Chapter 376. Epilogue (1), My Story (1/2)

“Get up~ Get up~ Get up~”

A cute voice tickled my ears. Perhaps because I was still drowsy, it sounded like the chirping of a bird.

“Get up~ Get uuuuup~”

My shoulders shook. It seemed even hands this small had decent pushing power.

Although the drowsiness quickly went away, I stayed still on purpose, being careful to stop my mouth from wriggling from joy.

“I said get up….”

After shaking me for a long time, Evandel crossed her arms and glared at me with perked up eyes. Only then did I open my eyes. Seeing Evandel’s pouting face, I smiled.

“Ah, you’re up~”

“…Yep, I’m up.”

Drunk on sleep, I hugged Evandel, and she dug into my chest like a puppy. She even giggled adorably.

Stroking Evandel’s hair, I faced the window. A green hill entered my eyes. Illuminated by the cozy sun, a residential district was laid out before it.

This place was the Healing City constructed by the Colored-Paper Charity Foundation.

Three months ago, I came down from the Alps to this city and became an official ‘pharmacist’.

“Hajin, I’m hungry. I have to eat breakfast.”

Evandel’s squishy voice rose from my chest.

“Oh, you do?”

“Un~ Let’s go~”

Evandel was now old enough to be used to using casual speech. With a smile, I got up from my bed.

When I arrived at the cafeteria with Evandel, Rachel and Yi Byul were sitting side by side, staring at each other. Their expressions were stiff as though they had finished a serious conversation, but they changed instantly when they saw me and Evandel.

Rachel offered a greeting first.

“You’re awake? Good job, Evandel.”

“Un~”

Evandel scurried up and sat between Rachel and Yi Byul. I sat down on the opposite side, facing Evandel. Then, I asked Yi Byul and Rachel.

“What were you talking about?”

The two of them exchanged glances before shrugging and saying a sentence each.

“We were talking about Evandel.”

“…It’s been three months since I started staying here with Evandel and Rachel, after all.”

“Ah~”

Rachel and Yi Byul exchanged glances before letting out tiny coughs. A strange air flowed between them. I didn’t dig into it too deeply and reached to grab a loaf of bread from the table.

Nibbling on the bread, I looked around at the people who made me feel like I was dreaming every day.

They had stayed by my side for the past three months without losing their memories of me. Right. Three months had already gone by since I started living with them.

Many things happened during this time. Unsurprisingly, Yoo Yeonha was the culprit behind most happenings. After hearing that I had been ‘deleted’ from this world, she misunderstood as she always did.

What was it again? ‘So that is your sacrifice’? In any case, she blurted out something incomprehensible and researched how to bring back my existence.

It was cute at first as she started by gathering everyone who remembered me. Including Yoo Yeonha herself, there were nine people: Chae Nayun, Rachel, Evandel, Cheok Jungyeong, Jain, Droon, Jin Seyeon, and Yi Byul.

Unfortunately, Kim Suho and Shin Jonghak, who didn’t know about the Kwang-Oh Incident and lacked a key link like Evandel, couldn’t remember me.

After that, Yoo Yeonha began to experiment. Before I could even think to stop her, she used tens of billions of won.

But there was no gain as expected, and Yoo Yeonha ended up offering me Essential Pharmacy’s CEO position.

But since I didn’t think of myself as someone worthy of that position, I settled with becoming a researcher. After all, my goal was to help as many people as possible.

“How is it? Good?”

At that moment, Yi Byul asked. Judging by her eyes full of expectation, it seemed she was the one who baked this bread.

I nodded my head with a smile.

“Yeah, it’s good.”

“I’m glad….”

Yi Byul sighed a breath of relief. That was kind of cute. I stared at Yi Byul for a moment before grabbing her hand from under the table.

“Ah.”

An embarrassed sound escaped her lips.

“Kuhum.”

At that exact moment, Rachel let out a dry cough.

Yi Byul flinched and quickly let go of me, while I awkwardly scratched my head.

“Oh, how have things been, Rachel-ssi?”

“…I’m still seeking what I’ve always been seeking. The revival of England and the English Royal Court Guild. That is the reason I went to Cube all those years ago.”

Rachel smiled sweetly. Just as she said, Rachel had lived her life for the revival of England and the English Royal Court Guild. And as she had made great contributions during the Great Devil War, now should be the perfect time. After all, talks of a Restoration were gaining traction in England.

“Of course, there are still several hurdles to get through. Lancaster is still alive too.”

“…He is?”

For a moment, I was dumbstruck. That guy was still alive?

“Yes.”

Rachel continued with a light smile.

“There are still many problems that have to be resolved. In the past, I was afraid… but now, I’m okay. I’ve gotten stronger. Thanks to Hajin-ssi and Evandel.”

“….”

That caught me off guard. I flinched slightly, while Yi Byul’s eyes turned sharper. She glanced at Rachel before looking back at me with puffed cheeks.

Rachel added, “…Thank you.”

She only said two words, but I could clearly see through the meaning behind them. They were just as transparent as Rachel’s clear, ocean-colored eyes.

Rachel then shrugged leisurely.

“Thinking about it now, I don’t think I’ve said thank you to Hajin-ssi that often.”

“Uh… no, you don’t really need to. I should be the one who’s thanking you.”

I nodded my head in embarrassment and went back to eating my loaf of bread. Meanwhile, Yi Byul spoke to Rachel.

“…There will be a small meeting tonight.”

I looked up again. Yi Byul seemed to be nervous as she was glaring at Rachel with a laser-like gaze. A faint chuckle escaped my mouth.

“Rachel, you’re coming too, right?”

She sounded like she was issuing a challenge, but the intent behind her words was pure and nonmalicious. As Rachel knew this too, she smiled brightly and accepted Yi Byul’s invitation.

I stared at them for a moment before opening my mouth.

“I’ll buy the groceries.”

“Un?! Then me too~ I wanna go too~”

Evandel smiled brightly and raised both of her hands. Rachel’s eyes widened slightly.

“Hm? I don’t mind, but Evandel, weren’t you going to Disneyland today with your friends?”

“Aaah! You’re right!”

Rachel reminded Evandel of a promise she made with her friends, and like a true adult, Evandel said, “I guess we can buy groceries together next time~”

**

5:30 p.m. As the sun was beginning to set, I went outside to buy groceries from a supermarket at the center of the city.

The city’s streets were filled with young boys and girls. I walked while listening to the children’s cheerful laughter.

Then, I suddenly felt a gaze fall on me. It was fixated on me only, coming from the zelkova tree forest on the right side of the city.

I became nervous. At my current state, I couldn’t even defeat ordinary Djinns.

But soon, the mysterious person revealed herself and eliminated my tenseness and worry.

It was Chae Nayun.

She stood at the border between the city road and the sky and looked down at me. After doing so for a long time, she grinned confidently.

“Have you been well?”

She greeted me in a Chae Nayun-like fashion.

I smiled back and nodded my head.

“Yeah. It’s been a while.”

Chae Nayun didn’t show herself after we last met at the cabin. She had vanished after leaving behind the words ‘I’m leaving’.

“Yeah, it really has been a while.”

She crossed her arms.

“Wait, didn’t you say you were going to conquer the Tower of Miracle?”

The Tower of Miracle.

This Tower had left many wounds to both me and Chae Nayun.

After Creator’s Sacred Grace’s failure to conquer this Tower, it was treated as a forbidden topic by the public. But when Essence of the Strait recently announced their plans to officially conquer the Tower, it was brought into the spotlight once again.

“Yep, I plan on obliterating that Tower.”

Chae Nayun raised her arm and flexed. I could practically see the confidence oozing out of her.

“Pft. Yeah, If it’s you, I’m sure it’s possible…. Oh right, I’m about to go buy some groceries. Do you want to come too?”

I pointed at the supermarket in the distance.

However, Chae Nayun shook her head.

“No, that’s not what I came here to do.”

“…Then why are you here?”

“Well… the campaign is two days away. I might die there, so I thought I’d tell you before I go.”

She brought up a frightening topic.

When I furrowed my brows, Chae Nayun lowered her head. The glow of the setting sun burst out from behind her. Chae Nayun remained silent for a long time before muttering in a quiet voice.

“…Thank you for everything.”

“Huh?”

“Thanks to you, I didn’t have to see Oppa becoming a devil. I picked up the sword because of you, and you’re also the reason I became this strong.”

Chae Nayun spoke as if she were reciting a line she had practiced countless times. I could tell she was embarrassed since her face was flushed red.

“And thanks to you, I regained my real grandfather.”

“…It’ll take him 20 years to fully recover with that medicine.”

A pill that reduced the side-effects of Gifts. As I created it using Setting Intervention, reproducing it was extremely difficult. But Essential Pharmacy succeeded in creating a tiny amount, and they had been given to Heynckes and Chae Jooochul.

It was true that Chae Joochul regained a little bit of his true emotions, but I didn’t think Chae Nayun was talking about that.

“Just accept my gratitude, bastard. In a way, you’re the reason I’m alive and standing here right now.”

“….”

A bitter smile emerged on my face.

Looking back… it was thanks to Chae Nayun that I came to love this world. The one who showed me that this world wasn’t a novel was none other than Chae Nayun.

I replied, “…It’s the same with me. The reason I’m here… it might be because of you.”

“Is it? That’s good to hear.”

Chae Nayun walked up to me and stopped a nose-distance away. Looking straight into my eyes, she scratched her cheeks before dropping her head.

And once her gaze fell, it didn’t come back up for a while.

“Then….”

After taking a few steps back while looking down at my feet, she raised her head as though she finally came to a decision. Then, she reached her hand out. I reflexively flinched, feeling that her action was intimidating.

“W-What?”

“Here.”

When Chae Nayun opened her fist, a shining object dangled down.

“Ah.”

An exclamation escaped my mouth.

This was the necklace I gifted Chae Nayun a long time ago.

Chae Nayun stared at it with a bittersweet face.

“You lent it to me, remember? Since the war is over, I should return it.”

“…It’s fine.”

I pushed her hand back. That was obvious. After all, I made this necklace for her.

“What? No, take it.”

“I said it’s fine. Just think of it as a gift from a friend.”

Chae Nayun paused. Standing still, she clenched her fists. Her face froze, and her shoulders stiffened.

Chae Nayun slicked her hair back roughly.

“You… you still think we can be friends?”

Her trembling voice trailed off. As though she was angry… no, sad, she glared at me hatefully.

“You should know. We can’t be friends.”

I didn’t say anything. There wasn’t anything I could tell Chae Nayun as of now. I could only wait for Chae Nayun’s ‘choice’ that would come one day in the future.

“Do you know what kind of a person you are to me?”

I shook my head.

Chae Nayun stared at me fixedly and made a dispirited smile.

“Most likely… I’m going to continue hating you and loving you. Until the day I die.”

Her voice was as cold as ice and as deep as the ocean. It seemed to carry an incomprehensible darkness.