Ch.169Side Story) Left Alone (2)

“…..”

I started this with little expectation from the beginning.

I sat on a park bench.

A fishy wind blows in.

A bruised sky.

Stories scattering.

Everything was over.

“Ha.”

I laughed and thought.

Was it because I saw everyone else die?

Or because a terrible end was right in front of me?

I never thought I would fall this far.

It’s a contract utilizing the Librarian’s ability.

I took out the “Word Key,” its proof.

“It’s not over yet.”

I will survive.

I’ve already sacrificed everyone else.

I’ve even sacrificed the worldline I was living in.

Then. What remains.

Even if I have to sacrifice all worldlines of other narrative layers, I will survive.

“I’m going to propose a contract.”

I muttered to myself.

Then the world moved.

The world with almost nothing left was greatly disturbed by even small movements.

With the Librarian’s power I possess, I propose a contract to him.

[Negotiation Condition]

Show a strong will to survive

Some entity from outside, the being that made me like this,

the being that brought me to the Anomalous Apartment.

The one who approached me in the form of my brother,

accepted the contract negotiation.

[Contract Negotiation Begins]

As the condition suggests, the card I can offer is “survival will.”

The stronger the will, the more favorable the negotiation becomes.

So I’m at a great disadvantage in this contract.

No matter how strong my will is, it’s just mine alone.

‘If everyone were here.’

Perhaps we could have saved the world.

“…..”

I regretted it long ago.

What matters is survival.

I’m alone, but my determination to survive has grown that much stronger.

I’ve already sacrificed everyone.

I must survive.

And so, although I borrowed the Librarian’s power, I was able to draw up a contract with my will alone.

“I will definitely survive.”

“That’s all you need to do.”

Even if it means destroying all other worldlines.

Even if it’s the worldline where Lim Dabin succeeded in saving everyone.

I’m prepared to throw everything away.

But the answer that came back was unexpected.

[Contract is not possible.]

“What?”

[Due to a contradiction in the contract, it cannot be established.]

“Why on earth…?”

The world is disappearing.

It won’t be long before I’m swept away with it.

“No.”

I used the Librarian’s ability.

Dizziness overwhelmed me as my body couldn’t handle it, but I used it repeatedly.

Twisting, twisting, and twisting the contract conditions, somehow resolving the contradiction.

Somehow surviving through the contract.

Even if it results in me being the only one left.

“Cough!”

I coughed up blood.

The dizziness was more severe than ever, and I could barely stand.

No. Am I even standing?

The concept of direction seemed to have disappeared long ago.

“Cough! Cough!”

But I was almost there.

The contradiction in the contract was due to a contract made by Lim Dabin from another worldline.

[Make Seven victorious.]

The price was,

[Everyone existing in this worldline.]

He gathered everyone and fought until the end.

And by gathering everyone’s will to survive, he was able to secure incredibly favorable terms in the contract.

In the end, he saved the world.

“…..”

It was me who did such an amazing thing.

Now I’m destined to die stuck in a gutter.

“Just.”

I laughed maniacally.

“Just where did it all go wrong…?”

Was it when I met the Professor?

No. The Professor merely presented me with a possibility.

The judgment was mine to make.

Was it because I started seeing everyone as just characters in a novel?

That wasn’t true either.

I still liked everyone. Just like I liked people in reality.

That’s why I wanted to save them.

Senior Serim. Daju. Yebin. Heo Yoon and Seok Hyunmin. Jung Haewon. And even the people from the Foundation.

That’s why I was anxious.

That’s when the Professor suggested.

If I could just bear a moment of sin, I could save everyone.

“What exactly did I do wrong?”

I thought I could do anything if it meant saving them.

Even if it meant killing them.

And now, I’m trying to preserve my life even if it means killing everyone in other worldlines.

It’s a life I gained by killing everyone. That’s why I can’t throw it away.

My actions were contradictions in themselves.

“I wanted to live.”

“Just, normally. I wanted all of us to live together.”

The Librarian’s ability wasn’t enough to save us.

It was woefully inadequate to stop Seven.

The Librarian’s ability was specialized elsewhere.

Remembering or modifying information already written.

For instance, changing the content of a contract created by Lim Dabin from another worldline.

I will survive.

Even if it means overturning the happy ending.

I poured all of the Librarian’s ability into creating a special clause to resolve the contradiction in the contract.

Now, I just need to reflect that in the contract.

Just as I was about to reach out,

I collapsed to the floor, hitting my chin.

And someone grabbed my hand.

“You can stop now.”

“…..”

Lim Dabin.

I was saved by myself.

“Let’s go together.”

Next to me was the face I had longed to see.

Senior Serim.

She was looking at me with a face that seemed about to cry.

“Dabin…”

“Ah…”

Tears pour out.

Why have I always made such foolish choices?

Senior Serim also takes my hand.

“Let’s go together.”

With that warm touch, my consciousness faded.

***

“Thank goodness.”

“Yes. Thank goodness.”

Back at the library.

Senior Serim and I were looking down at the collapsed “me” while conversing.

“But Dabin. What about him…? What happened to this Dabin?”

“Well…”

I can understand how he felt.

“I too. This version of me was also extremely anxious. I wanted to save everyone, but my power was woefully inadequate. And at one point, I even witnessed everyone dying firsthand.”

“The Foundation came and killed us, right?”

“You remember?”

“Yes. Actually, I just remembered. When you brought up something similar.”

“So. After that, I was incredibly shocked.”

This is the story of both me and this Dabin. Until then, there was no branching point, and we hadn’t separated.

“I want to save everyone. I must save the world. But how? I kept thinking like this.”

“Dabin…”

Senior Serim is now holding my hand tightly.

“It’s okay. Now. In the end, we all survived together, right?”

“Still. You suffered until then.”

“We all suffered together.”

I smiled and held her warm hand.

“Anyway. So I thought about it. What exactly caused such different outcomes.”

If it wasn’t for a very small variable, I would have ended up like him.

“What was it?”

“You, Senior Serim.”

“What? Me?”

“And Daju.”

“Hmm… I don’t understand. Both of us were there for that Dabin too.”

“Daju is unpredictable. And she always bounced around even in frustrating and desperate situations.”

“That’s true.”

“When I first met her, I thought she was truly crazy.”

“Honestly, me too.”

“But that wasn’t it. Daju was doing that to survive in her own way. So, when those random, thoughtless actions she took jumped in a specific direction. That became the variable.”

“Which one? Making you wear a swimsuit?”

“No. How do you know about that?!”

“Daju showed me. You looked cute, Dabin.”

“Ah…”

“Let’s go to the swimming pool together later. Since summer is coming, I’ll pick out a swimsuit for you.”

“Ugh…”

“Hmm? Hmm?”

When she suddenly rushes at me with sparkling eyes, I can’t resist at all.

“Okay.”

We’re having such a serious conversation and suddenly it turns to swimsuits.

Did she learn this from Daju?

As much as Senior Serim can read others’ thoughts, she’s also heavily influenced by others.

In the past, she seemed quiet as she tried to hide this, but now I can see it.

“Anyway. Next is Senior Serim.”

“Actually, I was more curious about this. What happened with me?”

“Senior Serim’s ability was to read thoughts, right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Very occasionally, you might have been able to read the thoughts of people in completely different times and spaces.”

“Really? I’m not sure.”

“Faintly, but you’ve been unconsciously absorbing them bit by bit. The thoughts of people gathered in the future, or people in other worldlines…”

“Hmm…”

“To put it simply.”

“Senior Serim didn’t just stay quiet but honestly shared everything with me. When the Foundation attacked and killed us, it was you who hinted at how to turn back time and save everyone. And, above all, you stayed by my side to reassure me.”

“Yes. That’s good then. That I was helpful.”

“Very much so. You were a huge help.”

“But Dabin.”

“Yes?”

“Did you tell Daju about this too?”

“No. Not yet.”

“Don’t.”

Senior Serim says firmly.

“Let’s keep this between us.”

As if she’ll never let go, she tightens her grip on my hand.

“But shouldn’t we tell her?”

“No. Besides, Daju will be satisfied just seeing you in a swimsuit.”

“…Okay.”

Is she jealous about this?

The more I see Senior Serim, the more new sides of her I discover, which is both cute and charming.

“That’s the end of the explanation.”

I gently released Senior Serim’s hand.

“Now we need to save this Dabin.”

“Huh? Didn’t we already save him?”

“No. Since he still hasn’t woken up, there must be one more thing left.”

The Lim Dabin from that world is squirming in his place with his eyes tightly shut.

“Is it a nightmare? Then I could wake him with my ability.”

“No! Don’t touch him.”

Senior Serim hastily withdraws her hand.

“You could call it a nightmare. But it’s not an ordinary dream.”

“Then? Is it more serious?”

“Yes.”

“Right now, this version of me has an incredibly strong will to survive. But with the direction for that will gone, and everything ending so futilely through someone else’s salvation, it’s starting to go out of control. There will also be guilt. And the aftermath of using the Librarian’s power excessively. That’s why he can’t wake up and is trapped in his unconscious.”

With his eyes tightly shut, the bad ending Lim Dabin sheds tears.

“So. A new space has probably been created in his dream.”

“A space where one wrong step means a terrible death. A space where survival instinct can be maximized. And a space that’s also most familiar to us.”

“Ah. I think I know what it is.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“The Apartment.”

Right now, this Lim Dabin is trapped in a new apartment.

“So, we have to wait until he escapes on his own.”

“Isn’t there anything we can do to help?”

“No. We can only wait. And if he can’t escape… he’ll just disappear.”

“His body will be consumed by his consciousness, unable to withstand it.”

***

When I opened my eyes, it was a familiar space.

Inside the apartment.

I was back in that terrible space again.