Gisaeng (Entertainer)

I nonchalantly accepted the attention focused on me, while Konrad, who had been quietly observing me, snorted loudly on purpose.

,Hmph, how predictable. He’s just caught up in some delusional fantasy from the shock of getting hit in the head.”

As if waiting for those words, Raellan asked me with a bold smile.

,Or maybe there’s a reason you insisted on being from another world. Maybe you have some decisive evidence to convince us all.”

For some reason, Raellan’s gaze felt sharp. He was probably angry that I ignored his advice and revealed that I was from another world.

Of course, I wanted to rely on the strategist’s advice as much as possible. But following Raellan’s advice to be wary of Roel and do nothing felt like wasting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which made me uneasy. I’d already made my choice, so regretting it was pointless. Even if I was wrong, this was the moment to trust my decision.

I reached out and opened a space warehouse in the air. Everyone swallowed hard as they looked at the space warehouse I created, wondering if anyone here didn’t know what it was. Roel, wearing a bitter smile, looked at the space warehouse and said.

,Rosalyn’s space warehouse magic… it seems you had it in another world.”

I nodded slightly at Roel’s words, and Konrad mumbled.

,Just because you can use Rosalyn’s magic doesn’t prove you’re from another world.”

Konrad’s point made everyone nod in agreement. Magic alone wasn’t convincing enough. But I never thought I could convince them with just the space warehouse. The important thing was what was inside the warehouse.

I took out the Spear of Destruction from the space warehouse and placed it on the table, and Ilia, who was watching, murmured softly.

,…Spear of Destruction.”

,It’s my main weapon in the other world.”

Konrad stared at the Spear of Destruction with disbelief, then asked me for permission.

,Would it be alright if I touched it?”

Instead of answering, I pushed the Spear of Destruction towards Konrad, who quickly reached out and picked it up, examining it carefully. Konrad tapped the shaft with his finger, flicked the blade, and then, after a moment of contemplation, returned the Spear of Destruction to me.

,It certainly seems to be the real thing… How is this possible?”

Konrad, muttering with a bewildered expression, looked at me with suspicion. He still didn’t believe I was from another world.

,Maybe he just got the Spear of Destruction that was lying around after Rene of Iron Blood died by sheer coincidence.”

Raellan said with a strange smile. He had no intention of being on my side and helping to convince them. If that was the case, I had no choice but to keep presenting evidence.

As soon as I materialized the Spear of Shadows, which I had visualized in my head, Ilia and Roel’s eyes widened.

,You even have the Spear of Shadows…?”

I nodded vigorously, feeling satisfied with Roel’s surprised expression.

,Yeah, since I use spears as my main weapon. I switch spears depending on the situation.”

,…I see, so you use spears over there.”

I tilted my head at Roel’s answer. Did this Roel use a different weapon? It was a part that wasn’t mentioned separately in the novel, so I was curious.

,What weapon did I use here?”

,Of course… a sword. You wanted to beat me, after all. Even when I tried to help you, you refused with a straight face.”

I see, if I hadn’t obtained Patulga’s Grimoire, there would have been no reason to choose a spear. Thinking about it, it was thanks to the lucky discovery of Patulga’s Grimoire that I was able to accomplish so much, even in the early days when I struggled to adapt to academy life with abilities below average.

I deactivated the spear’s manifestation and revealed that I had also learned Breath of the Void. I didn’t miss the moment when Raellan’s eyes flashed sharply at those words. After demonstrating the use of Breath of the Void as Raellan requested, I looked at Konrad and said.

,Isn’t this enough proof that I’m from another world?”

,Ugh… But I don’t feel any foreignness from you being from another world at all… And there haven’t been any recent changes to the balance of the ruined world.”

Konrad still didn’t believe me, but I wasn’t trying to convince Konrad in the first place, but Roel. I turned my head and looked at Roel, who was deep in thought.

,…Hyung-nim, you don’t believe me either?”

At my question, Roel shook his head with a gentle smile.

,No, I believed you from the start. There’s no reason for you to lie to me like that. And there’s evidence like this. So I believe you.”

I felt good that Roel trusted me. Roel looked up at the ceiling for a moment. A silence fell over the table as everyone seemed to be thinking about something. Roel broke the silence, lowering his gaze from the ceiling.

,Ross, is there a way to return to your world?”

His voice was filled with childlike anticipation. The way he looked at me seemed to be shining brightly. He had found hope to escape destruction, so it was a natural reaction.

,There is. But… I’m not sure if other people will be able to return. Like Konrad said, the world might deny their existence.”

Until I heard Konrad’s words, it was just a vague thought of what might happen. But after hearing Konrad’s words, I was able to grasp the situation, at least roughly.

The reason I didn’t turn to ashes and disappear even though I came to another world was definitely because of the magic on my wrist. This wasn’t just a simple guess. It was because I had understood the information about the new magic in my head to some extent that I realized it after hearing Konrad’s explanation. The magic on my wrist was deceiving the world.

This magic wasn’t something I could tell them about. I didn’t even understand the magic myself in the first place. I didn’t know how to use it on others either. The structure of the formula and the magical interpretation were impossible. It was just magic that existed as if someone had arbitrarily shoved it into my head.

I explained the facts I had found out as much as possible in a low voice. Everything from how I came to this world to the effect of the runes surrounding my wrist.

Roel sighed and ran a hand over his face, looking exhausted, at the words that it might be impossible to return with me.

,If only I could go back to the past… I could have changed everything.”

I felt guilty for no reason at Roel’s voice filled with deep regret. It felt like I had given him hope and then taken it away.

Roel got up from his seat and walked slowly around the table, frustrated that he couldn’t escape the situation of the world’s destruction. He had a troubled expression on his face.

After a moment of silence, Roel stopped walking and smiled gently at me.

,Ross, thank you for being honest with me.”

,Yeah… and sorry. I feel like I just gave you unnecessary hope.”

I couldn’t look Roel in the eye because I felt sorry. The moment I lowered my gaze, I felt something hot and wet touch my face.

Tuk-tuduk-

Something rolled across the table and hit the plate in front of me. It was an arm. I stared blankly at Raellan, whose arm had been cut off. Raellan, looking down at me with a bitter gaze as if blaming me, looked forward and said.

,Hehe, I knew you’d come to this. Your quick judgment has always been your strength. And your execution is terrifying.”

Raellan, whose arm had been cut off, stood up from the chair, protecting me with his body as if shielding me. Even then, I didn’t understand the situation. No, I couldn’t possibly understand it with my head.

I couldn’t understand why Roel had swung his greatsword at me, who had told him everything honestly.

Fortunately, it seemed I wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand the situation, as Ilia and Konrad also stood up from their seats with bewildered faces and looked at Roel.

,Ro, Roel… .”

,What are you doing! How can you swing your sword with the intention of killing your own brother!”

At Konrad’s angry voice, I was finally able to accept it. Roel really tried to kill me.

But why…?

As if answering that question, Roel opened his mouth.

,…Since you told me everything honestly, I’ll be honest with you too.”

Roel, who shook off the blood of Raellan from his greatsword, met my eyes. And then, with an unfamiliar expression that I had never seen before, he gave a bold smile.

,Ross, I can get everything from you. We’re connected to something invisible.”

,What…?”

Those words were as incomprehensible as the current situation. What on earth did it mean to be able to feel everything about me? Roel, the person in question, solved that question.

,I could feel your existence the moment you arrived in this world. That’s why I could find you so easily. Because the severed connection was reconnected. Thanks to the connection, I could also tell that your soul was mixed, and I could regain all the embarrassing feelings you’re feeling now and everything you’re experiencing… And of course, that includes the magic you used in this world.”

A green flash was fired from the end of the holy sword, which was pointing towards the floor. The floor seemed to vibrate for a moment, and then something appeared around Roel, piercing through the floor. It was the roots of a plant that had grown rapidly.

The way he freely controlled the roots like living things… it was the rapid growth magic that I had used on the bean seeds to avoid the Chaos Worm.

I stared blankly at the moving roots, and before I knew it, I took a step towards Roel.

,No, no way.”

Roel shrugged nonchalantly at my reaction.

,I can also use the Breath of the Void that you showed Raellan. But for some reason, I can’t figure out the space magic that can lead to another world that you explained.”

Roel raised his greatsword and pointed it at me.

,Maybe it’s because the runes on your wrist are protecting the magic. If that’s the case, I’ll cut off your arm to get the space magic that can lead to another world.”

Konrad, who had been watching the conversation, covered me with his back as if protecting me like Raellan, and pointed his staff at Roel.

Raellan, who was quick-witted, realized everything from Roel’s words and burst into laughter.

,…Kuhahaha, so that was the identity of the inexplicable contradiction. I never thought there would be such a shady secret to a virtuous liege.”

Roel gave a bitter smile at Raellan’s sarcasm.

,…I can do anything to save the world. I promised to save everyone no matter what the cost.”

Roel’s justice, which never falters in the face of any hardship, is now aimed at me. As if that was the destiny set for the brothers.

Roel, who put his justice into his voice, said to me.

,Even if I have to kill you again, I have to save the world.”