Side Story: Episode 12-7 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 12. □□ (7) Han Sooyoung collapsed to the ground. The man's hands no longer bore any trace of blood. Alphabets spilled from his fingertips like grains of sand, whispering in her ear. 「He was once Kim Dokja.」 It couldn’t possibly be true. Yet, no matter how much she shook her head to deny it, the reality before her eyes remained unchanged. 「49% of Kim Dokja, whom she had personally severed.」 When Kim Dokja's fragments scattered across the universe, she had pondered the existence of such a being. Perhaps, even the Kim Dokja she believed to be an [Avatar] was just a small fragment, reincarnating in a distant part of the vast cosmos. 「“Our son, such a fine child.”」 In that universe, he would live a new life with a new name. 「“Honey, it seems our son likes books.”」 「“Could he be aiming to become a scholar?”」 Unlike Kim Dokja, he would have grown up in a warm family, cherished by his parents. 「“Bwaaaaaah.”」 He would have cried bitterly over lost first loves. 「“Pfft. Love only makes people weak.”」 He would have created some embarrassing pasts, venting his youthful folly. 「“Hak Hyun, what’s your dream?”」 Perhaps he even found that new dream he had longed for. 「“To be a writer.”」 He worked tirelessly towards that dream. 「Announcement of the 24th Newcomer Award. Winning work: ‘Origin of Memory’. Author: Lee Hak Hyun.」 At times, he would have faced the harsh limitations of reality and despaired. 「“I’m sorry, Author. As you know, the paper book market isn’t doing well these days…”」 「“How about trying a web novel? These days, that’s more in demand…”」 Yet he never relinquished the dream. 「“Author, you shouldn't write it like this. Have you tried reading your lines aloud?”」 「“Can I really make a living from writing…?”」 In exchange for not abandoning his dream, he met the man from his dreams and 「“You look like a web novel author.”」 finally arrived at the roots of his lost identity. 「“Editor, I think I’ve finally got what it takes.”」 「“What’s the title of your new work?”」 「“Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.”」 Han Sooyoung read and reread his fragmentary narrative. The existence that refused to be reborn as Kim Dokja. The one who helped his companions search for their lost memories. The man who was once a ‘reader’ who forgot this story, 「I wish to have my own story.」 now returned to the narrative as an ‘author’. Han Sooyoung clutched his hand for a long while. "Get up." His limp body swayed feebly. "You didn’t come here to die." It wasn’t a wound that could be healed. "After all the suffering, you found the life you wanted and left." Why did he have to return here? Han Sooyoung didn’t know the answer. Perhaps Lee Hak Hyun had to discover it for himself. Instead, Han Sooyoung recalled every sentence of ‘Ways of Survival’ and ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’. But no matter how much she thought about it, there was no way to heal his wounds in ‘this world’ now. Han Sooyoung took a light breath and lifted her head. She gazed into the darkness, searching for something like stars in the night sky, before reaching inside her coat. Sssst. The Star Stream watches over you. Some constellations are observing your actions. Some stars are wary of your actions! The Content Management Bureau considers a "Plausibility Approval." The channel vibrated intensely, signaling the onset of plausibility aftershocks. In the Star Stream, reviving someone costs far more plausibility than killing them. Especially if the existence is already marked for death, it goes without saying. Moments later, Han Sooyoung held a small pill in her hand. Elixir of Life and Death (生死丸). The ultimate elixir crafted by Lee Seolhwa, an item that ‘does not yet exist in this world.’ She didn’t expect to use the emergency remedy she had cautiously brought with her here. A number of constellations doubt the existence of the item you retrieved. The Content Management Bureau prepares to intervene in the scenario! If she used this item, she would surely face the aftershocks of plausibility. This is because it is an item that should not exist in the current world. "You weren’t supposed to sacrifice [Avatar] here…." Han Sooyoung pushed the Elixir of Life and Death into Lee Hak Hyun’s mouth. With a warm glow, his entire body softly illuminated. There was something she wanted to ask. But now she was out of time. With a brilliant white spark, her Avatar began to dissipate. The plausibility aftershock was beginning to surge forth. In the final moment, she grasped the lemon candy that was held in Lee Hak Hyun’s hand and spoke. "Tell him I’ve accepted it well." * Gentle snowflakes brushed against my cheek. When I opened my eyes to the pure white sky, I immediately realized where I was. 「Kim Dokja!」 As I jumped up and exclaimed, a familiar voice answered from behind. 「Over here.」 At the center of the snowy field, Kim Dokja squatted, reading something. Was it the ‘Ways of Survival’? Or had someone already given him a new novel? The moment I thought of that, I felt a sense of embarrassment. Lemon candy. 「Sorry, I couldn’t keep the promise.」 Kim Dokja smiled silently. I awkwardly offered an excuse. 「But I couldn’t help it. My pride as a writer was on the line too.」 「How was Han Sooyoung?」 I thought for a moment before replying. 「She was strong.」 Kim Dokja had clashed with Han Sooyoung numerous times. They fought repeatedly until they finally became comrades. 「And she was an excellent writer.」 Feeling somewhat lighter, I added. 「Honestly, I think that in that world line, I might not even be necessary.」 The theater dungeon was cleared, and my task was complete. In that version of Han Sooyoung, she wouldn’t insist on maintaining the same ending after witnessing my death. She would find a way, somehow. Terms and Explanations: 1. **'Ways of Survival'(멸살법):** Translated directly to maintain the original name, which is a key concept within the narrative. 2. **Elixir of Life and Death (生死丸):** The translation retains the Chinese character for depth and keeps its mystical essence. 3. **Avatar(아바타):** The use of 'Avatar' maintains its connotations from its source and general cultural understanding. Changes to Existing List: 1. **산사환 (Elixir of Life and Death):** Added context in terms of its specific mystical crafting by Lee Seolhwa. Narrative Context: This passage provides insight into the layers of reality and reincarnation themes within the narrative, alongside the continuous loop of characters finding their destinies entwined across realms and narratives. The convergence of Kim Dokja's identity, Lee Hak Hyun's dream, and Han Sooyoung's actions highlight their intertwined fates. Yoo Joonghyuk sealed away or an ending where the readers are not sacrificed. A method I couldn't find, but she might. 「Han Sooyoung doesn’t seem to think that way.」 「Huh?」 I pondered what he meant. Was it the fatigue? My mind wasn't functioning properly. 「This is your story.」 My story. Suddenly, my head felt dizzy. 「I’m just an extra villain. All I've done is incite others to see me as someone I’m not.」 Throughout the continuation of the scenarios, I had to become Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk multiple times. I struggled through the scenarios and ultimately died. Maybe because I wasn't truly Kim Dokja or Yoo Joonghyuk. 「But you are Lee Hak Hyun.」 For some reason, those words made me feel like crying. 「And now you are Cheon Inho.」 「…….」 「The name doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you were sharing your story from there.」 I felt as though I’d heard similar words somewhere before. But I couldn't recall who said them. Consciousness began to fade slowly. Could it be because I was about to die? I struggled to stay awake and asked Kim Dokja. 「Are you...？」 There were so many things I wanted to ask, but I didn’t know what to say. There were too many questions. I wanted to ask if he was having a hard time. If he wanted to quit enduring that long scenario, story, and time. Why he hadn’t returned to his companions yet. Kim Dokja opened his mouth. 「I have a mantra I recite when things get tough.」 I knew what that mantra was. We spoke at the same time. 「I am Yoo Joonghyuk.」 Names aren’t what’s important. For a moment, I felt like I understood what he meant. Hadn't we been enduring life by borrowing each other's stories countless times from the start? 「I tried that too, but it didn’t make me really Yoo Joonghyuk.」 「That’s true.」 Kim Dokja nodded as he said that, and I couldn’t forget his expression for a long time. 「But when I say that, I feel a little more like ‘Kim Dokja’.」 * I suddenly opened my eyes, feeling a sharp pain throughout my body. It seemed I needed to use the mantra I just heard. "I am Yoo Joonghyuk." I didn’t use [Incite]. Nevertheless, I felt a bit of strength returning. Breathing heavily, I lifted my upper body and saw the rooftop of the ruined theater dungeon. I could feel faint mana around my heart. It seemed that fresh skin had mysteriously grown over the hole that had been in my chest. 「I survived.」 I didn’t know how this was possible. I remembered fighting Han Sooyoung, and my chest was pierced, resulting in death. The last sentence I wrote concluded with my death. The scene’s title was ‘The Villain’s Death,’ and that was an unchangeable truth. 「And yet, I was alive.」 With a rustling sound, something slipped off my shoulder. The white coat Han Sooyoung wore. Clutching the coat, I stood and looked around. I saw Yoo Joonghyuk and Jung Heewon unconscious. Judging from their stable breaths, it didn’t seem like they were seriously injured. Where did Han Sooyoung go? Dawn had already broken. A meteor shower streaked across the boundary of the sky. It belatedly dawned on me that this place was the theater dungeon. Kim Dokja and his companions would have watched that scenery too. Kim Dokja’s words, viewing the meteor shower with infinitely cold eyes, now resonated within me. 「The scenario was just beginning.」 I had barely reached the third main scenario and already lost my life. The cold sensation of death was still vividly present at the brink. I survived this time by luck, but would that be the case next time? The upcoming scenarios were incomparably more fearsome than the ‘theater dungeon.’ Can the readers who came with us endure all those trials and survive? 「This is your story.」 Can I protect them? I placed a hand on my forehead to counter the rising dizziness. In the distance, the sound of footsteps approached. As the scenario ended, people were climbing up to the rooftop, having escaped from the movie. Finally, the door to the rooftop flung open, and someone took the first step forward. They then asked towards me. “Kim Dokja?” I instinctively looked around, but Kim Dokja was nowhere to be seen. Understanding arrived a moment late. Strong dawn light cast a radiant glow behind me. Shadows lengthened on my face. The hand pressed to my face from dizziness. The ‘Enhanced Exterior Suit’ worn by Kim Dokja from the original. And the white coat in my hand. I understood what they might have misunderstood. I wanted to smile and tell them I wasn't Kim Dokja. But upon seeing the faces of people that seemed on the brink of collapse, all my words lost strength and disappeared. People who read the story, loved the story. People who endured life by watching their beloved character’s story, feeling joy or sorrow. I heard the voices of those who crossed the door first asking those trailing behind. “Ki, Kim Dokja?” “Is it Kim Dokja? Is it true?” Desperate words retrieved from deep despair. Hoping that beyond the door they flung open, the Kim Dokja they sought would be present. 「In that moment, I understood Kim Dokja.」 In the distance, the sound of a small meteor falling. I quietly looked down at the coat Han Sooyoung left behind. 「I am Writer Lee Hak Hyun, and Inciter Cheon Inho.」 Perhaps this is something only I could do. [‘Reflections on Almost Everything’ masquerades as ‘Thousand Changes Stealth Garment’!] I quietly closed my eyes, envisioning a man's face. [‘Thousand Changes Stealth Garment’ activates!] The man laughed at the people with a pale face. The one who wished to see the epilogue of a novel, holding the ending of this world alone. Terms and Explanations: 1. **‘Reflections on Almost Everything’(‘거의 모든 것에 대한 상념’):** A concept within the narrative that allows for transformation, indicating a multitude of perspectives. 2. **‘Thousand Changes Stealth Garment’(‘천변만화 잠행복’):** A stealthy art used to hide one's identity, giving the protagonist the ability to maintain or change appearances effectively. 3. **Inciter(‘선동가’):** Someone who rouses others to action or perception, highlighting Cheon Inho’s role within events. Changes to Existing List: None for this section, as the existing list sufficiently aligns with the context. Narrative Context: The passage explores identity, transformation, and the power of narratives by embodying different characters’ characteristics. It further delves into the resilience conferred by assuming other identities to survive within a multilayered story, blurring lines between real and assumed identities for survival and communal support. The protagonist of this story. The white coat flapped in the wind blowing past the buildings. As I slowly removed my hand from my face, people began to cry upon confirming my identity. “It really, truly exists.” “I told you! I knew it would be here!” Just by recognizing the presence of someone, hope blossomed in their expressions. “Kim Dokja!” Once, hearing that name would cause a sharp pain in my chest. But not anymore. 「This world still needs Kim Dokja.」 I don’t know if there truly is a Kim Dokja in this world. 「Nevertheless, this is still a story about Kim Dokja.」 Thankfully, lies are what I do best. I gave a bittersweet smile and waved my hand to the people. 「However, it is not a story about just one Kim Dokja.」 Author’s Note Hello, this is Sing Shong. The first season of the side stories has come to an end. We will be on a break from May 22nd to June 12th for a total of three weeks, during which I will focus on recuperating and building up new stories to return with. Reading the kind words from the readership always gives me strength. I will do my best to ensure that the time we’ve spent together is honored until the very end. Thank you sincerely. +) For those who have asked about the length of the side stories, I estimate it’ll be around 200 to 300 chapters! (Probably) Terms and Explanations: 1. **Author’s Note:** This section provides a message directly from the author to readers, usually updating them on the story’s progression and any upcoming breaks or changes. Narrative Context: This passage emphasizes the communal nature of storytelling and the shared hope embedded in narratives. It encapsulates the idea that a story's significance extends beyond a single individual, becoming a collective of shared experiences and identities.