episode_0357

-Minhyuk.

-Minhyuk!

-Hey, Minhyuk…!

-Hey. It’s you, Minhyuk.

-Minhyuk… Huh?

-Whoa! Minhyuk…!

“…”

That voice that is heard every now and then.

It was a voice from a dream.

Indeed, it was a strange dream.

In that dream, there was a friend who always seemed familiar.

Countless scenes have passed by, but I remember them all. I remember when, where, and what I did without forgetting.

I was a little surprised myself.

I don’t have many good memories in my life, so I don’t remember much of them… but I remember every single one of them with that friend.

But why is that?

It’s so vivid.

Even though it was a dream, it felt as vivid as reality.

It felt so vivid that I felt like it was not a dream but reality.

Because the content of the dream was so explicit.

To say that it was just a dream, a vague imagination, a coincidence, or an overinterpretation… was too blatant.

A set time for each day.

Events that occur at that time.

Reactions to scenes and events that feel familiar.

The things I saw in my dream and in reality… were completely overlapping here as if they were overlapping.

My feelings were so complicated that it was hard to just dismiss it as a dream.

At first, I wondered if it was really a dream.

Thanks to that, I wake up early.

Today was different from yesterday.

It was a day when the rules that had been in place until then were broken.

Even though Harnie was next to me, I had to open my eyes without being able to fall into a deep sleep.

However, he was not the only one who woke up early.

“…”

Blurry eyes. There are shadows beneath the purple pupils. It seems like he’s had particularly poor sleep today.

Not only Carcein, but also Harni was like that.

Yesterday, things happened just like yesterday. My heart, which had accepted the kindness without being able to calm its agitated mind, kept pounding endlessly.

With every heartbeat, a fight broke out again and again.

A heart that only wants to protect my pure desires.

The mind that must endure and overcome that greed.

The fight between these two made Harnie’s heart beat again and again.

Harnie had to hold back her heart that was beating wildly all night long. By the time she had suppressed and controlled the desire to sneak out, an hour or two had already passed.

After struggling and struggling again, I ended up losing sleep. Even though I was able to sleep most peacefully when Karcein was by my side.

Nevertheless, Carcein raises his body.

‘I need time to organize what I want to say, even just a little.’

He needs time to think.

How should I lead the conversation so that I can convey everything to Harnie?

It will take a lot of thought to bring out all the words that were kept pent up for the whole day.

This was a time that should not be wasted.

‘This won’t work. I need some time away from you.’

And Harnie, who didn’t want to waste this time, also got up.

Just being stuck with Karcein all night deepened the conflict.

Just being held in those two arms that gently embrace me makes me want to be greedy.

My greed grows as if I’m intoxicated by the time I’m in his arms.

Even if I can’t see your face or hear your voice, just having you by my side makes this desire grow exponentially.

It can’t be left like this.

I had to resist the urge to grab hold of him, even if it was just a little bit away.

People say my eyes are dizzy and my mind is in a mess, but today everything is so clear.

This day is the most important day for both of us.

I needed to have something to say, one way or another, so I needed time to gather my thoughts and prepare for it.

But… unfortunately, the time to control my mind disappeared.

“…”

“…”

Their eyes met.

With the opponent who woke up at the right time.

No matter how hard I try to control my mind, it’s hard to choose what to say when he’s up like that.

The awkward atmosphere continues.

No one can easily speak out.

The two people who came to their answers in an infinitely short silence each postponed their words.

“You woke up early today?”

“Today is the day. I usually wake up at this time.”

“Oh my. Lies. Did you forget that I’ve never seen it before?”

“Finally, today is the day when I can wake up for real.”

Each in their own way.

I tried my best to maintain my usual appearance.

It had to be that way.

Both of you, I know.

That this time is the last.

***

The last day has begun.

The end is certainly coming, but it is not over yet.

The chase was not over, and Bagrand’s wanted notice was still in effect, so it was still necessary to remain on high alert.

I made plans step by step.

We thoroughly investigated and moved to fulfill the conditions of the note left by Karn Bagrand.

The fifth treasure is the first thing to do.

As long as the last treasure was not in his possession, he could not rest easy.

I argued so.

Harnier wholeheartedly agreed with this opinion.

The more visible the hill is, the more cautious you must be.

The priorities were clearly set without even an inch of opposition.

…but that’s an excuse.

A cowardly excuse for delaying the conversation because one hasn’t decided what to say yet.

I thought that if I spent even a little time thinking about it, my mind would clear up, but that wasn’t the case.

No. It got more complicated than yesterday, and nothing was being organized.

It was more complicated because of what happened yesterday.

I was busy thinking about what her intentions were when she kissed me while I was sleeping.

The dreams I had while sleeping made it more complicated.

Strangely enough, the author’s appearance overlapped with Harnie’s.

…it took time.

More time.

So, once again the conversation didn’t continue.

It wasn’t difficult to get out of the city center.

There were no pursuers, no bounty hunters who recognized me and rushed after me.

It seemed as if the pursuit was too far to reach here in the first place, or that the exploration was delayed, so they couldn’t reach it.

Except for the occasional demon blocking the way… there’s nothing particularly strange about it.

…however.

A bigger problem has arisen.

-Okay.

‘…What is this?’

They said they had reached their destination, but Harni said they had entered an outlying village and that they needed to be careful. So Harni was observing the outlying village’s situation through the merchants’ movements.

Meanwhile, as I was looking around, I discovered something and couldn’t help but doubt my eyes.

“Whew. Maybe because it’s outside the city center, the outskirts are quiet. I’ve been watching the shops, and it doesn’t seem like there’s any big problem waiting here. Karsain.”

I had no idea what she had just said.

-Tiring!

Even the status window tells me this.

▶There have been changes to the episode.◀

▶New information has arrived.◀

[ Harnie Teresia is registered as a wanted person . ]

[ Wanted Registration Date: December 31 ]

I grabbed Harnie’s shoulder and asked directly.

“…Why did you hide it? Harnie.”

“Huh? You’re hiding it?”

“Why did you hide the fact that you were wanted!”

He shouted, showing off the wanted poster he had just found.

I couldn’t believe it.

I couldn’t believe it even after seeing it.

Harnie said there was no justification for him to be wanted and there was insufficient evidence.

That’s why he always went in first, looked around, and when he judged it safe enough, he called me. He said he was safe and would go around and gather information. He also emphasized that it would be fine once he returned to Marquis Teresia’s house.

However, contrary to Harnie’s claims, the status window says that he was already a wanted person.

December 31st. From the time I was listed as a wanted person.

Well… that’s a different story.

Even though they were the same wanted person, their movements were investigated first.

No matter when or where something happens, you took the risk on my behalf.

He lied, saying that he was not wanted because the charges against him were not certain, and that he would be okay, but then went forward and said that he would collect information.

Even though you could be wanted the moment you make a mistake.

Even though you could get caught by a money-hungry bounty hunter.

Even though they see this as an opportunity and might be targeted by hitmen or assassins hired by other families.

“…What’s wrong with that?”

Even though he shouted like that, Harnie turned his head as if nothing had happened.

I became more and more upset.

“What if I were to get caught? Did I, did I hope to use you as a long-term partner?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then why did you hide it!”

“Your situation is different from mine. Even so, I am a noblewoman named Marquis Teresia, so even if I get caught, it won’t be that dangerous.”

“Harnie!”

Anyone who isn’t an idiot can figure it out.

This is… really a life-or-death matter.

“I… didn’t want this. I never wanted you to be in danger─”

At that moment, a bright light emerged from Harnie’s jewel.

That wasn’t all.

Each of the four types of treasures was emitting light.

“No way…”

A gap opens between the sun and the horizon.

Another tree, through which light had leaked out, dropped a single flower.

The flower buds disappeared as if melting into the rays of light, and five lights began to connect.

The connected lights merged into one, creating a square door about 10 meters ahead.

In front of the square door…

The reality that I was familiar with was unfolding.

The portal to the reality I had been longing to return to. It was time to leave this world and return to my reality.

“That was the world you lived in?”

…what?

She turned her head like a squeaky doll.

“What did you just say?”

Then Harnie smiled faintly.

“…I happened to overhear you and Pollux talking.”

“What did you say…?”

“You said “stranger”, right?”

When I asked in a trembling voice, Harnie answered with absolute calmness.

“The story of how you almost died several times in this world where you were dragged without knowing the reason, and how you survived by barely holding on, and that you are not Karsain, and that this world is not the one you originally lived in, and that you want to escape this world as soon as possible. I know it all.”

I told you everything without leaving anything out.

She heard it all right there.

He overheard the entire conversation between Pollux and Veneris, who had come to deliver the prophecy.

But more importantly…

‘You knew everything, but you pretended not to know.’

Me, who was looking at something else.

Of course, there was an original world, and I hid my true purpose.

I didn’t even know that this would lead to our breakup.

You knew all these facts that I had never mentioned before, but you pretended not to know.

“I knew everything…and yet…”

-Tiring!

▶Episode XLIV. Five Treasures? Jin! Haeng!@#!@#!◀

▶Don’t go back to reality. You must not go back.◀

▶Don’t go back to reality. You must not go back.◀

▶Don’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go backDon’t go back◀

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