Translator: Rainbow Turtle
Four days pa.s.sed since Kim Dokja left. The fortress still remained and no signs of destruction were visible.
The sky of Paradise was more peaceful than ever and it was even languid. Lee Gilyoung looked at the sky and spoke in a dark voice. "We have been abandoned."
"The little boy is starting again."
"Dokja hyung threw us away." Lee Gilyoung was in a depressed state and had been repeating these words for two days.
Lee Jihye frowned from where she was sharpening her blade nearby. "Why are you making such a fuss?"
Lee Gilyoung replied, "Do you know when a protagonist will leave his colleagues behind?"
"...When?"
"When a colleague will interfere."
"..."
"We are now judged as useless!"
"...How is Ahjussi a protagonist? Honestly, Master is more suitable to be the protagonist. In addition, this isn"t a novel." Lee JIhye grunted but her expression wasn"t bright either.
In the past four days, the group was calm. It was a drug-like peace. It was so peaceful that they felt calm. n.o.body threatened them and there was nothing in the world to worry about.
They trained their skills from time to time and recalled the advice Kim Dokja had left for them.
「Gilyoung is lacking skills persistence. If you have coins left, try to place them in "patience" or "indomitable persistence". You can use the exchange or ask your sponsor to help you. 」
「 Jihye, you are too biased towards agility. If you have surplus coins, invest in strength and magic power. Your battle style will change depending on where you invest. 」
「 Yoosung, focus on raising "Taming" and Advanced Diverse Communication" to the maximum level. If you need other skills related to taming, tell me at any time. 」
Was it due to Lee Gilyoung"s words? The uneasy Lee Jihye poked s.h.i.+n Yoosung sitting next to her. "Hey, little beast."
s.h.i.+n Yoosung, who had been training Advanced Diverse Communication due to Kim Dokja"s advice, suddenly woke up.
"...What is it?"
They might be in the same party but s.h.i.+n Yoosung didn"t like Lee Jihye, who was rude to Kim Dokja. Lee Jihye was embarra.s.sed by the look in s.h.i.+n Yoosung"s eyes and said, "Hey, don"t look at me that way. I have to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Do you know what Dokja ahjussi is going?"
s.h.i.+n Yoosung"s eyes widened at the unexpected question.
Lee Jihye continued, "You are his incarnation so I was wondering if you knew something. Originally, incarnations get information on the sponsor whenever the sponsor and incarnation"s synchronization increases."
In fact, Lee Jihye also shared Yi Sunsin"s memories whenever she used the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare"s stigma. In the end, the core of the story was the stigma. It was inevitable to know the story of the constellation every time the power was used.
s.h.i.+n Yoosung desperately tried to choose her words before barely opening her mouth. "Ahjussi... he is a lonely person."
"Hey, anyone could say that."
"He also likes reading books..."
"Books?"
"Yes. Countless pages appear whenever I think of Ahjussi. I"m not sure what it is... I can"t see the page contents." s.h.i.+n Yoosung hesitated and lowered her head. "I still don"t know that much. I haven"t received a stigma yet."
"...I didn"t ask to discourage you."
Lee Jihye patted s.h.i.+n Yoosung"s shoulder and once again realized reality. Only one person left but the whole atmosphere of the party changed. As a member, they had to survive well.
"If it wasn"t for Ahjussi, everything would already be over..."
She looked around and noticed that everyone was uneasy. The two children who depended on KIm Dokja, the soldier who only knew the manual, the female swordsman who was unable to properly cope with her power...
[The constellation "Maritime War G.o.d" criticizes the patriotism of the incarnation "Lee Jihye."]
Lee Jihye scoffed and blocked her ears, shouting "abababa" to tune it out.
"By the way, the soldier is going it again."
Lee Hyunsung was staring blankly at something. Lee Jihye knew what he was looking at and laughed. It might not be a bad thing to temporarily relax.
"Hey Kid." Lee Jihye watched Lee Hyunsung approaching something and suddenly opened her mouth. "Do you want me to show you something fun?"
***
For the past four days, Jung Heewon had nightmares. The monsters were overwhelming and the dream of Paradise was destroyed.
Once she woke up, Kim Dokja"s Sword of Judgment was crying.
Several times, Reinheit had come to her and asked her to be the chief of the fortress" security.
However, Jung Heewon refused the request. The reason was because the Sword of Judgment only cried out when there was "evil" nearby.
Jung Heewon sat on a low slate roof and looked at the scenery of Paradise. There was nothing that could be seen as "evil" in the city.
"Heewon-ssi, do you have any worries?" When did he come? The bright-faced Lee Hyunsung was standing beside her.
"Ah, just... It is so peaceful that I have a lot of thoughts."
"Me too."
The two people were silent for a moment. An awkward atmosphere flowed. A strange current had flowed between them ever since Lee Hyunsung saved Jung Heewon, who had gone berserk thanks to Nirvana. However, neither of them knew exactly what this current was.
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" dislikes the actions of the incarnation "Lee Hyunsung."]
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" is warning "Master of Steel".]
[The constellation "Master of Steel" says this isn"t a matter to get involved in.]
She suddenly looked down and saw Lee Jihye and the children hiding.
"...What are those guys doing over there?"
Jung Heewon was about to call out to them when Lee Hyunsung opened his mouth first. "I think there is a reason for this peace."
"You seem to believe that Dokjssi didn"t just leave us here."
"Dokjssi is such a person. It is our job to find out the reason."
She thought using common sense but couldn"t figure it out. It was related to why Dokjssi left them here in Paradise but she couldn"t see what the problem was.
At this moment, noise from a group of people below the roof disturbed her.
"Return the scenario!"
"We want to go to the next floor!"
Jung Heewon frowned. They were people who felt discontent towards the peaceful Paradise. They were the protesters of Paradise. They didn"t have a representative catchphrase but they intermittently appeared in Paradise.
Jung Heewon couldn"t understand it. Why did they want to go back to the scenario? She opened her mouth. "I think I should go down. A fight might start."
"I understand."
By the time Jung Heewon descended, bloodshed was already happening. However, it wasn"t from a "fight." It was a one-sided a.s.sault. The guards were beating up the protesters.
Jung Heewon was upset by the excessive force and stopped a guard. "Wait a minute! Calm down and back off! This is too much!"
"I am performing official business. Don"t interrupt."
The chief guard removed Jung Heewon"s hand and gathered the fallen protesters. The protesters were placed into small wagons and seemed to be transported somewhere.
"Catch all those who ran away. I will take all these people."
"What about that woman?"
The guard captain looked at Jung Heewon and shook his head. "Leave it alone. This is an order from the lord."
Not long afterwards, some protesters who ran away were caught. There was an unexpected figure among them.
"I-I"m not a protester! I was just pa.s.sing by accidentally! Dayoung! Dayoung!"
They were the family from Geumho Station. Jung Heewon shouted, "Wait a minute! That person isn"t a protester!"
Then the guard said, "You are a protester. You panicked and ran away when we chased you. If there is no sin, why did you run away?"
"That"s right."
The guard captain nodded and started to give instructions again.
Jung Heewon shouted, "No, it is natural to be scared and run when you are suddenly changed!"
"It will be revealed later. There is no time so transport them!"
"I said to wait!"
"...Despite the lord"s command, I will arrest you if you interfere one more time."
Funnily enough, Jung Heewon stopped at the word "arrest." She didn"t know why. Was it because she had been thrown into the wild for so long and suddenly returned to society?
The woman judged she couldn"t stop the situation and shouted, "T-The child didn"t do anything wrong! Please release the child!"
The guard captain briefly paused at the woman"s scream. He thought for a moment before ordering, "...Leave the child alone."
The guards nodded and only took away the woman. The child watched her mother going further away and started to cry.
"Uh, Mother..."
"Dayoung, listen up. Mother will be back soon. Understood? Just wait there! I will..."
Her mother"s voice go further away. As Jung Heewon belatedly tried to chase them, some of the watching merchants stepped in.
"Young lady, don"t bother. It is useless. This is the law of Paradise."
"Where are they going?"
"They are going to Paradise"s dungeon."
"Dungeon?"
"Access is prohibited for everyone except the guards. No one has ever returned from there. Tsk tsk... she is pitiful but she should"ve lived well."
The merchants showed a lukewarm reaction and scattered.
Jung Heewon stood blankly for a moment before approaching the crying child. She wondered what to do and hesitantly grasped the crying child"s hand. Something popped in her head the moment she felt the warm texture.
...This was Paradise?
"I think I know what to do."
She looked back and saw Lee Jihye and the others. All of them had expressions like they had found their own "scenario."
Lee Hyunsung said, "I think it will be a big deal but I don"t know if we will be okay."
"Dokjssi believed in us. Maybe he is doing something bigger. He is always like that."
"That"s right. I"m sure Hyung is fighting monsters alone with a serious face."
Kim Dokja wouldn"t leave without a reason.
It might be to protect people from the threat or to break the scenario... No matter the reason, Kim Dokja would be desperately risking his life at the moment.
Finally, Jung Heewon opened her mouth. "Let"s try it together this time."
They couldn"t rely on Kim Dokja every time.
Kim Dokja would obviously be performing a h.e.l.lish scenario in a place that wasn"t visible.
***
"Hey! Kim Dokja, this is honey. You really didn"t live like this before?"
On the vast plains, a sports car with a loud engine was moving.
"...Yes."
In the past three days, we had captured three hidden scenarios on the Abyss Plains. The strategy itself wasn"t difficult. It was because unlike what I had done so far, all the future information I knew was completely accurate.
"This guy"s weakness came out in the 34th regression. If we press the three small dots on his back..."
"His attack range is dangerous but he will reveal a gap after using a ranged attack..."
"The weakness of the boss is the a.n.u.s..."
It was more comfortable because I was with Han Sooyoung.
"Okay, it is the a.n.u.s."
I didn"t have to explain why I knew the information and Han Sooyoung didn"t doubt what I told her.
As a result, we got two star relics. One was a SSS-grade star relic that was only useful as a star relic on these plains.
[SSS-cla.s.s Ferrarigini].
This car was a SSS-cla.s.s item created by the Ma.s.s Production Maker.
The SSS-cla.s.s Magic Turret installed on the front and rear were useful for destroying a large number of enemies, as well as moving as fast as Way of the Wind without using magic power.
Thanks to it, we can enjoy the feeling of driving through the plains. What should I say? It was a top-grade regressor course?
I once again felt resentful towards Yoo Jonghyuk. He had been enjoying this type of thing while I broke the scenario.
Han Sooyoung was even more excited than me. She stood up on the pa.s.senger seat and raised her arms, shouting, "I will never be a pushover! I will only live selfishly for myself!"
I wanted to tackle that faithful regressor mindset of "You live only for yourself."
[Many constellations are pleased with incarnation "Han Sooyoung"s exciting remarks.]
[Many constellations agree with her behaviour.]
[20,000 coins have been acquired.]
The monsters that came running exploded from Ferrarigini"s magic bullet. Han Sooyoung was pleased at collecting coins and shouted towards the sky. "Kim Dokja! Say something as well! When will you feel like this again?"
I hesitated for a moment. I was somewhat embarra.s.sed but I agreed with Han Sooyoung"s words.
If I thought about it, my life had never gone well. I had always suffered from overtime. Forget a Ferrari. I used public transport because I had no money to buy a used car.
Thus... I felt it as well. I hesitated before shouting in a timid voice. "I-I am the protagonist!"
[The constellation "Demon-like Judge of Fire" covers her eyes with embarra.s.sment.]
[The constellation "Prisoner of the Golden Headband" considers moving channels.]
[The constellation "Abyssal Black Flame Dragon" is taken with your chuuni words.]
s.h.i.+t... why couldn"t I feel it?
By the way... things must"ve happened in Paradise by now. This was the flow in the original novel and the party members would probably do well. Things had been working out recently. If this continued, the scenario would be cleared in a flash...
[A huge fate is hoping for your death.]
...What?