episode_0066

Seress sat on the bed, slumping her upper body and exhaling tiredly.

She had been cooling her head while waiting for her turn to come out after taking a shower.

“Are you feeling better now?”

With a towel around her neck and a drink in her other hand, she asked in a weary voice.

“Why did you become such a twisted person?”

-Still someone I once liked.

-But after seeing her true colors, just a troublemaker.

-Just a devil making people around her unhappy.

She asked the woman in front of her sincerely.

“….”

“Why do you always make excuses?”

“Your tone and concept are back, huh?”

“Don’t beat around the bush. You got mad at me for scratching you and now all you do is make excuses. How can someone be so unlikeable?”

“Did I seem like someone avoiding responsibility?”

“It’s not about how you seem. It’s about a woman who won’t back down even if she dies. How many times did you retry while talking to me?”

“Oh.”

‘Of course, she noticed that much,’ she muttered with her eyes.

But she didn’t respond immediately.

She threw a makeshift desk onto the bed and poured a drink with tired hands.

“….”

“Aren’t you angry this time?”

“I’m too mentally exhausted to get angry. But I already know that the other side won’t easily accept the [result] even if I keep apologizing.”

So, she suddenly grabbed her by the neck, forcefully pushed her down, and created an atmosphere of reconciliation.

In reality, it was a confession.

“You know the result, right? So instead of apologizing, you exhaust the other person’s emotions and forcefully open the conversation?”

“You’re arrogant. Doing things like human garbage. But what can I do? I know the result too well, so even though I know I shouldn’t do this, I choose what’s most comfortable for me from my perspective.”

“…Like the suicide show just now?”

“Sorry. That was sincere. I did it knowing you would react to it.”

Immediately, the drink spilled over her face.

Naturally, she didn’t flinch.

“You knew this would happen too?”

“Just a while ago, I was almost driven crazy by the illness in my head. This is nothing compared to that.”

“Ha.”

She had just showered, but her hair already smelled of alcohol.

Nevertheless, she smiled and poured herself another drink.

She seemed insane.

“Do you go around like this all the time?”

“Yeah. I was all worked up. I know about the regression and that I started this to make amends. You might think I’m just repaying a favor because you don’t know I’m a woman.”

“If you knew you became like this because of your own sexual barriers, what would you think?”

“Well, I might just laugh it off because I’m a pervert. You know her personality, right? Even if you look back at your memories, you just cut her off as ‘someone else.’”

Impressed, she took a sip, and Seress couldn’t resist and immediately drank it all.

“…We could have had this conversation from the beginning.”

“It’s because you only care about the [result] that things turned out this way.”

“That’s… too painful to hear about the theory…”

Still, she felt relieved that the conversation had finally turned to that point.

As Seress drank, Seress drank without getting drunk, burning inside.

“How many times did you retry?”

“Until reconciliation?”

“Not reconciliation, so please correct it to ‘up until now.’”

“You’re stubborn for no reason. Up until now… it’s only been four times until you entered the room.”

“….”

“Not during the catfight. You know how sometimes the temperature suddenly drops towards the end. That’s when it started.”

“Ha.”

She chuckled, and Seress also smiled back.

In the dimly lit room with no lights turned on, the moonlight shone on the two of them through the window.

One had a pout on her face, and the other had a smirk.

“How many times have I died, Oppa?”

“131 times.”

I was infuriated by the absurd lie.

“That’s a lie.”

“Why do you think that?”

“A person who casually ends their own life four times wouldn’t have only died 131 times.”

“Your evidence is weak.”

“Just by looking at how shameless you’ve become, I can tell. You may feel sorry for Oppa, but you don’t mean anything to me.”

“No, I am sorry. I am genuinely sorry. Even if others say otherwise, it’s true. I have to act this way to prevent myself from going insane, to bury my guilt as deep as possible. It’s just to prevent myself from losing it mentally.”

“I feel like I want to see what’s at the bottom of the dirty well inside you.”

“Do you have a hobby of spreading filth?”

Although the tone was calm, it seemed more sincere than before.

The hand holding the glass continued to tremble.

“How many times have you died?”

“131 times.”

“You wouldn’t have told Oppa the whole truth.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Earlier, you said something about bringing the guild because you thought of me as a friend. Yes, I am at most a friend level, but to you, Oppa is your entire world. I would never say words that would hurt him. I’m just asking, not to that extent.”

Ceres was getting annoyed.

Are you going to turn back now, after coming this far?

“Let me ask you one last time. What number is this?”

“It’s the 131st time.”

“How long are you going to lie-”

“-It’s the 131st time I’ve restarted my life from scratch.”

“…….”

“So, the times my head exploded don’t count. Those don’t count as dying. When you count those, the units change.”

“What?”

“Roughly, I reset from the age of 10 to 27, 17 years. If a year has 8760 hours, then 17 years is about 148920 hours. With this being the 131st repetition, it’s roughly around 19508520 hours?”

As he said that, he took a sip.

“Add up the small numbers of times I died. How could I remember when I die so frequently?”

Thus, the Seat of Pure Love spoke to Hong Chang-ki.

You don’t know.

-You truly know nothing. You don’t know how many times you’ve died, why you died, or who killed you.

-What nonsense is this?

-16 times… or maybe more…?

-I don’t lie to my comrades. Especially not about the memories given as rewards for clearing. How could I lie about that?

-How many times have I died?

-About 18 times? We can’t know the exact number. It’s blocked by the Tower’s authority.

There’s no way to accurately determine it.

Starting from the age of 10, it’s been 131 times, and including the small regressions in between, it would naturally be more.

“You’ve grown up so meticulously, adjusting your schedule. You’ve easily conquered the Tower by planning routines, training, and strengthening your abilities. I’m not the type to become stronger by regressing. When emotions are depleted, I know how to brazenly ask for help. It’s one of the life skills I’ve learned over the years.”

“You’re insane.”

“If you realize that, it’s over, so don’t push it.”

“How are you keeping your sanity?”

“I feel good and stable when I’m by Chang-ki’s side. Especially when we reunite, the dopamine that’s released is no joke. It pours out like a drug, making years of suffering disappear~.”

Do you think that’s what’s keeping you sane?

“The power of love is infinite.”

I was speechless.

She had cursed at others and acted recklessly, but Sung-yeon was the crazier one.

“In fact, this time around, it was because of Chang-ki that we made a treaty with North Korea. I haven’t told him yet, but I did hint at it during our first drinking session.”

“Is it because of the military?”

“Yeah. I was about to take it off there. It’s pitiful to be trapped in a place that smells like that kind of sweat, right? So, I decided to think of it as a sacrifice of time and locked myself in the room to masturbate, feeling really good.”

“……….”

The scale of masturbation is different.

They say that when people are faced with something they can’t understand, they feel fear, and that was exactly how it was now.

“Now I understand.”

“What?”

“I’ve been banging my head against the wall all this time.”

Realizing this, I became curious instead.

“Why did someone so thoroughly prepared fail until now?”

It’s strange.

A person who goes to such lengths just to avoid one year of military service.

Why? How?

“Someone interfered.”

“Who?”

“Who else but Topju. Thanks to Changgi, after 131 attempts, we finally met, but judging by what he said, he was planning to start over 100 more times.”

“100 times….”

The wrath of God was terrifying.

My life is long enough as it is, and 131 times….

Yet Seongyeon seemed so happy.

“Even though it seems like this, it’s really optimistic. If you roll to that extent, they’ll cut you some slack, so it’s not like there’s no end, right?”

“Is it really at that level of story?”

“Yeah. It’s at that level of story. It’s like that when you scold someone, right? When will that person forgive you, isn’t that the most important thing?”

They discussed the outcome again.

“…That’s why Topju doesn’t like it.”

“That’s right. This is a really bad habit. I want to fix it, but I can’t do it my way.”

Even though I scold myself, it’s a habit that has seeped into my bones, so I can’t help it.

If there were no regression, it might have been better, but it’s too late now.

“Sigh….”

Seongyeon poured another drink, and Seres also had one.

The fight became meaningless, but what they gained in return was significant.

“So, will this round be a success? Topju won’t interfere, and I and Oppa know about your situation. If we cooperate, this time….”

“…I don’t know yet.”

“Why not?”

I found out after this round. There’s someone else besides Topju who’s been interfering with my life. It’s clear that they started interfering around the middle of the regression.”

Anger surged like a wave and spread like smoke.

Eyes were already white. Without revealing a single black pupil, they openly showed their anger.

“The woman who ordered you to break the gate.”

“…Is it Baegabond?”

“Without a doubt. It’s her.”

Their gaze returned, but their necks trembled, and they gritted their teeth.

Shaking their black pupils back and forth, signs of anxiety were evident.

“That woman has been like that every time. At some point, she became my enemy and tried to interfere. But even though I regressed several times, she never caught on. Even when I stalked her to see what she was doing in her childhood, she was just a pitiful girl, unchanged.”

“Is that Baegabond the one who interferes with you and Oppa over there?”

“She’s like that this time too. She suddenly led you and Changgi on the 20th floor, right?”

Suddenly, she appeared in the 19th-floor sauna.

She handed over a new map because the coordinates had changed and then disappeared.

At that time, I didn’t feel anything strange, but now that Seongyeon was saying it directly, the meaning changed.

“Was that woman waiting for you and Oppa?”

“If she had already completed the quest, do you think she had a reason to wait for you?”

“….”

“She hasn’t fully revealed herself yet, but I know everything. At some point, she will make a bigger gesture.”

This time, all emotions were revealed.

They grabbed Seres’ hand with trembling hands.

“I sincerely apologize. So please, don’t forget my advice and listen to me. Don’t get involved with her. If I can’t go first, you have to protect Changgi.”

“What is the ultimate goal?”

“A happy ending.”

A natural and expected ending that everyone desires.

“Since the Top Player has intervened, this chapter cannot fail. Your memories may not have fully returned, but this time, I see a possibility. Even if I don’t completely pay for my sins, I can at least pay a part of it.”

“Do you intend to return all the memories to others as well, like you did in the previous chapter?”

“Yes.”

“What do those people know? Isn’t there a possibility that they might meet someone else in this chapter and live a normal life?”

“Absolutely not. Even if I don’t act, everyone will head towards the window. Just like you, they all deeply yearn for one person.”

Seress’s heart was pricked.

“You haven’t fully regained your memories, but you’re behaving like this towards me. Can’t you see how others might react?”

That’s true.

In this chapter, Seress is the benefactor of Seongyeon.

Yet, she followed him and longed for him as if it were natural.

“Are the women who cling to their brothers former lovers?”

“Yes.”

“That’s quite impressive. I can’t even imagine how much you sacrificed between the 131 lifetimes.”

“It’s not all my fault. As I repeated the chapters, there were many people like you who helped me. So naturally, the numbers increased…”

He trailed off.

He realized his mistake for a moment, but it was too late to respond.

“Nonsense! Don’t make excuses! Even if you blame it on your brother, it’s not right! I know how to kill you right here!”

As she firmly stated that it was unacceptable, Seongyeon also lowered his head.

“It’s my fault for repeating the chapters.”

“……..”

“Even adding a footnote that my excuses are lame is still an excuse.”

“….You b****.”

Seress hesitated.

Look at her talking.

She repeated the chapter too many times, and this woman has gone crazy.

Even while babbling, he pondered how to deal with this crazy woman.

Violence was not the solution.

Even if he poured a bottle of alcohol on her head, it would only be a mild means of conversation with that crazy woman.

…………

…………

….Ah.

“There is a condition for me to help you.”

“What condition? Are you going to put conditions on helping your brother?”

“Don’t subtly manipulate me. I can’t trust you anymore. Whatever you say, it doesn’t sound rational to me, it’s like talking to a drunk person.”

A valid point.

“What do you want? What can I do for you? If it’s something I can do, I’ll do it right here and now…”

“…Bowing your head or giving up your pride won’t help at all. Especially not with you. Such humiliation won’t even be punished for someone who has already eaten it.”

“Then?”

He asked.

“So when this is all over, leave your brother’s side. Resolve the curse completely and hide yourself alone.”

“…If that’s not possible?”

“Try repeating it. I’ll give the same answer no matter what chapter it is.”

“Do you think you can do it?”

That’s his domain. The world of privilege.

Seongyeon revealed himself, and Seress mocked him.

A chance to hit this damn woman has come.

“What if I call the Top Player here?”

“…What?”

His face turned pale.

The accumulated sewage at the bottom of the well scratched the surface, and resentment rose to the top.

“Do you think he’ll come?”

“He will.”

“W-What evidence do you have? He’s never come even once when I called!”

“He won’t respond to your voice, will he? I block all the election calls that come to my phone, but how about over there?”

“I know well! A person who knows so well shouldn’t believe such nonsense…!”

“Let’s see if he heard this conversation or not. Want to bet with me?”

“Wait… Stop…!”

“─Topju-nim!!”

“Stop, you bastard!!!”

Seongyeon screamed, and the world lit up.

[Topju ‘Aphrodite’ smiled at this interesting sight!]

“…Ugh!?”

Oh shit.

Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.

Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.

Of all things, the presence that Seongyeon feared the most appeared.

She barely held back the urge to urinate.

“W-why… why me?”

“If it were me, I’d come. Is there a god who wouldn’t come when a despicable woman like this is causing trouble?”

“Ugh… Ugh….”

“You must have heard the story. From now on, I’ll put a noose around this crazy woman’s neck. If she agrees to my proposal, Topju-nim, please take over the contract for me.”

“That’s an absurd story… There’s no way a god would respond…!”

-But they will.

[Cheerfully agrees!]

“Ahh!!”

-It’s done.

If there were faces under faces, what would they look like?

Facing Topju without hesitation, she was terrified.

“Look. How shameless do you have to be for even a god to come out like this? You keep making excuses and acting all high and mighty! I can’t stand it, and if you see it from the side, how would it look!?”

“I-I’m sorry… I’m sorry! So please, no more curses! It’s too much! It’s definitely going to drive me crazy!!”

“No. This is not a curse. This is a fair contract between us.”

She wouldn’t let her win.

Seress stepped forward and saw the spirits gathering around her neck.

She also saw the intention to commit suicide.

[Bad habit!]

“Eek!?”

The spirits dissipated.

It was Topju’s doing.

“Promise. Promise that even if you return, you will keep the contract with me. After this is over, repent for your sins and leave your brother’s side. Never act arrogantly in front of us.”

“……….”

“If you don’t speak, this round is over. Do you think you’ll have this miraculous chance to talk to Topju-nim twice?”

“Is this the end… of this round…? This chance we barely caught…?”

“From the beginning, this chance was obtained through your brother’s efforts, not yours. It’s not like you’ve changed your bad habits. Do you see how you’re seeking hope after hearing that your brother will forgive you if you roll 100 times? Do you really think he will forgive you?”

“Ugh… Ah….”

Her gaze turned to the system window.

[Can’t you understand the metaphor?]

“…Ugh.”

Seongyeon trembled.

There’s no time to spare now.

Once Topju intervened, it was over.

If she says “I don’t like it” and throws a tantrum, she’ll receive an even bigger punishment and it will be over.

“Understood… I’ll make the contract….”

“Say it yourself.”

“After this is over, I will take responsibility… and leave by my brother’s side….”

“I won’t forgive you for acting arrogantly during this round.”

“I won’t… act arrogantly….”

“I have the authority to cancel the contract. This is something even Topju-nim won’t interfere with.”

“Are you going to put a noose around me?”

“Yes.”

“If you want to be with Changgi… was flattering you…?”

“That’s not what I mean. I’m not interested in you anymore. I have no intention of deliberately tormenting you, so please rest assured.”

“……….”

“Do you dislike it?”

“No… I will transfer all the rights to cancel the contract to Seress….”

“…Topju-nim.”

At Seress’s words, the system window lit up.

[When will this kid’s bad habits change.]

[She’s really stubborn.]

The blank canvas turned into a contract, penetrating the hearts of the two.

It was not a normal contract, but a contract where the souls of the chosen ones were bound by God himself.

“Now you can’t escape by returning.”

“…Ugh.”

Seongyeon’s fate is sealed, as she doesn’t know how the contract will penalize her.

Seress seemed much more satisfied than before.

“I understand how to discipline you now. Violence is not the answer, so this approach seems to be effective, right?”

“Ugh… Ugh…!”

“Feel relieved.”

In the end, Seongyeon trembled, bending her waist.

Facing such a defeated figure, Seres and the system window that appeared behind him burst into laughter together [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ].

“…I apologize for interrupting with such a story. I beg your pardon.”

Of course, she did not forget her manners.

Seres politely led the conversation, responding in a good mood.

[If it’s a story like this, you’re always welcome.]

[This time, there are too many good things happening.]

[It might even make you lose your temper.]

“…Well, that’s fortunate.”

While answering neatly, she resented this god deep down.

Whether it was Seongyeon or the god, she didn’t like either side.

[Oh, before I go, I have one question.]

“The girl you just mentioned, what about her?”

“…That girl?”

[Baek Gabond?]

[The one who bypassed my tower in this round?]

“There’s still no evidence or proof.”

“Originally… if you’re a god, you should be able to know right away…”

[With my abilities, I should be able to figure it out unless I’m being interfered with somewhere.]

[Whether it’s the work of another god, or…]

[Hmm.]

The Top God interrupted.

[Anyway, find the culprit and evidence, and call me immediately.]

“Don’t forget that depending on the situation, I might reward you.”

“Like memories, for example?”

“………!?”

She couldn’t control her emotions at those words.

This time, she wouldn’t just watch, she would completely regain her memories.

Unlike the cheerful Seres, Seongyeon was just quiet like someone who had lost all hope.

It was the end of a herbivore facing a carnivore.

[If you were always this gentle, how nice it would be.]

[That poor guy must be suffering.]

[Sigh.]

[If only you had kept just one thing in check, I would have forgiven you immediately.]

“…What are you talking about?”

“Why should I tell you that?”

“Figure it out on your own.”

“Ugh. Ugh.”

“It seems like you had fun today, let’s end it here.”

“If you need anything, the servant who didn’t leave will respond immediately.”

“But don’t call too often.”

“Understood. Thank you for giving this fool a chance to be scolded.”

“Sure, sure.”

“We’re done here, the rest is up to you two~!”

The system window of the Top God disappeared.

They just said what they had to and left.

“Ugh….”

Tears flowed right after.

She cried like a child, burying her face in the bedsheet, but Seres responded with a snort.

“Have a drink until morning comes. ‘My’ master.”

“I don’t feel like it….”

“…No?”

“Oh, no!”

She quickly added a formal tone.

With the intervention of the Top God’s contract, their previous relationship came to an end.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you… not like it? Do you already want to build up bad feelings even though we’ll be together for a long time from now on?”

“Ugh. No, I… I don’t.”

“…Really?”

Nod, nod!

“Alcohol.”

“Ugh….”

Seongyeon handed over the bottle of alcohol, squeezing out tears.

With this, the tables have turned, and the master has become the servant.

“So this is the taste of victory.”

It was the night she first discovered the bittersweet taste of alcohol in her life.