The Abandoned World (4)

Even in the face of Yoo Joonghyuk's arrogant declaration, the kings merely fell silent, casting tense glances her way.

"Seems there are none. Then I will announce the list."

Who would dare voice opposition to someone radiating such overwhelming killing intent from the moment she appeared? She truly lived up to the moniker of Overlord.

Just then, I felt someone's gaze from the side and turned my eyes that way.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Min Jiwon, the King of Beauty, was staring at me and Kim Dokja with an incredulous look. Her eyes were asking:

How can you two be so calm?

I felt a little sorry for Min Jiwon, who desperately wanted to join the scenario and grow stronger. But I had no intention of participating in the Peace Land scenario as a first-wave entrant.

I've got a little experiment to run.

What I planned to test this time was the Hiraishin no Jutsu.

Hiraishin no Jutsu was a space-time ninjutsu that appeared in the Japanese ninja manga Naruto. Back when curiosity about the technique had gotten the better of me, I had looked up the lore and found a particular line in the description:

As long as a mark has been placed, one can freely travel even to locations in other dimensions.

Because of that sentence, I intended to use a Warp Crystal, place a Hiraishin mark on one of the party members heading to Peace Land, and activate the technique the moment they crossed through the crystal.

The reason I would deliberately use the Hiraishin at the moment of crossing was fairly simple.

I'm going to intentionally trigger a scenario error.

Han Sooyoung and Gong Pildu had been transferred to Peace Land by pure chance. Why? Because the two of them had coincidentally performed methods of otherworld transfer that were popular in Japan at the time, and that had sent them to Peace Land.

Han Sooyoung had been hit by a survivor bus that suddenly cut into the road while she was walking, and that had transferred her. Gong Pildu had fallen into the Han River and ended up in Peace Land.

Which meant that if you picked one of the known otherworld-transfer methods from Korea or Japan and carried it out, you could safely reach Peace Land.

Well, the dokkaebis might have already blocked those methods, so there's a chance I still won't get in.

But this was a world that already had regressors, returnees, and reincarnators running around—there was no way they had sealed every single loophole. In particular, novels and anime I had read in the past often featured people getting swept up when space itself became unstable, so I planned to roughly imitate one of those methods.

If my prediction held, even without being selected as a first-wave entrant, I would still arrive in Peace Land safely. Once I explained it to Kim Dokja later through Midday Tryst, she would understand.

The only things that still bothered me a little were Min Jiwon, Cha Sangkyung, Jung Heewon, and Yoo Sangah.

Min Jiwon had managed just fine until we returned from Peace Land in the original story, and while Jung Heewon and Yoo Sangah fell under Nirvana's Thought Infection, their lives had never been in serious danger. The real problem was Cha Sangkyung—the man who had helped our party more than once.

I thought well of Cha Sangkyung. From the Absolute Throne arc onward, he had been the one who aided the male Kim Dokja of the original webtoon. When I learned he had died to Nirvana, it had genuinely saddened me.

So I want to keep Cha Sangkyung alive if I can.

In any world, in any era, the bonds of gratitude and grudge mattered. My uncle who had helped me as a child, the schoolteachers I had been close to, my mother, my older sister—they had all always said the same thing. That deeply rooted conviction inside me was now nagging me to save Cha Sangkyung if at all possible.

If there hadn't been so much to gain in Peace Land, I would have simply stayed here, beaten Nirvana down, and held out until Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk returned. But the haul from this Peace Land run was considerable, and giving it up would have been a real shame.

After a brief moment of thought on how to keep Cha Sangkyung alive, I made up my mind.

…Hmm. Once I'm in Peace Land, I'll have to keep an eye on Cha Sangkyung through the channel screen.

And just as Kim Dokja had once fed Han Donghoon a Mental Awakening Potion to break his brainwashing, I would gift Cha Sangkyung a bottle and lend him a hand at the right moment when he was in danger. That should be enough for him to slip free of Nirvana's grasp. After all, he was a king—his overall stats were solid enough.

Of course, every part of this plan rested on the premise that dimensional travel via Hiraishin no Jutsu was actually possible. If the technique couldn't get me to Peace Land, I would simply abandon the scenario and stay behind to protect Seoul Dome from Nirvana's hands.

If I really can't go, I'm going to be so damn sad.

Han Sooyoung in Peace Land clothes, Asuka Ren, the liquor mixed from Constellation relics and Stories, Kyrgios's teachings, the training bracelet forged from Peace Land iron, three hundred thousand coins, and a Legendary-grade Story—giving all of that up would truly hurt.

I closed my eyes for a moment, lost in thought, when Yoo Joonghyuk's voice reached me.

"The first is, of course, me."

A rustling sound came from behind her. I turned my head and saw the rest of the party push aside the tent flap and file in after Yoo Joonghyuk.

"The second is Lee Jihye."

When her name was called second, Lee Jihye's lips curved into a smile. And with every name Yoo Joonghyuk spoke, Kim Dokja's expression grew steadily more rotten.

At this point in the original, Dokja was thinking, "It's me next, right? It's me next, right?" so that reaction makes sense.

It was exactly the same feeling I used to get in gacha games, convinced the character I wanted was about to drop.

"The third is Lee Seolhwa."

Lee Seolhwa nodded at Yoo Joonghyuk's words. Then Yoo Joonghyuk turned her gaze on me. Her face was full of open displeasure, but I only shrugged at her.

"…Haa. The fourth is Park Jin—"

"I'm not going, though?"

"…What kind of nonsense is that, Park Jinwoo."

I, who normally charged ahead ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to clear every scenario first, had just declared I would sit out the sixth main scenario. Yoo Joonghyuk's face twisted as she demanded an answer.

"I meant what I said. I'm taking a break for this sixth scenario."

"You think you have a choice?"

"Joonghyukie. I've been running myself ragged lately. Let me sit this one out, okay?"

"………………."

Yoo Joonghyuk listened, then simply stared me down in silence. The killing intent rolling off her entire body made the kings tense up and look our way; the rest of the party watched in equal silence.

After a moment, Yoo Joonghyuk let out a small sigh.

"…Do as you like. Then the fourth is Lee Hyunsung."

Lee Hyunsung, standing at the back, went pale the instant his name was called.

"M-me, sir…?"

Yoo Joonghyuk ignored him and looked at Jung Heewon.

"The fifth is Jung Heewon."

"Me?"

Jung Heewon also looked startled as she met Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes.

"The sixth is Lee Gilyoung."

"…Huh? What?"

Lee Gilyoung stared up at Yoo Joonghyuk with a blank, bewildered face.

Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze flicked past him to the young Shin Yooseung standing behind him, and the look she gave the girl was terrifying.

Young Shin Yooseung flinched hard, trembling under that murderous stare. Lee Gilyoung saw the exchange and stepped protectively in front of her.

Watching from the side, I spoke up.

"Joonghyuk-ah. Our Yooseung's soft-hearted—looks like that scare her. Tone it down a little."

"That's right, Captain. Don't bully little me."

"…I never bullied anyone."

The adult Shin Yooseung, standing behind the younger version, gently scooped the girl into her arms and offered a quiet protest of her own. Yoo Joonghyuk's face crumpled at our words; she whipped her head away.

Then her eyes found Kim Dokja.

Kim Dokja looked back at her with an expression that clearly said, Finally going to call my name?, and drained the last of her hot chocolate.

"………."

Yoo Joonghyuk regarded her with something like pity, then turned to the watching kings.

"The rest of you decide among yourselves."

With that, as if she had nothing more to do here, she turned on her heel and strode out of the tent.

"Kh—!! Khehk… khehk… khehek… k-khehk…!"

Apparently Yoo Joonghyuk's words had been that much of a shock. Kim Dokja choked on her hot chocolate and spent a long moment coughing. I thumped her back and handed her a cup of water.

"Here—water."

"Khehk! Th-thanks."

Kim Dokja drank, then stared blankly at the tent entrance where Yoo Joonghyuk had vanished. Jung Heewon asked the dazed woman,

"Weren't the two of you close?"

Even after Jung Heewon's question and Uriel's indirect message, Kim Dokja kept staring blankly at the tent flap. Lee Jihye spoke up next.

"Unnie, didn't you meet Master at dawn? I figured you'd definitely be on the list…"

"What are you talking about?"

Kim Dokja finally snapped back to herself, tilting her head at Lee Jihye.

"Master said she was going to see you at dawn."

"Dawn when?"

"Around one or two? Were you asleep?"

"I was awake then, but Yoo Joonghyuk never showed."

"Weird. Master definitely went. And when she came back she looked kind of pissed."

"Pissed?"

"You know the face Master makes when she's mad. That slightly contemptuous look…"

Lee Jihye's words conjured Yoo Joonghyuk's angry expression with perfect clarity—mostly because she wore it at me almost constantly.

Huh? Why do I suddenly feel sad…?

I wiped away the single tear that had gathered at the corner of my eye and, to soothe the sudden ache, lifted young Shin Yooseung onto my lap.

In any case, the time Lee Jihye had mentioned was exactly when Yoo Sangah, Kim Dokja, and I had been deep into drinking—and kissing. Right before we left for the Underworld.

After hearing Lee Jihye out, Kim Dokja stared blankly into space with a complicated expression, then explained to the party what had happened that dawn. Everyone who heard it looked stunned.

Jung Heewon narrowed her eyes and turned on me.

"…So you're saying you kissed Kim Dokja and Yoo Sangah?"

"…Why did I suddenly become the target here?"

I floundered under the glares from Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye, while Lee Seolhwa, Lee Hyunsung, Lee Gilyoung, young Shin Yooseung, and adult Shin Yooseung all watched with keen interest.

"So did you kiss them or not?"

"…No comment."

"You did. You totally did."

Jung Heewon was already looking at me with absolute certainty.

"Oppa! Why didn't you tell me anything? I love romance dramas!"

"…You were passed-out drunk at the time. And it was all Dionysus's fault."

"…What?"

Killing intent slammed into my back. I didn't even need to look to know who it belonged to. Cold sweat poured down my spine under my girlfriend's murderous aura—no, it was already pouring.

And then—

Grit.

The sound of someone grinding their teeth reached my ears with crystal clarity. It was coming from among the kings.

"……………."

"……………."

Under Lee Sookyung's searing stare from the cluster of kings, I quietly lowered my eyes.

In the middle of that awkward atmosphere, one savior ignored the tension and spoke up.

"Maybe Yoo Joonghyuk saw it? And stepped out because of the mood…"

That savior was Lee Hyunsung.

"Yoo Joonghyuk isn't the type."

Kim Dokja's dry reply to Lee Hyunsung finally loosened the strained air. I let out a small breath of relief and hugged young Shin Yooseung from behind. She seemed a little startled at first, then leaned back against me with a bright, silly grin.

Truly, the only person who could heal and save my heart was my little sister—my daughter—our Yooseung.

Jung Heewon propped her chin on her hand and picked up the thread.

"Besides, even if Yoo Joonghyuk did walk in on Dokja kissing someone, I don't see why that would put her in a bad mood…"

Jung Heewon tilted her head at Gabriel's indirect message.

"…Comradeship?"

Lee Jihye burst out laughing.

"Ahahahaha! Is that what your Sponsor said, Unnie? That it's comradeship?"

"…It wasn't my Sponsor, it was another Constellation. But what does that even mean?"

"Ah, that? Originally it meant the tight bond between comrades in the military. These days the meaning's changed."

Jung Heewon cocked her head at me.

"Changed to what?"

"In the Marines, between same-sex… you know, guys doing se—"

SMACK!!

"Ack?!"

A searing heat exploded across my back and I screamed before I could stop myself. That power, that force, that familiar palm—there was no mistaking it. The person who had just slapped my back was Kim Dokja.

SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!

"Ack!! W-wait! Dokja! Yooseung's in my arms right now?! Yooseung's right here!!"

"Have you completely lost it?! There's nothing you won't say in front of kids!!"

And so, with the kings looking on, I took a spirited series of open-palm strikes to the back from Kim Dokja. Jung Heewon, who had finally realized what I had been about to say, flushed red and joined in. So did the future Shin Yooseung.

"…Ow. That hurts… body and soul…"

I crumpled to the floor with a shredded back and an equally shredded heart, sniffling. Jung Heewon's palm hadn't hurt much, but Kim Dokja's and adult Shin Yooseung's had stung quite a bit.

Adult Shin Yooseung sidled up beside me, snickering like a little devil.

"See? Who told you to explain a word like that right in front of little me and Gilyoung?"

"…Yeah. All my fault."

I had blurted it out without thinking in response to Jung Heewon, and only afterward had the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thought hit me—Wait, there are kids here?—and I had wanted to kick myself. Of course, because I had been cut off mid-sentence, young Shin Yooseung and Lee Gilyoung had latched onto every adult present out of pure curiosity, asking what I had been about to say. The adults simply locked eyes in silent agreement and kept the secret from our little ones.

I turned a sidelong glare on the adult Shin Yooseung, who was looking down at me with that little-devil smile.

…She's finally learned how to smile properly.

On the very day the Disaster of Floods had ended, she had been stiff as a cat that distrusted everything around it. But now that a little room had opened up in her heart, she was slowly reclaiming her smile, bit by bit.

Worth making a fool of myself for.

A beauty with a soft smile was always better to look at than one who drooped. Of course, this time the situation had been a genuine accident rather than something I staged on purpose.

Anyway, I had almost said the word "sex" in front of the kids.

…I need to be more careful from now on.

"Kim Dokja? I think it's about time we pick the remaining members."

Min Jiwon had somehow drawn up beside me and addressed Kim Dokja. When I turned, the rest of the kings had gathered around her as well.

"The Overlord is taking six, so that leaves four spots."

"Which means we have to choose four from among us…"

Cha Sangkyung, who had been reading the room, cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Ahem. Since only four remain anyway, why don't we decide the remaining seats… by a kings' duel?"

Every king except me—who had already declared I wasn't going—nodded in agreement with Cha Sangkyung's proposal.

From that point on, everything played out exactly as our entire party had expected.

"I… I'll stay behind. Someone has to remain here to keep the people organized, after all."

Cha Sangkyung took a fist to the face from Kim Dokja, nose bleeding as he blacked out. Min Jiwon was subdued with almost casual ease. Jeon Ildo, stunned by the sheer force with which Kim Dokja had overwhelmed two kings, wisely chose to forfeit. Lee Sookyung, King of the Wanderers, raised a hand and forfeited just as lightly. The right to fill the remaining four seats fell entirely to Kim Dokja.

Min Jiwon stared at the woman who had so effortlessly put her and Cha Sangkyung down, gasping in disbelief.

"This can't be…. I thought only the Overlord and Jinwoo were monsters—how did you get this strong?"

I answered her honestly.

"Experience fighting countless monsters and people, overall stats pushed to their limits, skill levels, and a coin gap. That's all it is."

"…It's so textbook I can't even argue."

Min Jiwon gave a bitter smile and lowered her head. Kim Dokja straightened her rumpled clothes and looked at her.

"Ten is only the initial allocation. Everyone wait. The second allocation will start soon enough."

"…Haa, no choice then. You've claimed four seats—who are you taking?"

"One is me. One is that child."

When Kim Dokja indicated young Shin Yooseung, the girl's face brightened—then suddenly darkened as she began sneaking glances at me. Curious, I went over and asked,

"Yooseung, what's wrong? Something you want to say?"

"…Oppa isn't coming this time?"

"What, what? Is this little one sulking because Oppa isn't going with her?"

I chuckled at our adorable Yooseung's reaction and ruffled her hair.

"Oppa has something he needs to take care of for a bit. I'll catch up soon."

"……Okay."

Young Shin Yooseung hung her head a little, looking quietly disappointed as she accepted my petting in silence.

Kim Dokja watched us for a moment, then turned back to Cha Sangkyung—who was just coming around—and Min Jiwon, who was still looking at her.

"And the other two…"

"…Not me, right?"

"No. Not you, Min Jiwon."

"…Understood."

At Kim Dokja's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠firm words, Min Jiwon and the other kings trudged out of the tent. Once I confirmed they were gone, I asked the party's leave and followed after them.

"Min Jiwon. Cha Sangkyung. Jeon Ildo."

"Jinwoo?"

The three kings turned at my call. I walked up and, just as I had planned earlier, handed each of them crates packed with food, clean water, and daily necessities.

"Thanks for helping our party hold back the people of Seoul Dome yesterday."

"We only did what any decent person should, Jinwoo."

"Ahem, ahem. The King of Beauty is right. We only observed the bare minimum of decency."

"Haha, Min Jiwon and Cha Sangkyung have the right of it."

They offered polite refusals with small, embarrassed smiles. I snorted.

"Just take them as a gesture of king-to-king goodwill. Clean water, lunch boxes, snacks, and the essentials—you won't regret accepting. Ah, and one more thing."

I bought three Mental Awakening Potions from the Dokkaebi Bag and handed one bottle to each of them. They held the potions up and tilted their heads.

"What is this, Jinwoo?"

"It's a consumable called a Mental Awakening Potion. If anyone hits you with a mental attack or hypnosis, drink it. It'll force you back to your senses."

I answered Min Jiwon's question straight, then spotted my companions emerging from the tent and raised a hand in farewell.

"Stay healthy until we meet again."

"You too, Jinwoo."

"Mm. King of Pleasure—you stay healthy as well."

"Haha, until next time."

I watched the three kings call their people over to carry the crates I had given them, then slipped away from the party's eyes and walked quietly to the front of the tent, stopping just outside.

At that moment a door to My Room materialized in front of me, and Yoo Sangah burst out of it.

"Jinwoo… mph!"

"Shh…"

I hurriedly clamped a hand over the mouth of the woman who had just called my name as she stepped out of My Room. When she looked at me in confusion, I pointed at the tent and raised a finger to my own lips, signaling her to stay quiet.

Quick on the uptake as always, Yoo Sangah nodded in understanding, stepped up beside me, and together we eavesdropped on the conversation between Kim Dokja and Lee Sookyung.

"It's been a while, Mom."

"A while? We saw each other last time, too."

…

…

"You're out of prison—why put the prison uniform back on?"

"Who knows. Because I want to atone?"

"…Atone? You?"

"Every human is a prisoner. Everyone has their own prison."

…

…

"You're the only one who would come all the way to a prison just to talk about a novel you'd read."

"There wasn't anything else to talk about."

"That can't be true."

"That novel was everything to me."

As the conversation between Kim Dokja and Lee Sookyung continued, Yoo Sangah's face hardened—she had realized something was off. My own expression set as well.

…Old memories are surfacing for the first time in a while.

The sound of Kim Dokja and Lee Sookyung talking dragged up fragments of those miserable years from age seven to ten—no, all the way to thirteen.

…Those worthless bastards.

Kim Dokja and I shared two things in common. One was that our childhoods had been far from good. The other was that neither of us had ever had a decent father. Of course, unlike Kim Dokja and Lee Sookyung's family history, the bastard who had called himself my father hadn't actually died.

Then I felt someone carefully take hold of my hand. When I shifted my gaze, Yoo Sangah was looking at me with quiet concern. Reflected in her eyes, my face was colder and more rigid than usual—completely blank. Nothing but a void of expression.

Noticing it myself a beat too late, I hastily smoothed my features into a wry smile. Grateful for the hand that had taken mine, I offered her a small answering smile of my own.

And so the two of us stood there, fingers laced together, and focused on the conversation between Kim Dokja and Lee Sookyung.