episode_0099

31. I am your… (2)

Before I could even ponder the words of Thoth, the god of wisdom, Patruna handed me something.

It was a small crystal, a slightly thick document, and something familiar… a broken wristwatch.

” This… This is… ”

The moment I touch my wristwatch, tears flow from my eyes due to the emotions that surge up from my chest.

What on earth is it about this wristwatch that makes me feel a vague yet nostalgic feeling deep in my heart?

” This… ugh… What the heck is this watch… ugh… ”

Patruna approached me, wiping a tear from my cheek with her soft hand, and pointed to her watch.

” That watch is something that Charlotte… that is, something you’ve had since you first met me as a man. I don’t want to lose it when you fight in the world I protect.

It took me a while to find it because I remembered the work you left for me, but I’m glad I can give it to you.

At that time, you said… that it was something your parents bought you when you were an adult and went to college. Now… you may not remember it… but the feelings that remain deep in your heart cannot be erased. ”

Patruna smiled bitterly as she stabbed me in the chest.

After hearing her story, I was happy that the memories and emotions contained in this watch remained in my heart, unlike the memories of when I was a man who had disappeared. I held the watch in my arms and cried.

I want to meet the two people I might not be able to meet even if I go back… I want to meet them so badly. But I cried even harder when I realized that I couldn’t even remember what they looked like.

The soft, warm warmth that enveloped me made the sadness even greater.

I can’t even remember the warmth of the two of you… I feel so…

I don’t know how much I cried until the tears stopped flowing.

But after I let out my pent-up emotions, I realized that there were crystals and documents that Patruna had given me, other than the watch, and asked about them.

” First of all, the correction is… a fragment of the memories of the time when you were a man that remained. ”

” Fragments… right? ”

” Yes, if you use that… you can recall some memories of when you were a man. But… ”

She looked at me with a slightly apologetic expression, took a deep breath, and then

” But… the moment you abandon your manhood and completely… admit that you’re a woman… that memory will disappear. ”

” That’s… what… ”

I didn’t understand what she was saying. I could recall my memories, but what does it mean to abandon the man I was? More than that… what does it mean to completely accept myself as a woman?

” That… That’s… ”

Patruna, who was waving her hands and speaking as if embarrassed, continued to ‘hesitate’ and then whispered to me as if she had made up her mind.

” That… That’s the story of when I was completely taken in by my older brother and had my first experience… ”

After hearing that, I sat down and my face turned bright red and I felt like it was going to explode.

” Wait… Wait?! That’s… That’s not it…!!! ”

I grabbed Patruna’s sleeve and looked up at her.

” Ahem, ah… Anyway, that’s the story! Th… That’s the end of it! And the documents there are information about you when you were a man, so you can read them. ”

” No, but what I was talking about earlier…! What the heck! What are you thinking! You… You shameless…! How…! ”

” That’s where the story ends! ”

” What’s the ending! When I think about it, it’s ridiculous! Not only did he make a body identical to mine… but he’s trying to connect it with his brother and what!? This is totally….! ”

” Oh, you can’t say that! ”

Patruna covered my mouth with both hands as I protested to her, and used her power to prevent me from opening my mouth.

‘You wicked bitch… No, more than that, what the hell are you thinking?! Come to think of it… Is it really true that you become dazed or strange whenever you’re with Hyunseok…?!’

As I looked at her with a suspicious look, I could see her whistle and run away.

‘I believed you!! I believed you because you were my Lord!!! Like this, to me… to me…! To my brother…! ‘

While I was staring at the direction she disappeared in, Vulcan and the other remaining gods approached me with a cheerful smile.

They came to me and told me what roles they had and left saying they would see me next time when they became full gods.

Among them, the goddess Maat said that it was really hard to create a system that would reward you for conquering the tower, and asked that you conquer many towers in the future so that your efforts would not be in vain.

Tirdo left a message telling her to fight well against the various demons, as he had also helped her obtain skills and items from the demons.

After exchanging brief greetings and the other gods disappeared, only Vulcan remained, looked at me, and opened his mouth.

” Charlotte, now what you have to do is use the Hauteclair to confirm your divinity. You know that each god has a different divinity, right?

The same goes for you. So you’d better think carefully about it, because how you establish your divinity will determine what kind of god you will become.

And… do you remember the great sword we saw at the end? ”

At his words, he nodded, recalling the greatsword made of flame that he had held in his hand when fighting El Rey.

” Yes, that’s… different from weapons like Durandal, Curtana, and Hauteclair. That’s… you. That’s yourself. ”

I shook my head as if I didn’t know, unable to open my mouth because of Patruna.

” So… in my case, it’s the hammer on this waistband. In Patruna’s case, it’s the flame spear. And in Thoth’s case, it’s the gold-decorated staff. Same case.

You know the aura that you feel from those weapons? Those are the weapons that represent the divinity of the gods. They are called [Shingi].

By now, you know what I mean. You use the Hauteclair to determine your divinity and when you realize what god you will be, you will gain [Divine Divinity], which is the greatsword. ”

After listening to him and nodding as if he understood, he patted my head and said goodbye, saying he would see me next time, then tapped me on the shoulder and disappeared.

At the same time, I closed my eyes to the light flowing out, and when I opened them again, I was in Hyunseok’s arms.

*****

” Charlotte?! Are you okay? Where does it hurt? ”

I clear my throat at his question while holding me.

” It’s okay. But… I wish you’d give it to me… ”

The way he was holding me was called ‘princess hugging’ so I was quite… embarrassed.

I was being subjected to a position that I would only see in romance novels or movies… It wasn’t that I didn’t like it… but I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.

But the answer I heard from him was

” I hate it. ”

” Huh…? ”

” You said you wouldn’t force it, but now you’re worrying me, so what are you asking me to do? ”

As he said that, he brought his face close to mine and kissed me, and I put my hand on his chest and felt the kiss with him.

The heartbeat felt in my hand. At first it was beating fast, but when his lips parted I could feel it returning to normal speed.

It was only after our lips separated and the thin thread that had connected us broke that I was able to ask him about the current situation.

” After you defeated El Rey, the undead army came from behind us and I was able to get to you who was lying down while I was dealing with it, and then I used the sealing stone.

I came up to this room with Yeonseo and waited for you to wake up. Yeonseo said she was looking around, so she’ll be here soon. ”

” Yeah… That must have been hard. ”

As I slowly placed my hand on his head and stroked it here and there to applaud his efforts right after I collapsed, his face turned red.

‘Haha! It’s ripened red. How cute…’

” Sha… Charlotte?! ”

” This is a reward for your hard work. ”

While I was enjoying watching him avoid my gaze while he was ripening so red, I heard a refreshing voice behind me.

” Oh my, if it’s so good, why don’t you just live here? ”

” Are you here? ”

” Yes, here we come! ”

Yeonseo came to me shouting that she was here and touched my forehead.

” Your fever… seems to have gone down. Are you feeling okay? ”

” Heung~ You were worried? ”

Let’s say it in a slightly teasing tone. Yeonseo’s white skin turned slightly red, although not as much as Hyunseok’s.

” Who? Me?! Oh… No? Ahem… Anyway, if it’s okay for you and Hyunseok, let’s hurry up and get our compensation and leave. ”

” Got it. Hyunseok…? ”

He came to his senses when I tapped his chest, put me down, and the three of us headed toward the box containing the reward.

*****

” Hah! This tower was a bit different from the others, but it was still doable. ”

Lying on the soft blanket and stretching, I could feel myself leaving the space I had been in just a moment ago.

This time, the reward for the pagoda in Gyeongbokgung Palace felt like quite a lottery.

First of all, as a reward given to everyone, a helpful blueprint like the generator we received last time has been unlocked.

That’s right! It was a blueprint for creating a means of transportation using magic stones and magic water materials.

This blueprint could be very helpful… as it would allow you to move easily between settlements.

‘ Well, I guess I’ll have to figure out how to make it myself… ‘

As a separate reward for the three of us, I was able to obtain a bracelet with a function that could be called an ‘inventory’.

At first, I didn’t know what it was because a portal the size of my palm opened, but when I reached out, I couldn’t feel anything, so I just picked up some rocks nearby and put them in, and then I made the portal again.

I was delighted to receive a bracelet with a storage function worthy of receiving as a special privilege from another world, as I could feel the texture of the stone when I put my hand in it.

Yeonseo was disappointed when she received a ribbon similar to her hair color this time, but when she wore it, she began to be amazed by the mana recovery power she felt.

Sure, I used a magic that poured all my magical power into it after I collapsed, but when I put on that ribbon, I felt the empty mana quickly fill up?

Finally, Hyunseok received a ‘small trinket box’, but he didn’t tell Yeonseo or me what it was.

I was disgusted by that sight… I tried to take it by force, but instead, I was subdued by him… I ended up touching him here and there…

Ahem! Anyway, since the news of this tower attack must have reached out to the people at the Blue House and others… they’ll know we succeeded.

The conquest of the third tower, which started late at night, ended like that.

The incident that happened while we were sleeping ended late in the morning, so we were already exhausted, so we just lay down to sleep and quickly headed to the Blue House as soon as we woke up.

*****

As soon as we woke up, we quickly headed to the Blue House, but we could not arrive until daytime, and the person waiting for us there was…

” You’re here? Do you know how noisy the alarm was at dawn? Haaam~ ”

It was Yujia who was waiting for us to arrive while yawning.

” How did you know we were coming? ”

When Hyun-seok asked, it seemed like he hadn’t expected her to be there.

” I told you. I’m a navigator. I know where you guys are and where you’re going. I’ve ‘marked’ you. ”

After saying those words, she manipulated the tablet she was holding in her hand and began leading us into the Blue House.

From the entrance, many people were looking at us, and we followed her to the large glass building under those hot and cold gazes.

Seoul Special City Hall. My other family besides Yoo Ji-ah. The place where Yoo Ji-sung is.

She, Yujia, turned around and stopped there.

” Welcome to the Blue House settlement. ”