Chapter 70
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Library of Records (4)
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Uncle Ho-won was the first to speak up, volunteering to go.
"I'll head over first."
"Got it, Uncle Ho-won."
"Very well. Follow me, please. I'll guide you to the Chamber of Records."
Once Uth and Uncle Ho-won had left the room, Song Ha-eun broke the silence.
"... Uncle Ho-won... It won't be dangerous, right?"
"It shouldn't be dangerous. That Uth guy said it wouldn't harm us."
"... Yeah, I guess so?"
"No need to worry too much. It seems like it's just about recording our memories."
From my perspective, I wasn't thrilled about having my memories dug up, but I let it slide. It was still way better than heading into a dungeon.
"By the way... what kind of library has a kid running around? I was fucking shocked when I first saw it."
I couldn't help but call out to Kang I-seo in disbelief.
"... Are you an idiot?"
"What the hell? Why are you picking a fight?"
"You... You don't seriously think that Uth guy is actually a kid, do you?"
"... He looks like one... Doesn't he?"
"Jesus Christ."
"No, seriously? What's your deal, you psycho?"
"Listen, you thick-headed moron. Use some common sense. Obviously, it's just his appearance. You think a real kid would be in a place like this?"
"Fuck, why am I the thick-headed one? That Uth could actually be a kid."
"Wow... Fuck... Should I call you stupid or naive?"
"You fucking asshole, watch your mouth."
Seo Yu-ju, who'd been listening to our exchange, chimed in.
"Yun-seong's right. Judging a non-human entity by its appearance alone is a bad idea. That Uth probably just looks like that—it's unlikely to actually be a child."
Kang I-seo shut her mouth, her face twisted like she'd eaten shit.
"....."
'Did I go too far?'
"... Hey, why the long face? Cheer up. It makes sense you'd think that. Sorry, I was a bit harsh."
"... Giving me shit and then playing nurse?"
'Ugh... She's pissed.'
Kang I-seo's expression made it clear she was sulking hard. Honestly, I felt a little bad—I probably had been too rough.
"Come on, don't be mad. I'll buy you a meal later."
"... Fuck, I'm gonna order the most expensive shit, so you better remember that."
'Damn it...'
I'd opened my big mouth and now my wallet was gonna pay the price.
'More importantly, when are they coming back?'
About twenty minutes later by my reckoning, Uncle Ho-won returned.
"How was it, Uncle?"
"... Hmm, nothing much. I just opened the book, and then... a few past memories surfaced? Like the librarian said, it seemed to bring up memories that were important or intense to me."
"I see."
"More precisely, I was watching my past from a third-person perspective. It felt like a long time had passed in my mind, but barely any real time had elapsed."
'Third-person view... No clue how that works.'
Uncle Ho-won said it wasn't like just recalling memories in his head.
"I'll go next this time."
"You, Yu-ju?"
"Yes. Better to rip off the Band-Aid... Well, it's not exactly a bandage, so the metaphor's off, but might as well get it over with quickly."
"Understood, Yu-ju. Go ahead."
"Alright, then..."
I followed Uth's guidance into the Chamber of Records. In my first playthrough... I'd only heard about this place, so this was my first time actually coming here.
I remembered one clan discovering it and it being the talk of the town for a while. You got good rewards without risking your life.
First-timers got bonus rewards, and subsequent visitors got lighter ones.
'I was too busy to go.'
In my first playthrough, I was swamped even after it was found, so I never made it.
'Besides, unless it was your first time, the rewards weren't that great anyway, so I didn't feel the need.'
A bit tense, I opened the book in front of me. My consciousness blurred, and when it cleared, a scene unfolded before my eyes.
'... So that's how it works.'
I got what Uncle Ho-won meant. I was watching myself back on Earth.
'This must be... high school.'
My Earth memories were hazy—I couldn't recall details. Between this world and my first playthrough, too much time had passed.
Back on Earth, I'd grown up in a pretty well-off environment. My parents were business owners, so money wasn't an issue.
Socially, I got along fine. I had some friends, but none I opened up completely to. Just friends at a comfortable distance.
'... What was I even thinking back then...'
I think I was fretting over college entrance exams like any other kid. I didn't pull all-nighters, but I studied enough to get into a mid-tier Seoul university.
As I spaced out watching my past self, the scene suddenly shifted.
'It doesn't show every memory, huh.'
It jumped to after college graduation, learning the family business.
I wasn't super happy then, but far from unhappy. As an only child, my parents showered me with love. They weren't bad people.
'Scene changing again. This is... the Tutorial. It's showing first playthrough memories too?'
"Uh, um... Wh-where is this? Excuse me... Do you know where we are?"
Watching my old, naive self—so different from now—felt weird.
"Gaaah! Monster! Run!"
"Help! Somebody help me! Please... just send me home!"
"Fight! Everyone, grab your weapons! Damn it! Don't run! Fight, I said! Every... gack... urk...!"
The scene was hellish. People slaughtered by monsters left and right, turned into meals. Chaos everywhere.
'....'
But I watched calmly. Scenes like that didn't faze me anymore—I'd come too far.
My past self grabbed a spear and some rations, fleeing desperately, just like everyone else.
The scene shifted again, and I felt a stir of emotion.
"Oh... a survivor. Please calm down. Nice to meet you. My name is Jo Byung-ok."
"Ah... I-I'm... S-Seo Yu-ju."
'... Jo Chan-ho.'
And
'Yun-seong.'
My past self meeting Jo Chan-ho, Yun-seong, Yu-rim, Yu-hyeon, and a few others.
"Haha... We were just gathering survivors... How about joining us? As you can see, monsters are popping up everywhere. We need to band together."
"Y-Yes... That sounds good..."
I remembered everyone falling for Jo Chan-ho back then. He put on a kind face and spoke in that fake caring voice, herding people along.
When we learned he was using an alias, we all figured he was a murderer or criminal back on Earth.
'Yun-seong told me later he had no idea either.'
A perfect backstab. We only learned later, after he entered Eras and went full outlaw, that he'd been quietly killing people in the Tutorial without anyone noticing.
"Looks like you're using a spear. Have you classed up yet?"
Jo Chan-ho asked with a meaningful glint in his eye.
"Ah... Yes. I-I ended up killing a monster somehow... and got Intermediate Spearman..."
'... Dumbass.'
Watching my naive past self blurt out her job unprompted was frustrating, but I held it in.
'... Actually, saying that turned out lucky.'
Sure enough, eyes widened at "Intermediate Spearman," Jo Chan-ho included.
"... Intermediate Spearman?"
"Y-Yes... That's what my status window says..."
"Excellent. You must have real talent."
Thanks to her spear talent, my past self became a key fighter in the party.
Several scenes passed, then a frown-worthy one appeared—three days after discovering the dungeon.
Jo Chan-ho's ugly mug opened its mouth.
"I... have a plan."
Everyone, including my past self, turned to him. Things were dire; faces were grim, tempers short.
One uncle asked Jo Chan-ho.
"Uh... Byung-ok, young man. What plan?"
"... Don't freak out when you hear this. We have to use the useless ones as bait."
".... What?"
'You crazy bastard...'
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"We're out of food. We'll all starve or get eaten by monsters without strength to fight."
My past self hesitated before speaking.
"B-but... how could we...? Even so..."
"If there's no alternative, I won't listen. You might think I'm scum, but you all know our situation sucks."
"......"
The first playthrough Tutorial was a nightmare. In the second, I set up camp and scavenged food, but the first had none of that.
Food shortages led to people killing each other. Murder, looting, rape—pure hell.
"Here's the plan. First... use the non-combatants as bait. If we still don't have enough..."
Someone swallowed hard.
"The weak ones will have to sacrifice."
A man shot to his feet in rage.
"F-fuck! You call that human talk?! Then I'll be the first to—"
Slash—
"Grk... Urk...!"
Thud.
The man was dead by Jo Chan-ho's hand in an instant. Everyone sat stunned, processing.
"This is a warning. Choose wisely. Ditch your conscience—your life depends on it. For those with combat skills, it's different. Pick conscience, and monsters get you."
Shock lingered, but a few fighters started agreeing.
"... I-I'm for it, Byung-ok."
"Me too."
"M-me as well..."
'... Of course. Fighters won't be bait.'
A necessary choice to survive.
Everyone knew dropping some humanity was needed in this inhuman place. Jo Chan-ho just lit the fuse no one else would touch.
".... I-I'm..."
My hesitating past self. I squeezed my eyes shut—I knew what came next.
"I-I'm... in f-favor..."
Necessary to survive. Any other answer, and she'd be dead right there.
"Good. Excellent choices, everyone. Finally, Yun-seong... You're in favor, of course?"
Jo Chan-ho smiled meaningfully at Yun-seong.
".... Of course, Byung-ok."
And so, to survive—to clear the Tutorial—we turned ourselves into monsters.