The Abandoned World (1)

After shedding tears and hastily wiping them away, Persephone ate the Rainbow Fruit with as composed and elegant an expression as she could manage. Looking a little embarrassed, she gazed at me and Kim Dokja before speaking.

「Hmm hmm…. That was quite a fine dessert, Apostle of Pleasure.」

"You're too kind. If anything, I'm the one who should thank you for being so satisfied with the Rainbow Fruit."

「Is the name of the dessert I just ate 'Rainbow Fruit'?」

"Yes, that's right. True to the name 'rainbow,' the peel and flesh of the fruit hold seven colors, and when you put it in your mouth it tastes of seven different fruits—that's how it got the name."

「…I've sampled all sorts of stories and foods across the Star Stream for quite a long time, but this is the first time I've seen or tasted anything like this.」

"I imagine so. In this Star Stream, I'm probably the only one who can get my hands on rare ingredients like the one you just ate."

「Heh heh. How confident. Does that mean there are even more rare and varied ingredients like the Rainbow Fruit?」

I kept my smile in place as I glanced at Persephone, whose eyes sparkled with interest, and at the indirect messages pouring in from the Constellations.

"I'll have to take a no-comment on that. If I tell you everything now, half the fun and anticipation will be gone."

「Hmm. Then may I ask just one question?」

"Of course."

「I understand that strange skill of yours consumes coins when you purchase items. Would it be possible to know roughly how much the Rainbow Fruit I just ate costs?」

"The price of the Rainbow Fruit?"

Persephone's unexpected question caught me slightly off guard.

At the same time, the abacus in my head started clacking away.

'She asked that so she can get Rainbow Fruits from me later.'

'Which means the Persephone right in front of me is a potential customer among the Constellations.'

'Honestly saying 2,000 coins is what an amateur would do.'

'If I inflate the number, I stand ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to make a huge profit.'

'But how high can I go without making them suspicious, while still sounding convincing?'

In just a few seconds, the chain of thoughts linked together one after another in my head.

And I finally made my decision.

"The original price of this Rainbow Fruit is five billion won by our country's standards."

"F-five billion?!"

Kim Dokja's startled voice rang out from behind me.

"If you buy it with coins, it's about 50,000 coins apiece."

「……That fruit is 50,000 coins each?」

"That's correct."

Persephone's eyelids twitched as she stared at me, then she blankly gazed at the empty bowl where the Rainbow Fruit had been.

I looked at the Constellations still flooding me with indirect messages and at Persephone's dazed face staring at the bowl, and a sly smile rose inside me.

'Heh heh… Of course it's a lie, Persephone.'

The actual price of a Rainbow Fruit in my Story Shop was 2,000 coins apiece.

Right now I was scamming her and every Constellation watching the channel I was active in.

I'd inflated it by a full twenty-five times.

The Constellations who'd been watching me since the second Sponsor Selection would know I already had two million coins on hand.

I'd told them honestly, after all.

So they would accept that I could casually buy a 50,000-coin ingredient.

The reason I was scamming her and the Constellations was simple.

I wanted to sweep up their coins.

'That's why I deliberately called it a rare ingredient and said it was worth five billion in our currency.'

Watching Persephone eat, she had looked like quite the gourmet.

At the very least, she seemed like a Constellation who enjoyed meals and evaluated them.

Moreover, Persephone was Story-grade, and the wife of Hades, a Myth-grade Constellation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the Underworld.

That meant the Persephone before me held considerable influence in the Star Stream.

'So if the famous Queen of the Underworld sheds tears and says "It's delicious," how will the other Constellations react?'

Interested Constellations would want to try it.

Constellations who collected things would want to buy it.

Constellations who loved eating would absolutely want to eat it.

My skill, Shop User, was optimized for buying and selling.

I could obtain modern goods, equipment, and furniture that were now hard to find after the apocalypse.

As long as I had coins, I could get rare items and skill books from the Dokkaebi Bag.

And the Story Shop held rare items and ingredients just like this one.

If I promoted them and sold them to Constellations and Incarnations, I could become filthy rich overnight.

But I didn't do that.

Why?

'Premium means rarity.'

A luxury good is a high-end product whose commercial value and brand worth have been recognized.

Selling items left and right lowers your own grade and the value of your brand.

So for the customer (Constellation) in front of me, I had to control the supply.

Only then would I protect my own value.

'Only then can I rake in the coins of the suckers (Constellations) in front of me by the handful.'

Of course, there was another reason I didn't casually sell weapons or armor to Incarnations and Constellations—someday those things might be pointed at my back.

Hiding my pitch-black inner thoughts, I kept a bright smile and continued.

"Of course, what I just offered the Queen of the Underworld was a gesture of my sincerity. And before Kim Dokja and I leave the Underworld, I'll package extra Rainbow Fruits separately for the King and Queen of the Underworld to enjoy."

「…In that case, Apostle of Pleasure, you would be accepting a loss of 150,000 coins?」

"Heh heh. My Queen? I've already gathered two million coins as a newborn Constellation. If it means recovering my precious little sister's lost soul, if it means I can help the girlfriend standing behind me, I can spend 150,000 coins anytime."

"Jinwoo…."

Kim Dokja's moved voice echoed in my ears from behind.

In truth, for Kim Dokja's sake I was willing to pay not just 150,000 but a full million coins.

A mere million coins—if I put my mind to it, I could recover them and then some with even greater profit.

「………………….」

Persephone narrowed her eyes and looked me up and down, as if gauging how much sincerity was in the words I'd just spoken.

A moment later, she let out a soft chuckle.

「Heh heh…. Looking at you now, those words seem genuine. Very well. I acknowledge you, Apostle of Pleasure.」

"…Hmm. I'm not sure what exactly you're acknowledging, but thank you anyway."

Persephone, wearing a benevolent smile as she looked at me, turned her head toward Kim Dokja.

「I shall bestow a 'task' upon you. Incarnation Kim Dokja.」

"…Really?"

「You said you would show me an interesting story, didn't you? If you succeed, I will find the soul you desire.」

With that, Persephone lightly snapped her fingers.

Snap!

"Hm? My Queen? A Hidden Scenario just appeared for me as well. Could it have been sent by mistake…?"

I asked Persephone about the system message that had appeared before my eyes announcing the activation of a Hidden Scenario.

「It was not sent by mistake, Apostle of Pleasure. Whether you participate in the task given to Incarnation Kim Dokja is entirely up to you.」

Persephone turned her head back to Kim Dokja and continued.

「I've always wanted to try it at least once. The kids from Olympus do it all the time, but I never got the chance because I met such a proper husband.」

Kim Dokja looked at Persephone and asked,

"What kind of task is it?"

「Your task is to cut off a snake's head and bring it back.」

"…A snake? Don't tell me you mean that multi-headed snake?"

Seeing right through what Kim ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Dokja had guessed, Persephone shook her head.

「I'm not talking about the Hydra. Killing something like that would only get you called a copycat of Heracles. The snake you must kill is somewhere else.」

"But I'm in the middle of a scenario, so I can't go far."

「Don't worry. The snake will be where you're going.」

Snap!

When Persephone lightly snapped her fingers again, a screen floated up in empty midair.

It was the same kind of channel screen Constellations used when watching us—the one I'd been using frequently these past few days since becoming a Constellation myself.

The channel screen Persephone showed was mostly filled with a forest thick with greenery.

'So that's Peace Land.'

What appeared on the screen was Peace Land, where the sixth Main Scenario was currently underway.

-Hey mister, pull up some of these trees and make a place we can rest. You're good at that kind of thing, right?

-What I'm good at is fortification, not land reclamation, you damn brat.

Inside the channel screen were Han Sooyoung, whom our party had parted from a few days ago, and Gong Pildu, whom I'd last seen at Chungmuro Station.

Fortunately both of them looked unharmed and were getting by safely, so I felt a small sense of relief inside.

Persephone glanced at the channel screen for a moment, then turned her head and stared straight at Kim Dokja.

「Well? Will you try it? It might be quite difficult, but something of this level is worthy of being called a 'task.'」

Kim Dokja looked at Persephone for a moment, then nodded and said,

"I'll do it."

After the presence of people vanished, darkness flooded into the hall.

Left alone in the vast banquet hall, Persephone quietly gazed at the remaining feast, then looked at the two elegantly packaged boxes before her and spoke.

「Clear it away. It has no taste.」

At her words, the administrators of the Underworld appeared at some point and began clearing the food that was growing cold on the table.

Persephone watched as the dishes the administrators carried went straight into the trash.

Sword Master, SSS-rank Hunter, 10th-Circle Archmage—foods containing all sorts of other stories were dumped into the garbage.

The darkness in the air rippled, and a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠voice was heard.

「Persephone. Why did you do that?」

At the voice that echoed through the banquet hall, Persephone lifted her head and said,

「Oh, my shy husband finally opens his mouth.」

「I asked why you did it.」

「Hades, this is what you wanted.」

「I never wanted any such thing.」

Persephone looked at the rippling darkness and gave a small, bitter smile.

「…You rarely create Incarnations. Yet you seemed particularly fond of that child. Was I mistaken?」

「Why did you think that?」

「Because when that child came to the Underworld, you didn't kill her right away. Of course, you did apply a little pressure to her boyfriend.」

「………….」

Persephone looked at the silence-shrouded darkness as if she found it adorable.

「You've always envied Zeus for having Heracles. So this time I took the liberty of reading my husband's heart a little.」

Persephone looked down at her hand for a moment and opened the fist she had been clenching.

A little sweat clung to her palm.

「…Honestly, it was surprising. There were Constellations even I couldn't handle. And those beings were chasing after a single Incarnation and one newborn Constellation….」

At her words the darkness rippled greatly and spoke toward her.

「Before long, the omens of the Later Days will appear.」

Hearing Hades's words, Persephone opened her mouth in a voice mixed with disbelief, doubt, and anxiety.

「…Will the Later Days really come?」

「Probably.」

「But even then, you'll stay by my side, won't you?」

Hades did not answer Persephone's words.

Instead, the cozy darkness carried a warm aura as it placed a hand on the shoulder of her symbolic body, then carefully wrapped her in an embrace.

Feeling the cozy, warm darkness that enveloped her, Persephone turned her head and looked at one of the channel screens.

「I'm very much looking forward to what kind of story that child will show us.」

Where her gaze fell, Kim Dokja and Park Jinwoo were shown making their way through the darkness under the guidance of the Judges, heading out of the Underworld.

As if finding them cute, Persephone smiled faintly.

And the darkness behind her looked at a certain man and clicked its tongue softly.

Guided by the Judges that Queen Persephone of the Underworld had assigned to us, Kim Dokja and I headed for the exit of the Underworld.

After walking for quite a while under the Judges' guidance, we reached a point where they told us we could remove our blindfolds. Kim Dokja and I untied the cloths wrapped around our eyes.

When we took off the blindfolds and looked ahead, a narrow, dark side path came into view.

"What does that mean?"

At the Judges' voices from behind, Kim Dokja reflexively turned and asked the question—

but the Judges who had been behind us had already long since vanished.

Kim Dokja turned back with a resigned expression and looked at the narrow, dark side path ahead.

I watched her for a moment, then held out my hand and spoke.

"Want to hold hands while we walk?"

"…You just want to hold hands, don't you?"

"Well, yeah?"

"…………."

Kim Dokja glanced back and forth between my face and the hand I offered, then let out a small sigh and took it.

I smiled as I looked at Kim Dokja, who had interlaced her fingers with mine.

"Doesn't this feel like a couple heading into a haunted house at an amusement park?"

"…What couple."

"In front of the Queen of the Underworld earlier you called me your boyfriend."

"…I just got caught up in the atmosphere and said the wrong thing."

"Heh heh. You're such a shy one."

"Who's shy."

And so, hand in hand, we walked toward the narrow, dark side path.

Up to a certain point we could still make things out with the naked eye, but at some moment darkness swallowed everything around us. Just as the doubt began to rise—were we even going the right way?—

Sparkle!

Faint letters of light floated up in the darkness.

Those letters of light had been written by Persephone.

Kim Dokja looked at Persephone's writing before her eyes and let out a small hum of thought.

Perhaps she found it frustrating that I, who already knew what was about to happen, was thinking nothing at all—new writing from Persephone appeared before our eyes.

The string of letters Persephone had written vanished all at once, and from the place where the writing had been, a faint, small, yet clearly colored light bloomed.

-Unni…? Oppa…?

From the light before our eyes came the voice of the 41st-regression Shin Yooseung.

Kim Dokja immediately realized that the light before her was a fragment of the 41st-regression Shin Yooseung's soul, and for a long while she quietly gazed at it with a distant look in her eyes.

-Ah, aah….

In the Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint webtoon, the male Kim Dokja had looked at Shin Yooseung's soul before him and said something like this:

「At the entrance that crosses world-lines, the concept of time is different from here. For Shin Yooseung, several years may already have passed….」

How many years could a mere soul fragment, not a complete soul, have endured?

Like Kim Dokja, I looked at Shin Yooseung's soul before us, then lowered my head.

If I kept staring at her soul, I too would end up gazing at her with the same distant eyes as Kim Dokja.

-…Unni, Oppa. Is it okay if I call you that too?

Perhaps influenced by the young Shin Yooseung's memories, the 41st-regression Shin Yooseung before us looked at us and asked.

At Shin Yooseung's question, Kim Dokja smiled faintly and said,

"Right now you're older than us, but is that still okay with you?"

"…Our Dokja. Pointing out that the Shin Yooseung in front of us is over a thousand years old…."

Thud!

"…Urgh?! Joke! It was a joke!!"

Startled by Kim Dokja immediately driving a fist into my side for one little joke, I hurriedly sucked in a breath and waved my hands.

At my reaction, Kim Dokja clenched her fist tighter, glared at me, then turned her head back to look at Shin Yooseung.

-Heh heh. You two get along well, don't you?

Then Shin Yooseung's soul drifted close to our cheeks, lightly brushed them, and floated up into the air.

Kim Dokja looked at Shin Yooseung's soul with an expression as if her heart were being torn apart.

After moving her lips for a long time as she organized what she wanted to say, Kim Dokja finally opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry. I can't save you right away."

-Don't push yourself. My story is already….

"It isn't over."

Kim Dokja looked at Shin Yooseung's soul and continued in a voice that said she would never yield on this one point.

"After suffering for so many long years, it can't end like this. I will never allow it."

"Dokja's right. I told you before—you will definitely live."

-…………….

At our words, Shin Yooseung fell silent for a moment as she looked at us.

-…I came to know you through the memories of this world. But you… why are you so kind to me?

"Does there have to be a reason?"

-……What?

I looked at Shin Yooseung and opened my mouth.

"I want to save you, so I save you. Can't a person be saved for a reason that simple?"

-…………….

"If you really need a reason for me to save you, I'll give you one later. So for now, don't think any negative thoughts. Just spend your time thinking about what you want to do and what you want to achieve once we save you."

-…Haha. Isn't that a bit too direct? I thought you'd comfort me at a time like this.

"That's one of my strong points. If you need some head-pats later, I'll give them to you after we save you."

-…It really is a strange feeling. I clearly don't know much about you, yet when I'm like this I feel as if everything about me is being understood.

Looking at us, Shin Yooseung hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.

-As if I'm standing before a 'god'….

Then Shin Yooseung's light began to fade at high speed.

There wasn't much time left.

-…Then please. Save me.

"I will."

"In exchange, later you have to say 'I love you, Oppa' just once."

-…Heh heh. If you save me, I'll say it as many times as you want.

Kim Dokja lightly poked the fading soul of Shin Yooseung with a finger.

Fwoosh!

Shin Yooseung's soul finally vanished from before our eyes.

The power of Persephone, who had temporarily brought the soul from the entrance of the world-line labyrinth, had run out.

We stared for a moment at the place where Shin Yooseung's soul had been.

Then, once again, writing from Persephone appeared before our eyes.

Shrrrk!

The strings of letters Persephone had written gathered into one place, and soon a door shining with light revealed itself.

With those final words, I felt as if I were being sucked somewhere—or as if someone were pushing me from behind—and closed my eyes.

Then the information of the Hidden Scenario entered my mind.