Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Letter Never Came Even Once
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Tail came to a stop upon arriving at the monastery.
The monastery felt excessively quiet and empty.
It seemed like Chloe or Cecilia might pop out from somewhere at any moment, calling his name.
'Enough. Let's stop thinking about it.'
Tail let out a small chuckle and started walking again.
As he headed back to his room, he passed by the kitchen.
The kitchen was shrouded in pitch-black darkness.
Inside, Cecilia had been fidgeting with her hands while baking cookies, and she looked up at him with a bright smile.
But when he blinked once, Cecilia vanished like an illusion.
Tail stared blankly at the kitchen, which held not even a trace of lingering warmth.
Everywhere, anywhere.
Traces of Chloe and Cecilia remained.
At the same time, Tail realized something.
He had wanted to create memories for them.
'But in the end, those memories were the ones I created.'
Tail slowly tore his gaze away from the kitchen and walked to his room.
Ever since falling into this novel that Yerin had been reading, Tail had never truly felt like he was living a "real" life here.
He saw the people in this world as mere parts of the novel—existences born from sentences crafted by someone's fingertips.
Especially Chloe and Cecilia, the protagonists of this world, felt closer to "fake" than anyone else because the author had meticulously created them one by one.
'But I was wrong.'
In a truly paradoxical twist, Tail realized that those two were the only ones in this world who had felt like truly "living" people to him.
Their sadness and joy, every subtle shift in their emotions.
All of it.
Everything was vivid.
The two people he had experienced, and every moment shared with them, were never fiction, dreams, or deceptions from a creator.
'Those girls were more "real" than anyone else in this novel, right at the center of it all.'
The kind of "real" that could sway this entire world.
That was Cecilia and Chloe.
To meet them again, he needed to become the "real" center of this world.
The existence that made this world breathe and live.
Yes, like the protagonist himself.
Not just some nameless extra who wouldn't even get a single line.
The realization hit him all at once, and Tail smiled bitterly.
The most profound bitterness since arriving in this world washed over his entire body.
But he knew it well.
There was no way to erase this bitterness.
Tail muttered softly.
"In the end, I was the fake one."
Perhaps it had been decided from the very start—a conclusion he had even known but deliberately ignored.
Confirming it all at the root brought only hollow laughter.
By then, Tail had reached his room.
As he opened the door and entered, Yujin was preparing for bed.
Seeing Tail, her eyebrows drooped slightly as she spoke.
"Tail. You okay...?"
"I've heard that 'you okay?' crap so much it's practically growing calluses in my ears, so quit asking."
Yujin scratched her head at Tail's words.
"Yeah? Well, the monastery seemed pretty lively in its own way. But now it feels empty all of a sudden."
Yujin gave an awkward smile.
Tail replied to her in an indifferent tone.
"That's how monasteries are supposed to be anyway."
"...Yeah, I guess."
Yujin immediately picked up on Tail's state.
Seeing him more downcast than usual, she forced a bright voice.
"Hey, but Chloe and Cecilia said they'd write, so at least there's that to look forward to."
But Tail didn't respond.
He just flopped onto his bed and stared out the window at the darkening outside.
His eyes were fixed on the grassy field beyond the window—specifically, where Chloe's tent had been pitched.
Now completely empty.
Staring blankly at that spot, Tail muttered softly.
"It probably won't come."
He had abandoned any expectations.
And so, half a year passed.
The letter.
Never came even once.
"Tail! Did it come today?"
Yujin's excited voice rang out.
Tail shook his head with his usual expression.
Seeing that, Yujin looked disappointed, her eyebrows drooping.
"Ugh... These girls are so slow. Way too slow."
Tail let out a hollow laugh at her playfully exaggerated words.
"Hey, enough already. Quit asking. It's gonna give me calluses."
And well he might say that—Yujin had been asking Tail almost every day if letters from Chloe and Cecilia had arrived.
But not a single letter had come.
Since Tail had already expected as much, he wasn't disappointed.
He knew full well what kind of reaction it would provoke if high-society girls on the cusp of debut were found corresponding with a commoner monk.
Status came with watchful eyes and heavy responsibilities.
Still, they had left with good memories in the end, so that was enough, he thought.
"Oh, right. Town day today, huh?"
Yujin fussed unnecessarily as Tail prepared to head out, probably worried about his sullen mood.
Knowing that, Tail tried even harder not to show it.
"Yeah. I'll be right back."
"Okay. Take care."
Tail left the monastery and headed into town.
The aftermath of the war had reached even this remote corner of the empire.
The town bustled twice as lively as usual.
After buying various goods, Tail made his familiar way into Kingwangjang BAR.
Entering the deep inner room, he sensed a presence behind the bolt along with a male silhouette, as always.
"You're here."
"Yeah. I am."
Tail casually perched on the sofa.
He made a point of stopping by here every time he went to town.
For some reason, being here eased his mind a little.
'Probably because of Khan.'
He didn't know Khan's face or voice, but that very anonymity made Tail feel closer to him.
His words were curt, but they carried genuine consideration for Tail.
"No letter today either, I take it."
"What."
"The letters."
Tail chuckled at Khan's words.
"What, did everyone conspire to ask me about that?"
Khan fell silent at Tail's remark.
Then, hesitantly, he spoke.
"You seem in low spirits."
As expected. It was Khan.
He could tell at a glance.
"Not great."
No matter the social scrutiny or watchful eyes around them.
Still, just once.
He'd thought at least once.
But they had gone completely silent, as if they'd forgotten all about him.
Tail smiled bitterly.
"Whatever. I'll just live my own life."
At those words, Khan spoke up.
"I see."
Then, curiously, he asked.
"But why haven't you thought of sending one yourself?"
"Me? To Chloe and Cecilia?"
Tail let out a chuckle.
"If I did, rumors would spread through high society in no time. The empire's sole imperial princess and the daughter of Marquis Duvier corresponding with a commoner monk."
Tail stared blankly into space.
"I don't want to ruin their lives like that."
"In that case, Tail."
Khan's words came slowly.
"I'll deliver it for you myself."
Tail's eyes widened.
"You'll do it personally, Khan?"
"Yes. I'll deliver it to them secretly. Special service for one of our VIPs."
Tail's eyes trembled faintly.
Tail wasn't stupid; he didn't see Khan as an ordinary man.
Otherwise, he couldn't have fulfilled the request to gather intel on the marquis during the recent war.
The caliber of information he provided, and his flawless execution of every request without a single mistake.
If such a person delivered it personally?
'It could reach them without anyone noticing.'
A way to contact Chloe and Cecilia had appeared.
Tail's expression began to brighten.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Khan."
"If you send the letter tomorrow, it'll take about a week. I'll send word when it returns."
Tail smiled broadly for the first time in ages.
"Got it. I'll head out then."
Thinking of writing the letter, Tail hurried back to the monastery.
And exactly one week later, a letter arrived from Khan.
[I've returned. Come by today if you can.]
He had met Chloe and Cecilia after delivering the letter.
The moment the letter arrived, Tail bolted from the monastery and rushed to meet Khan.
Panting from the run, he flung open the door.
"Khan! I'm here!"
Tail's eyes quickly scanned the desk.
Searching for the reply letters from Chloe and Cecilia.
"The replies?"
Tail's eyes sparkled.
He pictured young Cecilia and fragile Chloe in his mind.
Were they doing well?
Adapting okay?
Did they miss life here even a little?
Then, toward such a Tail, Khan hesitantly opened his mouth.
"I met Chloe and Cecilia to deliver your letter."
For some reason, Khan's voice felt heavier than usual.
"Both of them..."
Tail froze at Khan's following words.
"...refused to accept the letter."
"...What do you mean?"
Tail's eyes trembled faintly.
Refuse the letter?
Both of them?
"Exactly what I said."
Khan continued flatly.
"When I told them it was a letter from you, both refused to receive it."