Chapter 121
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 121: How to Face the Past (7)
I looked up at Nika for a second, but she was just looking at me indifferently.
No, now is not the time to question this.
I suppressed the urge to shower her with questions and entered the sentence she spoke into Story Twisting.
The same result as before appeared.
[Mihail Balder almost died drinking poison in Nika Balder’s stead.] [0 Points] [Purchase?]
0 Points.
Don’t tell me, does that mean…
“Is the result the same?”
“...Yes.”
“0 points. It seems the standard for measuring the points for that ‘Story Twisting’ ability isn't relativity, but objective value... based on absolutes. In that case, it would be good for distinguishing truth from lies. Good for information-seeking.”
It was a part I hadn't thought of.
I felt my horizons broaden at the insight she showed.
But if that’s the case… then it’s true that the Fox almost died.
I felt a heavy stone drop in my heart.
I kept worrying about what kind of life the Fox must have lived, and whether that life was whole.
But regardless of whether I was lost in idle thoughts, Nika threw her next question.
“Next is about that Point Shop. The value-measurement method of the Point Shop might not be absolute. You said items that exist in reality are also in the Point Shop, correct?”
“Yes.”
“I shall temporarily hoard a suitable item until its value fluctuates. The price in reality will rise; check if there’s any change in your Point Shop.”
“Hoard…?”
I was speechless at the scale of this family head's research, but Nika just shrugged as if it were no big deal.
Well, what can I do? I have to follow.
With a weary heart, I watched the price of the item in the Point Shop.
The item Nika decided to hoard was the ‘Doppelganger Lens’.
As she hoarded the item, the price of the Doppelganger Lens actually changed.
[Doppelganger Lens - 300 Points]
[Doppelganger Lens - 350 Points]
Fascinated, I watched it for a moment, then told Nika.
“It changed. From 300 points to 350 points.”
“Does the price in the Point Shop change slightly according to the item's price in the world market? The price of the Doppelganger Lens in the current market rose by about 10 times, but it only went up by 50 points in the Point Shop. It seems it doesn’t have a huge effect…”
Nika muttered as she manipulated something on her device.
”Perhaps if the item’s value fluctuates, the price of Story Twisting related to that item also changes? It would be good to try Story Twisting one more time.“
Can it be used like that too?
Until now, I had only thought of this system as an ability to buy things with points and cause miracles that change reality.
I reflected that perhaps I’d been so fixated on that, I couldn't imagine more diverse applications.
After repeating the experiment several times as Nika said, I was able to obtain several pieces of information.
First, the value of items in the Point Shop is based on the value in the world market.
Second, if an item's value fluctuates, the points consumed for Story Twisting related to it also change slightly.
Third, if a 'truth'—that is, a premise like 'Kang Nahyun is a woman'—is input into Story Twisting, it outputs 0 points, and nothing changes even when purchased.
“This is what I’ve found.”
“I see.”
Seeing it from another person's perspective certainly brought new things into view.
Deciding to work with Nika was indeed a good choice.
Nika busily wrote something down, then spoke to me.
“I’ve arranged for research data and equipment to be brought from the Balder Family, but it hasn’t arrived yet. So, whether that ‘Point’ power is the same kind as Lord Cheonho’s power, like my fiancé's, we shall find out later.”
“Don’t you have something to say before that?”
I smiled brightly.
Now that Nika’s interest in my ability has been thoroughly satisfied, it’s time to make a deal.
“I think you need to give me what I want now. Unfortunately, the free trial ends here, customer. You’ll need to pay a fee for further use.”
At that, Nika, who had her head buried in her device, looked up and grinned.
“You. You aren’t just a simple, innocent girl, are you.”
“It wasn't a life where I could survive easily just by being innocent.”
“Hoho. Is that so? I like you even more. As expected of my fiancé—”
“I refuse. What I want is something else.”
“Fine. Let’s write a contract.”
A contract, magically processed and shining with a golden light, was held out in front of me.
“What do you want?”
“Two things. The first request is the personal protection and continuous financial support for the children and teachers belonging to the ‘Hanbit Orphanage’. Also, I’d like the support to continue until the children who have left the orphanage are somewhat settled.”
“Seeing as you call it an ‘orphanage’ (goawon), you must be from a private child protection facility.”
“You know well.”
“I investigated your background. The childcare facilities in Korea are currently divided into two. The old-generation childcare centers, orphanages (goawon), and the new-generation childcare centers (boyugwon). The old-generation ones are gradually having their support cut and are being privatized.”
“Yes, well. Forced privatization, though.”
It’s not that we don't want to receive support.
“Unlike the orphanages, I hear the children belonging to the childcare centers (boyugwon) are affiliated with public service after becoming adults.”
“They call it public service, but in reality, they’re often put into jobs with no applicants due to the threat to their lives. I can’t stand to see that.”
The ethics of a semi-apocalyptic world.
I suppressed a sigh and continued.
“So, will you accept?”
“Of course. What is next?”
“The second... is support and cooperation necessary for me, ‘Kang Nahyun’. However, if the support given to me conflicts with Na Yuhan’s interests, you may notify me and then withdraw it.”
“Why is that? If it's a matter of relationship, it would be solved if you become my fiancé?”
“Could you please stop teasing me? Na Yuhan is your ‘benefactor’. I’m well aware you offered him the status of fiancé to help him because he’s your benefactor. I also know that I cannot easily win against that benefactor status.”
At this point, I naturally drop additional bait for the contract.
“...You. You seem to have another secret?”
“Yes. Let’s trade this, too, when I’m ready.”
“Uuugh—! I want to dig into it right now, but…! The immediate contract comes first, I suppose.”
Nika, drooling over the new bait I’d offered, faithfully filled out the contract.
“What I want is that you ‘will not lie during Meta System research’ and ‘will cooperate obediently with the research’.”
“Deal.”
Finally, Nika’s signature and my signature were engraved on the contract.
“The contract is established.”
“Thank you.”
This is cooperation from the Balder Family.
How could I not feel reassured?
I carefully placed one copy of the contract into my inventory.
Nika watched me quietly, then immediately pounced with a question.
“Then, today’s final question. Have you ever met the other ‘Singularities’ left by Lord Cheonho… those called the Black Scales or Gemini?”
“……”
What should I do?
I hesitated briefly, then decided to twist the question instead of answering it.
“I’ve met Na Yuhan’s mother, the one called the ‘Recorder’.”
“Hm? She must have taken an interest in you. Is there anything memorable she said to you?”
“She did call me the ‘protagonist of the 3rd turn’…”
At my words, Nika seemed to sink into thought for a moment, then cautiously began to speak.
“Umm… perhaps ‘protagonist’ is a target the Recorder is intensively observing. What on earth does ‘3rd turn’ mean? A turn?”
“Who knows.”
I answered vaguely, but I actually had a guess.
The Regressor, Tornito.
The secret of the 'turn' must be tied to him, the one who came back in time, or perhaps even turned back time himself.
If this is the 3rd turn, does that mean time was turned back twice?
It’s certain that Na Yuhan also existed in the world of the immediately preceding turn.
If not, why would that Tiger bastard call Na Yuhan a ‘Player’ and be hostile?
In that case, what was the first world like?
The world of the 'original game' that Na Yuhan saw?
My mind grew complicated.
“I’ve also done my own research on that line of thought since learning about the concept of reincarnation. A certain religion has a concept called ‘reincarnation’ (yunhoe). It’s the idea that the world turns and turns like a wheel. Applying this concept, perhaps the ‘turn’ the Recorder mentioned means the world itself keeps repeating.”
“I’m thinking it’s more like playing a game multiple times... or regression...”
“Game? Regression?”
I explained the concept of a 'game' to her, who wasn't familiar with it, and then also explained Tornito and regression.
“So, you mean either returning to the past with memories, or the world itself returned to the past, and one person alone has their memories? And that’s called the 2nd turn?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… it gets quite complicated. A being with the power to cause a ‘miracle’ of that magnitude might be a Soul from Another World like Lord Cheonho. You said his name is Tornito? We already have some data on the Wild Hunt, but I’ll investigate in more detail.”
A special power.
Come to think of it, they said Tornito's power couldn't be seen even with Insight....
I suddenly recalled something I’d heard before.
What Park Siwoo said to me.
‘That aura, did you perhaps see it from the tiger beastkin hybrid who kidnapped me?’
‘Yes.’
He said the strange power, the aura I have, was also seen from Tornito.
And in the memory dungeon, what the illusion of Park Siwoo inside that dungeon said.
‘You just used Spiritual Power, right? Are you a Soul from Another World too?’
The scattered clues gradually fit together, leading to a single conclusion.
Na Yuhan, Tornito, and me.
Are all three of our powers the same kind of power?
And the name of that power, that aura, is—
“...Spiritual Power?”
”Hm? What did you just say?“
“Have you ever heard the term Spiritual Power?”
“Spiritual Power? Hmm… I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere…”
Nika let out a long, groaning "Ughh," but eventually shook her head.
“My apologies, I can’t recall. The Balder Family has all sorts of data researched by the Savior-capturing agents. If we investigate those, something might come up. I’ll order an investigation.”
“Yes. Please.”
Just then, a message came from Kang Yu.
Kang Yu Noona Noona I heard the gist from Fox hyung Is there a problem because of the elixir?
No, nothing like that. It’s mostly resolved, so just rest. No, wait. Let’s eat lunch together. Are you in the classroom?
I sent a simple reply to Kang Yu's message and asked.
“You haven’t eaten lunch yet, have you?”
I led Nika to where the group was gathered.
Thinking she’d been invited, Nika got excited and even summoned all the servants she had brought with her to the spot.
But the dream of a peaceful lunch was immediately shattered.
Choi Sujeong, having spotted Nika, started to pick a fight with her.
“Why did you come here? This doesn't seem like a place the oh-so-great family head should be, does it?”
“Hm? You are…”
Nika looked Choi Sujeong up and down, as if just now recognizing her, and then smirked.
As if she’d remembered something.