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Translator: thursdays Editor: Yahiko PR: LightBrin
It was silent.
“Wh-what…”
There was nobody around. This place was near the forbidden books that the Librarian had pointed out. Only three people, excluding the Librarian, were here, and no eyes were watching us. So, the Librarian’s stammering sounded even louder.
“What a cruel thing to do.”
The Librarian covered his mouth with his sleeve.
“Death King. Do you recognize what you’re saying? The Constellation Killer died in that school’s world. No, these words aren’t enough. That world made the Constellation Killer die. It forsook him! But you want him to enter that world again to regain [Kim Yul]’s memories. That’s so…”
The reason the Librarian couldn’t finish his words was not because he was grumbling. It was because I had let go of the director’s hand to hold the Librarian’s wrist. His sleeve slid down, revealing his bare face.
“Such a…”
The Librarian was grinning.
“Cruel thing to do…?”
“That’s right. It is cruel.”
I bluntly stared at the Librarian. He already seemed to be imagining the stage I proposed as his cheeks burned red.
“But you’re biased. Do you know what’s really cruel? The people who lived in [The Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon]. The common people. The humans who turned into corpses, not knowing why, because a Constellation died at the hands of the Constellation Killer. What they suffered through is true cruelty.”
“Ahem. Mm. Hmm. Well, that is a fair point…”
The Librarian’s eyes were half-closed.
“So, in the end, you plan to return all of the Constellation Killer’s memories?”
“If I can do such a thing, of course I will.”
“Will you make him apologize to the numerous victims in [The Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon]? Do you know how many Constellations the Constellation Killer has slaughtered so far? Will you make him apologize to everyone who lived in that world and everyone who died?”
“Yes. At least for the people of the world I’ve become responsible for.”
“Death King…”
The Librarian gasped.
“You speak so prettily of the road to hell…”
The Constellation spoke as if I was a devil tempting him to ruin.
“It’s only natural that I have favorites. Ahh. I know how the path ended for a human who chose a path like yours. This knowledge is infinitely regrettable. That person… No. It is against my agreement to reveal this information.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt this enjoyable conversation, but…”
I let go of the Librarian’s wrist and uttered softly, “Open the book.”
The Librarian giggled.
“Happily.”
The Librarian opened [The Tale of the Ascending City].
“The trauma you dreamed of is nothing more than a fantasy. It’s an artificial, temporary world. Even if you fix the ending, it cannot be incorporated into the true history. To put it bluntly, it is a side story. Honestly, I have never enjoyed such a delicacy, so I am uncertain how the stage will be handled.”
Black smoke billowed out of the book.
Yes, black smoke.
Up till now, white light was exuded whenever an Apocalypse was opened. This time was different. The ominous, writhing smoke was as black as the tentacles of the Void that had swallowed the nightmare.
“Huh? Hmm?”
Seeing it, the librarian was a little surprised. He seemed to have noticed something.
“This is the shade of Zrakua’s Asin… Ah, of course. Of course! I thought that even a golden contract would not have enough power to materialize a world through trauma. Indeed! Someone very important must have intervened. To favor Death King to this extent—many people will be overcome with jealousy…”
Someone favored me?
Who?
[The Corner Librarian is trying to negotiate.]
While I was questioning things, the Librarian was muttering like he was speaking with someone.
“Mhm. If so, the viewers for this stage will… That will be difficult. That world has already become the master’s domain. Huh, true. Then, please leave a record in the Apocalypse after the challenge is over, at least.”
The black smoke writhed.
“Good! As expected, you are a gentleman who understands reason. Our lovable clown…”
The Librarian smiled.
He stroked the black smoke like it was a cute pet.
“Death King. Constellation Killer. Death King’s fosterer. I designate these three people as new characters in [The Tale of the Ascending City – Side Story]. When you guys open your eyes, the world of the [Side Story] will not have come to its unfortunate discontinuation yet. But beware. Especially you, Death King.”
The Librarian twined a black tentacle around his long finger.
“You have the attention of a higher-up.”
“…What do you mean?”
“The Tower remembers everything. While I gain a glimpse into your past by reading this book, the Tower remembers you in the truest sense. Of course, the Tower remembers that you used a [shortcut] to get up to the 50th floor.”
“Because you broke the strict rules of the Tower, you must receive a penalty. The Tower asks you, do you really, truly trust your fosterer and the Constellation Killer?”
The black smoke on the Librarian’s fingers twitched.
“Do you believe that the one who raised you will not crumble with guilt? The Constellation Killer may be vengeful, and he may not even forgive your fosterer. It is possible that no one can apologize or forgive. Those two. Do you really—”
The Librarian glanced at the Constellation Killer and the director.
“—believe you can reach a different ending than in the past?”
“……”
It was a foreboding question.
However, it was also a question with an answer.
『I’m sorry, Class President.』
I had memories of Kim Yul and the class president.
『I wasn’t trying to hurt someone like you.』
The Kim Yul I saw was a very strong person.
He was someone who took care of the animals even in the hell that was his life.
“There was someone. I didn’t think there’d be anyone.”
Much more than the Constellation Killer, who had killed countless Constellations…
『I’m glad there was even a single person who was worth my forgiveness.』
…the Kim Yul who met the director was stronger, as a human being.
He was unbelievably strong.
The director, too. The director survived in a world without Kim Yul.
“Yes.”
The two of them lost hope only because they met each other too late.
I believed in the breath and voices the two shared on the roof that day.
That was the truth.
Not all fantasies are illusions.
I opened my mouth.
“I believe in these two.”
The Librarian smiled.
“The poor beasts.”
The smoke wrapped around his fingers melted away. Swoosh! In an instant, the black fog spread, devouring the bodies of the Constellation Killer, the director, and myself.
“Prove it, if it’s possible.”
Just before my sight went dark, I saw the Librarian’s grinning face before me.
“Though, you won’t be the one to prove it.”
The world turned black.
[You will receive a severe penalty.]
[You are being deployed to the world one year before the other challengers.]
[You are immersed deeply in character from the start.]
I heard a voice.
[Currently, your immersion rate is 95%.]
The nightmare began.
3.
‘Penalty.’
As soon as I opened my eyes.
‘The immersion rate is at 95%.’
I started to move.
‘I don’t have time to hesitate. There’s no time. The immersion rate will rise to 100% soon. I have to finish all of the preparations before then.’
It would be easy to begrudge the cruel penalty.
It would be easy to get angry, asking why I was the only one who entered a year earlier.
But how would that change anything?
I couldn’t waste my precious time with resentment and fury.
‘In the end, it’s about forcibly grasping the past that the Constellation Killer discarded. ‘
So I must also be ready to receive unwanted memories.
Even if they are the nauseating memories of the perpetrator of the bullying.
‘It isn’t enough to return Kim Yul’s past to the Constellation Killer. Kim Yul has to feel that he [wants to live again]. The director will do whatever he can for it, but—”
I made a harsh judgment.
‘The director alone isn’t enough. Yeah, unlike the future, the director of this time is just a normal high school student. The actions of a single high schooler are too limited.’
Before I get completely engulfed in the perpetrator’s ego.
‘Revenge.’
I was doing what I could.
‘So that the director and Kim Yul can take revenge on this scummy beast.’
I moved.
[Currently, your immersion rate is 95%.]
Last time, when I saw the end of the trauma,
I belatedly felt regret.
I grieved.
I could have done even a bit better, but I hadn’t.
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