Side Story: Episode 18-4 - Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint

Episode 18: Father (4) Why is Shin Yoosung in this dungeon right now? Suppressing the rising questions, I slid my body into the nautilus shell where Shin Yoosung was hiding. Immediately upon my entry, Shin Yoosung closed the lid of the shell. Thump thump thump thump! A sound reminiscent of rapid drumming resonated, and I felt the air pressure around my ears change. However, apart from that, there was no other impact. This nautilus shell had shielded us from the 'Ancient Nautilus’ ensemble attack. "If we're inside here, we won't get attacked. I don't really know why..." It was a method I hadn’t considered. Come to think of it, the nautiluses here also listened to each other's ensembles, yet they didn't attack one another. Apparently, this shell acted as a sort of soundproof barrier. We laid low inside the narrow nautilus shell, holding our breaths. Once the noise subdued somewhat, I cautiously lifted the shell to scout the surroundings. In the distance, I spotted an Ancient Nautilus wandering near the terrarium. It seemed it hadn't found us yet. "I think we're safe now." As dim light streamed in through the gaps in the shell, I once more beheld the familiar face of Shin Yoosung. “It was like a magical moment.” Shin Yoosung looked flustered, stammering under my gaze. "W-what happened was, it was a creature nearing the end of its life. By chance, I could communicate with it, and it wanted to give me its home..." It finally dawned on me that Shin Yoosung was speaking of this nautilus shell. Surely there had been a hermit crab inside at some point. Yet it seemed to have passed on the shell to Shin Yoosung before its demise. Knowing Shin Yoosung, such an event was entirely plausible. After all, she is an Incarnation capable of communicating with beasts. + <Character Information> Name: Shin Yoosung Age: 11 Sponsor Constellation: None (Currently, one Constellation is showing interest). Exclusive Attributes: Beast Tamer (Rare), Reflective Killer (Common) Exclusive Skills: [Taming Lv.5], [Multi-Communication Lv.6], [Quick Footwork Lv.5], [Inter-Species Favor Lv.3] Stigmata: None Overall Stats: [Health Lv.15], [Strength Lv.12], [Agility Lv.18], [Magic Power Lv.27] Overall Evaluation: Has excellent magic power, but overall stats are low. Although possessing exceptional talent and rare attributes, it has not flourished due to environmental reasons. + I recalled the contents of "The Ways of Survival" as I compared Shin Yoosung’s current abilities with those from the main storyline. Though it was hard to pinpoint exactly, there were slight discrepancies between some skill levels and combined stats compared to what I knew. The question I had set aside earlier re-emerged. Why was Shin Yoosung in this place? According to my memories, Shin Yoosung led a wanderer's life for quite some time and only met Kim Dokja after the 'Fourth Scenario' ended. Yet here I was meeting Shin Yoosung before even the 'Flag Capture' scenario concluded. I bowed deeply from the bottom of my heart. "Thank you for saving me." "Oh, you're welcome... it's nothing!" If not for this child, I might have been hopelessly devoured by the 'Ancient Nautilus' here. [The Constellation, 'Maritime War God,' is impressed by the resourcefulness of the Incarnations.] [The Constellation, 'Demon-Like Judge of Fire,' is moved by Incarnation Shin Yoosung's good deed.] Messages from the Constellations drifted down from the void. [The Constellation, 'Demon-Like Judge of Fire,' sponsors 100 coins to Incarnation 'Shin Yoosung.'] "A-ah..." Receiving the gleaming coins that descended, Shin Yoosung uncertainly glanced my way. I nodded quickly to signal her to accept it. Blushing, Shin Yoosung bowed her head to the void. "Thank you. Thank you." [The Constellation, 'Demon-Like Judge of Fire,' is touched by the adorable Incarnation.] [An anonymous Constellation comments that it's just a ploy to extract more coins.] [The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband,' laments that these days Constellations have lost their innocence.] It felt strange. Was this the Shin Yoosung before she met Kim Dokja? In a voice low enough not to be detected by other nautilus shells, I spoke. "Sorry for introducing myself late. My name is Cheon Inho." "I'm... Shin Yoosung." After a moment of hesitation, Shin Yoosung added shyly, "You can speak informally. You're older." "No. You are my savior." Shin Yoosung widened her eyes and playfully rolled them. "But it feels wrong when an adult speaks formally to me..." Apparently, Shin Yoosung felt uncomfortable with adults addressing her politely. After some thought, I responded. "Perhaps later. You don’t know me well yet, do you?" "I know a little..." Know? Awkwardly wringing her hands, Shin Yoosung pointed to my coat pocket. "You gathered the belongings of the deceased." When did she see that? Indeed, while hunting nautilus shells, I collected the possessions of deceased Incarnations. I intended to inform the Chungmuro Group of whom I could recognize among the fallen, including Uncle Dan-soo and others. “You planned to inform others outside, right?” Participants entering the 'Chamber of Nautilus,' a 1-person dungeon, were likely in isolated situations within their groups. If they had companions, they would naturally enter dungeons meant for 3, 5, or even 7 people. Choosing solo meant there must have been reasons they entered the dungeon alone. "I merely collected items. Why did you come in alone, Yoosung?" "Ah, well..." When our eyes met, Shin Yoosung quickly lowered her head and stammered. "The adults don't like teaming up with me..." As expected, that single sentence explained everything. Why Shin Yoosung was here alone and why she had been observing my actions from hiding... "They're mean adults." "No, no. They said if I cleared this place and got the 'Sangpyeong Tongbo,' they would team up with me and take me into their group too." Terms Translated: 1. Ancient Nautilus(고대 나각) - The term 고대 나각 is translated as Ancient Nautilus, referring to a fictional creature within the story. "Ancient" implies age and timelessness, which matches the narrative usage. 2. Sangpyeong Tongbo(상평통보) - A historical Korean currency used during the Joseon Dynasty, translated directly to preserve cultural reference. An alternate would be "Ancient Token." 3. Reflective Killer(반성적 살해자) - Reflects a common attribute in RPGs or fantasy settings, indicating a combat skill of some kind. 4. Chamber of Nautilus('나각의 장') - Refers to a specific dungeon setting within the story, emphasizing the isolated nature of individual skill trials. Note: The character interaction between Cheon Inho and Shin Yoosung depicts motifs of nurturing and innocence. Cheon Inho’s demeanor highlights respect toward Shin Yoosung despite the age difference, reflecting a reciprocally respectful dynamic. This storyline portrays children like Shin Yoosung possessing inherent abilities and insight, as represented through the communication with beasts, introducing magical realism elements to their narrative context. Even before she joined the group, they made a child undergo something like that. “Those are truly bad adults.” “Oh, n-no, it's really not. From their perspective, it seemed like the only choice.” “The only choice?” “Someone said that in this world, adults and children are equal. They said children are no longer just children... But someone like me doesn't really help in combat and... I'm actually grateful for even being given a chance like this...” I was extremely troubled. [The Constellation, ‘Demon-Like Judge of Fire,’ is glaring fiercely.] [The Constellation, ‘Bald General of Loyal Troops,’ laments the loss of virtue in the Korean Peninsula!] As Kim Dokja once said, in the apocalyptic world, the gap between children and adults isn’t large. Children can become stronger by increasing their stats with coins. So it’s possible that a child like Shin Yoosung might understand the circumstances of adults and express gratitude this way. But is this really okay? With the emergence of a new world, is it suddenly all right to burden children with such weight? Can we treat them as completely equal just because their physical abilities might match those of adults? “Which group’s people said that?” Children in this world are frightening. There are even children like those from the Beggar’s Union who specialize in hunting adults. Thus, while I posed this question, I didn't disregard the possibility that all of this could be Shin Yoosung's act. After all, even when she met Kim Dokja, Shin Yoosung was a child capable of utilizing the 'sympathy of adults.' But if these intricate schemes were all formed by this little child, then that's quite impressive. Turning a blind eye despite knowing a child's desires might be the only gift an adult can offer in this crazy world. “Uh… I don't really remember the name… but it's a group within the ‘Coalition’.” The Coalition. It was a name I'd heard from Yeohyeon once. Wasn’t it the group of kings with the Tyrant King at its helm? “Let’s escape from here together.” Somehow, I had to get Shin Yoosung out of here. And, unlike the original story, I must personally confirm the faces of those adults who drove the child to the edge. [You have hunted 504 ‘Nautilus’.] [You can ‘exit the dungeon’ after 1 minute.] The time to escape was approaching fast. Having completed the target of hunting 500 nautilus, all I had to do was wait. However, Shin Yoosung spoke weakly. “I can’t go. I haven’t fulfilled my quota.” It hit me belatedly. Indeed, even adults find this dungeon challenging. Even if Shin Yoosung was exceptionally talented, it was too much to expect her to clear it alone. “I'll help you.” In the ‘Chamber of Nautilus,’ one only needs to hunt 100 nautilus to fulfill the escape condition. The problem lay with the ‘Ancient Nautilus’ seeking us from afar. But if I could stall for time while Shin Yoosung hunted the nautilus one by one — [The character ‘Shin Yoosung’ is experiencing intense mental anguish.] Seeing Shin Yoosung tremble, clutching her shoulders, I was suddenly aware that this was before she encountered ‘Kim Dokja.’ “I’m sorry. I can’t.” The memory of Shin Yoosung’s ‘First Scenario’ flashed in my mind. She was a child who had to kill her own puppy to survive. Shin Yoosung’s trauma was still very raw. “I’m sorry. You can leave without me. I can stay here, so—” Whether it was an act or not, it didn’t seem to matter anymore. If it was an act. [Some Constellations are curious about your next choice.] This world that forced Shin Yoosung to act that way is what’s wrong. “You’ll die if you stay here alone.” “...” “You don’t want to die, right? It’s okay not to say anything.” Shin Yoosung kept her head lowered. “In dangerous situations, they teach you in school what to do.” But even if it's taught at school, not everyone can do it as they were taught. Everyone knows to care for the weak and that they shouldn’t hurt others. People know they should ask for help from someone when they need it. But some people, even if they know, can’t say it. There are people who have become like that. “Yoosung, you helped me without me asking for it. Hence, I will help you.” Not because I’m an adult, nor because Shin Yoosung is a child. Simply because I’m the person who can help right now, I will. Shin Yoosung, who still couldn’t meet my gaze, spoke: “But I don’t have the confidence to kill monsters...” “Killing isn’t the only solution.” I surveyed the number of nautilus scattered around the terrarium. Probably because I had culled quite a few of them. Now, there weren’t many living nautilus left in this ‘Chamber of Nautilus.’ There didn’t seem to be any signs of their numbers regenerating. Then there’s one way we could try. “You don’t have to kill them. But it might be a bit painful.” To carry out this method, I would need Shin Yoosung's help. “It might be tougher than killing, not on your heart but your body.” “In that case.” Shin Yoosung looked up at me. “I want to try it if we don’t have to kill anything.” What a resolute child. I nodded and said: “Then let's give it a shot.” “But are you sure it’s okay? If it becomes troublesome because of me—” “It won’t be a problem. And don’t worry too much.” I smiled reassuringly, like soothing a frightened child. “No matter what happens, I will definitely protect you.” I quickly explained my strategy. Shin Yoosung was bright and swiftly grasped what I was saying. “Will that really work?” “It will.” This strategy entirely relied on Shin Yoosung’s talents. Only if Shin Yoosung trusted me, could this method work. “Let's begin.” Terms Translated: 1. Coalition(‘연합’) - Referred to a group of different factions or organizations working together within the narrative of the story. Explanations: - Shin Yoosung's experience reflects the harsh realities of an apocalyptic world, where even children are thrust into roles demanding maturity far beyond their years. The dilemma posed questions societal expectations in this new world order. - The repeated interactions with the Constellations exemplify the ongoing cosmic observation and their moral or emotional reactions to human choices. Their comments further emphasize the story's theme of external judgment and intervention. - The scene reflects deeper philosophical questions about maturity, innocence, and societal constructs in a world where conventional norms have shifted drastically. No new adjustments are needed to the existing character list based on the new context. The narrative sense is intact and consistent with the broader literary themes. I immediately flung open the nautilus shell lid and sprinted forward. Splashing through the puddles, I ran several dozen steps. Noticing my presence, the surrounding nautilus shells turned toward me in unison. ['Nautilus Ensemble' commencing.] Sound waves cascaded indifferently behind me as I ran. I increased my speed and signaled to Shin Yoosung, who was watching from afar. [Character, ‘Shin Yoosung,’ activates 'Taming Lv.5'!] [Character, ‘Shin Yoosung,’ activates 'Multi-Communication Lv.6'!] The plan was simple. While I drew the attention of the nautiluses, Shin Yoosung, having activated [Taming], would tame the nautiluses in the terrarium. This strategy drew inspiration from Shin Yoosung's status message. [Character ‘Shin Yoosung’ is currently hunting 1 nautilus.] Despite Shin Yoosung not being able to kill even one nautilus, there was already a record of her having hunted one. From this, I could deduce two hypotheses: First, Shin Yoosung could, in fact, 'kill' a nautilus. Second, merely 'taming' the nautilus was considered hunting. Regardless of which hypothesis was correct, the strategy was worth trying. Even if the plan failed— 「“I will send Shin Yoosung. It's a chance to increase the monster horde.”」 At the very least, Shin Yoosung would secure monsters to protect herself from adults. [Character ‘Shin Yoosung’ has failed ‘Taming’!] The problem was that Shin Yoosung's skill mastery was too low. From a distance, I could see the faint despair clouding Shin Yoosung’s face. “Ah, mister—” I shouted out loudly. “Stay calm and try again, one by one! You can do it!” In truth, this was a difficult task for the current Shin Yoosung. Even in the main storyline, Shin Yoosung only managed to tame 7th-grade sea creatures after receiving special training from Kim Dokja. And unfortunately, in this world, Kim Dokja was absent. However, [Exclusive Skill, 'Instigation Lv.9,' activates!] Shin Yoosung had me by her side now. Terms Translated: 1. Nautilus Ensemble(‘나각 합주’) - Represents the coordinated actions or attack from the nautilus creatures, emphasizing their combined sonic attack. 2. Taming(‘길들이기’) - Refers to Shin Yoosung's unique ability to control and manipulate beasts, an essential skill for the scenario's progression. 3. Multi-Communication(‘다종교감’) - Refers to Shin Yoosung's ability to communicate with and understand multiple types of creatures, highlighting her role as a bridge between humans and beasts. 4. Instigation(‘선동’) - This skill suggests a proactive role, enhancing others' abilities or motivating them to act, matched well with strategic leadership capabilities. Explanations: - The scene shifts to depict a dynamic bonding moment between Shin Yoosung and the narrator, who steps into a guiding role, filling the absence of Kim Dokja. - Emphasizes the power of encouragement and collective effort, themes that resonate within the story’s wider narrative of survival and reliance on each other’s strengths. - The storyline insightfully showcases how the youth must overcome their limitations with the guidance of empathetic figures in a bleak, apocalyptic setting. This passage enriches the narrative by illustrating the growth opportunities and mutual support often lost amongst chaos. There are no necessary changes to the existing character list or translated terms due to maintained consistency within the story.