last major surgery, my mother slept like this all day. She had shaded eyes and haggard cheeks. I peered at my mother’s face and was reminded of a time when I visited her in prison. What did my mother think when her son visited her and only talked about a novel?
“Your expression is dark.”
“…You are awake?”
“I woke up from the moment you entered.”
It was a voice that didn’t contain any energy. I dragged a matted blanket up and covered my mother’s neck. My mother smiled faintly. “It is good to almost die. My son is taking care of me.”
“Get better quickly.”
“Talk to me. Anything is fine.”
I struggled for a moment before opening my mouth. “In the 154th round of Ways of Survival, Yoo Jonghyuk brought up the story of his regression with the party members…”
“Did you talk to the group about Ways of Survival?”
“How do you know?”
My mother stretched out her bony hand and grabbed mine. “You thought they would blame you. You thought they would feel deceived and ask why you hid the information.”
“It didn’t happen like that.”
“You don’t know how to seek forgiveness.”
I silently nodded.
-Answer me! If we are really characters in a fictional novel, why did you die for us over and over?”
Lee Jihye’s voice was revolving in my ears.
My mother said, “It isn’t up to you to decide if it is a matter to forgive.”
“Then…”
“Maybe the person behind you can tell you.”
I turned my head and saw Jung Heewon standing at the door of the hospital room. I excused myself and left the hospital room.
Jung Heewon scratched her cheeks and suggested, “Shall we take a walk?”
We walked down the corridor of the hospital wing. It was a simple corridor where no decorations could be found. It seemed to be Yoo Jonghyuk’s taste… this guy had been tinkering with the Factory in the last three years. In fact, the end of this corridor contained the hospital room where Yoo Jonghyuk was lying.
Jung Heewon looked out the window and opened her mouth first. “Thank you… for telling me.”
I didn’t know how much Jung Heewon had been troubled before saying this. It was worse because I couldn’t see her face. The party members could be seen outside the window. Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung were bickering while Lee Hyunsung and Lee Seolhwa comforted Lee Jihye.
“Everyone will be fine. Jihye will take a bit of time but…”
“Heewon-ssi…”
Before I could finish my words, Jung Heewon turned to look at me. Her face was smiling as usual. I closed my mouth and Jung Heewon asked, “Are you surprised because I’m fine?”
“That’s not it”
“No, it isn’t.”
Jung Heewon had long known that I had ‘future information.’ Perhaps among the characters, she was the person who knew the most about me.
Jung Heewon spoke as she started stretching. “It isn’t a big deal. This is a world where monsters and dokkaebis exist… it is something special that turned the novel into a reality.”
“…”
“I understand the past now. The reason why Dokja-ssi said I didn’t appear in the future. Does that mean I wasn’t in the novel that Dokja-ssi read?”
“…Yes.”
Biyoo floated like a cloud and moved above Shin Yoosung’s head.
Jung Heewon told me, “Then I was able to safely come here thanks to Dokja-ssi.”
“That, Heewon-ssi―”
“Thank you for finding me. I’m not being sarcastic. I mean it sincerely.”
I knew. I was already familiar with the tone Jung Heewon used to tease me. Even so, I didn’t know what to say.
“Don’t be gloomy and depressed by yourself and look forward to the future. If you like, give me a promotion faster. Now, this is a handshake to cheer up.”
Jung Heewon grabbed my hand with a strong force. Something warm suddenly rose inside me.
I firmly bit my lips.
「Jung Heewon, she isn’t okay. 」
I could feel the pulse from Jung Heewon’s hand. She would also be sad. She would be in pain and it would be hard for her. Even so…
Jung Heewon held my hand tightly for a while before letting go with a smile. Then she asked, “By the way Dokja-ssi… I have a question.”
“Yes, ask.”
“If this world is a novel, it means there is a protagonist.”
As expected, Jung Heewon was sharp. I told the group about Ways of Survival but I didn’t say who the protagonist was. However, Jung Heewon was already aware of the identity of the protagonist.
Jung Heewon was staring at the end of the corridor. “Is that why you were fighting?”
“I haven’t exactly spoken to him but… it seems so.”
“Since you started it, you need to see the end properly. Do you know?”
I nodded.
“That person won’t be easy.”
I knew. Still, it couldn’t be avoided.
***
For the next two days, I was in Yoo Jonghyuk’s hospital room. I hardly met with other people. I was worried but decided to remain calm. I believed that the people needed time to think. It wouldn’t be too late to talk once the party members were ready.
Yoo Jonghyuk still didn’t wake up.
“The wounds of his flesh have almost recovered. I thin kit is a problem of the mind.”
“A problem of the mind?”
“It seems he is refusing to wake up… perhaps he experienced a severe shock.”
Those were Aileen’s words. She exchanged the story pack and left, leaving only Yoo Jonghyuk and I in the room.
The floating dust settled on his nose. I opened my mouth while watching Yoo Jonghyuk. “You grabbed me first and dropped me down the bridge.”
I knew he couldn’t hear me but I still wanted to talk.
「 “Get your hand off me and get lost, you damn jerk.”
“I believe you. You are definitely a prophet.” 」
The first time I encountered him on the bridge. Suddenly, a laugh emerged.
“Honestly, you aren’t in a position to blame me for anything. You are a regressor… how many people died because of you?”
Once I started speaking, the memories poured out like a waterfall. It was like Pandora’s Box. It felt as if a lot of time had passed. I had spent a lot of time with this person.
“I thought I understood you better than anyone but I don’t know these days. Why did you do that in during the Flood of Disasters?”
「 “…That person is my companion.” 」
“Why did you call me a companion? You wouldn’t say that normally… Stabbing me in Dark Castle… even though I told you to kill me at the time.”
「 “Kim Dokja! No! Kim Dokja!” 」
Every single memory caused numerous emotions to rise. The scenarios, which were really serious at the time, became stories once they were over. We were left with the stories.
“Still, I am grateful for the revolutionary game. I lived at that time because of you. Still, it is weird. Why did you sell my name when hitting the wrong industrial complex? Well… maybe you were trying to fuck with me.”
I poured out the things I was thinking about and gradually became sleepy. I hadn’t slept properly…
The complaints continued even as my consciousness dimmed. The times I fought with him passed like I was reading Ways of Survival.
The Disaster of Questions. The strongest sacrifice. Peace Land. The tomb of the scenario. The Demon King Selection and Gigantomachia. It was hard to find a battlefield where I didn’t fight with him. I thought back on those times.
‘Perhaps it will be okay.’
I could convince him somehow if it was the Yoo Jonghyuk I knew. We had never talked about it properly. What if I took the time to explain it step by step? It was Yoo Jonghyuk, not someone else…
I could see Yoo Jonghyuk’s back in the distance. I forgot it was a dream and approached him.
‘Yoo Jonghyuk.’
At this moment, there was a stinging pain from my head and words appeared. It was a scene from Ways of Survival. The scene where Yoo Jonghyuk was betrayed by Anna Croft and lived miserably.
They were the last words Yoo Jonghyuk left.
「 “I will absolutely never forgive you.” 」
Yoo Jonghyuk turned around and spoke to me. Killing energy was emitted from the Black Demon Sword.
「 “Kim Dokja.” 」
I felt a coolness from my neck and woke up. I gasped while sweating before realizing it was a dream. The dim moonlight was coming in through the window. It was a bare hospital room.
I slowly rubbed my eyes. Then I realized something was wrong.
“…Yoo Jonghyuk?”
The bed was empty. Yoo Jonghyuk couldn’t be seen anywhere in the room. The selected Ringer’s solution was floating in the air. I hurriedly got up but I couldn’t feel Yoo Jonghyuk anywhere.
On the bed, the pocket watch with the familiar design remained. The remaining time until the Constellation and Demon War was 26 days.
On this day, Yoo Jonghyuk left Kim Dokja’s Company.
TL: Rainbow Turtle
