episode_0168

“……”

“……”

There was silence.

It was not a pleasant silence, but an awkward and awkward silence.

Just now, I blinked my eyes, which I couldn’t even see without realizing it.

These days, I’ve been opening and closing my eyes quite a bit, but it’s still easier to keep them closed.

That’s how shocking Lee Ji-yeon looked now.

Brown hair that was so tangled that it looked like a bird’s nest.

The shadows droop under the eyes as if they were pandas, and the skin turns pale and looks like it’s about to die.

Even if you ask 10 people out of 10, you will get the impression that they feel like they are going to collapse right now…

Jiyeon Lee across from me, I don’t know why, but she seemed to be looking at me intently, as if she had done something big wrong.

For me, this is an extremely embarrassing reaction.

The last time we met in the first place was in China… We only met briefly in that emergency situation, so what was there to do wrong?

Even when we looked back on our memories, there was no reason for us to blush.

Each side acted calmly and rationally, appropriate to the situation.

“The body is…”

Jiyeon Lee’s mouth, which had been tightly closed, opened.

After a moment of stuttering as if he was having trouble getting the words out, he managed to continue.

“Are you okay? No, I’m sorry. I’m not saying this…”

The continued conversation was interrupted.

He said something to himself, then got startled and started waving his arms.

[My body is fine]

[ah]

[So, your wounds have completely healed?]

[I’m glad you’re safe… eh]

On the other hand, I thought it was a good topic, but Lee Ji-yeon’s complexion immediately became gloomy.

Just now it was still a gray sky with dark clouds, but now it was like a stormy sky with bunches of thunder and lightning.

‘what.’

Did I say something wrong?

Did I make a mistake? At the same time as she thought this, Jiyeon Lee’s mouth opened in a blur.

“…I’m really sorry.”

[yes?]

suddenly?

When I reacted as if asking what I was saying, Jiyeon Lee raised her eyes that had been down on the floor as if avoiding my appearance earlier.

Dark green eyes calmly took in my image and then trembled as if there was an earthquake.

…My appearance?

‘ah.’

Suddenly, I lifted my leg. My toned legs could not touch the floor.

When I thought about it, there was quite a difference from the last time Lee Ji-yeon saw me.

At the time, it was strange hair with overlapping white and black, like an animal shedding its fur, but now it is completely white.

In addition, his body suddenly became younger.

I wasn’t in a normal state right now either.

“At that time, then… I ran away alone, leaving my junior behind. I turned my back on myself to live alone, I was so scared…”

Jiyeon Lee continued speaking gibberish. He was incoherent and his words were unsightly and trembling.

Jiyeon Lee seemed to feel guilty for leaving me behind in China.

“I shouldn’t have run away… I should have died with you… But I… Because of me, my junior…”

Could it be that his current haggard appearance is due to the severe emotional distress he suffered? Jiyeon Lee didn’t know what to do and kept blaming herself and offering apologies.

When I saw that, information from the original suddenly came to mind.

Jiyeon Lee.

The eldest of two sons and one daughter of Lee Ji-ah, the 11th matriarch of Taesan.

The chosen successor to the Taisan family and the manifestation of Taishan.

He is expected to become the next head of the Taesan family, which produces raw materials for artificial elixirs in large quantities.

From a young age, he drank plenty of elixirs and received high-quality early education through the knowledge accumulated throughout his family’s history.

He was very talented and excelled at his skills, proudly becoming a senior in the city.

A future star who still maintains a steep growth curve.

It is a background that is absolutely lacking.

Even if you lined up all the people in the world, the jewel spoon would proudly be at the top.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Because of me…”

Contrary to that background, Lee Ji-yeon was a person with an unhealthy mental state and a sense of inferiority.

In the original work, the mental states that were always displayed in the likability displayed while building a relationship with Lee Ji-yeon were ‘external and internal affection’, ‘lack of entitlement’, ‘inferiority’, and ‘jealousy’.

Considering that one of the characteristics of the manifester of Taishan is the middle path of emotions, he was a very unique type.

In some ways, it was a ridiculous thing, but considering Lee Ji-yeon’s surroundings, it is not incomprehensible.

Also, it was not a disadvantage that could not be overcome.

If I had to deal with such shrunken pride, Jiyeon Lee became a truly trustworthy and dedicated colleague.

It was like that in the first episode of the original.

In the first episode, where I was looking for all kinds of side stories, I built up a lot of relationships with Lee Ji-yeon, and my likability rating was also very high.

Thanks to this, Ji-yeon Lee remained by the side until just before the first player died, and was one of the colleagues who protected the first player.

[it’s okay]

[Because it’s really okay…]

But I didn’t have the talent to solve Jiyeon Lee’s inferiority complex…

Lee Ji-yeon is so guilt-ridden right now that everything around her seems gloomy.

It’s a good thing that this is a private room on the upper floor of the cafe. If it had been like this on the open first floor, there would have been annoying rumors going around…

[I hope you don’t feel so hurt]

[I still don’t regret my choice back then]

[Many people survived thanks to Lee Ji-yeon, right?]

[I also received help]

I tried to say as coherently as I could and comforted Jiyeon Lee.

It may be rude, but Jiyeon Lee’s condition seemed very dangerous…

[As a result, I survived, and my senior was also safe…]

[Don’t worry about this condition either]

[It won’t be long before things return to normal]

Did my efforts work? Jiyeon Lee’s eyes, which were like the eyes of a dead fish, gradually bloomed with light.

‘…it’s tough…’

I internally sighed in relief.

As someone who is not good at talking, it was a huge hardship…

.

.

.

After a while.

Jiyeon Lee seemed to be barely able to control her emotions and was sipping coffee alone.

His complexion turned slightly red, as if he had just become aware of his own indecency.

I slowly opened the necklace that was blocking it.

[…that]

[Are you okay, senior?]

‘uh…’

The confession necklace clicked.

It was only after the blunt voice spread that I realized that the question was strange.

Although she was asking if she was okay, Jiyeon Lee was definitely not okay even if I just looked at her now…

“Ah… thank you for worrying about me. But it’s okay. The wound completely healed a long time ago… but now I’m just having trouble sleeping…”

Ahaha… Lee Ji-yeon smiled awkwardly, raising the corners of her mouth.

“The detection ability is really amazing. Usually it’s not that precise…”

The combination of a smile that seemed to reassure the other person and a complexion that was not at all okay made the devastated impression stand out even more.

As if she hadn’t noticed him, Jiyeon Lee held the straw in her mouth and sucked on her coffee.

‘Why do you drink coffee when you say you can’t sleep?’

At that sight, my expression was about to change into a shocked expression.

On the table right in front of her were numerous plastic cups whose contents had already been washed.

The body of a superhuman. Among them, since he is the manifestation of Taesan, there will be differences in his actions, but even taking that into account, it is appropriate to say that he is pouring coffee.

At least it was definitely not an amount that someone who said they couldn’t sleep would eat…

However, due to the atmosphere, I swallowed the question and sucked the contents of the page with a straw in my mouth.

It was filled with cold liquid.

It was orange juice, not coffee. I wanted to ask why it wasn’t coffee, but I swallowed that too.

Instead, I took out the business first.

[Have you seen the application email?]

[I sent it earlier…]

“Ah! Yes, confirmed. That’s why I asked to meet him…”

Jiyeon Lee stumbled.

I tilted my head at that strange reaction.

[Is there anyone who has already thought of it?]

“No, I also thought of Lee Ha-yul as my junior.”

At those words, my complexion instantly brightened. I was worried about what would happen if it was rejected, but Lee Ji-yeon was also thinking of applying for it.

“But I’m a little worried…”

[yes? Are you worried?]

“Well… honestly, I don’t think I have anything to teach you…“

Jiyeon Lee rolled her eyes and quietly took a sip of her coffee.

“Just from what I saw in China back then, honestly, I think you are much better than me…”

‘hmm…’

He made a strange expression at her words.

I think I’m better than myself…

There may be several categories, but honestly, I don’t think I’ll lose in the battle department.

It’s not arrogance, but even if you judge it calmly, it’s true.

It wasn’t noticeable when I was severely lacking in basic skills, but as my basic skills accumulated to a certain level, the variety of tools I had began to shine.

Unique ability: All-rounder and magic friendly.

Through him, I was introduced to and became skilled in magic manipulation techniques, strong body techniques, strong techniques, combat techniques, magic, elemental arts, etc…

There, the expanded abilities of the technology series copied from the expanding comics and the unique abilities of various special and attribute classes copied through homogenization…

The power of observation and the power of space…

Durability stat correction and the power of protection received from the proof of protection worn on the left arm.

Application of the Sky Wings, whose performance has become enormous…

There are so many tools available. It is easy to attack the enemy, and there are many ways to nullify the opponent’s attack.

Even in the immediate battle with the two-headed poisonous dragon, if I hadn’t quickly used the unique ability of poison resistance, I would have died.

Although force is not the only thing that is taught to each other, in this poetry cradle where most people aim to become heroes, in the end, force is what is mainly taught.

Lee Ji-yeon, who caught a glimpse of the battle with the two-headed poisonous dragon, could have thought something like that.

[Thank you for the compliment, but please don’t say things like that]

[There is so much to learn from you]

“…Is that so? For example…?”

[There are too many to list]

[But if I had to pick just one thing… I would be able to experience my senior’s unique ability]

“Taesan, I see…”

Somehow I managed to come up with an answer.

Lee Ji-yeon nodded and seemed to agree, but suddenly flinched at the paragraph about wanting to experience Taesan.

‘?’

Lee Ji-yeon, who seemed to be thinking about something for a moment, looked around and asked.

“Taesan… you’ve experienced it before, right? How was it?”

[yes]

[It was a great unique ability]

[Thanks to my senior’s help at that time, I was able to safely preserve my stamina.]

These are not empty words.

At the time, he was running away from the two-headed poisonous dragon and preparing to become a spirit, but Jiyeon Lee gave him time to do so.

If Jiyeon Lee wasn’t there… the preparation process would have been more complicated.

[Thank you]

“No, what is gratitude… Rather, I should give thanks a thousand times…”

[I also received a lot of help]

[Did you see that?]

[The pit where the two-headed poisonous dragon died]

“Yes… I went there myself…“

[I was able to succeed thanks to my senior’s quick judgment]

[If there were people nearby, self-destruction would have been impossible─]

“What, what? Self-destruction… self-destruction…!?“

Jiyeon Lee’s eyes widened as she listened.

‘uh.’

At that reaction filled with astonishment, my head stopped for a moment.

Now that I think about it, my choice of words was a bit hasty.

Self-destruction. It’s not that I don’t have that feeling… No, I had that feeling, but I never wanted to die…

My head, which was creaking, urgently took care of the situation.

[…no? Self-destruction? What does that mean…]

“Ja, self-destruct…”

It wasn’t resolved.

Jiyeon Lee’s mouth opened. The exclamation that leaked out between them was thick with despair and guilt.

The light in my eyes that had returned for a long time turned black again.

‘Fuck.’

[fuck]

The confession necklace clicked.