Chapter 158
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 158: How to Deal with a Cult (1)
—I turned back time once.
“You only turned back time once?”
If so, the hypothesis that the Tiger turned back time twice is discarded.
I calculated in my head and asked him again.
“Then is there someone else who turned back time besides you?”
—There is.
“Who?”
—The Oracle.
The Oracle.
I sucked in a breath at that word.
To think it could even manipulate time at will; how powerful was its ability? It was enough to make me feel despair.
“Does the Oracle also have the ability to turn back time?”
—To be precise, it's closer to 'had'.
“Had?”
—When it turned back time last time, it consumed a tremendous amount of power. You can consider possession to be the only special ability left to it now.
At those words, I unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
If the Oracle could turn back time infinitely, there wouldn't have been a shred of possibility for victory.
“What about you? Can you not turn back time anymore either?”
—Yes. I have also used almost all the power I had left. This turn is the last.
“The last….”
—That is why I have no intention of backing down. Watching helplessly as a dangerous existence like the Oracle ruins the world was enough in the last turn.
I shut my mouth at his words.
Come to think of it, I don't remember any description of an existence called ‘Tornito’ in the original novel.
…Is it simply because he appeared in the late stages?
Or….
“How did you act in the last turn?”
—...Nothing.
“Nothing?”
—I did nothing. It was Park Yulhan's instruction. He told me to closely watch what purpose the Oracle moved with and prepare for the next turn.
“……”
I could feel deep anger and self-reproach in his voice as he chewed out each word.
—I was powerless. I had no choice but to watch. If I had clashed head-on with the Oracle of the 2nd turn, who was overflowing with power, there was a possibility we would have both walked the path of destruction.
“So…”
That's why he didn't appear in the novel.
Park Yulhan probably thoroughly hid the existence called ‘Tornito’.
To prepare for the 3rd turn.
—In the end, many died. Even if time has turned back, I am one who stood by and watched them die. So this time, definitely….
“I see.”
The last words didn't seem directed at me, but rather seemed like he was repeating them to brand them onto himself.
I had nothing to say to him, so I just answered like that.
After a short silence, he spoke to me.
—So, I beg you. Help us.
“……”
—Help us make a better future.
I could feel his vivid sincerity.
This time, I couldn't simply bring myself to refuse.
I opened my mouth, then closed it again without being able to say anything.
Silence wrapped around us for a while.
It was him who broke the awkward silence once more.
—...Someday, I hope you will recognize my sincerity.
With those words, I felt the connection cut off.
Only then could I let a faint, small word out of my mouth.
“...Sorry.”
It was a night where my heart sank heavily.
[A Story Fragment has been added.]
[Currently collected Story Fragments: 20]
[Story Fragment / Unread]
A lavishly decorated room.
Several orbs were rolling around.
A woman with fox ears held one of the orbs in her hand.
—The resistance from the other branches is getting severe.
“...How unsightly of them, to rise up when they should be accepting the results.”
Nika lightly clicked her tongue.
—Yes. They're interfering, saying they'll take their business sectors with them... at this rate, our liquid funds might become quite dangerous.
“That much is fine. More importantly, the First Elder? Can you still not see where he went?”
—We caught his tail today. He's near the Tower God Cult's main hall. It's highly likely he's made contact.
“...Tsk. Got it. You can go.”
—Yes, ma'am.
Frowning, she crushed the orb and threw the fragments away in annoyance.
“Who on earth is doing this? And for what purpose?”
Anxiety lingered in her voice.
[Story Fragment / Unread]
The cat ears on her head twitched, wary of her surroundings.
The fox-eared young man smiled leisurely as he looked at her.
“Ah, you came? I knew you would. Since I made your past emerge especially vividly.”
Wary of him, she leaned silently against the entrance, keeping her distance, and asked.
“Is that really our past? Isn't it just a nightmare?”
At her voice, thick with suspicion, he replied nonchalantly.
“It is neither a nightmare nor anything else. It was merely showing the past of this world in the form of a ‘dream’.”
“But what I saw was the future.”
“What is commonly called ‘turning back time’ happened to us as well. This world has started again, and the future and past you saw have disappeared.”
“……”
“Let's put off such trivial talk. The reason I called you wasn't to prove that it's true.”
“Then what?”
At that, the cat-eared woman asked irritably.
“What on earth do you want? You show me a disgusting dream, give me a hint to come here. What do you want from me?”
“Your recruitment.”
“As if I'd be recruited. Me? Are you stupid?”
“Who knows.”
He chuckled, "Huhu," and said.
“Didn't you have more dreams?”
“……”
“I told you. Yours was specially processed. To make you remember more. Right. Specifically, memories of when you were in the Balder Family—”
“Stop.”
As soon as the word ‘Balder’ came out, the woman cut him off with a voice as cold as a blade.
“So what's your goal? What will you give me if I'm recruited?”
“Revenge.”
He smiled.
“Revenge against those who willingly trampled and sacrificed the powerless solely to gain power.”
She paused at his bright smile.
“Do you not hate the Balder Family? I will give you the opportunity to bring down Balder, to bring down Nika Balder.”
She fell silent at his words.
His emerald-like eyes met her verdant eyes.
They were alike.
Their green eyes, and even a certain attitude born from walking through the mud of life.
But unlike his coldly hardened eyes, hers were shaking.
Her eyes, sinking deep and shaking like a swamp, soon turned to him as if she had decided something.
“...I—”
Since the night we talked about regression, the Tiger bastard hasn't contacted me again.
I needlessly fiddled with the bracelet every night, feeling uneasy, but there seemed to be no way for me to contact him.
…How am I supposed to contact him if I change my mind?
I grumbled internally, but the indifferent bracelet just hung silently on my wrist.
While I was going through inner turmoil amidst worry and waiting, the days quickly turned cold.
It was already the beginning of winter, and the campus was filled with students in winter coats.
I saw students stamping their feet in long black coats, saying it was cold.
There were also a few students showing off their white dress shirts without coats, perhaps still feeling vigorous.
I fiddled with the cuffs of my coat for no reason and checked what I bought from the store again.
'It's Pepero Day soon!'
I couldn't betray the expectations of Miss Na Yuri, who was staring at me as if expecting something, so I bought Pepero ingredients.
Of course, an event like Pepero Day is one that a heroine candidate who wants to suck honey like me should absolutely not miss.
This time, I bought additional ingredients because I wanted to give Na Yuri a special gift, too.
We are best friends, after all. This much should be fine, right?
I thought about the Appearance Part I hadn't been checking lately and the reactions of the readers there, but decided to just ignore them.
Are you saying I can't even do this much for a friend?!
Are you twisted, dear readers?
Then endure it.
I walked toward my dormitory room, blankly thinking about what kind of Pepero to make today.
Today, too, Tower God Cult proselytizing posters were plastered all over the door of my dormitory room.
The Tower God Cult bastards, whose obsession with me had become even stronger entering November, began to use all sorts of bizarre methods to hand me proselytizing posters.
Sticking them on the door was mild in comparison.
I skillfully tore off the proselytizing posters and stuffed them into a plastic bag.
I'll throw them away later.
Just as I was thinking that,
Tiling—
[???]
[Hello. Savior-nim.]
A message from someone arrived on my device.
I looked and saw the sender's name was '???'.
My brow furrowed automatically.
What is this?
Did the Tower God Cult finally get my number and start pulling tricks?
Just as I came to that conclusion without much thought and was about to block them,
[You'd better not block me?]
[Aren't you curious about Mihail's recent status?]
Messages arrived in succession.
The Fox?
…Certainly, it's been a long time since the Fox stopped being visible, let alone actively avoiding me.
What happened to him?
[Who are you?]
[That's not important.]
[What's important is that we caught the spy named Mihail. ;)]
Spy.
The moment I saw those letters, my heart dropped.
If there was an organization Mihail entered as a spy…
It's the Tower God Cult.
The fact that he was a spy was discovered? Is that why he hasn't been seen lately?
Before I could even react, a photo was sent.
(Photo)
It was a photo of the Fox, blindfolded and with his hands and feet bound.