Chapter 25
Chapter 25
4. The Savior Who Ended the Cold Wave -1
There are questions that are pointless to ask, yet never fade from your mind even if you don't ask them.
That question first began to bloom when the Hunter Monarchy fell. I couldn't stand by and watch what they were doing, so I threw myself at them, and somehow, I won. It was because there were quite a few people besides me who had grievances against the Hunter Monarchy.
Outwardly, it's known that I secretly rallied the hunters and brought down the monarchy, but in truth, my role was closer to that of a figurehead. The Seoul offensive was also a "somehow it worked out" plan—I caused a commotion first, and everyone else figured it was the right moment and jumped in.
Back then, my own force consisted of only five or six people, including Minsik. The warlord factions that joined the coup, each with more than thirty hunters, were on a completely different scale.
Speaking of jumping in,
There was one guy who, even now when I think about it, was hilarious.
'Honorary Baron Noah Won! I, Park Sihu, have arrived upon hearing your command! So you're finally launching the coup. Heh heh... I finished preparing for the uprising long ago, so let us join forces at once!'
'...I never said any such thing to you.'
'No, you did! Besides, even if you deny it, no one would believe you anyway, so why don't we just say you did? Leader of the rebellion—doesn't that title sound magnificent?'
'⋯⋯⋯⋯'
Yeah, it was roughly that kind of feeling.
And this sloppy, hastily thrown-together coup actually succeeded. The Hunter Monarchy was brought down by three hunters, myself included, and the forces that followed them.
After the King of Seoul's head was severed, the coup leaders gathered in one place and began to coordinate what came next—that is, to discuss how to divide up the power.
I attended as a mediator. I was only a figurehead, after all, and I had no interest in power. If the two of them started fighting over who got more, I intended to step in and stop them.
Fortunately, the distribution process went quite smoothly.
'Honorary Duke Noah Won! I, Park Sihu, shall go south to the Korean Peninsula and rule there! Thank you for granting your permission!'
'I'll set up my household in the Gangwon-do area. The East Sea is where I was born.'
'Yes, take whatever you like. However, I will trust that you will lead like decent human beings. No, wait... if the two of you go down to the provinces, what about Seoul?'
Everything except this.
'Shouldn't Honorary Great King Noah Won take it?'
'Excuse me?'
Just like that, I became the person responsible for Seoul.
There was no one to pass the baton to even if I gave it up, so I had no choice but to do it. To be honest, I did have a bit of a romantic fantasy about power. I wondered what it would feel like to stand above others.
It was heavy.
The one standing at the top had a shit-ton of work to do. Of course, I could have lazed around all day like those bastards in the Hunter Monarchy, sucking the lifeblood out of others...
But my temperament wouldn't allow it. When someone handled a task crookedly, my chest would tighten and I couldn't stay still. So what could I do? I had to get out there and do it myself.
After that, I lived diligently.
For the people who didn't follow the two warlords and remained in Seoul, I secured food supplies, repaired buildings, fought off the plant invasions... and eventually reached the point of awakening my Status Window and taking on cosmic contract work.
Back when I launched the coup,
I didn't think I could win. I... honestly, I was prepared to die. But even if I was going down, I just wanted to throw one punch first.
But now I couldn't do that. A small world rested on my shoulders. If I threw my life away, Seoul—barely clinging to survival—would be thrown away with it.
So that question takes root and clings stubbornly, like those plant bastards. Yesterday. Today. Maybe tomorrow too.
Indeed.
...Can I save the world?
The grand and massive white Grand Temple stood tall, its sharp spires reaching as if to touch the clouds. The gardens were beautifully arranged, resembling a scene from some paradise, and the priests passing over them wore smiles that seemed like perfect harmony.
As if there were not a single speck of impurity, every facility of the Grand Temple was painted white and shone piously. And across the grounds of that religious holy site, a lone traveler was making his way.
Thunk. Step. Thunk. Step. Thunk.
But the footsteps sounded strange. Looking closely, the white-haired traveler was leaning on a pair of crutches, struggling forward. Sweat beaded and ran down his cheeks.
Thunk.
A drop of sweat fell, leaving a single spot on the white marble.
The holy knight escorting him saw this and cautiously asked. Since he was the Saintess's guest, being rude or getting on her bad side could result in being demoted and reassigned to a minor post.
"...Shall I help you?"
"No, I can walk on my own."
"If you're uncomfortable, please do tell me. I will assist you."
"I'll accept the sentiment."
The traveler's complexion was poor, his movements sluggish, and his veins bulged as if he were afflicted by some curse. Yet he declined help and walked on.
He looked like a newborn fawn.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
Normally, it was customary to conduct a thorough body search before entering the Grand Temple. But the traveler was the Saintess's guest, and in his condition, even if you put a dagger in his hand, he didn't seem capable of harming anyone.
So the holy knight took no measures and simply bowed his head to him at the gate.
"You may enter. The Saintess is waiting in the confessional."
"Yes. Keep up the good work."
Thunk. Step. Thunk. Step...
After the traveler disappeared into the Grand Temple, the holy knight wondered what kind of person he was. Judging by his face and pale skin, he seemed like a noble... or perhaps a dancer, the knight thought.
It wasn't uncommon for high-ranking priests to summon people for their own amusement.
If so, had the Saintess finally given up? Perhaps she had ended her long wandering and begun to adapt to the traditions and atmosphere of this Grand Temple. Then the commotion would finally settle down.
But the holy knight had no idea.
Clank-!
That the traveler invited by the Saintess was, in fact, concealing a sinister object in his bosom.
"...I was prepared to fight my way through. Lucky."
[-> Download Slot 2: 『Corpse-Plague Curse』 (Downloading... 85%)]
That even with a body dying from the Zombie Virus, he could have subdued the holy knight through a surprise attack at any time.
This Grand Temple was damnably vast and complicated. So much so that if you entered without any knowledge, you could easily get lost.
I looked around the interior, decorated to the pinnacle of opulence, and followed the path exactly as I had been instructed beforehand. At a fork, go right. Right. Left. Turn right at the angel statue that looked like breaking off a piece and selling it would be no joke.
Then, if I encountered someone passing by.
[Andersen : dont talk to anyone if you meet them on the way]
[Andersen : you must not be seen]
[Noah Won : Your spelling, it's not...]
[Andersen : i dont know what you mean]
As the Saintess advised, I lowered my eyes and ignored them.
She and I had made contact through the Community bulletin board.
[General | (Hunter1) | ★☆Must-Read for the Credit-Delinquent☆★ I'm trying to start a small group. (You'll regret it if you don't look)]
In the past, I had gathered people whose Credits had gone into the negative and created a small secondhand-trading group. The Saintess Andersen was also one of those System credit-delinquents, and that was why I contacted her. It was because transaction records remained within the group.
In other words, her identity was verified in the first instance.
Looking at the transaction records, she seemed to be buying up all kinds of weapons, going into debt to do so. Given that she lived in such a magnificent temple, she apparently held a fairly high position. What was she planning to use them for?
No, what mattered was—
She had the ability to resolve the Zombie Virus, the 『Corpse-Plague Curse』. I had to obtain a vaccine from her through the trade.
After walking for about twenty minutes, I finally arrived at the confessional.
The confessional was a room with nearly the worst possible space efficiency—a ridiculously large room with only a single confessional booth in the center, big enough for two people.
There didn't seem to be anyone around, so I carefully opened the door of the confessional booth and stepped inside. Confession, huh... This was my first time in a place like this. I'd heard they did this kind of thing at Buddhist temples.
The inside was pleasant and plush.
When I pressed my hand into the cushion on the chair, I could tell at once from the quality of the material that it was a high-end item. It made me wonder if anyone could actually repent in a place like this.
As I was exploring the interior, a low, cool female voice came through a hole covered by a cloth partition in the middle.
"Wandering little lamb, I have an appointment with an important person today. If you have seated yourself here without an appointment—I will refund the donation used to purchase your indulgence, so please leave."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
I was a little surprised because the atmosphere was different from what I'd expected.
In the chat, she'd seemed like someone with a bit of an airheaded, cute side. But now, facing her with just a cloth between us, she was closer to a well-honed blade. She reminded me of a border inspection officer.
She apparently wanted to cross-verify that I was indeed the person she'd made the appointment with. In that case, there was a simple way to confirm identity.
[Noah Won : It's me.]
[Noah Won : Is this a space where there's a risk of eavesdropping?]
A long moment later, a message came.
[Andersen : no]
"...If there's no risk of eavesdropping, couldn't you have just answered out loud?"
"I have to verify your identity on my end as well. If the confirmation is complete, I'd like to finish the transaction quickly. Did you bring the goods?"
"Here, on this side..."
Clack.
I pulled a pistol from between my clothes and held it out through the cloth. The cloth lifted slightly, and I caught a glimpse of a scar-covered white hand taking the pistol. So that was the Saintess's hand.
Right. The Saintess Andersen was interested in another world's killing weapons—firearms.
"Only one. I told you I needed hundreds, thousands of these."
In bulk, at that.
I smiled and replied.
"It takes time on our end to prepare the goods as well. Since a craftsman manufactures them, it takes considerable effort. And we should both verify things first so we can trade without hesitation, shouldn't we?"
I put emphasis on the word "both" as I spoke. I had to receive what I was owed for this to be a trade, didn't I? I tapped the armrest as a sign of urging.
Then two small bottles were extended through the gap in the cloth. Inside, a milky liquid sloshed, emitting a faint glow. Gulp. I swallowed dryly.
This was something that could become the hope of an entire world.
The Saintess's businesslike voice dropped low.
"Check it."
"...Very well."
I lightly touched it with my finger and focused my mind.
Ding!
[-> Download Slot 1: 『Curse Removal』 (Downloading... 0.0001%)]
Confirmed. The goods were genuine.
As I could tell just from how long it was taking my 『Download -2』 to process, this was the real deal.
The other side also went through the verification process. There was a brief clattering sound, then the sound of a bullet being chambered. The Saintess asked.
"May I fire it?"
"It's already yours, Saintess."
"Then I won't decline."
Bang-!!
The bullet flew toward my forehead—no, it didn't. Judging by the faint golden light seeping from inside, she seemed to have fired at some kind of barrier to test it.
The first transaction was complete. I rose from my seat and spoke.
"Please prepare as much 『Holy Water』 as you can. I'll bring firearms with far greater firepower than this pistol, by the hundreds."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
After a brief silence, a suspicious question flew from beyond the cloth.
"—Let me ask just to be sure. Can you really bring that kind of quantity?"
"Of course."
Yeah, she had every reason to be suspicious. I'd shown up looking half-dead from the Zombie Virus, so she was probably wondering whether this wreck could really get his hands on a pile of guns.
But I could.
Of course, there were none in Seoul. If we'd had something that precious, I'd have been using it myself long ago.
So I was planning to... trade with 『Camp Ace』, the organization that had seized hegemony over Sohye's Republic of Korea, to obtain firearms.
Get guns from Camp Ace by promising to solve their Zombie Virus problem.
Get the vaccine from the Saintess by promising her guns.
And in this triangular trade with no physical goods of my own, I, the middleman handling distribution, would... skim goods from both sides as my commission and make a killing!
Just skimming a few guns and a few bottles of Holy Water would be an incalculable help. If I was lucky enough to get my hands on explosives too, I might be able to break into the bunkers near Seoul, and if I strengthened our forces further...
I could push back the forest and open a route all the way to the city-states in eastern and southern Republic of Korea.
And as a bonus, I'd be excising one of the two cancers plaguing Sohye's world. No matter how you looked at it, this was a perfect plan with nothing but upside.
I'd obtained two bottles of Holy Water. I intended to consume one right there on the spot. First, I needed to break free from this goddamn debuff.
That was when it happened.
"It wouldn't have any effect even if you drank it yourself."
"Excuse me?"
I froze in the very posture of about to drink the Holy Water.
She was someone with the ability to resolve curses. So it wasn't strange for her to see through the 『Corpse-Plague Curse』 I was afflicted with... but no effect?
"You seem to already be 'devouring' the curse on your own. A curse that has begun to be devoured is no longer a curse but a medicine. A fragment of my divinity won't work on it."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
So, in other words.
The curse would originally have been resolved by drinking the Holy Water, but because of the resistance caused by 『Download -2』, the medicine wouldn't work.
So did that mean I had to live with this thing until it healed naturally?
No. It could be a misdiagnosis. I'd go back and drink it. I wouldn't believe it until I confirmed it myself.
"...Thank you for the advice. 『Return』."
Having concluded the first transaction, I was enveloped in white light and vanished.
"This is it. Thank you for all your hard work."
Thunk.
Noah Won, still looking exhausted, said that and placed the 『Holy Water』 on the table. And that was it. No further explanation, no additional conditions.
Creeeak- Thud.
Noah Won walked out and quietly closed the door.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯"
Dazed.
She pinched her cheek, wondering if this was real. Of course, it hurt.
But even though it hurt, she couldn't believe it. In fact, she was scared. It felt like if it hurt just a little more, she would wake from the dream. Her overloaded brain couldn't accept reality.
In case she'd be disappointed.
In case this was all a lie, and her heart would collapse.
But, fortunately. The ground did not collapse. The sky did not cave in. The world that had been so cruel until now existed, in this moment, with an unshakable solidity.
Kim Sohye stared at the small glass bottle as if entranced. Inside, a pure white liquid—the same color as Noah Won's hair—sloshed gently. And that color... seemed to signify salvation itself.
On the bed lay Sojin, lying quietly as if asleep.
"...Unnie."
It had been a long time since she'd placed the word "unnie" on her lips. That word had carried too deep a wound until now. Just saying it felt like her chest was being torn apart, so she had deliberately avoided it.
But this moment was different. It wasn't a word rusted over by a cruel world. It was the word that had rung out long ago, when two close sisters ran along the asphalt roads.
She reached out and gripped the bottle.
Her hands were trembling too much. Afraid she might drop and break it, she held it tightly with both hands. Even that didn't reassure her, so she pulled it to her chest and cradled it preciously.
And then... she stood and walked. Toward her unnie.
And then, and then.
"The cap, I need to open the cap..."
Her hands had no strength, so she bit it with her teeth. Having managed to open the bottle that way, Sohye took a deep breath. Then she tipped the liquid toward Sojin's forehead.
And then.
As if by magic, as if time were rewinding, the bulging veins began to subside. Sohye felt like she might hyperventilate, so she bit her finger. Calm down. Calm down.
Would it work? What if it didn't? If it did work... what should she do then?
She imagined every possible outcome. Her runaway imagination had just reached the point of wondering whether she'd tilted the bottle too hastily and the effect hadn't fully spread, when—
Blink.
The eyelids opened.
Sohye stopped breathing. She held her breath and looked down at Sojin. Even in a zombie state, the eyes could open. It was the same up to this point. Here, Sojin would let out a "Graaah-!" of hatred toward the living—
"...Sohye?"
"⋯⋯⋯⋯!!"
It had taken so long.
She had wanted to hear it. She had wanted to hear just this one word so badly that she couldn't let go of hope. And now it had come true. A miracle she could only have imagined in her dreams...!
Kim Sohye had thought that if a miracle happened and she could see Sojin again, she would greet her with a bright smile. But life never went according to plan. Her tear ducts had already started up.
Sohye wailed and threw her arms around Sojin.
"Unnie, unnie! Hwaaaaaah-!!"
"W-wait, wait...!"
The cold winter ended just like that—suddenly, and in an instant.