“Let’s get you changed first. You’ll catch a cold like this.”
Yuhyun said, looking at me still damp even after partially drying in the drawer’s sitting room. Rin—who had crossed over to join Gyeol and me—wagged his tail in agreement. He suggested we go upstairs to our room, but I refused.
“I’m fine. More importantly—no one else is within earshot, right? Seong Hyunjae is more urgent.”
I lowered my voice as I spoke, asking him to warn me if he sensed anyone approaching.
“He’s not in great shape right now.”
The Puppeteer’s primary target was Song Taewon—but she was also after Seong Hyunjae. She’d sounded reluctant, so we couldn’t let our guard down.
‘There might be other seeds in contact besides Hwang Rim.’
The poison-dart frog wouldn’t understand, but a lower awakened rank could be tasked with small errands. And earlier, Seong Hyunjae had been able to carry off even a lower awakened being—he’d knocked one out cold. Even if a Transcendent was friendly to me, a Transcendent’s mindset could be completely alien. When we were newcomers, we often made fawning comments that fell flat. We had to be cautious.
“I wanted to dig deeper into Park Ha-yul via Chloe, but I’ll have to put that off. Without Seong Hyunjae, nothing else matters. And Ha-yul’s skill is already undone.”
“Park Ha-yul came?”
“No—Hwang Rim. He used that replication skill to undo it. He said Ha-yul requested it.”
At the mention of Hwang Rim, Yuhyun’s expression soured again.
“You really don’t like that guy? He hasn’t done half as much as Cho Hawoon.”
“Unlike Cho Hawoon, Hwang Rim isn’t trying to kill me.”
“Well... he’s not that bad.”
So Cho Hawoon was so hated precisely because she intended to kill him.
“And Hwang Rim’s harder to mess with now.”
He had a Transcendent backing him. The Puppeteer even took him earlier. If she hadn’t, we might have had to sever his tendons—brutal, but effective. To bring him out of the drawer without SS-Rank restraints, we’d have to neutralize him briefly because of the soil inside. Cutting him off completely would be hard to reverse.
“He hasn’t directly harmed me, so don’t be too harsh.”
“Cigarettes.”
“...I don’t smoke.”
And I’m thirty—no, twenty-five. Of course I shouldn’t smoke with the kids around. I really need to quit.
“Then hand it over.”
“Alright, alright. I’ll give it to someone else, not you.”
Handing cigarettes to my little brother felt wrong.
“...Mr. Han Yujin.”
Song Taewon, who’d been walking behind us, suddenly halted.
“Yes?”
“May I have your hand for a moment?”
Wondering what was up, I extended my hand. He took it, examined it closely, then spoke again.
“It really is similar to Han Yujin’s hand.”
“To what... ah.”
The Puppeteer’s hand. It looked familiar for a reason—it resembled mine.
“It was slightly larger and whiter, but the shape matched almost perfectly.”
“What do you mean? Similar to my brother’s hand?”
“Hwang Rim seems connected to a Transcendent. When we went into the drawer, that Transcendent reached in with just a hand and took Hwang Rim.”
I briefly recapped for Yuhyun what had happened.
“She can easily change appearance. Before, she took Yuhyun’s form; this time it must have been mine. So if you see me acting suspiciously, be on guard.”
“There’s no way he’d fail to recognize you. Mimicking your tone, movements, and gaze perfectly would be impossible.”
“I suppose right after the rewind, he sensed something off about me too.”
“...Back then, he knew it was you, but there were unfamiliar elements.”
After five years, new habits would surface unexpectedly. Anyway, having her in my form was awkward. Hopefully she wasn’t up to anything strange. The thought of my hand striking Hwang Rim’s head did bring a bit of satisfaction.
“Mr. Seong Hyunjae, may I come in?”
I knocked and opened the door. He still hadn’t locked it. If he was unwell, he should at least lock the door—though even a mid-rank Hunter wouldn’t help much, it was still something.
“I feel uneasy. Don’t stay alone for a while. With someone you trust... hmm.”
Director Song would be ideal, but then there was that soil issue. Evelyn could stand guard for Seong Hyunjae... though she did fire arrows without hesitation... If she knew he was weakened, I had a feeling she’d shoot rather than protect.
“There must be more safehouses, right?”
I asked as I stepped into the living room. Seong Hyunjae, seated on the sofa, looked up at me.
“So much has happened in a short time.”
“Yes—various things. I think it’d be safer for Director Song to stay out of harm’s way—”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Song Taewon spoke. He passed me and headed toward Seong Hyunjae, stopping halfway between us.
“Han Yujin, you may stop here.”
“...What?”
“I...”
He turned to me.
“I trust you, Han Yujin.”
...What was he saying all of a sudden? I stepped forward, but Yuhyun gripped me from behind, hugging me tightly. What was going on—were they scheming without me? As I stammered, Song Taewon continued.
“If Transcendents’ interference ceased, you could save this world.”
“But—Director Song, thank you for believing in me, but—”
“At first, I only felt uneasy, but not anymore. You’re someone I would protect, even over myself.”
“Why say that now?”
He spoke as if bidding farewell.
“Human affairs are for humans.”
Song Taewon’s lips curved in a bittersweet but clear smile.
“So, Han Yujin, thank you for everything.”
“Thank you for what—! Yuhyun, let me go!”
“It’s fine, brother.”
“It’s not fine! Director Song, what on earth are you planning?”
I shouted, but in my mind I already guessed. Damn it—I shouldn’t have said this with Director Song here! Still, still—
“Please wait. Don’t decide so hastily! Director Song hasn’t done anything wrong—he’s just a person, too! He deserves to live a normal life!”
“That’s why it can’t be allowed.”
His dark eyes, holding me, felt calmer and more gentle than ever.
“Those words began to taste sweet, so I cannot delay any longer. I am not without emotion.”
“...Of course. How could you be?”
“When I love something, when something brings me joy, I inevitably grow greedy for more—for myself.”
“That’s human. A normal person tries to live as happily as possible. Everyone does.”
“That is why it cannot be.”
“Damn it, why not! I’m telling you to live! Do what you want! If later you think it won’t work, we can reconsider. We’ll think it through together, however you like!”
Yuhyun—let go of me! I struggled, but the arms around me didn’t budge. Song Taewon turned away. He looked down at Seong Hyunjae, then knelt, placing a hand on one knee. Now Seong Hyunjae looked down at him.
“I’m sorry.”
After a soft apology, Song Taewon spoke.
“Please come with me.”
“It’s not a date request, right?”
Seong Hyunjae’s golden eyes curved slightly.
“A Transcendent called the Puppeteer already knew about me. Her exact purpose is unknown, but she bears goodwill toward Han Yujin, and does not intend to kill me.”
...If she simply wanted to kill Song Taewon, Hwang Rim would have easily severed his throat.
“She seemed intent on removing me and the Guild Leader from beside Han Yujin.”
“To protect Han Yujin, I presume.”
“If we leave, the Transcendents tied to us will lose interest in this world.”
“It’s already too late!”
Leaving everything behind—
“The Puppeteer targets none other than me!”
“Yes. And Han Yujin cannot stop her. Only a Transcendent can defeat a Transcendent.”
“But—two have already been captured!”
Of course, luck had aided us. In a straight fight, we had no chance.
“She can make use of me.”
“Director Song!”
“If only Chatterbox and the Crescent Moon would depart, things would be fine.”
“So you intend to take me as well?”
Seong Hyunjae smiled lightly.
“I’m sorry. But I cannot leave you behind. It’s too dangerous to abandon you.”
“As always, I see.”
“Guild Leader Seong, if your condition has worsened again, please keep your promise.”
Yuhyun’s voice cut in between them. A promise?
“What promise?”
“To not accept your brother’s ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) help again. You made that promise to me and Park Yerim.”
“...What?”
He seemed to mean the time he relieved Seong Hyunjae of his burden. But still. Yuhyun’s gaze toward Seong Hyunjae was cool and detached.
“Don’t worry about it, brother. You wouldn’t last long anyway— you know that.”
“Yuhyun!”
“So I let that go because it bothered me. Soon it would vanish anyway. Though you seem surprisingly fond of the Guild Leader.”
Yuhyun sighed softly and continued.
“Honestly, brother, it’d be cleaner to hand Seong Hyunjae over to the Crescent Moon through a newcomer or the elder.”
“No!”
“Then ask the Crescent Moon to stop Chatterbox in return. It’s quite possible—she’s a Transcendent who also seeks to save worlds. She said she wants the Origin gone too.”
I fell silent. Yuhyun was right, though. I knew it, but how?
“I don’t want to refuse Mr. Song’s request, but...”
Seong Hyunjae’s leisurely voice floated over as he looked at me.
“I already have prior engagements.”
“Oh, right. You haven’t visited the aquarium yet. And there’s still more.”
“My dear partner—”
His golden eyes narrowed briefly, as if dazzled. Then he smiled brightly.
“Please make the decision.”
“...Yes?”
“Consider the priorities. I too agree with your sister-in-law’s opinion. It’s the cleanest solution.”
Seong Hyunjae nodded slightly and continued in a detached tone.
“The Crescent Moon is likely to accept such a deal. It seems she cannot forcibly remove me from this world, and leaving Song Taewon and me together would be unsettling for her.”
The Crescent Moon probably rescued Seong Hyunjae near the world’s brink of destruction—when its protective power was weak. Otherwise, as Diarmana or the King of Harmless proposed, one could only extract through a contract.
“So if the offer is me as the price, she’d help stop Chatterbox.”
“But—Mr. Seong Hyunjae!”
“I won’t die. I’ll just live on boringly in another world.”
Seong Hyunjae sighed. He wasn’t serious—just like having to eat a disliked dish, a light complaint.
“To remain, I’ll resist until I fail, then the Crescent Moon will eliminate the Origin. But by then, Han Yujin will have lived a long life. Without the Origin, he may be even safer.”
“That is...”
“A long-lived companion he cherishes could live safely, too.”
Even centuries later, safe. Peaceful.
“Mr. Seong Hyunjae, you’d hate that.”
“I have no reason to refuse merely moving to another world.”
“...I asked if you hated it.”
He parted his lips slightly, then—smiling—answered.
“I do.”
“Then why pass it on to me! If you hate it, don’t go! Director Song too!”
Damn it. Of course. It was the safer, more likely path. If only those two were sacrificed, everyone else could live. Stopping the dungeon? Right now, it wouldn’t be too hard. Yuhyun and Yerim, learning from the elder, plus Noah with his powerful buff skill— we could repel most monsters. With Myeong-woo’s forge and my riding beasts.
If we fairly tended to the overseas Hunters, we could withstand a simple Origin assault.
“Priorities? Of course it’s our kids! If either Yuhyun or you had to die, I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d save Yuhyun. But it’s not that time yet!”
Seong Hyunjae and Song Taewon looked at me. Yuhyun kept his gaze on me. Seong Hyunjae, still smiling, turned back to Taewon.
“So that is my decision, Mr. Song Taewon.”
“I understand. I will take him forcibly.”
Song Taewon rose. Wait, wait!
“I’m not handing him over to the Crescent Moon. I will take full responsibility for as long as I can.”
He spoke calmly and reached his hand toward Seong Hyunjae. I wanted to stop him somehow, but I still couldn’t move.