Chapter Text
“What?..”
Han Sooyoung straightens warily, but Pieta ignores her completely. The “deity’s” gaze is fixed on the screen, where the very same office—abandoned for nearly ten years—slowly takes shape. Cale Henituse, their Kim Dokja of that reality, stares grimly at the elderly butler, whose face is once again adorned with a kindly smile. And there is something strange about the entire scene, something… wrong.
Yoo Joonghyuk could have sworn that at first… something else was supposed to appear. He had managed to glimpse vague, faded outlines of a table set for a meal—only for them to be abruptly replaced by this.
On edge, he almost misses the writer’s question, longer and more elaborate this time:
“What does this mean? Isn’t everything we’re seeing happening here and now?”
Han Sooyoung’s voice rings out, higher than usual, and frankly, she has every right to react this way. Because, if you think about it…
Doesn’t all of this mean they are being shown events that have already happened?
And if so, a natural—and rather important—question arises.
How long ago did everything they’re seeing actually take place?
How did it all end?
And, most importantly—what happened to their unbearable squid?
As these questions form in Yoo Joonghyuk’s mind, he unconsciously tightens his grip around his long-suffering knee. The last question gives him an especially bad feeling.
Pieta shifts her gaze from the screen to the tense Han Sooyoung. Her grin nearly gleams.
Yet instead of the answers they so desperately need, the “deity” offers something else, in an irritatingly innocent and even cheerful tone:
“I decided I’ll be shortening the events I show you. After all, a great deal happened in that world. It would take far too long to follow everything step by step. And, to be honest, there are events I would rather show you personally, instead of entrusting them to one of my colleagues.”
There is something strange in the narrowing of her greenish eyes.
“Oh yes… I truly want to see your reaction to them.”
And even stranger were those malicious, anticipatory intonations.
And it is precisely those intonations that affect Han Sooyoung like a red rag waved persistently in front of a bull.
“You didn’t answer! Are you just going to keep ignoring me?” the woman jumps to her feet, lips pressed tight. Right now, more than ever, she regrets the absence of her connection to her Sponsor. This is exactly when black flame would have come in handy—to burn everything here to the ground and beat answers out of that insolent, grinning face! “Don’t you think acting this way is rather reckless, hm?”
Gods?
Ha!
Han Sooyoung had seen so-called “gods”—Constellations greedy for spectacle and others’ suffering, and eternally starving Outer Gods who were twisted, hollowed-out Stories, once mighty, now reduced to nothing more than grotesquely powerful parasites. And that, damn all of you, is not what could ever be called anything “divine”!
…The only god the “Black Flames Empress” had begrudgingly been willing to acknowledge had sacrificed himself for them. And his copy, stripped of part of his memories, his power, and even his very essence, was now imprisoned in the Industrial Complex.
“God of Change”? Han Sooyoung twists her lips into a crooked smile, glaring viciously at the human-shaped being before them. She takes a step forward.
If Pieta truly is this so-called “God of Change,” then she surely wouldn’t mind if their roles were suddenly reversed—
Pain scorches her knees. Her lungs burn. Han Sooyoung tries to draw a breath, barely making out the frightened voices of the children and Yoo Sangah’s cry through the ringing in her ears.
Pieta looks at her. From above, looking down. Aloof and indifferent.
As if she were nothing.
As if her very existence meant nothing at all.
“I find it somewhat disappointing how slowly it’s getting through to you.”
The “Black Flames Empress” gulps greedily for air the moment the foreign pressure eases. She clutches at her throat, dragging in breath, feeling unfamiliar hands on her shoulders. Out of the corner of her eye, she catches sight of chestnut strands—Yoo Sangah. Just think—had “Lady Perfection” truly rushed to her side herself?..
The “God of Change” sighs, adjusting her brooch.
“I’ll say it again… No, not quite. I suppose I’ll spell it out for you—thoroughly and completely. Just to avoid any misunderstandings, so to speak.”
Han Sooyoung doesn’t take her dark gaze off her as she’s dragged toward the couch. Yoo Sangah watches the “deity” warily, forcing her friend to sit.
A dreadful, unnatural silence fills the room.
“This is not your reality.”
Pieta looks over each of them. Intently. Studying them. As if wanting to be certain that, this time, they truly grasp the meaning of her words.
“No matter how powerful you may be in your own <Star Stream>, here you are absolutely helpless. Different laws operate here, and I assumed you had already realized that.”
Yoo Joonghyuk clenches his teeth until his jaw aches, meeting the gaze of that being.
“Here, you are merely guests. And that is the only reason you are still alive. You are protected by our Pantheon’s decision to receive you on this territory. Your existence here is sustained by our goodwill.”
Every word is steeped in horrifying indifference.
“You are not tribulants, not reincarnators, nor transmigrators, to warrant any special consideration. And the sole regressor among you is currently deprived of his patron’s favor and protection.”
The first unfamiliar word scratches oddly against his hearing, but Yoo Joonghyuk is far too focused on what the “deity” is saying to register it. He watches Pieta’s every movement without blinking, intently—and only now does he realize a critically important detail.
They hadn’t noticed it before because of the wide, inhuman smile of the “God of Change,” but… Pieta’s face is damnably exhausted. And now, as she tells them all this, word by word, as though trying to stamp every phrase directly into their minds, that fatigue shows through her features with particular clarity.
Yoo Joonghyuk has seen a lot of shit over his endless regressions. He’s seen Constellations, seen Outer Gods in all their grotesque variety… even seen himself—which, in particular, left a rather deep mark on his psyche.
Yet no matter how much the Constellations complained of boredom and wished to rid themselves of it, they had never worn such a weary expression. The Outer Gods, struggling against their hunger—even less so. The only one who resembled Pieta now, in this exhausted disgust toward everything, was…
…hah.
Yoo Joonghyuk bites down on the inside of his cheek.
This isn’t even funny, damn it.
It’s fucking not funny, to compare the Secretive Plotter to the “deity” before them!
…if anything, it’s far more terrifying.
“All of your indignation, your endless demands, and your attempts to appear threatening are laughable, meaningless, and frankly pathetic. You can't do anything here. Nothing—to anyone who might appear in this room.”
Pieta spreads her hands slightly, returning a gentle smile to her face. Her sharp teeth vanish behind lipstick-lined lips, making the “woman” now look almost innocent and harmless.
The key word here is almost.
“And I am a god.”
For a moment, greenish eyes flare with a golden flash from within. Everyone from Kim Dokja’s Company feels it—an involuntary shiver down their spines, an instinctive reaction of their bodies to a being overwhelmingly superior in power and cruelty.
This is how a rabbit reacts to the presence of a hungry predator, knowing there is no escape.
— And unlike Velasco or Angelica, I do not particularly tolerate others’ disrespect toward me. Therefore… you would do well to watch your behavior.
(TN: The name "Velasco" is a Spanish name. It was created during the Spanish conquest of South America in honor of heroic conquistadors and military leaders. During the era of colonization, the Spaniards conquered South America and widely used horseback riding to move troops and movement in the vicinity. During this period, the bearers of the name "Velasco" were famous for their courage and bravery in battles for the conquest of new lands.)
Golden pupils seem to hypnotize.
“No one will protect you here if you overstep.”
The foreign pressure vanishes as abruptly as it appeared. The air becomes much softer, and everyone exhales mentally, grateful for the chance to breathe again. This is especially noticeable among the children, who unconsciously clasp each other’s hands.
Han Sooyoung glares at the “deity” from beneath lowered brows, lips pressed tight, but no longer moves to act. Sweat beads on her face, and Yoo Sangah watches her with concern, yet doesn’t dare to speak.
Instead, someone else does.
“B-but…”
Yoo Joonghyuk whips around toward Lee Gilyoung. The boy—already a teenager—swallows, but continues nonetheless:
“Could you please answer? It’s just… what we’re seeing right now—is it something that already happened?”
Pieta looks at the boy. Silently. A minute passes, then another, and everyone in the room begins to tense when the “deity” finally speaks:
“Yes. Yes, everything you will see here is something that has already happened. What Kim Dokja has already lived through.”
The regressor notes this moment unconsciously: Pieta addresses their squid by his real name as well. Even if it’s only done so they understand more quickly who exactly is hidden behind the name “Cale Henituse” and the appearance of a red-haired young man, in some way he even feels… faintly grateful for it.
He isn’t the only one who still sees Kim Dokja as, well… Kim Dokja.
Lee Gilyoung smiles uncertainly.
“Then… hyung is okay, right?”
“Haaah…”
Hearing a sigh from this being is somehow strange and wrong. Pieta closes her eyes.
“Yes. He’s fine.”
It sounds unpleasantly weary, and to some extent, faintly irritated.
“As for the mental state of his companions, I wouldn’t say the same. But him—him, he’s fine.”
The expressions of all the Incarnations present in the room stiffen slightly. Yoo Joonghyuk, however, frowns.
“Companions”…?
He tries not to react to the dissatisfied growl that stirs somewhere inside him.
“So, once again… I will be shortening the events shown on the screen. Removing what is… not so important, yes, that’s a good way to put it. After all, you’re not here to watch Kim Dokja adapt to the life of a wealthy noble, are you?”
The grin-smile returns to the face of the “God of Change.” Strangely enough, it’s even somewhat reassuring.
Slender fingers snap once more, setting the process on the screen in motion. The red-haired young man—practically still a boy—turns toward the butler with a frown, but beneath the displeasure, Yoo Joonghyuk clearly recognizes a certain nervousness.
They all watch in silence.
…“Ron, didn’t I tell you to go eat?”
Cale told him to go away because he did not want to see this old man’s face, but he would not leave. He just roamed around Cale like a fly. Ron had been waiting outside the door when he was in the study, but even that got on Cale’s nerves.
“Young master, it is my duty to take care of you.”…
In the absolute silence, someone could be heard exhaling through their nose Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t need to turn around to know—it was definitely Jung Heewon, who had somehow taken a dislike to the creepy old man.
Still, after the moment they learned that Ron Molan had calmly left together with the one who was supposed to beat up the real Cale Henituse… the regressor could fully understand such a reaction from the “Judge of Apocalypse,” and even shared it.
…Cale clicked his tongue after seeing Ron smiling at him. He then threw a bit of a tantrum.
“Enough. I don’t need it so go eat. Why don’t you go eat even when I tell you to go eat? Don’t follow me. You know my temper if you do, right?”
Cale threatened Ron with his gaze to reinforce that he did not want Ron to follow as he headed back to the study. When he peeked back, Ron was standing there with a stiff expression while Hans was looking towards him with shock.
‘Should I not have thrown a tantrum?’…
“…That’s anything but a tantrum.”
Lee Jihye’s whisper goes unanswered. Fortunately, Pieta seems somewhat worn out by answering Lee Gilyoung’s questions.
…Cale was scared of the assassin old man’s stiff expression and turned his head back around before speeding back to the study.
The desk was completely empty…
The “Supreme King” freezes for a moment before the line of his shoulders relaxes.
Oh… so he hadn’t imagined it.
Even though they now know that Pieta decided to “fast-forward” through certain moments, knowing that he hadn’t hallucinated at the beginning of the “recording” is genuinely reassuring.
He hasn’t completely lost his mind yet.
…The document that he had been working so hard on to write in Korean was already burnt in the fire. Cale had done so himself. There was nobody here who knew Korean, but he had to be careful. He had also told all the servants not to enter the study without his permission as well.
‘I remember everything anyways.’…
“Huh?”
Han Sooyoung jerks her head up, but—thank Heaven—keeps silent. Still, the faint furrow of her brow doesn’t escape the regressor’s notice, and he can fully understand why.
That phrase—“I remember everything.”
Kim Dokja possessed a unique skill that allowed him to preserve those accursed Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World in his memory. Even though he used his phone as a medium through which to activate that very skill, it didn’t change the essence of it.
Kim Dokja knew the entire contents of Revelation, made use of it, and periodically reread it to confirm things or find especially rare information.
Could something similar have carried over into their squid’s new incarnation?
And if so… does that mean that, in addition to Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World, his so-called “Library” now also contains that infamous [The Birth of a Hero]?
Yoo Joonghyuk once again feels that strange crackling sensation inside him, akin to dissatisfaction.
…Kim Rok Soo had always been good at remembering things he enjoyed. Comic books, novels, movies, no matter what it was, as long as he enjoyed it, he was able to remember the names and appearances of the characters. Of course, if he didn’t like something, he would not remember anything about it at all…
…oh, so it’s not just [The Birth of a Hero] —it’s a whole damn archive now.
The crackling inside the regressor grows slightly stronger.
…Cale leaned his back onto the chair and thought about what he needed to do in the future.
‘First, I need to see Choi Han tomorrow and do that.’
The corners of his lips started to slowly rise.
‘I need to pick up a shield.’…
Lee Hyunsung leans back slightly in surprise. His eyebrows lift.
A shield?..
The man interlaces his fingers, nervously studying the new incarnation of Kim Dokja on the screen before them. It is a strangely refreshing experience—to see the face of their unspoken leader of the Nebula, even if it isn’t quite… well, his face. The smile on those thin lips makes him wonder whether Kim Dokja used to smile in exactly the same way when he was with them, while devising plans to clear the Scenarios.
Lee Hyunsung smiles faintly, but there is more bitterness than warmth in it.
He regrets that he couldn’t become the shield that would protect Kim Dokja.
…To live long without dying. He had no intentions of fighting…
The expressions of nearly everyone in the Company reflect outright skepticism.
…In order to achieve that goal, the first step was raising his defenses. Second was finding a recovery method. Third was being faster than anybody else. Fourth was a strength that does not hurt him but can kill others.
Of course, the most important thing was to avoid the battlefield or anywhere where there may be bloodshed…
Still, yes. It must be admitted—in this world, at least, their squid is trying to make a plan for a peaceful life. That alone is worth a great deal.
It would have been wonderful if that little rat had done the same back in their world.
At least, that is Jung Heewon’s opinion, voiced in the brief silence of the room, broken only by the soft sounds of birds coming from the window on the screen. And it undoubtedly reflects the opinion of everyone else as well.
…Cale thought about these so called plans of his as he slowly closed his eyes with satisfaction. He was thinking about it even as he fell asleep.
‘At least, I will not be beaten up even when the time comes for it in the novel.’…
“Fuck, why does that bother you so much?”
Han Sooyoung still tries not to draw too much attention. Her voice is quiet—quiet enough that even if Pieta hears the muttering, she won’t throw anything in response, merely bare her teeth in a slightly wider grin.
That, too, is unnerving, but not as much as the foreign pressure that could once again rob everyone of oxygen.
…The Indestructible Shield. Cale was thinking about this first shapeless strength he was going to get as he fell asleep. The corners of his lips that had gone up did not seem like they would ever come down.
Fateful encounters did not have an owner. It was a first come first serve type of deal…
Yoo Joonghyuk gives a quiet snort, feeling the corners of his mouth lift on their own.
Oh yes.
That is their unbearable squid. Getting his hands on everything possible—and even impossible—if it could be of any use.
Painfully, sweetly familiar, to be honest.
…“Ron. I’m going out. Don’t look for me.”
Don’t look for me. That was Cale’s code for letting Ron know that he was leaving the estate that was located near the rear of the city to go drinking. Whenever he did this, Ron just smiled and told him to have a safe trip…
“What a load of bullshit,” Jung Heewon snorts, not taking her eyes off the image of the old man on the screen. She understands that it won’t get her anywhere: after all, according to that damn Pieta, everything they’re seeing has already happened. Still, she can’t help feeling wary of the elderly butler. She senses in her gut just how dangerous he is.
And, logically, that should alarm her.
However, the recent pressure of that alien power, which had clogged her throat and squeezed her lungs in a clawed grip, is still fresh in her memory. And for now, Jung Heewon finds it hard to separate the “aftertaste” of a divine flick to their foreheads from the instincts that scream about the danger of someone who, in essence, can’t even reach her.
So she snorts again, continuing, as if trying to lighten the atmosphere in the room:
“Too bad we didn’t have phrases like that. Something like… “Guys, this Scenario is bullshit,” so we’d know for sure that Kim Dokja might die while clearing it, instead of running into it unprepared.”
Han Sooyoung lets out a quiet snort, echoed by Lee Jihye, while the others only twitch the corners of their mouths weakly. And—yeah.
The attempt to lighten the mood falls flat.
…“Will you not go to the study today?”
But for some reason, Ron asked a rare question today. Cale started to frown.
“Ron, I don’t think that is something you need to be curious about.”
“…I understand, young master. I will be waiting for you.”
Cale’s forehead started to show even more wrinkles after hearing that Ron will be waiting for him.
“Don’t wait for me.”
Cale flicked his finger to beckon one of the servants standing at the entrance of the residence over and walked out with him. Cale still seemed angry, so that servant did not say anything as he followed behind Cale.
Once he exited the residence, he could see the garden and the gate of the exit farther away. It was only then that Cale let out a sigh and peeked backwards. He could see Ron’s stiff expression through the closing door.
‘I’m glad I was able to shake him off.’…
“We are too.”
Pieta merely raises one eyebrow, glancing at the “Judge of Apocalypse.” Yoo Joonghyuk understands her, to some extent: Jung Heewon had been silent for quite a while, and now her comments are a little… unsettling.
The man casts a sideways look at the former bartender, studies her with a sharp gaze—and oh. Oh. He sees.
Pressed lips, furrowed brows, arms crossed over her chest, and a foot tapping silently against the floor.
It seems they have a bit of a problem on their hands…
…He was glad that Ron did not follow him. However, Cale was afraid of that stiff expression. He was an assassin after all. Cale decided that he will treat Ron better and not make him angry starting the next interaction as he exited the estate. Of course, he was on a carriage.
He arrived at his destination a little bit later.
“Young master. Is this the right place?”
The driver cautiously asked as he opened the door. He then peeked toward the shop in front of him. The driver’s face was clearly filled with confusion.
“Yes. This is it.”
Cale, who was wearing clothes that would be fancy to others but was the simplest thing in his closet, walked out of the carriage. Nobody was around them, as they had moved away as soon as they saw the carriage with the count’s crest on it.
[The Fragrance of Tea with Poetry]…
Han Sooyoung raises an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly to the side. She studies the sign with a sharp gaze.
‘A bookstore?..’ The thought flickers through her mind instinctively, tinged with a bit of disbelief—though who better than her to know that Kim Dokja had always loved reading. Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World was certainly just one of the many novels he had devoured over the years, so it’s not surprising that even in a new incarnation, that little rat decided to visit such a place.
But…
Didn’t he want to meet the protagonist of this world? Then what does a bookstore have to do with that?
And how did he even know about it in the first place, if he supposedly hadn’t even stepped outside the estate until now?
…It was a tea shop that allowed you to read poems while drinking tea. This clean three story building looked to be pretty expensive. It was true that the owner of the shop was very wealthy. In fact, as the bastard son of a concubine of a large merchant guild, he was even wealthier than Cale. The only thing was that he was living here while hiding that identity.
‘If I recall correctly, the owner goes to the capital around volume 3 to meet Choi Han there. It is there that he claims that, he may be a bastard son of a concubine of the merchant guild, but that he will become the owner of the merchant guild.’…
‘Ah, I see… Then yes, that makes sense.’
Han Sooyoung gives a faint nod to her own thoughts—and to Kim Dokja’s reasoning. She doesn’t notice Pieta’s keen gaze directed her way.
…The man who shouts and swears to Choi Han that he will become the owner of the merchant guild. Cale only read the first five volumes, and thus did not know if the man ever ended up becoming the owner of that merchant guild, but since he was one of the main character’s partners, he probably will succeed…
“Wait, stop!”
The “recording” obediently freezes as Pieta shifts her expressionless gaze from the now-alert Han Sooyoung to Lee Jihye. The girl drills a dark stare into the image of the young man, frozen in the doorway of the tea shop.
“Only the first five volumes?” the disciple of Yoo Joonghyuk points at the screen. “He didn’t read the whole series?”
Pieta blinks slowly. Now that Yoo Joonghyuk can distinguish fatigue behind that grin, he pays much closer attention to the greenish eyes—and thus notices a shadow of irritation deep within her pupils.
“He already mentioned that. Before falling asleep, he managed to finish the fifth volume.”
The “deity” reminds her in a bored tone, making Lee Jihye inhale sharply in indignation.
“But… I thought there were only five volumes in total!..”
“Ha!..”
There is something deeply wrong with the way the “God of Change” laughs so gleefully at that moment.
“That shitshow couldn’t possibly fit into five damn volumes. There were far, far more.”
…Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t like the way that sounds.
“You’ll see for yourselves.”
…He really, really doesn’t like the sound of that.
“Besides, Velasco is extremely meticulous about details, and so each volume there was about the size of your Swordmaster’s bicep. So honestly, I’m impressed that Kim Dokja managed to read five volumes in a single evening…”
Yoo Joonghyuk feels his eye twitch. Pieta nods in his direction at the words “Swordmaster,” and that probably means something, doesn’t it? Right? That strange title—or form of address, or insult, for all he knows—surely didn’t come up for no reason?
Lee Jihye stares in shock at his arm, comparing, bringing her palms together and then pulling them apart. Her face is a picture of intense mental calculation.
“One volume the size of Master’s bicep?..” he hears her shocked whisper, and his eye twitches again. “And there were five?.. And there were supposed to be even more?..”
Off to the side, Han Sooyoung lets out a quiet snort.
Yoo Joonghyuk is sincerely grateful that the screen comes back to life at that moment.
…Cale looked toward the driver who was sweating like a hog and gave an order.
“You can leave now.”
“Excuse me?”
“Are you going to make me say the same thing twice?”
“No, that, do I not need to wait for you, young master?”
Cale casually answered as he opened the door to the tea shop.
“Yeah. I’ll be here for a while.”
Gulp. He could hear the driver’s gulp behind him, but a much clearer and pleasurable noise filled Cale’s ears. Clang. A quiet but clear bell sound announced Cale’s entrance into the tea shop.
Cale stood at the entrance and looked around the tea shop. It was still early, and there were not many people there. Cale could see that all of them were shocked to see him there.
Well, the novel did say there was nobody in this region who did not know about Cale. He was public enemy number one for the merchants because he had a tendency to break everything in their shops…
“Oh wow…”
This new comment from Jung Heewon, tinged with skeptical sarcasm, finally hits its mark. From the children’s side, at least, quiet snickers can be heard.
…“Welcome.”
However, the owner of this shop warmly welcomed Cale in. Cale looked toward the baby pig-like man who welcomed him in from the counter.
‘He must be the owner.’
The wealthy bastard, Billos. His round face and full body definitely looked like a baby pig like the novel described. His charm was his extremely bright smile.
‘He looks like a piggy bank.’
Cale took out a gold coin and put it on the counter as he ordered…
“He looks like a piggy bank, so you decided to make an investment right away? Something like that?..”
Despite the children’s giggles, soon joined by Lee Jihye, Yoo Joonghyuk can’t help but watch Jung Heewon with a bit of caution. He can clearly hear the echoes of gallows humor, and he doesn’t like it.
Judging by Yoo Sangah’s pressed lips, the “Moonlight Empress” is beginning to realize the scale of the problem as well.
…“I plan on staying on the third floor all day today.”
Billos stared at Cale with a smile on his face. Cale pretended not to notice as he pointed to the bookshelf.
“Any tea that is not bitter. Do you have novels here too or just poems?”
Clang. The sound of someone putting their teacup down rang through the shop. Cale just thought of it as someone putting the teacup down hard and looked toward Billos. He prefered novels to poems…
‘Who would’ve doubted it…’ Han Sooyoung rolled her eyes skyward.
…“Of course. We have a lot of novels as well, young master Cale.”
“Really? Then send up the most interesting book and a cup of tea.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Cale’s gold coin fell onto Billos’s chubby hands. Cale turned away as Billos tried to give him change.
“I’ll drink more tea later so just keep it.”
“…But it is still too much, young master.”
A gold coin was worth 1 million gallon. Having that coin, that was worth 1 million Korean won, Cale did something that he had always wanted to try.
“I have a lot of money. Consider it as your tip.”
Talking about how rich you are. Who cares if Billos actually has more money than he does? He also knew about many fateful encounters that will earn him a lot of money. Cale tried to look cool as he pointed toward the tables on the first floor with his chin.
“Well, if it is too much, you can treat everyone here to a cup of tea on me.”
Golden Bell. He wanted to do something like this once. After he told his father that he needed allowance, he received three gold coins which were worth a total of 3 million gallon…
From Lee Jihye’s direction came a strangled sound that turned into a cough, yet everyone else from the Company remained calm. For heaven’s sake—and for everything unrelated to that rotten Eden—Kim Dokja had once casually sponsored their entire Nebula. Who, if not them, would know about his tendency to be excessively generous with money at times?
Still, three million gallons—whatever kind of currency that was… it certainly made an impression.
…“Young master, still…”
“Ah, enough. Just bring my tea.”
It really was good to be the trash. Cale did not care about being respectful as he headed up to the third floor. He could hear whispers coming from behind him, but he did not need to care because there were already enough rumors about him, the trash of the Count’s family…
Something scratched at the spectators at that moment. Something from the inside—persistent, and in a way, merciless.
“The trash of the Count’s family.”
The way Kim Dokja accepted it so easily.
Yoo Joonghyuk pressed his lips together. He had already noted that their little rat had reacted surprisingly calmly to having his soul transplanted into the body of some third-rate villain from a novel, but… he had also just as indifferently accepted the insulting nicknames and the status of a spoiled local bastard that came with it. Until now, it hadn’t stood out too much, given how rapidly everything had been unfolding—but now…
Wasn’t he too calm?
Yes, this would free him from being entangled in the affairs of the territory, but… at the same time, he would also be despised by the very people of the land he intended to live in peacefully. Shouldn’t that bother him at least a little?
…The thought that Kim Dokja, back in his own time, had accepted the insulting title “Ugly King” far too quickly also scraped at the edges of the regressor’s mind, darkening his expression.
…“Just like I thought.”
There was nobody else on the third floor right now because it was early in the morning. Cale took a seat in the innermost corner of the third floor. He then looked out the window.
‘This is the right spot.’
The spot where you could best see the Northern Gate of Western City. Cale planned to watch Choi Han from this location today.
‘He gets chased away from the gate early in the morning.’…
‘Oh… so he’s also planning to get a closer look at the local protagonist…’
Han Sooyoung squints, fingers tapping lightly. Kim Dokja’s logic made sense to her, and yet, something still unsettled her, making her scrutinize every action of their reincarnated little rat.
…Choi Han headed in the direction he remembered hearing about from the villagers after he finished burying all of his beloved villagers. He was heading toward Western City.
Choi Han had been transported to this world when he was a freshman in high school, but he had lived here for tens of years already. Of course, the fact that most of that life was spent trying to survive in the Forest of Darkness made him mature in a slightly twisted way, and, as such, he was more rational than anybody would expect after such an incident.
‘I need to go report this to the lord at the castle.’
Harris Village may have been a remote village, but it was still under Count Henituse’s jurisdiction. That was why Choi Han headed to Western City, hoping to at least prepare a small funeral for the villagers.
He was also planning on looking for information regarding the assassins he had killed when he had lost his calm, as he was unable to ask them any questions. However, sending the dead off properly came before revenge.
‘If you think about it, he really is an affectionate person.’…
“And this is supposed to be where?”
Jung Heewons voice was filled with genuine confusion, to which Pieta merely raised an eyebrow. The “deity” lazily glanced at the “Judge of the Apocalypse,” neither rushing to answer the clearly rhetorical question nor tossing a sarcastic remark.
…But losing all of the first people who showed him love after tens of years in the Forest of Darkness at once made it impossible for Choi Han’s mind to not become twisted. In the novel, that was when Cale messes with Choi Han and touches a nerve. He remembered what the Cale in the novel said to Choi Han.
[“Why should my father care whether or not some useless villagers are dead? This cup of alcohol in my hand is worth more than all of your useless lives combined.”]
Choi Han starts to laugh at Cale’s words as he asks back.
[“What an interesting thought. I am very curious to know whether you will change your mind or not.”]
[‘Shall we test it out?’]
That test was beating Cale to a pulp so that he was almost dead. The amazing thing was that Cale never changed his mind even after he was beaten to a pulp…
“Whoa…!”
Lee Gilyoung jerks up in shock, staring wide-eyed at the screen, where everything suddenly seems to become… blurred? The others tense up as well, noticing it.
They watch the conversation between two seemingly smeared-out figures, and Yoo Joonghyuk can’t shake the feeling that it strongly resembles the effect of that strange status which had once hidden Kim Dokja’s face. As if something is trying to conceal a fragment of the original story, leaving only the sound behind—and even that…
The voices sound distorted, like a warped record. They stretch unnaturally, and it is horrifying—truly horrifying—because everyone in the Company can feel the emotions carried within those grotesquely altered voices.
Rage.
That is what seeps from every drawn-out word.
…And this rage— it resounds in the voices of both people, not only Choi Han, whose silhouette is unmistakably marked in black.
“I told you so.”
Pieta says it quietly. She does not take her eyes off the blurred image of the man in black brutally beating another, whose figure is marked by crimson hair.
“The real Cale Henituse… was quite a curious individual.”
Yoo Joonghyuk merely bites down on his lower lip, clenching his fists.
In everything they were seeing—shown through these strange fragments of memory from the original novel [The Birth of a Hero]… something felt wrong. Very wrong.
…“Ah, I’m getting the chills.”
Cale started to rub his arm after seeing the goosebumps that were developing. He quickly took a sip of the tea that Billos had brought for him. He then looked out the window once again, only to get the chills right back.
‘It’s that punk.’
The moment the gates opened for the morning, a young man wearing clothes with black marks everywhere, such that it made it seem like the clothes were burnt in multiple places, approached the gate…
“What the f—?!”
Lee Jihye jumps to her feet, staring at the now sharply focused image. Her wide eyes blink stupidly as she shifts her gaze from the man at the gate to Pieta, from Pieta to her darkened mentor, and then back to the screen.
The others are more restrained, but Yoo Joonghyuk can feel their intense stares on him too—and damn it all, it’s disgusting…!
…It was Choi Han…
Lee Jihye exhales, looking even more shaken.
“Master… Master, he’s your spitting image!”
Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyelid twitches. The gazes of his companions burn into him, while Pieta’s soft chuckle washes over him like a splash of icy water.
And, unfortunately, he has to admit it.
If he were younger, they really could be mistaken—if not for blood brothers, then at least for distant relatives. Choi Han’s facial features are gentler, and his hair lacks the faint natural wave Yoo Joonghyuk’s has, but overall…
Overall, yes.
That kid… really does look like him.
…Cale did not get up from his seat as he observed Choi Han.
His speed was admirable, as he ran like a lunatic through a distance that would normally take a carriage a week to travel, but, as a result, he looked like a mess. Of course, the events in the village were responsible for a bit of his messy look as well.
The guard blocked Choi Han’s path as he walked in with his head down, looking completely exhausted. Cale didn’t know what they were saying, but he could see Choi Han shake his head at the guard’s question.
‘I’m sure they’re asking if he has any identification.’
The guards of Western City were generally gentle, but they were strict when it came to the rules. They replicated their liege, Count Deruth’s personality.
“They kicked him out.”
As expected, Choi Han walked back out of the gate. He did not even throw a fit. After continuously running for a day, his slightly recovered conscience told him not to kill an innocent man…
Han Sooyoung lets out a quiet snort. Yoo Joonghyuk glances at the insolent woman, only to see a crooked smirk on her sharp features, and involuntarily grimaces.
Is that her way of hinting that Choi Han, unlike him, at least still has a shred of conscience left…?
Funny. Very funny. Especially coming from this runt.
…‘Choi Han will now wait until night time before he stealthily jumps over the city wall to enter.’
He then runs into Cale who was busy drinking away.
Screech. Since Cale was alone, the sound of the chair being pushed as he stood up sounded pretty loud. He went downstairs and informed Billos who was at the counter.
“I’ll be back soon. Don’t clear my spot.”
“Yes, young master. I look forward to your return.”
Cale ignored the smile on Billos’s chubby face as he walked out of the tea shop.
“He didn’t break anything!”
Cale could hear someone’s voice coming from inside the shop, but he did not care. He needed to set the foundation to earn that Indestructible Shield today…
“I have to admit, his calmness is starting to raise some questions.”
Yoo Sangah furrows her delicate brows, watching Kim Dokja’s incarnation in that other world.
“This isn’t an act. He really…” the woman hesitates, glancing at Pieta, but the latter benevolently looks away, not interfering with the chain of thought. “He genuinely doesn’t care.”
Kim Dokja of their world, even if he never showed it, even if he had resigned himself to it, was still hurt by that damned nickname meant to mock his appearance. Yes, he could twist the situation in his favor at any moment or simply put on a stone face, but here… Here, he truly didn’t care.
The sidelong glances, the whispers, other people’s avoidance.
He even found all of it convenient.
The woman presses her lips together, recalling the way Cale Henituse refers to himself in his thoughts — “Kim Rok Soo” — and that name, aside from the surname, was most definitely not the name of the leader of their Nebula.
‘There’s something else. Something else happened,’ Yoo Sangah nods faintly to herself. ‘Something they don’t want to explain to us…’
…The Indestructible Shield.
It is not talking about a physical item. The best comparison might be a mage’s mana shield. Something that does not actually have a physical form. However, it was very different from a mana shield, as it was closer to superpowers than magic.
The funny thing was that the human who created the power, but ended up dying, was someone who served a god but ended up being excommunicated.
‘All sorts of weird things are in this novel.’
As with the history of any fantasy world, this world also had its ancient history. During that ancient time, neither magic nor weaponry was developed.
Instead, it was a society where your own innate talent or talents gathered from supernatural occurrences played a pivotal role. The strongest powers in that society were superpowers, divine powers, and natural forces. It was a very primitive time.
Some of those powers have lasted all the way until now, staying hidden in certain locations or items. It was possible to take those powers for yourself if you meet the right conditions.
Ancient powers.
The heroes would find these powers, however, these powers were all supporting powers, not strong enough to be used as a hero’s mainstay.
These were the powers that Cale was looking to find.
‘Everything but the divine powers.’
Whether it be god or angels or devils, Cale did not want to get involved with any of them…
Someone in the room lets out a quiet snort.
Considering Kim Dokja’s primary modifier — namely, “Demon King of Salvation” — hoping for something like that, even in a new incarnation, was foolish.
Divine or demonic… this kind of crap was drawn to their rat bastard as if he were its personal magnet.
…That was why Cale was looking for the powers that people naturally developed or came from nature.
‘That is the way to make sure I don’t need to put in any effort.’
Those were the types of powers he was looking for. Something like sword art or magic would require him to put in effort to practice. He didn’t want to do something like that.
Unlike other books, the ancient civilization in the novel, [The Birth of a Hero], was not that strong.
As civilization developed, the magic and summoning skills that were developed outshined the natural powers left behind by the ancient civilization. Superpowers were the same way. Most subtle superpowers would be blown away by a single hit from the, ‘Aura,’ that was used in present day.
It wasn’t like the heroes just used these powers sparingly for no reason.
‘And my goal is to collect these subtle superpowers to become decently strong.’
It was a satisfying goal. Especially because he also knew the ancient power that could strengthen these subtle super powers.
In order to take the first step in his plan, Cale started to look for the ancient power that was hidden in Western City. He knew the requirement to earn that power…
“I’m starting to get scared by how detailed his explanations are…” Jung Heewon lets out a quiet laugh. “For someone who just read a book and then somehow got thrown into it, he’s way too well-oriented, even in details like these.”
“He did mention that he remembers everything he read, right?” Lee Hyunsung speaks up cautiously from beside her, but the ‘Judge of Apocalypse’ only grimly shakes her head.
“That’s not it.”
She points at the frozen image of the young man walking down the street.
“He doesn’t just remember. He knows.”
The former bartender gives a crooked smile.
“He clearly understands the operating principles of everything he’s describing. And judging by that last line, he knows exactly what needs to be done to obtain each ability. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be going anywhere right now. And that kind of knowledge doesn’t come from simply reading a book.”
Jung Heewon directs a sharp gaze at Pieta, who sits silently in her chair.
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
The ‘God of Change’ looks at her calmly, relaxed. The being in the form of a woman stretches her lips into an inhumanly wide smile, and Jung Heewon asks her next question:
“Those books, [The Birth of a Hero] … what were they, really?”
“Honestly—I didn’t expect this.”
The ‘deity’ lightly brushes the folder resting on her knees with her fingertips.
“I thought Sooyoung-ssi would be the first to raise that question, but…”
The ‘Black Flames Empress’ makes an expressive grimace off to the side, but chooses to remain silent, waiting to see what comes next. Her gaze flicks between the tense Jung Heewon and Pieta.
“Perhaps… it’s precisely because it’s you?”
The ‘Judge of Apocalypse’ frowns, just like the others. The meaning of the otherworldly being’s words escapes everyone in the room.
“Yes… probably because of that. This theory would explain a great deal.”
Pieta’s gaze, directed at Jung Heewon, hardens. The snarl with needle-like teeth once again decorates her face.
“This could become problematic…”
Yoo Joonghyuk leans slightly forward. He himself doesn’t know what exactly makes him do it, but he prefers to trust his instincts—and they are practically screaming, in a shrill falsetto, that this is a rather dangerous moment.
And he isn’t the only one who feels it: Lee Hyunsung shifts subtly, as if shielding Jung Heewon with his body, his face darkening when Pieta’s gaze slides onto him instead.
However, nothing happens. Only another soft laugh echoes through the room.
“Later.”
Pieta points at the screen.
“Everything will be revealed in its own time, one way or another. You’re all so impatient… I already told you I don’t like it when people ask me for spoilers.”
With a snap of her fingers, the image comes back to life. The ‘deity’s’ snarl once again softens into a “calm” smile.
“Don’t dawdle.”
…“Youn, young master. Welcome.”
the ground, to respond. Gasp. He could hear the baker gasping, but Cale pretended not to hear it. He felt bad about how his trash reputation was making this baker so fearful.
“Give me some bread.”
“Excuse me?”
Cale pointed at all of the bread in the bakery and sternly responded.
“Everything from here to there.”
Clang. The gold coin that Cale took out started to spin on the counter.
“Pack it all up.”
The baker seemed to be frozen in place as Cale continued to speak.
“Two or three more gold coins should be enough for a week’s worth of bread, right?”…
Lee Jihye’s hysterical chuckle is something everyone—including Pieta—chooses to ignore.
…The baker’s gaze, which had been on the gold coin, moved to Cale. It was too much money to pay for the bread. Cale just stoically responded to the baker’s shaking eyes.
“I can go somewhere else if you don’t want it.”
“No, it is nothing like that! Young master! I will pack it as fast as possible!”
The baker was extremely respectful for a different reason than before as he moved around quickly. After a few minutes, Cale left the bakery with a bag full of bread over his shoulder.
Even though it was just bread, it weighed quite a bit. The weight made Cale start to frown, and he ignored the baker who was watching him leave as he stepped into the street.
Cale leisurely walked down the street, noticing that anybody who made eye contact with him would quickly turn and walk away. The majority of the people even ran away to avoid eye contact with him.
‘It really is different than Korea. It is truly a fantasy world.’
Cale looked around as he wandered around this market that gave off the typical fantasy feel.
“Mm.”
“Mmph.”
Any time he made eye contact with a merchant, they became shocked and avoided his gaze. Tsk tsk. Cale really must have lived up to his title of trash in the past. Cale was talking shit about himself as he walked past the market and toward the western part of Western City.
The slum is located to the west. No matter how wealthy a territory may be, there are always going to be poor people. In a situation like this, most people would probably expect something along these lines to happen.
‘Ah, it is a fateful encounter that you can earn by sharing food with the poor.’
Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Cale could feel people peeking at him as soon as he entered the slums. This was the place where both the idlest and the most vicious people lived together…
Yoo Joonghyuk frowned, his gaze darkening. However, it wasn’t just him—everyone in their Company was tense in one way or another, watching the “recording” of where the embodiment of their unruly leader was heading. Just one glance at the people flitting in the distance among the crooked huts made Yoo Joonghyuk’s brow twitch.
Kim Dokja, you suicidal little rat, what the hell…?
…Although the poor may not know the face of their liege, the count, they knew Cale’s face. These people who had nothing needed to pay even closer attention to the type of person that would cause a ruckus in the market, pub, plaza, well, you name it, and Cale had probably caused a ruckus there too.
“Tsk.”
Even though they knew all these stories about Cale, they couldn’t resist the sweet smell of the bread in Cale’s bag. Cale just ignored all these gazes as he continued to walk…
“If he gets killed over some damn bread, that’ll be the dumbest death in the entire isekai genre…” Han Sooyoung muttered quietly. Like the others, she had leaned forward, her dark gaze fixed on the screen.
…The tip of his expensive leather shoe started to become dirty from the dirty water. An unknown stench also filled Cale’s nose, making him naturally start to frown.
This made him start to walk even faster. The slums were on one side of a small hill and constituted of old houses. Cale was heading toward the top of that hill. As he got closer, the gazes and steps of the people following him started to lessen as well. Cale’s sharp glare probably played a role in this as well.
‘It’s better here.’
After being freed from the stench, Cale stood at the top of the hill and turned around to look down at Western City. Of course, this hill was not as high as the count’s estate. There was no way that they would allow the lord of the territory to live somewhere that was lower than the slums.
Cale came back to his senses as he headed toward a tree that was fenced off in all directions. The fence, that was made of planks the width of Cale’s body, had an entrance that had rotted. It was easily broken once Cale pushed at the fence.
This large tree seemed to have lasted for hundreds of years. Trees in the slums were usually chopped into firewood or had its layers peeled off to make it useless, but this tree was not like that.
The reason was simple. The reason could be heard in Cale’s ear. These two were the only two who had followed him until the end of the slums.
“You can’t approach that t-tree!”
Cale ignored that warning. He heard another worried voice as well.
“You can’t go there! It’s a man-eating tree!”
A man-eating tree. Anyone who hung themselves on this tree became mummies overnight. Furthermore, any blood that lands on this tree instantly disappeared.
Finally, there was only dirt around this tree. Grass, and even weeds, were nowhere to be found.
This was the tree that Cale was looking for…
Shin Yoosung unconsciously tightened her grip on Lee Gilyoung’s hand.
The eerie tree loomed on the screen, and it felt as though it stood right before them. Twisted branches stretched out like spider legs; the grotesque, dark bark, riddled with deep cracks, was almost pitch-black, and even the sunlight could not brighten it. The rocky soil surrounding it only heightened the sense that this place was cursed.
The children, unconsciously pressing closer to one another, failed to notice how even the adults subtly drew their shoulders in, as if a chill had run through them.
…just as they failed to notice the satisfied smirk that slid across Pieta’s lips.
…A long time ago, during ancient times, there was a person who loved food so much that their gluttony in the place of worship got them kicked out. That person ended up starving to death.
This tree is said to have grown on top of their body, and that person’s grudge and strength were both in this tree. The Indestructible Shield that Cale was looking for was here.
How primitive, mysterious and strange was this! The majority of the ancient powers were mysterious like this.
Cale took a bread out of the bag and carefully observed a hole that was the size of an adult’s head. He needed to first send away the owner of that voice before starting his work. However, before Cale could even say anything, the voice was even louder this time as they could no longer see Cale from outside the fence because he crouched down. The voice was shaking quite a bit.
“You’re going to die! Don’t do it!”
Cale pressed his temples with his fingers.
“Sigh.”
The number of people following him decreased the closer he got to the man-eating tree at the top of the hill, however, the owner of that voice continued to follow him.
‘There are always nosy punks no matter where you go.’
Cale frowned as he turned his head around. When he did, he noticed a girl who seemed to be around 10 years old, holding her younger brother’s hand while looking at him. Her eyes were full of concern.
Seeing that Cale was frowning and staring at her, the young girl stumbled on her words and started to mumble.
“It’s a man-eating tree. You’re going to d, die.”
“I won’t die.”…
“What a bold fucking statement…” Jung Heewon’s nervous chuckle sounded strangely out of place in the momentary silence. “Rumors don’t appear out of nowhere…”
The woman clenched her fingers around the edge of her seat.
“Where are you going this time…” she whispered faintly, never taking her eyes off the young man on the screen.
…Cale took two breads out of the bag and threw it toward the little girl. It didn’t matter if it rolled on the ground because they were all individually wrapped.
“Take that and get lost.”
The young boy instantly grabbed the bread, but the young girl was still hesitating. In the end, Cale needed to use his identity. He stood up and pushed his head outside of the fence.
“You two don’t know about Cale the trash?”
The young girl’s face turned pale. Her younger brother just looked toward Cale before picking up the other bread for his sister and started to tug on her arm.
“Noona.”
“Uh huh.”
The young girl looked back and forth at the tree and Cale even as she was being pulled.
“You can’t die.”
Cale clicked his tongue at the young girl who continued to say that, before making sure nobody else was around as he sat down underneath the tree. Nobody would be able to see what he was doing unless they came right up to the fence.
“Let’s get started.”
He started by taking a loaf of bread out of the bag and putting it into that hole. His hand soon disappeared into the darkness underneath the tree, and Cale could feel a cold sensation as the bread in his hand disappeared…
“What the fu—”
It remained unclear exactly who had uttered those words.
…He felt like his whole hand might be sucked in, and quickly took it out.
The darkness in the hole underneath the tree was still the same.
“If you die with a grudge, you have to resolve that grudge.”
This man-eating tree wasn’t actually a man-eating tree. It was a tree that would eat anything. It was the side effect of the power that was left behind by the person who starved to death. But for such a thing to be related to an ancient strength…it was comical, but made it seem more realistic.
‘I remember it said I need to feed it until the darkness disappears.’
The darkness in the hole underneath the tree was not the result of shade. It was darkness formed by the grudge.
This could not be done with other people. One person had to continue to provide a large amount of food until the darkness disappeared. Once the darkness finally disappears, the light that was hiding underneath would appear.
Once he eats that light, the, ‘Indestructible Shield,’ will become Cale’s.
“Eat all you want.”
Cale put the opening of the bag into the hole and emptied all of the bread into it. In a normal situation, that small hole should have become filled with bread, however, only the darkness continued to remain once Cale removed the bag.
“I guess I’ll need about ten more large bags.”
The darkness in the hole was slightly fainter than before.
Ten bags. Only someone like Cale, with 3 million gallons as allowance, could casually say such a thing.
Rumble-
An odd cry seemed to resonate from the tree. It seemed to be saying that it was hungry and asking for more food. Cale felt like the darkness might suddenly reach out and grab him.
“…It is a bit scary.”…
“‘A little’…?”
Han Sooyoung rubbed her arms, feeling a sudden shiver. The eerie cry that had echoed through the room just moments ago made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end—and that, mind you, was no easy feat! Han Sooyoung had seen far too much shit in her life to be shaken by something like this so easily…
Which meant—this was no ordinary situation.
Her sharp gaze swept across the room, paused briefly on the relaxed Pieta, then returned to the screen.
…Cale quickly got up. He felt like he should not be here for a long time.
“Just what can a stupid grudge do?”
Gluttony was a scary thing.
“I’ll come back tomorrow.”
Cale said goodbye to the rumbling tree as if it was a person and exited the fenced area. Cale noticed the siblings eating the bread as soon as he entered the slums.
For someone who was claiming that he should not go there because it was a man-eating tree, they seemed to be enjoying the breads. They must be liking the flavor, because both of them seemed very happy.
“My my.”
Cale snorted at the siblings before ignoring their gazes. However, their gazes were not on him, but on the bag that was filled with bread earlier but was now empty. They were probably curious.
But what could they do? They couldn’t do anything.
These children were probably too scared to even go near the man-eating tree. However, it is always good to be on the safe side. It would be bad if they went up to the tree and put their head into the hole and got eaten…
“O-o-oh… I know where this is going…”
Jung Heewon smiled. Faintly, but still—a smile, for the first time since they arrived here. No… for the first time since they learned that the one beside them had not been Kim Dokja, but his avatar. It was a trembling, ghostlike smile, but it was there.
The woman let out a quiet huff, shaking her head.
“Yeah… I definitely know where this is headed,” she repeated softly, biting the inside of her cheek.
…[The children of the slums have no fear. It was because they treasured a single grain of rice more than a blade coming their way. Death is always around them, so they do not fear death. They fear being hungry more than death.]
It was something that was written in [The Birth of a Hero].
That was why Cale decided to speak to the pair of siblings.
“If you want to eat bread again tomorrow, don’t say a thing.”
The two siblings did not say anything. They were immediately following Cale’s order. The young girl, who seemed hesitant earlier, put her hand on her brother’s mouth and pretended to not see Cale. Cale smiled and thought that she was pretty smart, as he quickly left the slums.
The people in the slums who knew Cale had gone to the top of the hill were looking at him wondering what crazy thing he was doing now, but Cale liked that kind of gaze.
The people outside the slums looked at Cale weirdly as well, but Cale didn’t care about these gazes…
The screen flickered.
The image on the screen is about to shift into something new when everything suddenly fades. The members of the Company flinch, staring at the empty, pale, liquid-like nothingness that replaces the expected picture.
This… feels wrong.
“W-what…?” Shin Yoosung speaks up quietly, but falls silent as she finally notices—
Pieta.
Pieta is no longer in the chair.
From the author:
I haven’t started reading the second volume yet, but in the first one, the God of Death doesn’t have a name, so… ta-da — Author’s imagination~
I have a ton of headcanons connected to Jung Heewon and Kim Dokja. I officially declare that I’ll be implementing a couple of them here.
In every new chapter, someone from KimCom is going to lose it. Honestly. One way or another. Today, it was Han Sooyoung’s turn.
I’m definitely developing a one-sided JunDok squints I don’t know why, but describing certain perception moments specifically from Yoo Joonghyuk’s point of view brings me a strange amount of enjoyment.
P.S.: I have a ridiculous headcanon that protagonists of different novels often have damn similar facial features… and now I can’t get this image out of my head:
Sung Jinwoo, Yoo Joonghyuk, Choi Han: standing in a line, gloomily glaring at each other
Kim Dokja: “...The movie Alien. It reproduces.”
Are there dinosaurs like me here who recognized the reference?~