Ch.62Chapter 62 – To Save You (1)

I looked at Kim Hyul and Sieg-hardt who had come to see me, unable to hide my bewilderment. They had said they would join our side if my disciples defeated them at the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, but still.

“…Does Bing-seol-hwa know you two are here?”

It was dangerous for them to be here now, especially since their families were being held hostage.

“No, but she’ll find out soon enough.”

“Just standing by and doing nothing doesn’t suit our personalities.”

Kim Hyul and Sieg-hardt nodded at me. They seemed to have already made up their minds.

After all, they were protagonist-level characters in a novel, with personalities that couldn’t tolerate injustice.

“You must have your reasons. Killing hostages because we escaped would ultimately prevent that bastard from achieving his goal.”

Sieg-hardt spoke as if he had figured out Shub-Niggurath’s purpose. The Outer God wanted me and Seol-hwa to fight, transforming our relationship into one where we would kill each other.

“Do you know Bing-seol-hwa’s purpose?”

“It would be stranger not to know. Especially that strange thing dwelling inside the girl.”

“…!!!”

Sieg-hardt had lost his sight but gained superhuman senses that allowed him to perceive things others couldn’t. That’s how he could fight on equal terms with Verdandi, the Hero.

“It was something so ominous I can’t put it into words. Even I, who’ve crossed the line between life and death countless times and become numb to death, trembled with fear.”

Kim Hyul said, his fists shaking. When Outer Gods revealed their true nature, ordinary people often couldn’t withstand it, going mad or choosing death.

It wasn’t strange that the original protagonists would react this way.

“So, why did you bring the Golden Tower Master here? Surely she left to find the Philosopher’s Stone.”

I suddenly noticed something odd about the blonde woman beside Kim Hyul. Wolfram should have headed to the cave I told her about.

Why was she here with them now?

“Oh, that? Bing-seol-hwa kidnapped me!”

“…What?”

Wolfram stated this shocking fact so casually that I momentarily couldn’t comprehend it.

“That woman, Bing-seol-hwa, kidnapped you?”

I couldn’t figure out why she would make such a choice. No matter how I thought about it, there was no clear reason.

“Yes! Huge tentacles grabbed me like they were going to eat me, and when I opened my eyes, I was locked in a dark basement.”

Kidnapping just one Tower Master would be too costly. If it became known that she had harmed Wolfram, all Magic Towers would turn against her.

If she had planned such an eccentric move, she would have kidnapped all the Tower Masters at once.

‘Is it jealousy…? Or is there another reason?’

The only clue I could think of was that she had met with me just before.

It would make sense if she had prepared another method to make me and Seol-hwa fight.

Especially since Wolfram was a character modeled after Seol-hwa’s free-spirited nature, and was someone she liked.

“Did she say anything else?”

“Yes! She claimed to be the creator of this world? She knew all about my past too, which was pretty creepy.”

“……”

The Outer God seemed to have mentioned that this world was created by mixing three novels. I couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt crawling through my body.

I had struggled to save as many people as possible. I thought that was the best a writer who had discontinued serialization could do.

But,

‘I couldn’t save everyone.’

I recalled the past as I bit my lower lip.

Children who lost their parents in the chaos of the Great War of Justice, widows crying over lost family members, and the strong mercilessly exploiting the weak.

I was the sinner bearing the greatest original sin for them. Even though I gained the title of Ice Dragon for saving people during the Great War of Justice, that couldn’t erase all my wrongs.

Now, after decades, those sins had returned to me like a boomerang.

“She also mentioned a co-creator named Do-hyeon, saying this world has both heavenly gods and main gods. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

Wolfram laughed incredulously as she mentioned my past life’s name. Of course, she didn’t know that the heavenly gods and main gods were all settings I had created as a child.

Gods who weren’t truly omnipotent, who granted heroes their powers without properly confirming human good and evil.

Perhaps what I had really wanted was to break free from the setting like Bi-wol and live freely.

If I thought about all the villains and evil deeds being born from my fingertips, even breathing would become painful and maddening.

“Master, are you alright! Your face has turned pale!”

“Ah, no. I’m fine.”

The reason I had scolded the village chief in Verdandi’s village so harshly was due to a feeling close to self-loathing.

I couldn’t understand why they felt no guilt about abusing and ostracizing a child.

Even if they were supporting characters moving within a predetermined plot, I had seen with my own eyes that they could have chosen differently.

The Infinite Sword Emperor of the Namgung Family, the Poison Dragon of the Tang Clan of Sichuan, and Hyeon-hwa of Mount Hua Sect had proven that.

These martial arts masters, who according to the setting should have hated those from evil sects, not only didn’t try to kill me, a member of the Five Poisons Sect, but actually accepted me.

“That name Do-hyeon was definitely engraved on your brother’s back.”

Azazel noticed something strange in Wolfram’s words and responded. Given how different it was from my current name, I thought she might figure it out.

If the truth were revealed now, I had no idea how to face them.

“Perhaps she’s referring to Yog-Sothoth, Shub-Niggurath’s husband?”

Fortunately, after pondering for a while, Azazel began making incorrect assumptions. It would be unreasonable for her to realize that this world itself was born from my fingertips.

“Just as Shub-Niggurath dwells within Bing-seol-hwa, something similar might have influenced my brother.”

Considering the connection to the Outer God Shub-Niggurath and the fact that both knew the future, this explanation actually made more sense.

“……”

I deliberately remained silent. If I spoke carelessly, Verdandi, who could discern the truth, might discover everything.

“Considering what damaged Master’s body, that explanation might be correct.”

Bi-wol, seeing my serious expression, nodded reassuringly and held my hand to comfort me.

I was the culprit who created the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect that tormented her, and I had only helped her out of selfishness because I didn’t want to turn away from what I had done.

Why were so many people gathered around me now?

Suddenly, Seol-hwa’s words came to mind: “Your problem is that you’re too kind.” She meant that I tried too hard to help others, even with matters most people would ignore.

As she said, if someone else had fallen into this world instead of me, they might have monopolized the opportunities or used their foreknowledge to gain wealth and fame.

After all, my only real mistake was turning imagination into text.

But,

“So, what are you going to do now, Bing-yeon? I heard on my way here that you’ll have to kill this woman called Bing-seol-hwa?”

“…That’s true, but I won’t kill her.”

I had a purpose to properly conclude this world.

This world was also the last trace she left behind. Although I had discontinued the serialization, I never gave up on creating settings or writing.

That’s how I came up with methods for Bing-yeon, the character I was possessing, to survive until now.

The Phantom Divine Thief’s Hidden Cave, Bi-wol’s backstory, the secret history of Verdandi’s abilities—these were results I achieved by not giving up on writing.

“Besides, Bing-seol-hwa is my half-sister.”

I revealed my determination while looking at the bewildered Wolfram.

Sometimes in life, lies are more effective. More so than telling the truth about a past life lover or unfulfilled love.

“Hmm… I suspected as much, but I didn’t know it was actually true.”

“It’s a brother’s duty to fix his sister’s mistakes.”

Given our distinctive hair and eye colors from the North Sea Ice Palace, it would have been stranger if people hadn’t noticed the connection.

“So, how do you plan to defeat this Bing-seol-hwa? She’s strong enough to kidnap even me, a Tower Master, without me being able to put up proper resistance.”

Wolfram spoke as if she didn’t quite trust me. As one of the strongest people in this world, her concern was natural.

“I’ll have to use every means available to me. With things the opponent doesn’t know about.”

Trying to kill only Shub-Niggurath dwelling within Seol-hwa without any plan or method would be virtually impossible.

“You two, would you consider becoming my disciples?”

I looked intently at Kim Hyul and Sieg-hardt as I spoke.

Though I regretted that Kang Si-woo wasn’t here, I needed to use every card I had.

If the final boss and the protagonists all joined forces against the Outer God…

…perhaps the possibility wouldn’t be exactly zero.