episode_0465

Suppose there is a person who knows the future.

Let’s say that person found out about the death of a friend in the future and warned them, “You will die soon, so be careful.” If the friend who learned about their impending death hesitated but heeded the advice and managed to avoid the future where they die, how would things unfold?

Since the friend’s scheduled death did not come to pass, naturally, the future that would have followed also changed completely.

“If they were a true prophet, they would continue to show the future of the world where the person who was supposed to die is alive.”

But what about a fake prophet like me?

“I’ve changed so many predetermined futures, how can I know the changed future? Pretending to be a prophet in such a situation is an unethical act.”

If the future I spoke of doesn’t come to pass?

“I’m just trying to keep a low profile, why should I be held accountable?”

Is there a reason to build trust by providing uncertain information?

No.

Is there anything else I should ask Mona Hwangtae-nyeo for?

No.

Do I have the confidence to bear the responsibility for the side effects of revealing the future to Mona Hwangtae-nyeo?

Absolutely not.

“As expected, the heaviest burden is the best.”

Just joking around will only increase the responsibilities I have to take on.

“Hwangtae-nyeo.”

I understand Hwangtae-nyeo’s feelings.

How much profit could one gain if they knew the future?

Especially now, as the Contaminated Zone begins to attack humanity again.

The information I have about the future is more valuable than gold.

So, she would want to use it, to grasp it in her hands.

“To be honest, I knew the future. I’ve used that knowledge to do many things until now. I stopped the Monster Wave, and even prevented the existence of the Hatching Grounds. And it was all thanks to being able to be certain that the extermination of the First Prince would not succeed.”

“!!”

Mona Hwangtae-nyeo’s face showed a sense of reliance on my honest words.

“I am not a prophet. I am just a guy who struggles using the information I know. And I have already changed many things using the information I have.”

“…Is my presence here also one of the things you changed?”

“You would have eventually come to this position, but it wasn’t due to the information I knew.”

“It must have been difficult to talk about, thank you for being honest.”

Mona Hwangtae-nyeo seemed lost in thought after hearing my words.

She seemed to understand that I am not a prophet, and that the future ahead is difficult to predict given that the future I knew has already changed.

“May I ask how you came to know about the future?”

Since I couldn’t say I found out while playing a game, I came up with a plan and said, “I read a prophecy.”

“A prophecy? Is that a thing?”

“Yes, I read it once, and it disappeared. It was written like a novel about what would happen in the future.”

“It disappeared, that’s really a shame. But I understand.”

If such a thing existed, the person with the prophecy would end up ruling the empire.

So, for the nobles of the empire, the existence of the prophecy was nothing short of a curse.

It would be nice to have it, but the thought of it falling into someone else’s hands was unsettling.

“And it’s fortunate that the prophecy ended up in your hands. If it had fallen into someone else’s hands, just imagining what they would have done with it is headache-inducing.”

Mona Hwangtae-nyeo sighed deeply, touching her forehead, then looked at me and asked, “The words you said about eradicating the Contaminated Zone.”

“Yes.”

“Did you say that after reading the prophecy?”

“Yes.”

“What future did you see in the prophecy to say such a thing?”

Mona Hwangtae-nyeo looked stunned, as if she had been hit on the back of the head with a rock.

Something terribly tragic must have happened for me to have wished for such a thing, giving up my luxurious life and making such a wish.

“Was the empire in danger? When I think about the recent events, I can imagine what would have happened if you weren’t there. It would have been the worst. The punitive force you organized without your advice would have failed, and maybe that would have been my end.”

As Prince Il recalled the time when he tried to kill Princess Mona, a bewildered expression crossed his face.

“There were times when I didn’t understand what you were doing. But now, everything makes sense with the prophecy. What will happen to the future of the empire? Can you tell me?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is it difficult to talk about the prophecy?”

Seeing Princess Mona looking crestfallen, I knew she didn’t want to reveal the future.

“No. I truly don’t know, so I said I don’t know. Just like how you became Princess Mona, many things have already changed. The future is built on the past. If the cornerstone of the past has changed, will the future I saw in the prophecy still happen?”

“No, it will change.”

“Yes. That’s right. So the future I saw in the prophecy is of no use. There’s no need to disturb your mind by telling you about it.”

“Are you not telling me because you think I’ll be shocked?”

Absolutely not.

Knowing Princess Mona’s personality well, isn’t it just because I worry about her that I don’t speak?

“There’s no point in telling many people. So please understand.”

If I tell Princess Mona, she will tell Chechen, and if Chechen knows, it could be passed on to someone else.

“In such unpredictable situations, it would only be more confusing if someone else interfered.”

That’s why I don’t say anything.

“Can I ask one thing?”

“What is it?”

“There are strange occurrences happening all over the empire, and the people are suffering. When such a serious crisis occurs, I want to know in advance, like you. Since I said I don’t want to reveal the future, can you give advice when a crisis is about to strike?”

Agreeing to take my advice ultimately meant that she couldn’t completely give up on information about the future.

“I understand. My advice may or may not be helpful, but if such a situation arises, I will tell you.”

“Is there anything you can tell me that can help with the recent strange occurrences?”

As soon as I gave permission, Princess Mona rushed to extract information from me.

“The strange occurrences are not a serious problem. Instead of trying to respond, just comply and wait, and they will naturally subside.”

“Will they end after some time? How long do we have to wait?”

When I mentioned the time it would take for the strange occurrences to disappear, Princess Mona frowned.

“We have to wait that long in such a place?”

“The people in the shelter will be safe. We have stocked enough food to sustain them, even if it’s not abundant.”

“Wasn’t it difficult to get food because of the Huangchong monsters?”

“Don’t we have our most popular product, combat rations?”

Since combat rations can be mass-produced like in a factory.

“Oh!”

Princess Mona’s complexion changed when I mentioned combat rations.

“Trying to solve problems without a plan will only get you into trouble. Do you know about the eye of the typhoon?”

“I heard it refers to the calm center of the typhoon.”

“Yes, as long as you stay inside the shelter, there’s hardly any danger.”

When Erintina first chose the location to build the shelter, she selected a place that could withstand natural disasters and was easily accessible to people.

Of course, most of the ideal locations were already occupied.

Thanks to that, Erintina had a hard time convincing them to let her build there.

Because the shelter was carefully chosen and constructed, it was safe to say that wandering outside to try and solve anomalies would be more dangerous.

“…How much more dangerous would it be if someone actively tried to solve the anomalies?”

Mona Hwangtaenyeo asked if those who were sent out to solve anomalies were remembered.

“Unless they’re highly skilled, going outside is impossible. It’s a natural disaster that humans can’t resist, so trying to stop it alone is not a good idea.”

Most of those who were sent out were probably just refugees in the shelter, killing time.

Except for one.

‘Gabriel.’

While others gave up and wasted time, she would be out there trying to find a way to solve the anomalies.

“You don’t have to worry about those who were sent out. It’s not dangerous for civilians, and awakeners in the empire’s land where monsters don’t appear are unlikely to die from anomalies.”

※ ※ ※

Whooooosh-!!!!

The fierce winds of the typhoon continued to rage today.

The refugees who were idly passing time in the shelter were busy making channels in the morning.

Creating waterways to divert water elsewhere was crucial.

If they did nothing, even a high ground shelter would be flooded.

After making the channels, they had to rest.

They say there’s no heaven like melting your frozen body by the warm stove after being soaked in rain.

As everyone adapted to life in the shelter like that.

She was still wandering outside like she did at first.

“Are you going out again today?”

As she was getting ready to go outside again today, a curious little child came up to her and asked.