episode_0001

“Ah, it’s a strange ceiling….”

Kim Sunwoo murmured in a composed voice.

Well, maybe not so composed. He was trembling with excitement to the point where his hands were shaking.

How long he had waited for this moment. A strange ceiling, a strange world, yes. Reincarnation into this world, transmigration, rebirth, whatever!

In reality, he had prepared for this moment for a very long time. The important point here is the part that says ‘had prepared.’

If you’re a citizen of South Korea, you would already know the basic requirements for reincarnation in this world. It’s submitting a [5,700-character critique of gratitude] and [reading until completion].

Building on that, we can understand Kim Sunwoo’s ‘preparation process.’

All the novels, webtoons, and games he had read. Any work that pleased his heart. In other words, the act of submitting a [5,700-character critique] for all the works he wanted to be reincarnated into.

Every day, without rest, with a different repertoire each time, meticulously and thoroughly, expressing gratitude.

Memorizing the story, settings, possible hidden pieces or artifacts, and the relationships between key characters of the work he wanted to be reincarnated into.

Only when he heard the words, “Then why don’t you give it a try?” with a 5,700-character critique designed to break the hearts of creators.

Of course, in most cases, it ended with the desperate pleas of untalented writers or being blocked by various communities, but in the end, he emerged victorious.

Finally, he was able to be reincarnated into this world.

Now, the only thing left was what kind of work this was. Only that!

“Status window!”

There was no colorful augmented reality blue display appearing.

But it was okay. He wasn’t disappointed. In the list of works he had left negative comments on, there were many without a status window. It was more like obtaining clues to narrow down the list.

On top of that, he now had the body of a young child who seemed to have just grown some hair. Time and abilities were practically on his side.

The worn-out clothes and shabby ceiling were actually preferable.

-A genius of this caliber in a place like this?!

-Truly an exceptional hero!!

-I’ll give you the throne and all my wealth! Just please save me!!

The more unfortunate childhood one has, the greater success seems to be, as already proven by various media on Earth. Kim Sunwoo chuckled and stood up, brushing off his seat. “Well then, let’s start with something simple, like making soap.”

4 years old. Week 1 of reincarnation. Kim Sunwoo realizes that his body is named “Ivan Petrovich.” His parents are tenant farmers, and he is shocked to learn that he is not only ignorant of his country’s name but also illiterate. After failing to make soap, he gets scolded for playing with lye. In fact, he discovers that soap already exists in this world.

4 years old. Week 6 of reincarnation. Finally, Kim Sunwoo can roam the village through egg deliveries. When he sees a newspaper rolling on the ground, he starts feeling strange. “If society can produce newspapers and distribute them even to such a rural area, it can’t be the Middle Ages, right?” Most of his “reincarnation work list” is deleted that day.

4 years old. Week 15 of reincarnation. Kim Sunwoo finally hears the name of the country he lives in. After hearing the name of the king, who was vaguely referred to as “Your Majesty,” he immediately returns home and throws his precious “reincarnation work list” into the bonfire in a corner of his room. It was because they were all names that he had never heard before, including the unfamiliar country and its ruler, as well as the surrounding kingdoms. Now, what mattered was not “which work did he reincarnate into,” but rather “what genre is this?” Please, let it not be dark fantasy. The survival rate of a modern Korean without any special advantages, being a tenant farmer with no status screen, typically converges to less than 5%.

8 years old. 4th year of reincarnation. Surprisingly, the Demon King suddenly appeared. The war was still a distant story from another country, but the daily announcements only carried grim news.

Winter at 8 years old. Kim Sunwoo’s, no, Ivan’s father was taken away by the conscription officer. Ivan’s mother started taking odd jobs to support young Ivan.

From here, Kim Sunwoo’s sense of self began to deviate slightly.

At the age of 10, in his sixth year after transmigration.

Kim Sunwoo had become quite skilled at taking on his mother’s workload and comforting her.

At the age of 12, in his eighth year after transmigration.

Kim Sunwoo finally learned how to read. It was the price he paid for secretly delivering eggs to the village chief’s house for six years.

At the age of 14, in his tenth year after transmigration.

News of his father’s death reached his village.

Ironically, it was an official document issued two years ago.

In exchange for a few coins instead of his life, he looked at his weeping mother and thought of two things.

One was that the genre of this world seemed to be a strategy simulation.

It felt too detailed. If it were an RPG, there wouldn’t be so many countries involved. It would be normal not to implement backgrounds that players couldn’t experience.

But it wasn’t a novel or webtoon either.

The subtle settings, simple firearms and steam engines, knights and wizards, demons and different races coexisting in this world were evidence of that.

If he were to write this kind of world as a novel, he would hear comments like “What the hell is this, you loser?” or “You’re only talking about things you know.” And the free serialization would have an obvious ending.

So, naturally, he had to take action. Living as a small farmer in this backward countryside, if he died without ever setting foot in the main story, it would all end.

Strategy simulations usually end with world domination, but he had to avoid an ending where he was conquered by the demon army while knowing nothing.

And the second thought that came to mind was,

“Don’t worry, Mother.”

He gently stroked his sleeping mother’s hair, and he submitted his enlistment application to the conscription officer. The salary was 15 dinars from the eastern front, and he had contracted to send it all to his mother.

Ivan Petrovich hoped that this woman’s hands would no longer be burdened.

Rather than a sudden sense of duty, it was a deep admiration for a great woman who sacrificed herself for the sake of others, even as a complete stranger.

It was due to a sense of guilt, as if he had taken possession of the body of a young boy named Ivan and killed her only kin.

18 years old. 14 years since transmigration. 4 years of military service.

Thanks to his small military achievements and minor strokes of luck, Ivan’s status changed from “drafted soldier” to “regular army.”

He realized that Ivan’s body had more talent for fighting than expected.

22 years old. 18 years since transmigration. 8 years of military service.

When the front line was pushed back to a critical level and half of the Allied forces were burning.

A hero appeared.

At this point, Ivan finally realized the genre of this world.

It was a hero story, a genuine RPG.

However, the hero was nothing more than a tale from a distant land, and the front line where Ivan was deployed was still being pushed back miserably.

28 years old. 24 years since transmigration. 14 years of military service.

As the hero party intercepted the leaders of the Demon Army, the situation took a turn.

Ivan was now assigned to the “Recovery Zone Control and Enemy Force Identification Unit.”

To simplify its long name, it was called the “Annihilation Unit.”

The special forces unit that was deployed when the hero party killed the enemy commander and the chaotic enemy territory collapsed.

For about a year from then on, Ivan moved with the hero party using the same military camp.

30 years old. 26 years since transmigration. 16 years of military service.

The hero party killed the Demon King.

Ivan decided to wait for the ending now.

All he had was the desire to escape from this tiresome world.

32 years old. 28 years since transmigration.

Two years had passed since the Demon King’s death, but there was still no ending.

During that time, the Annihilation Unit’s personnel had decreased to one-fifth of its original size.

Realizing that they were not being replenished with new recruits, Ivan understood that his superiors were trying to disband them.

Completing what was practically his final mission, Ivan considered this situation as a long epilogue and applied for discharge.

His mother in his hometown had already passed away ten years ago, so he was completely alone.

He established an orphanage near the capital and took care of war orphans.

It was a small act of hypocrisy.

34 years old. 30 years since transmigration.

Still, even now, until this day.

The ending credits remain unseen.

*

Perhaps the thought that it might not have been an RPG is changed to certainty by a guest who visited the orphanage.

“Damn.”

“Yes?”

“Damn. This was an academy film?”

“Senior…?”

The guest awkwardly smiled at the orphanage director (war hero, served in the military for 18 years, former member of the eradication unit, has connections with the hero party).

The guest dispatched from the palace broke out in a cold sweat while recalling the numerous nicknames of this orphanage director.

The king’s son-in-law, lumberjack, butcher of the Seven Dragons, immortal, reservist. A living legend among conscripted soldiers.

Since such a fearsome man would have chopped him down with an axe if he made even a slip of the tongue, the guest nervously smiled and quietly held his breath until the orphanage director’s anger subsided.