Chapter 229.

—…Isn’t this Chae Nayun?

While sleeping with a comfortable blanket over her, Chae Nayun heard a familiar voice . Startled, she shot her eyes open .

“Uwoah!”

She saw two faces in front of her .

“…What are you doing here?”

“I can’t believe you were sleeping . ”

It was Yi Yeonghan and Kim Suho . They were looking down at her and laughing . Their faces weren’t hidden, though she didn’t know whether it was because Mystery Shuffle had ended or if they took off their veils .

“What are you guys doing here?”

“…What do you mean, the shuffle is almost over . We’re looking for our teammates right now . ”

“…Oh . ”

Chae Nayun collected her breath and looked around . Nothing but desolate shrubbery and weeds were around her . It was felt like what just happened was a dream .

“So, what’s up with that robe?” Yi Yeonghan pointed at her and asked .

Chae Nayun tilted her head, “What robe?”

“The one on top of you . ”

“What are you talking about… . ” Chae Nayun looked down at her body . Then, she saw the cloth that was covering her . It was a mysterious robe that was as soft as silk yet as hard as a piece of armor, as heavy as steel yet as light as a feather .

“W-Whoa, it’s a level 7 item!!”

“…Eh?”

Hearing Yi Yeonghan’s excited cry, Chae Nayun checked the robe’s item description in a daze .

===

[Lv . 7 Robe Crafted by a Master Craftsman]

○Lv . 7 Shock Absorption

○Lv . 6 Resizing

○Lv . 6 Magic Power Resistance

○Lv . 6 Haste Seal

○Lv . 5 Low-grade Magic Power Amplification

===

It really was a level 7 robe . Seeing this, Chae Nayun was reminded that what had happened wasn’t just a dream .

“… . ”

Chae Nayun recalled a faint memory from the robe .

—Wait just three years .

Kim Hajin whispered with a soft voice to her groggy consciousness before a warm healing energy enveloped her .

“Hey, where did you get this? Do you want to sell it to me? Why don’t you trade it for mine?”

“Shut it . ”

Chae Nayun pushed Yi Yeonghan away and got up .

“A robe like that doesn’t suit a longsword user like you . But it’s perfect for a brawler!”

As Yi Yeonghan kept blabbering, Chae Nayun sent him a strong glare before wearing the robe .

…3 years .

He said to wait three years .

But I’m not going to keep on waiting .

Even if I have to use my family’s power, I’ll uncover the truth myself, go back to you, and return this robe… .

“I’m telling you, this is perfect for a brawler! I’ll give you my entire savings . My . Entire . Savings . Oh, I also have an Effective Goods Selector that I haven’t used . I’ll add that on top!”

“Geez, go away, you leech . ”

**

I opened my eyes slowly to a fancy ceiling . A red background with gold embroidery; it was probably the special compartment’s ceiling .

“You’re up?”

A husky voice woke up my drowsiness . I tilted my head slightly to the side . As expected, Cheok Jungyeong was standing there .

“Argh, my head… . ” I clutched my throbbing head and asked, “What happened?”

“What do you mean, ‘what happened’?”

Cheok Jungyeong held up a book .

[Lv . 1 Ultimate Skill Acquisition Book – Energy Blast]

From the looks of it, Mystery Shuffle seemed to have ended .

“You slept through it, weakling . ”

“…Oh, you got the Energy Blast?”

Energy Blast . It was the skill that everyone was familiar with from a certain TV show . Although it sounded simple, it wasn’t to be underestimated . Just as its name suggested, Energy Blast used ‘energy’, which included both magic power and physical power . It was a high-class skill fully deserving of the ‘ultimate skill’ status, and it could display a heaven-shocking power depending on the user .

“Why, you want it?”

“No, you should learn it . ”

Someone like Cheok Jungyeong was the perfect fit for it . I couldn’t even imagine what kind of devastation his Energy Blast would cause .

“…Me?”

“Yes, it’ll be amazing in your hands . ”

But to my surprise, Cheok Jungyeong glanced at the skillbook then shook his head .

“It doesn’t suit me . ”

Though that’s what he said, he still put the skillbook in his inventory . I guessed I would be able to see him shouting, ‘Energy Blast~’, very soon .

“…Ah . ”

It was then that I recalled how I came to faint . Of course, it meant that I remembered the words I said to Boss .

The shock she felt must have been intense for her to make me faint instantly . It was probably too late to give an excuse either .

I quickly raised my body .

“Where’s Boss?”

“Outside . ”

“Outside?”

“On the balcony . ”

Cheok Jungyeong pointed towards the right corner of the special room . The special compartment, which had three bedrooms and a living room, also had a balcony .

“Mmm… . ”

I looked at the door with the sign [Balcony] written on top . Boss was beyond the door, staring at the outside scenery .

I slowly walked over .

Knock, knock—

I knocked on the door and observed her reaction .

But she didn’t react even after a long time .

Knock, knock—

Because she didn’t react to my second knock either, I opened the door without waiting for her to let me in .

“… . ”

Boss was sitting on a stool on the balcony and watching the night sky outside .

I carefully sat down next to her, then looked up at the same scenery she was watching .

The moon was hidden behind dark clouds, and not a single star existed in the sky .

Boss was staring at total darkness .

“Boss . ”

I called her, but she didn’t reply .

“Boss . ”

I called her again . Again, she didn’t reply .

“I’ll call you until you answer me . ”

“… . ”

Only then did her shoulder flinch . She asked with her sight fixed in the sky .

“What?”

It was just a single word, but I could feel the distress she was feeling . I picked my words carefully and asked something ordinary first .

“How long was I asleep?”

“…About a day . ”

“Hm . ”

‘That’s pretty long,’ I murmured to myself and looked outside once more .

The scenery outside changed along with the movement of the train . Although the sky was nothing but darkness, mystical landscape unfolded below .

Passing by illusory sceneries that couldn’t exist on Earth, the train would climb to the 26th floor .

From then, it would be Kim Suho’s turn to shine .

The rest of us would probably have a hard time killing even a weak underling .

The upper floors were a stage set solely for Kim Suho, the wielder of the holy sword and the ‘True Hero’ who followed the path of righteousness .

While I was thinking about the scenario that would unfold in the future, Boss suddenly asked, faking nonchalance .

“Do you remember what happened before you fainted?”

However, a hint of anguish and distress was left behind in her voice .

I nodded silently .

“…How long have you known?”

“It’s been some time . ”

“… . ”

Boss fell silent . It looked like she was unable to say what she wanted to say .

So, I tried to answer the question she swallowed in her heart .

“On the 20th floor, this was what my doppelgänger said, ‘find the cause of my loneliness’ . It resonated with me deeply . ”

The synchronization caused by this meeting linked me to Kim Chundong and affected my subconscious . Of course, I had no plans to explain this to Boss .

“I see . ”

“Yes, and… the Kwang-Oh Incident . ”

I brought up the Kwang-Oh Incident . At that moment, the sole source of light appeared in the sky above . It was a single star .

“I must be its sole survivor . ”

As I said that, a strange sensation came over my body .

Although I was the one saying it, it felt like I wasn’t .

Because of this sensation, I stopped talking for a moment and stared at Boss’ eyes .

“… . ”

I had stayed by Boss for a long time . We shared all sorts of experiences and feelings . So I felt like I understood what she was feeling right now . She was scared . Boss was rarely even flustered, but currently, I felt like she was scared .

From this tiny reaction, I could guess what had likely happened . It fit the plot as well . Boss was probably the one who killed Kim Chundong’s parents…

As soon as my thoughts reached that conclusion, my body began to heat up . A spark of ember blazed inside me .

However…

“No matter what Boss did in the Kwang-Oh Incident…”

This wasn’t my feeling .

This world wasn’t a novel, and I wasn’t a character in a novel .

I was Kim Hajin, not Kim Chundong .

As such, I refused to accept feelings that weren’t mine .

“…I won’t hate Boss just because of it . ”

I simplified many things into just one sentence .

I didn’t fault her for killing Kim Chundong’s parents .

I didn’t care if it came off cold .

Even if it seemed forced, I planned to push it forward .

I no longer wanted to lose the relationships I built and the people I came to meet .

“Boss must have been young back then too . ”

With both hands, I grabbed Boss’ small hand, which was cold and trembling .

“So don’t feel guilty because of it . ”

Boss tried to pull her hand back, but I didn’t let her . I squeezed it tightly and kept it in my hands . Then, I unleashed Stigma’s magic power .

Sssss…

Stigma’s magic power rose up softly and healed Boss’ hands .

Two streaks of Stigma flowed out, erasing the scars and calluses on her hands . Boss looked at me with widened eyes .

“There’s one thing I want to ask though . ”

I looked at her in the eyes .

“What’s your name?”

And I demanded the greatest trust she could offer me .

“…?”

Was it too sudden? Boss stood blankly in a daze .

After a long time, she asked with a quivering voice .

“N-Name?”

“Yes, I’ll keep it a secret from the other members . ”

I vaguely remembered hearing Bell calling her name .

In fact, I already knew her name .

But the important thing was to hear it from her personally .

“I-It’s so sudden… . ”

Boss looked at me with her shaking eyes . Then, she looked up with a face of determination . A lone star was shining in the sky .

“…Byul . ”

“Byul? It’s a single character?”

Boss nodded silently . I smiled .

“It’s a pretty name . ”

“…No . ”

After a firm no, Boss hesitated . Was she trying to tell me her last name, too? I looked back at her, slightly nervous .

Huu—

Boss took a deep breath and, in a quiet voice, told me to keep this an absolute secret .

“My last name is…”

“Yes?”

But because she mumbled too quietly, I couldn’t hear her well .

“What’s your last name again?”

Hearing me ask again, Boss sighed .

“It’s Yi… . ”

Yi .

In other words, her full name was Yi Byul .

“It’s an ugly name, right?”

Now that I knew her full name, I would probably write, ‘Yi Byul grumbled’, if this were a novel . Of course, in the real novel this world was based on, I never would have reached this point because I had stopped writing .

“No, it’s a pretty name . ”

I smiled faintly .

“Then, Yi Byul-ssi?”

“Don’t . ”

“My name is Kim Hajin . ”

Hearing this, Boss furrowed her brows .

“…Do you think I don’t know that?”

“No . ”

I shook my head .

“It’s just that… I don’t want you to forget it . ”

The dark clouds in the sky went away and a white moon radiated its light upon us . Under the cold moonlight, Boss’ disheveled hair entered my sight, along with the dark circles under her eyes and skin wrought with exhaustion .

Just how much distress did she suffer through in a day?

Feeling sorry, I formed a comb with Aether .

“Let me comb your hair . It’s been a while . ”

Boss nodded and entrusted her body to me .

I stood behind her and gently combed her long hair . However, her body was stiff . Seeing that she was still agonizing over her guilt… I suddenly had a mischievous thought .

It might seem rude, but we were technically the same age .

She could surely take this as a joke .

I cleared my throat and whispered into her ear .

“How is it, Byul?”

At that moment, to my surprise, Boss reacted strongly and fiercely .

To describe her motion with words, it was like a fish that came out of the water .

Her movements were too powerful for a mere fish, but that’s just what it was like .

**

[Four days later, 8-3F, Crevon’s Eastern Castle Walls]

With most of the Rankers having left Crevon for the upper floors, Crevon’s situation turned for the worse .

The outer walls had fallen, and there were less Players to combat the more powerful monsters . To make matters worse, there was even an internal political strife among the Atalos Royal Family . It had been caused by the crown prince being poisoned to death .

“Soldiers, line up!”

Even in such a situation, Rachel was doing her best as Crevon’s special army commander . She healed wounded Players and soldiers with the help of dozens of elementals, blocked large-scale attacks with barriers, and shot out sword strikes and elemental attacks left and right…

Without Rachel, monsters would have already reached the heart of Crevon .

“Things aren’t looking good . We’ll have to abandon the outer post . ”

This was Ah Hae-In’s advice . Ah Hae-In was already preparing to recall her divine beast . Although the Black Turtle performed magnificently in the battle, it was exhausted by the endless waves of attacks . If this continued, it was only a matter of time before they were defeated .

“… . ”

Rachel clenched her teeth .

She hated the current situation . As soon as the crown prince was assassinated, she put up many posts on the Community, asking for help as the Atalos Royal Family was in a state of emergency . However, despite the debt owed to Crevon, the Rankers didn’t move . Furthermore, even non-ranking Players raced to the 20th floor after finding out that its most basic rewards were ‘unique skillbooks’ and ‘ultimate skillbooks’ .

“Commander Rachel . ”

Ah Hae-In spoke again . However, Rachel shook her head .

“Our efforts would have been wasted if we can’t protect this place . Since we can’t expect reinforcements from the west, the east, or the royal family, monsters will reach the city and cause a massacre . At least half of the eastern side will be destroyed . ”

“… . ”

Ah Hae-In couldn’t say anything to Rachel . The girl, who was raised with responsibilities to shoulder, now tried to shoulder the burdens of the weak without realizing that she herself was still a child .

Ah Hae-In wasn’t sure whether to call her immature or overly mature .

Ah Hae-In sighed, while Rachel opened her messenger and quickly typed a message .

「Hajin-ssi, Crevon is under threat…」

“… . ”

But she stopped before sending the message .

She had already received too much help from him . She didn’t want to inconvenience him any further .

She turned off her messenger .

No, she tried to turn it off .

“Ah!”

To her dismay, she accidentally clicked her [Send] button instead .

I wasn’t even finished writing… She thought .

However, the endless flood of monsters charging in gave her no time to correct her mistake, and she was forced to call her elementals to fight .

A life-and-death battle then ensued .

…Then, 15 minutes later, a huge shade suddenly descended on the blue sky .

“…?”

The shade covered the entire eastern castle wall region . The blazing sunlight disappeared, and all soldiers including Rachel looked up at the sky .

“What is that…?”

There, they saw a monstrosity .

—Genekelope’s Support Battlecruiser: operational .

In Crevon’s lofty sky, a giant vessel shot up, covering the sun .

—Commencing airstrike on Ship Commander’s command .

Artillery appeared on the deck of the ship .

Rachel couldn’t tell whether they were friend or foe, but it didn’t take her long to breathe a sigh of relief, as the vessel immediately began to rain fire down upon the monsters .

Dudududu… .

They were not mere magic bullets but cannon shells and lasers with highly-concentrated magic power . The 8th floor’s monsters were thus easily swept away by the fruit of science and magic, crafted to combat the 16th floor’s demons .

**

The train was still running .

There were other events after the Mystery Shuffle, but most didn’t require Players to participate . During this time, I stayed in the special compartment and focused on making ‘Medea’s Dress’ . Before I noticed, the train had arrived on the 21st floor .

[21F, Card Kingdom]

The 21st floor was a residential area where everything happened through the power of cards . Technically, this place, the Card Kingdom, was a homage to a certain TV show where cards materialized and came to life .

The train would stay here for four days, so I went out for a quick tour .

[Pinnacle-grade Card Shop]

My first destination was the Pinnacle-grade Card Shop . I came with Cheok Jungyeong, who was itching for something exciting to happen after staying in the train for a long time .

“Do we have to buy something like this?”

Countless cards were on display inside the luxurious card shop .

Cheok Jungyeong furrowed his brows as he stared at the cards in the shop .

“Isn’t it fun?”

[Players need cards to stay on the 21st floor . ]

[Certain cards will be very useful for Players . ]

I was curious how the co-author materialized the brief notes I wrote in my settings book . Since the train would stay here for four days, I decided to make the best use of my time .

“Random card box…? Wow, another random box? This god damn world . ”

At that moment, Cheok Jungyeong said something that instantly grabbed my attention .

“Random box?”

I ran up to him with sparkling eyes .

[Grade-1 Random Card Box]

[Price – 40,000TP]

[Contains 4 cards that are intermediate-grade or above . Players can only buy a maximum of five boxes!]

Here, I found the gambling and luck I loved so much .

“Give me five of these . ”

“What? Five?”

Ignoring Cheok Jungyeong’s shocked remark, I paid 200,000TP and sat down on a table in the shop .

“Crazy, you’re crazy . You really paid 200,000TP for these things?”

“Shut it . Don’t come crying to me about being envious later . Now, let’s see… . ”

I slowly opened the boxes .

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