Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: It's Fine Because I'm a Genius Despite the Time Limit
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It happened when I was ten.
On the day rain poured relentlessly from a hole in the sky. Mom, who was supposed to come back soon, didn't return.
Those were tough times.
If that kid hadn't spoken to me, I probably never would have trusted anyone again.
"You new here?"
"..."
"You look like you're struggling. Want some help? It'll get better quick if you do what I say... Hate her."
"What?"
"Hate your mom. That's how you survive in a place like this."
"...This. If you're joking, get lost! I'm not in the mood."
I buried my face in my knees, and Yoo So-young, who was pouting her lips, handed me something and scampered off.
"Read this if you're bored. Time'll pass fast~"
It was some worn-out notebook.
With an embarrassingly childish title scribbled on it.
The Princess and the Hero Who Defeated the Demon King.
By Leah (Yoo So-young)♡
"Who'd read crap like this."
At first, I shoved it aside and ignored it.
"So childish. What even is this."
But it didn't take long before I picked it up.
I was worn out from the endless wait, from something vague yet impossible to let go.
And so I read Yoo So-young's story.
What made a ten-year-old's tale of good triumphing over evil so captivating?
Sitting on the hill overlooking the orphanage entrance, reading became routine. And when even that grew tiresome, I started drawing.
"Whoa! You drew my story as pictures? You're amazing. A total genius!"
"..."
"Wanna work together? I'll write the story, you do the art. What do you say?"
Someone's absence was filled by someone else's presence.
"I'm Yoo So-young. Baptismal name Leah. Let's be friends!"
"...I'm Lee Do-hyun."
"Doyeon?"
"No, Hyun. Lee Do-hyun."
I lived again.
Just as she advised, I hated Mom and lived defiantly, as if to prove something.
Someday we'll create something amazing, she said, and we started dreaming the same dream—her as a writer, me as an artist.
And so eighteen years passed.
To each other, we became closer and more reliable than anyone else.
...But then.
She vanished.
That day after some pork belly and a shot of soju, leaving only a message about entering a novel.
At first, I thought it was just a minor rebellion.
But after a day, two days, a week passed, Yoo So-young still didn't return.
She'd vanished without a trace.
Even the police had given up the investigation by then.
Bzzz.
A suspicious message arrived.
[010-1234-4885]
Your friend failed to achieve the final goal ■■.
Now it's your turn.
Will you enter the novel to save your friend? [Y/N]
...4885?
I didn't hesitate long.
Without questions or arguments, I accepted.
If it had been me who'd disappeared, Yoo So-young would've done the same without a second thought.
The novel restarts.
Remember just two things: survival and a satisfying story progression.
If you do, the end of this long journey will be what you desire.
And so I possessed the world of the novel [Epic of Salvation].
* * *
As soon as I arrived, I slept for six straight hours.
Far from joyful at the rare deep sleep from the booze, my mouth just tasted bitter for no reason.
[Time Remaining: 5 days, 2 hours, 39 minutes]
Wasted time. Should've set an alarm...
Vowing to sleep only four hours from now on, I left the fluffy bed.
After a shower and a quick meal, habit took me to the desk to organize yesterday's events.
First off, discovering a new way to extend time was a huge win.
Even if I failed a quest, I could prolong things by hunting evils, so at least I had a backup plan—less pressure.
"And Baek Sa-young."
We'd met by chance and I tricked her again, but I still thought it was the best move.
I planned to follow the original story's flow as much as possible.
For my knowledge to retain value, I'd have to keep doing so.
Fortunately, Park Ha-yul doesn't awaken her manifestation power until her fourth-year graduation class—she's basically an extra until then.
That was my opportunity.
I planned to quietly focus on quests, working toward my ultimate goal in this world: finding Yoo So-young.
"Well, following the original plot should lead somewhere."
I wasn't impatient.
The mysterious number 4885.
As its message said, the novel had restarted fresh, promising an endlessly long journey.
"Three days left now, huh?"
I picked up a single sheet of paper from the desk.
───────────────
[Taehak Opening Ceremony Notice]
Date: March 2nd. Monday
Time / Location: 9 AM, Susuim Hall
You have been assigned to Class A, Year 2 for the 2022 academic year.
───────────────
With the life-or-death warm-up over, I had to head to the main stage for the next quest.
"Gonna be tight."
I went to the bookshelf and selected the necessary books.
Compendium of 1st Grade Fire Control Techniques
Compendium of 1st Grade Water Control Techniques
.
.
Spell arts.
The foundation of Park Ha-yul's manifestation power, the essence of Eastern abilities that earned brewers the grand title of "Prime."
At Taehak, with all the eyes around, using weapon manifestation would be tricky, so I needed to learn these in advance.
"Now I'll actually be spitting fire from my hands."
Well, more weapons are always better.
I'd savored being King Arthur once; now, over the next four days, I'd cram these and become Merlin too.
* * *
The human brain is an organ of infinite potential.
The past four days were an experiment and proof of that.
I endured throbbing headaches like my synapses were overheating, cramming new info to the limit over and over.
As a result, I raised my comprehension of fire, water, and wood wind attributes to the 80% range, earth and metal to the 20% range.
Not perfect, but satisfied with the results, it was suddenly the morning of departure for Taehak.
[Time Remaining: 1 day, 3 hours, 19 minutes]
Entering the underground parking lot, a man in a sharp suit bowed politely.
"Young Master. I'm Choi Jin-cheol."
First time meeting someone from the brewer family, but I didn't falter.
I'd gotten a text last night saying he'd wait, and I was confident in acting like Park Ha-yul.
So when Secretary Choi opened the rear door of the black luxury sedan, I climbed in as if it were natural and tossed out a line.
"Drive straight. If you jolt like last time, I'll get out halfway."
"Pardon?"
"No confidence?"
"No, it's not that... This is my first time serving you, Young Master..."
...Oh, really?
"Weird. You seem familiar. Maybe we met at the main house?"
"Doubt it. I was assigned as your direct secretary just a week ago."
"...Let's go."
"...Yes."
I crossed my legs, pretending to be nonchalant to hide my awkwardness.
Vroom.
The car set off for Taehak, loaded with discomfort and awkwardness.
Was he naturally quiet, or had he been warned not to chat with Park Ha-yul? Secretary Choi drove in silence, and since I had nothing to lose, I went along with it.
Riding in that heavy quiet for about thirty minutes, an intriguing sight unfolded outside the window.
"Ah."
I was so entranced I forgot even the remaining time, drinking it in with my eyes.
A straight avenue like a runway, flanked by statues of great figures standing guard.
Behind them, sleek yet antique buildings rose, stirring strange emotions.
Feeling tension build again where it had slackened, I said to Secretary Choi,
"I'll walk from here."
* * *
The Taehak in my imagination was, well...
A rigid, fortress-like breeding ground.
As befitting the gathering of top professors and geniuses, a battleground rife with competition and intrigue, never a dull moment.
It surely was that...
But the real thing felt utterly different from expectations.
"Hey, heard Lee Taek-jin is in charge of Class B this year?"
"For real? Class B is screwed. How do you survive a year under that psycho?"
Idle chatter like at any university—
"You dating Kim Si-young?"
"Are you nuts? Who said that?"
"Me, you punk. Saw you two holding hands in Myeongdong, causing a scene. Still denying it?"
And fresh gossip from twenty-something youths carried on the spring breeze.
After the long winter break, reunited students bloomed with smiles.
I walked the vast campus alone. Except for one person.
"The real thing's better than the blueprints."
Not lonely or anything.
Too busy sightseeing, and there was a huge gap between them—real college kids—and me, a thirty-something terminally-limited outsider.
Passing octagonal-roofed buildings for about twenty minutes, I arrived before a towering seven-story structure.
Susuim Hall.
The plaque, scrawled like calligraphy, glowed softly—this was the venue for today's opening ceremony.
Checking the directory, I headed to the third floor. Turning right and walking down, I found it.
Class A, Year 2.
The main class of [Epic of Salvation], my assigned department.
Everyone was gathered; it buzzed from the entrance.
I paused before entering.
No matter what, facing characters I'd drawn myself firsthand—claiming no stir would be a lie.
But like with Baek Sa-young, I had no intention of getting too close.
"Just quietly scope the vibe."
Steeling myself, I opened the door.
Slide.
Fortunately, few eyes turned my way.
Some glanced, but quickly lost interest.
Either they didn't recognize me or just didn't care.
Perfect.
Smiling contentedly, I moved to the back for prime observation.
Claiming a corner seat, I thought I'd blended in seamlessly.
"Excuse me. The one who just came up?"
Until that voice addressing me.
What?
Startled by the sudden development, I quickly scanned around, feigning calm.
"Come back down here, please."
The soft, clear voice came from near the front of the lecture hall.
From a woman writing something, eyes down.
For a split second, I thought professor, but no—too stunningly beautiful for a student.
Her long black straight hair and form-fitting uniform suited her perfectly...
"Excuse me?"
Realizing I was just standing there dumbly, I approached.
What's the big deal...
Step step.
Her face sharpened as the distance closed.
Refined features and snow-white skin in harmony, slightly upturned eyes resembling a famous cat-eyed celebrity.
A stranger, yet unmistakably familiar.
Very much so.
"Joo Ah-rin?"
I'd drawn her hundreds, thousands of times—harder not to recognize.
Probably spot on.
One of [Epic of Salvation]'s three main heroines, from the prestigious Joo family of guardians that sways Korea.
Noble, haughty, prickly—that's her charm.
...So why was she calling to Park Ha-yul?
No real connection came to mind, so I stood before her, slightly tense.
"Take this."
Joo Ah-rin kept her eyes on the stack of documents, pointing to one corner of the desk.
There sat a white basket, filled with round objects like 500-won coins.
Engraved with a three-legged crow, the triped crow—symbol of the world's top academy, Taehak.
I knew what it was right away.
"GripTok."
A linking device.
Attach to the back of your phone, it syncs with Taehak's system for various assist functions—cutting-edge magitech gear.
Of course. She'd called me to hand these out.
I chuckled and picked one up. Then Joo Ah-rin asked,
"What's your name?"
"Park Ha-yul."
"Wait a sec. Park... Ha..."
She rummaged through the documents in front to mark receipt.
Was handing out GripToks her job?
She wasn't the type to step up unless it was important, so I wondered.
"Ha-yul? Park Ha-yul?!"
Suddenly, she looked up, staring straight at me.
"..."
"..."
After hearing my name, her expression stiffened more than before.
Her scarlet eyes trembled faintly.
...What?
I tried to read the meaning, but couldn't. This was my first time seeing her in person.
"Huff huff, Ah-rin! Sorry, I'm late!"
The odd standoff ended quickly.
A female student rushed in, calling for Joo Ah-rin.
"Yeah, you're late. Very late."
"Hehe, thanks for covering. I'll take over now."
"It's fine. I'll finish since I started."
"No way. Go quick! Shoo!"
Unable to resist the girl's back-pushing, Joo Ah-rin retreated, and I naturally drifted from the conversation.
The abrupt end felt off, so I glanced at Joo Ah-rin.
She was gazing out the window as if nothing happened.
Well...
First meeting, so I got needlessly tense. Probably nothing big.
Shaking off the thought, I returned to my quiet back seat.
I'd chatted with one by chance; time to check the rest of the main cast.
[Trait: Sensitive Perception activated.]