Chapter 76

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Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 76

Chapter Title: Safety Pin

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[Why on earth...?]

Now, even if she wanted to ignore it, she couldn't.

Ji-ui had to accept that her one and only childhood friend was the one who betrayed her comrades and brought about the end of the world.

Sarahk.

The letters melted away like they were washed off by water, vanishing without a trace. And beyond them appeared Se-bin's serene face. She seemed to have no memory at all of what kind of person she had been in the previous timeline.

In this situation, why Se-bin had betrayed her comrades didn't matter right now.

'The priority is to make sure she doesn't change her mind, even now.'

Ji-ui approached Se-bin again and looked her straight in the eye. Se-bin tilted her head, quietly taking in her childhood friend's actions. Her gaze, as always, was warm.

"Kang Se-bin."

Se-bin's shoulders twitched. She instinctively sensed something from the unusual atmosphere and form of address. Though slightly tense, she soon softened her eyes again, waiting for Ji-ui to continue.

Thup.

Ji-ui grabbed Se-bin's collar and pulled her face right up close. Caught off guard by the unexpected action, Se-bin sucked in a breath. She tried to lean back, but Ji-ui had a firm grip on her collar, so she obediently bent at the waist.

'...Will she listen to what I have to say?'

Now that the chance had come, she hesitated. Ji-ui looked at her reflection in Se-bin's dark eyes. In that image of herself seen through Se-bin's pupils, there was a resolute determination.

'Whether she listens or not is up to Se-bin. I just have to do my best to keep her from going astray.'

"Se-bin-ah."

"Yeah, I'm right here."

A gentle reply came back. Ji-ui closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and spoke to Se-bin.

"You're on my side, right?"

Se-bin's eyes widened. The corners of her mouth, which always curved so prettily, slowly turned downward, and her face gradually stiffened.

'Why is she wavering like that?'

Ji-ui's heart burned at Se-bin's behavior, which was like someone caught red-handed.

Was it already too late? Had she already sided with the Creator and made plans to bring down this world?

As her growing worries tightened around Ji-ui's throat, Se-bin slowly reached out her hand.

"Of course. I'm always on your side, Ji-ui."

Se-bin smiled faintly again and brushed Ji-ui's hair behind her ear.

Of course, her true feelings were the complete opposite.

With just her eyes, Ji-ui glanced at Se-bin's shadow. It was expanding and contracting on its own, shaking不安定ly. It was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a habit-like phenomenon that appeared whenever Se-bin wavered.

'I don't want to exploit this, but I have no choice right now.'

Steeling her weakening resolve, Ji-ui met Se-bin's eyes again.

"If you're really on my side, promise me one thing."

The surrounding shadows were sucked into Se-bin's shadow. Even in a desperate situation where her body was pierced by a monster, she wouldn't blink—yet now she was clearly tense.

As Se-bin slowly nodded, Ji-ui took a deep breath.

"No matter what happens, don't betray me."

Whoosh.

The wind blew. The rustling of leaves against each other chased away the silence flowing between the two.

"Betray...?"

Se-bin blinked, asking back. Her voice trailed off, as if her throat had gone dry mid-sentence.

'Has she not met the Creator yet?'

Ji-ui instantly realized Se-bin's reaction was raw and unfeigned. If she had already planned to betray the world, she would have been flustered or made excuses first.

But Se-bin looked utterly shocked.

Clack.

Se-bin took a step back from Ji-ui. Covering her mouth with her hand, she avoided Ji-ui's gaze before slowly parting her lips to reply.

"Why... why would you say something like that?"

'I hurt her feelings.'

A pang shot through one corner of her heart.

Se-bin, who looked deeply shocked to anyone watching, began dredging up nonexistent sins in her mind. Her dark shadow grew larger, soon flowing down the slope.

"It's not because you did anything wrong!"

Ji-ui, knowing Se-bin's habit of self-recrimination, cut off those stray thoughts in one stroke. The shadow, which had seemed ready to boil over, returned to its normal size.

Ji-ui took a step toward Se-bin and slowly parted her lips.

"At least you... of all people, I want you to stay on my side until the end."

"That's why?"

"Yeah."

It was all sincere. To Ji-ui, Se-bin was an irreplaceable existence.

Ji-ui had met Se-bin right after losing Ji-yu. Se-bin's poise, yet somehow needing help, stirred Ji-ui's empty heart, and thus the two friends supported each other for ten years.

'If Se-bin went wrong in the last timeline, then this time I'll stop it.'

Ji-ui clenched her fist.

"No matter the situation, I want you on my side. Even if someone uses a wish to tempt you, I want you to refuse it."

"......"

"So don't ever turn your back on me."

'...Huh?'

Ji-ui flinched at the unexpected speech result.

She'd expected 'Doubt' or 'Tension', not 'Ecstasy'. She wondered what part of her words could make her happy.

Ji-ui stared at Se-bin beyond the status window. Se-bin was still covering her mouth with one hand, avoiding Ji-ui's gaze.

As intended, 'Words Become Seeds' had triggered.

'Yes.'

Since she'd already shaken her heart multiple times, the seed took root easily. Confirming it had been planted successfully, Ji-ui closed the status window and cautiously reached out to Se-bin, who had been silent for a while.

Thup.

"Uh...?"

"I'll never betray you, Ji-ui."

Se-bin grabbed Ji-ui's hand, interlocking their fingers and pressing firmly on the back with her long fingers.

"Anyone else, maybe, but not me."

"Uh, uh...?"

"I'll be by your side."

A faint light swirled in Se-bin's dark eyes.

"Me, not anyone else."

'I'm grateful, but you're making me feel weird...'

Se-bin pulled the clasped hand toward herself and hugged Ji-ui tightly. Suddenly trapped in her embrace, Ji-ui just blinked and looked at the scenery over Se-bin's shoulder.

It wasn't the reaction she'd expected, but the seed was planted—a safety measure in place. As her warning not to turn away grew in Se-bin's heart, she would move as Ji-ui desired. That alone let Ji-ui relax.

Thump.

'...Huh?'

For a moment, the scenery over Se-bin's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shoulder flashed blood-red and back repeatedly. Ji-ui rolled her eyes and scanned the surroundings again. Far from red, it was all trees.

'Did I see wrong?'

Ji-ui suppressed her unease and kept her eyes closed obediently until Se-bin released her arms.

Se-bin took a deep breath. Her heartbeat was so loud she feared it might reach Ji-ui's ears, but she had no time to care.

She gazed at the status window before her eyes with half-lidded ones.

'Almost there.'

The next life, and the one after that, she'd spend with Ji-ui.

Se-bin bit her lip hard and buried her face in Ji-ui's shoulder.

Her shadow quietly crept toward Ji-ui's shadow.

Thud.

She closed the front door and plopped down in front of the shoe rack.

'My head's gonna explode.'

From rescuing Hunter Cha Do-yun to planting the seed in Se-bin—everything had whirlwinded by, leaving her head throbbing and vision spinning.

Before the Creator could unleash Hell Path, she needed to find all the Apostles, take their fragments, and smash them. She had to move faster.

She stood again, kicked off her shoes, and headed to the bathroom.

Whoosh—

While filling the sink, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles down to her jawline, black t-shirt crumpled from battle, and slightly torn green jacket. She looked like a bum.

'Come to think of it, I still don't have proper armor.'

Her green jacket with defense skills slathered on was her entire setup. It had held up so far, but for future fights, she needed at least a light-attribute S-rank defense item.

"Haaaah......"

She let out a long sigh and dunked her face in the sink. Cold water hit her face, washing away stray thoughts with it.

The ultimate light-attribute S-rank armor. If there was one she needed most right now, it had to be...

Splash.

"...Itern's Robe."

Water dripped from her face onto her t-shirt.

'Itern's Robe' was the legendary item she'd failed to obtain in all her past timelines—no, one no one had ever even seen. Its existence was only inferred from notes on other items; no one had laid eyes on it for real.

But everyone believed it was the strongest light-attribute S-rank defense gear in existence.

Acquiring it was next to miraculous.

If she got insanely lucky... really insanely lucky, maybe she could get it.

"...Hey, status window."

She spoke to the status window that told her what karma to resolve and relayed sudden directives. It was silent, but she faintly saw the text vibrating.

She wasn't sure if it was a reliable personality, but it seemed intent on making her grow, so she'd exploit that thoroughly.

"I really want Itern's Robe right now."

Talking to thin air made her feel like a lunatic.

"You want me to get stronger too, right?"

Crackle.

A small noise flickered before her eyes and vanished. It was responding steadily.

"Then help me get Itern's Robe. If not, I won't do what you want."

'It's wavering.'

Of course, ignoring its sudden directives would hurt her too, but she'd bluff anyway.

"I'm sick and tired of this crap. Honestly, I just wanna give up on all the wishes and bullshit."

The more she whined, the more the status window glitched out.

Crackle—

"Eek!"

Sparks flew from the status window, and the text instantly organized into proper sentences before her eyes.

"Ha... You won't just give it up easy, huh?"

Infuriating, but she'd check what directive it gave first.

Name: Marshmallow Experiment. Content: Create a 30-hour fasting state from now, then solo clear an A-rank dungeon. Soloing an A-rank was tough enough, but doing it after 30+ hours starving? Fasting drops focus and energy, doubling the difficulty.

Why 'Marshmallow Experiment'? She vaguely remembered it was a test of patience.

Rumble.

Then she felt something shift inside her. Instinctively, she sensed her inventory had gained an item.

Opening her inventory, next to the 'Mind Phone' was a small chocolate bar-like thing.

That's why it's the Marshmallow Experiment.

'Clever.'

It figures if hunger clouds her judgment, she'll eat it.

The yellow wrapper gleamed like a gem, and a sweet scent wafted temptingly.

"If that blessing sucks, you're done for. For real."

Warning the status window, the text glitched briefly before vanishing.

Fine, she'd succeed, get the blessing, and bolt straight to the Greece Dungeon.