Chapter 278: Episode 52. ■■ (3)
The nebula Eden. This nebula was composed of the angels of the apocalypse, was the scourge of the demons and the eternal enemies of the Demon World. The guardians of the Celestial World, the angels who didn’t fear any evil in this world.
However, there was something that the angels of this fearsome Eden hated.
[Elder, in Eden you are fully prepared and bid your time before the battle…]
It was Metatron’s ordinance time. Today, the one in charge of the lecture was the Commander of the Red Cosmos, Jophiel.
[We urge you not to fall for the demon’s two-faced war tactics…]
Gabriel tapped the floor with his heel and frowned.
-Oh, why must it be that person today?
There were thousands of low-ranked angels in the training ground of Eden. The archangels like Gabriel were positioned at the forefront as teaching a.s.sistants.
Lily Pin of Aquarius, Gabriel.
Guardian of Youths and Travel, Raphael.
Friend of Justice and Harmony, Raguel.
Apart from the archangel on duty, most of the top-ranking constellations of Eden were a.s.sembled.
Jophiel’s mental training had already been going on for an hour. Gabriel secretly yawned and looked around at his colleagues with languid eyes, only to notice something strange.
-Hey, where’s Uriel?
Raphael, who was nodding off on the cloud, replied while fixing his curly hair.
-She is being detained.
-Detained?
-She is being told off by the scribe. Don’t you know?
…What did she do? Raphael borrowed the power of the wind to speak like it was annoying. Gabriel’s
eyes widened.
-What? Really? Uriel?
-Yes yes. She is banned from broadcasting for three years.
…That Uriel was going to be confined for three years?
Gabriel laughed at the unexpected news.
-For the time being, the broadcast bulletin board will be clean.
The ordinance ended after 30 minutes. Metatron dismissed the low-grade angels and called the archangels separately. ‘Scribe of Heaven’ Metatron had grey hair that went down to his waist and his expression seemed tired today. It was because he was busy trying to prevent the possibility of Armageddon.
Metatron pushed up his thin frame gla.s.ses and spoke, [Thank you for the trouble Jophiel. It was a good presentation.]
Jophiel nodded. Metatron looked around at the archangels and asked,
[Uriel didn’t come?]
[Didn’t you detain her? Otherwise, she would be here.]
The other archangels giggled at Gabriel’s words. However, Metatron didn’t laugh. The archangels exchanged looks with each other. There was no angel here who didn’t know that Uriel was a headache for the scribe. The first one to speak was Archangel Raguel, who had faint freckles on his cheeks.
[Excuse me, Scribe. Isn’t three years of detainment too much? Recently Uriel has become quite bright due to the broadcast…]
For the constellations who had to endure the boring years, the meaning of the live broadcast was immense. Some angels called the ‘livestream broadcasting’ the only drug allowed in Eden…
[What are you saying Raguel? Do you know how many times the scribe let that ■ watch?]
Raguel’s expression hardened at Gabriel’s words.
[Gabriel. Insulting a fellow angel is a felony.]
[Did I say something wrong? When she was bored, she picked up a demon’s neck and did something strange…]
[Gabriel!]
It was Metatron who calmed down the tense atmosphere.
[I will decide how to deal with Uriel.]
The sublime aura rising from Metatron caused all the excited angels to close their mouths. As the surroundings became silent, Metatron brought up the main point.
[In connection to the Demon World Convention, I’m going to give you a new a.s.signment.]
The Demon World Convention. The expressions of the archangels became tense. The balance between Eden and the Demon World had been shaken by the recent armed conflict in the 73rd Demon Realm.
[We need an archangel to monitor the ruler of the 73rd Demon Realm, the Demon King of Salvation.]
Confusion filled the angels’ faces. Gabriel asked in a sharp voice, [Wait, isn’t that originally Uriel’s mission? And what does it have to do with the Demon World Convention…]
[It is relevant. Now that Uriel is being detained, other archangels need to do her work.]
Metatron’s gaze moved across the archangels.
[Raphael had a doctrines tour next week and Raguel is scheduled to visit Vedas so the mission…]
The scribe’s eyes finally stopped on one archangel.
[…Me?]
***
In the days after the party, the party members enjoyed a sudden luxury.
“Dokja-ssi, can I accept something like this?”
“I bought it for Hyunsung-ssi.”
Kim Dokja bought clothes or items for the party members every day from the Dokkaebi Bad, as if compensation for his absence in the meantime. The kids were particularly excited.
“Hey, look at this s.h.i.+n Yoosung!”
“I received it as well?”
s.h.i.+n Yoosung and Lee Gilyoung laughed and ran through the streets while covered with accessories bought by Kim Dokja. Jung Heewon saw the scene and laughed. “The kids look like a Christmas tree.”
The two children were sitting on Lee Hyunsung’s big shoulders. The same was true for Lee Hyunsung. He was excited about the new s.h.i.+eld he received from Kim Dokja.
“…Three fools.”
She muttered as she looked around and saw Lee Jihye approaching while wearing a triangular gimbap-like helmet on her head. If the other three were like a Christmas tree, she was a three-tier cake.
“Do you have a good relations.h.i.+p with Dokja ahjussi these days?”
“I have belatedly realized the importance of colleagues.”
Lee Jihye narrowed her eyes at Jung Heewon’s reaction. “Unni… perhaps you haven’t received anything?”
“I don’t need it.”
In fact, Kim Dokja had visited Jung Heewon several times. However, he didn’t give her any items and only taught her a few training methods as well as telling her about hidden pieces. She told him that they were things she could do without him and Kim Dokja’s expression was still vivid in her mind.
She was going to give Lee Jihye some honey when someone poked her shoulder. She looked back and saw the tired Kim Dokja.
“Ah, Dokja-ssi…”
Kim Dokja had dark circles on his face as he held out something towards Jung Heewon.
“This…”
“It is a new suit. It will be more comfortable for you.”
Jung Heewon accepted the clothes in a daze. It was a blue-black special suit with a large cloak. She had seen it at the exchange but gave up because it was too expensive.
“The clothes are too expensive. I still have enough…”
Kim Dokja silently shook his head. Jung Heewon saw his unknown facial expression and recalled a memory from a long time ago. During the days at Chungmuro, she received an outfit from Kim Dokja. At the time, it was a rag…
[The constellation ‘Bald General of Justice’ is disappointed with incarnation ‘Jung Heewon.’]
“You agreed to be my sword. I should do at least this much for you.” Kim Dokja said these words and instantly walked away like he had something else happening. Jung Heewon stared at Kim Dokja’s back and touched the special uniform in her hands.
Lee Jihye grinned from next to her. “Unni’s mouth…”
“What?”
“Nothing, I just found something from the corners of your mouth. Unni, if you don’t like it then exchange it with my helmet. That suit is really romantic.”
“I don’t want to.”
She looked closer and saw a pattern on the suit that was similar to Lee Hyunsung’s s.h.i.+eld. Made bai… Yangu… san…? Jung Heewon wasn’t fluent in English, scratched her head and gave up reading. In any case, it was good.
“By the way, why is Ahjussi suddenly doing this? The person who sold food for money…”
“I don’t know. He might be plotting something strange like before.”
It certainly wasn’t strange if it was Kim Dokja. He gave her such a good item that he would definitely put her to tremendous use.
Jung Heewon looked at the suit and felt like an office worker who received a salary advance. She was discussing with Lee Jihye how to wear the coat more stylishly when someone appeared and pa.s.sed her like a ghost.
“Sangah-ssi, what’s going on?”
“Huh? Ah, yes. It’s nothing.
Yoo Sangah, who was staring blankly into s.p.a.ce, reacted with surprise. Her pupils were empty. Jung Heewon realized that something was strange and tried to speak but Lee Jihye was one step faster.
“Aha, I understand. Sangah unni hasn’t received an item?”
Jung Heewon poked Lee Jihye’s ribs and she let out a light shriek. Yoo Sangah smiled helplessly. “I just have many thoughts these days… Heewon-ssi, that is a wonderful outfit.”
“Ah, yes. Dokja-ssi gave it… I think it is too much to wear it.”
“I think it suits you very well.”
“Is that so? Thank you.” Jung Heewon scratched his head. There was a s.h.i.+ning bracelet that hadn’t been seen before on Yoo Sangah’s wrist.
The mood became awkward and Jung Heewon asked awkwardly, “Ah right, how is Dokja-ssi lately?”
“Dokja-ssi?”
Yoo Sangah’s expression asked what she meant. Jung Heewon, who might’ve been misinformed, started speaking gibberish. “Eh, er, I mean… I just wanted to know if the two of you are doing well…”
Yoo Sangah c.o.c.ked her head to one side and muttered, “Umm, I think it is the same as when we were in the company…”
was similar to when they were at the company. It was a difficult response for a hopeful observer. Lee Jihye whispered to Jung Heewon.
“Didn’t I tell you before? There is nothing between them. Dokja ahjussi’s taste doesn’t go that way. We…”
“I understand why my sponsor likes you. By the way, has your master woken up?”
“Not yet. I heard it would take a few more days.”
In the distance, Kim Dokja seemed to be talking to himself as he headed towards the ward.
“Is there something to give…”
The clock tower was on the verge of completion. The boisterous laughter of the party members could be heard. Gong Pildu was dissecting something like a machine gun while Han Myungoh was testing a new prosthetic leg.
Without knowing why, Jung Heewon felt overwhelmed. In any case, the party was all gathered now. They would soon return to Earth and go through the h.e.l.lish scenarios again. Even so, Jung Heewon was afraid. Jung Heewon watched the sunset from the clock tower and recalled the words she heard in the Theatre Dungeon.
-I wish to see the novel’s epilogue.
At the time, the Kim Dokja who said these words seemed very lonely. She didn’t know what he meant at the time but now she felt like she knew a bit. Now one thing was clear.
When the ‘epilogue’ came, Kim Dokja wouldn’t be alone.
***
It was a few days after the part ended. The constellations present in the industrial complex started to leave one by one. I went to see the constellations off and found two flowers in the chest pocket of my coat.
“What is this?”
It was a pair of red cosmos and a lily. It wasn’t a very suitable combination… did the kids do it? I took care of the flowers and headed towards the square. Some constellations had already pa.s.sed through the portal. Among those leaving were constellations who signed a special contract with the Kim Dokja’s Company nebula, including the old man in front of me.
[It looks like you’re preparing for war. You don’t have to be so impatient.]
“In the scenario, it is always war.”
The Ma.s.s Production Maker chuckled at my words.
[Don’t be senseless. I want you to be different from the other constellations.]
“Thank you for the help.”
I smiled and bowed my head. The Ma.s.s Production Maker opened the door of the car before stopping and looking at me. [There is one final thing I want to ask…]
“Yes. Feel free to ask.”
The Ma.s.s Production Maker didn’t immediately ask the question. Instead, he pulled out a cigarette and mumbled. […Have you ever thought about what exactly ■■ is?]
He turned on his lighter and touched the end of the cigarette to the flame. The Ma.s.s Production Maker sighed and blew out smoke before continuing.
[Is it the place we want to reach or the place destiny is leading us to? Is it a place, a life or a s.p.a.ce?]
Perhaps the Ma.s.s Production Maker had thought about this question countless times. Finally, he wouldn’t have found the answer.
“The certain thing is that it is the end of the story.”
[Sometimes I find your calmness amazing.]
“I’m nervous as well.”
[I felt it at the time of the Gourmet a.s.sociation but you’re not as good at lying as you think.]
The Ma.s.s Production Maker laughed like a child.
[Then I’m asking you… is your ■■ really the ‘final chapter’?]
The words broke through my guard. I reflexively shut my lips. The Ma.s.s Production Maker waited patiently for my answer. I finally opened my mouth once the Ma.s.s Production Maker’s cigarette was burned halfway through.
“I don’t know where the story will take me. However… I’m sure that the place I want to go is the final chapter.”
He continued to listen after I finished. It was as if my story was still ongoing. Once the remaining cigarette had been burned, the Ma.s.s Production Maker laughed.
[I hope that I’m on the last page with you.]
“Go carefully, old man.”
[Be careful.]
There was a light engine sound and the Ma.s.s Production Maker’s car slipped into the portal. The other constellations also disappeared into the portal. The portal closed and ominous sparks filled the empty sky.
I watched the sparks and touched the petals in my pocket. Now the remaining time was three days. Soon, the most important story of the industrial complex would begin.