Chapter 72
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Library of Records (6)
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... It's taking a while.
Thinking about how long it took Kim Ho-won, Seo Yu-ju should have been back by now, but thirty minutes had passed and she still hadn't returned.
'Does the time vary from person to person?'
The others seemed to be thinking the same thing, as Lee Yu-rim spoke up.
"... Unnie's taking quite a while."
"Yeah, sis. Nothing bad happened to Yu-ju unnie, right?"
"She'll be fine..."
Of course, with Uth not here either, there was no way to check on her.
'Shit... nothing really happened to her, right?'
Having taken more than three times as long as Kim Ho-won, it was impossible not to worry.
Just as anxiety started to build, Seo Yu-ju and Uth returned.
"Yu-ju unnie!"
"Space unnie, why'd it take so long?"
"....."
'... What? Why's her face like that?'
The problem was Seo Yu-ju's expression. It wasn't twisted in a frown or anything fierce, but everyone could tell she was in a foul mood and fell silent.
".... Miss Yu-ju, are you okay?"
'... Did she see some bad memory?'
"Ah..."
"... Miss Yu-ju?"
'W-what? What's with her all of a sudden?'
Suddenly locking eyes with me, Seo Yu-ju started to cry.
"Did something happen?"
Everyone panicked at the sudden turn of events. Seeing Seo Yu-ju of all people in tears, no one could help but worry.
"Clan master, are you alright...?"
"... I'm fine. Sorry, everyone. I just... saw a memory I didn't want to remember..."
It must have been a memory from the first round.
Even with Seo Yu-ju saying she was okay, the party's worried expressions didn't change.
'... A memory related to me?'
It was a plausible guess, given that she'd burst into tears right after looking at me.
Still, seeing her calm down after a bit eased my worries some.
"Hyung-nim, I'll head in this time."
"Yeah, got it. Go ahead."
Starting with Cha Hyun-jin, the others except me began visiting the Chamber of Records one by one. Maybe Seo Yu-ju's case was unusual, but it normally took about ten minutes to come out.
No one else came out crying like her; they all returned with calm expressions.
'My turn now.'
"Guess it's my turn. I'll be back."
".... Come back safe, Yun-seong-ssi."
"Yes, Yu-ju-ssi."
"Finally, the last one. Follow me. I'll guide you."
"Understood."
"... Now, open this door and go in. There'll be a book inside—just open it."
"...."
As Uth said, opening the door revealed a single book.
'Just open it, then...'
As soon as I opened the book, my consciousness sank.
'... Where's this?'
What I saw was a scene from Earth. The problem was, it wasn't a normal one. A sight I didn't even want to remember unfolded before my eyes.
'... The orphanage fire... Damn it...'
The building was engulfed in flames, a boy holding onto a woman with his body, trying to stop her.
"No...! No...! The kids...!"
"Sis! Please...! It's too late to go in now!"
"No, Yun-seong! Let go...! The kids, the kids are still in there...!"
'Shit... Of all the shitty memories...'
It was a horrific memory I hated recalling. The orphanage fire that made big news on TV. Aside from me and my sister, no one survived.
If my sister and I had been inside, we'd have burned to death without a chance. Luckily, we'd been out running errands and survived.
'... Unfortunate, happy, or intense memories from one's life are the most likely to appear, right?'
"Sis, going in there is just suicide! Please listen to me!"
"Hic... No, no... Kids!"
"Shit, Lee Yeon-hwa! Snap out of it!"
It was a really tough time for me back then. The kids we'd grown up with at the orphanage were like my own siblings.
But I had to save my real sister no matter what.
If the fire hadn't been so bad, I might've gone in with her to save the kids, but it was an impossible situation to even consider.
'... Or am I just rationalizing?'
Doesn't matter anyway. Even if I went back to that time, I'd make the same call. I... just chose the lesser evil over the worst.
'Shit, I made a rational choice. Damn it... Don't think that crap...'
Guilt eats at you. What I need isn't useless emotions like guilt—it's resolve and coldness to charge forward.
'Gotta discard useless emotions.'
That's how you survive. You have to steel yourself and stay cold to live in this shitty world.
'.... No matter how much of memories like this you show me, it won't change my mind.'
Soon, fire truck sirens sounded as firefighters arrived.
"Crazy...! Suppress the fire as much as possible first, then enter! Kim Dae-won!"
"Yes..!"
'... The outcome was set anyway.'
The fire was too massive; despite the firefighters' efforts, only my sister and I survived. No one else did.
I clenched my fist at the hated sight, cursing inwardly, when the scene began to change.
'... Tutorial?'
The next sight was the Tutorial starting point. Scenes from what I'd gone through started playing.
"Huh?"
"S-save... Save me! Please don't abandon me...! M-my... legs, my legs....! Hic... Save me! Take me with you....!"
'Ha...'
The woman with the injured leg I'd given up on and left behind at the start.
"S-sorry! I'm sorry!"
"No...! Don't leave me.... Hic.... Ahh...!!!"
I saw my past self abandoning her. I knew it was rational, but it wasn't a pretty sight. I'd ultimately abandoned a person, after all.
After that, the scenes matched my memories exactly.
Meeting Jo Chan-ho, Cha Hyun-jin, the auntie and young woman whose names I couldn't recall now, and Lee Yu-rim and Lee Yu-hyeon. It all flowed as I remembered.
The weirdness hit soon after.
'.... What? Why hasn't Seo Yu-ju appeared?'
Up to splitting from the group and traveling with Lee Yu-rim and Lee Yu-hyeon, encountering those guys threatening us for food—it matched my memory.
The problem was what came after didn't.
The scene ended with me passing out from the leader choking me, then shifted again.
"... Ngh... Where...?"
"O-oppa!"
"Hyung!"
"... W-what... how did... kgh.."
"Are you alright, Yun-seong-ssi?"
I stood frozen in shock. Part of it was the scene diverging from my memory, but mostly disbelief that Jo Chan-ho had saved me.
"B-Byung-ok-ssi?"
'This is... the first round..?'
It seemed like the first round, diverging from my memory. What puzzled me was why I was seeing first-round scenes I didn't remember.
'Shit... What's going on?'
I let out a disbelieving chuckle. Why was a first-round scene I didn't recall appearing?
'For now... observe.'
I didn't know what was happening, but watching the situation took priority.
'Good thing I didn't slip up. Calling him Jo Chan-ho reflexively would've been bad.'
"How did you... Byung-ok-ssi, did you save me?"
"Yes, luckily with Yu-hyeon and Yu-rim's help."
"For now... thank you for saving us."
"No need. It was the right thing to do."
I saw Jo Chan-ho treating the group with a friendly face. Naturally, I knew why.
'... Yu-hyeon's abilities would help him, and Yu-rim's average too.'
He'd judged Yu-hyeon's healing useful and saved them.
And, though it'd sound weird from me, I was someone with decent combat potential even limited to the Tutorial, so his decision made sense.
"More importantly... what about the others...?"
"Mm... Unfortunately, we couldn't save the rest. So-young was taken by monsters... Kyung-sil auntie seemed to get it too. Not sure about Hyun-jin."
"... I see."
"Still, glad you all made it. Let's rest here a bit, then move."
"Got it, Byung-ok-ssi."
'... Where's Seo Yu-ju?'
She had to be in this Tutorial too. Not rampaging like in the second round, but definitely alive.
'Changing again.'
The scene shifted to our group meeting Seo Yu-ju.
Our group with Jo Chan-ho had grown to about ten people, recruiting more survivors.
'... No Kang I-seo or Ho-won.'
I checked, but neither Kang I-seo nor Kim Ho-won was there.
'And that's... Seo Yu-ju from the first round...'
"Oh... a survivor. Calm down. Nice to meet you. I'm Jo Byung-ok."
"Ah... I-I'm... S-Seo Yu-ju."
I saw Seo Yu-ju wary around strangers.
'... She's so different now.'
Unlike her confident, charismatic second-round self, this clumsy version felt off.
My past self checked her status window and noticed her talent, a glint in his eye.
"Haha... We were just gathering survivors. How about joining us? As you see, monsters are everywhere—we need to band together."
"Y-yes... Sure."
Seo Yu-ju, unaware of Jo Chan-ho's true nature, accepted.
"Looks like you use a spear... Have you classed up?"
"Ah... Yes. I ended up killing a monster somehow... Got Intermediate Spearman..."
'.... Sloppy. Really sloppy.'
Definitely different from the second round. Understandable since she hadn't adapted to the Tutorial yet, but spilling her job unprompted was frustrating.
Jo Chan-ho's shocked expression at "Intermediate Spearman" was natural.
"... Intermediate Spearman?"
"Y-yes... That's what the status window says..."
"Impressive. You've got real talent."
After she joined, the group's combat strength visibly rose.
She was scared of monsters and a bit slow, but that was normal then. It was understandable. I even admired how well she handled the Tutorial.
'As expected... You can spot a great tree from its seedling.'
Sweeping her spear to kill monsters in seconds proved her top-tier talent.
Even Jo Chan-ho couldn't look away.
'... Debating it.'
Her talent would help him, but his face showed worry if she'd threaten him.
'Can't blame him.'
Mediocre talent? Fine. But hers was monstrous. He couldn't let his guard down.
But he decided against eliminating her. Her kind heart and lack of aggression meant no threat.
The problem came after a few more scenes—something shocking unfolded.
"Byung-ok-ssi."
I approached Jo Chan-ho right after he'd secretly killed someone.
'Shit, what... what is this?'
Even Jo Chan-ho hadn't expected me; he panicked. Right after a covert murder, it'd be weirder if he hadn't.
"This...!"
He swung his sword at my neck but stopped at my words.
"I have a plan for you, Byung-ok-ssi."
Blood trickled from the slight cut on my neck, but my expression didn't change as I spoke. Even I had to admire it.
".... What do you mean? You have to die anyway. You know my secret. If this is some trick....."
"I'll help you kill more people."
'You crazy bastard.'
I couldn't believe my own eyes.