Chapter 246
Chapter 246
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 246
Chapter Title: 79. The Basement of the Apocalyptic Clock (3)
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“Curious about what this is?”
“Speak. What you want to know.”
Yoo Ji-tae stared silently at the bird and the cat.
These two. They don't know what this is.
He had already suspected as much, but this confirmed it.
He beckoned to the bird. The Apocalyptic Clock traced a graceful arc through the air and alighted on Yoo Ji-tae's hand. He whispered into its ear.
The white bird nodded.
“What.”
Yoo Ji-tae shook his head.
“What. Tell me. To me too.”
“Why. Not telling. Only me.”
The pitch-black cat bared its white fangs. Its yellow eyes sharpened even more.
“Curious. Very.”
“Pleading. Earnestly. Tell me. Curious.”
“Kill you.”
Then the white bird suddenly flew off into the distance. Kyaaak—!! The snarling black cat chased after the white bird. The two flew tens of meters, pursuing and evading each other. Dodging claws and teeth by a hair's breadth. The white bird flapped its wings teasingly at the cat. It was just like Bom, pushing and pulling at existence on a whim.
On the other hand, he thought they played just like children. Beings that transcended the mortal world had no need for false pretenses or unnecessary dignity.
A fresh realization dawned. Perhaps true, honest joy arises from such childish behavior.
Joy intersects with childishness...
However, now was not the time for him to silently watch the playing children. While the two bickered, Yoo Ji-tae closely examined the obelisks before him.
The two playing nearby were, undeniably, beings that determined the standards of the world.
Yet the Apocalyptic Clock and the Key did not know what these obelisks were.
That was the key.
The authorities governing the world's providence touched upon certain truths.
From experience, the things such authorities wouldn't know boiled down to exactly two categories.
1. Matters of other authorities.
2. Events beyond the horizon of providence, in the non-providential world.
The Apocalyptic Clock reacted with hysteria to non-providential matters. It had also shown subtle displeasure when the identity of the 'basement' it didn't know emerged.
What had the Apocalyptic Clock said then?
— Authority, 「Apocalyptic Clock (EX)」 feels subtle displeasure toward an indeterminate element not existing in providence.
'What if you're displeased?'
'Go find out something instead of just sitting there.'
—「Apocalyptic Clock (EX)」 : (´•̥ω•̥`)
...Yeah. That was it.
However, its lack of displeasure even after the identity was revealed meant this was not a non-providential matter.
This allowed him to infer that these obelisks were related to some other EX-rank authority besides these two.
So Yoo Ji-tae called the fighting pair over and asked.
“How many authorities set the standards of your world like you two? And what are they?”
“Insolent.”
The cat expressed displeasure by extending its claws.
“How dare. Beyond authority. Mortal. Cannot speak.”
“Stop. It's mad. This clock bastard.”
“If there are 7, can I ask what they are?”
“Stop! Shut up. Stop!”
But this time, it seemed not allowed.
The black cat freaked out, pinning the white bird down with all four paws, gnawing on its head, and raking it wildly with its hind legs.
“Absolutely not. Cannot speak. Give up. Your curiosity.”
He tried to persuade a bit more, but this time the Key (EX) was adamant.
He even offered to reveal what the obelisk showed in exchange, but that too was refused.
In a moment that could determine his fate, hearing such childish banter drained his energy a little.
“I get it...”
In any case, their noisy play had nothing to do with him.
He had gained a daily life and changed. He acknowledged that certain elements could touch his emotions. Thus, he decided to briefly check the contents of the remaining obelisks.
He felt it the moment he looked.
From the second obelisk flowed illusions of the moment he danced with Yeoreum. He pretended not to, but he had enjoyed it a little then too. So this was “joy.”
The third obelisk brought overlapping moments with Gaeul. What he thought about most entering the 7th round was Gaeul, and what troubled him was also soon Gaeul. This was “thought,” or perhaps “worry,” or “concern.”
The fourth obelisk recalled the first time he saw Bom. He couldn't quite grasp what it was. His emotions back then had been too complex.
Finally, the fifth obelisk unexpectedly featured a certain person. A small Chinese girl who stuttered. Ling Ling apologizing for her guardian's sins. Then the moment her guardian, Lun, treated Ling Ling like a tiny whore. He had slapped him and thought nothing of it, but looking back, that was when Yoo Ji-tae first felt personal anger. So this was “anger.”
Each one was a situation where he suspected he had felt an emotion for the first time.
Then what were the remaining six without light?
Among them, one obelisk seemed to almost let in light.
When he touched it, Bom's face appeared in illusion right before his eyes. And the moment their lips touched.
This, it seemed, was “affection.”
He pondered.
Humanity speaks of human emotions as the four: joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure—or seven, adding love, hate, desire.
If extended further, perhaps eleven emotions?
Greed and sorrow were missing. Moreover, he had no sense of what the other four were.
“...”
Emptiness approached.
The biggest problem was that he had no occasion to feel sorrow or melancholy.
Why?
Because he was always melancholy.
There had been many sad events in past times. Yet he couldn't recall when he last felt distinct sorrow or melancholy. From some point, melancholy permeated his life constantly.
Life with the hatchlings was the same. There were joyful moments. Moments of pleasure. But they were fleeting. He constantly thought only that this hard-won 7th round wouldn't collapse. He had never truly felt at ease with this time itself.
The 7th round might be a happy daily life for the children, but to him, it was just another test after a thousand failures.
If it went wrong. Someday the 8th round would begin.
The bonds painstakingly built with the children, the world he precious guarded... would abandon him alone...
He couldn't know what these obelisks defined as his emotions. But if they judged his current situation as not sad, then he was a human who could never truly be sad.
He was already melancholy.
Pushing aside the futility, Yoo Ji-tae turned away.
Then he said to the white bird.
“That's enough. I've seen all I need to, so lead me to the rooftop layer.”
The white bird froze rigidly at that moment.
And said nothing.
He narrowed his eyes. What's wrong with it since earlier?
“What's wrong. Take me. Can't you hear me?”
But the white bird gave no reply. It just stared piercingly at Yoo Ji-tae in silence.
“Hey.”
“Why no answer.”
“I'm telling you to take me. Huh?”
The white bird neither replied nor moved.
“Refusing? Why? Don't you live parasitically in my memories? You know the context of what I'm asking now.”
Silence continued.
The black cat nearby slipped slyly into the darkness and vanished.
Then in the dim workshop, only Yoo Ji-tae and the Apocalyptic Clock remained.
“If you know the context, how dare you refuse my request. Answer me. Or do I need to persuade you now? Threaten you?”
Still no answer.
Irritation surged within him.
Yeah... He had thought it strange from when it didn't open the door.
And bringing him to the basement when he said rooftop layer. That was odd too.
“Who forcibly regressed me? It was you, wasn't it? Apocalyptic Clock. I've never once chosen this shitty life. I'm just a mortal who achieved your goals by proxy. Isn't that right?”
Still silence.
He bent down and picked up the white bird from the floor.
The bird allowed his grasp without resistance, meekly held in his hand.
Bringing it close to his face, Yoo Ji-tae continued.
“When I die, the world's timeline regresses because if I die, the Earth you want to protect definitively meets its end, right? So I'm just a scapegoat. Can you deny that?”
“Yet how can you refuse my request here. Huh?”
His voice gradually rose.
In truth, he felt no resentment. Even the hatred and curses toward the Apocalyptic Clock were now things of the past.
He simply couldn't understand the basis of the Clock's judgment and its silence.
“Why am I so anxious before this hard-won chance? Why is the 7th round this unstable? Isn't it because you can't properly judge non-providential matters?”
“You didn't find that shitty malice beforehand, and you still can't confirm it now. Isn't it your incompetence? Didn't you tell me the malice doesn't have great ability to directly interfere with reality? What irresponsible attitude is that. What if...”
The worst conceivable future painted itself.
He had an unerased past.
What if.
“If they connect to memories from past rounds, how do you plan to handle it...”
Bloodshot veins stood out around the regressor's eyes.
He felt it sporadically. As much as he had built precious things. As much as he cherished them. He became sensitive and anxious. As the world brightened, his shadow darkened more.
Until now, he had no intention of hiding that past. He had simply stayed silent without reason to reveal it.
But the more daily life he found, the more he realized his thoughts were changing.
He had to hide his past.
“It's not baseless. You know too, don't you? Hasaetbyeol received memories from the 2nd round.”
“If memories are transmitted like fragments, it might be a bit better for the others. I've invested more time thinking of and cherishing the Gold Dragon. Less contact with Red and Blue. The imprisoned time might not be that despairing.”
“But what about the Green Dragon? You know what I did to that child to uncover the shitty origin fragments, right? The higher I build bonds with her, the harder I'll fall when it crumbles.”
“The past is out of my hands now. Regret changes nothing. I'm powerless.”
“Regressor? Regressor? Even that, I'm just an ignorant fool who can't turn back passed time, aren't I?”
“Answer me. Why did I end up like this? Who made me this way? Who turned me into a sinner?!”
A beastly howl like a wail.
“I'm trying to change what I can, and you're refusing my request? How far down do you plan to drag me before you're satisfied, Apocalyptic Clock—!”
It echoed through the basement, but as it spread into the vast space of the workshop, it became hollow.
Strength entered the hand gripping the white bird. Yoo Ji-tae screamed. The Apocalyptic Clock gave no response to his words. Only the bird's black eyes gazed at him.
As irritation and excitement subsided.
“Last warning. Open the rooftop layer.”
He said in a calm, sunken voice.
“Before I curse you again.”
Only then.
Finally.
The Apocalyptic Clock's intent began to emerge.
In that instant, an immense presence began to surge from the white bird's body.
An overwhelming pressure that dared not be held in hand. It was on the same level as when he first confronted the Key (EX).
Vibrating the universe.
A presence that even overwhelmed transcendent beings at the pinnacle of existence.
Right after, Yoo Ji-tae heard a voice from the Apocalyptic Clock itself, one he had never heard before.
“You. Will definitely. Become happy.”