LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 209
“…”
“…”
Silence reigns over the place.
The girl stares at me intently, and I lock eyes with her.
“First, you went through a lot.”
The girl who was looking at me timidly lowers her head slightly.
“And I’m sorry for calling you out like this when it must be tough.”
It seems my earlier words were bothering her more than I thought.
“It’s fine, I told you.”
“But it couldn’t be helped. If I didn’t do it now, you wouldn’t be able to find your dream this easily.”
What does she mean by not being able to find the dream easily?
As I glance at her with a puzzled expression, she scratches her cheek and meets my gaze.
“Since we’re on the Moon, I can exert my power more easily.”
“What, so the closer you are to a powerful anomaly, the stronger your abilities become or something?”
“Close enough.”
With a sigh, she starts walking on the Moon’s surface.
The rustling sound of sand swirling in the air tickles my ears.
“If it weren’t the case, I wouldn’t keep appearing in your dreams to talk to you.”
That’s a bit much for me.
Fortunately, she seems not to read my thoughts, wandering around leisurely as she continues speaking.
“As you’ve seen, there are certain things that the Management Agency manages specially.”
“…”
“The things you closed off like the Moon fall into that category.”
“The Moon, huh.”
“Right. You know this because you closed it, but it’s an egg of what’s up there.”
“God?”
“God doesn’t exist.”
“…”
I was momentarily at a loss for words at her firm statement.
“Honestly, I’d love to tell you more, but you already know about the Moon, right?”
“That is true.”
“Yeah, your eyes told me so.”
She smiled at me.
“Impressive. As always, you’ve always made me worry unnecessarily.”
“Always?”
“Of course, not always. Because I end up worrying too much.”
She answered with a soft laugh before turning back to look at me.
The Moon continued to shine brightly.
“You said you’d tell me about the Moon and the wedge.”
“Yeah.”
“Um…”
She closed her eyes as if deep in thought, resting her chin on her hand.
“Basically, the Management Agency always has measures in place to prevent things that seem likely to end the world.”
“Like a wedge?”
“Exactly.”
Wedge.
I recall what I saw with Yu Da On.
Yu Da On transformed into a holy entity.
“The wedge is a method to stop containment objects that the Management Agency can’t handle, and it’s a way we’ve succeeded.”
Her gaze turns toward me.
“That’s precisely what it is—”
Just as she opens her mouth, a beeping sound fills the air, ringing in my ears.
“…What?”
“I’m saying—”
The beeping sound rings again.
As I look at her with a puzzled expression, she lets out a low sigh.
“It seems you still don’t understand.”
“…”
“Then let me explain it in simpler terms. You should be able to grasp it.”
She looked at me again.
“You will see the future you once existed in through the wedge.”
“…”
“Since it’s a wedge you touched, it will depict a future where you either don’t exist or are dead.”
A hint of bitterness crosses her expression.
“You’ll probably see it a few more times.”
“What if I don’t go to the wedge?”
“That’s not important.”
She looked at me with an apologetic gaze.
“It’s something you’ll have to face regardless.”
“…So you mean I’ll face it no matter what?”
“Exactly.”
She nodded slowly.
“Do you know what that means?”
“It depends on what kind of trials you’ll face.”
She sighed as she replied.
“Of course, I’ll always do everything I can to protect and help you.”
“Is that your mission?”
“It’s not a mission.”
At my words, she slowly shook her head.
“I already completed my mission a long time ago.”
“…”
“I just want to help you.”
“…Alright.”
I never knew what to say to such frank words.
“Anyway. There will be many occurrences like this.”
“More situations where the world may end?”
“I hate to say it, but yes.”
She sighed again.
“The time is coming.”
“What time?”
“The event that will determine the survival of our civilization.”
She looked at me.
“Even if I tell you, I doubt you’ll understand right now… there will be more events like this happening.”
“Oh boy.”
I’m not keen on that.
She chuckled softly at my sour expression.
“It’s okay. This time, you’ll be able to overcome it.”
“Have we succeeded in overcoming it till now?”
“Never.”
She smiled gently.
“But it’s alright.”
“…”
“I’ll always be by your side, until you find happiness.”
At that moment, the Moon behind her began to shine.
“Looks like time has flown by.”
She sighed as she gazed at the Moon.
“Was it a fruitful conversation?”
“Honestly, there were so many lofty things said, it’s hard to call it fruitful.”
“I thought so too.”
“Then why did you call me?”
She smiled apologetically at my words.
“I just wanted to see you.”
As soon as she said that, I felt a tap on my shoulder and the world began to shake.
“The next time will be something challenging as well. No, there will be many occurrences going forward.”
In the trembling world, she stood straight, looking at me.
“Hang in there.”
“Would it hurt to give some more helpful advice?”
“What are you talking about? I always give helpful advice.”
With a click of her tongue, she crossed her arms and waved at me lightly.
At that moment, the Moon behind her shone brightly.
“…Awaken.”
A voice tickled my ears.
“…Awaken, I said.”
A whispering voice seemed to echo in my ear.
I slowly opened my eyes.
Dull platinum hair brushed against my nose.
Aileen was looking at me.
“It’s already morning—uh…!”
“Shh.”
She covered my mouth.
“Just a quick chat. Before the others wake up.”
“…”
I turned my head to look beside me.
I saw the corner’s end, the red eyes, the trembling Yu Da On, and a slight headache creeping in.
But it seemed like everyone else was already awake.
“…I guess.”
But I couldn’t exactly point that out.
As I whipped my head around, the headache subsided, the red eyes closed, and Yu Da On immediately began to breathe steadily.
I turned to look at Jang Chae Yeon.
“…”
She was really sleeping soundly.
Nodding, I slowly followed her lead.
Stepping outside the cabin, the cool air brushed against my face.
– Creak…
With a small sound, the door closed, and Aileen looked at me.
“Do you remember what I said when we were going up?”
Her expression was complex as she glanced at me.
“I remember.”
She was referring to her request to take her to the church.
“But does it really have to be me?”
“…You’re the prophet.”
Aileen answered in a firm voice.
“…First, I need to explain the situation.”
She tightly shut her eyes.
“The church, especially the church’s main base.”
“…”
“No humans are left there.”
She spoke softly.
“Paradoxically, in a place originally gathered together only for humans, there’s no longer any existence of humanity.”
“…”
“My parents also went in there. No, they were captured.”
She muttered through clenched teeth.
“And they remained there.”
“Remained there?”
“Of their own will.”
She murmured as she looked at me.
“My parents said they saw things I’ve never seen.”
“…”
“I don’t really know what that is.”
Since I also hadn’t seen them, Aileen muttered bitterly.
“To find out, I joined the Response Team. But…”
“You couldn’t find them.”
“Right.”
She gritted her teeth.
“I frequented the church to the point of making more than half the guidelines, and I’ve searched through every place except one like a bloodhound.”
“And is that where only the prophet can enter?”
“To be precise, it’s where the prophet and their group can enter.”
She looked at me.
“Take me to the Cathedral. Please.”
“…”
“I know it’s dangerous to bring you to a place akin to a death trap.”
Aileen looked down, her fists clenched.
I understand.
Asking someone whom you barely know to risk their life for you isn’t easy, no matter how you slice it.
She lifted her gaze to look at me.
“But I’m begging you.”
“…”
“I know it’s a shameless request. If there’s anything you want me to do in return, I’ll do it. If we can just get out of the church, I’ll give you both my arms. No, my life. I’ll do everything you ask for.”
Aileen looked at me with a desperate expression.
Let’s think coldly about the situation here.
She asked me to explore the church.
And she was important to the Reincarnator.
In a romantic relationship?
That probably wasn’t the case. I can’t imagine a self-centered person falling in love with someone else.
Maybe she has something she hasn’t shared with me?
If that’s the case, I couldn’t just ignore her.
So…
No.
That’s not it.
“Okay then.”
“…Really?”
Aileen looked at me.
“Yes.”
“…Why?”
She looked at me in confusion.
“Sympathy? Or something beyond that…”
“Neither.”
I shrugged.
In such a situation, it was appropriate to return the words she once said to me.
“This responsibility, I will share it with you.”
“…”
Aileen fell silent.
“I’m not the kind of person who would turn a blind eye to someone who’s dying under the weight of responsibility and fear.”
“…”
As I recited her words back to her, Aileen fell silent and lowered her head.
“Thank you.”
“…”
“I won’t forget.”
“For that, you need to get out alive.”
“…Yeah.”
She looked at me.
Her dulled eyes were now sparkling with brightness.
With a swift turn, the door closed slightly behind her.
“Alright! Let’s head inside!”
“Hey, don’t talk so loudly.”
“It’s not like they’ll be sleeping soundly at this point.”
Of course, they absolutely wouldn’t be, but that’s not the point.
With a loud bang, I opened the door.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Everyone was sound asleep.
“…What’s going on…?”
Only Jang Chae Yeon was rubbing her sleepy eyes and staring at me.
“No, I just went out for some fresh air.”
“…Yeah. Don’t wander around too much; it’s cold.”
She spoke in a voice full of concern before lying back down and dozing off again.
“You woke her.”
“Other people haven’t woken up.”
Sighing, I spread my sleeping bag back on the floor and lay down.
It’s time to really sleep now.
*
After two days, we finally could go down the stairs.
After coming down the stairs, feeling a bit worried, we took a day off and went to the Management Agency, but nobody treated us any differently.
“…Phew.”
A sigh of relief escaped my lips.
I promised Aileen that we would go to the church when we had the chance.
But since we were too worn out right now, we decided to rest before going.
“Jae Heon.”
“Oh, Team Leader.”
The Team Leader called me early in the morning.
Soon, the Team Leader handed me two paper tickets.
“Take them.”
“…”
What’s this?
Quickly scanning above Team Leader’s head, I saw nothing unusual.
What is this?
“What is this? What’s the catch?”
“Have you been living in deception only? I realized the recent times have been quite deceitful.”
The Team Leader sighed and pressed the tickets into my hand.
“This is a restaurant ticket.”
“Why is there a ticket for a restaurant?”
“This isn’t just any restaurant.”
The Team Leader looked at me earnestly.
“It’s a city view restaurant at Gangseo Hotel, with reservations backed up for five years.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Wait, you don’t know this? Other kids…”
The Team Leader looked around at our Human Resources Team members, but everyone just stared back at him with blank expressions.
“…Seriously, no one knows?”
The young folks murmured, tsking their tongues as the Team Leader pressed the tickets into my hand.
“For dates and proposals, there’s no better place. Take someone with you.”
“One person?”
“I was only planning to take my wife. Do you know how expensive this is?”
The Team Leader sighed.
“I owe you a debt, so I’m giving you this.”
“…”
Clutching the ticket, I glanced around.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Three people were looking at me.
It felt a bit, no, very frightening.