Chapter 364: Interlude
I stared at the mass of darkness floating before me.
It wasn't that I had lost my fear.
"..."
I looked at the semi-transparent window that had appeared before my eyes.
[Name: X]
[Age: X]
[Talent: Rewind]
[Specialty: X]
[Background: One of the Management Bureau's most reliable bulwarks.]
[Weakness: You've grown tremendously in a short time.]
The text on the semi-transparent window was overwritten.
Does it not have a mouth? Is that why it communicates through this semi-transparent window every time? I wondered.
But no, that wasn't important right now.
I took a step forward.
"I believe you know why I've come."
The darkness remained motionless in its spot.
"...You'll get yourself killed like that."
The Troupe Leader whispered from behind me, tugging at my collar, but I ignored her and stared straight at the darkness.
The Troupe Leader wasn't wrong.
If that thing really set its mind to it, killing me would be trivial.
The fact that it could communicate through the semi-transparent window already indicated it was an extraordinary being.
Who else could do something like that?
Aestheticism, this thing... anyway, they were beings that easily defied common sense.
But there was absolutely no way this thing would kill me.
"What's the point of calling it here if you're just going to get scared?"
"I never called it."
"Right."
Come to think of it, it hadn't called it.
But regardless, there was no need to worry.
Because this thing and I shared the same goal.
"We don't have time."
I didn't know how much intelligence this thing possessed, but if it could understand me, then it must at least be capable of rational conversation.
The semi-transparent window appeared again.
[Name: X]
[Age: X]
[Talent: Rewind]
[Specialty: X]
[Background: One of the Management Bureau's most reliable bulwarks.]
[Weakness: All isolated objects have been suddenly released. Is it the work of an external group?]
"It's the third act of the play."
[Weakness: The third act means we're nearing the finale.]
"Yes. And I am the protagonist of the play."
For a moment, the darkness simply floated in the air.
It seemed to be at a loss for words.
Soon, after a brief silence, the semi-transparent window appeared again.
[Weakness: I will proceed with emergency isolation measures first.]
Simultaneously, a wind blew.
"...!"
The Troupe Leader grabbed my collar tightly from behind.
-Boom!
-Thud!
-Screech!
Sounds of something being shattered echoed from outside.
"..."
The Troupe Leader trembled like a leaf, continuing to hold onto my collar.
"Did... did you get hurt by that thing before?"
Why was she so terrified?
"..."
In response to my question, the Troupe Leader slowly nodded.
"Yeah."
"Ah, so you ran into that thing while you were in the middle of destroying the world."
"Yeah."
I wondered if things would have been different if that thing had finished off the Troupe Leader back then.
How long did I wait, lost in such thoughts?
-Whoosh!
With the sound of wind, the massive darkness reappeared before me.
The semi-transparent window appeared again.
[Weakness: Emergency isolation procedure complete.]
"Okay. Thank you."
I slightly bowed my head to express my gratitude.
So, should I go back now?
I had a feeling Song A-rin was doing something with the Manual, but I had no way of knowing exactly what.
"Alright, I'll be going then."
I said that and waited for the darkness before my eyes to disappear,
but it remained floating motionlessly in the air.
It wasn't leaving.
-Whoosh...!
The wind blew, and I felt a slight headache.
What was this?
As I felt a sense of dissonance,
the semi-transparent window appeared again.
[Name: X]
[Age: X]
[Talent: Rewind]
[Specialty: X]
[Background: The final bulwark created by the Management Bureau and the people's wish.]
[Weakness: On the day all isolated objects disappear, these too shall vanish.]
"..."
It had no name, no age, no specialty.
But only its background and weakness were shown.
Why did it show me that?
On purpose? Or was it a mistake?
While I was pondering that,
"Ugh...!"
The Troupe Leader, who had been holding me from behind, grabbed her head and retreated.
"What is it?"
"...I merely did what had to be done..."
Then, as if not hearing me, the Troupe Leader muttered to herself and shook her head.
"...No."
The Troupe Leader muttered incomprehensible words alone.
How much time had passed?
The darkness vanished completely, and the Troupe Leader stood there, sweating as if caught in a rain shower.
"Hoo... hoo..."
"What happened?"
In response to my question, the Troupe Leader said nothing, only catching her breath.
"..."
"What is it?"
Instead of answering my question, she started walking.
"I'll explain on the way."
That was all she said.
*
We walked down the corridor.
All the doors were closed, and the lights were on, so it seemed the situation had been resolved somehow.
"...If we have something like this, why not just use it whenever things get tough?"
To do such a thing without compensation... If it were me, I'd use it every time without a second thought.
"It's probably not without compensation."
Having seemingly regained her composure, the Troupe Leader muttered in a calm voice as she walked.
"Perhaps it receives something we can't even imagine."
"What would that be?"
"I don't know."
She shrugged.
"Or maybe there's a reason it has to work without compensation."
"I wouldn't know that either."
How far had we walked when,
"We really succeeded!"
"Wow!"
Members of the Management Team ran out, screaming with joy.
They made eye contact with me, bowed their heads as if in gratitude, and I wasn't sure what to say. As I stood still, the Management Team members approached me.
What should I say?
We had resolved the situation, but it was also true that many members of the Management Team had to sacrifice their lives to achieve it.
It felt like a half-baked resolution.
Seeing the celebrating people, I walked in another direction.
I felt somewhat sorry to look at their faces.
And then,
"Awesome!!"
"The HR Team is the best!"
"HR Team! HR Team!"
Applause and cheers came from behind me.
I glanced back; people had somehow found where I was and were clapping and whistling from behind.
"A perfect plot."
The Troupe Leader muttered in a calm voice, and feeling embarrassed for no reason, I quickened my pace.
The applause didn't stop until I got on the elevator.
*
When I stepped outside the Management Bureau, warm sunlight shone down.
It was a beautiful day.
If only the things that caught my eye weren't corpses or horrific scenes.
"Is the story almost over now?"
"Almost."
In response to my question, the Troupe Leader answered calmly and raised her head.
"The hero has resolved the incident, so now there's just one last thing to do, right?"
"What is that?"
"Well—"
"Hey!"
Before the Troupe Leader could finish, Song A-rin's clear, ringing voice echoed.
Looking towards the source of the sound, I saw Song A-rin running towards me, full of vigor.
"If it's over, you should say it's over!"
"Didn't it just end now?"
"You should still say something!"
What did she want me to do?
When I just stared at her, Song A-rin stared back at me and then sighed.
"Fine. As long as you're back in one piece, that's what matters. Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No."
"...Huh."
Song A-rin let out a small sigh.
"Good."
"What were you doing, Ms. A-rin?"
"I was..."
Song A-rin trailed off.
"You're the, well, the hero, right? Since this is a hero's story."
"That's right."
"Then what do you think I am?"
"A witch?"
"You wanna die?"
"A stepmother? A king filled with inferiority complex?"
"Hey!"
Song A-rin glared at me with dagger eyes.
This is why I can't stop teasing her.
"Th-the, the princess! Of course, the princess!"
"Did you just call yourself a princess?"
"You just wait until we get back."
Song A-rin gritted her teeth, her face red, and then looked at me.
"Anyway. So, my job was to create a place for you to rest when you returned."
"Hah, really."
"So..."
She looked into the distance.
A girl with deep blue hair was sitting on a bench.
"..."
My gaze met hers,
and I was the first to look away.
It didn't seem like a good conversation to have right now.
"So, what is this resting place?"
"Look carefully."
Song A-rin said with a confident expression, going over to sit on the bench.
"...It's here."
"Huh?"
Song A-rin patted the spot beside her.
"Hurry up and sit."
"Wait, seriously?"
"Have you lived your whole life being tricked? Hurry up."
Eventually, urged by her, I reluctantly sat down.
"..."
"..."
After a brief silence, Song A-rin opened her mouth.
"You worked hard."
"No, it's not over yet, is it?"
Hadn't we only finished the third act?
Who knew what horrors awaited us outside.
"Anyway."
She opened her mouth with a sigh.
"That doesn't mean you didn't work hard."
"..."
"Anyway!"
Song A-rin spoke up.
"It's over, right?"
"I hope so."
*
S#.3 Outside (Daytime)
A man opens his eyes. Beside him, a woman with purple hair also opens her eyes.
The dark sky enters his field of view, and as he stares blankly at the sky, it begins to move.
Watching the sky spin round and round, the man lets out a sigh.
Kim Jae-heon: I knew this would happen.