Side Story: Episode 14-5 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 14. Hunting (5) * rlaehrwk37 : Isn't he fainting too often? * When I opened my eyes again, the night was already well advanced. I blinked vacantly amidst the dim hunger and thirst, then abruptly sat up straight. How many times do I faint, really? At this rate, it wouldn't even be fair to mock Kim Dokja as the 'Frequent Fainter.' Kim Dokja. This time, I hadn't encountered him. Normally, every time I faint, I’d find myself meeting him in the snowy fields. In the murky darkness, I could see an old table and counter. It seemed like a kitchen, but I guessed it was inside a nearby restaurant. "Awake?" Jung Heewon's pale face appeared from the shadows. "Ah, yes." Jung Heewon, with her hair neatly tied, was sharpening a knife under the moonlight. Feeling a strange chill, Jung Heewon abruptly held out a steel pot that was beside her. "Want to eat this?" In the pot were a few staple crops and the forelegs of a roasted mole cricket. “I’m not good at cooking, so I just tried to guess the taste. Found some condiments left in the restaurant.” "Ah, thank you." Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t eaten anything all day. With the abundance of seasonings used, the sensation on my tongue was almost overwhelming. Once the hunger and thirst subsided, I felt slightly rejuvenated, and the events leading up to my fainting began to replay sequentially in my mind. I was conversing with Yoo Joonghyuk. Jung Heewon had briefly stepped away to catch a sniper. Yoo Joonghyuk asked me about who Kim Dokja is, and as I pondered over it… I fainted? As I choked on my food, Jung Heewon offered me water. "Thank you." Even recalling it now, I couldn’t comprehend the last situation. Why on earth did I faint just from thinking about Kim Dokja? Wait a minute, more importantly. "Where is Yoo Joonghyuk?" “He left alone.” Jung Heewon responded nonchalantly, still sharpening the knife. “He left us?” Jung Heewon merely nodded. But why does she keep sharpening that knife? With a soft thunk, Jung Heewon set down the now miraculously polished knife. I had a bad feeling, like I was about to be scolded. “I told you not to die.” Her voice sparked strangely. “Do you know how startled I was?” Jung Heewon squinted her eyes, glaring at me. I hastily lowered my eyes in apology. “My apologies. But I really don’t know why it happened. I just fainted suddenly.” “Really?” “Yes, really.” “There’s no way that’s true. He threatened you, didn’t he?” “Excuse me?” “Got beaten or something? Take off your top, let me see.” “No, I really didn’t.” I avoided Jung Heewon's reaching hand as I reassured her. “Nothing happened to me. I was just talking and suddenly fainted... I guess I was a bit tired.” Jung Heewon blinked in disbelief and then sighed. “My goodness. So it was true.” Seeing Jung Heewon's expression, the situation slowly began to piece together in my mind. No way? Jung Heewon had left to eliminate the sniper on Yoo Joonghyuk's request. Returning to find me collapsed, it was obvious what misunderstanding she must have had. “Did you two fight?” “We almost did.” Jung Heewon’s lips twitched as she spoke. “But he seemed quite embarrassed. Said he didn’t do anything, and that you just fainted.” “And then?” “Of course I didn’t believe it. Does that make any sense?” It doesn’t, really. “We almost ended up in a duel.” “But then I remembered Uncle Dan-soo’s advice.” Uncle Dan-soo? “Before parting, he told me that travelling with that guy would likely lead to situations where I’d suddenly get furious, but I should try holding back once.” “Ah.” I was genuinely grateful for Uncle Dan-soo’s wise judgment. “He also mentioned there might be a misunderstanding.” Previously, even when everyone thought poorly of Yoo Joonghyuk, Uncle Dan-soo alone suggested it could be a misunderstanding. His wisdom is truly remarkable. “It was indeed a misunderstanding. Really, I fainted by myself.” “Well, that’s a relief.” But Yoo Joonghyuk just left us like this after we became companions. “Where did Yoo Joonghyuk go?” “To the north.” If it’s north, he’s likely going to rescue his younger sister, Yu Mia. It’s exactly the right timing. “Did he leave any message?” “He said he won’t be traveling with us anymore.” “What?” “He said he doesn’t need weaklings who faint at the drop of a hat…” Frustratingly, he was correct. “He said you, as Cheon Inho, can’t properly fulfill your role right now, and told me to convey that.” Yoo Joonghyuk stated that if I could act as ‘Cheon Inho,’ he would believe I am Cheon Inho. In short, it meant I wasn’t qualified. Damn it. Of all the times, I must’ve missed Yoo Joonghyuk at such a crucial moment. My head felt cluttered. The flag competition was about to end, and the ‘King's Path’ scenario was starting. Reaching the ‘Absolute Throne’ would happen in no time. “Inho, why do you want to go with that guy?” Jung Heewon asked, still not understanding. “Don’t you remember what kind of person he is? We almost died because of him, you and I.” Her words reminded me that I hadn’t explained anything to Jung Heewon until now. It made sense she wouldn’t understand this situation. That Yoo Joonghyuk was the one who had almost fed us to the aquatic dragon. “Is there really a reason to stick with him?” “Yes. There is.” Ultimately, Yoo Joonghyuk held the keys to this world. He was the 41st round regressor, and the strongest Incarnation. Yet, at the end of the 41st round, that Yoo Joonghyuk would face a tragic downfall. To prevent that ending, it was necessary to correct each of his dangerous actions one by one. Jung Heewon finally spoke after a long silence. “I heard that you’re a ‘Sado’ too. Is this related?” I unintentionally held my breath. Raising my head, I saw Jung Heewon’s darkened expression. --- **Terms:** - *Sado(사도)*: Within this context, it translates to 'Apostle,' indicating a significant religious or spiritual role or association. Alternative translations: 'Disciple' or 'Devotee.' - *Orc(어룡)* was translated as 'aquatic dragon'; in many contexts, 어룡 can refer to a mythological or gigantic sea creature. **Contextual Changes:** - No changes are required for the above list, and no new family or affiliations discovered. - Relative to Cheon Inho and Yoo Joonghyuk, additional context needed might be prior interactions suggesting mutual mistrust or betrayal, explaining why Jung Heewon is so skeptical of Yoo Joonghyuk. - Considering the repeated fainting and its mysterious trigger, further backstory within the novel might reveal a condition or narrative device tied to Cheon Inho's or Kim Dokja's character. **Additional Context:** - Cheon Inho’s perception of Yoo Joonghyuk’s evolution through multiple regressions, indicating a deeper involvement and knowledge of the latter's typical behavioral patterns, suggesting long-watched or partly-experienced shared timelines. How long must Jung Heewon have pondered before asking that question? "……Yes, it's true." A guilt that came a step too late overwhelmed me. As Yoo Joonghyuk had stated, if I were truly 'Cheon Inho' right now, then the one who had protected me would be the Jung Heewon standing before me. Both at Geumho Station and Chungmuro. Without Jung Heewon’s help, I couldn’t have survived. Yet, I had left her uninformed, crucial explanations lingering. "Throughout the scenario, Jung Heewon must have been bewildered." To someone who was once an ordinary person, tales of global upheaval, scenarios, and Constellations must have been daunting. Amidst that, ‘Apostles’ appeared claiming knowledge of the future, and to make it more bewildering, those Apostles were their companions. "I'm sorry. I’ve refrained from telling you for too long. Where did you hear that I’m an ‘Apostle’?" "Just from here and there. I overheard people talking." Even if she had pretended not to hear or see, she indeed heard it all. Nevertheless, Jung Heewon had waited all this time for me to speak up. "Do you also know the 'future' of this world, Inho?" "Yes, I do." It was time to share even this with Jung Heewon. Just like the original Kim Dokja, I too had to confront this matter head-on. I slowly stood up and bowed deeply to Jung Heewon. "I'm sorry for keeping it hidden for so long. I won't make excuses. I know the future of this world and knew about your existence beforehand, Heewon." "Oh." Startled by my sudden apology, Jung Heewon awkwardly stood up. "Your help is essential in stopping this world’s destruction, Heewon. I tried to get close to you because of that." Now that she was aware of so much, I couldn’t hide it anymore. It would be deceiving her. "So, you became friends with me because of that?" "Yes." I braced myself for her anger. Yet, some relationships can only progress by being laid bare. I bit my lip and cautiously glanced up. I expected to see a disappointed Jung Heewon, but instead, her face looked puzzled. "But… I never felt that way. It was always me who started the conversations when we were alone." I pondered. "That… seems I was lucky, then." “If I weren't 'Jung Heewon,' would we still have been friends?” I thought for a moment. If Jung Heewon wasn't Jung Heewon, would I have not befriended her? "Yes. I think that’s likely." Jung Heon was the character I liked, and the one I needed was also Jung Heewon. She might be upset, but to me, it was a question without meaning. "You're honest, Inho." "I'm sorry." "There's nothing to be sorry about. I feel relieved. I’m glad I’m Jung Heewon." "Sorry?" "Because I'm Jung Heewon, you were willing to risk your life for me. At the bridge, in the theater dungeon. Without you, I would have died that day." How can this person... A sentence came to mind, accompanied by a sudden intense emotion. "I guess I’ve come this far because of you, Mr. Reader." I bit my lip tightly without realizing it. Why does that sentence emerge now? "Thank you for finding me. I mean it, not sarcastically." How could this person remain so constant, even across different timelines? "The same goes for me. I’m alive here because of you, Heewon." Even though the sentence in my memory doesn’t describe the Jung Heewon before me, it was difficult to hide my gratitude. Jung Heewon smiled as she spoke. "In truth, I intended not to press for answers till the end. I thought you’d mention it someday. But on the theater dungeon rooftop, I had a strange experience. Since then, I’ve been a bit confused." The theater dungeon rooftop. Late memories of what happened there with Han Sooyoung resurfaced. "This world, this, world, is not, that, world." There, Han Sooyoung demonstrated the myth of 'Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint' to Jung Heewon. "So what was that story all about?" How could I explain that? "It's a story from a world different from this one." After pondering, the best solution seemed to return Jung Heewon’s own inquiry right back to her. "Then everything that woman showed actually happened?" "Yes, that's correct." I thought momentarily about the world in that story. A world where Kim Dokja and <Kim Dokja’s Company> existed. A world where Jung Heewon became the 'Judge of Demonic Annihilation,' and in which she killed Cheon Inho. "In that world, you were a downright villain, Inho." When did it happen? Jung Heewon seemed to have the well-honed ‘Mikazuki Munechika’ in her hand. I recalled the Cheon Inho who had died by her sword. The villain Cheon Inho who incited people according to his will, who killed, who plundered coins at ‘Geumho Station.’ Even though Han Sooyoung was the first to write 'Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,' I too had unambiguously written the sentences about him. The sentences making him harass, kill, and inflict pain on others—it was because he was a villain. More ferocious, callous, and logically credible, they said. Then perhaps, this moment might be a time to reclaim the ‘plausibility’ I once used. "The Inho I see now—is he the same person as the Inho from that place?"