Chapter 438: Rival (4)

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 438: Rival (4)

At first, I was in a total daze, but as I was standing there blankly following Baekho's escape, it slowly dawned on me.

"Hah..."

He was really gone. A piece of shit until the end.

Did he really say "pop" out loud?

Still, I felt much better now. Earlier, I didn't even realize how tired I was since I was so worked up. It really felt like I'd been drained of all energy. My head was pounding worse than the time I stayed up for three days on coffee during my college days.

Wait, is that why that bastard said his brain's scrambled? Ugh, whatever. Who cares.

Slump.

I collapsed on the sofa. I desperately needed a break.

No. Rest comes later.

I spoke out loud to help process the events despite my muddled brain. "...I need to review all this before it's too late."

From our initial reunion to the point when he ran away at the end, I looked back on my conversations with Baekho in detail. This was a habit of mine whenever something big happened, but this time, my head ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hurt to the point that it burned. I couldn't clearly recall the look in Baekho's eyes or his facial expressions during our conversation.

"Ugh, my head..."

The recall process was similar to stepping on the accelerator of a car that had run out of gas. Although I wanted to move forward, my engine was stalled. That was why I focused solely on running through the most important parts.

"Are you Bjorn Yandel?"

The bait he threw me.

"It's you and me, right? In that case, it's worth it. Of course it is."

How he was willing to give up Missha as soon as he found out I was Bjorn Yandel.

"There's a button. And if you press that button, you can immediately return to the world you came from."

The clear expectations he had of me.

"You're lying right to my face."

His disappointment was as high as said expectations.

There was a lot...

My thoughts blurred as I slowly replayed our conversation. But I was maybe even a bit satisfied. Though I hadn't gained anything, I hadn't lost anything either, at least not today.

I planned to tell him I was Bjorn Yandel anyway.

Originally, I had been planning on testing the waters and then requesting that he return Missha out of friendship. If that didn't work, then I planned to threaten him. If I told him I was the one who got his ban lifted in the first place, that would imply that I could get him banned again. I didn't get a chance to bring that up, though.

"Lift the ban, now. If you don't, you're going to die here."

Since this guy had wreaked all sorts of havoc in the city just to get back here, I thought it was a pretty credible threat.

But why did Baekho go to such lengths to get the ban lifted?

The thought suddenly came to mind, but I didn't let myself go too far down that rabbit hole. Who knew what went on inside that guy's head? Maybe he just missed hanging out with other Koreans.

I closed my eyes and let the thoughts just come and go.

What was I expecting in the first place?

I didn't really understand.

"Instead, help me beat the tenth floor later."

Help him on the tenth floor? It was nice that he thought so highly of me, but was Bjorn Yandel really that strong? I supposed it wasn't strange that he had such high expectations, considering how fast I'd been climbing the ranks, but there was something that bothered me about that. At Gnometree, he discovered I was an evil spirit.

"By the way, we're strangers the next time we meet. Got it?"

At the time, he'd been aloof about it. He drew a line between us without even attempting to build a friendship.

That's definitely strange...

If it was simply that he came to the conclusion that Bjorn Yandel wasn't worth much at the time, what had changed? My growth had been even more ridiculous back then. That was also when I first became famous, had been hailed as a hero, and even earned a noble title.

"I've been so good to you since the moment we met!"

Suddenly, something Baekho said flashed through my mind.

Since the moment we met...?

Yeah, now that I thought about it, he'd been good to me from the start. But why?

"It's because I'm Hansu Lee, not Bjorn Yandel."

No, that's not right.

"I believe you. Anything else and you wouldn't be Korean."

Because I'm Korean? Hmm, that still doesn't feel right.

That was probably part of it, of course. He had been waiting for a Korean in this empty channel for over three years, a Korean who might never come.

Would he waste so much time just because he's lonely, though?

I didn't think so. Hyeonbyeol was also Korean, but he was harsher with her than he was with me. So what was it? Why on earth had Baekho had no choice but to be nice to me from the beginning?

"Holy shit." My eyes flew open and I jumped up from my seat. It was after I looked into the mirror on the wall that I realized. "My nickname."

Yes, it was my nickname, the one I'd created by adding another letter to my original one, not knowing it had become famous in the community.

[Elfnunna]

There was no other explanation. It only took me this long to realize it because Baekho never mentioned it up to this point.

No, the fact that he never said a word about it is even weirder.

All the proof I needed was the newbie room I entered the first month using this nickname.

"Elfnuna?!"

"Holy—the guy who made the stat summary?"

"Uh... wasn't that someone from the game company?"

"So you were Korean! I knew it!"

Everyone kicked up a big fuss when they saw me.

"You seem to be a fan of theirs too." The GM, for his part, didn't make a fuss, but he made a point to comment on and approve of it.

"Anyway, your nickname-making game is..." Even Hyeonbyeol, who knew nothing about my forum handle of Elfnuna, had frowned at my unusual nickname.

But Baekho, that playful guy who probably liked stuff like fart jokes and dinosaurs more than anything in the world, hadn't commented on it once.

He said nothing about my nickname.

I didn't really understand.

"Instead, help me beat the tenth floor later."

Help him on the tenth floor? It was nice that he thought so highly of me, but was Bjorn Yandel really that strong? I supposed it wasn't strange that he had such high expectations, considering how fast I'd been climbing the ranks, but there was something that bothered me about that. At Gnometree, he discovered I was an evil spirit.

"By the way, we're strangers the next time we meet. Got it?"

At the time, he'd been aloof about it. He drew a line between us without even attempting to build a friendship.

That's definitely strange...

If it was simply that he came to the conclusion that Bjorn Yandel wasn't worth much at the time, what had changed? My growth had been even more ridiculous back then. That was also when I first became famous, had been hailed as a hero, and even earned a noble title.

"I've been so good to you since the moment we met!"

Suddenly, something Baekho said flashed through my mind.

Since the moment we met...?

Yeah, now that I thought about it, he'd been good to me from the start. But why?

"It's because I'm Hansu Lee, not Bjorn Yandel."

No, that's not right.

"I believe you. Anything else and you wouldn't be Korean."

Because I'm Korean? Hmm, that still doesn't feel right.

That was probably part of it, of course. He had been waiting for a Korean in this empty channel for over three years, a Korean who might never come.

Would he waste so much time just because he's lonely, though?

I didn't think so. Hyeonbyeol was also Korean, but he was harsher with her than he was with me. So what was it? Why on earth had Baekho had no choice but to be nice to me from the beginning?

"Holy shit." My eyes flew open and I jumped up from my seat. It was after I looked into the mirror on the wall that I realized. "My nickname."

Yes, it was my nickname, the one I'd created by adding another letter to my original one, not knowing it had become famous in the community.

[Elfnunna]

There was no other explanation. It only took me this long to realize it because Baekho never mentioned it up to this point.

No, the fact that he never said a word about it is even weirder.

All the proof I needed was the newbie room I entered the first month using this nickname.

"Elfnuna?!"

"Holy—the guy who made the stat summary?"

"Uh... wasn't that someone from the game company?"

"So you were Korean! I knew it!"

Everyone kicked up a big fuss when they saw me.

"You seem to be a fan of theirs too." The GM, for his part, didn't make a fuss, but he made a point to comment on and approve of it.

"Anyway, your nickname-making game is..." Even Hyeonbyeol, who knew nothing about my forum handle of Elfnuna, had frowned at my unusual nickname.

But Baekho, that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠playful guy who probably liked stuff like fart jokes and dinosaurs more than anything in the world, hadn't commented on it once.

He said nothing about my nickname.

I wasn't sure but maybe, maybe, he'd been lying in wait from the day we met until now, hiding his true motives behind a smile.

"Um..." The moment my train of thought reached that station, I heard a sound from somewhere near my shoulder. "What are you doing looking into that mirror?" It was Hyeonbyeol.

The issue with Baekho... I'll finish thinking about it when my brain is back to normal. I didn't end up getting much rest. Should I just bounce too?

"...You just had a bad thought."

"No, I didn't." Yeah, never mind. I couldn't cause trouble just because I was a little tired.

"Hmm, your expression definitely implied..."

"I said I didn't. Anyway, you were so hard on Baekho earlier, but why are you half-casual with me?"

"What are you talking about? Are you really asking that between us, of all people?" Hyeonbyeol shot me a look that told me she found me pitiful and sat next to me on the sofa, one space away on the three-seater.

"Why are you sitting there out of all these seats?"

"Ah, there's a line between you and me. I can't go any further than this."

...It seems she was offended by my request to change seats that one time. Jeez, then just say you don't want to.

A silence ensued, with no one willing to break it. To be honest, my relationship with Hyeonbyeol almost always felt like this. Even when we were together, things were never noisy. That silence had once felt more comfortable than being alone. Of course, that had been when we were dating.

...This is seriously awkward.

In the end, I couldn't stand it anymore and spoke first. "Hyeonbyeol."

"Yes."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

When I glanced at her, I could see her eyes were fixed on the fireplace, not me. Hyeonbyeol answered without even looking at me. "Because you look tired."

"...Huh?"

"It's written all over your face. You look like you used to when you got berated all day at work. Well, actually, you look even rougher than that right now," she added, before glancing at me too. "What? You want me to keep blathering in your ear instead?"

"No."

"Really? Then I'll hold back."

"Hold what back?"

"Well, to be honest, I have a lot of things I want to ask you, but I'm barely managing to keep them contained. Because I don't want to burden you."

Uh... Really? That's, well...

"Thanks...?"

"...Whatever." Hyeonbyeol coldly turned away despite my thanks.

...She's embarrassed. Jeez, it's not like I said anything. You're making me embarrassed too.

"...Then I'm going to rest a bit."

"Yes."

To be honest, I felt like I was going to pass out so I decided to accept Hyeonbyeol's kindness. Actually, to be more accurate, I felt like death. Overusing murderous intent was one thing, but this was also my first time being exposed to such terrible energy from someone else.

A peaceful silence ensued. For a moment, I felt like I was back on Earth. The only thing different was that instead of the sound of Hyeonbyeol reading a book, I could hear the crackle of the fireplace.

I wasn't sure but maybe, maybe, he'd been lying in wait from the day we met until now, hiding his true motives behind a smile.

"Um..." The moment my train of thought reached that station, I heard a sound from somewhere near my shoulder. "What are you doing looking into that mirror?" It was Hyeonbyeol.

The issue with Baekho... I'll finish thinking about it when my brain is back to normal. I didn't end up getting much rest. Should I just bounce too?

"...You just had a bad thought."

"No, I didn't." Yeah, never mind. I couldn't cause trouble just because I was a little tired.

"Hmm, your expression definitely implied..."

"I said I didn't. Anyway, you were so hard on Baekho earlier, but why are you half-casual with me?"

"What are you talking about? Are you really asking that between us, of all people?" Hyeonbyeol shot me a look that told me she found me pitiful and sat next to me on the sofa, one space away on the three-seater.

"Why are you sitting there out of all these seats?"

"Ah, there's a line between you and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me. I can't go any further than this."

...It seems she was offended by my request to change seats that one time. Jeez, then just say you don't want to.

A silence ensued, with no one willing to break it. To be honest, my relationship with Hyeonbyeol almost always felt like this. Even when we were together, things were never noisy. That silence had once felt more comfortable than being alone. Of course, that had been when we were dating.

...This is seriously awkward.

In the end, I couldn't stand it anymore and spoke first. "Hyeonbyeol."

"Yes."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

When I glanced at her, I could see her eyes were fixed on the fireplace, not me. Hyeonbyeol answered without even looking at me. "Because you look tired."

"...Huh?"

"It's written all over your face. You look like you used to when you got berated all day at work. Well, actually, you look even rougher than that right now," she added, before glancing at me too. "What? You want me to keep blathering in your ear instead?"

"No."

"Really? Then I'll hold back."

"Hold what back?"

"Well, to be honest, I have a lot of things I want to ask you, but I'm barely managing to keep them contained. Because I don't want to burden you."

Uh... Really? That's, well...

"Thanks...?"

"...Whatever." Hyeonbyeol coldly turned away despite my thanks.

...She's embarrassed. Jeez, it's not like I said anything. You're making me embarrassed too.

"...Then I'm going to rest a bit."

"Yes."

To be honest, I felt like I was going to pass out so I decided to accept Hyeonbyeol's kindness. Actually, to be more accurate, I felt like death. Overusing murderous intent was one thing, but this was also my first time being exposed to such terrible energy from someone else.

A peaceful silence ensued. For a moment, I felt like I was back on Earth. The only thing different was that instead of the sound of Hyeonbyeol reading a book, I could hear the crackle of the fireplace.

Crackle, crackle, crackle.

After a long while, I slowly opened my eyes to the sound of that crackling.

"Are you awake?"

"Ah, yeah..." I was kind of surprised. Apparently, you could fall asleep in the spiritual world. I genuinely felt a little less tired. "How long has it been?"

"About an hour and a half."

Whew, then there's still time left until the Round Table opens.

"You look better now."

"Thanks to you."

"Then I'll start."

"Huh?"

Start? Start what?

My unspoken question was immediately answered.

"Why the hell was he here?" She began her interrogation as if on cue.

"Who?"

"Baekho Lee. That was him, right?"

It wasn't like I didn't hear her the first time. I was just a little surprised. "Yeah." So Hyeonbyeol knew about Baekho too.

When I confirmed it, Hyeonbyeol also nodded like I'd answered her question. "No wonder he had that weird look in his eyes."

"But wait, Hyeonbyeol. You did all that even while knowing who he was?"

"Yeah? Is there a problem? No matter how strong he may be in the outside world, none of that matters here, right?"

"Uh, theoretically, yes..." I was definitely feeling her newbie status now. I should have warned her before she ran off and made a mistake. "But not necessarily. There's a skill that can only be used here..." I explained murderous intent to Hyeonbyeol.

"So, your souls are linked together. That's why intangible energy can be amplified and transmitted to your opponent. I get up to that part, but..." Always a quick learner, Hyeonbyeol seemed to understand the concept but didn't have a grasp on how it actually worked in real life. "Honestly, I don't know. Getting scared enough to feel like you're dying? Can that really cause problems in real life?"

It was a valid question. Fox, a member of the Round Table, had murderous intent that only applied slight pressure on the opponent but caused no permanent damage.

"I can't really explain it in words."

"Aren't you just lacking the words?"

Do you know how many novels I've read? Well, there's no way it's as many as her, though.

"Ah, it'll be easier to explain if you experience it for yourself."

This was a suggestion I would have never made if she wasn't Hyeonbyeol. I'd only recovered a drop of my bottomed-out mental reserves. If I could, my instinct was to put this off until later and just rest for now.

But... It's Hyeonbyeol.

I could do this for her.

"Then here I go."

"W-Wait! Let me think about it—"

Think about what? This is faster and more accurate.

I immediately released murderous intent, hoping it'd help Hyeonbyeol avoid making a mistake outside.

"...Ugh!" The change was immediate. "S-Stop..." Hyeonbyeol's face screwed up with pain like everyone except Baekho's did.

That guy was fine. But yeah, no, my murderous intent isn't broken—

Crackle, crackle, crackle.

After a long while, I slowly opened my eyes to the sound of that crackling.

"Are you awake?"

"Ah, yeah..." I was kind of surprised. Apparently, you could fall asleep in the spiritual world. I genuinely felt a little less tired. "How long has it been?"

"About an hour and a half."

Whew, then there's still time left until the Round Table opens.

"You look better now."

"Thanks to you."

"Then I'll start."

"Huh?"

Start? Start what?

My unspoken question was immediately answered.

"Why the hell was he here?" She began her interrogation as if on cue.

"Who?"

"Baekho Lee. That was him, right?"

It wasn't like I didn't hear her the first time. I was just a little surprised. "Yeah." So Hyeonbyeol knew about Baekho too.

When I confirmed it, Hyeonbyeol also nodded like I'd answered her question. "No wonder he had that weird look in his eyes."

"But wait, Hyeonbyeol. You did all that even while knowing who he was?"

"Yeah? Is there a problem? No matter how strong he may be in the outside world, none of that matters here, right?"

"Uh, theoretically, yes..." I was definitely feeling her newbie status now. I should have warned her before she ran off and made a mistake. "But not necessarily. There's a skill that can only be used here..." I explained murderous intent to Hyeonbyeol.

"So, your souls are linked together. That's why intangible energy can be amplified and transmitted to your opponent. I get up to that part, but..." Always a quick learner, Hyeonbyeol seemed to understand the concept but didn't have a grasp on how it actually worked in real life. "Honestly, I don't know. Getting scared enough to feel like you're dying? Can that really cause problems in real life?"

It was a valid question. Fox, a member of the Round Table, had murderous intent that only applied slight pressure on the opponent but caused no permanent damage.

"I can't really explain it in words."

"Aren't you just lacking the words?"

Do you know how many novels I've read? Well, there's no way it's as many as her, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠though.

"Ah, it'll be easier to explain if you experience it for yourself."

This was a suggestion I would have never made if she wasn't Hyeonbyeol. I'd only recovered a drop of my bottomed-out mental reserves. If I could, my instinct was to put this off until later and just rest for now.

But... It's Hyeonbyeol.

I could do this for her.

"Then here I go."

"W-Wait! Let me think about it—"

Think about what? This is faster and more accurate.

I immediately released murderous intent, hoping it'd help Hyeonbyeol avoid making a mistake outside.

"...Ugh!" The change was immediate. "S-Stop..." Hyeonbyeol's face screwed up with pain like everyone except Baekho's did.

That guy was fine. But yeah, no, my murderous intent isn't broken—

"I... said... stop...!"

Ah... I was only going to give her a taste... I'm screwed.

Was it so jarring to experience murderous intent for the first time? I didn't even release that much, but Hyeonbyeol complained of extreme fatigue even after a little taste of it.

"Still... I get what you mean... I get why it could leave side effects even back in reality."

"Oh, then I'm glad—"

"But next time, I'm going to get very angry if you do something like that without getting my permission first."

"Understood."

"...Are you mad at me for something?"

"Huh? No? Why?"

Sigh...

Why was she being so weird now? Hyeonbyeol muttered to herself for a bit, then only asked a few quick questions before leaving because her head was hurting too much.

The first was this: "You know about Bjorn Yandel, right?"

I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up the moment the name left her lips. What was this? Was she sounding me out like Baekho did? Thankfully, that didn't seem to be the case.

"...I do know him, yeah."

"Really? Then do you know this too? Whether or not he's really an evil spirit?"

"Uh... I don't know. I've never met him in person..."

"Hmm, really?"

Hyeonbyeol sounded disappointed. "Why do you want to know about Bjorn Yandel?" I carefully asked.

"Ah, for work. I have to know for sure whether he's an evil spirit or not before I make any plans going forward."

Plans going forward? This was unsettling. Based on what she told me, Hyeonbyeol seemed to be an office worker instead of an adventurer.

"My next goal after ensuring my financial freedom was to gain power."

At the time, I thought using power to find a way to go back home was a strategy that was very 'her.'

"And recently, I've made a connection with a powerful person."

I wondered who the powerful person she mentioned was. If that person happened to be the marquess...

"Hyeonbyeol."

"Yes?"

"Who are you working for right now?"

Hyeonbyeol frowned at my question, which contained zero playfulness. "I thought we agreed to not cross that line."

"Things are different now."

"...Sorry?"

"Because I might kill you by mistake if I don't know. So tell me. Who is it?"

When I asked her again in a low voice, Hyeonbyeol stared at me intently. Then, she finally sighed and relented. "Countess Peprok."

That was a name I didn't expect to hear at all. Though I should have been glad she didn't say Marquess Tercerion or the duke, I didn't expect that woman to come up here. "...Countess Peprok?"

"Yes. We were connected by chance and now I'm working under her."

Full name: Ragna Litaniel Peprok, the librarian I had once visited almost every day who was also a wizard. She was a member of the friendly gathering I attended regularly during my newbie days, back when information from rank-seven Shavin Emoor was still extremely valuable to me.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"Yeah."

There was a lot I wanted to ask, but I didn't want to dig so I just nodded. I'd at least confirmed she was not affiliated with the marquess. For now, Hyeonbyeol and I weren't on opposing sides. I was satisfied with that.

"But, Hansu." Just then, Hyeonbyeol placed her hand on the middle section of the sofa and said, "It was you..."

"...Huh?"

"Who crossed the line first again." Before I could even reply, Hyeonbyeol stood up. "See you next month, then. I'm too tired to talk anymore today."

Hyeonbyeol left the chat after that, and I returned to my room as I no longer needed to be there. I collapsed on the bed to rest for a while, and before long, it was time.

Whew...

To be honest, I longed to log out now and go to sleep, but...

Flash!

Yeah, I can't miss this, no matter how tired I am.

"I... said... stop...!"

Ah... I was only going to give her a taste... I'm screwed.

Was it so jarring to experience murderous intent for the first time? I didn't even release that much, but Hyeonbyeol complained of extreme fatigue even after a little taste of it.

"Still... I get what you mean... I get why it could leave side effects even back in reality."

"Oh, then I'm glad—"

"But next time, I'm going to get very angry if you do something like that without getting my permission first."

"Understood."

"...Are you mad at me for something?"

"Huh? No? Why?"

Sigh...

Why was she being so weird now? Hyeonbyeol muttered to herself for a bit, then only asked a few quick questions before leaving because her head was hurting too much.

The first was this: "You know about Bjorn Yandel, right?"

I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up the moment the name left her lips. What was this? Was she sounding me out like Baekho did? Thankfully, that didn't seem to be the case.

"...I do know him, yeah."

"Really? Then do you know this too? Whether or not he's really an evil spirit?"

"Uh... I don't know. I've never met him in person..."

"Hmm, really?"

Hyeonbyeol sounded disappointed. "Why do you want to know about Bjorn Yandel?" I carefully asked.

"Ah, for work. I have to know for sure whether he's an evil spirit or not before I make any plans going forward."

Plans going forward? This was unsettling. Based on what she told me, Hyeonbyeol seemed to be an office worker instead of an adventurer.

"My next goal after ensuring my financial freedom was to gain power."

At the time, I thought using power to find a way to go back home was a strategy that was very 'her.'

"And recently, I've made a connection with a powerful person."

I wondered who the powerful person she mentioned was. If that person happened to be the marquess...

"Hyeonbyeol."

"Yes?"

"Who are you working for right now?"

Hyeonbyeol frowned at my question, which contained zero playfulness. "I thought we agreed to not cross that line."

"Things are different now."

"...Sorry?"

"Because I might kill you by mistake if I don't know. So tell me. Who is it?"

When I asked her again in a low voice, Hyeonbyeol stared at me intently. Then, she finally sighed and relented. "Countess Peprok."

That was a name I didn't expect to hear at all. Though I should have been glad she didn't say Marquess Tercerion or the duke, I didn't expect that woman to come up here. "...Countess Peprok?"

"Yes. We were connected by chance and now I'm working under her."

Full name: Ragna Litaniel Peprok, the librarian I had once visited almost every day who was also a wizard. She was a member of the friendly gathering I attended regularly during my newbie days, back when information from rank-seven Shavin Emoor was still extremely valuable to me.

"Are you satisfied now?"

"Yeah."

There was a lot I wanted to ask, but I didn't want to dig so I just nodded. I'd at least confirmed she was not affiliated with the marquess. For now, Hyeonbyeol and I weren't on opposing sides. I was satisfied with that.

"But, Hansu." Just then, Hyeonbyeol placed her hand on the middle section of the sofa and said, "It was you..."

"...Huh?"

"Who crossed the line first again." Before I could even reply, Hyeonbyeol stood up. "See you next month, then. I'm too tired to talk anymore today."

Hyeonbyeol left the chat after that, and I returned to my room as I no longer needed to be there. I collapsed on the bed to rest for a while, and before long, it was time.

Whew...

To be honest, I longed to log out now and go to sleep, but...

Flash!

Yeah, I can't miss this, no matter how tired I am.