Chapter 314. Virtual Reality Containing the Truth (5) (2/2)
The girl flinched and took a step back. Dark magic power began to rise out of the girl. It was a powerful but dangerous power, one that she couldn’t control yet.
“It’s okay. This is for you to eat.”
I wanted to calm her down, but the more I spoke, the further she got away from me.
Young Boss was different from adult Boss who was always so full of confidence. If I went any closer, the girl would run away and never come back.
“…”
And so, I set the plate down on the ground and left a note beside it that said [Come back anytime if you’re hungry].
Then I returned to the office.
Mohawk and Shag saw me and shouted out loud.
“Wow, this stuff is amazing, boss. Wow!”
“We love you, boss!”
They were calling me ‘boss’ now.
I smiled at them, then leaned against the window and looked below.
—…Keung.
Yi Byul was sniffing the food on the plate.
I knew for a fact that smell was very hard to resist.
—…Keung. Gulp.
She continued to sniff for a while, then took a quick look around and snatched the food from the plate.
—…Nom, nom nom.
The way she hid behind the bushes and stuffed her face made her seem like a small animal rather than a human.
It was heartbreaking to see her like that. The extent of the pain was strangely enormous. My heart ached for her.
“…”
Was it sympathy I was feeling? Was sympathy supposed to be this heart-throbbing?
Suddenly I wanted to see Boss. The six years I spent with her were now overlapping with the little girl before my eyes.
“Haa….”
I let out a sigh. Then a chuckle.
If this feeling was truly what I think it was, then what should I do from now on? Nothing was stranger than falling in love with a character I had created….
—Tiriring.
Suddenly I heard a notification sound.
=System Alert=
[Unable to resolve the error. Rewind feature has been disabled due to an unknown reason.]
[The interrupted event will play as a video.]
[Logout feature has been reinstated.]
A rectangular hologram screen appeared before me. In it, the events of the original past were playing.
—Kuaaaaak.
The parents who had to kill their child.
The child who had no choice but to kill her own parents to survive.
Painful cries and the sound of blood spurting rang out.
I clenched my teeth as I watched Boss’s past. It was much more horrifying than I had imagined. I tried my best to suppress my anger.
“…?”
It was then that I felt a certain gaze. I looked down and discovered Yi Byul looking at me.
She held an empty plate in her hands. It appeared that she wanted to return it to me. I smiled and whispered, “Tell me if you’re still hungry. I’ll give you more.”
—…!
However, at that moment, Yi Byul trembled, put the plate down on the ground and began to run away from me.
I watched her go, then checked the System.
[247 hours and 30 minutes left until logout]
247 hours and 30 minutes. That was roughly 10 days.
For the next 10 days, Yi Byul would come back to me again and again. She would never forget the taste of my cooking.
“…She’s cute.”
Clearly full, she even burped while running.
With a smile, I watched little Boss disappear in small steps.
**
…Meanwhile.
At Kaita’s hideout, a luxurious mansion somewhere in Seoul.
Tap, tap, tapap—
[He’s so cute ㅋㅋ How can a kid be so handsome?]
After successfully completing the mission, Chae Nayun was currently on the computer, exchanging private messages with a blogger.
[Bellflower: ㅎㅎ Thanks, as always.]
Their exchange had been going on for two months.
It was a conversation between Chae Nayun and her mother, ‘Bellflower’.
[I can totally tell he’s gonna be a great Hero in the future. ㅋㅋ]
[Bellflower: Ah! How did you know that my son has a Gift?]
[I can tell by his face. He just looks special~]
[Bellflower: Wow… interesting. I really do hope he becomes as great a Hero as you said.]
Chae Nayun’s eyes were filling with tears as she typed.
[So is Jinyoon going to Agent Military Academy soon?]
[Bellflower: No. He’s talented, but I want him to attend a regular school until he’s at least 11.]
[I see… ㅋㅋ]
Chae Nayun stopped her fingers.
Unfortunately, Chae Nayun didn’t exist in this world yet. With a small sigh, she resumed typing.
[Oh, I hope I’m not being rude, but do you maybe plan on having another baby?]
[Bellflower: Of course~ I’ve already thought of a name.]
Her heart sank immediately. Chae Nayun forced her hands to stop trembling and continued to type.
[Do you want the baby to be a girl or a boy?]
[Bellflower: Hmm… I don’t know. I’ll love them the same no matter what.]
[Bellflower: But for some reason, I keep thinking it’s gonna be a girl. It’s strange, I’m not even pregnant yet~]
Chae Nayun breathed a sigh of relief. So, her mother wasn’t disappointed that she was a girl.
[Then… have you thought of her name?]
At that moment, someone put his hand on Chae Nayun’s shoulder. Surprised, Chae Nayun raised her head. Shin Jonghak was looking at her with a worried look.
“…Are you sure you don’t wanna go visit her?”
With a small smile, Chae Nayun shook her head.
“No. This is enough.”
Somewhere in this world, her mother was alive, as beautiful and gentle as she was in the real world.
But because she didn’t know what to say to her mother, and because just watching her from afar might make her break down, Chae Nayun decided to settle for online chatting.
“How about you? Don’t you have anyone you want to see?”
“…I don’t.”
“Pfft. Liar~”
“It’s true. Something like virtual reality can’t create the person I admire.”
His tone sounded sincere. Just like he said, Shin Myungchul did not exist in this world. He wasn’t someone a mere virtual world could replicate.
“…Yeah?”
Chae Nayun nodded.
At that moment, she received a reply from Bellflower.
[Bellflower: Name? Hmm… I do have a name for a girl… but I wonder if it’s okay for me to tell you this…]
[Oh, you don’t have to if you’re uncomfortable.]
[Bellflower: No, it’s fine. I’ll tell you because you’re special, Jajanggirl-nim. If I have a girl…]
Chae Nayun swallowed her saliva. The computer screen glowed in blue.
Heavy tension filled the atmosphere, and…
Tiriring—
With a cheerful sound, Bellflower’s reply came, and Shin Jonghak’s lips curved into a soft smile as he read the message.
[Bellflower: Nayun(娜允)]
[Bellflower: It means ‘true beauty’. Isn’t it pretty?]