Ch.227Episode 43. Epilogue (1)

[“So you had that conversation…”]

“Yeah.”

The voice of Yeon Muhui coming through the phone sounded calm. She seemed more composed than I expected after hearing about my conversation with Yeon Hwaryong today.

[Well… I didn’t have high hopes. That person wouldn’t change his mind. If it were that easy to change, as you said, there wouldn’t be villains in this world.]

“That’s true.”

[Still… I thought he might at least say sorry once.]

She let out a hollow laugh, subtly revealing her disappointment.

“Should I ask him to apologize to you?”

[What’s the point of forcing an apology? It’s better to just ignore that person. More importantly…]

Yeon Muhui hesitated, clearing her throat a few times. Then she cautiously voiced her question.

[So… when are you coming home again?]

“Are you lonely?”

[Wh-what are you saying! I’m not lonely! I was just… asking casually!]

“Why are you so coy in everyday life when you’re so honest in bed?”

[St-stop saying unnecessary things!! I’m hanging up!]

The funny part was that despite her words, she didn’t actually hang up. I chuckled as I thought about tomorrow’s schedule.

“I’ll come tomorrow. Just wait a little longer.”

[What am I supposed to be waiting for?]

“Are you asking when you already know? Should I spell it out for you?”

[N-no need!]

She still seems unable to adapt to suggestive talk.

When I say something provocative to Yu Ari, she becomes even more forward, but when I do the same to Yeon Muhui, she gets embarrassed, giving off an innocent feeling.

I find the contrasting reactions of the two quite amusing.

We haven’t tried anything with the three of us yet, but I definitely want to someday.

“I love you.”

[Wh-what are you saying!]

“Aren’t you going to say it back?”

[Ugh… I… love you too.]

Her shy but definite response is probably why I find her so lovable.

After fully recharging my energy with that affectionate exchange, I hung up. I was appreciating the moon in the sky for a moment and was about to enter the dormitory when—

“You’re still on good terms with your heroines, I see.”

“…?”

I quickly turned my head at the familiar voice. Forest was standing there with a smile. How did I not sense his presence?

“Forest?”

“It’s been a while, Eugene.”

“Indeed it has.”

I responded dryly. I’ve always found Forest difficult to deal with. There’s something about him that evokes a strange sense of rejection.

Is it because of the Anrak Bridge incident, which he could have prevented? Or is it because of his peculiar demeanor and attitude?

“Our last conversation was during the all-out battle with Akcheon, right?”

“That’s right. By the way, what brings you to the academy so late at night?”

Even the security guards don’t usually open the academy gates at night unless it’s a special situation. Considering he’s an S-class hero, getting in wouldn’t be a problem, but I couldn’t help feeling suspicious.

When I asked with an expression that couldn’t hide my doubts, he smiled and said:

“I came to have our final conversation. Could you spare me a moment? I won’t keep you long.”

Final conversation…?

I nodded, puzzled by his meaningful words.

* * *

“Hey, I forgot to thank you for stopping Akcheon.”

He spoke as he returned from the vending machine in front of the dormitory with canned ionic drinks.

He offered one to me. I gave a slight bow in gratitude and accepted it.

“Come to think of it, you were the one who informed me about Akcheon’s attack.”

“Hehe. Was it helpful?”

*Click.*

As he opened his can, he seemed both pleased and proud when asking.

“It was helpful. If I hadn’t known about Akcheon’s movements, the families of the students I’m responsible for might have been completely wiped out.”

It was true that Forest’s help was crucial in stopping Akcheon.

Without his assistance, I would have blamed myself for my incompetence. Everything I had worked to set right might have collapsed.

But at the same time, there were many suspicious aspects.

It was questionable how he knew the exact time Akcheon would move, but it was even more incomprehensible why he didn’t participate in the battle despite knowing.

At the time, I was too rushed to even think of asking for his help, but it bothered me that an S-class hero had been standing by since the Anrak Bridge incident.

“Well~ I’m glad I could be of help.”

“…Let me ask you one thing.”

“Sure. Anything.”

“Just like with the Anrak Bridge incident, after informing me about Akcheon’s attack, what were you doing?”

I asked with my hand on the can’s tab.

“I was watching. Your battle.”

“What?”

For a moment, I thought I had misheard his nonchalant answer. An S-class hero neglecting his duty?

“You…!”

“It couldn’t be helped, could it?”

“What couldn’t be helped? As an S-class hero, shouldn’t you at least fulfill your duty?”

It was obvious that an S-class hero would enjoy numerous privileges that others couldn’t. Yet his attitude of neglecting his duties was simply distasteful.

It’s not like citizens pay taxes for such corrupt heroes.

“My, Eugene, you’ve changed a lot too.”

“What are you…!”

“Well, don’t get too angry. There was a reason.”

“And what might that reason be?”

He grins. The corners of his mouth rise deeply, slightly lifting his cheekbones.

“Well… if I intervened too much, the story would become too easy, wouldn’t it?”

“What…?”

I had to stop opening my can.

“…What does that mean?”

“What does it mean… It means I’m the one who brought you into this world to see your thoughts.”

“You…!”

*Crack!*

I released an electric shock and grabbed Forest’s neck firmly.

“Oh my… Are you resentful of me for bringing you to this world? Do you want to kill me? You can. With your power.”

The more he spoke, the tighter my grip became. I was contemplating whether to crush his throat or not.

“If that’s the reward you want, I don’t mind.”

Despite being held by the neck, Forest’s expression remained unfazed. There wasn’t a single wrinkle on his face.

“What?”

“I think the story you’ve shown is worth it. It was quite interesting to see the villains in my novel gradually turning toward the hero’s side.”

“Why… did you bring me to this world?”

Having barely regained my senses at his words, I asked.

“Just curiosity. Others, you see, would just criticize my story. But you would say things like ‘If it were me, I would have done this or that,’ so I brought you here to let you try.”

For such a trivial reason…?

Am I supposed to believe that’s even possible in reality?

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you… but everything is real. Having lived in this world for over two years, can’t you believe it? It’s too vivid to be just a dream now, isn’t it?”

His tone was as if he had read my thoughts.

“Or… do you want to return to that world? I could send you back as a reward.”

That world.

The world before I entered the novel.

A world I no longer remember anything about.

“The fact that I have few memories of that world… is that your doing?”

I asked something that had been puzzling me for a while. He smiled meaningfully and shrugged.

“Who knows. Whether I did it, or whether you became complete as a character, I don’t know.”

“What? Complete as a character…?”

“Although I directly intervened with the characters, until now, you’ve always seemed to be observing from a step away. Yes, just like me now.”

He points to his own face and speaks leisurely.

“But as you lived in this world, you gradually stopped ‘acting’ as Eugene and became the real Eugene. Well, that’s what I think happened.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Whether you believe it or not is your freedom, but I never touched your memories. There was no reason to.”

He maintained his relaxed attitude with a smile.

I bit my lower lip as I glared at Forest, then slowly loosened my grip.

Despite how strongly I had been holding him, he didn’t even cough. He just rubbed his neck a few times.

“So, do you want to go back to that world? If you do, I can send you back.”

“…And if I don’t?”

To me, this world was more precious than the one I couldn’t remember. This world contained things that were important to me.

“If not, you’ll continue living in this world. Peacefully. So, what will you do?”

I couldn’t answer Forest’s question.

What I wanted was clear, but I questioned whether it was my decision to make.

“…I’ll take that as a yes.”

He said that, then put the can to his lips and gulped it down. After finishing the contents, Forest crushed the can and tossed it into the trash bin next to the vending machine.

“This will be our last meeting. I won’t see you again. I sincerely wish you a peaceful life ahead.”

As Forest walked away one step at a time, I asked the most important question.

“What are you, really?”

My words stopped Forest in his tracks.

“…Let’s just say I’m an author who wrote a web novel out of boredom.”

He said with a slight turn of his head, showing a smile. After turning his head back to the front, his steps never stopped again.

“…”

While I still had no way of knowing his true identity, one thing became clear through this conversation:

This world is no longer the story I once knew.

And so, two years passed.