Chapter 153
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 153: How to Greet Halloween (1)
Friends arrived at the classroom one by one. Everyone looked pale, as if they'd suffered from nightmares. The more we talked, the more convinced I became of the hypothesis I'd just thought of: 'It shows you a life from the previous turn as a dream.' Lee Hana, who hugged the pale Choi Sujeong, said that when they compared their dreams, they'd had the same one, just from different perspectives.
“I… had a dream where I became a monster.”
“...I had a dream where I saw Sujeong becoming a monster.”
There were many cases like this where their memories matched. The others also arrived with haggard faces, looking anxious as if chased by nightmares.
“What's wrong?”
Park Siwoo was pale, but when he saw me, he seemed to realize it was just a dream, let out a sigh of relief, and hugged me tightly.
“...Thank goodness.”
I hesitated for a moment, then just patted him. Min Jaeyun also arrived half-crying, but clung to me with a relieved expression as soon as she saw me.
“Everyone attacked meeee—”
“There, there. Don't cry.”
“Baran... Baran shot me….”
“Is that true?”
Shin Baran, also pale, nodded at my words.
“In my dream, too… I remember shooting Jaeyun after she became a monster.”
“We also had a conflict over what to do with the people who became monsters.”
Comparing notes...
“So... we were one party, but we split when the non-human hybrids became monsters? Is that the common content?"
“Right.”
Na Yuhan affirmed, his face ashen. I sensed the gravity of the situation. We moved to the club room to discuss.
“...So, everyone had the same dream? But the things that happened in the dream never actually happened?”
Na Yuhan spoke with a serious expression. Everyone nodded, their faces dark.
“The other racesmonster-ized, and the world was destroyed. That seems to be the common element.”
“If so….” Park Siwoo calmly asked Na Yuhan. "Is it possible you misidentified the curse item's effect?”
"No, impossible…. I have eyes that can accurately appraise an item's abilities. I couldn't have seen it wrong.”
"Then what is that memory?"
"It means it's a past memory we just don't remember…."
I, who had been listening to everyone, slowly and cautiously spoke.
"I have a question."
Everyone's gaze turned to me. ...It's a lot of pressure. Feeling the pressure, I voiced the thought I'd been holding.
“That memory… in the dream, was the Tower collapsed?”
“...!”
“How did you know that?”
“Nahyun-ssi, you didn't even have the dream, did you?”
“Remember when I was trapped in the memory dungeon alone with Tornito because of the scales... the ones Yuhan used? The future I saw with him in that memory dungeon... the Tower was collapsed. Memory dungeons don't lie. They show memories based on real events. So I thought, maybe the Towerhas collapsed before."
“That's right.”
Park Siwoo replied calmly.
“The Tower was collapsed in the dream. But it was just the background. I didn't see it fall.”
“Hmm, I don't know. My dream was focused on the non-human hybrids turning into monsters, and the world being ruined because of it.”
I nodded grimly at Park Siwoo's and Na Yuhan's words. It seemed Tornito's words were true.
“If so, is it true that Tornito came from the future?”
“Maybe he saw the past through the letter, like us, and then showed the memory to Nahyun using brainwashing...?”
Na Yuri posed the question, but Min Jaeyun's answer cut it off. Because of that, the view that 'Tornito is a Regressor' seemed to be denied. But I was sure he was a Regressor. Because he always answered my questions with too much vivid detail. Far more specific than the vague images my friends were describing. If he had made up those stories from imagination alone, he should have been a great author. And… the firm will I could glimpse when I talked with him. It made me realize he wasn't a simple person just aiming for destruction. Na Yuhan summarized the group's conclusion.
“In a situation where we don't know if the Tower's collapse and the monster-ization are related, it's too dangerous to just assume Tornito's words are true. What we saw was just a dream….”
“...Maybe.”
But I didn't try to persuade them. It was because of the damned Oracle. Because I didn't know what the Oracle would do if it saw my friends wavering because of my opinion. I just smiled calmly and said "okay" to my friends, who were earnestly warning me not to fall for the Tiger bastard.
“Let's gather more evidence and discuss this again.”
Na Yuhan said, trying to change the subject. We were in the club room, so no one else was around, but he lowered his voice and whispered, just in case.
“A new Key Dungeon will appear soon. I'll brief you in the training room later.”
“Okay!”
“Then let's go back.”
I looked at the clock; it was almost time for homeroom to start. We hurried back to the classroom. I glanced at everyone's faces. None of them looked good. I saw Shin Baran cautiously reach for Min Jaeyun, and Min Jaeyun flinch. I saw Choi Sujeong, clinging to Lee Hana as if she'd never let go. Na Yuri looked dazed, and Na Yuhan and Park Siwoo seemed lost in thought. It seemed none of them had escaped the dream's influence.
After school, while Yggdrasil was out, Na Yuhan gathered us. The day had passed in a flash, as if I didn't even know how it went by, thanks to the nightmare. For once, Yggdrasil had business and couldn't participate in training. Taking that chance, Na Yuhan gathered us and explained the dungeon strategy.
“The Key Dungeon we're going to is called 'Vampire's Castle'.”
“A vampire-related dungeon.”
“Yes. The vampiredungeon is one where a curse is spread like fog. So make sure to wear the curse defense items we got.”
At his words, I thought of the red-gemmed ring I wore as a necklace. I had the Ring of Divinity, which was better, and now that I'd told them about Metapoints, it wouldn't be a big deal to tell them about it, but Na Yuhan had given me his with sincerity, so I thought I'd wear it, too. As I came to that conclusion, Park Siwoo asked me gently.
“...The ring, are you going to wear it?”
“Huh? Yeah!”
“If so, it's better to wear it on your right hand. The left ring finger... it could be misunderstood.”
“Right! No left hand!”
Kang Yu suddenly jumped in and shouted. Left ring finger? I didn't get what he meant for a second, then I flushed and shook my head.
“No! Yuhan didn't give it to me with that meaning, anyway…!”
“...Right.”
Na Yuhan's silence was strangely long, but after his answer, I laughed awkwardly as if to say, 'See?' I'm supposed to be acting like I have a one-sided crush on Na Yuhan.But the emotion Na Yuhan has for me is admiration.If that emotion is mistaken, it would be difficult for both of us.
“Still, it's probably better to avoid your dominant hand, the right hand.”
“Then I'll just wear it on my left hand during combat!”
Na Yuhan brought up the topic of the ring-hand again, but Kang Yu firmly shut him down.
“……Then I'll tell you roughly what's inside.”
Na Yuhan looked very awkward and changed the subject.
“Inside, there are complex traps hidden by illusions. We'll break through with the help of Sujeong-sunbae's sensitive senses.”
“Leave it to me~”
He said 'sensitive senses', but the real reason is probably to get help from Choi Sujeong's 'Assassin' knowledge.
“And one more collaborator will be added. They'll be a lot of help, so don't worry. You don't need to worry about us not getting along, either.”
A collaborator?And we'll get along? I thought of someone at those words but kept my mouth shut. …Don't tell me, he's not going to out her as a vampire-hybrid to the group, is he? An ominous feeling rose up, but I recalled how the current Na Yuhan had changed and dismissed the hypothesis.
“The dungeon opens on Halloween night. Let's prepare thoroughly.”
“Got it!”
But, I can't let the Key fall into the Oracle's hands. What do I do? I fell into deep thought over the problem facing me.
On Halloween day. I packed snacks for everyone—and to maintain the "concept," I prepared a "special snack" just for Na Yuhan—and went to school. It was a reasonable time, so I figured about half the class would be there. When I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of Min Jaeyun and Shin Baran in black suits, their eyes squeezed shut. Huh?So, Min Jaeyun and Shin Baran in black suits… huh? As I was staring blankly at this surreal sight, Choi Sujeong and Lee Hana popped out from the side.
“Trick or treat!”
“If you have no snacks, then a trick.”
“Junior, if you have nothing to give, you'll have to wear a costume!”
…It was a truly bold declaration. And the moment I heard it, I placed the snacks I'd brought into my two sunbaes' hands without hesitation.
“...Can I just wear it without giving you the snacks?”
“No.”
Lee Hana looked a little dejected. Seriously, why?What were you expecting?
“Tch, failed this time! Who's next~”
“Did you bring costumes in all sizes?”
“Of course!”
I marveled at Choi Sujeong's passion for this useless prank. It was not in a positive way. As a result,
“Ahem, ahem—Nahyun-ssi! Good morning! Trick or—”
“Trick or treat! Huh? What, you have snacks?”
“This one is for you, Nahyun-ssi!”
“Great~ Then it's costume time!”
“This is unfair!”
“Sunbae's orders.”
Na Yuri, too, was ambushed by the sunbaes who jumped out and shoved a costume at her before she could even say hi.
“Trick or treat!”
“Wh-wh-what!?”
For reference, our game-otaku Possessed Person also seemed not to have expected this event, and was sentenced to a costume. For reference, the one for guys was a maid outfit. ...I guess this event wasn't in the game. The only ones who avoided being costumed (besides me) were Kang Yu, who always carries small snacks, and Park Siwoo, who Kang Yu shared his snacks with. In other words, everyone. Since the sunbaes were also wearing costumes. I kept glancing at the girls, who looked awkward in their black suits, then my eyes met Na Yuhan's in his maid outfit, and I looked away....
“Umm…”
“...Don't say anything.”
“Okay…”
He was silent, blushing and curling in on himself. The maid outfit he'd been assigned was a short, modified "Moe Cafe" style, which felt malicious. There was no way a normal, average guy would be prepared to suddenly reveal his bare legs in an extremely short skirt in front of people. A wind blew.
“Uwaaak—!”
“Nyahahahaha!”
For reference, the classroom window was closed. I shook my head and placed snacks on everyone's desks. I was glad everyone was happy.
“Give me what you gave Yuhan-ssi, too.”
“...Yuri?”
“Me too! Something special! I'm your best friend! Something special!”
“Let's calm down, Yuri.”
Na Yuri threw a tantrum, but I managed to get past it by promising to bake cookies with her later.
After a fun-filled day, night came. We used our Provisional License authority to confidently leave the dormitory and go outside the Academy. And at the Academy entrance,
“Ah, I was waiting for you!”
As expected, Park Yul-ah was waiting for us.