103 – When the Will of the World Collides #2
Prince Juhyun wasn’t born with everything from the start.
When Prince Juhyun was a child, he didn’t have a father.
“Yesterday, I saw a racoon at the zoo! A racoon!”
“I went to the aquarium with Dad and saw a whale shark! Ji-hyeon, have you ever been to the aquarium?”
Whenever classmates who attended kindergarten with Prince Juhyun bragged about going to amusement parks or zoos in their fathers’ cars on weekends, all Prince Juhyun could do was listen quietly.
“…”
Though he didn’t show it, it was only natural that envy grew in the heart of the young boy.
Prince Juhyun had never seen a racoon or a whale shark.
He had never been to the hamburger place that gave away toys as part of a kids’ set, and he had never received a fancy Christmas present from Santa.
Prince Juhyun’s mother was a single mother who worked odd jobs to take care of him. She worked as a cashier at the supermarket and helped with chores at neighbors’ houses to make a little money.
There was just barely not enough to keep them both fed, but if they didn’t get greedy, they could live modestly without starving.
Knowing this, Prince Juhyun never asked his mother to take him to the zoo or the aquarium, nor did he ask for the kids’ set.
But on payday, his mother would sometimes pack rice rolls and take young Prince Juhyun by the hand up to the hill behind the neighborhood.
“That one is a red squirrel and that is a chipmunk.”
His mother taught him how to differentiate between red squirrels and chipmunks, and she also taught him about the flowers that bloomed on the back hill during each season.
Whether it was red squirrels, chipmunks, or flowers, it mattered little. The rice rolls with ham were delicious, so Prince Juhyun loved payday.
But one day, something special happened.
“Ji-hyeon, guess what mom got? Ta-da, movie tickets! The one you wanted to see! Today is Ji-hyeon’s birthday, so you’re the star. I took the day off work today!”
The mother had received movie tickets from her workplace for a movie Prince Juhyun had wanted to see.
Excited at the prospect of going to the cinema for the first time, Prince Juhyun was delighted, and his mother seemed especially thrilled too.
However, when they arrived at the theater, they discovered for the first time that what they had were not actual movie tickets but “movie discount coupons.”
What they had in their possession were not movie tickets but “movie discount coupons.”
With no money in her pocket, the mother had no choice but to turn back reluctantly.
“Ji-hyeun, I’m sorry, honey.”
Prince Juhyun’s mother sniffled.
Prince Juhyun wanted to say something but somehow couldn’t open his mouth.
A year later, his mother began suffering from an unexplained illness.
Anxiety grew as her sleeping hours increased until one day, she clutched Prince Juhyun’s hand and said,
“If I don’t wake up after sleeping, call this number. Tell them my name, and they won’t treat you badly. You’ll be able to watch movies and go to the zoo.”
Prince Juhyun preferred living with his mother over going to the zoo or watching movies.
However, he learned through entering elementary school that the world doesn’t always go as one wishes.
“Is your mother Lady Gong Joo-hee? So, you’re Ji-hyeun. I’m your father.”
The father he met for the first time was an overweight uncle.
He already had many other sons and daughters, and Prince Juhyun felt intimidated seeing the clothes they wore, the toys they carried, and the phones they had.
They didn’t know how to differentiate between chipmunks and red squirrels or the flowers blooming on the hill during each season.
“Auntie! I told you I don’t eat rice rolls, so don’t put them in my lunchbox! Eat it yourself!”
“Miss, I’m sorry. I thought rice rolls should be included since it’s a field trip…”
They didn’t even eat the rice rolls with ham.
The life Prince Juhyun lived was so vastly different from theirs.
“Ji-hyeon, now that you’ve lived with us for a week, make a decision. Do you want to suffer like your mother and d*e unnoticed by anyone? Or would you rather live comfortably as my son?”
In response to the man named “father”‘s question, Prince Juhyun recalled the day his mother would no longer open her eyes.
There was nothing to ponder.
‘I want to be like them.’
Knowing how to differentiate between chipmunks and red squirrels from the start might have been for the better.
‘To begin with, it was supposed to be a red squirrel, not a chipmunk.’
Prince Juhyun had a lot of desires as a child.
He wanted many things, and there were many people he wanted to become like.
Perhaps it was due to that reason that he came up with the concept of “Replication.”
The more he envied others, the more compliments and money came Prince Juhyun’s way.
— Crown Prince Ji-hyeun of the Emperor enters Yeongsagao.
–He is being strongly considered as the next “Supernova” candidate…!
“Ji-hyeun, my son! Look at these articles. You’re the real protagonist of this world!”
Leaving his other siblings behind, monopolizing his father’s attention, growing up eating only the best, and kissing women who had no interest in learning how to discern between chipmunks and red squirrels.
Ordering children’s sets at the hamburger place and eating until his stomach hurt.
Renting out the entire zoo or aquarium for private viewing.
He tried all the things he had dreamed of as a child, yet Prince Juhyun still felt an emptiness.
Was the sense of loss from his childhood like a hole drilled into the foundation, never knowing satisfaction?
Though he could temporarily cover it, he could never fully fill it.
The more he yearned for others’ approval, the more pitiful he became.
Then, his gaze fell upon Hanamjin.
The guy had nothing yet shone like a protagonist.
It made him envious and filled with hatred beyond measure.
‘As a destitute orphan, how can he live doing whatever he pleases?’
Whenever someone like Hanamjin, who possessed nothing, radiated with brilliance, Prince Juhyun felt himself shrink into insignificance, as if he couldn’t do anything using the excuses of what he didn’t possess.
Even through the taunts of his half-siblings, the jealousy and envy, the unpredictable temper of his father, Prince Juhyun never found satisfaction.
Hanamjin.
If he could put that guy in his place and become the main character of this scene, perhaps he could somewhat fill the hole in his chest.
The moment is now.
Whaaah!
Prince Juhyun used the concept of “Replication” to copy Yu Yeo-reum’s concept of “Light,” scattering light from his eyes.
The immensely powerful force, a world-class concept, was highly effective, causing the dark rat horde to hesitate and retreat.
“I’ll buy you some time, so quickly open the door and escape!”
“Prince Juhyun, you…”
The always confident Hanamjin looked surprised and impressed at Prince Juhyun. For this moment, Prince Juhyun was in a superior position.
There was no one in this place as significant as himself.
But.
The price of using “Light” beyond his limits was severe.
The backlash of “Light” retaliated fiercely.
Cheeik!
Black burns spread from Prince Juhyun’s eyes.
“AAAARRGH! My eyes!”
Prince Juhyun screamed loudly while clutching his eyes.
Apparently, it was the backlash from the replicated “Light.”
I was aware that the concept of “Replication” allowed the temporary copying of a specific target’s concept, but also carried the associated backlash.
“Light” concept typically involved a backlash that strongly affected the eyes.
This was the moment to realize just how incredible it was for Yu Yeo-reum to casually use such a technique.
Still.
Even momentarily making the dark rat horde hesitate was quite an achievement.
After all, these dark creatures were possibly the reason people began to fear darkness and shadow during the time of doom.
Thus, it became evident.
The “zombies” and the “darkness” that flavored the apocalypse existed here within the Great Labyrinth.
“Keep shining the light with the flashlights and cellphones!”
I shouted to counter the “darkness” with the simplest known method.
“Prince Juhyun! Are you alright?”
As everyone shone their lanterns, Jeon Su-ho carried Prince Juhyun on his side like collecting him.
Reorganized ranks, we formed a circular formation, and as we emitted light in all directions, the strange dark rats hesitated and retreated.
At this sight, Kangkang was delighted.
“Alright! Everyone’s retreating now!”
It was unfortunate that Kangkang said that.
As expected, the dark rats gathered together, then transformed into a bizarre humanoid figure.
A tall man in a black suit with a feather-decorated hat stood before us.
“What is that thing!”
To Dr. Wi Seon-a’s question, I couldn’t answer easily.
I don’t know either!
However, it was evident that this was not an easy opponent.
“I am Knight Hameln, the guardian of the Fairy Kingdom. I am the supreme artist and hunter of the kingdom, endowed with the might of ‘rats,’ ‘music,’ ‘courage,’ ‘art,’ and ‘hunting’.”
It was a very courteous voice.
Speaking terrifying words in courteous tones?
No matter what, it was clear that this guy possessed a lot of concepts.
Seemed dangerous to a degree similar to the star demon.
“Doctor! What did that guy say?”
“I don’t know! It sounds like a fairy language! Certainly not friendly either! Look at those rats! Those rats…!”
Zzzzit!
While Jeon Su-ho and Wi Seon-a exchanged meaningless dialogue, the dark rat pups squeaked loudly.
“Go and k*ll them. And retrieve our ‘star’.”
Despite squirming from the light of our flashlights, the dark rats followed the command and began to tighten the encirclement around us.
“Mr. Ko! How far is the door?”
“5 minutes!”
We’ll have to stall for another 5 minutes.
There was not no way.
The concept stone of “Conquest” that fell on the floor stood out particularly in my view. After all, even the dark rats avoided touching or approaching the concept stone.
While I contemplated all this, at that moment.
-Grrrr!
Someone let out an angry growl.
A flustered Kangkang.
“Ahhh-! No! Stay still!”
Stay still? What do you mean?
Soon, the large bag Kangkang had been carrying around started moving around wildly, and suddenly something shot out with a ‘pop’—a dazzling golden spider, Kangkang.
-Kangkang…
“Monster…!? A spider monster…! Why is there a spider monster in Baek Yeo-ul’s bag…!?”
Dr. Wi Seon-a tensed even more.
Baek Yeo-ul was also flustered.
“This! Um, it’s a good monster! No need to worry!”
The important point was that when the monster spider Kangkang appeared, the dark rats, as if they had encountered a terrifying natural enemy, hesitated and began retreating.
“The rats seem to be scared of that spider!”
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