Unspeakable Secret
You have obtained a new piece of the story.
A shimmering silver piece of the story.
I went through hell with that extreme job gimmick today just to get this one.
It felt completely different from the one I'd gotten from Lora.
The Netherworld's gone now, so I gotta get outta here quick before people get even more confused.
That's when a voice called out.
"Are you leaving?"
A man with glowing blue eyes grabbed Si-hyun. Leon Hardison. A hint of fear flickered in his otherwise steely gaze.
Isn't this guy from the US dispatch? Felt it the first time I saw him—dude's built like a tank.
"Phantom... before you go, I have something I want to ask."
"Leon! Even if he hasn't attacked humans so far, getting that close is dangerous!"
The guild members fretted over potential surprises. No matter Phantom's track record of not harming humans, he was still a ghost story. A mengmang-grade one with incomprehensible power, no less.
"Phantom's power is on a whole other level compared to any ghost story humanity's faced before."
"Someday that power might turn on us..."
"I know what his power is like. But that's exactly why we need to understand. Why Phantom saves humans."
The man in pitch black before them stood tall and unshaken amid the swirling Netherworld.
"Phantom, why do you—a mengmang-grade ghost story—save us... save humans?"
Leon's question was the doubt everyone here harbored.
A being of overwhelming power. Ghost stories were supposed to be humanity's enemies by default. So why did this one pity them?
"I saw you take every hit without moving to protect people. Don't play it off as coincidence. That stance was clearly meant to shield them."
Phantom blocking every attack with his body for the frozen people.
"Your back was like a mountain. Never thought I'd be the one protected... but it didn't feel half bad."
Leon awkwardly expressed his genuine gratitude to Phantom.
But.
Si-hyun was just stunned by the question.
What the hell is this guy saying?
Protect them? Who was protecting who?
I was barely saving my own skin—why the fuck would I protect you lot?
Ahem! They know how amazing you are, Si-hyun! Just graciously accept the praise!
Why are you talking like you're the generous one? And this is all because you added that tether gimmick that kept me from moving.
B-But! Historical accuracy means no backlash!
The only one judging is me, so quit nitpicking useless crap.
U-Useless...? Hueeng... Si-hyun's a dummy who doesn't get my feelings!!
Sigh... yeah, yeah. I get it, so don't cry.
Sniff... O-Okay...
Si-hyun couldn't help thinking this was what it felt like to have a bratty little sister who never listened.
At first, I figured it was just some cold, rigid status window or system like in games.
No real comparison, but his Notification Window was overflowing with emotions—sometimes more human than actual people.
Being around it so much, it even feels kinda cute...
Thump...! R-Really...?
Haha, why so surprised?
I-It's nothing... Hehe.
Anyway, activate Shadow Shift. I can't take these dudes staring at me all gooey-eyed anymore!
Women, fine. But guys like me throwing those looks? Makes me wanna puke. I only read novels packed with girls, okay?
Shadow Shift activated.
—Shwoosh!
"W-Wait! Phantom, hold on...!"
Ugh, persistent. They make up their own delusions and now want me to explain?
The guild members kept clinging as Si-hyun tried to bail.
"Just answer one thing. Can we consider you—a ghost story—on humanity's side...?"
I'm just a normal guy, so technically yeah, human side.
But if he said "I'm on humanity's side" here?
Every ghost story outbreak, they'd beg Phantom-me for help.
Si-hyun had learned one unchanging truth surviving a harsh, parentless world: Kindness turns into entitlement if it keeps going.
Once Phantom's seen as humanity's savior, they'll lean on it more and more.
And eventually take it for granted. That's why drawing a clear line between Phantom and humanity was crucial.
Notification Window. You read my mind, right?
Hic! H-How'd you know...?
I'll forgive you, so tell them two things: Don't misunderstand me, and don't look for me.
Got it! Leave it to me!
Cold, chilling eyes gleamed from the thick darkness, fixing on Leon and the others.
It was merely to end the story.
Don't get the wrong idea.
"W-What...?"
His voice rang out sharp as a cold blade.
Saving you humans was mere coincidence.
Forget me.
—Shwoosh.
Black energy crept over his form, and Phantom vanished completely into the shadows.
His final words lingered in everyone's ears.
Don't get the wrong idea.
Forget me.
Leon could only let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha... a misunderstanding?"
"Leon, did we really get it wrong?"
"No way. We all saw it—that immense power, yet he didn't budge a step to protect those behind him."
In truth, it was just the weird gimmick the Notification Window slapped on keeping him stuck.
"And he didn't just make Ren pay—he even saved us from Eclipse's clone. That's solid proof of altruism."
Si-hyun had been aiming to beat down Ren, but Eclipse's clone just got caught in the crossfire by chance.
"Silently watching over Ren and Tsuki's end... Maybe Phantom really is a savior like Tsuki said."
He'd only stuck around because no story piece dropped after wiping Eclipse, waiting it out.
Misunderstandings piled up beyond fixing, but oh well. Such was Si-hyun's fate.
Shoooo—
Si-hyun reached Namsan Tower's peak to sort things out.
"Phew, finally I can speak with my own mouth."
Oddly, auto-play didn't kick in for solo mutterings.
"If it did even for that, I'd lose my mind for real."
He rolled his arms, checking his condition.
"Feels even better than before?"
The beginner package was impressively potent, just as the Notification Window bragged.
See? See?? My beginner package is the world's best!!
"Yeah, yeah. I'd be toast without it."
Kuhihit. Praise me more... more...!
Feels like a love-starved little girl somehow.
Wait... girl?
Luna at home. And this girly Notification Window.
Shit, I'm ticking off more lolicon boxes by the day...
What's wrong, Si-hyun??
"N-Nothing. Haha."
Si-hyun shoved the stray thought aside and reviewed the day's events.
Ren summoning a catastrophe-grade ghost story. And the shrine maiden Tsuki trapped there calling him something upon sight.
"Savior Lucifer..."
Tsuki alone, maybe. But even Eclipse called him that.
Who the hell is that?
The guy getting mistaken had never heard the name before.
Tsuki the shrine maiden and Eclipse the ghost story were novel characters. So naturally, "Lucifer" should be too.
"Binged the novel multiple times, but that's a total stranger to me."
But Si-hyun had a hunch. A classic newbie author mistake: "Settings only the author knows!"
"Seen it tons. Author thinks they explained it in the story, but readers have no clue—total setup trap!"
Maybe Lucifer was a character the author cooked up but never timed right to reveal.
And one more sticking point: mengmang energy.
At first, he thought it was just some edgelord black aura.
"Turns out it was mengmang energy wrapping around me every night."
Mengmang (extinction). The aura all top-tier ghost stories had—lesser ones dissolved just being near it.
"Ah, that's why small ghost stories bolted when they saw me."
Slapping a massive passive like that into the beginner package.
No wonder the Notification Window's proud.
Hehe. As long as Si-hyun acknowledges me, I'm haaaappy~.
And your strong mengmang energy? From spending so long with a mengmang-grade ghost story.
"Just a few months with Luna and it's this much? Wild."
Si-hyun pulled the hairpin from his pocket—the one he shared with Luna.
"So her power lingered here too, huh."
The cheap amusement park hairpin now brimmed with moonlight strong enough to erase Eclipse.
No clue on the mechanics, so Si-hyun decided to worship Luna extra hard.
"Gonna give Luna all the headpats when I get home."
Heading home now, Si-hyun?
"Yeah, time to go. Oh, one question first."
Anything I can answer—
"Who's Lucifer?"
...C-Comms... security...? D-Didn't... hear that right...?
Never even been to the army, yet it knows comms security? What is this, some vet high school girl?
"Don't play dumb. Who's Lucifer? Even if it's some setting you skipped while writing the novel, I'll understand—just spill."
I caaaan't~...
"Can't, or won't?"
I never lie to you, Si-hyun. On this, I can't...
"Sigh... those damn restrictions again."
What she'd said during their first real talk.
You'll know when you get stronger.
"Can't be helped. I know you're not holding out on purpose—I'll trust you."
Y-You believe me...?
"Who else can I trust in this messed-up world if not you?"
Whiiiine... Don't hit me with feels like that... bad for my heart~...
Sucks not knowing who it is... but oh well.
As Si-hyun started to let it go, the Notification Window flashed a message.
...But Si-hyun, you got a new story piece. Maybe it reveals something?
"Oh! Right, forgot about the one I busted my ass for."
Si-hyun picked up the silver piece Tsuki left after resolving the story.
View new story piece?
"Hope it's got a nice memory to tell Luna another good story."
A short time later.
"Luna..."
The pretty girl with golden eyes waiting at home for him.
He'd braved danger for her sake to get this piece.
But after viewing the memory inside, Si-hyun's face darkened.
"This won't do... I can't tell this story to Luna..."