Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: The Emperor's Premiere
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There used to be something called the Nobel Prize long ago.
It was created by Alfred Nobel, the guy who made a fortune inventing dynamite. If you made an astonishing discovery or a major contribution in some field, you’d get this Nobel Prize and reap massive wealth and fame.
There’s this concept called a patent.
It’s an administrative act granting exclusive rights to an industrial invention to its creator or their successor.
‘Both are things you hardly see anymore.’
Having entered the Three Civilizations, the 34th Earth was now in the great cosmic era, communicating with alien civilizations and traversing the vast universe.
The problem was that the 34th Earth was just a latecomer.
‘Honestly... without the Game Master, it’d be your run-of-the-mill cosmic backwater.’
Made a great invention? Aliens had already invented it ages ago.
Caused an earthquake in the scientific world with a discovery? Aliens had already known about it.
New technology. New discoveries.
They were probably already out there somewhere in the great cosmos.
‘Scientists aren’t joking when they say it’s an era without romance.’
Modern scientists were learners and appliers, not discoverers or inventors.
Even if you did stumble on something new or invent it, a quick search of the great cosmos network would reveal that something similar had been found hundreds or thousands of years ago.
And in that situation.
Nemesis made a new invention.
‘It was an enormous, truly massive boon.’
It wasn’t just talk.
Nemesis had its patent for [Second Life]—a technology providing perfect virtual reality to psychics without transcendent powers or devices—certified by Ouroboros, the universe’s top academic institution.
Nemesis stock jumping from 1.5 million won to 15 million won? In hindsight, it made perfect sense!
But.
“What the hell is this?”
Bold//Nemesis – 1,809,500 won (-40,000 won)↓//
The stock had dropped again. After soaring tenfold, it had almost returned to its original price.
It was incomprehensible.
“Does this even make sense?”
Revenge’s public image was indeed poor. Not just poor—it was infamous as a crazy pay-to-win game.
But separately from that, Revenge was an excellent cash cow. A money-making machine. It earned far more than it spent, and its flagship game was still raking it in right now. So why was the company stock tanking?
Sure enough, the stock forums were in chaos.
⤷DoubleSucker: Why is it dropping like this? They got the patent from Ouroboros—why?
⤷SolidTodayToo: Whoa, I want to value invest, but it’s dropping so steadily every day I can’t get in.
⤷TenMillionGas: Any bad news? Revenge is going smoothly, but this chart...
⤷WhirlwindFist: No way the patent was fake? This doesn’t make sense.
⤷StockNoob: Rumor among VIPs... Nemesis might get delisted.
⤷DoubleSucker: Ugh, those bullshit spreaders need Truth God priests rounding them up. Revenge is fine—delisting?
⤷StockNoob: Maybe non-business issues? Pissed off a divine being or something...
“Hey, hey! Actor next to him, look at the camera too!”
At the call, I tapped Cheddar to send him back and faced front.
“Wow! Seongjae, looking good! Now right side!”
“Turn your head again! Wow, you’re really handsome!”
“Hey, hey, Hye-young, look at the camera and give a little smile!”
I was at a press conference. The spot where the movie [Professor Aspirant] was debuting to the media.
Since the film hadn’t screened yet, reporters snapped photos and videos of the actors or grabbed quick interviews.
“Director Allen! Heard there was a Dreamwalker Sect leader terror attack during filming—any issues?”
“It wasn’t just issues; the movie nearly got scrapped. Luckily, we...”
I sat blankly in my seat. They sometimes called on all the actors, making it hard to even surf the net, but no reporter was picking me out for questions anyway.
‘No, it’s worse than that.’
Sitting there, I overheard the reporters murmuring.
“Who’s that guy? Know him?”
“Let’s see... name’s Han Jaeyeon. No credits at all.”
“Why’s a total nobody parked smack in the middle?”
“Looks like a bodyguard. What’s the deal?”
I was holding my spot like a duck egg in the Nakdong River.
The actors, including Hye-young, chatted with me occasionally, but they were swamped fending off questions.
‘Feels kinda weird.’
In Ardenia, I drew everyone’s eyes. Ride Cassim into the sky, and the city felt frozen as crowds gawked up.
But Earth was different.
Here, I was a nobody, invisible among the shining stars.
‘Used to be unbearable.’
But now? Didn’t faze me. Reporters’ attention or lack thereof didn’t change my worth.
What bugged me instead.
‘Ah, what to do about the stock.’
When Nemesis hit 15 million won before, I’d screamed. Too pricey, and buying stock to mess with Ardenia’s system became near impossible.
One share at 15 million meant 90 million just to link one more chat.
‘Overkill anyway.’
Even if system interference mattered, that efficiency? Better to just pay to win.
Lost in such thoughts, the interviews wrapped, and screening time hit.
“Then we’ll start the screening. Hope you enjoy.”
With Allen’s greeting, the theater darkened.
I sat in the audience and watched.
The story unfolded as I knew. A genius mage dreaming of becoming a professor at cosmic academic institution Ouroboros gets tangled in a conspiracy threatening the universe, alongside a palace maid from the Lee family.
A super clichéd blockbuster plot.
‘Gotta admit...’
Watching the sword get caught in an unknown space monster ambush while trying to raid a ship, I thought.
‘It’s well-made.’
Smooth flow, witty dialogue. No profound depth, but it grabbed you by the collar with pull and pace.
What really shocked me.
‘No way, insane?’
When Bram Wizer appeared in the [role] of a madman believing himself emperor and betraying comrades.
‘They just slotted this guy in as a character? An actually dead guy?’
Absurd. Madman Allen had pulled out Bram—the 8th-class archmage and Dreamwalker Sect leader I’d killed—as a [character]!
‘Whoa. Is this okay?’
The thought hit instantly. Natural—plenty would find Bram’s appearance uncomfortable.
Especially since pre-terror Bram had been a fairly high-status sect leader.
But thinking deeper, another verdict.
‘Might be fine... yeah.’
“Wait. Isn’t that Bram? The one killed in the terror at the shoot?”
“So they filmed the real event and worked it into the movie?”
“World... possible?”
“Talk of the town for sure...”
Reporters gasped in shock and awe, no rage or scorn. More amazement and admiration.
“No, even so, isn’t it too much? Even a vile terrorist was a person.”
A few said that, but they were the minority.
‘Yeah. Been in medieval land too long.’
A reporter voiced my exact thought.
“Well, Truth God approved it.”
“Precisely, it passed [Universal Justice].”
What’s evil piled up, the standard carved?
Some vaguely chalked it to Truth God’s will—classroom stuff for John’s kids. But anyone paying attention knew.
We all distinguished good and evil, justice.
‘Primal Stance.’
All 12 billion on 34th Earth enter Truth God’s sanctuary asleep. Truth God veils them in ignorance for [Judgment].
Not by Truth God.
The 12 billion humans judge each other’s crimes unaware if they’re natives or migrants, men or women, old or young.
‘Used to be brutally strict.’
Humans are selfish cowards. Double standards and hypocrisy need saintly objectivity to escape.
Point fingers at a drunk driver as premeditated killer. Pounce on a TV slip-up wishing total ruin.
Yet.
Commit murder or rape themselves? “Circumstances,” “reasons”—excuses.
Ugly to third eyes, but human nature.
‘With perceptions like that, Truth God’s oppression was beyond imagination.’
Litter wrong? Branded forever in a harsh world.
Not anymore. People realized their [perceptions] hurt themselves.
So now, discomfort from a minority doesn’t curb free expression.
If under 50% of humanity dislikes an event or phenomenon, it’s generally tolerated. Freedom if positive, indulgence if not.
“Huh? That extra... Director Allen?”
“World! He threw a Giggas!”
“How’d they direct that? Looks totally real!”
“Not direction... that was an actual event, right?”
As reporters marveled, the plot rolled on.
“Fail to blend into society, no special treatment? Ego bruised. Treat followers’ lives cheap, yet can’t leave this safe, abundant planet.”
Onscreen, I sneered coldly.
Allen even added unmade flashbacks: crumbling empire, suffering masses below.
“Emperor... a world under you scum? Obvious.”
Onscreen me grinned icy, raising my sword.
“Shitty medieval land.”
“No, don’t! Sto...!”
Sword falls.
Last restraint: camera close-ups my resolute face, not the smashing skull.
“...Kyaa!”
A reporter yelps. Deserved scene, but others shoot glares.
“Ah, s-sorry.”
Apology given, all refocus on the film.
“......”
I stared blankly at the screen.
The movie barreled on wildly. Characters clashed, united. Swept in odd vibes, crossed life-death lines together.
Allen used nearly every raw shoving shot losslessly.
Me eating, even writing an encyclopedia— all in the film, repurposed of course.
“Don’t know. Never seen him. Forgot I’m 34th Earth-born?”
‘Whoa, used every real shot. Madman.’
Film hurtled to climax insanely.
Action stellar. Seongjae dazzled in magic battles, I in brutal melee. Chakra master Hye-young melted into shadows, shining her style.
Then the end.
In crisis, the trio finds answers their way.
“Look at me! I’m no king, no leader! I don’t cradle or shield you!”
“I’m a banner!”
“Just!”
“Follow me!”
Sword forsakes pirate wealth and fame, saves his abandoned imperial folk. No self-proclaimed emperor, yet oozing dignity—peak character moment.
‘Ooh, that ice armor...’
Fun fact: refugees sprinkled emperor power hints early-mid film. I’d just used freeze powers casually, but Allen wove it into identity tease without spoiling for imperials.
‘I forfeit nothing.’
Seongjae’s character. Byungmu chose no choice at the crossroads. Nailed “impossible” ultimate magic, smashing crisis. Arrogant genius perfect.
‘Sigh, idiots. Who’ll look after you if not me.’
Hye-young’s character. Hyesun commandeered pirate battleship, pushed limits to save the groggy duo.
Finally.
The three overcame trials, reached Ouroboros. Film ends with prickly-eyed guys dragged by Hye-young.
‘Whoa, classic hero arc.’
No knife to my throat would make me call it a masterpiece.
But.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Clap clap clap clap!
Applause erupted from the picky reporters.
“Wow! Fun!”
“Direction and action undeniable. Elder-level stunt work? Seongjae’s known, but the other two... wow.”
“But that emperor guy? Where’d they... huh?”
Excited reporter spots me, freezes. I just meet his gaze helplessly.
“E-Emperor!”
He yells. Eyes swarm.
“Oh! Emperor!”
“Where, oh! Real! Here!”
“Great film.”
Grinning like old pals, reporters swarm.
Emperor.
The moment my long-term nickname was sealed.