Chapter 741: Value (7)
Chapter 741: Value (7)
“Selfish bastard.”
‘No… no.’
“A mean, useless monster that, as if it wasn’t enough, is also ugly…”
‘I…’
“I…”
“Hyunsung.”
“I… I…”
“Hyunsung?”
Whooooooooosh!
“Hyunsung!”
“…”
“Are you okay?”
“I’m… now…”
“You looked pale until now… I’m sorry if I was rude.”
“No, no. Yes. I… now…”
“What?”
“Where… here… Sigh… Sigh… where are we…”
“Hyunsung, are you okay? Wait… wait.”
The time that had passed slowly was gradually returning to its original state.
I still had trouble breathing, and tears continued to flow from my eyes. My head was so dizzy that I didn’t even think I should wipe it with my hands.
I once again looked around but couldn’t see anything. Both Kim Hyunsung from the first round and Kim Hyunsung, who turned into a monster, disappeared. I was certain that when he grabbed my shoulders, I felt like my mind and body started calming down.
“I think we need to find a place to rest for a while. Somewhere near…”
He looked bewildered and confused.
“No, I think it would be better to go to the hospital together.”
His face had urgency in it. He was probably worried.
“Are you okay? Are you not dizzy?”
“Yeah…”
“Hyunsung?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I think I will get better if I take a little rest…”
I slowly looked at the person in front of me, but I felt that he still wasn’t calming down.
The face with a tight bite on his lips looked to be angry with the current situation.
I thought I knew what he’s upset about it. I was sure he was blaming himself. He always did.
“I’m sorry.”
However, he hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I don’t know exactly what the situation is or what kind of situation you’re in, but I’m sorry for not noticing it sooner. I didn’t think you were struggling this much.”
Compared to the pain that Lee Kiyoung might be feeling, my little problems might not be much.
“I should have paid a little more…”
This man no longer needed to sacrifice.
“Ah… no. I can’t…”
“Yes.”
“I can’t cause you any more trouble.”
“You don’t have to think about that.”
“Don’t mind me. This… is already enough. Just saying that and thinking like that… It’s not that serious in the first place. I just got dizzy for a moment, so don’t worry.”
“How can I not worry? We shouldn’t stand here like this. We should look for a place to sit for a while…”
“No. It’s really okay. I’m fine now.”
It’s really okay now. I realized what I had to do.
“Don’t do that.”
“No. Now… You don’t really have to worry.”
I realized what I could do and what was given to me.
“It’s fortunate… if you say so, but…”
“I always seem to make you worry.”
“What?”
“It seems like I always made you worry. I remember… this happened last time too. If you hadn’t come back then, I would’ve been wandering there forever. Unlike Kiyoung, I am a very weak human. I would have stayed there over and over again. I was really grateful.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I am really grateful to you for making it possible for me to see new scenery.”
“What are you saying suddenly?”
“Thank you so much for carrying my burden. And I’m very sorry. I am really sorry that I turned away and ran away after leaving you a burden that should not be left. I just kept avoiding you and…”
“Everyone runs away. And I have never criticized you. You’ve also carried my burden…”
“No, I never did. I’ve always been busy running away when you needed me. I did nothing but turn away, avoid, and hide. Perhaps… perhaps I was waiting for someone to take me out of here too. And ask me… Could you come back again? I’m just thinking about that… I was a human who only ran away. I’m a weak and unworthy human being.”
“…”
“In fact, I’m no different now. I’m afraid… of getting out of this place. Whenever I have this option, I always become nervous. I can’t stand the fear. I hope Kiyoung and others will hold my hand. I think I can be a little more confident if you hold my hand again like that time, but I now realize that I’m acting like a fool. I knew that could be a pain for others.”
“…”
“This time, I found out that I have to come out alone.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but Hyunsung.”
“…”
“Everything that you want will be done. Whatever you choose, it will all work out.”
I thought I needed that. Even in that situation, I was waiting for relieving words.
“You don’t have to be afraid.”
That man had no way to be afraid. He lost his memory, and even while he was dying, he was a man who always looked at the world with a good mindset. Thinking about it, that was why I was able to go outside even then. When I looked into his eyes, I felt like I could escape my fear of failing terribly. I could’ve been convinced that the choice he made was the right choice. The person before was never wrong, after all.
But that too was just an act of passing him the burden. I left him the responsibility for the choice.
“I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“I’m really sorry for everything that has happened so far.”
At that moment, it was my turn to take responsibility. It was time to embrace everything and put a period to everything.
I walked slowly.
“Hyunsung? Hyunsung?”
I heard him calling me from behind, but I didn’t stop or even look back.
After all, I knew that my determination would be broken once again if I turned my head. I felt him holding my hand, but I had to shake it off right away.
“Hyunsung!”
The scenery that was changing more and more rapidly was reflected in my view. I could see people looking at me with surprised eyes.
Shirts and jeans had suddenly turned into heavy armor. The colorful streets became darker and darker.
People disappeared one by one, and the sunset landscape was covered in great darkness. A crackling sound continued to be heard, and unpleasant air filled the place.
It was only after a lot of time that I could see the woman sitting at a large desk and stroking a book.
“Lucifer.”
-…
“Lucifer.”
-What are you doing here? Is there something that didn’t work out well? Anything you don’t like?
“I want to go out.”
-What?
“I want to get out of this place.”
-…
“I have to go outside.”
-I don’t know what you’re talking about… Didn’t I tell you? Everything will be a mess if you step forward.
“No, it won’t be that way.”
-On what grounds?
“Because I will put an end to it. I won’t run away anymore.”
-You have an interesting idea, you scum. You are not the main character. Even if you say you’re going to embrace everything and end everything, there’s no guarantee that it will work out as you desire. It’s one thing you regressed. Your specialty is only that much, and you were chosen because you were lucky, no, unlucky. I bet if you get out of here, you’ll regret it. Again, you will scream that you made the wrong choice.
“…”
-It would be better to wait quietly, don’t you think so? You’ll fail once again otherwise.
“I won’t.”
-On what grounds?
“Because I’ve made up my mind to do that.”
-You won’t be at the ending you pictured. Is it okay that you will not be in the daily life you dreamed of?
“I don’t care.”
-You’ve been hiding in fear, and now you’re willing to sacrifice for the future of others…
“Only now did I realize what my role was. I clearly said I wanted to go out, Lucifer. That was the contract.”
-Well, how about thinking a little more?
“…”
-You’ll regret it.
“I already have enough regrets.”
-You will fail.
“I only know now that you would never put an end to it, Lucifer.”
-I am the one who is hoping for an end more than anyone else.
“No. All you want is confusion.”
-Do you still want to go out? I can do that. It’s also very easy to make the future of your dreams come true.
A dreamlike reality unfolded in front of me again. A red sunset was setting in the dark sky, and the moon was slowly rising.
I saw the guild members. Everyone was laughing while talking about something unimportant.
I was sitting there too, smiling brightly. It was a dreamlike sight, a very beautiful scenery. It was a splendid vision that made me laugh automatically.
-Look at you. Look at you laughing like a child. This is what you dreamed of. This is what you were holding with the greatest value. Oh, how about something else. It may be a little unrealistic, but how about going into the past? Yes. It will be fun to meet them before they land on the continent. It would be nice to spend your school days together. If not, that too…
“I want to go out. Let me go, Lucifer. Fulfill the contract.”
-…
“…”
-…
-You stupid, stupid human.
I felt as if my closed eyes were slowly reopening. A landscape different from the one that looked like a dream came into my eyes.
It was a ruin stained with darkness and stench.
The place filled with the bodies of angels certainly felt more familiar to me than the scenery I saw earlier.
As I slowly raised my hand, I saw a monster-like arm. Perhaps because of the huge horns, my head felt unfamiliar. My reflection in the stagnant, rotten puddle seemed to be worse than I had expected.
I had finally come back to reality. I could recognize it. A familiar voice came in when I was laughing at myself.
[A total of 2,124 forced quests are in progress. You will be viewing forced quests that have not been checked.]
[A Legendary-grade forced quest has been created.]
[I forgive your sins. Wake up, regressor of Altanus. (0/1)]
[Quest-Clear Reward: Future (0/1)]
“Haha…”
[Legendary-grade forced quest has been created.]
[I forgive your sins. Please, I wish for you to wake up, regressor of Altanus. (0/1)]
[Quest-Clear Reward: Future (0/1)]
“Hahaha… Ha… Huh… Sniff…”
[Legendary-grade forced quest has been created.]
[I forgive your sins. Wake up, regressor of Altanus. Then I will give you the future. (0/1)]
[Quest Clearing Reward: Future (0/1)]
“Sniff… Sniff…”
[Legendary-grade forced quest has been created.]
[I forgive your sins. Wake up, regressor of Altanus. Then I’ll give you whatever you want. (0/1)]
[Quest Clearing Reward: Future (0/1)]
“Sniff… Sniff…”
[Legendary-grade forced quest has been created.]
[Please. Please. Wake up, regressor of Altanus. Then I will give you a dreamlike future. (0/1)]
[Quest Clearing Reward: Future (0/1)]
“Sniff…”
[Legendary-grade forced quest has been created.]
[I forgive your sins. Please wake, regressor of Altanus. Then I will give you the future. I will give you the future at all costs. I will give you anything you want under my name. (0/1)]
[Quest Clearing Reward: Future (0/1)]
“Sniff… Sniff…”
[Legendary-grade forced quest has been created.]
[Wake up, Kim Hyunsung. Please… don’t die. Please. (0/1)]
[Quest Clearing Reward: Future (0/1)]
“Sniff… Sniff…”