Chapter 361
Chapter 361
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Act 3
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Those who swim through space always looked pretty much the same.
People in white spacesuits, flapping their hands and feeling zero gravity.
I thought I'd do the same if I went to space.
"You can't step there."
"Then here?"
"You can there."
I carefully place one foot after another, following the path the Manual walks.
I look up ahead.
What I see is distant shining stars and pitch-black sky.
"Is this the right place?"
"Yeah, head that way."
I move my feet as the Manual directs and look around.
Others float when they go to space, but here I am.
What I'm actually doing is cautiously stepping along invisible footholds.
Last time it was climbing stairs to get to space, and now it's invisible stepping stones.
Even more baffling that none of it has anything to do with space swimming.
Why does my life keep getting tangled up with all these supernatural things?
Space, the moon, and now stars.
I've dealt with an incident at sea too, so maybe just a jungle one left.
No. Don't jinx it. I might actually end up with a jungle incident.
"Arin."
"Yeah."
"What do you think would happen if we had an incident in a jungle?"
"Why do you have to pick the most horrifying scenario?"
"Right?"
We can think about it after an incident happens—if it does.
"You're doing great."
The Manual mutters as it moves its feet with practiced ease.
Even as we venture into space, all we're doing is stupidly stepping on empty air.
"You see it properly, right?"
"Yeah."
It answers my question in a tone that says not to worry, then hops lightly back into the air.
"We're going the right way."
"..."
I think I know where the Manual is headed.
I look at the stars.
They're not getting closer—in fact, they just keep shining in place.
But one star among them is drawing nearer to us.
"Yeah. That's where we're going."
"Why?"
"You'll see when you get there."
Its tone is annoyingly cryptic.
"It talks just like you."
And then Song Arin whispers to me.
"But the path we're on is right, so don't worry."
"Can't you just explain it straight?"
"Explaining won't do you any good."
It's really infuriating.
"It even talks like you."
"I'll reflect on that."
I guess that's how I sound. I need to work on not talking like that.
The Manual, having overheard me and Song Arin, pouts its lips and hops along again.
And at the very back, the Troupe Leader is hopping after us too.
"This path is too tricky."
"Come slowly."
If you come slowly, we'll leave you behind.
With that thought, I keep following the Manual.
How long did we hop along?
"We've come pretty high."
The Manual squints at the distant view.
"Hey, scrap of paper."
"Yeah, Reserve Troupe Leader."
"You have to tell us exactly what we're doing for us to trust and follow. Otherwise, why should we trust you?"
Song Arin glares irritably at the Manual, which looks back at her, meets my eyes, lets out a small sigh, and continues.
"Fine. We're almost there anyway, so I guess I can explain now."
"..."
"You've probably heard this, but this play is like a ritual."
"A ritual?"
"Yeah."
The Manual looks up at the sky.
Space glows ominously.
"Thanks to that, the Management Bureau's always had some friction with the Troupe. They kept causing big problems in the world."
"What, summoning some ancient god with their plays?"
"Something even more disgusting."
The Manual answers my question sharply.
"The Troupe doesn't hate humans."
The Troupe Leader picks up from there, looking at me.
"Quite the opposite. The Troupe loves people. Art needs them to exist."
"Then?"
"So the theme of the Troupe's plays has always been the same."
"..."
"Humanity's freedom through art."
"Sounds awfully grandiose."
"Exactly."
She nods.
"The Troupe's goal is for everyone to enjoy freedom through art."
"The more I hear, the more pie-in-the-sky it sounds."
"Exactly."
The Troupe Leader looks at me.
"But if they were sane, they wouldn't be fighting the Management Bureau."
"That's true too."
"Anyway, through these three plays, they'll unify all humanity's minds and spread art. That's the Troupe's goal."
"And now two are done."
"Yeah."
The Troupe Leader nods, and the Manual, watching her, sighs and continues.
"I can't hear the invisible girl, but it sounds like she's explained everything."
With that, it hops once more.
The star is now close enough to touch.
"The end of the story."
"..."
The Manual looks at me and Song Arin.
"I said it's a hero's tale."
"Yeah."
"What's the situation like now?"
"What do you mean? It's pure hell."
Containment Objects are loose, people are dying.
"So in that situation, what should the hero do?"
"..."
What a hero does in this situation?
"..."
In hero tales, the hero always solves the problem.
And it always ends happily.
The hero might die or get hurt, or everyone around them might, but it concludes with a happy ending.
So what can I do to make that happy ending happen?
"Re-contain them?"
"..."
The Manual just stares at me in response to my question.
"You get it."
It reaches out a hand.
Not to me, but to Song Arin.
"And when the hero solves the problem, someone needs to create a place for that hero to return to."
"That's me?"
"..."
The Manual nods.
"The reverse could work too, but judging by personal capabilities, you're better than the Reserve Troupe Leader."
"...So my job is..."
"Cleanup and building a shelter."
"...For that, we didn't need to come up here with just four of us."
"We did."
The Manual answers flatly.
"A hero needs trials."
"What nonsense is that?"
"A hero becomes one only after losing someone."
"...Hold on."
That's when I realized what the Manual meant.
"You didn't bring us here on purpose, did you?"
To separate me from Yoo Daon, Jang Chaeyeon, and Park Ye-eun?
"Plays have plots."
"Sure."
"And breaking that plot isn't hard for you right now."
The Manual answers calmly.
"That's why I brought you. So the necessary sacrifice happens, and we end it with you hurt the least."
"You really..."
"...I didn't want to hurt you."
The Manual mutters, avoiding my gaze.
"Without the needed trials, the story doesn't end. I want you to face trials but come out unscathed."
I whirl around hurriedly.
To look outside.
But outside is gone, just pitch-black darkness.
"It's okay."
The Troupe Leader, who's been by my side, murmurs quietly.
"Do well. I'll help."
"..."
I look up at the Manual, and it meets my eyes calmly.
"Yeah. Glare at me like that. I won't regret it."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I know you better than you know yourself."
It meets my eyes, voice still calm.
"You're someone who feels responsibility and carries debts in your heart. So I don't want to watch Yoo Daon burden your conscience with nonexistent guilt, making you regret and feel indebted."
"That's not for you to decide. It's mine."
"Right. Yours."
The Manual bites its lip hard, staring at me.
"But I hate it."
"..."
"I hate seeing you look at others' faces with guilt, unable to speak, and letting your life get mortgaged to them."
"..."
I look at the Manual's face and suppress a deep sigh rising within me.
Stay calm. Getting angry here gains me nothing.
Stay calm and do what I can now.
"Troupe Leader."
"Yeah?"
"If we've come this far, you know what I have to do."
"I do."
"Then lead the way."
"..."
The Troupe Leader looks up at me.
"Trust me?"
"I do."
"Got it."
Then she hops off toward somewhere.
I follow the Troupe Leader and speak.
"You go with Arin."
"..."
"Arin."
"...Yeah."
"Please."
"Leave it to me."
Song Arin answers calmly, and the Manual quietly reaches out a hand.
I turn my gaze away from that and follow the Troupe Leader.
*
How much time passed?
A blindingly white star floated before us.
No heat, no cold, nothing.
"This is it. The story you have to clean up."
She mutters and takes my hand.
No warmth, no chill.
Just like a ghost holding my hand.
"It'll probably be like a war inside. Think you can handle it?"
"I have to."
If they want a hero's tale, I have to be the hero.
The Troupe Leader nods.
"Then grab that."
"..."
I reach out and grasp the star.
As brilliant light spreads, a narration voice echoes.
[And so the man who lost his comrade resolved himself to his task.]
[To re-contain all Containment Objects.]
S#. 1 Management Bureau Underground (Night)
The man stands from his seat.
The purple-haired woman reaches out her hand to him as she looks at him.
Troupe Leader: Let's go.
Kim Jaeheon: (He looks at the woman's hand but doesn't take it, just starts walking.) Yeah. Quickly.
The two head underground in unison, as if by prior agreement.