Chapter 462

〈 Chapter 462 Part 1 Section 19 〉

“…….”

He brought me to an uncomfortable place. For the first time, he averted his eyes from me and stood by the riverside. His fluttering white coat looked even lonelier today.

“…Because I, Phoenix, am going to cease to exist, Miss Ro will survive in this world as a Fire Attribute Spirit, Chang-yeom.”

“Huh?”

What did this guy just say? I rushed to him and grabbed his wrist.

“……”

He was crying expressionlessly. I was baffled by his tears, which I had never seen before. This was the same person who didn’t cry out in pain even while burning to death, yet here he was silently shedding tears without making a sound.

“…Probably, when I die, I’ll vanish. And you’ll continue all the relationships I’ve built in this world. So, you just stay here and take over my place.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“There’s no other way, no matter what I try. It’s the only way to save you.”

He shook his head with a wistful smile.

“Even if we synchronize our love successfully, how long would it last? Ten minutes at most? Maybe three? Or maybe not even 0.1 seconds. Even if we force it, it’ll break eventually. One of us will definitely perish.”

“…Because of the power gap?”

“Yeah. That’s why, Miss Ro… This is something I’ve really thought through…”

He bent down to look me in the eye.

“Let’s have sex someday. Then I’ll vanish, and you’ll live on in this world as the pure spirit Chang-yeom.”

“What about you?”

“…Hmm, think of it like donating organs and dying. Hehe.”

“………”

You’re completely insane. And at the same time, I feel both grateful and annoyed. He’s sacrificing himself for me…

“Excuse me.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ll do things your way. But there’s a condition.”

“What is it?! Just say it! I’ll do anything I can!”

He smiled more brightly than ever. Brighter than when he first entered my shrine. I hid my expression and lifted my heels. Naturally, he bowed his head.

“If you want to do it with me…”

I kissed his cheek and turned his face toward me.

“…Think of a way for you to survive too, and I’ll let you… Not just once, but forever.”

Surviving together.

Just as he wouldn’t abandon me, I don’t want to survive alone by killing him. It seems like I’m the only one who can take care of this crazy guy.

* * *

D-987

“Alright. Shuri, let’s drop everything unnecessary. Let’s maintain the bare minimum. Who are the core allies?”

“Yun Yuhwa, Hikari, Baek Hee-a.”

In the end, we agreed to walk the path of the villain. And among those walking this villainous path, we chose the three who would be most helpful.

The wealthiest capitalist who could provide the most help in a market economy.

A technician capable of delivering original-level technology anytime, anywhere.

And a political heavyweight who could protect women and comrades as Sun Icheol’s hidden hand.

“What about Cheon Gaeul?”

“Two options. If she’s in New Seoul, leave her to study for now and approach her later. If she awakens as a special ability user, she’ll become an actress and hero. If she’s already awakened as a villain, crush her with force. She’s the type who’d do anything to survive.”

“…Hmm.”

He didn’t look pleased at the mention of Cheon Gaeul. I couldn’t understand his sullen expression.

“Why? Didn’t you spend your days buried in her chest during the Cheon Gaeul route?”

“Gaeul has a great figure, but messing with her might ruin everything for both of us.”

“Why?”

“When the situation in Seoul stabilizes, the protagonist and the starting four will enter a 4P.”

“………”

Stay calm. Considering his personality where all circuits seem to revolve around such thoughts, there must be deeper meaning behind his straightforward and absurd words. Summarizing the implications hidden behind our conversation into one sentence…

“Since overcoming the adversity of Cheon Gaeul strengthens the bonds within the Deathdinus team, you don’t want to mess up the first step?”

“That’s right.”

He seemed uneasy, having been hit where it hurts. Inside, I found it amusing but couldn’t help but tease him.

“Then, won’t Cheon Gaeul suffer greatly during the process of becoming a villain? Don’t you feel sorry for her?”

“…Well, everyone is pitiful—not just Gaeul, but all the others too. But, Miss Ro, there’s a prerequisite we need to establish before proceeding with the story.”

He drew a straight line.

The point in time when Cheon Gaeul becomes a villain: April 2020.

And the moment he possessed my body and fell asleep in this spiritual realm to recover magic power: January 1, 2000.

“We still have over 25 years left. Cheon Gaeul is still in elementary school.”

“Can’t we move faster? Shouldn’t we just burst out immediately? Like breaking free from magma?”

“That’s the problem.”

He tapped his head lightly.

“While I can maintain my memory and consciousness here, I can’t fully grasp the external situation. Right now, I’m suppressing the rampage of the brainwashed Phoenix. It’ll probably take at least 20 years to maintain my sanity outside this world.”

He explained that the power of the brainwashed Phoenix persona hadn’t disappeared even though he had suppressed it. If that power eroded his consciousness, I’d be trapped in this shrine forever, and he would transform into the corrupted Phoenix.

“So, if I go out too early… I’d have to go as Miss Ro. Only a small part of my memories would sync, and if I fall for someone… it’s over. I’d just get chewed up.”

“What strange talk. Don’t you know that the mind follows the body? Then, who would you possibly fall for?”

“A woman?”

“Exactly.”

He casually pointed out my orientation. In front of others, it might have been embarrassing, but I felt relieved that he accepted every aspect of me, including my preferences. Still, the situation was quite amusing.

“Hey, if I were to fall for one of the women you loved, what do you think would happen?”

“It would hurt a lot, but it’s okay. If you’re happy, it’s fine.”

He waved his hand casually, smiling gently as if understanding. For a moment, I wondered if he was being genuine. In this spiritual realm, his thoughts and feelings were transmitted directly to me.

“Even if you were to fall in love with another woman, I would support you. What can be done about natural inclinations? Hehe.”

“But what if I were to fall in love with you instead of another woman?”

“I’m deeply honored.”

“……Do you have any intention of becoming a woman?”

I clung tightly to his body. Like the carnivorous women in his memories who seduced him, I pressed my chest against him and looked up. He began to visibly waver, unlike his usual self.

“If you became a woman, I might reconsider a lot of things.”

“……Give me five minutes to think.”

He started pondering seriously. While transforming into a woman temporarily during intimate moments would change his body and mind, I was considerate enough to preserve his masculinity. …Though I did have the intention of letting him penetrate me once while keeping that part intact, under the condition that he becomes a woman.

“Miss Ro.”

He looked at me seriously. More seriously than when we discussed heroes and villains.

“What do you think about a male interrupting a百合 scene?”

“……So what you’re saying is…”

“If you’re with Yuna or Gaeul and I join in… A 16P+1P call?”

“………”

Six spirits and ten of the most beautiful women in the world, totaling sixteen forming a yuri harem. He proposed something he would have eagerly jumped at in the past, and I almost responded instinctively.

‘I’m not that person anymore.’

But that was the old me. I don’t desire such a harem now. …Of course, if it were served on a platter, I wouldn’t turn it down, but at least now, one person is enough for me.

“I only want a 2P.”

“……Ugh, really? Then who? Yuna? Probably Yuna, right? Or perhaps Shuri from Sukseoi? One of the spirits?”

“Guess, puhehe. You’ll never see who it is.”

One thing to note: there are no mirrors in my shrine.

* * *

D-996

“Then, let’s summarize. How many people must we save?”

“All 16 heroines. And finally, you.”

“Perfect.”

We made appropriate trades. With the premise of saving all 17—16 heroines plus me—we agreed that they didn’t necessarily have to be saved… not because I wanted to create a harem for myself, but because after my earnest persuasion, he empathized with the tragic fates of the heroines.

“Don’t forget. They aren’t characters from the game you played. They are living individuals who are likely suffering in real-time.”

“Yeah, yeah. Empathy. ‘If you were possessed by Seok Harang, what would you do?’ I get it, so we don’t need to talk about that anymore.”

“………”

His tone, as if he were annoyed, made me equally irritable. I grabbed his hands, which were fondling my breasts while hugging me from behind, and placed them on my thighs.

“Do you want to touch my boobs?”

“No. Forbidden for five minutes.”

“……Miss Ro, you know? There’s a saying that breasts are nothing more than imitations of buttocks.”

“……I give up. Honestly.”

I gently got up from his body and turned around. We faced each other, and I straddled his thighs.

“Then, aren’t Cheon Gaeul and Ji Ryun clinging to some butts somewhere? Their hips are smaller than their busts, right?”

“It’s just that some people say that.”

He slowly started massaging from my hip bones. After several rounds of our bet, he now had the right to touch almost every part of my body except one specific area.

“Really, after eating all those other women, you still want to eat me?”

“Miss Ro, let me clarify—I met them as game characters. Meeting them in reality might be different… but you are clearly distinct. Despite the current situation, we actually met directly. In reality. And let me make this clear.”

He grabbed my face.

“I only cleared one route with everyone except Yuna, right? I spent half a year on each route, then skipped directly to Yoonah’s route whenever I intended to enter another’s route. ‘Phoenix route failed, stepping into Yuna’s route, next round go-go.’ Aren’t you sorry to Yoonah?”

“…I would be extremely sorry if I met her in reality.”

He chuckled sheepishly. Though he joked, I knew his sincerity. Since Yuna’s only path to liberation from the avatar of the otherworldly deity was through the Phoenix route, by treading my route, he truly saved Yoonah. …However, the fact that he honed incredible skills and techniques during that process was not slightly but significantly unpleasant.

“Hey, how many times did you do it with Yuna?”

“……More than the number of times I’ve died?”

“Is that so? Hmph. So you used the time acceleration feature in the virtual reality game to do it with her repeatedly. Eating rice, making pancakes, drinking coffee, making pancakes, watching movies, making pancakes—it’s almost like writing a historical record. Would you like to recite the Eighty Thousand Pancake Sutra you shared with Yuna?”

“T, what should I say… …Miss Ro, are you jealous?”

Are you insane?

“Insane? Why should I be jealous? Just because I allowed you to touch me a little, you’re getting arrogant. I haven’t opened my heart enough to let you into my inner sanctum yet. Stop deluding yourself. Just because you mastered patterns while defeating the monster Phoenix doesn’t mean I’m an easy girl. I was the Spirit of Fire, a Saint! According to your fantasy standards, the Goddess of Fire! The name was illustrious—■! …Unification God Ra!!”

It irritates me that my name has been taken away like this. It was also quite unpleasant to be called by some vague name every time instead of my proper one.

“I can’t handle this. Let’s brainstorm a new name from now on. We need to decide a new name.”

“What? We agreed to decide who and how we’ll save the kids.”

“Shut up. Are they important, or am I important?”

“You, obviously. What about the name thing?”

“Nickname. Let’s decide on a nickname you’ll use to call me.”

“Cheongnyeon (靑火).”

The answer came swiftly.