< Chapter 145: Conclusion (2) >
Saturday, 6 pm.
At the VIP room in Okhwadang.
I was wearing an indescribable expression.
“How about it? Was I wrong?”
Maiden leaned back with her arms crossed, wearing a triumphant smile.
“…Wow.”
I let out an exclamation before I realized.
The fact that the ‘human’ Kang Seo-yul was possessed by a ‘different species’ soul. How did they reach this conclusion?
“Why? Was it wrong?”
“No, uh, well, it’s not wrong but…”
It is not wrong.
Because it is a fact that I have possessed the protagonist Kang Seo-yul.
“If it’s correct, it’s correct. What is this ‘it is not wrong’ thing?”
“…”
Well, it’s not wrong, but it isn’t correct either.
I have indeed possessed, but my soul isn’t from a ‘different species’.
“Be clear. Is it right or not?”
“There are slight differences, but the conclusion is correct.”
“Different? What is different?”
“Uh… this and that?”
It’s amazing how she could come to such a spot-on conclusion with a speculation that is almost nonsensical.
“…Seeing that you’re being evasive, you won’t tell us what’s different, will you?”
Maiden glanced at me with a cynical eye.
“…Yes, I can’t tell you.”
“The reason? Because we can’t be trusted?”
She snapped her fingers.
“It’s absolutely not because I don’t trust you all.”
Even if I want to, I can’t say.
The end of the world would come the moment I say it.
Of course, I couldn’t say that. I vaguely mumbled something within the bounds of not lying.
“It’s like a taboo. Everything ends the moment it is violated; a serious taboo.”
I didn’t lie.
It is kind of taboo, and it is true that the world would end if violated.
“…Taboo?”
Maiden’s expression cooled down.
“A consequence of possession… something like that?”
“Similar.”
“It’s not a lie?”
“No, it’s the truth. I can swear with my hand on my heart.”
“…”
Maiden stared at me intently, trying to gauge my sincerity with her sharp eyes.
“…Alright. It seems like it’s not a lie.”
“Yes.”
Fortunately, it seemed like she accepted my sincerity.
“So, you’re saying that right now, the body and soul in front of me are mismatched, right?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“…Since when have you been in this state?”
“Early April, just before entering school.”
I looked at Jia, who was making a complicated face next to me.
“Jia, it’s been a few days since I first met Si-yeon.”
At my words, everyone sighed a sigh of relief for some reason.
“So, it means your personality didn’t change after meeting us.”
“Ah, yes, that’s right. I was already in this state when I met Si-yeon by chance. None of the four of you here have had a conversation with the original personality.”
This time Yu Hwa asked a question.
“So, what happened to the original personality… Kang Seo-yul’s soul?”
“…I am not sure about that. By the time I realized, it was like this.”
“Realized it and then…”
Yu Hwa fell deep into thought again.
“Seo-yul-ah.”
This time, Si-yeon asked.
“So, Seo-yul, you’re not a half-elf and angel being?”
“…No. I’m not such a unique being.”
I looked at Jia.
She had a quite shocked expression.
“I’m sorry.”
I bowed my head to Jia and Si-yeon.
I did not make any excuses.
No matter what the reason was, it is true that I deceived both of them.
No matter what excuses I make, my fault will not disappear.
All I can do is quietly ask for forgiveness.
“…Please raise your head.”
I slowly raised my head.
Jia’s expression came into view.
“You don’t need to apologize. I understand.”
It seemed both sad and happy.
It was such a subtle expression.
“From the beginning, it was me who misunderstood you as an elf, and it was me who misunderstood you as half of an elf and an angel being. It’s a self-inflicted outcome.”
Jia joked.
“It’s my fault for not correcting that misunderstanding.”
“You couldn’t reveal the truth because of the oath, right?”
“….”
No.
At that time, I didn’t even know there was such a restriction.
I just couldn’t tell the truth.
“Even if it wasn’t for that, it was a situation where trust between us hadn’t been built yet. I think it was inevitable that you made that choice.”
Jia smiled serenely.
“Of course, I feel hurt. I also feel betrayed. After all, it’s true that you deceived me.”
“…I understand.”
I would have been hurt and disappointed too.
“But more than that, I feel more grateful.”
Jia gave a small smile with her eyes.
“You’ve done so much for me. How could I hold a grudge? I’m not such an ungrateful person.”
Jia said, fiddling with her ears, referring to the ‘Transcendent Lineage’.
“And more than anything, you told me the truth this time. It’s a not guilty verdict with normal participation.”
She grinned.
She smiled playfully.
“If you lied again this time, it would have been a heavier punishment.”
“…Yeah.”
Somehow, my heart warmed.
“I don’t really care either.”
Si-yeon, who had been quietly listening next to us, quietly joined the conversation.
“So, you don’t need to apologize unnecessarily.”
Si-yeon smiled sheepishly.
A warm atmosphere filled the space.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, Si-yeon exclaimed.
“Seo-yul-ah. There is something I’m curious about.”
“What is it?”
“You said something like, now the power is sealed, and if the seal is released or if it is detected by someone, it would be a big problem, right?”
“Yeah, I said that.”
“Was that all a lie too?”
“…Yeah?”
At my answer, Si-yeon smiled menacingly.
“So saying that you would unseal it to save me in case something happens was all a lie, right?”
“…Yeah?”
Did it turn out like that?
“If something happens, the two of us will hold hands and die, right?”
Si-yeon’s smile deepened. It’s scary.
“That was just because you, Si-yeon, lacked confidence, so I wanted to encourage you a bit….”
“Huh.”
“Originally, you didn’t even ask for things that you couldn’t do….”
“Really?”
Somehow, cold sweat flowed at Si-yeon’s momentum.
“Sorry.”
I bowed my head quietly.
At that moment, silence descended.
“…Pfft.”
Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted.
“Why are you getting so serious! It’s a joke! I’m not that angry!”
It was Si-yeon’s laughter.
I sneakily raised my head.
I don’t know why she was so excited, she was laughing hysterically.
“….”
Being treated like this by Si-yeon, I feel quite strange.
Should I be happy that it passed without any trouble?
“It seems like you’ve resolved things well with the two of them.”
Looking at me like that, Yu Hwa spoke with a tinkling laugh.
“Now, you have to talk with this side, right?”
It seemed like I was seeing an illusion of a devil smiling.
“…Yes.”
I quietly turned my body towards Yu Hwa.
Yu Hwa was smiling brightly and staring at me. It was the same with Maiden.
It’s scarier that they are just staring intently without saying anything.
“I’m sorry.”
I apologized first because it was scary.
“…?”
“…?”
Looking at me, both of them tilted their heads.
“What are you sorry for?”
“Why are you apologizing?”
They have serious expressions as if they really don’t understand what I am saying.
“You didn’t lie to us.”
Maiden smiled briefly.
“It’s true that your body was experimented on at the Sunlight Orphanage, and it is also true that you are a survivor of that experiment.”
“Yes.”
“It’s also true that you said you can use ancient relics.”
“That’s right.”
“And it’s probably true that you are pursuing the savior of the truth, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It is true.”
“Then why are you apologizing?”
Maiden smiled cunningly.
“Uh… Is that so?”
“Puhaha.”
At my naive response, Maiden burst into laughter.
“Still, it’s true that I hid my true identity from the two of you. It’s something to be sorry for.”
“It’s fine. There is no one in this world without secrets.”
Following Yu Hwa’s words, Maiden spoke.
“I would understand if we had suffered any harm because of that secret, but have we suffered any harm?”
“…No?”
“On the contrary, we only gained huge benefits. Especially Hwa, she received so much help from you to the extent that she should be bowing to you for the rest of her life.”
At Maiden’s subtle gaze, Yu Hwa sneakily turned her head.
“So, there’s no need to apologize.”
“…Yes.”
Maiden heartily laughed and stroked my head.
“Ah. Come to think of it, your mind isn’t the same age as your peers, right…?”
Suddenly pulling away her hand, she seriously stroked her hair.
“…Do I need to use honorifics?”
She has an expression that seems to be holding all the worries of the world. Is this such a serious concern?
“Just speak comfortably. I prefer it that way too.”
“Really? Well, then let’s do that.”
Maiden promptly nodded her head. I turned my gaze to Jia.
“Jia, you should also start speaking comfortably now. Use normal titles.”
I am not an ancestor, after all.
“…Ah.”
Jia pursed her lips and looked at me with a strange expression. It was a complex expression that couldn’t be described with words.
“What are you worrying about? Just let it out now.”
Maiden winked, playfully flicking her eyebrows up and down as she smiled slyly.
“That, that’s a bit.”
“What do you mean ‘that’s a bit’? Come on. Follow along. ‘Seo-yul-ah! I will speak comfortably.’ Ready, go!”
Jia slightly bowed her head and fiddled with her fingers.
“Se, Seo, Seo-yu-ul….”
“Ahem. Clearly and distinctly.”
Jia continued to stutter.
She usually called out boldly in crowded places.
Why was it so awkward?
“…Ah.”
In the end, that day.
Jia couldn’t manage to speak casually to me.
“…I will try to gradually work on speaking more comfortably.”
* * *
That night.
After finishing a long and lengthy conversation and returning home, I checked my phone while drying my wet hair.
“Hmm?”
There seemed to be a ton of messages. Has a group chat been created?
[Kang Seo-yul and the four underlings.]
[Participants: 5 people]
“…Who created this room?”
Well, there’s no need to ask.
It’s 100% Maiden’s doing.
“Correct.”
At the top of the chat was a record of Maiden inviting the other four members. As expected, Maiden was the culprit. I slowly went through the messages.
[Maiden]
[I created a new group chat.]
[Since I made the chat with VIP settings, the conversation won’t leak outside.]
…There’s such a thing as VIP settings?
[Yu Hwa]
[Is there such a thing as VIP settings?]
[No, more importantly, what is up with the name of this group chat?]
Yu Hwa seemed to represent my feelings as she raised an objection.
[Maiden]
[Yes, there is. It’s a secret account used by the company executives. I borrowed it.]
[And why the room name? Since the kiddo is the leader, this is appropriate.]
[(Broadly smiling raccoon emoticon)]
[Yu Hwa]
[(Head shaking vigorously rabbit emoticon)]
At this point, Jia chimed in.
[Shin Jia]
[(Surprised bear emoticon)]
[(Bowing penguin emoticon)]
[(Dog emoticon bowing down on its knees)]
Indeed, it was a classic Jia entrance, the magician of emoticons.
[Ha Si-yeon]
[Eh! Hi hi hi!]
[What is the name of this chat room? Lolololol]
Si-yeon chimed into the conversation in her usual style.
The four of them gathered and a mess unfolded.
[Maiden: Hey all. Aren’t you late? If you’re invited, you should come quickly, right!?]
[Shin Jia: (Restless child emoticon)]
[Ha Si-yeon: I will make it on time next time!]
[Yu Hwa: Unnie, isn’t that phrase too old-fashioned?]
During the 4 hours we spent today pouring out our hearts and talking, we quickly became close. Before I knew it, we were calling each other unnie and brother.
[Maiden: Anyway, the leader of this room is not showing up at all.]
[Yu Hwa: It’s typical for the protagonist to appear late, isn’t it?]
[Ha Si-yeon: Speaking of which, doesn’t Seo-yul always appear exactly in the crisis moments as if he knows the timing? It seems like he has measured the perfect time to appear, right? LOL]
[Shin Jia: (Princess emoticon hugging a prince on a white horse and hearts appearing in her eyes)]
There are somewhat unjust words being exchanged. I scrolled through the chats.
[Maiden: By the way, did everyone think well about the things we heard today?]
[Yu Hwa: Honestly, my head still hurts terribly. We heard too much. A decade of blank space, the great war, ugh.]
Maiden and Yu Hwa must have a bit of a headache.
[Ha Si-yeon: Right? When I first heard it, I was blank for a while.]
[Shin Jia: (Cat emoticon nodding at the speed of light)]
Jia and Si-yeon must not have felt much emotion since they were already familiar with the stories.
[Maiden: Honestly, I still can’t organize it. In the near future, different races will return.]
[Yu Hwa: If that happens, the world map will change overnight. I don’t know how to prepare for it. ??]
Dragons, angels, demons, etc.
The return of terrifying beings that will completely shatter the power balance will change the world landscape by 180 degrees.
It actually happened too.
[Maiden: Let’s worry about the near future rather than such distant concerns.]
[Yu Hwa: The near future… You mean the operation to get rid of the saviors of truth?]
[Maiden: Yes. Dealing with those damn guys comes first. Preparing to face the Demon God is a story for another time.]
[Ha Si-yeon: Right… we can’t go to war with an enemy behind us.]
[Shin Jia: (Warrior emoticon holding a spear high and shouting “Never surrender!”)]
Everyone seems to be full of enthusiasm.
Indeed.
Everyone, except for Si-yeon, harbors resentment towards the saviors of truth.
“…I didn’t expect Piale Aro to really be affiliated with the saviors of truth.”
There was no such mention in the original work, so I thought it was completely unrelated.
Thanks to this, Jia’s resentment has now fully focused on the saviors of truth.
[Yu Hwa: To carve out those cancerous guys, we first have to successfully complete the mystery project.]
[Maiden: Yes. Now that we know that the kid’s power comes from the ancient relics, we have to gather the ancient relics by any means necessary.]
I mentioned that I obtained the power of different races through “ancient relics”.
I thought that would encourage everyone to become more enthusiastic about collecting the ancient relics. Besides, I spilled some details about my powers.
Everyone seemed to think that such power was obtained through “biological experimentation”, which made it easier to explain.
The chatter of the four women continued for quite a while.
[Maiden: That kid is really not coming out. Then, I should go back to work.]
[Yu Hwa: Me too. I took a day off today, and a lot of work has piled up. ??]
[Ha Si-yeon: ?? Work hard.]
[Shin Jia: (Penguin emoticon waving a hand)]
With Jia’s last message, the conversation completely ceased.
Considering it happened 20 minutes ago, everyone must have put away their phones and immersed themselves in their work.
I guess there’s no need for me to reopen the chat room here.
I quietly closed the chat.
And then I threw myself onto the bed.
“…Hua.”
I am mentally exhausted.
It wasn’t even a roller coaster, but going endlessly between tension and relief made me immeasurably tired.
“But··· it resolved well.”
I am satisfied.
In this twisted, and ever-twisting situation, coming this far is a miracle itself.
Moreover, it is a huge advantage to have united these four individuals at this early stage.
“Indeed, not lying was key.”
My choice was right.
I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I lied.
“It would have been a real catastrophe.”
A chill ran through me the moment I imagined it.
“Ugh. I don’t even want to imagine it.”
I quietly closed my eyes.
Feeling tired and drowsy, it seemed like I could fall asleep at any moment.
But there was something I had to do before that. Desperately shaking off the sleepiness, I got up from my spot.
“Hoo. I should check the traits before I go to bed.”
It was time to check the newly acquired traits of the Angel race and the Vampire race.
“Let’s see….”
I unfolded the Encyclopedia of Racial Traits.
< Chapter 145: Conclusion (2) > End
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