〈 Chapter 481 〉Part 1, Episode 20, Section 13
“Hmph. Very well, then I’ll handle that matter as you say. But tell me, Cleric, what business took you to China?”
“Just some trivial stuff. I merely caught up with an old friend after a long time.”
“Friend? After a long time? But Cleric, you don’t have any friends, do you?”
“…Why must you insist on twisting my words like this, Governor?”
“When else would I ever get the chance to tease you properly?! Hoho!”
The young man in the fedora, Ryu Cheonseong, burst into laughter and slapped his knee.
After becoming the administrator of Yeouido Sky Island from being the mayor of Seoul, Ryu Cheonseong achieved S Rank and his body reverted to late twenties. I thought reincarnation into youth was something only found in martial arts novels, but it seems Heaven Castle mistakenly rode the wrong world.
“How could someone like me ever befriend anyone? Someone always stuck between women should at least have one trustworthy confidant, no?”
“I don’t have anything like that.”
I pointed at the ring.
“I’ve got a loving goddess who listens to all my troubles.”
“You’re doing it again, showing off like that!”
Heaven Castle immediately unleashed a barrage of curses.
“Do you know how that goddess treated me back then? Though it’s awkward for me to say, that person was completely unreasonable. I still can’t forget seeing them so arrogantly standing at the Speaker’s seat in the National Assembly. There’s definitely something underneath their feet propping them up since they’re lacking in height.”
“…Hmph.”
Kill him. If I secretly connect a bio-android while he sleeps and beat him to death, he might feel about half the pain of death. Heaven Castle still doesn’t know that the idiot troublemaker back then wasn’t Phoenix but actually me.
“…While I’ve done quite a few crazy things, when you think about it, aren’t they kind of cute? All those actions were for the sake of love. Heh, no sane person could do such things.”
“That’s right.”
“Therefore, you should consider yourself lucky. You won’t find someone like that anywhere else.”
“I always live thinking myself as fortunate.”
Even if it stems from misunderstanding, how could I not be happy when my face is gilded? All the disgrace I committed as Phoenix has been taken by Chang-yeom, allowing me to solely possess the honor of the original protagonist ‘Cleric.’
…Only less than twenty people know that Cleric is actually Phoenix. Many are aware of the complicated relationship between Chang-yeom and Phoenix, but unfortunately, Heaven Castle isn’t among those twenty. I too couldn’t dispel this misunderstanding.
– Given this situation, enjoy yourself. Everything you’ve done, every incident caused by you… let’s see, murder, arson, assault, destruction of public property, vandalism of cultural heritage, large-scale sonic terrorism, etc. Quite a lot, but what can you do? I have to take all the blame so you can live more comfortably. Fufu.
“Truly a blessed individual.”
In this world. I swallowed the rest of my words and stood up. Although there’s still time before the official quitting time of 6 PM, both of us needed to prepare to head home.
“In any case, I wish you a pleasant dinner with your secretary.”
“What? Ah, no, the kid and I aren’t like tha…”
“There’s an S-Rank tiger monster core left from Baekdu Mountain’s Heaven Lake. I’ll boil it well and send it over to your place immediately after retrieval. Just a sip will make you wield Light Blade that day. You know how transcendent Light Blade is, don’t you? The one-in-several-billion probability who birthed a half-human, half-spirit.”
“…Ahem. We’ll talk later. Please excuse me.”
I gave him a tight fist and left while he seemed embarrassed. Since earlier, this person kept muttering “This can’t be,” “This makes no sense,” under their breath next to me, and I had to warn them in advance.
“Hwanryong. Stop following me already. I need to go home now.”
“But!!”
Hwanryong, existing as a spirit, materialized and blocked my path.
“This is ridiculous! Chang-yeom taking all the blame for everything you did as Phoenix?! You having wealth and fame like the original protagonist?! And other spirits or women knowing all this but still clinging to you?! This is completely unfair towards you!!”
“Naturally. Seongju only needs to sell this world to one person, right?”
If Seongju’s dream of this world has a protagonist, it must be me, Seongju’s trading partner.
“Ahh, you keep ruining my immersion because of this. Go away already. Back into the coffin. I’m going to enjoy the demo a bit longer.”
“…Are you joking right now? You know how I ended up here, right?”
Clunk. I stopped in my tracks and faced Hwanryong. The clock showed 5:58 PM. We still have two minutes.
“Obviously. Wasn’t it when Seongju fired the illusion beam, you immediately detached from Xiaolin and tried to possess me? Something went wrong, and now you’ve finally come to your senses.”
“…Knowing that, why are you acting like this? No, let me rephrase. Why continue this dream?”
You could escape this world immediately, couldn’t you?
“True. Just one Blazing Phoenix Revival aimed at the sky, and it’d be over. But then the deal with Seongju would collapse, leading to war.”
A chicken game where either me or Seongju would inevitably vanish. Seongju heightened persuasion quality by letting me experience their proposal directly.
“I’ll repeat once more; I decline this deal.”
“But why… Wait. You?”
“Yes, me.”
I couldn’t help but bitterly laugh.
“Our Lady Chancellor… wants to stay here a little longer.”
Seongju made an offer too sweet to resist.
To me.
To Chang-yeom within me.
* * *
The conversation with Hwanryong ended.
Hwanryong seemed shocked, unable to speak properly, and I had no intention of continuing our discussion.
Exactly 6 PM.
We always agreed to be together at sunset when darkness falls, which happens to be 6 PM. Suppressing the uneasy feeling from meeting Hwanryong, I opened the door.
“I’m home.”
There was no sign of life in the living room. Ever since starting to learn cooking, Chang-yeom has personally prepared meals, especially dinner. Today, however, there was no welcoming scent of food. I steadied my heart and walked inside.
“…Everything’s been exposed.”
Chang-yeom sat in the balcony rocking chair, gazing out the window. She must’ve already heard every word exchanged between me and Hwanryong. Words spoken during the night are heard by mice, and those in the day by birds.
“So it came to this. I tried to take all the blame for myself…”
“…? Ah, no, not that.”
“Then what?”
“…Hmm, it seems I don’t understand after all. Let it be. Hwanryong needs to experience the shock I went through to come to their senses.”
It’s rare lately to feel like something didn’t click during a conversation, but perhaps I missed something while talking to Hwanryong. I tried recalling our brief exchange but abandoned the effort upon noticing Chang-yeom’s subsequent actions.
“Come here.”
Chang-yeom offered her seat. She always liked hugging from behind regardless of the chair, and I sat down for her to climb onto my lap. The bulging belly, clearly more prominent than her chest, unmistakably indicated the beginning of life.
“Are you truly happy?”
“Of course.”
“…Even though this happiness was created by Seongju?”
“I thought we settled that ages ago.”
She must’ve brought this up again due to Hwanryong stirring things up. I buried my head into her shoulder.
“That’s irrelevant. What matters is that you’re happy.”
“Is my happiness your happiness?”
“Absolutely.”
Chang-yeom began fidgeting with my hand resting on her belly. She seemed deep in thought, and I needed to sense her feelings. In the future crafted by Seongju, Chang-yeom and I can no longer read each other’s thoughts or memories; we’ve become separate entities.
‘Just as we desired.’
The corporeal Chang-yeom. And Phoenix existing separately from Chang-yeom.
Seongju’s illusion manifested our ultimate desires. The bonus of other heroines clinging to me didn’t appeal much, but I decided to overlook it since Chang-yeom liked it.
“Chang-yeom, don’t worry too much about what Hwanryong said. Let’s focus on our own happiness.”
“…Suppose, just suppose…”
Lifting her head towards the sky, Chang-yeom spoke. Her sideways expression carried a hint of nostalgia.
“If I wanted to end this situation right now… what would you do?”
“You’d end it. If that’s your choice.”
“What’s your opinion?”
“…I always say what you want to hear. Hmm, listen carefully.”
Whenever Chang-yeom wavered like this, I repeated similar words. She would then draw her own conclusions, and I unconditionally followed them.
“To be honest, it’s fine. I sometimes think how wonderful it would be if this situation continued indefinitely, and flaunting our relationship in front of others makes you look adorable. Even your regret when choosing to vaporize Yuna, I can accept. However…”
I tightly embraced Chang-yeom, who started trembling slightly since earlier.
“I’ll respect whatever decision you make.”
“Even if it means ending this world? Even if it involves a gamble where there’s a 99% chance you’d die?”
“Of course.”
“….You’re truly insane.”
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to stand by your side.”
Chang-yeom’s trembling subsided. Only ‘me,’ no one else, holds the power to end this world at any moment, but I entrusted that decision to Chang-yeom. Although I hold the nuclear bomb that could destroy the world, she controls the switch.
It’s pushing responsibility to her, but the one who wanted to experience life in this world firsthand was none other than Chang-yeom herself. Just like now, subtly rubbing her hips to make an appeal.
“But Rya. After stewing in the mental realm for twenty years, do you really want to continue?”
“…Sorry. I thought a year would suffice, but it turned out to be insufficient.”
Chang-yeom grinned sheepishly while poking her belly. Somehow figuring it out, she wanted to play the pregnant role, even making the fetus move inside the bio-android as if it were real. I dedicated all my efforts to act accordingly in response to her playful antics.
And the fact that Chang-yeom returned her belly to its original form implied only one thing.
“Tonight, huh.”
“Yes. Tonight it is. By the way, may I step out briefly?”
“Feel free.”
As Chang-yeom stood up to adjust her clothes, there was no need to ask whom she intended to meet. I already knew who it was.
“See you soon.”
“It won’t take long.”
Chang-yeom flew off after opening the balcony door. Feeling the chilly winter air on my skin, I leaned back in the rocking chair.
“I wonder what they’ll talk about…”
With Chang-yeom gone, I had ample time to reflect. What exactly did Hwanryong and I discuss…
Ah.
‘Original work?’
…Could it be that Hwanryong has realized all the truths after getting tricked once before?
* * *
“It’s all ruined because of you. You owe me.”
“…Owe? What do you mean?”
Responsibility? What responsibility?”
Hwanryong squatted beneath the bridge. Their hair was tousled, eyes bloodshot, as if they’d shed countless tears. After staring at Hwanryong for a while, Chang-yeom plopped down beside them.
“What responsibility? Just watch me and him in bed. Hehe, invite you? Oh, of course, just voyeurism.”
“Damn woman. Do you call that proper speech?”
“And what if I do?”
“…You know all the truths yet still say such things?”
Hwanryong tapped their temples. Chang-yeom bitterly smiled while sucking on a strawberry-flavored lollipop she brought along, offering one to Hwanryong as well. Taking it, Hwanryong chewed on it, head bowed, resembling someone smoking a cigarette.
“…Right now, I feel utterly betrayed.”
“I understand. Discovering the person you thought was a prince from a fairy tale is actually from another world must be shocking.”
“No. The betrayal I feel now is from you. You.”
Hwanryong glared fiercely at Chang-yeom.
“Was this world originally a game? Did you know about it?”
“…Three people know the most about the truth of this world. Phoenix, Seongju, and me.”
Despite Hwanryong’s unexpected statement, Chang-yeom calmly responded. Hwanryong, who was closest to uncovering the truth, has finally grasped all of it.
“We are characters within a game, and that person is the ‘Player.'”
The Player, once was.
