Herman Melville's Awakening

Herman Melville opened his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes to find familiar pink hair before him. The strands lay scattered across the white sheets like scattered jewels. She was lying face-down, breathing softly, as if she had come running after hearing his story. "My body feels strangely healthy." Vitality surged through limbs that had been on the brink of death. Perhaps Albert was right—this little one truly possessed some extraordinary ability.

Knock, knock. The door opened and Albert and Jeremy, the ones assigned to the child, stepped inside.

"Lord Melville, you are awake."

"Thanks to you." Once he answered their greeting, the conversation died. When he looked at the two men in the awkward silence, Jeremy scratched his head.

"The young lady knocked Mrs. Brown unconscious."

"......?"

"The young lady knocked Mrs. Brown—"

"I heard you." Jeremy repeated himself, thinking Melville had missed it, and offered an awkward smile.

"When we entered the room, Mrs. Brown was laughing at the sight of the unconscious Lord Melville. So......"

"So she knocked her out?"

"Yes."

Herman’s gaze drifted to the sleeping child. He reached out and brushed the hair from her face; the silken strands slipped between his fingers. At that moment, a small white rabbit poked its head out from between the child’s arms and met his eyes.

"......"

Herman was startled by the rabbit’s scrutinizing stare, but after a moment it simply hopped back into the child’s embrace as if nothing had happened.

"Her condition?"

"From what I’ve heard, it’s called madness."

The more Jeremy spoke, the deeper Herman felt himself sinking into a maze. While he mulled over the story, Albert’s voice cut in.

"She attempts self-harm and suicide without warning. That is why she is under constant watch while wearing a restraint suit designed to prevent self-injury."

"That madwoman’s laugh was certainly unpleasant. The child’s eyes must have rolled back in her head."

Even Albert and Jeremy, who had served Herman for years, could not keep their expressions under control at his blunt agreement.

"A single light slap from the young lady caved in Mrs. Brown’s cheek, dislocated her jaw, and knocked out every tooth on one side."

"She was a woman who clung to a sliver of power without knowing her place. Send her off cleanly, no loose ends."

"But......"

"I am Herman Melville."

At those words, Albert and Jeremy bowed their heads. It was a childish statement in one sense, and an arrogant one in another. When Albert lifted his head again, his eyes found Herman Melville. To some, Herman Melville was absolute good; to others, absolute evil. He was the man who had taught the world that money stood above the law. Today’s events would be bitter news for those who had waited for the great white whale to grow weary and collapse on its own. The money-whale that had moved through the world as though it would devour it whole had finally succumbed to time. Yet today that massive body had not only recovered—it had grown wings.

‘A bitter day for some, I suppose.’

In Albert’s eyes, Herman Melville was gently stroking the pink hair with an expression full of affection.

"Mmm......"

"Did you sleep well, child?"

"Grandpa."

"Yes, your grandpa."

Our country holds two major game expos. One is the Busan Expo in winter, and the other is the Goyang Expo that opens when the weather starts to turn hot. The difference is that the Busan Expo is dominated by large corporations, while the Goyang Expo is friendlier to indie games, rhythm games, and cosplayers. The Busan Expo is overwhelmingly larger in scale, but unfortunately it has turned into little more than a showcase for officially localized Chinese games and new mobile titles from the big companies. This expo is no exception—big corporations have booths—but if you look closely, the two events have very different characters.

"Come on in, my little ones."

"Hello!"

"You guys are too much. What’s with the temperature difference? If it weren’t for me, Ga-eul wouldn’t even be here right now."

"I’m the one who talked her into coming to the game festival~"

"Maybe Ga-eul can see some cosplay?"

"Let’s hear it!"

Before anyone could blink, the stream had moved on to cosplay—even though no one had ever agreed to it.

"I’m not doing it, though?"

Beyond the fence, a massive dome-shaped building came into view. Long lines of people waiting to enter, cosplayers casually strolling about—everything felt different the moment you stepped outside. "Ga-eul, let’s go over there."

"Huh? Sis, the entrance is the other way."

Eun-ah grabbed my hand and strode forward confidently. Anyone could see that the crowded side was the real entrance.

"We’re going to cosplay."

"You’re serious? I’ve never done it before."

Jingle. Eun-ah opened the door to a shop as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Inside, a man with a goatee that felt out of place in Korea was waiting.

"Welcome. Oh, Eun-ah, you’re here."

"Hello, boss. I brought one more today."

"Haha, I suppose I’ll have to give you a discount."

Eun-ah seemed to be a regular here. The shop owner’s eyes turned to me as he finished greeting her.

"Oh my, you’re so pretty."

"Thank you."

He had no sense of personal space and immediately came close, making a fuss.

"What’s the plan?"

"Plan? I’m just here to play games."

The owner turned sharply to Eun-ah after asking the question.

"It’s Ga-eul’s first time cosplaying."

"Aha! First-timer, got it."

I guessed he was reacting to me not understanding the cosplay terminology. I couldn’t follow half of what he and Eun-ah were saying.

"Is that really domestic?"

"Then shall we go with high-heat styling? Your hair is so pretty, it would be a shame to use a wig. Why don’t we just work with what you have?"

"That sounds good. Since it’s Ga-eul’s first time, let’s keep it light."

"That would be such a waste, though."

"Ga-eul’s not going the cosplayer route—she’s a streamer—so there’s no need to go heavy. Just capture the vibe."

"Aha, that kind of feel?"

My head was already spinning.

"Sis, can I go smoke real quick?"

"No."

"Okay."

While the two of them talked, I wandered around the shop. It felt like stepping into a fairy tale. The outfits were dazzling.

"Pretty, right?"

"Yeah!"

I didn’t understand anything else, but I could tell they were beautiful and flashy. By the time I finished looking around, the goateed owner had come out with several outfits.

"Why is the chest completely open on all of them? Isn’t the exposure a bit much?"

"On festival days you dress a little bolder. Go change quickly. It’s light, so it should be easy to wear."

"Hmm. Oh, right—boss, do you have a small scarf or something?"

"Of course."

"I want to make a cape."

When I held out Baek Seol, the surprised owner nodded.

"I have something that would suit your little friend perfectly."

"Want a pretty cape too, Baek Seol?"

"Exciting!"

The moment I stepped outside, it felt like every gaze around me had locked onto me.

"Is this really okay?"

"Ga-eul, you look amazing."

"Sis, what did you say this style was called again?"

"Gothic lolita."

"I love you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠too."

When I tried to head toward the line for entry, Eun-ah grabbed my wrist again.

"Ga-eul, we’re going that way."

"Why?"

"We registered as streamers."

"I didn’t do that?"

"I registered for you too."

While everyone else was standing in long lines, we were heading for the side entrance as streamers. It felt wrong.

"The organizers kept contacting you, but you kept kicking them out?"

"Hey. Guys, are you swinging blind? What am I supposed to do if you halve my rice bowl too?"

"If you keep this up, I’m taking your manager away."

"If you understand, do a good job."

They were cute, so I couldn’t even get mad. They must have accidentally hit the expo staff with their blind sword swings while fending off uninvited guests.

"Even if you’re a streamer, this is a festival everyone’s supposed to enjoy together. Is it really okay for some people to get special treatment?"

"In exchange, we have to participate in on-site events too. It’s because we’re promotional ambassadors, so don’t worry about it."

"Hmm. If that’s all, fine. Sis, you go in first. I’ll smoke and follow right after."

"Okay, got it."

Eun-ah went inside to set up for her own stream. I walked over to the smoking area that had been prepared nearby.

—Chik, chik.

"Hoo— Guys, let’s just finish this and go in."

While I was exhaling smoke, someone approached the smoking booth. I thought they had come to smoke, but their gaze was fixed on me.

"Um, hello."

"Who’re you?"

"I’m your kid."

The ridiculous introduction drained all the energy out of me.

"My kid?"

"No, not my kid—your kid."

"What the hell is this guy saying?"

He looked ordinary, so I couldn’t figure out what he was up to. While I was studying the man in front of me, he pulled a pen and paper from his bag and held them out.

"Host, can I get your autograph?"

"So you really are my kid?"

"You said I was your kid."

I opened the cap ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of the pen he handed me and found it was a brush pen.

"You want me to sign with this?"

"Ah! Haha, I bought it in a hurry."

I didn’t have anything particularly signature-worthy, so I was debating just writing my name large when the majestic brushwork of the Black Dragon Pavilion suddenly came to mind. I flicked my fingers and several skills appeared before my eyes.

More expensive than I expected. Starting at five million won, I waved my finger without thinking and the money vanished in an instant.

"Hoo—"

The moment I gripped the brush pen, I realized anew just how impressive the Black Dragon Pavilion’s calligraphy truly was. I swung the pen freely and completed a powerful signature that looked as though a dragon were ascending. "Ga-eul Chu" felt like it captured me well.

Smack.

"Here. Thanks for being my kid."

The fan’s face flushed bright red as he accepted the signature.

"Tsk, my little ones need another dose of their medicine. Stop spamming the chat."