Chapter 3: Seraph, Flustered.
Chapter 3: Seraph, Flustered.
I had turned back time by ten years. The Seraph who had been with me for a decade was gone.
So, what happens now…?
The altar was empty now, but an angel would soon be summoned upon it. It could be a new angel, or it could be Seraph once again. If it was the former, it wouldn't matter, but what if it was the latter? I guessed she would appear with all her memories of me erased, but a flicker of curiosity remained.
After waiting for about three minutes, I felt a response. The space above the altar began to ripple like a wave. In the first playthrough, I would have lost consciousness by this point. I had never seen the process of an angel being summoned, so I watched the altar with deep interest.
Like ripples on the surface of water, the waves spread out in concentric circles. From the center of the disturbance, a pure white light peeked through. The light flickered for a moment before exploding brightly like a firework, beginning to form a single shape. I watched the creation of the new angel without missing a single detail.
Soon, a fully formed angel was visible on the altar. Her eyes were still closed, but her form felt incredibly familiar. Shimmering wings that radiated holiness. An aura of untouchable dignity and sublime light. The angel who revealed herself looked identical to Seraph, to the point of absolute perfection.
As if sensing my gaze, Seraph’s eyes slowly opened. For a brief moment, a strange light flickered in her light green eyes as they met mine.
Beautiful and noble.
Like the angels from novels and comics, Seraph possessed a charm that overflowed with a sacred energy and a tranquility that was hard to put into words.
Her silvery-white hair, as if bathed in moonlight, shone with a cold luster and flowed like silk. Her skin was as fair as white snow, boasting a flawless, smooth complexion. Jade-colored pupils sparkled within her eyes, framed by faint double eyelids. And then there was the occasional glimpse of her skin underneath.
Yet, looking at her beautiful form, I felt not a shred of lust, not a single thread of desire. We were beings of a different dimension to begin with, so the feelings we had for each other would naturally be different.
I felt Seraph’s gaze on me, surprised that I was awake. Her calm eyes scanned me from head to toe, as if observing me. Feeling her eyes on me, just as they always were, I could finally be certain.
Seraph. It’s the you from ten years ago.
At that moment, Seraph’s beautiful lips parted.
“It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Yeah.”
“Welcome to the Summoning Room. Planet Earth. Nationality: Republic of Korea. Age: 23. Name: Kim Soohyun. Identity verification complete. From now on, the human Kim Soohyun will be referred to as a User for convenience. I am Seraph, the helper assigned to guide you.”
“Yeah.”
“User Kim Soohyun, after you are taught the basic knowledge in this Summoning Room, you will be moved to a place called the Rite of Passage. There, you must prove you are qualified to become a true User.”
“Yeah.”
“……”
Seraph, who had been speaking at a rapid pace, suddenly fell silent. She tilted her head with a ‘This isn’t right’ expression. Seeing her like that stirred a fresh, if faint, emotion in me. But first, I had to get what was mine.
“I have a question…”
“If your question is about where this place is and why you are here, I would advise against asking. You have less than two hours before you enter the Rite of Passage. Of course, I understand that the current situation is confusing. However, if you want to live, and if you want to return…”
As if she’d found her footing, Seraph began her rapid-fire speech once more. I was somewhat used to it now, but honestly, it had been quite scary at first. The way she spoke with a blank face and a calm tone made me feel like I was seeing a ghost.
Recalling that time, I couldn't help but smile. After letting out a small chuckle, I answered calmly.
“Ah, right.”
“It is recommended that the User spend the given time adapting to their circumstances as much as possible…”
“I get it, I get it.”
“……”
Even though I had readily agreed, a slight frown creased Seraph’s brow. Her hand seemed to float slowly in the air as she blinked three or four times and muttered with a grimace.
“He isn’t mentally ill… and his mind is extremely stable. Peculiar.”
“Who are you calling a psychopath… Anyway, it doesn’t matter, does it? Isn’t it easier for you if I just follow your instructions?”
“That is true, but…”
“Then that’s that. What are you grumbling about?”
“I was not grumbling. In any case, very well. User Kim Soohyun’s attitude is highly desirable. If you can maintain such an attitude, your survival rate will increase dramatically. Then, for now…”
This time, I just raised my hand. Seraph, finally noticing my signal, stopped talking again.
“I said I had a question.”
“Is that so? Very well. As long as the question does not pertain to the matters I mentioned earlier, I will grant special permission for a question.”
“It’s not about that. By any chance, do you have anything to give me?”
“Something to give you? I do not understand the precise meaning of your question. I require a more detailed explanation.”
“Hmm~. Ah, I was told to just say Tanay?”
“!”
The moment I said ‘Tanay,’ I could see Seraph visibly falter. I knew it. Her reaction was amusing, but I grew slightly worried that I might not receive it after all. I couldn't give up the privilege. Deciding I had to get it even if it meant forcing the issue, I spoke in a gentle, persuasive tone.
“Tanay, they definitely said Tanay. It’s fine to start whenever you want, but I should get what I’m supposed to get first…”
“……”
Seraph instantly regained her composure. But she had only recovered her expression. I could clearly see her struggling to hide her agitation. Her wings, which usually shimmered slowly, were now fluttering restlessly. She was definitely flustered.
“P-Please wait a moment.”
Seraph immediately closed her eyes. However, her fingers were tapping the air at an incredible speed, and her lips moved ceaselessly. She was probably confirming what ‘Tanay’ was and communicating with the other angels.
Enough time passed to finish a cup of tea. During that time, Seraph’s expression changed countless times, and I watched her in silence. It wasn’t a common sight, so the wait didn’t feel boring.
Then, Seraph opened her eyes. But her face still showed that she couldn't accept it.
“I would like to have a conversation with User Kim Soohyun.”
“Don’t want to.”
“It will only take a moment.”
“If your question is about where this place is and why you are here, I would advise against asking. You have less than two hours before you enter the Rite of Passage. Of course, I understand that the current situation is confusing. However… hmm, what was the rest?”
As I repeated the words Seraph had just said, she immediately shut her mouth.
“Anyway, just as you said, there isn’t much time left before the Rite of Passage… You give what you need to give, and I take what I need to take. Wouldn’t that be the rational thing to do?”
When I deliberately emphasized the word ‘rational,’ Seraph bit her lip. Right. You must be frustrated. You probably never imagined you’d be outargued by a human when you came here.
To be honest, I had always wanted to experience a situation like this. When I first arrived here, Seraph’s reaction had been incredibly cold. It felt like she was looking at some kind of lab rat. She didn’t even pretend to listen to me begging her to send me back, and when I ran around causing a ruckus, I was immediately thrown to the ground.
Perhaps because of that memory, this situation gave me a subtle sense of pleasure.
A relaxed smile spread across my face out of sheer satisfaction. Seraph stared at me blankly for a moment, then lightly snapped her fingers.
Snap!
A sharp snap sounded, and the flow of time around us slowed slightly. My body had been reset, so I couldn't feel it in detail, but the ten years of experience I’d scraped by with hadn't gone anywhere.
Seraph’s voice followed shortly after.
“User Kim Soohyun’s assertion is rational. Therefore, I will compensate you for the lost time. I have slowed the flow of time currently enveloping the Summoning Room. Are you satisfied?”
“Yeah.”
I answered calmly. Seraph seemed to observe me carefully for a moment before speaking quietly.
“I, too, have questions about User Kim Soohyun. However, if you do not wish it, I will not press the matter.”
“Oh, really? I was thinking of just telling you.”
Wanting to tease her a little more, I gave a slight shrug of my shoulders, and Seraph’s eyes lit up.
“Ah, is that so? It is true that all the other Helpers and I are currently confused. If you are willing to tell us, we would like to hear the full story.”
“But I don’t want to.”
Finally realizing I was toying with her, Seraph’s cheeks flushed red. Seeing that made me want to clap my hands and laugh out loud. She shot me a pouting glare before calmly composing her expression and speaking.
“While appropriate measures can be taken for actions that cross the line, the first principle of Helpers is not to harm Users. As such, I ask that you refrain from playing word games with Helpers in the future.”
“You’re beings from another dimension with a vastly superior status, aren't you? You can just forgive me with your great magnanimity.”
“…I have finished confirming the Tanay you mentioned. This is a type of pact that has already been approved and is ‘binding’ upon us. In particular, after a thorough review by all parties, the privilege granted has been determined to belong unequivocally to User Kim Soohyun.”
“Hmm. For something like that, you accepted it pretty quickly. How boring.”
“That is what Tanay means to us. We can review it, but we cannot exert any influence over it. Therefore, the privilege granted to User Kim Soohyun cannot be revoked. You may rest assured.”
“But starting as a Year 0 User with this kind of power will surely make me an exception, won’t it? For example, won’t it upset the balance…?”
“It will not affect the balance.”
Seraph answered curtly without hesitation. Then, with a slightly stern expression, she continued.
“I have read the contents of the privilege. There were certainly many exceptional items. However, you must not become complacent. Even if you accept all the privileges, it is not as if there are no beings with abilities that surpass them.”
Seraph was still Seraph, repeating the same old lines. Still, her saying, “it is not as if there are no beings,” was enough. It was a world away from the assessment I received before: “there are countless.” I decided to readily admit it.
“True, there’s no need to limit my perspective to just Users. There are bound to be other beings like that in the Hall Plain.”
“Correct.”
The moment I said ‘Hall Plain,’ Seraph’s eyes flickered for a brief moment.
“I anticipate that it will take a significant amount of time to set up all of User Kim Soohyun’s privileges. The remaining time is 1 hour, 47 minutes, and 26 seconds. It will be a tight schedule to make it to the Rite of Passage. This is just my guess, but it seems you are already aware of the internal affairs of the Hall Plain…”
“Okay. Skip it. That’s what I wanted in the first place.”
“Although I have artificially slowed the flow of time, it is only for the duration of the compensated time. Some time will be required for preparation before moving on to the next process. Please wait a moment.”
While Seraph was preparing, my thoughts turned to the Rite of Passage.
To put it simply, the Rite of Passage could be defined as ‘a place to take a test to prove one’s qualifications as a User.’ It was a place where people who had been abducted without reason, like me, gathered. There were only two conditions to pass the test: survive for seven days, or reach the Warp Gate within seven days. In other words, ‘survival’ was the necessary condition to prove one’s qualifications.
Those who succeeded in surviving would be summoned back to the Summoning Room. There, they would be granted a Class befitting their potential and finally enter the real space known as the Hall Plain. In a way, it was a rather unfair and terrifying test. If you failed to meet the survival conditions, you would simply be judged as ‘dead.’
“User Kim Soohyun. All preparations are complete.”
While I was lost in thought, I received the signal from Seraph that she was ready.
“The detailed contents of the privilege…”
“I know. It’s all in my head, so I’d like to start right away.”
“Yes. I understand that there is no need to transfer the information separately. Then, which privilege would you like to receive first?”
“Hmm…”
I considered the first privilege in order.
‘1. A privilege is granted regarding User Kim Soohyun’s original stat information. First, you may “load” the Player Status data from the first playthrough. Second, four of the six basic stats will be randomly selected and increased. The amount of the increase will also be determined randomly.’
I couldn't just set the privileges as I pleased. There had to be a reason Seraph had specified an order. If so, starting with number one was the right answer. The foundation of all settings began with stats. If I inherited my old stats, I would naturally have to go with a swordsman build, but first, I needed to check the increase margins.
I spoke without a hint of hesitation.
“I’ll take the privilege to load and increase my stats first.”
“Yes. Loading the information entered under User Kim Soohyun’s name. 27%, 56%, 87%, 100%. Complete. Load successful.”
The moment Seraph finished speaking, I felt vitality surging through my entire body. Along with it, the slow flow of my surroundings became more distinct against my skin. Even the young body of a twenty-three-year-old fresh from the military could not compare to a body that had become a Sword Master.
Fwoosh!
When I powerfully extended my right arm, I heard a rough sound of air being torn. Satisfied, I checked my Player Status.
“……”
My stats had been inherited. However, every other part had been reset. It was a shame to lose my True Name, Zenith, and my Achievements, but I accepted it as unavoidable and nodded.
“Player Status load confirmed. Now to use the additional stat-increase privilege, right?”
“Yes. Of course. I say this just in case, but four of the six stats will be randomly increased. The stats that increase and their values are all random, but they will be based on the User’s potential and degree of growth. Please be sure to keep this in mind.”
“I know that much.”
Simply put, the higher a stat was, the smaller the increase would be, and vice versa. While there might be minor individual differences based on potential, it was a law that applied equally to everyone. Aside from lucky encounters, elixirs, or achievement rewards, there was a limit to how much stats could be raised through simple training.
Strength, Stamina, Magic Power. I prayed desperately in my heart that these three stats, at least, would be increased.
I considered Magic Power the most important. Next was Stamina, and I thought of Strength, Durability, and Agility as equals. Luck came last. Of course, having one high stat while the others were pitifully low could be a problem in its own right. However, assuming the other stats were decent enough to provide support, the most efficient stat was Magic Power.
“Then I will grant it now.”
Luck doesn’t have to increase. Please, let it be Strength, Stamina, and Magic Power. At the very least, just Stamina and Magic Power…!
I didn’t know whether my desperate wish had reached anyone, but it seemed the privilege had been granted. The moment I felt Seraph wave her hand, four messages appeared one after another in the empty air before me.