The Last Record
To cut to the chase — Eugene, the hype man.
"This... this is mine?"
"What's with the surprise? Just get inside already."
"Holy moly..."
This guy was rich.
Right in the heart of the Imperial Capital's finest commercial district — land worth its weight in gold — stood a building at the very center of it all.
Star Inn, which had made the occasional appearance in the original novel, belonged to Eugene.
No wonder...
When I'd told Yeonhwa we had no choice but to sleep in the same room, she'd looked at me like I was garbage.
"You not going in?"
"Yeah. Shall we head into my inn, then?"
"What's with you?"
"You first, Yeonhwa. Into. My. Inn."
"Ugh... what's with that face?"
I followed Yeonhwa inside, and a dazzling interior unfurled to greet me. This was a place where only nobles and the wealthy visiting the Marcia Empire could afford to stay. If other inns were motels, Star Inn was a five-star hotel. That was Star Inn.
No.
That was my Star Inn.
I was still basking in the joy of becoming an overnight millionaire when someone at the counter stood and approached.
"You've arrived, Owner."
An elderly man with black hair, a crisp uniform, and striking gold half-rim glasses. The name engraved on his nametag was Mokhyang. Judging by his hair color and name, he appeared to be of Eastern origin, same as Eugene.
But...
What was I supposed to say? I had no idea what kind of relationship Eugene and Mokhyang shared, or how they normally spoke to each other.
One thing at a time.
I opened my mouth toward Mokhyang.
"Been well?"
"Been well...?"
Mokhyang's expression crumpled on the spot.
"Have you been well?"
"Have you been well...?"
Wrong again.
What the hell is the problem here?
As my conversation with Mokhyang dragged on, Yeonhwa's gaze grew steadily sharper.
Gotta figure this out fast.
Before Mokhyang or Yeonhwa started suspecting me, I needed to recall Eugene's usual demeanor.
...Wait a second.
Eugene? Right now, I was Eugene and, at the same time, the 2nd Apostle.
What if he'd purchased Star Inn not as Eugene, but as the 2nd Apostle?
My face went blank, and I asked:
"Anything to report?"
Only then did Mokhyang's expression ease. He answered with an equally blank face.
"Nothing, sir."
That was the right answer.
The named boss, the 2nd Apostle, is a character steeped in darkness — cruel and pragmatic. Naturally, his demeanor would be still and decisive. I don't know the exact nature of his relationship with Mokhyang, but the hierarchy is obvious.
In that case, I could afford to be a bit more casual. I tossed a short command at Mokhyang.
"Two rooms."
"Will someone else be joining you?"
I quietly shook my head, and after a brief hesitation, Mokhyang asked offhandedly:
"Then perhaps just the one, sir."
Mokhyang's expression was dead serious. Like one of those innkeepers:
"Two rooms, please."
"Aren't you two a couple? Just take one."
"Come on, we're not like that yet."
"Too bad! Only one room left!"
...while sitting on a mountain of vacant rooms.
We're not like that? Cut the chatter and hand over the keys? Zip it, Mok-poi?
While I was still debating how to respond, Mokhyang leaned in and whispered in my ear.
"A secret missive from 'that person' has arrived in your chambers, my lord."
That's when it clicked.
Yours truly: the Ow-ner of Star Inn. Of course I'd have a permanent room here.
A missive from that person... well, either the 1st Apostle or the cult. Then was Mokhyang a member of the Salvation Cult?
All sorts of questions arose, but taking action came first.
"Fine. Give her a room, and you come with me to mine."
"Yes, Owner."
That solved both getting away from Yeonhwa and finding the room. I stepped back to wait, and Yeonhwa waved at Mokhyang.
"Long time no see, Mokhyang."
"The room at the far end of the third floor."
"You're not even gonna say hello?"
"Please head up now."
"Such a stiff old man, I swear."
Mokhyang handed Yeonhwa the key and left the counter to another staff member. Our eyes met in the meantime.
"Get some rest, Yeonhwa."
"I was gonna do that without you telling me."
"You have nightmares often, so I'm worried. If you get scared in the night, come find me."
"Ha! As if!"
Successfully sent her packing.
"Tomorrow morning..."
"Hm? What was that, Yeonhwa?"
"M-maybe we could eat breakfast together tomorrow!"
"Sure, let's do that."
"You're paying!!"
Yeonhwa headed straight up the stairs.
If I can get more information about Eugene, dealing with Yeonhwa should get easier too.
After wrapping up the conversation, I waited for Mokhyang, who approached with a set of keys.
"I'll lead the way."
Mokhyang headed straight down to the basement. The walk-in freezer for ingredients, the storage rooms for supplies — everything was spotless.
"It's immaculate."
"I clean it myself every day."
"That's a lot of work."
A faint smile crossed Mokhyang's face.
"You're being unusually kind today."
"What, you don't like it?"
"Not at all. If anything, it feels like you're returning to how you used to be, and that makes me glad. Lately you've been so... unstable."
Returning to how he used to be? I was about to ask around it so as not to raise suspicion when—
"Please wait a moment."
Mokhyang arrived at a thick iron door and pulled out a bundle of keys to undo the locks.
Clank! Clatter!
As the countless locks came undone, Mokhyang added calmly:
His speech was stiff, but worry ran through it.
A kind addendum.
Click.
Mokhyang undid even the last small lock, then carefully stepped aside.
"I shall take my leave now."
"Alright. Thank you, Mokhyang."
And so I entered the room.
"Oh."
Given the atmosphere, I'd expected something like a prison cell, but the interior was quite impressive. Like they'd taken the finest room in the building and planted it underground? The only downside was that it felt lifeless, like an abandoned model home.
Papers on the walls. Unidentifiable objects on the floor. Thick tomes on the bed. It was a filthy room that brought to mind a mad scholar or a mad scientist.
"What's with all this stuff plastered everywhere?"
Figuring I wouldn't even be able to rest like this, I started to tidy up a bit — when a sheet of paper that had been stuck to the wall fluttered down in front of my eyes, as if begging to be seen.
"What's this?"
I picked it up without much thought, and I couldn't help but be stunned. The paper I'd picked up — the one that had been stuck to Eugene's wall, bearing letters scrawled as if in rage — read:
Protect the Academy?
It was the title of the novel I'd possessed.
The moment I faced that title, countless questions flooded in.
"...Why?"
Flutter, rustle! I quickly checked the remaining papers as well.
The Villainess Yuria
The Six Apostles of the Evil God
The Return of the Evil God
The Hero Rania
Beneath the titles of certain episodes, fragments of the original story had been written. He hadn't fully grasped the original work. Empty letters and countless question marks proved it was incomplete.
Not enough information.
These alone weren't enough to grasp the current situation, so I searched the entire room thoroughly. The result:
"...This should do it."
I found Eugene's diary. There was nothing to hesitate over.
Read it.
Read it all, figure out the situation and who Eugene was, then decide the path forward. And so I began to read the diary. The first sentence was as follows:
My name is Eugene.
This is my final record.
It had been a wretchedly unlucky life.
I lost my tribe to the Evil God, yet chose to become the sword of my enemy just to stay alive. The only reason my mind didn't shatter was surely thanks to Yeonhwa.
We became Apostles together. Someday we would kill them all, have our revenge, escape this place, and take back our happiness.
By a stroke of fortune, I was able to rescue the survivors of our tribe, Mokhyang among them. I poured every last coin I'd saved into building an inn in the heart of the Imperial Capital, and hid them there.
While I was gathering plans and resources to take on the entire Salvation Cult — that woman found me through Mokhyang.
She claimed she knew everything. That we had to join forces to save the world. I had no idea what she was talking about, but she said there was a vacant role, and told me to live a double life.
Make Rania into a hero. Otherwise, the world would end.
Crazy woman. Completely, utterly insane.
The woman showed me the future. She said there was only one path to saving the world, and begged me to trust her.
I watched the world end. I could no longer ignore her words.
Yeonhwa. Mokhyang and the rest of our people. Newborn infants and the dying elderly, lovers whispering sweet nothings. Nobles with their heads held high and merchants bowing and scraping, the commoners beneath them. Those who were once called heroes, and even Vivian, the strongest of all, who had gone into hiding.
Everyone dies.
The Salvation Cult summons the Evil God no matter what, and this world meets a brutal end. There is only one way to prevent it.
Make Rania Vulcanus a hero.
That woman said she would show me the end. She said it might destroy my mind. And if that happened, she would use my body to play the role in my stead.
What a joke. Strange woman, through and through.
I am afraid of everything can I really do this the screams still ring in my ears blood and flesh crushed a child swallowed skin burning boiling I just wanted to be happy why does this world harbor such an ending if only I could die and someone would do it in my place if only that were possible if I don't do it everyone will die I have to do it but it's so horrific so terrifying an end I am alive yet I am a dead man if only I could offer this body to the gods
If only someone would take my place.
The truth is far too terrifying, far too heavy.
I chose death today.
May whoever it is use this wretched body to save this damned world.
The record ended there.