Chapter 584 – The Calm Before the Storm – New Year Gathering (3)
—
– Lee Eunsol
Looking back, wasn’t Kain’s trip to Jeju Island some sort of turning point?
When Kain, who had such a strong drive that he half-ignored the hotel’s recommendation to “take it easy,” collapsed, the remaining folks actually took the advice to heart and relaxed.
I’m not saying they lounged around like complete slackers.
I focused on managing the hotel, Elena returned as the owner of the Esper, and Jinchul did his best as an agent, right?
Of course, that just means we were all doing our assigned roles, so it’s a bit different.
…
Time flew by in a blink, and here we are halfway through January.
From the time we escaped the hotel, it’s probably day 172?
The ‘six months later’ that prompted action is almost here.
I wonder when the real chaos will begin?
From now on, we decided to put personal activities aside and gather together.
So, Jinchul and I are in a limousine, off to pick up our comrades.
*
“Wow~ Jinchul, has your driving improved a lot? Honestly, a few months ago it was quite the mess.”
“… Well, there was someone who wouldn’t stop nagging about my driving.”
“Who? That other agent who was your mentor?”
“Don’t even mention it. By the way, is this where Songee’s school is?”
“Yep, over there—”
“…”
The moment we caught sight of Songee’s school, both Jinchul and I were struck speechless.
The playground was bustling with stalls everywhere.
Students were running the stalls, happily making fish-shaped pastries and frying pancakes like it was a festive event.
There were also places set up for dice games and card games scattered throughout.
Local residents braved the cold, showing up with big smiles.
Jinchul, lost in the scene, murmured,
“Is that some sort of winter cultural festival? Whoa! Korea really has changed. Back in my day, we only had grand festivals in universities. High school festivals were all just formalities—”
“It’s still like that these days.”
“…”
“Honestly, in most Korean high schools, they don’t even have the funds for that kind of fuss. Parents are all over college entrance exams; how can there be a festival? If they did that, there’d be chaos. Instead, they should be squeezing in another special test for the college entrance exam.”
“…”
I had never seen it myself, but I had heard from other comrades who visited Songee’s school.
They said her life was like that of a ‘Japanese manga protagonist’?
I haven’t seen such manga, but I’ve heard Japanese high schools throw massive cultural festivals.
“Isn’t anyone feeling weird about all this?”
“I heard it’s a school where only rich kids gather, so they don’t care about college.”
“Aah~ So it’s that kind of school from the dramas? That’s why—”
“That’s such a ridiculous setup.”
“…”
A school full of rich kids who don’t care about college?
As a former third-generation chaebol, I can tell you, that image is a bizarre fantasy straight out of a work of fiction.
In reality, whether through donations or studying abroad, they will do whatever it takes to ensure their kids get into prestigious schools.
Even my father, who passed away in the loop, wasn’t an exception.
“Maybe Songee watched a drama or manga with that kind of setting.”
“… Let’s go pick her up.”
“They said to wait outside.”
“Well, if she won’t come out, we have to go in and get her.”
After entering the school to pick up Songee, Jinchul and I witnessed an even more absurd scene.
“Say hello to your beloved sister!”
“S-Songee! Are you really not going to school next year?”
Songee was being treated like the school idol, surrounded by love and attention from everyone.
With her hair cascading down to her shoulders, she struck poses while making eye contact with the other kids.
“… What’s she doing?”
“She’s in the middle of an emotional farewell.”
“No… what’s with that show?”
“Just don’t think of her as a student; think of her as an idol. Given the situation, it’s like her fans are sad she might retire.”
“W-What? There’s an idol in this school?”
“Just let it be, I guess.”
The more I watched, the funnier and a bit envious it felt.
Songee really lived without caring about anyone’s opinion for the past six months, didn’t she?
She’s living a life straight out of a comic book!
Should I have wished for something like that too?
“Oh my~ Songee, come on, what’s all this—”
“You still have dreams, right?”
“…”
“When peace comes, why not live out your dreams like Songee?”
“What do you mean?”
“In a chaotic world, an agent named Cha Jinchul, worn out in body and mind, encounters true love while strolling through a cold city.”
“W-Wait, no, sis!”
“The fateful partner is a beautiful actress in her twenties, weary of the scandals in the entertainment industry. She finds peace of mind meeting the dependable agent Cha Jinchul—”
“Argh!”
While we were killing time with jokes, Songee, her cheeks slightly flushed, hopped into the limousine.
“Oh, come on~! I told you to wait outside!”
“Jinchul said to come in.”
“Oppa!”
“… I didn’t think it would be so loud in here.”
“Songee, what’s wrong? Are you embarrassed about your dreams or something?”
“Sis!”
“You need to be confident. I’m Yu Song, the idol from Empire High!”
“Eek!”
Aside from the fun, I had this thought.
Songee approaches the world without any seriousness.
It seems like she views regular people as props for her own enjoyment rather than real individuals.
At that moment, Jinchul asked a rather uncomfortable question.
“Songee, the way you’re treating those people really seems different from how you treat us.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“…”
“Oppa, unnie, and my comrades are all my family. Those people aren’t.”
Hearing her use the word ‘family’ both warmed my heart and raised my curiosity.
Are the regulars not ‘family’?
Or are they not even ‘people’?
…
I’m not about to criticize her for this.
To nitpick at Songee over such matters seems trivial when our leader is still in the hospital – I’m sure most would agree – trying to fill an inheritance by establishing a whole materialist worship cult.
*
“Oh my~! Thanks to you, Eunsol, I’m riding in a limousine I never thought I’d have!”
“Don’t you ever ride one while working for the Bureau?”
“Who would advertise, ‘We’re special’? I hardly ever rode one.”
“Aha~!”
After picking up Seungyub and Miro, we were joined by Sanghyun and Grandpa Mooksung, making the limousine pretty crowded.
“Miro, I heard you caused a ruckus at school?”
“What ruckus?”
“C’mon! Seungyub told me everything. What, you summoned a monster at school?”
“Wow~! Seungyub, that’s so unfair! It was no big deal, and you told Mooksung?”
“… No big deal? That day, the urban legend had it Miro nearly chopped off my arm.”
“But you’re perfectly fine!”
“I–I dodged it!”
“Well, that’s good enough, then!”
Hearing the ridiculous stories from the back, I couldn’t help but laugh.
After Ahri disappeared and Kain ended up in the hospital too, Miro truly became a girl with no fear under the sky.
Well, she hasn’t crossed any lines yet, I guess.
After all, Seungyub’s arm didn’t get chopped off, right?
“Hey! Aren’t you gonna apologize?”
“Why? Didn’t I help you practice martial arts?”
Miro’s being a bit shameless there…
“Let’s all calm down. We’ll be meeting Kain soon after we arrive at the hotel, right?”
“…”
The moment the name ‘Kain’ was dropped, Miro went silent.
Such a pure love in every sense of the word.
“I think Kain would want Miro to apologize for what happened.”
“…”
“What do you think?”
“… I’m sorry.”
Sanghyun seemed to know how to leverage that innocence.
“Agent.”
“Sir, I’m a former agent now, you know?”
“How are your kids? Did they arrive safely in Texas?”
“I got a call last week. It’s thanks to you, so thank you.”
“It’s nothing.”
Seeing how humble he was, lowering his head, it was clear he was genuinely thankful.
Among our comrades, some created families through dreams, while they decided to send their families to America after the meeting.
I understand the hope of wanting their families to be in a safe place.
But, is America really that safe?
I have no idea.
Even Grandpa or Sanghyun can’t be sure, but perhaps they’re harboring vague hopes.
“…”
I often wonder about this.
How long can my comrades think of ordinary people as true family?
Even the grandpa with his long experience as an agent might still sincerely consider his children and grandchildren as ‘real’…
But in the distant future, after we’ve gone through the loop multiple times, I think we won’t try to create normal families anymore.
“What about each of your trump cards?”
“I still have a dream left. Miro has one too, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Jinchul and Miro have dreams? What about the rest?”
“Ha ha~! I have ‘The Awakening of the Greatest Master!’ It’s a one-time deal, though.”
Seungyub’s “The Awakening of the Greatest Master,” huh…
Not bad.
It might just save everyone once.
Just so you know, I have the Hand of Greed.
The catch is, it’s tough to use around comrades.
“Arrival! Everybody out.”
Thinking everyone’s going to be together from now on reminded me a lot of the past.
It really feels like we’re all challenging the cursed room again, doesn’t it?
*
– Han Kain
— Sssuu…
In a mental realm as deep as the abyss, I can feel the outside.
“…”
There was a superhero I liked when I was a kid who was visually impaired.
He lost his sight but developed superhuman hearing to compensate, allowing him to perceive space in three dimensions.
Back then, I thought it was just a comic exaggeration…
But having spent over a month in a semi-comatose state, it’s not as inaccurate as I once thought.
Just like how the blind develop their hearing, losing my entire body has sharpened a sort of spirituality or sixth sense.
I’m slowly compensating for the damage caused by the weakening blessings as I return to reality.
Maybe this is also the Owl’s doing.
「User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 174
Current Location: Delight Hotel, Yeongdeungpo, Seoul
Sage’s Advice: X」
About three days ago, the status window started appearing again.
The punishment must be coming to an end, and the recovery time is approaching.
In essence, it signals the arrival of the time of chaos.
And…
「Scenario Understanding has been activated!」
「Scenario: The Stolen World
Specific details will be disclosed after the end of the punishment.」
The Stolen World?
I’ll work harder to ensure regular updates.
Thanks to the patron, Gongjo-rim!
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