The Soldier Shouted Save

Chapter 19

Korean. And singer Park Jae-yoon.

When I quoted the words she had said in my past life, Hyerin’s face brightened with recognition.

“S-so, that means… you’re also…”

I didn’t let her finish. Lingering on the thought wouldn’t help.

Before she could fire off more questions, I gently pressed her head down.

“This isn’t the place. Let’s talk outside.”

Hyerin nodded lightly, and I led her out of the church.

―Step, step.

Three sets of footsteps echoed behind us.

Me, Hyerin, and the sound of someone following closely behind.

Was it him? Was he trailing us?

“…Mister.”

Hyerin grabbed the hem of my clothes, sensing the same unease I felt.

…Should we pretend not to notice? Run?

No.

If we waited, there would be a moment when we could naturally slip away from him.

“Warrior, are you not taking the record book with you?”

It was Eris’ voice, addressing the man behind us.

“Oh, the record book?”

As the footsteps paused behind us, I gently pushed Hyerin’s back, signaling her to quicken her pace.

We reached a place outside the church, where the voices of merchants filled the air.

“So, that guy is following us… He’s from the royal palace, right?”

Hyerin, looking back, finally relaxed as she pulled down her stifling hood.

That man didn’t seem like a warrior. He was more like an agent from a guild of informants.

I recalled his face, the one who had crushed my skull before I died, and stopped Hyerin from asking any more questions.

“Shh. Let’s wait until we’re somewhere safer.”

Seeing me cut off the conversation and focus on moving, Hyerin seemed a bit uneasy, but I couldn’t afford to give her any reassurances right now.

I had to prevent a repeat of the last life, where Hyerin had seen through my lies and fled.

‘…What should I do next?’

The cryptic writing that had once given me clues now started appearing in my mind again.

I reviewed the messages that had shown up earlier, one by one.

―You have died due to a player’s attack. [Confirm]

The message at the top.

I furrowed my brow at the unfamiliar word.

‘What does “player” mean?’

The one who killed me was a warrior from the royal palace.

Could that warrior be what the system referred to as a “player”?

Pushing that thought aside, I checked the next message.

―You have been brought back to the last save point. [Confirm]

It mentioned being brought back to the last save point.

At first, I was confused, but now I had some idea what it meant.

It wasn’t an automatic save—it was triggered when I somehow invoked “save.”

‘It’s connected to the word “save.”’

The first time I returned to the past, Rian had asked me about the word “save,” and this time, Hyerin had mentioned I’d started saying it but hadn’t finished.

The outline of the truth was becoming a little clearer.

If, like the Chamber of Fate, the word “save” held power…

‘I need to be careful about saying “save.”’

Until I fully understood its implications.

‘Now, the last part is the most important.’

I checked the next message.

The “Hint,” which had offered guidance several times before.

―Hint: Find a way to stop the royal palace’s pursuit. [Confirm]

“Find a way to stop the royal palace’s pursuit…”

I repeated the message but found it unhelpful. It was like giving a general direction, nothing specific.

Like telling someone to survive a war—something anyone could say.

‘Just knowing the royal palace is involved should be enough.’

How would I survive?

Focusing on that goal, I led the way toward the Moonlight Inn.

“Come inside.”

“O-okay…”

Hyerin nodded and followed me into the inn.

“…”

As the door opened, some of the patrons enjoying their afternoon drinks glanced over at us.

“Brother, you’re back?”

Croa, wearing her server’s uniform, happily ran over to greet me.

“Haha! So, I told him, I’ll smash your mouth shut!”

The patrons lost interest in us and returned to their drinks, their attention fading.

I surveyed the relatively calm inn and spoke to Croa.

“Could you ask Blan to send some food up to our room?”

“Oh, sure… I’ll do that. But, um, who’s this?”

The confident server Croa had been just moments ago was now shy, nervously glancing at Hyerin.

Blinking her large eyes, Hyerin introduced herself.

“I’m Anna.”

Not her warrior name, but a common name on the continent of Gerard.

I nodded to Croa and motioned toward the stairs.

“She’ll be staying with us for a while. When you’re free, come to the room—I’ve got something to talk about.”

“…Okay. I’ll get Rian too.”

Maybe she sensed something serious in my tone because Croa went to find Rian, heading through the door at the back.

“Your alias is ‘Anna,’ and your real name is Hyerin… Lee Hyerin.”

Was she trying to gain my trust?

Without hesitation, she revealed her real name. Then, watching me carefully, she asked.

“What’s your name, mister?”

My name is Allen.

But just telling her that wouldn’t be enough to answer her question.

What Hyerin wanted was my name from the world of warriors.

“My alias is Allen. My real name… is Jang Hyun-seok.”

I avoided eye contact as I lied.

Jang Hyun-seok was the name of a warrior who fought monsters on the front lines, risking his life every day.

As I borrowed that name, Hyerin’s tense expression relaxed into a smile.

“…It feels so good to be with another Korean.”

Pretending not to notice Hyerin’s relief, I led her into the room.

The one at the end of the second-floor hallway, a room I hadn’t been able to enter in my past life.

“…Wow, it’s so soft.”

Hyerin, who had been sleeping rough for so long, sat on the bed with tears welling up in her eyes.

“What do you know about what I said in the church?”

“Oh, the ‘save’ thing? …I don’t really know much about it. I’ve only heard bits and pieces on the news and the internet.”

News, internet.

Those words made me freeze again.

There were so many things I wanted to ask, but saying too much could reveal that I wasn’t a warrior from another world.

‘I need to focus on surviving.’

If I wanted to survive the overwhelming power of the warrior from the royal palace, I’d need allies, and every one of them would be crucial.

‘…She asked me to save her.’

The image of Hyerin, her face swollen and reaching out to me in desperation, burned in my memory.

Both of us had to survive first. I could ask about “save” later.

“Do you have any clothes I could change into…?”

Hyerin, desperately trying to cover her foul odor with her hooded cloak, was handed some of Croa’s clothes.

“Thank you… I’ll just use the bathroom to change.”

Seeing Hyerin, who wasn’t looking for perfume but just a place to wash up, I was reminded again that she truly was a warrior.

Warriors from the royal palace, where hygiene and bathing had become part of daily life, would think like this.

‘I’ll figure out who’s staying in the inn while she gets ready.’

The bloodbath in the inn would happen two days from now.

Considering what I’d heard about a “saint candidate,” the target was likely Croa, but I couldn’t be sure.

I headed downstairs and approached Blan, who was leaning on the counter.

“Can I take a look at the guest list?”

“Why? Looking for someone again?”

“No, I heard some disturbing rumors outside.”

I fabricated a story that would make Blan more inclined to help.

A rumor that heretics, those who opposed the Freya Church, were gathering at the inn.

Blan, who had been listening while scratching his head, visibly tensed when I mentioned heretics.

“H-how do you know that? Will looking at the list help?”

“I just came from the church. The priests gave me names of people to watch out for. I’ll check them against the guest list.”

Blan, nodding at my explanation, pulled out a heavy ledger.

As I ran my finger down the list of names, Blan added comments on each one.

“That guy? Nah, he’s a regular merchant who comes around this time of year.”

“How about this one?”

“He did get a little rowdy once and threw a glass, but… he didn’t seem like a heretic…”

Blan seemed to know most of the guests, barely stopping to catch his breath as he talked.

Then suddenly, Blan stopped flipping through the ledger and looked toward the door.

“Welcome. Staying for the night?”

A group of ten mercenaries entered, one after another.

Their leader, who seemed to be in charge, removed his hood and spoke to Blan.

“Stay for two days.”

“Alright, let me see… I’ll sort out the rooms and floors for you. Just a moment.”

Blan, busy as ever, went back to arranging the rooms, while I quietly stepped away from the counter, intending to head up to the second floor.

But something made me stop.

A strange, unpleasant gaze.

Without turning my head, I quickly shifted my eyes, scanning my surroundings like someone trained to spot threats.

I followed the gaze and realized it was aimed at Croa, who was carrying food up the stairs.

‘It’s them.’

I slid back into the chair next to Blan and took a good look at the nine mercenaries still sitting with their hoods up at the counter.

Familiar faces—the same ones I had crossed swords with on the second floor.

‘The attack didn’t come from outside. They were already staying at the inn.’

And not just them.

The man loudly enjoying his daytime drinks.

Perhaps most of the people staying at this inn were agents of the royal palace, hunting the saint or the warrior.

“Allen, where did we leave off?” Blan asked, showing me the ledger with the additional names of the ten new arrivals.

I closed the ledger, eyes turning to the stairs.

“Do you know those mercenaries who just came in?”

Clad in black cloaks, lightweight weapons hanging from their belts, and leather armor reinforced with bits of metal—the typical look of a mercenary.

Blan, who didn’t recognize their faces, hardened his expression.

“…Are those the ones?”

“Yes, I’m certain.”

“Damn heretics! How dare they come here!”

Blan clenched his fists, glaring toward the stairs.

I leaned in and whispered quietly.

“What do you plan to do?”

“I’ll throw them out!”

Maybe because the inn was located in the heart of the city, Blan didn’t seem fazed, even when faced with a group of ten armed men.

I stopped him as he moved toward the stairs.

“There could be a dark mage among them.”

Blan’s bold steps came to an abrupt halt.

Dark mages—far more dangerous than any monster.

His face paled as he turned to me, unsure.

“W-what should we do?”

“I’ll report it to the church. In the meantime, can you tell my siblings to wait patiently in their room?”

“S-sure, I’ll handle it. You take care of the rest.”

With Blan visibly shaken, I left the inn and headed toward the church.

As I walked through the bustling streets full of merchants, I organized my thoughts.

‘Going up against a royal warrior is out of the question.’

I had to think clearly.

Would repeating this life over and over help me beat the warrior?

No. It was impossible.

I couldn’t even keep up with the warrior’s speed when he charged at me.

‘If I can’t defeat him myself, I need to align myself with a force that can.’

The bloodshed at the inn would occur in two days.

But what if, at that very moment, a group of Freya’s priests—those specialized in hunting the continent’s most dangerous necromancers—were present?

‘The royal warrior would have to avoid a direct confrontation.’

The key was convincing the church to act.

Arriving at the church, I saw Eris in the courtyard and approached her.

“Allen! I was just thinking about you. Perfect timing!”

“You had something to discuss?”

Before I could say more, Eris glanced around and guided me toward the outer wall, lowering her voice.

“I’ve reported that the Grimgal that appeared in your village was vanquished by me.”

“The Grimgal?”

The shadow monster summoned by dark mages, which I had driven away with a wildfire.

Confused, I asked, and Eris gave me a sheepish smile.

“You haven’t decided whether your sister will become a priest yet, right? We can correct the details later if she decides to join the faith.”

As I listened, I realized Eris had misunderstood something.

‘She thinks Croa was the one who defeated the Grimgal?’

Even though I had explained how I’d dealt with the Grimgal, it seemed she trusted the priests’ records more than my words.

It was easier for them to believe a monster had been vanquished by divine power rather than by an unusual wildfire.

In her mind, I must have been mistaken.

“Um… Did I misunderstand something?”

Eris noticed my silence and asked, sensing something was off.

I analyzed the situation objectively.

‘No need to correct her.’

The reason was simple.

Her misunderstanding worked in my favor.

I took a deep breath, as if nervous, and spoke quietly.

“Actually, I believe there are heretics staying at the inn I’m in.”

“…Can you explain in more detail?”

Eris’ smile disappeared as I carefully mixed truth with well-constructed lies.

I mentioned men in black cloaks following Croa, noting that their faces bore a resemblance to the dark mages who had summoned the Grimgal.

Eris’s face darkened.

“The situation seems dire. The heretics must have realized it was your sister who defeated the evil god.”

Eris, drawing her own conclusions, stroked her chin in thought.

I waited quietly as she pondered, and eventually, she nodded as if making a decision.

“Even if we maintain the pretense that I defeated the Grimgal, the only way to protect your sister from the heretics is for her to become a priest.”

Priests who risk their lives battling necromancers—the deadliest force on the continent.

I stayed silent as she insisted Croa had no choice but to become a priest, which led Eris to ask an unexpected question.

“Do you know what happens when we measure the divine power of an elder who has exhausted all their strength?”

I paused briefly, then shook my head.

Eris smiled, leaning in to answer.

“Oddly enough, their divine power reads as being on par with an apprentice priest. Do you understand what that means?”

This time, the answer was clear.

I asked, filled with hope and expectation.

“You mean we can hide Croa’s talent?”

“Yes, that’s right. If I handle the measurement at the church here in Tallin, I can disguise her power as that of an apprentice priest.”

An apprentice’s level of divine power would lead to a much more peaceful future for Croa, as she would be able to work as a healer in a safe region rather than battling necromancers.

“Thank you for looking out for us.”

Which priest would go to such lengths to help conceal divine power?

Grateful for her efforts to protect Croa’s future, I thanked her sincerely. Eris, blushing, waved her hands.

“Oh, no need to thank me… Freya’s church always looks after its benefactors. I’ll come to the inn as soon as I’m ready.”

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Eris bowed and hurried back into the church to make preparations.

I turned away and headed back to the inn.

‘The real problem lies ahead…’

By covering up the truth with lies, I had created a reason for the church to protect Croa.

But a lie was still a lie.

If the priests came into contact with the royal warrior, it would be easy to dispel the notion that these men were heretics.

‘Now, I need to think about what happens after the priests arrive at the inn.’

As I mulled over various possibilities, I walked through the busy streets, taking a shortcut down a side alley.

That’s when I noticed something odd.

―Tap, tap.

The sound of footsteps behind me—irregular, not following a normal pace.

I stopped, pretending to brush off my clothes against the wall, and the footsteps halted as well.

‘I’m being followed.’

As I exited the alley, the noise of the merchants drowned out the sound of the steps trailing me.

But knowing someone was behind me made it easy to lure them out.

I quickened my pace, pretending to rush toward a nearby building, and—

―Thud, thud!

I sprinted up the outer wall, vaulting onto a second-floor balcony.

“…Damn it, where did he go?”

The man who had been following me entered the alley below, his head darting around, looking for me.

I released my grip on the ledge and landed silently behind him.

―Thud!

The man froze at the sound of my landing and turned to face me.

―Whoosh!

Without hesitation, he swung his blade, aiming for me before even confirming who I was.

I dodged the strike as the blade passed just above my head and plunged my dagger into his chest.

“Gah!”

Clutching the wound, the man collapsed.

I quickly propped his body up in the alley to avoid attracting attention from the guards.

Just as I was about to leave, an odd sound reached my ears.

―Screech.

A noise like paper being torn in a cave.

Following the strange sound, I looked down and saw a triangular stone on the ground.

“…Is this some kind of token?”

I bent down and picked up the stone.

Suddenly, letters appeared before my eyes.

[This function is reserved for guild members.]

[Would you like to join the guild?]

It was a message unlike any I had seen before.

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