< Episode 235 Return (2) >
“Hyung, the main character of the novel has such a clichéd ability. What is an S-class status window? An S-class status window.”
Something felt strange.
“It would have been a lot more fun if they had just changed that a little bit.”
It was clearly me who was speaking, but I had a strange feeling that it was someone else speaking.
“Oh, right! How about just removing the status window? Just being the only one without a status window.”
My mouth kept spitting out words regardless of my will.
It feels like I'm watching a movie filmed from the first-person perspective.
“Clear the status window······?”
“Yeah. A change of perspective. If you can’t change the worldview, just change the main character.”
Maybe I'm dreaming.
I guess I'm seeing my memories from before I became a web novel reader, Kang Seo-yool, in the form of a dream.
So is this the arrangement you were talking about? Something that allows you to experience sealed memories in the form of dreams.
“Only the main character······changed?”
“To be exact, only the protagonist’s abilities.”
But this is the situation now.
It's quite different from what I remember.
The flow of the conversation is somewhat similar, but the atmosphere is completely different.
First of all, the fact that I'm not drunk is a huge difference.
“But without a status window, there’s no way to get stronger.”
“You can just re-configure it.”
My brother also has a very serious atmosphere, different from what I remember.
“Reset the settings?”
“It’s an advantage to not having a status window. The general idea that comes to mind is······. You can ignore item wearing restrictions, right?”
“Even so, it’s meaningless without a status window. Without a status window, there’s no growth potential. No matter how much you train, you can never become stronger than an athlete.”
The atmosphere was also very serious.
It's completely different from the cheerful atmosphere I remember.
“What can’t become stronger? Since you are the creator, you can just create something new.”
"that······."
“I know that my brother’s strength is his ability to create a solid worldview. But right now, I feel like my brother is rather immersed in his worldview. His thoughts are too confined. Should I call it a fixed idea?”
As the conversation continued, something began to dawn on me.
I should say that I feel a strange sense of foreboding. It feels like deja vu.
“Don’t get too hung up on the worldview, and even if it means changing the settings a little······.”
“That won’t do.”
That determined expression and answer.
I remember. God's firm and uncompromising rejection.
“The worldview cannot be changed. Absolutely not.”
“······.”
At first glance, it looked like he was being stubborn, but I remember that his expression was so determined that I couldn't say anything more.
“······Well. If the author himself doesn’t like it, then there’s nothing I can do. The author is my older brother, not me.”
I also thought that going any further would be going too far.
“Then. Let’s think about a way to make the novel more interesting while maintaining the worldview.”
Just as faded memories gradually regain their luster, situations gradually become clearer.
“While maintaining the world view······.”
“First of all, what I said earlier. If the main character doesn’t have a status window, is it possible to use the setting where the restrictions on wearing items disappear within the world view you created?”
It was a question asking if it didn't conflict with the world view.
“It is possible.”
“Then, ancient relics… artifacts can be used too?”
“Hmm. Maybe.”
At that time, I probably thought, if it works, it will work, and if it doesn't, it won't. What could possibly work?
“Then let’s come up with a new setting related to that ancient relic. One that fits well with the existing worldview.”
“New settings······.”
“Hmm. What could it be? Oh, yeah!”
As we talked, I remember getting so excited that I said all sorts of things.
Seriously, more than 90% of it was nonsense.
“Seo-yul-ah. No matter what, isn’t that a bit too brain-dead?”
My brother, who had been listening quietly, casually brought up this topic, so I guess that says it all.
“Gurang······? Then how about this?”
Still, I gave my opinion regardless.
And the final opinion was this.
“Or, there’s something called ‘Adam’s Stigmata’ in the settings of your novel.”
"······uh?"
“It only appeared briefly. It was like a symbolic transaction that created the world.”
“······It was mentioned briefly. Do you remember it?”
“Of course. How many times do you think I’ve read your novel?”
"······haha."
My brother smiled awkwardly.
“Anyway, how about using Adam’s stigmata to give the protagonist an advantage? It’s a setting that was carefully planned, so it would be a shame to throw it away. If you use it well, something amazing could come out of it.”
“Adam’s stigmata······should we give them to the protagonist?”
I remember that expression too.
I have never seen my brother look so surprised before.
“Is this brain dead too? I just blurted out what came to mind.”
“······.”
My brother didn't answer.
Just, his eyes shine with a mysterious expression.
Laugh, frown, laugh again, frown again.
As I watched his constantly changing expressions, I felt something was off, so I just watched quietly.
“Yeah. There was a way like that.”
Exactly 11 minutes passed like that.
I remember it clearly because I looked at my phone every now and then because I was bored.
“If you just touch it well······, it’s possible. If it’s now······. And if Seo-yool helps······.”
Her brilliant eyes, sparkling with joy, pierce me.
An expression of immense determination.
“Seoyul. I have something to tell you.”
“What is it all of a sudden?”
Those eyes that were previously emotionless and seemingly liberated are somehow vivid today.
At that time, I thought that way.
“If I tell you that the world of my novel······the S-class status window is not simply fiction, but another world that actually exists······can you believe it?”
"······uh?"
From that point on.
“Seoyul. I have something to ask of you.”
My memory has completely returned.
* * *
“Excuse me? Are you okay?”
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was a man's face looking down at me with a worried expression.
“If you feel unwell, go to the hospital······.”
An ordinary handsome man wearing simple slacks and a neat short-sleeved shirt.
Behind his face rose a series of tall buildings.
If you're familiar with it, then you're familiar with it.
If you miss it, it's a scenery you miss.
“Hello? Is this 119? There’s a person collapsed here······.”
The word 119 brought me back to my senses.
“Oh, I’m fine. I haven’t been able to sleep well lately, so I suddenly feel dizzy······.”
“Ah. Is that so?”
A passerby who was on the phone with the 119 rescue team smiled awkwardly.
“I think you’re okay. Yes. I’m sorry for bothering you.”
The man finished the call, put his phone in his pocket, and held out his hand to me.
I took his hand and stood up.
"thank you."
“No. I’m glad to hear that you’re okay.”
The man smiled warmly and turned around.
“Okay, that’s it. I have an appointment.”
“Oh, yes. Sorry to bother you when you’re busy.”
The man smiled one last time, then turned and walked away from me.
“······.”
What a kind person.
After finishing my thoughts briefly like that, I immediately looked around.
Between the familiar high-rise buildings, many people are walking.
Neat and flashy clothes that seem to assert their own individuality.
No one has long ears, no one has wings, and no one has eyes slit open like a reptile.
“······You’re back.”
I returned safely to the present.
* * *
As I walked down the street, I could tell that this was Gangnam.
Just as my brother had said, exactly one year had passed.
I knew for sure when I saw the news.
―News about system evolution events that occurred worldwide.
―Along with the system message Loading that suddenly appeared, what is the identity of the percentage that keeps increasing······.
The main system seems to have definitely woken up. The system version upgrade is probably in full swing right now.
“You’re really back.”
Something doesn't feel real.
Is it because I'm too used to the past?
Or maybe my head is just too complicated.
"ha······."
I sat on a park bench and looked up at the sky. I just blankly watched the clouds drift by.
“······Damn it, God. Why are you sealing away my perfectly good memories and acting like a piece of shit?”
I regained memories that I had forgotten.
Things that happened before entering the novel. All the memories that Shin had intentionally sealed.
“If I hadn’t sealed my memories, I wouldn’t have suffered like this.”
Before getting into the novel,
I listened to Brother Shin talk about this world for a whole 6 hours.
It covers everything from the background of the birth of the world, to the story of the blank decade, to how the present was formed, and what the future holds.
I heard it all without missing a single one.
I've even heard that the original Demon God is half-fictional, and that the Demon God's real power is the power of destiny, so I guess you could say I've really heard it all.
After hearing the full story, I agreed to move to this world.
'But why are you sealing my memories… no, fabricating them?'
Of course, my memories weren't sealed for no reason.
From Shin's point of view, there must have been a reason why it had to be that way.
Otherwise, there would be no way to choose the memory sealing option, which is just a penalty.
“······Ao.”
Even though I understood, I couldn't help but feel annoyed.
If I had this knowledge from the beginning, I wouldn't have suffered like this.
When I thought about it like that, I started to get annoyed.
“Ugh.”
okay.
Where did you regain your memories even now?
The current situation isn't that bad.
Ruminating on your frustrations is just a waste of time.
It's much more constructive to think about how to use the memories you've regained during your frustrating time.
'Let's move.'
I got up from the bench.
Now that I've almost finished organizing my thoughts, I guess I should go home.
“······I wonder if the house is still there.”
Quite a bit of time had passed.
It wouldn't be strange if you moved house.
It doesn't seem likely that Lena would have left the house alone.
'I'll go and see for myself first, and then after I move I'll look for a non-married guild or a myth group.'
There are many ways to meet.
I walked with a light heart.
'By the way, I wonder what happened to the past.'
What happened to the past after I left?
After all, is it really following the original path of history?
'Those who were meant to die, died, those who were meant to live, lived, and so it ended in a draw after 10 years.'
That's probably very likely.
When I thought about the people I had just been with dying, a part of my heart ached.
Even though I was prepared, I guess I can't help but feel bitter.
'The other races will soon begin to return, one by one. Then we will know.'
The return of the xenos begins in earnest immediately after the activation of the main system.
The return of the xenos will probably begin within a week at the latest.
And finally, Masin returns, ending the return of all the different races.
'The return of the demon is about two months later.'
You have to do everything you can during those two months.
'Until then, I can't waste a single day.'
That's when I was thinking that.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-!
The siren blared.
A siren that alerts citizens to evacuate.
At the same time, a surge of magical power surged from the west.
A fierce magical attack full of fighting spirit.
'······What is this?'
The problem is that what you feel there isn't just magic.
'Sexual power? Sexual power?'
As if responding to the fiercely shaking magic power, the sexual power also shakes.
My eyes fluttered.
“Why is the power so······ right now?”
Holy power is the exclusive property of the celestials.
Feeling the power of the spirits means that the celestials exist.
'The episode of the return of the other race, there's still about a week left until the revolution, why······?'
It makes no sense for the Celestials to exist now.
It was something I couldn't understand at all.
'I'll have to check it with my own eyes.'
I quickly kicked the ground.
A place where you can feel the magic and the power of the spirit is not far from here.
If you run as fast as you can, you can get there in 5 minutes.
'What the hell is going on?'
* * *
West of Seoul.
A murderous atmosphere was brewing around the Shinwha Group site.
“······I haven’t heard any news that the Celestials will be visiting today.”
Vice President of Shinwha Group.
Shin Ji-ah looked at the intruders and muttered coldly.
“If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared a grand welcoming party.”
Despite her confident appearance, Shin Ji-ah was nervous on the inside.
That's understandable, the opponent is the opponent.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to welcome each other.”
A mid-level angel with four pairs of wings answered expressionlessly.
With those words, the already tense atmosphere became even more tense.
“······It seems that the Savior side still has no intention of joining hands with us.”
“I have no intention of joining hands with suspicious people who might betray me at any moment.”
Half a year ago, as the alien races began to return in large numbers, two forces began to rise to power.
[Savior] and [Breaking Order].
The groups representing good and evil began fighting like mad immediately after returning.
Naturally, humanity was caught up in the war between these two forces.
“I told you. Our goal is to eliminate the faction. We have no reason to betray you······.”
“I can’t believe it.”
The Celestial King cut off Shin Ji-ah's words with firm words.
“With more than ten nations already under the apostasy, there is no longer any option to join hands with you humans.”
“How many times have we said that we are different from those countries······.”
“It’s the same. They and you, in the end, we’re all the same human race. If one betrays, it means the other human race is also a potential traitor. That’s the innate characteristic of the species.”
Shin Ji-ah bit her lips.
No matter what I say, it doesn't get through.
As long as there is a country that has already betrayed him, to Savior, humanity is nothing more or less than a 'potential subordinate of the apostate'.
“It’s a shame. I had hoped that today would be the day we could make peace.”
Shin Ji-ah smiled brightly.
“Hmm. Then it would be even more regrettable to hear this.”
Looking at Shin Ji-ah like that, Cheonjok said expressionlessly.
“I have come today to sentence you.”
“Sentence······?”
The mystical pupils of the celestials sparkled with life.
“I guess I should call it a declaration of war, to be exact.”
Declaration of war.
Shin Ji-ah's eyes trembled in confusion at the sudden declaration of war.
“Can I ask why···?”
“This morning. A human male was captured at the third stronghold of the sect.”
He stares intently at Shin Ji-ah's trembling pupils.
“The man’s name is Kim Min-gyu.”
“······!”
Shin Ji-ah's pupils dilated greatly.
“I heard he was the Chief of Staff to the President of Korea.”
A blue light flowed from the celestial's eyes.
“Do I need to explain further?”
The situation was starting to head towards catastrophe.
< Episode 235 Return (2) > End
