I almost dropped my phone.

The screen quickly returned to normal. White background with black text. For a moment, I wondered if I had hallucinated.

Maybe I hadn't. I might be an existence that shouldn't be bound to this place. Taking a deep breath, I moved to the next page.

Chapter 3.

This was the chapter where the subtitles began to change, and also the first appearance of Cartesia.

She was crying.

***

[RE 003. Even Across Dimensions (1)]

Compared to the fourth dimension, the seventh dimension is much closer to the eleventh. Cartesia could sense fragments of higher-dimensional sights that ordinary humans couldn't perceive.

The signal had been cut off. The contract they had first established one-sidedly had lost its effect.

A broken contract generally means the death of the contractor. That's why at first, she thought Eidel had died. So Cartesia, uncharacteristically, shed tears. Why am I acting like this?

But who was Cartesia? The God of Wisdom and Curiosity. She suddenly became curious.

That kid, is he really dead?

Eidel's mental strength had been unusual from the beginning. That's when she realized he wasn't an ordinary human. And she also knew that he originally came from another world.

Therefore.

If.

If she could connect the two worlds, it might be possible to resurrect him or summon him back.

Cartesia quickly realized it was theoretically possible. After all, if an 11th-dimensional outer god could do it, then she could too, though it might be a bit difficult.

She was curious.

Would it be possible?

Cartesia had the kind of personality where she had to resolve any curiosity that arose.

"Black-haired girl, I have something to discuss."

Even if it meant seeking help from a rival.

***

[RE 004. Even Across Dimensions (2)]

Ireh, along with Cartesia, was one of only two beings who knew Eidel's true name. That's why she could empathize with Cartesia's proposal.

"Let's do it. I was thinking the same thing anyway."

Eidel had shown her what hope was. She had been saved by him. Now it was her turn to save him.

"Tell the other companions too. We'll bring that kid back ourselves."

"I've told them several times. No one believes me."

"Why?"

"They say the dead don't return..."

Even the wives who had been wavering eventually came to their senses. They couldn't deny reality forever. Rustila and Zernya had children to take care of.

"Practical, aren't they?"

Cartesia hummed a tune. If they succeeded, opportunities would come tumbling in.

"Black-haired girl, no, Ireh Hazlen. You and I will be the first penguins."

First penguins.

Penguins must dive to get food. But predators swarm beneath the surface. Penguins can't help but hesitate.

Then, when the first penguin jumps into the water, the rest of the group follows. The future of the first penguin to enter is one of two: either it catches the biggest fish, or it gets eaten by an orca.

"If you want success, you can't fear failure. If there's even a slight possibility, I'll drag that kid back here. Even if he throws a tantrum saying he doesn't want to."

"You... truly are an outer god."

"Did you forget already? I'm selfish. I get everything I want."

Cartesia stroked her lower abdomen and flicked her tongue.

***

[RE 005. Even Across Dimensions (3)]

When a thesis advisor dies unexpectedly, their graduate students typically transfer to other labs with similar research topics.

That's why Ireh took a leave of absence from graduate school. She didn't want to graduate under another professor. Moreover, the physics department was male-dominated, and there were still many people who made her uncomfortable.

Ireh began collaborative research with Cartesia. Using Seti's name, they revisited the graviton cannon activation facility. That's where they could find clues.

"A way to cross dimensions. Gravitons might be the key."

The idea was simple. To summon him again using a method similar to how "The End" had brought Eidel to this world. But without any of the risk factors.

"We need to experiment..."

Support was scarce. Humanity couldn't afford to attempt massive projects for the time being. Even if they wanted to open a dimensional gate, electricity was insufficient.

Eventually, the plan to directly link the 4th dimension through the 11th dimension was scrapped.

They found a more complex but cost-effective method.

"I'll go meet that kid directly in the 7th dimension. I have plenty of Pron and Coin."

They sourced necessary resources through the artifact "Star Egg." Cartesia collected and processed data. The initial information created was then channeled through her neural network.

Though the contract was broken, traces remained. After all, how many messages had they exchanged? Following that now-faint path to send letters, one naturally begins to hope. Perhaps, after sleeping and waking up, a reply might be waiting.

'If a reply comes, I could immediately pinpoint the location.'

It wasn't something to expect right away. They had no choice but to focus on anti-graviton research. Somehow, they needed to find a way to mimic the Laplace-system outer gods.

While Cartesia concentrated on that method, Ireh and Seti embarked on another venture.

They began making money using the legacy Eidel had left behind.

***

[RE 010. Legacy of the Departed (5)]

They succeeded. They confirmed that by colliding small black holes created by particle accelerators, they could generate energy stronger than ever before.

Though the yield was still insufficient, the potential was visible. The project, undertaken at the cost of bleeding resources, concluded successfully. Humanity gained courage. Courage to move forward.

The era of living off constellations and nuclear fusion energy was coming to an end. People who smelled money bought stocks one after another. At the center of it all was Seti.

"Money... is accumulating!"

Seti was excited, watching the rising line graphs.

"This, with this...!"

She could revive the business. She could clear the debts. She could restore the Rheinland family.

Once sufficient capital came in, Seti von Rheinland was a financial genius who could multiply money faster than any capitalist.

***

[RE 015. A Gift to a Loved One (1)]

Eidel von Rheinland's death was confirmed. At least, that's what the country believed.

As soon as the federation regained financial stability, they held his funeral. It was a state funeral, no less. Since there were no remains, a coffin filled with clothes Eidel used to wear and his papers was sent to orbit the universe once before being laid to rest in the heroes' cemetery.

Rustila and Zernya shed tears after a long time. They thought emotions would dull with time, but why...

Sonia couldn't hold back either. She resented the young master who had saved everyone and then left.

Above all, she was sad that she didn't have a child with the young master. If she had known this would happen, she would have pestered him for his seed.

"It's enough now. I feel empty."

Sonia had long lost her sense of purpose. Can a dedicated servant still be a servant without a master? No matter how much she cried out for him to return, she didn't even know where he was.

At some point, Sonia stopped wearing her maid uniform.

"There will be a funeral service. Lastly, I ask the bereaved family to prepare burial goods to be buried with the coffin."

The wives wrote letters. Asking where he had gone. Begging him to return.

It was a gift to a loved one.

And similar gifts were being prepared elsewhere.

By Ireh and Cartesia. The two created letters with similar content, choosing a more sophisticated and scientific method of delivery.

It was the result of understanding the multiverse to some extent through anti-graviton research.

They decided to spread this wish to as many universes as possible. In the form of love letters.

***

I was surprised while reading Chapter 15. My name appeared directly.

[Eidel von Rheinland, no. Jinsoo Lee. If you're reading this, please contact us. Even a simple reply would be fine.]

[I want to see you. Everyone is waiting for you. We don't even know where you are, whether you're alive or dead.]

[Rustila and Zernya cry every day. They hide and cry at dawn so it doesn't affect the children. My heart feels like it's being torn apart too.]

[So, please...]

I remember telling Ireh my real name. The truth that I was a transmigrator from another world, and that I wanted to save her from her suffering. From there, we opened up and became comrades.

From comrades to mentor and mentee, and beyond that relationship to lovers.

[Eidel von Rheinland. Jinsoo Lee. Whatever name, it doesn't matter. To me, you're just a kid. Like a potato that would crumble if squeezed.]

[Someday, I'll search every universe to find you. Even if you're dead, it's fine. I'll find a way to bring you back. Surely you don't think I can't do that much?]

[It would be good for your well-being to respond while I'm still asking nicely. I don't have that much patience.]

[You jerk. If you were going to leave like this, you shouldn't have seduced me in the first place.]

Chapters 16 through 20 were filled with messages from Ireh and Cartesia. Despite the substantial amount of text, each word hit heavily.

Those days come back vividly. The days when I gave my all to win the war against the outer gods. The more I read, the more I realize it wasn't a dream.

[RE 762. Please Let This Reach You (584)]

Feeling I couldn't bear it anymore, I went to the latest chapter. It wasn't long. Just one sentence.

[Come back.]

I clicked on the previous chapter.

[Come back.]

And the chapters before that.

[Come back.]

[Come back.]

[Come back.]

[Please.]

[Where on earth are you?]

Yes, that's right. I need to go back.

But where? And how?

Haven't I actually returned to where I originally belonged? Isn't this my rightful place? If I go back again, won't another Laplace appear and intervene?

All sorts of thoughts crossed my mind. Reality and delusion. Truth or falsehood. Me as Jinsoo Lee and me as Eidel. Now I don't even know which is the real me.

I was confused.

As I seriously considered whether I should visit a psychiatric hospital, I remembered what Senior Lee Tae-yeon had told me.

When you see an opportunity, grab it.

Recognizing when that opportunity comes is also a skill.

"..."

Let me be fooled just once.

I began writing a long, complaint-filled comment.