episode_0342

Summer rains last a long time.

The torrential rain pouring down from the sky is always heavy, dull, and unpleasant.

Even on windy days, it was the worst.

But something strange happened.

My whole skin is soft and smooth.

There is little moisture in the hair.

Only a few drops splashed on the school uniform.

It barely rained.

It was inevitable that I would end up like a drowning rat on rainy days.

The uniform was soaking wet and would have to be washed right away to dry by tomorrow.

In order for your skin to become soft, you would have to wash off all the dull rainwater through a shower and even wipe off any foreign substances with a towel, and you would have to wash and dry your hair again.

That never happened.

It was all because of the umbrella someone handed me.

“…”

I had a strange feeling looking at the umbrella left behind.

This umbrella… was originally an umbrella that was rejected and pushed away.

I’ve met so many people. I knew what the people who approached me at school were doing. I knew exactly what they wanted.

I knew everything. I knew what he was thinking on the inside, even though he pretended not to know on the outside.

So I pushed it away.

Even if that umbrella is what you need most at this moment.

But he said.

The reason I’m giving you this umbrella is for myself, not for you.

What kind of nonsense is that?

You’re giving your only umbrella to someone else, saying it’s for your own good?

Are you saying you’re going to give me an umbrella and then go back and get soaked in the rain?

It was something I couldn’t understand at all…

The person explained in detail why he got that answer.

I thought the real reason would come out this time… but when I actually heard it, my mouth fell open in disbelief.

I was astonished at the way he revealed his true feelings without hiding a single thing, explaining that all the reasons he gave for being so calculated and pragmatic were related.

I have a favor to ask.

Think of the umbrella as a substitute for trade.

And please don’t ever reveal this.

It was a purpose that was utterly incomprehensible.

I’ve met so many people over the years. I know how obvious and hopeless their wants are.

But at least this person in front of them had a completely different purpose than the one they were frowning at.

Different from others.

That was the reason.

I ended up bringing this umbrella home.

Without even getting hit by the cold rain.

There is no loneliness or depression that comes from being hit by rain.

Something was emerging to replace it.

…he quickly shook his head.

That must be because he’s a unique person.

They say there are a lot of weird people in the world, so it makes sense that there would be people like that.

I thought I could just shake it off and hand him the umbrella the next day.

But my clothes never got wet every time it rained.

There was always a day when I would come home from school without a single drop of water getting on my skin.

I unilaterally received an umbrella for a consistent purpose and went back home.

The days of rain are disappearing.

At the same time, as time passed, I learned more and more.

I also started to learn a little bit about that person.

So, it doesn’t rain anymore.

Because summer is completely gone and winter is approaching.

…But now I feel regret about that.

In the sky, it is now snowing.

The snow falling softly is colder. The loneliness and desolation deepen.

When that pure white thing comes down, the whole world turns white.

If it rains, you don’t really need to worry about the umbrella. If it snows a lot, it might be different, but it’s not that bad.

Don’t use an umbrella.

Yeah, I felt a bit sorry about that.

Because at some point I stopped hating the rain so much.

Can you please lower it a little more?

My side felt strangely cold.

***

-Tiring!

▶Hidden Memorial has ended.◀

▶After a while, time that had stopped begins to flow.◀

Vision returned with a bright flash of light.

This time, too, the memorial reflected the present.

The snow that filled the sky and fell down dyed the world a pure white here and there.

Of course, it would be closer to my memory than Karsine’s.

But, I still don’t remember that.

There are quite a few days when it snows. If I had to pick one day, which one would it be?

Maybe it’s just a meaningless memory to recall.

There are no clues, no information.

So it doesn’t follow that I can figure it out.

“If there’s anything that catches my eye…is it an umbrella?”

That black umbrella I always used when it rained.

An umbrella that he hid from the youngest, Eun-ji, so that it wouldn’t be taken away, and that he secretly hid at school, and took it out and used it whenever it rained.

There’s a bit of a twisted story behind that umbrella.

In my second year of high school, that was the umbrella I gave him when I didn’t really know him.

That was probably the first time. I first proposed a deal to the author, asking him to keep my things in exchange for using the umbrella.

Sometimes when I tried to hide my belongings, my family would catch me and things like that, so I had to put them at ease by being honest about my intentions.

And there was also a reason why I had to go in the rain on purpose.

The youngest, Eun-ji, was less bullied because she would just laugh at me and get upset when I came home from getting rained on, and the second oldest, Eun-hye, would nag me, but she did it in moderation, saying she couldn’t get any angrier at someone who got rained on.

First of all, since my mother was late for work anyway, she didn’t even realize that I came back in the rain. Even if I came back early sometimes, I just hid it so that no one would notice.

So, I remember that instead of intentionally taking me home, I gave him the umbrella when we parted ways and went back in the rain.

“…But no matter what, I can’t remember anything with just that umbrella.”

I really don’t know why you’re showing me this.

-Tiring!

▶Time stop effect is removed.◀

Time has started flowing again, so I’ll ignore that and do my own thing.

“Three notes have been collected. However, it is difficult to decipher them. They are enchanted and need to be deciphered by pouring magic power into them, but it is difficult to approach them if you do not know exactly. If you just pour magic power into them, the contents will disappear…”

“I think I can try my hand at that.”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t it enough to know which way the magic flows?”

When he insisted like that, Harnie agreed.

“That’s right. ”

You’re reading magic spells?

There’s just the right amount of power here.

That was the way it was with the eyes of Wederoth.

By controlling the flow of magical power with a calm mind and releasing it gradually, item combination became possible.

▶Item combination was successful.◀

▶You have acquired the item!◀

[ Someone’s note ]

After combination, it becomes an item and can be deciphered.

‘The item name says ‘Someone’s Note.’ But…’

I thought I knew who it was.

This handwriting. It looks a little familiar to me.

I have seen it often not only in the study but also in other spaces.

This handwriting…was Karn Bagrand’s handwriting.

“When my father made that kind of expression, I couldn’t understand it either. But soon I came to understand.”

“Devil. How else can I express it? It can only be expressed as a devil.”

『It is nothing more than a seed of the original, and must be eliminated. But what can I do? I cannot commit such a foolish act as borrowing the power of the Duke. If I fail, that demon will devour this entire empire, no, the world.』

『Those who were infected by the seed immediately became demons. Those who swallowed the seed became tree monsters and tried to harm humans.』

“They multiply. They multiply endlessly, spreading seeds. It causes the human self to be lost and the flesh to be separated.”

『What on earth are they going to do with all those bodies separated? I… investigated them and suggested to my father that we leave them all over the workshop.』

“My father readily agreed, holding my shoulder. I know it’s a huge gamble. Maybe no one will find out, and even if they do, they’ll dismiss it as a child’s fantasy.”

『I swapped clothes with a child. The Kingdom of Wederos said they were cleaning up. I will definitely die if I wear the clothes of the Kingdom of Wederos. But this is my choice. If I do this, one person, a child of similar age to me, will survive. I will definitely find them since I am even holding a carriage doll.』

『Unlike me, who was just a young brat, it would be different if he had the eyes of Wederos. I have no doubt that if he had real power, he would understand my intentions and come forward. So.』

“I have one favor to ask. The future Prince of Wederos. Please, save my family.”

-Hwa-reuk!

Karn Bagrand’s note caught fire the moment I read it to the end.

“It’s a spell that makes it disappear after reading it once. This is not common, but…”

“Is this information that shouldn’t leak out?”

Harnie nodded.

With an even more serious face.

“It means that if it leaks out, the other party can deal with it. That means it was thoroughly hidden and only shown to certain people.”

“…”

After hearing that, I think I might be making the same expression.

If this is true…

It is said that Karsein was saved by Karn in the past.

It means that Karn Bagrand sacrificed his life in place of Karsein, and that Karsein, who had awakened the Eye of Wederoth, hoped to find this note and learn about the Yggdrasil Project.

It’s a crazy gamble that’s hard to even call a design.

It was a gamble that might have gone nowhere if Karsain had not arrived in Baghdad.

But… this gamble has led me to this point in a good way.

“…What are you going to do? Carcein.”

Harnie asked me for my opinion.

Karn Bagrand asked me.

Please spare my family.

It sounds ridiculous considering my current situation…

-Tiring!

▶You have obtained the second treasure, Karn Bagrand’s Dawn Jade.◀

▶Go to the 3rd floor lighthouse to get the next treasure.◀

Anyway, I don’t have much of a choice.

“First, let’s find some more notes.”

Together with Harnie, I started moving towards the third floor lighting.

‘…both the memorial and the current situation. At this point, I don’t know anything. I’m sure there isn’t anything.’

But why do I feel so uncomfortable?

Even so, it’s probably just a story within the game.

Why does it feel so strangely realistic?

…I feel uneasy.

So much.