< Chapter 140: Relationships (4) >
I woke up.
The familiar scenery of my room.
“…It wasn’t a strange dream, right?”
Whether it was a dream or sothing else, the mory remains vivid. The words Shin spoke are still lingering in my head.
It probably wasn’t a dream.
His words were too plausible to be dismissed as a fignt of my imagination.
Everything he said made sense.
“Let’s et again at the end that is not the end…”
Recalling Shin’s last words, I got up from my bed.
Those words held a lot of aning for .
“Does it an that as long as I manage to survive and reach the point of bringing down the ending, defeating Demon God, I can know everything?”
It was as if he had given a clear goal when I had been rely thinking of surviving vaguely.
“…Even if I have to, I will survive until then.”
I have to find out why I ended up in this situation, even if it’s out of resentnt. I clenched my teeth.
But it’s a bit disappointing.
There were still many questions I wanted to ask.
“I didn’t even ask if dying here ans dying for real.”
I was so distracted that I couldn’t ask the most important question. No, initially, whether this world is really a world inside a novel, or like the cliché in other web novels, another dinsion that really exists.
I couldn’t even ask that.
And more than anything,
“I should have slapped him, but I forgot to do that too.”
I gritted my teeth.
“…But still, I gained a lot.”
I ca to know the detailed principle behind the trace of my power, Adam.
I found out that Shin is my ally.
And I learned that I should not tell anyone that I do not have a status window.
“What to do.”
What should I really do?
I thought that to untangle the twisted relationships around like a twisted donut, I had to disclose my truth to so extent. But that’s not possible.
“…I am going crazy.”
I can’t back down now either.
Literally caught between a rock and a hard place.
I have beco unable to move either way.
“I can’t just ignore it either.”
If I don’t sohow untangle these entwined relationships, the trust between us will break.
If that happens, it will be a major obstacle when waging a full-scale war against the truth’s saviors.
“It might even turn into a hostile relationship.”
“The larger the trust, the greater the sense of betrayal when it cos back,” it was said.
If left like this, I could be antagonized by those four.
“I decided to stop lying because I didn’t want that to happen soday….”
Now was the Maginot Line.
The final line where I could rectify my lies and establish a correct relationship. It might be a bit calculative and selfish, but I have helped those four a lot until now.
It was the only ti where so reasonable participation was possible if I explained my situation.
That’s why I had chosen not to lie….
“It’s completely ssed up.”
If I spill my truth, it gets detected by the system.
Knowing this fact, my choice has beco a necessary evil, neither more nor less.
“Not that lying was a good choice either.”
If spilling the truth is the worst move, lying is at best the next worst.
No, considering it might cause a bigger disaster in the future, it can also be called the worst move.
“Wow. I’m going crazy.”
Caught in a dilemma.
Whichever path I choose, it’s hell.
There was no answer.
“…The sowhat fortunate thing is that only Jia knows it.”
About the Sunshine Orphanage and being a half-elf, half-celestial. Jia is the only one who knows both of these disconnected identities.
That is sowhat fortunate.
But this is just a matter of ti too.
Once a glass starts to crack, even if you glue it, it will eventually shatter soday.
My current situation is exactly that.
The mont Jia’s patience collapses and she consults soone, everything ends.
“Sooner or later, it’s only a matter of ti before those four find out.”
Even if Jia doesn’t explicitly say it, since Maiden started having doubts and acting upon them, it is inevitable that cracks will appear in our relationship.
“It won’t be long before they co to ask directly.”
What exactly is the relationship between , Jia, and Si-yeon? They will co to ask straightforwardly.
“Ah.”
The more I think about it, the more this situation seems to have no solution from all sides.
“I expected that when relationships ford through various misconceptions gather, it would turn out like this soday….”
That timing was too fast.
All because the incident spiraled out of control due to the butterfly effect.
“I connected those four too quickly.”
I shook my head vigorously.
As the remaining ti passed, despite pondering over and over, the fact that there was no answer beca even clearer.
“Sigh. Let’s just go to school.”
With a deep sigh, I got up from the bed.
* * *
Friday.
The group battle that was paused and postponed has finally co to an end. To speak of the results, our team has achieved a clean sweep.
“Ha. It ended with 4 wins and 1 loss.”
Chul-jin approached with a wry smile.
“What does the loser want with the winner?”
I joked with a smile.
“I ca to take so revenge on the winner. Why?”
Chul-jin sneakily moved behind , attempting to wrap his arm around my neck.
Clearly aiming to headlock .
“Too slow.”
I dodged with a light body movent, escaping from Kim Chul-jin’s grasp.
“I, as a bro, have no interest in having physical contact with a loser, especially a male one.”
“Ah.”
He clenches his fist, glaring at as if extrely annoyed.
“So, is it okay to have physical contact with a losing female?”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, a playful voice ca from behind, and at the sa ti,
“Eiya!”
Soft arms wrapped around my head. Si-yeon was looking at with a playful expression.
“Accept the wrath of the loser!”
She then put strength into her arm.
“Oi Oi Oi! It hurts! It hurts!”
It was so painful that I couldn’t think of anything else. It seems she has beco stronger recently.
“Humph!”
Si-yeon made a pouting face.
“Do you now understand the anger of the loser?! Hahaha!”
Kim Chul-jin’s laughter bood heartily.
Suddenly, irritation surged.
I was already suffering from a headache!
I imdiately jabbed at Si-yeon’s wide-open flank, and very hard at that!
“Ugigoagyagyagak!”
Si-yeon, making an indescribable sound, hurriedly jumped and retreated to the side.
“Se, Seyul, you….”
“Si-yeon, if you expose your flanks like that, this happens. Understand? Do you?”
I took another step towards Si-yeon, who was covering both of her flanks with her hands.
And then, thud.
“Kyaaang!”
It stings.
This ti, I feigned a jab and quickly thudded the other side!
“Kyaaah! St, stooop!”
It’s been a while.
My anger hasn’t subsided yet.
“I, I was wrong! Really! Uwaaang!”
Soon, Si-yeon beca tearful and sprawled out on the floor.
“Phew. I’ll let it slide for today.”
“…sniffle.”
She looks up at with tears hanging on the corners of her eyes. For so unknown reason, I feel refreshed.
Is this Si-yeon therapy?
“Seo-yul, you’re rciless.”
Watching us, Chul-jin smiled as if he was enjoying it.
“You too. You could have helped.”
“Then it wouldn’t be fun.”
From his point of view, it probably doesn’t matter whether it was getting pranked or Si-yeon; it was equally fun either way.
“Hing. Seo-yul, you’re bad….”
Si-yeon slowly approached , pouting her lips and glaring at with resentful eyes.
“What? Want to poke you more?”
I raised my finger.
“No!”
Si-yeon quickly retreated backward, protecting her side.
“Heh heh.”
At her cute reaction, Chul-jin let out a laugh again.
“If Ji-hoon was here, he would have interfered out of jealousy. Poor thing.”
“Don’t say such terrible things.”
I don’t even want to think about that tick-like guy.
“Why? You can make him call you ‘hyung’ (older brother) quite often, isn’t it fun?”
Ha. Don’t even ntion it.
“Fun my ass. I wouldn’t let him call ‘hyung’. I’m so annoyed that I can’t kill him.”
I gritted my teeth, expressing how creepy it would feel to be called ‘hyung’ by him. Ugh.
“Anyway, Seo-yul, you haven’t been hanging out with Shin Jia much lately.”
Chul-jin brought up a new topic.
“Ah, right. Did sothing happen between you two? The atmosphere seed awkward.”
Si-yeon followed up with her question.
“…I’m not sure.”
I sighed inwardly.
The situation between Jia and remains the sa.
We are just being indecisive, constantly gauging each other’s reactions.
It’s frustrating in many ways.
“It’s better to resolve it quickly if sothing happened. Looking at Shin Jia, she seems like the type to bottle up a lot inside. Better to clear it up before it becos tireso.”
For so reason, Chul-jin gave serious advice. Nonetheless, it was useless advice. I already know sothing like that.
“…Yeah. Thanks.”
I want to do that too, but what can I do when there’s no way to?
* * *
The weekend passed without any change.
“I wish she would say sothing…”
Jia still had nothing special to say. She still attended the training we did together with Si-yeon, and calling ancestor was no different from usual.
On Saturday, Shin Jia ca over to play at ho and after playing all day with Rena, even the strangely awkward atmosphere disappeared, returning to her usual state.
That’s even more unsettling.
Is this it?
The mind of a murderer who unwittingly committed a murder and is anxious about when they will be caught.
It feels like sitting on a bed of thorns all day.
[Little one. Are you free this Saturday? Let’s talk.]
As expected, it seed that Mr. Maiden’s patience had reached its limit.
“…Has it really gone wrong?”
It was tightly blocked front and back.
Even the Olympic Road during rush hour would not be this blocked.
“Do I have no choice but to keep the present alive with lies, regardless of the distant future…?”
It seems like this is the only serious way. Right now, I have to do sothing to co to the future. Roughly speaking, going backward could also bring up a new thod.
No matter how much I think about it, there is no other way.
I need ti to redy this situation.
“Alright. I’ll go with this thod.”
Even after worrying more, no good thod cos to mind. I’ll go with the lesser evil to avoid the worst.
“They say to pull out the ox horn at once.”
I imdiately sent a group ssage to four people.
[I have sothing to say this Saturday. Is noon okay for you all?]
“…I don’t know. It will work out sohow.”
The dice have been thrown.
Maybe a good move will co up later.
Woowoo-
An imdiate reply ca.
It was Mr. Yu Hwa.
[I’ll try to make ti.]
You woke up early.
[Ah, by the way, I have a few ancient relics that I bought in advance for this mystery project. Would you like to hold onto them for now?]
[Is that okay?]
It’s good for .
[Of course. It is a relic legally bought with my money. Of course, it is okay.]
[Just return it before the museum is completed.]
So, I can have it for at least a month.
[Here is the item description.]
[Photo attached]
Even the effects are quite good.
[Then I will gratefully accept it. Where should I go tomorrow?]
[I will go to you. I’ll take a look at Goldie as well.]
* * *
After all the Tuesday classes were over.
“Excuse .”
Mr. Yu Hwa ca to visit my house.
“Yu Hwa!”
Rena greeted Mr. Yu Hwa.
Following her, Goldie also followed with a jingling sound.
“Hello Rena. Hello Goldie~”
Mr. Yu Hwa greeted the two with a fresh smile.
White Tiger was lying in the living room, staring intently at the three of them.
“White Tiger is still as haughty as ever.”
“That white cat, well… always the sa. These days, his jealousy has decreased, and he doesn’t even co forward for trivial matters. He just rolls around lying down all day.”
It is academically established that the “white” in “white cat” stands for “unemployed.”
“Ah. Please give that carrier first.”
I reached out for the carrier that Mr. Yu Hwa was holding in both hands.
“Nah, it’s okay. It’s not that heavy.”
“Still, it’s not polite to let a guest carry it.”
I forcibly snatched the carrier away.
“Have you had dinner?”
“No, I was busy today, so I didn’t even have lunch.”
Yu Hwa made a sad face.
“Then would you like to eat together? Rena and I tried cooking together today.”
“… Together with Rena?”
Yu Hwa looked down at Rena with widened eyes.
“I cooked! It was fun!”
Rena answered with a beaming smile.
“Wow. If our Rena made the food, this unnie absolutely has to try it.”
“Hehe.”
“Nyaang.”
Suddenly, Goldie rubbed its body against Yu Hwa’s ankle.
“Goldie?”
Yu Hwa tilted her head slightly.
She had an expression that said she couldn’t understand what Goldie was trying to say.
“He says he also helped with the cooking. He is asking for a complint.”
“Ah~”
Yu Hwa squatted down and hugged Goldie with an expression that said he was incredibly cute.
“Goldie worked hard too~”
“ow~”
Goldie looked pleased. Seeing this, Yu Hwa’s expression beca even brighter.
“Please sit for now. I’ll just bring out so tea.”
“No, it’s okay. Let’s deal with the formalities quickly and then have a al.”
“Um, that sounds better.”
I placed the two carriers on the table and sat down.
“Rena, can you go inside the room with Goldie and White Tiger for a mont? Just for 5 minutes.”
“…Okay.”
Rena hurriedly ran, hugged Goldie and White Tiger, and went inside the room.
“She is really cute.”
Yu Hwa watched the closed door with an envious expression.
“Co visit often if you miss her. White Tiger too, they all like Yu Hwa.”
Not just Yu Hwa, they liked most of the people around them.
“I would love to, but work has been too busy.”
Her shoulders drooped sadly.
“…Hang in there.”
I could say nothing more than that.
“Speaking of which, Seo-yul. You know the ssage asking if you are free this Saturday.”
Yu Hwa looked at with a peculiar expression.
“Perhaps… Did you tell Jia about that… Have you heard?”
Her words were very cautious.
“That talk.”
It probably referred to the story about my past related to Sunlight Orphanage.
“Yes.”
I nodded with a forced smile.
“As expected.”
Yu Hwa heaved a quiet sigh.
“I’m sorry. I should have stopped her.”
“No, how could you stop Maiden?”
I vividly envisioned Yu Hwa looking restless, alternating her gaze between Maiden and Jia.
“And honestly, weren’t you curious too? About the relationship between Jia and , the secret I’m hiding.”
For a mont, our eyes t.
Yu Hwa chuckled briefly.
“I’m not really curious.”
“…What?”
“Well, there are things that bother . But it’s not like I must know, that’s what I an.”
“What do you an?”
Yu Hwa wore a faint smile.
“Caring about soone’s secrets is because you can’t trust them.”
“……”
“Because I don’t know what they are thinking. Because they might betray . Because they might be hiding their true feelings. So, I want to know what they are hiding. It’s the best way to alleviate vague anxiety.”
Yu Hwa’s face was very serious.
“That’s why I am not curious about the secrets Seo-yul is holding.”
With a gaze full of affection and fondness, she smiled faintly.
“Because I trust Seo-yul.”
Her eyes, brimming with trust, shone with a brilliant light.
There was a peculiar resonance in my heart.
A strange joy, as if everything I had done up to now had been affird.
I realized how happy it is to be trusted by soone.
“…Thank you for saying that.”
However, those straightforward eyes sohow hurt my heart more.
< Chapter 140: Relationships (4) > End
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