Not long ago, Baek Yu-Seol realized through Anella that the trauma in his ntal world belonged to the real 'him.'
He felt the need to contemplate this aspect more deeply.
'Who am I?'
It was a profound philosophical question.
Since humanity beca aware of and began contemplating the existence of 'I', it had been a constant recurring question.
Yet, no one knew the answer.
Of course, he didn't know it either.
However, he had to delve a bit further there.
'The Reality of Baek Yu-Seol and Aether's Baek Yu-Seol.'
Living through the 21st century Earth, Baek Yu-Seol played a 'Character Baek Yu-Seol' in the ga 'Aether World Online.'
A unique character with the sa na, and even a similar appearance.
Perhaps, he fell in love with the character because he felt a sense of kinship rather than the strange skill called Flash.
Baek Yu-Seol played the ga all night long.
On days off, he even sacrificed rest ti to practice Flash, and he researched how to deal with mages while enjoying PVP feverishly.
The story?
Of course, he pushed through to the end.
He skipped most of the story and didn't read it properly, so it wasn't morable but...
Anyway, at the mont when the character Baek Yu-Seol in the ga reached its ending.
The real Baek Yu-Seol, in other words, he fell into the ga.
'Is this a ga or not?'
'If it's not a ga, what basis can I confidently state it on?'
'I don't know.'
'Everything I see, hear, and feel is so overflowing with realism that no matter how much I think about it, it feels like reality...'
'... Why do the events that occurred in the ga manifest as my past?'
On the blackboard hanging by the wall of the dormitory, he summarized the cause and effect relationship between him and the other 'him.'
['The real Baek Yu-Seol rged into the character Baek Yu-Seol.]
[However, sohow... when prying into the past of the real Baek Yu-Seol, the past of the character Baek Yu-Seol erges.]
[Am I the real Baek Yu-Seol?]
[Or am I the character Baek Yu-Seol?]
The mories of reality were intact.
However, very occasionally... fragnts of mories from the old days of the character Baek Yu-Seol surfaced in his mind.
For instance, when he encountered Eltman Eltwin, who had so past connections with the character Baek Yu-Seol.
When the character Baek Yu-Seol, and his experience overlapped... A mory of that ti surfaced.
It was a sign that sowhere in his subconscious, remnants of past mories lingered.
[Have the two Baek Yu-Seol rged?]
For now, this hypothesis seed to be most precise.
The consciousness of the character Baek Yu-Seol had sohow fallen dormant, and the consciousness of the real Baek Yu-Seol had taken over.
Thus, the mories of earth were complete, but the mories of the character world were incomplete.
From there, it goes back to the beginning.
[Was this truly a ga?]
If this world was truly a ga... the character Baek Yu-Seol shouldn't retain any 'mories.'
As a character manipulated by him through a keyboard and mouse, composed of 0s and 1s as data, there shouldn't exist such a thing as 'mories.'
However, undoubtedly, the mories of the character Baek Yu-Seol slumbered sowhere in his mind.
Even before his possession, even before playing the ga... 'Character Baek Yu-Seol' seed to have lived on his own.
There, he firmly made a decision.
[This is not a ga.]
This place wasn't a ga, but in real life, he enjoyed it like a ga.
There was a being who could create a reality like a ga, and run a simulation.
'The Constellation Project.'
He was sent here by the sa entity which created Aether World Online, and bestowed a reward every ti he completed an 'episode' here.
The reason why the Constellation Project possessed Baek Yu-Seol into the character Baek Yu-Seol was that he was the one closest to the 'True Ending.'
'In the future, the world will perish.'
'I've known that fact for a long ti, and it's true that I've been acting to prevent it.'
'So then...'
'Was the 'character Baek Yu-Seol' I played in 'Aether World Online' really just data of 0s and 1s?'
'Or...'
'Was even that character I played actually a living, breathing person?'
'Sigh...'
For days, the question remained unanswered.
He used to think the things he experienced in the ga were just part of the ga.
But now, the past experiences from the ga had started to appear as part of reality's past.
Those countless failures, challenges, deaths.
And, even the Black Dragon he encountered at the end of the world.
If all of that was real...
'How many tis did I kill Baek Yu-Seol... no, how many tis did I kill myself?'
Suddenly, as Baek Yu-Seol looked into the mirror hanging on the dormitory wall, the dark circles under his eyes were deepening.
The dilemma kept returning repeatedly without an answer.
However, there was no one who could answer this for him.
'Hey, if you're listening, can you please respond? You used to chat so well at the end of episodes.'
No response.
'Is it just the system or does it refuse to engage in conversation altogether?'
The silence only added to the frustration.
Eventually, he put down the pen.
'It's aningless to ponder like this. Holding onto it, even knowing I can't figure out the answer myself, is just a waste of ti.'
'Soday... in the distant future, the day will co when I learn the truth about this world.'
'At that ti... you will tell , right?'
[...]
Once again, there was no answer.
But for so reason, even though there was no response, he felt like it was giving him an affirmation.
'Well... it could be just my mood.'
————
Anella might be a useful pastry maker, but not a subordinate.
"Recently, you said that Dark Mage Alliance seems to be concerned about Mayuseong lately, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Lunchti, at the restaurant.
Originally, exchange students and Stella students were supposed to have als at different restaurants, but Baek Yu-Seol deliberately ca to the exchange student's restaurant.
There was no other place for Anella and him to talk privately.
He felt a bit awkward about this friendship.
"But... how long are you planning to eat like that?"
It felt even more uncomfortable as he watched Anella eat as much rice in a single bite as an average adult eats in a few bites.
"Well, I'll eat diligently!"
With his one comnt, Anella imdiately started shoveling rice into her mouth with a spoon.
He was concerned she might choke, but then again, she was a dark mage, so that probably wouldn't happen.
"Well, let's say thag Dark Mage Alliance cares about Mayuseong, but... why did the Dark Knight decide to exterminate ?"
Thanks to the 'Mute' item he received from Alterisha, he wasn't worried about their conversation leaking out, so he asked Anella without hesitation.
She hesitated to answer.
"Well, even if I wanted to tell you, I don't know myself. They keep a lot of things kept confidential from for fear that I can get caught during a mission."
"Even I wouldn't tell soone like you."
"That's so an..."
After casting a cautious glance, she asked, "But... Yu-Seol, you seem like an ordinary student. How do you know so much about our internal affairs...?"
Baek Yu-Seol wondered if she was subtly trying to gather information, but he didn't think Anella was that clever.
Of course, he had no intention of revealing anything.
"Do I have to tell you about that too?"
"Oh, no! I'm sorry!"
"Keep eating your food."
Unfortunately, Anella didn't know much about the internal affairs.
It wouldn't be appropriate for him to ask for more information either.
She might plead desperately here, but if she returned to the Dark Knight's side after leaving Stella, there was a high chance that she would betray him.
He needed sothing to keep Anella in check...
In the original ga, there was a plot where a single phrase from a character would deeply move Anella and completely change her heart towards the protagonist... or so he had heard.
He didn't know much himself; after all, he just t this character Anella for the first ti.
He was not particularly good with words, so he didn't have the confidence to touch her heart.
The only remaining option was to make a deal.
The deal would leave her no choice.
"Anella, you said your dark magic is completely sealed off right now, right?"
"Ye-yes..."
Perhaps if she returned without successfully completing the mission, the seal might not be lifted forever.
But that was just a possibility; one cannot rely on uncertainties.
'Anella's past.'
He slowly looked at Sentient Spec.
There weren't many records about her.
He wasn't diligent enough to record everything about the extra NPCs.
However...
[She wants to return to being human]
Although he was not diligent, he had a habit of precisely docunting the most important core elents.
"Anella, shall I make you a good deal?"
"... Yes?"
This could be an excellent bait to firmly hold her in place.
———
The Skalben Club.
Beneath the sparkling chandelier, he leisurely perused the report with shimring golden eyes.
[Skalben Club Participation List]
[Second Year....]
[Third Year....]
As most of the Skalben Empire nobility belonged to this club, a considerable number of participants in the Academy Battle were also mbers.
It used to be a remarkable event to have even one participant from a club join the Academy Battle, warranting a celebration party, but sadly, hoping for that from the Scalben Club seed futile.
Jeremy simply glanced over the participation list with an indifferent gaze.
Club mbers wondered why he suddenly took an interest in this.
"Participants."
"Yes!"
"Yeah!"
A radiant smile adorned his face, seeming to emit a golden glow. He was stunningly beautiful, almost godlike in appearance.
"In this Magic Survival, there's a sowhat unique participant. Do you know who?"
"... Yes, I'm aware."
Baek Yu-Seol, first year, Class S.
A bold junior who confidently made a na for himself as a participant in the Academy Battle, boasting a high win rate against seniors.
Considering that the Academy Battle involved elites from prestigious academies worldwide, mostly over 18, Baek Yu-Seol case was quite exceptional.
While it might be a source of pride for Stella Academy, as a senior, it seed rather unbecoming.
"Can I ask for one thing?"
"Just say it, Your Highness."
"Eliminate Baek Yu-Seol."
"... F"
The expected request ca forth.
It was no secret within the academy that Jeremy disliked Baek Yu-Seol.
He was none other than... a commoner who had captivated his unrequited love, Edna.
Although they had parted ways, rumors persisted that Edna still harbored feelings for Baek Yu-Seol, which made Jeremy quite uncomfortable.
"Is it difficult?"
Jeremy had a reason for making such an indifferent request.
Lately, Edna had been quite concerned about Baek Yu-Seol participation in the Magic Survival, and Jeremy had noticed.
She wandered around the classroom bulletin board, and asked friends about Baek Yu-Seol's survival participation and how it went during the evaluation.
That didn't sit well with him.
"No, it's very easy!"
Knowing Jeremy's feelings well, the club mbers enthusiastically responded.
Magic Survival.
As a ga where 100 mages randomly land in different locations and survive, 'teaming up' was strictly prohibited.
However, to completely eliminate Baek Yu-Seol with this group, teaming up was absolutely necessary.
"...This Academy Battle is a disaster."
Students who had grand ambitions of gaining widespread recognition through victory could only swallow their tears.
But what could they do?
Being targeted by Scalben's prince was even more frightening.
"Well then... stay strong, everyone."
Jeremy requested warmly, and the club mbers vigorously nodded in response.
"Yes!"
It appeared that this Magic Survival wasn't going to go smoothly after all.
User Comments
0 comments from readers