Chapter 43: The Second Piece (2)

[43] 7. The Second Piece (2)

Have you ever been thrown into an unfamiliar world without warning?

Speaking from experience, it’s worse than you think.

The common sense you once knew becomes utterly useless,

and new common sense seems ridiculous and nonsensical.

The food doesn’t suit your taste, and the seasons are harsh.

On top of that, people are uncaring toward outsiders.

And the worst part is the possibility: the possibility that the world you knew, a world where the people you loved and depended on existed, might have been nothing but your imagination.

A delusion you created because you were a struggling beggar.

Of course, every time that possibility surfaced, I would force myself to erase it. I desperately tried to prove that my world truly existed.

But there was no proof,

because I had no status window, I had no knowledge of the original story or work, and I don’t even have a single memory of meeting God.

The possibility that it was all a figment of my imagination continued to plague me, even after 25 years.

Well, at least it did until now.

Inside a tent, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun…

Irene and I.

no, ‘Kang Seojun’ and ‘Han Ah-young,’ grinned as our glasses clinked.

“So, when did you figure it out?”

I asked after downing the drink. Irene, whose eyes were still red, smiled brightly.

“When you said, ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ while looking at that monstrosity outside.”

“Ah.”

“Just in case, I looked it up in a few books, but this world doesn’t seem to have a wizard named ‘Howl.’ So, I decided to test you.”

Only then did I understand how she figured it out. And also why she had looked so disheveled earlier.

She must have rushed to me as soon as she was sure, having frantically searched through books.

“So, how did you get here?”

Irene asked cautiously. I shrugged.

“I don’t know. I was just… A baby when I came to my senses. I felt like I was kidnapped in my sleep.”

“I don’t know if it’s appropriate to use this expression in this case, but… it was your stereotypical isekai truck accident. I don’t know if it was drunk driving or fatigued driving, but this truck just suddenly appeared, and then *bam* it hit me, and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was here. Trapped In this damn game world.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Hold on, you’re saying this is a world that’s straight out of a video game?”

“Yes, you didn’t know? It’s a game called ‘The Porter’s Tale.’…”

I let out a hollow laugh.

‘The Porter’s Tale’? I’ve never played or heard of a game with such a name.

And yet, here I was. Dragged into this world even though I’m not even a fan, let alone a player, of that game. I felt like I’d just been told a bad joke.

Then suddenly a realization struck me.

“Wait, that means you’ve played it, right? This game?”

“Played it? I was practically obsessed.”

“Then you know how the future will unfold? What… what’s that called again… ?”

“Original work’s knowledge?”

I excitedly nodded my head.

“Yes! That! Like… Where the treasures are, what will happen in the future. If you’ve played it, then…”

“Would I be the hero party’s porter if I had that?”

A bitter smile appeared on Irene’s face.

“It seems that the penalty, whatever it was, I only remember the game’s title and the fact that I played it. I can’t recall what the game was about. Even though I used to know the every lore of it by heart…”

There was a lingering sadness in her voice. I realized I’d made a mistake.

But fortunately, she wasn’t the type to stay depressed for long.

She raised her voice, now cheerful.

“Well, at least I’m alive. And on that note…”

Suddenly, she squinted and leaned in closer to me.

“Seojun, how old are you?”

It was a rather disconnected question. I asked back, unable to hide my bewilderment,

“Why are you asking?”

“We can’t keep using honorifics with each other if we’re the only two Koreans in this world. We have to figure out if you should call me ‘Noona’ or I should call you ‘Oppa,’”

Irene added, a mischievous smile on her face.

I looked at her, then chuckled and shook my head.

“What about being the same age?”

“I think the pecking order should be clear.”

“Then Ah-young, you be the younger sibling. I already have an older sister.”

“Oh, you have a sister, Seojun?”

The question struck a sensitive part of my memory. I looked away, mumbling,

“Yeah… I do…”

“Hm…”

Irene hummed softly, then shrugged her shoulders.

“Okay, then I’ll be the younger one.”

Then she poured alcohol into my empty cup, smirking.

“So, from now on… can I call you ‘Seojun Oppa’?”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised at how she casually dropped the honorifics.

“Isn’t this a bit fast?”

“I’m not the type to enjoy being stiff and formal.”

As she refilled her glass, a smile played on her lips. Maybe her eccentric side was her true nature?

My speculations were confirmed when she raised her glass and said cheerfully,

“Well then! To a brand-new sibling relationship!”

Although slightly troubled, I grinned and raised my glass as well.

“Cheers!!”

Our glasses clinked.

***

This happened right after Rem had left the tent.

After Rem, hearing about the plan that Rosalia and Sheila had come up with, left with a complex expression on his face…

Looking at Sheila with worry, Rosalia asked,

“… I’m sorry to keep asking, but are you really sure it’s all right to hand it over to us, Sheila?”

“I’ve told you time and again, Ms. Rosalia, you don’t have to worry. I still have enough authority to do this.”

“It’s not about authority, it’s… Someone might raise an issue later…”

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

Sheila placed her hand over her heart. Looking at Rosalia with firm eyes, she said,

“I’m just happy that I can serve you.”

A troubled smile appeared on Rosalia’s face.

“Sheila, even if you say that, I…”

“I know.”

Sheila shook her head.

“I know that you have no intention of returning to Titania, the capital. And I don’t plan to try to persuade you. I’m just saying that’s how I feel.”

“… Thank you, Sheila.”

Sheila gave a faint smile to Rosalia, who wore a bitter expression. But it was only for a moment.

She quickly hardened her expression and looked down at the blueprint of Planer’s End, her finger tracing the escape route.

“If you’re able to get your hands on the pocket watch, this is the escape route you need to take. Then you can return to Essier immediately. Even though I acknowledge that you own it, Ms. Rosalia, we can’t rule out the possibility that those greedy mercenaries will do something…”

“Wouldn’t that be desertion?”

“We can just say you’re on a special mission. So don’t worry, as soon as…”

“My, what an interesting conversation you’re having.”

Rosalia’s and Sheila’s eyes turned to the entrance of the tent.

She was a strange woman.

And it wasn’t just because she was wearing men’s clothes, nor was it because her arms were covered in tattoos.

Her strangeness stemmed from her smile.

A contradictory smile that was both frivolous and noble at the same time.

She said with her hands clasped behind her back.

“Would you mind if I join you?”

“… Betty Ailleyde,”

Sheila said, narrowing her eyes.

“Were you eavesdropping?”

“To be precise, it’s more that it happened to reach my ears. I have very keen hearing.”

Maintaining a smile, Betty pulled on one of her ears. Sheila’s frown deepened.

“And if I may add, I must say I find your plan quite unacceptable.”

But Betty, ignoring Sheila’s reaction, casually continued.

“To give Alain’s pocket watch to a mercenary group? I wouldn’t have told you the watch’s location if I knew you were planning to do that.”

“… You said you would hand over ownership to me, didn’t you?”

“To be precise, I said that I would hand it over to the Central Knights.”

Stroking her chin, Betty continued.

“Then the Central Knights, in turn, would return the watch to its rightful owner, the magic tower, and my employer would then be able to freely study and use it.”

Then she tilted her head as if confused.

“I’m sure you agreed to do so when you met yesterday. Didn’t you, Captain?”

Sheila frowned again, but didn’t retort.

She simply looked at Rosalia and said,

“… That’s what we plan to do once she has used the pocket watch.”

“‘She’… ?”

Betty’s eyes finally turned toward Rosalia.

It was then that Rosalia felt a chill run down her spine.

It was as if her body and mind had been dissected, and her innards were being scrutinized.

However, this feeling quickly disappeared when Betty smiled widely.

“Oh my, I didn’t realize the renowned Rosalia of the Rose Rem Mercenary group was right before my eyes!”

It was an exaggerated reaction, like that of an actor in a play. Betty bowed theatrically, and continued,

“Please forgive my rude behavior in not greeting you, an esteemed guest. I’ve been blind.”

It was a sincere apology, but Rosalia couldn’t feel anything but displeasure.

She forced it down and shook her head.

“Please, think nothing of it. And if I heard correctly, you’re not very happy with me getting my hands on the pocket watch…”

“No! No! That wasn’t what I meant.”

A look of subservience crept onto Betty’s face.

“I protested to the Captain because I was worried about a bunch of mercenaries selling it for profit, after getting their hands on it.”

She clapped her hands together with a dramatic gesture.

“But you’re not just any mercenary, Rosalia! How could I ever doubt someone who once led the vanguard of the Central Knights?”

“That’s good to hear. Then there’s no…”

“However.”

Another grin spread across Betty’s face.

“Unfortunately, my ’employer’ is a person of many suspicions… Regarding this matter, Ms. Rosalia would need to meet with my ’employer’ separately…”

At those words, Sheila’s eyebrows furrowed, she couldn’t hold back anymore and raised her voice, her neck veins bulging.

“That wasn’t what we agreed on! When I spoke to you back then…!”

“Sheila.”

However, Rosalia’s single word silenced Sheila once more.

Rosalia, arms crossed, looked at Betty.

“All right, just who is this ‘employer’ of yours?”

Betty smiled brightly, as if she had been waiting for that.

“The next master of the magic tower, Parsley.”

***

My drinking session with Irene ended when it was truly dark outside. We had started drinking before sunset, so we had spent a total of six hours pouring alcohol down our throats.

We had shared stories about our struggles and stories about home. With topics like that, how could we stop?

Our drinking session came to an end only after Irene succumbed to alcohol and collapsed.

I picked Irene up from the table, carried her to her bed, and left the tent. Needless to say, It was as if I were walking on jelly.

Irene, excited to finally find someone from her homeland, had been practically chugging alcohol, but our tolerances were similar.

After walking for a bit, I collapsed on the ground. I looked up at the star-filled sky.

And suddenly, I found myself chuckling.

I was remembering the past few months:

My reunion with those I never thought I’d see again,

Clara’s suicide attempt and our reconciliation,

My unexpected encounter with Parsley,

And even meeting with someone who was from my world.

It was all so absurd,

things I’d given up hoping for, even in my dreams.

And because of that, I suddenly felt scared.

Life, this thing, always dangles sweet happiness before me, only to shatter it into pieces just when my hand is about to reach it.

Just how long would this happiness last?

What part of my body would break next?

What new tragedy awaited me?

“Rem… ?”

A familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned around and couldn’t help but gasp.

“Ms. Parsley… ?”

Parsley, her face full of surprise, looked at me.

“I was just coming to see you… but why are you on the ground… ?”

“Ah.”

The drunkenness that had been clouding my mind vanished. Feeling my face burning up, I scrambled to my feet.

“… I apologize for that spectacle. I… slipped…”

“Uh… y-yeah…”

She gave me an awkward reply, not sounding very convinced. Feeling awkward, I scratched my head and asked,

“So, why were you looking for me…?”

“… I told you yesterday. That I’d come see you today.”

I realized that she was here to hear my story.

And strangely, I felt a sense of hesitation.

Was it really okay to tell her everything?

Yesterday, she had seemed fine, but if she were to hear the whole thing, wouldn’t she try to run away, just like last time?

Thoughts I normally wouldn’t have surfaced, perhaps brought on by the alcohol.

But not for long.

“… If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. I don’t want to pressure you…”

“No!”

Without realizing it, I had cut Parsley off, shouting. I averted my gaze from her surprised look and scratched my head.

“It’s not that, I… Haa…”

Letting out a sigh, I erased the hesitation that was lingering in my heart.

*Right.*

*Ahh, what was I so worried about? *

Doing it and regretting it is more my style than regretting not doing it.

I smiled awkwardly and spoke.

“Would it be okay if we talk while walking?”