Happy Birthday, My Seoya
As the noisy surroundings quieted down, Seoya decided to check her rewards. She slowly unfurled her hand.
The items that had been placed in her hand as dungeon-clear rewards. While moving to the car, she'd hidden them under her cloak without letting anyone see, and somehow, they felt familiar.
That texture was too familiar. Like something she'd handled for a long time.
Finally confirming what lay in her open palm, Seoya flinched in shock, her body trembling.
"Ah."
How could this be?
"It's mine."
Seoya's dagger. The one she'd used endlessly back on Toda. The companion that had always been with her, one she'd thought she'd never see again.
It lay there in her hand. A brass-colored blade with a blue gem embedded in the hilt.
It was definitely her dagger.
And beside the dagger lay a note.
Too dazed even to unfold it, Seoya slumped powerlessly against the car seat, a fog settling over her mind. Strength drained from her entire body, her head throbbing.
How could this be...?
This was seriously weird. Really weird.
Suddenly snapping to, Seoya jolted upright in her unfamiliar body. She flung open the car door and stepped out.
Cold winter air hit her full force.
Now was the time to confirm it.
Seoya wouldn't run away. She'd always been strong—there was no reason to flee.
So no matter what truth awaited her, Seoya wouldn't run.
Let's think.
Everyone had always told her that. To think, just a little.
-Did you think before speaking?
-Hmm~ Seoya, how about trying to think before acting?
-Seoya, what's the first thing you should do right now? The answer is~ think!
Even back on Toda, Ibin had always said it.
-Hmm... Seoya, shall we think about it?
-Our baby, but let's think it through~.
-Miss Seoya, that... let's think first.
-...Princess, think about it once.
And here on Earth, everyone said the same.
Was I that bad?
Seoya had lived pretty thoughtlessly, but now she needed to use her head.
Yeah. Let's think.
"System."
Achievement name: And the One Who Will Return.
"Return?"
Not returning to her original world, but simply "return."
This System didn't feel like it was addressing her from Earth.
It was like it was speaking to her from Toda.
And the One Who Will Return.
Return where? Back to Toda.
-Seoya, promises must always be kept. Never make ones you can't keep.
-What do you do if you can't keep a promise?
-If you're not sure, you shouldn't have made it in the first place. No matter what, give it your all to ensure it's kept.
Ibin had always emphasized promises.
-Seoya, have you ever failed following my orders?
-No.
-Right, no reckless actions. Sis only gives orders for your good. I won't let you get hurt.
-I trust you, sis.
Words Ibin said every time they headed out on missions.
-Seoya, you're truly precious to me.
-What'll you do when I retire as Pioneer? Then I'll retire from research too.
Words Ibin lived by while raising her.
That's why Seoya felt even more betrayed.
Ibin, who always said those things, had betrayed her.
But...
-Seoya, it's because you're strong beyond common sense~ Before you came, Ibin was pretty damn powerful herself~.
-Enough, no need to hype me up that much.
-Haha, Ibin doesn't do frontline combat anymore, but you gotta see her unleashing mana against mutants, Seoya~.
-Yeah~ Ibin's smart, so her flashy wide-range spells are insane~.
-Ugh~ That magic circle in the snowfield last time was legendary~.
-Ibin was a beast in her prime~.
Words from veteran Pioneers reminiscing.
Yeah, that's who Ibin was.
-Seoya, you're so strong you tend to charge in without thinking.
-It's easy that way. Fast.
-But sometimes that doesn't work. Don't just rely on fists—use magic. See farther.
-Hasn't failed yet though...
-Don't charge just 'cause it looks easy. Assess the situation first. Like sensing mana with your eyes. You can do that. Check for traps, mana flows first.
-So, see from afar?
-Yes, farther, bigger.
Ibin's words while training her.
Seoya opened her eyes.
Her surroundings came into view. Cars, street trees, departing citizens, sidewalk blocks...
Look farther.
Reporters, Hunters, survivors, cameras, police...
Farther.
Clouds in the sky, towering buildings, airplanes streaking by...
Farther, even farther.
Seoya opened her eyes.
Blue mana.
I see it.
Blue mana was visible. Filling the world.
Blue mana no one in this world but her possessed, blanketing everything.
Hunters, dungeons, items...
Including Seoya herself, all of it woven tightly like a spiderweb in blue mana.
Those world-covering blue mana threads converged at one point.
Becoming a single strand, extending to somewhere beyond her sight.
Ibin unnie.
Only then did Seoya slowly unfold the note clutched in her hand. Damp from her tense grip.
"Ah."
Just this, just...
Happy birthday, my Seoya.
I'll give you everything in that world.
But this world still needs you.
"She's lost her mind for real."
If that's the case, then Hunters, dungeons, monsters, the System, whatever...
An inexplicable emotion surged, and Seoya laughed with a strange expression.
So this current world created by the System, this world is...
The one who made this System, and used it to reshape this world...
This world was one Ibin had created.