episode_0118

My mind was in turmoil.

I immediately checked the date on my phone, but it was indeed January 2022.

Time hadn’t flowed differently, like in other novels or movies. The time spent there was equivalent to the time that had passed on Earth.

Or could this be a parallel world, another Earth within a parallel universe? A world where familiar things existed with slightly different names? I quickly searched the internet, but that wasn’t it either.

This was the Earth I was born on.

This was my home where I had lived, the room where I had slept and woken countless times.

That meant…

As my thoughts spiraled to that point, the door suddenly opened.

Startled, I stood up in shock, feeling exposed as I covered myself with my arms and stared at the person beyond the open door.

…As expected.

“Mom…?”

What should I do?

Calling her ‘mom’ was a huge mistake, wasn’t it? I should have explained the situation first.

But more importantly, why did she barge into someone’s room without permission and make things awkward? Shouldn’t she have given me time to prepare mentally?

─Our son! …No, wait?

─Mom, there’s a bit of a situation.

─Yujin. Even if you didn’t like living as a man, you should have discussed it with me before…

─Mom, it’s not like that! I didn’t modify my body from being a man to suddenly having a new body!

─What’s with that tail of yours? And why are your chest so big? You had similar things in those strange videos on your computer, maybe…

─What are you talking about?!

It made my head spin just imagining it.

…But why is my imagination like this? Why am I preparing for such a crisis?

As I was getting dizzy from the multiple threats coming at me from all sides, my mom unexpectedly spoke in a calm voice.

“Ae-il. Did you go out?”

“…Yes?”

“Come out and eat.”

Without waiting for a response, she simply closed the door and left.

What’s with this nonchalant and vibrating response?

Is it not surprising that her son has turned into a daughter?

Not only did I become a daughter, but I also became a voluptuous succubus with enhanced features, and they’re just accepting it like it’s nothing?

Oh, our house was quite open-minded, wasn’t it?

“…But Ae-il, how did you come up with that name?”

The confusing situation continued at the dinner table.

Sitting down amidst the strange and awkward atmosphere in our own house, my dad happened to come home. Overjoyed, I stood up without realizing it to greet him.

“You’re back?”

“Is it strange for me to stand up? Have you had a tough day today?”

“What…?”

“What, what? It’s about what you do.”

I failed to read the emotions behind my dad’s casual words.

What have I been doing?

Could it be demon hunting? No, there are no demons in the Earth I know.

…Can I be sure of that?

I wasn’t originally from Earth anyway. Where can you find people with tails?

While my dad washed his hands in the bathroom, I quickly searched my name on the internet on my phone. Hoping for some results, I entered my name in the search bar with a mix of anticipation and dread.

“Huh…?”

The results of my first-ever ego search were shocking.

“Ae-il. It’s good that the crime rate is decreasing, but don’t push yourself too hard to catch the bad guys.”

Dad sat down at the table, speaking slowly with a tired tone. As mom served the meal, dinner proceeded.

“You came home early today.”

“Yeah. We need days like this too. Why do people always cause trouble at the end of the year?”

Ego search results.

I was a famous figure whose name appeared on a popular portal site.

Moreover, I wasn’t just an ordinary celebrity or celeb. Under the occupation section of my name, it said:

[Ale Cloie]

[Hero]

A hero? What kind of nonsense is this! Does it make sense for me to be in a position where I fight villains like Spiderman or Doctor Strange?

What’s even more shocking is that there was something else.

“Mom, um, have you seen Jisoo… I mean, Jisoo?”

“Jisoo?”

“Oh, why, it’s the arrogant girl living upstairs. We’ve been friends since we were kids…”

Having to explain it in such detail felt very unfamiliar and alien. Just hearing the name Jisoo should elicit a reflexive response like “Oh, that person…” But instead, both my mom and dad stared at me blankly, not understanding, and actually asked:

“Who is Jisoo?”

“The people living upstairs don’t have a child.”

*

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

After finishing my meal, I went straight to my room. Sitting on the bed, I closed my eyes tightly and focused my mind.

The black empty canvas that had been unfolding in my mind was suddenly filled with vibrant mana threads.

Just like my appearance, my abilities remained intact. So, the conversation should be quick.

I don’t know if it will work or not.

I visualized the message like sending a whisper chat in a game.

“Lina. Lina Frilwood, you damn woman, come out quickly. We’ll settle it in three, so come out in front of me right now.”

“One, two…”

Zap!

With lightning sparks flying in all directions, Lina appeared. She was panting heavily as if she had rushed over.

“Heh, hey Ale! Do you really want me to go see the god? I may be a god, but calling me a damn woman is a bit too much, isn’t it?”

She was rambling about maintaining some dignity, so I extended my tail and gave her a playful smack.

“Ouch?!”

“You’re being cheeky. Hey, stop with the lightning sparks. Don’t set the room on fire.”

“Hey, I don’t get treated like this anywhere else…”

“You’re so noisy. Want me to show you more of my tail smack?”

“No. No, thank you.”

Persuasion is far away, violence is closer. The tail’s performance is still reliable.

“Now I feel like having a conversation. Hey, explain. What’s going on? You know everything, right? It’s your doing.”

From what I’ve observed, Lina is the pants-wearer.

She has influenced achieving certain goals, but she is also trapped in some constraints, knowing less than she doesn’t.

The real mastermind is on this side.

So, to get information, I have to handle this woman.

“Can you hurry up and tell me?”

“Oh, what are you curious about? You have to tell me what you want to know first!”

Oh right, I didn’t mention that.

With a heavy heart, I casually tied up my long platinum hair and pretended to casually speak.

“First of all, why am I a hero?”

“Hmm. And?”

“Listen to everything and then answer?”

“Most of the answers seem to be related. Go on, tell me more.”

If I’ve said everything and she says “I don’t know,” I’ll immediately materialize a giant hammer and acquire the title ‘The Woman Who Broke the God’s Pot.’

“Second. Why do Mom and Dad not feel any strangeness when they see me like this?”

“Yep.”

“And the last, third one is…”

I wanted to ask why Jisoo is being treated as if she never existed, but I decided to ask a more comprehensive question instead.

“Is the distortion of the original Earth a reflection of Lager’s will? Or is it just your unilateral decision?”

Lina nodded without any hint of surprise, as if she had anticipated all the questions. “Hmm.”

“You see, Eil. Lager wanted to live in a world where he would be admired and envied by everyone, in peace and safety.”

Taking a deep breath, Lina began her story.