210. stand alone (1)
“… … .”
Cain looked at Asimov without a word.
It was a look that needed more explanation.
“I mean it literally. When I die, please collect Schellingford. He is the most precious and grateful person to me.”
“I know we haven’t been together very long.”
“The breadth of time doesn’t matter. Depth matters.”
These were the words of Asimov’s sincerity.
Schellingford would be the one who could open up to the lonely and arduous life of the imperial palace.
Cain also agreed with that statement.
Because he himself has built strong bonds with numerous people in less than a year.
However, empathy and granting Asimov’s favor were two different things.
“But you seem to be misunderstanding your own situation. Do you think you are in a position to ask me a favor?”
“I-.”
When Asimov’s lips were about to move.
Cain released Asimov’s head.
sucks.
Asimov collapsed on the bed like a doll with a broken thread.
He patted his throat and took a quick breath in.
“Ugh.”
He regained his composure, but he did not dare raise his head.
Cain’s stronger life was pressing down on his whole body.
My whole body trembled.
fear.
It was a natural reaction that could only occur when living things saw a transcendent being.
“I am a character in the novel… ?」
Baek Jin-woo’s memory, which flowed into the synchronization error, really gave a tremendous shock.
denied it at first.
Of course, it was nonsense.
But the memories that were clearly engraved in my mind eventually made me admit to reality.
And the emotions that followed were anger and fear.
The anger was against Baek Jin-woo, who was trying to devour his own body, and the fear was about the being who created the world, John.
It was not known what John’s true identity was.
However, knowing everything about this world, it was clear that he was an omniscient being with the existence of the world in his grasp.
god or devil.
That was Asimov’s honest impression of Johann.
‘Dude, even if you’re afraid, you have to say something. Because it’s already decided. That way, even if you die, you won’t have any regrets.’
Asimov raised his head and looked straight into Cain’s gaze.
“yes. I’m in a good position for that. If you don’t do it, I have no intention of calling Baek Jin-woo.”
Cain’s eyes twinkled.
I looked around the room and immediately looked at the table next to the bed and said:
“I have never seen a book in my bedroom on a visit before. There’s a good chance that book is related. I can’t decide.”
“no. It has nothing to do with books.”
Asimov’s denial followed immediately.
However, there was a slight tremor in his eyes, so it was like giving Cain a certain answer.
After a brief analysis, Cain added.
“Is reading a book the way you change your self? Obviously Baek Jin-woo also wrote an article with a similar title to that.”
“… … !”
“Don’t you think it would be faster to try the method by force rather than grant your request?”
Seeing Cain picking up a book, Asimov bowed his head in despair.
‘You say you survived the dark battle in the Imperial Palace, but are you still a child? You can’t hide your hand.’
Cain thought for a moment.
He was already convinced that Asimov was Baek Jin-woo.
However, it was a sudden situation that Asimov revealed the truth first like this today.
Although the synchronization error was recognized, the resulting confusion of memory was outside the expected range.
‘It’s not a bad situation. Even if it wasn’t, I was looking for a way to bring out Baek Jin-woo’s personality.’
If you kill the boy in front of you, the task will be accomplished.
However, it was meaningless to kill Asimov now.
Because the blade of revenge had to be aimed entirely at ‘Baek Jin-woo’.
The ‘mark of the sun’ that tracks the location is engraved only on the princesses. Originally, I had planned to take Asimov out of the Imperial Palace and treat him as missing.’
The plan went awry.
I couldn’t go back like this.
As Asimov said, when his personality changes, Baek Jin-woo will remember all these situations.
No matter how careful Asimov was, there was a risk of an unexpected self-transfer ‘switch’ being pressed.
It didn’t give me time to prepare.
Because he is clearly aware of this existence.
If Schelling Pod was used, it was possible to remove Asimov from the spot without backtracking.
Cain’s voice fell over Asimov’s head.
“But let me do your favor. Schellingford seems like a pretty useful person.”
“I am really?”
Asimov raised his head with a look of relief.
“On condition that I explain the situation to Schellingford. You don’t have to tell everything. You just need to convey that you are going to die soon, and that I am the one to follow after that.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I gave you a rant last night. Only the story up to the line that John said. I didn’t understand it well and it seemed confusing.”
The ‘eyes of truth’ trait confirmed Asimov’s words.
“That is enough. After that, it’s up to you to take care of it.”
It was a point of agreement.
Cain handed Asimov the book.
“What is the last thing you want to say?”
“… Please stop your Majesty.”
“Let’s try.”
Asimov accepted the book with determination.
gracious. gracious.
In the dense silence.
Pages were turned one by one.
However, no matter how much time passed, asimov did not change much.
“Come on, wait a minute. I can’t do this… .”
“Are you Asimov now?”
Immediately, Cain’s question flew in.
Asimov groaned in a voice of great bewilderment.
“All right, I’ll read it again. From the first page again.”
“Answer the question. I asked if you were Asimov now.”
The two men’s eyes met.
Immediately, Asimov’s lips twisted upwards.
“A quick-witted bastard.”
At that moment, blue mana flashed from Cain’s whole body.
bang!
A fierce wind wrapped around Asimov’s body and slammed it against the wall.
A huge roar echoed through the room, even the soundproofing magic was useless.
─The prince? Prince! Are you okay! What’s going on?
Schellingford’s urgent voice came from the door, accompanied by a knock.
But the door didn’t open.
Asimov’s command to ‘don’t come in no matter what’ is absolutely working.
“Cuckoo!”
A stream of blood ran down Asimov’s lips with a groan.
Asimov’s body slid off the wall and fell to the floor.
I had convulsions in my body.
Asimov is an ordinary person who cannot handle mana.
The shock that even a mana user of any level could not bear, he did not have the ingenuity to withstand.
bruise. bruise.
Cain’s shoes appeared in front of Baek Jin-woo.
A voice as cold as ice fell from top to bottom.
“A long time. Baek Jin-woo.”
“Asimov, you asshole. How can you act so absurdly… .”
Baek Jin-woo’s words did not continue to the end.
It was because Cain’s shoes flew right into his face.
“Big!”
Baek Jin-woo’s face turned quickly.
Several teeth flew through the air, splashing with blood.
“It’s a greeting from an old friend, shouldn’t I answer it?”
Cain put his shoes on Baek Jin-woo’s head and pressed them to the left and right.
“Ahhh-.”
The floor was covered with soft carpet.
However, the pressing force was great, and wounds from friction began to form on the cheeks quickly.
“Hey, stop it! Stop it— you f*cking bastard!”
A cry that was close to a scream rang out.
The bones of his body had already been crushed and he was close to fainting.
[ A system error occurred. ]
[ Sync rate will decrease. ]
[ Current synchronization rate – 93.0% ]
The real-time pain gave me a clearer consciousness, and the synchronization rate began to decline.
‘Mister, f*ck you. You can go back to Asimov only after synchronization.’
Cain’s gaze turned to the air that Baek Jin-woo was looking at.
“Are you seeing any sync rate messages? In my case, when I give pain to the body, the synchronization rate goes down. Fortunately, it seems the same applies to you. Seeing you with such a poopy expression on your face.”
Nettle!
Cain’s shoes ripped through the air once more.
pop!
Baek Jin-woo’s face turned in the opposite direction with the sound of the leather popping.
pop!
back to the left.
pop!
back to the right.
The carpet was quickly soaked with blood and saliva.
with his face down on it.
Baek Jin-woo shook his body and let out a sad laugh.
Woo-
A bright beam of light covered his body, and the wound was rapidly healing.
He is using healing magic.
So that this side doesn’t die or pass out because of the pain.
‘Mi, you crazy bastard.’
messed it up
However, it was clear who the predators and prey were at this place.
Cain sat down on a chair.
He made Baek Jin-woo’s body stand up by using the salt copper and kneel in front of him.
“Raise your head.”
Baek Jin-woo hesitated and raised his head.
“Hello again. A long time. Baek Jin-woo.”
“… Oh, long time no see.”
Cain stared at Baek Jin-woo quietly.
The white eyes of the boy had disappeared.
Only the eyes of a rat trembling in anxiety were left behind.
“Don’t even think about turning your head. There is no hole for you to escape.”
Baek Jin-woo shrugged his shoulders.
He lowered his gaze, which had no place to go left or right.
He licked his lips and looked at Cain.
“Are you planning to kill me? really? Killing people so easily—”
Cain pulled out a dagger and slashed Baek Jin-woo’s thigh.
“Aww—!”
A shriek filled the bedroom.
Cain straightened his bent back and leaned his back on the chair.
The dagger was stuck in his thigh and the tip was trembling.
“I ask questions.”
“Uh, ah, I see. i’ll know ugh.”
“Why did you try to steal my writing?”
Silence passed.
Baek Jin-woo, who hesitated for a long time, answered.
“It is definitely well written. But I thought it would be a more perfect piece with a little touch. I was going to fix it and then return it— aah!”
The dagger stuck in Baek Jin-woo’s opposite thigh lit up the blade blue.
“Stop wasting time. Aren’t you expecting me to have the ‘eye of truth’ trait?”
When Cain pulled out another dagger, Baek Jin-woo, who was hesitant in answering, hurriedly shouted.
“Damn it, I tried to steal it! My post didn’t respond, but your post got a lot of attention! I did it out of jealousy! f*ck!”
There was no change in Cain’s expression.
Baek Jin-woo felt insecure about that expressionless expression.
“We were old friends. We dreamed of becoming a writer together since middle school, and we went to the same high school and university.”
Cain suddenly brought up a story from the past.
“Continuing to do something without results is difficult with any willpower. That’s how our writing was.”
“… … .”
“I believe that the reason we were able to get through these difficult times of obscurity was thanks to each other.”
Baek Jin-woo, who thought it was the right time to buy sympathy, intervened with disappointment.
“No, that’s right. After graduating, we didn’t even get a job, and we only wrote about him together.”
“okay. We stayed together in a semi-basement room, believing that one day we would see the light.”
Baek Jin-woo added with a more confident voice.
“I don’t remember. In hindsight, it was because of me that you were able to succeed in the end.”
“To agree. Without your support, I would have given up on my dream and found another job.”
Baek Jin-woo saw hope.
How many years have they spent together?
After all, since he was a human being, he had no choice but to be swayed by his emotions.
“I’m really sorry. I really regret what happened that day. I went crazy the moment I saw your laptop lying around in the room.”
“But why?”
“yes? No, I told you. It was because I was blinded by jealousy for a moment. Do you also have a task that fits the person you possessed? How about we work together and get back to reality together and then we can talk?”
“no. It cannot be.”
Nettle!
The third dagger was lodged in Baek Jin-woo’s thigh.
A scream rang out, and Cain took out his fourth dagger and repeated the same action.
“I couldn’t have done it out of filthy emotions such as jealousy. Why?”
“Ji, calm down! please! Ouch. Dude, let’s talk!”
Whoops!
“Why?”
“Wow! My, I’m sorry! Wealth, I couldn’t overcome the envy, so he said that!”
Whoops!
“It can’t be. Give the real reason. Why?”
“Sorry. i’m sorry… .”
Despite Baek Jin-woo’s protest, Cain’s movements did not stop.
Whoops!
“Why?”
Baek Jin-woo’s number of words gradually decreased.
His thighs had changed like a dart’s target, and he only had his head bowed with foam in his mouth.
Whoops!
“Answer me.”
“… … .”
Whoops!
“Why?”
“… … .”
“Why the hell did you say that! You are no one else! why!”
Simultaneously with the last dagger stabbing the thigh.
Cain’s loud shout echoed through the room.
haha-
Cain took a rough breath.
It was the first explosion of emotion I saw after entering this world.
“Are you really sorry for me?”
Baek Jin-woo intuited that everything was over.
There was no feeling of regret.
I just want to escape the situation somehow and live my life.
‘From the beginning, there must have been no intention of saving me.’
If you lie, you will be caught.
Still, he had a decision on what he had to say.
I’m sorry.
I’m really sorry and I deeply regret it.
Then, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Apparently, Schellingford heard the sound as he hit the wall.
It was evidence that the soundproofing magic was weakly applied, or that the effect had decreased.
“Are you sorry? My answer is this.”
Baek Jin-woo’s lips moved.
“Shellingford—!”
simultaneously with the call.
A new one broke the door and flew towards Cain.