episode_0100

31. I am your… (3)

Inside the Seoul Metropolitan Government Building, which we entered under Yujiah’s guidance, there were many people gathered inside, just like there were outside, so we could hear various conversations here and there.

People who came from other settlements explained their circumstances and asked if there was a place to settle in the Blue House settlement.

And among them, most of the people who were planning to conquer Namsan Tower in the future were looking at us.

Not only did they conquer the Gyeongbokgung Tower, which no one had ever done before, but they were also done by just three people, so there were mixed reactions from people who were suspicious or amazed.

I had already experienced these stares before entering the building, but I still couldn’t get used to being stared at by so many people.

” Don’t worry about other people so much and just follow along quickly. ”

As if she was already used to this kind of gaze, Jia grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, walking forward.

When she holds my hand, I recall the scene I saw in the fragments of memory left in the crystal that Patruna had given me.

I remember catching her in a place with so many people.

Although things are the opposite now, I can’t help but smile when I think of that time.

But at the same time, if I reveal my identity soon, what kind of expression will she have on her face?

No, before that, will you believe that I was the older brother who held your hand back then?

With that thought in mind, I stopped moving, led by her hand, and only then came to my senses.

” Phew, sorry. It’s been a bit crowded today because there were a lot of people at our settlement. ”

” Was there originally this much? ”

When I asked her, she sighed heavily.

” There are usually a lot of them, but not this many. It became this crowded because people flocked to conquer Namsan Tower. ”

” I see. By the way, where is this place? ”

” Where are you? No, before that, let me ask you. What the hell are you doing? ”

Hyunseok pushed me behind him as he saw Ji-ah frowning and snapping at him.

” What does that mean? ”

” What does that mean? He probably knows better. What on earth is that brooch he gave me? ”

Her expression as she came towards me, pushing Hyunseok aside, and asked, seemed more bewildered than angry.

” Did that work…? ”

” Did it work? Well… Wait, what the hell do you know? ”

When I saw her eyes wide open in surprise at my sudden answer, I knew that what I had expected was right.

” First… Let’s go to where Mr. Yoo Ji-seong is. I’ll tell you there. ”

To find out if it really worked… I have to meet Yuji Sung.

After hearing what I said, Jia gave instructions to those who were following her, and then they disappeared, leaving us and Jia behind.

Zia winked at us and led us to a deserted area, and we could see that we were going underground. When she stopped walking, what we saw before our eyes was…

There was a large door made of thick steel.

It’s as if there’s a door there to lock someone up.

” Are you here? ”

” Write… Before that, if you guys go somewhere and talk about what you saw here… you know? ”

I swallowed and nodded at the sight of her looking at us with a sharp murderous intent, and when the door opened, there was a person leaning against the wall.

No, it was a person who was tied up with chains not only on both arms and both feet, but also all over his body, and was still leaning against the wall.

Her clothes were torn to the point where there were holes in them, and her hair was long and hanging out, as if she hadn’t cut it much.

In addition, he had a left arm that was twisted and bent in several directions, and the skin on that left arm had turned black.

” What the hell is this? ”

Yeonseo turned her head and covered her mouth as if she had seen something she should not have seen, and Ji-ah opened her mouth when she saw that.

” What is it… The person you wanted to meet. It’s ‘Yoo Ji Sung’. He’s my only family left in this world. ”

” What…? ”

After hearing Zia’s words, I just sat there and looked back and forth between her and the man in front of me.

What I heard… if I didn’t hear it wrong… the family left in this world…

Because the story is about just these two.

*****

I sobbed and grabbed onto Zia’s clothes.

” What does that mean…? My only family…?! ”

” What… What is it? Why is it like this?! ”

” What about your parents? Huh? Tell me! ”

” Charlotte, calm down! ”

As I let go of Ji-ah’s clothes while Hyun-seok held me and hugged me from behind, she looked at me in disbelief.

” Why are you suddenly like this? Are you so curious about other people’s family history? ”

” That’s…! ”

” Hoo, listen carefully. I don’t know what you were hoping for when you came here, but I showed you this place because my older brother, Yuji Sung, was wearing the brooch you gave him and then stayed still. ”

At her words, we turned our gaze to him who was tied to the wall, and despite the loud conversation, he just sat there as if nothing had happened.

There were traces of running around him, and Hyun-seok, who realized this, asked Ji-ah.

” Does that mean… he was running wild until Charlotte gave him the brooch? ”

” Yeah, it was a problem because he kept going wild. But he’s been like that ever since he put on the brooch that guy gave him. That’s why you said Charlotte, right?

Let me ask you. Can you… turn that person back to how he was? ”

He asked, holding my hand with an expression as if he wanted to grasp onto a very thin thread of possibility.

” I’ll have to check… but… I think it’ll be possible. No, I’ll definitely make it go back to how it was. ”

I moved away from her and Hyunseok, who were holding me still, and approached Yoo Ji-seong.

Even when I approached him, he just stared into space.

As I approached him, his left arm began to move with a thump, thump sound, and as I stood in front of him, the chain binding his left arm broke and he swung it towards me.

” Charlotte! ”

Hyunseok’s cry of danger. I just slowly raised my hand and snatched the left arm that was swinging at me, sending out divine power.

‘The current situation is… okay, it’s still okay.’

As soon as I released the divine power, a burning smell began to sting my nose, but I didn’t stop and covered my entire arm with a thin layer of divine power.

He slowly returned his left arm, which had been bent in various directions, to its original position and began to absorb the evil spirit energy contained within it.

I didn’t know it before, but I know it now. What I feel as the energy of an evil god is… [The broken divinity of Thanatos.]

Even though it is broken, it is a power that contains the power of God. Therefore, I think that the moment you accept it, your abilities will be strengthened or added.

Of course, since they were unable to fully accept the power of God, their bodies would be transformed in this way, or conversely, they would be consumed by the power and turn into demons.

However, I am a being who has accepted the protection of many gods. I am a vessel of gods and a being with the potential to become a new god in the future, so absorbing this was no problem.

‘Ugh… But still… Since it’s the complete opposite energy, even if I absorb it… the side effect is…! ‘

As I slowly absorb the divinity of Thanatos contained in his left arm, the more I absorb, the more it begins to clash with the divine power I possess.

A different, opposing energy spreads through my whole body, making my body feel hot.

” Huuuut! ”

When Hyunseok and Yeonseo see me like that, they try to approach me, but I shake my head to signal them not to come closer and start purifying myself again.

My left arm was slowly regaining its original shape. At the same time, my two hands were turning black, and Zia was watching with her mouth covered with her hand.

” Are you sure it’s okay? My hand…! ”

” It’ll be okay. It’s just… because I’m purifying it… ”

” But…! ”

” Trust Charlotte. ”

I turned my head and smiled at the story I heard from behind.

” It’s okay… It’ll be over soon… ”

Looking at his left arm again, he purified himself and kept it in good condition. He looked at his condition and it seemed like he had been here for quite some time, so he was not in good condition.

I poured more divine power into him, allowing him to regain some of his vitality, and began to make the divinity of Thanatos that was eating away at his body mine.

My left arm, which had turned black, gradually returned to its original skin color and became clean, and my two hands were dyed black and it was difficult to move my fingers.

The maintenance visible through the long hair that had not been properly managed. My brother’s expression was calm.

” Now… soon, you’ll regain consciousness. Heh heh… ”

” Thank you. Is that okay? I’m sweating so much… ”

When I pushed away Zia’s hand that was trying to touch my heated body, she looked at me with a look of bewilderment.

” Haa, haa, I’m sorry. I’m feeling a little… ”

” Ah… Okay… Then, for now… How about moving seats? ”

She looked at my body panting for breath and offered to prepare a separate room for me, but I refused.

” I’m… okay. I have to check the condition just in case… So, Hyunseok and Yeonseo, you two should go first… ”

” Are you sure it’s okay? ”

Hyunseok was looking at me with a worried look.

As I felt my body heating up again at that gaze…

” Ugh… It’s okay. It’ll be okay if you rest for a bit. So… Go ahead. ”

Yeonseo noticed me like that and grabbed Hyunseok’s arm and pulled him towards her.

” Let’s listen to what you say. We’re also tired, to be honest, right? ”

” Haa, I get it. If it’s still hard, tell me. I’ll be right back. ”

” Yeah, thanks… ”

Not long after Jia touched the device, one of the people we saw earlier left with the two of them, and Jia and I waited for Yuji Sung and my brother to wake up.

*****

In a room barely lit by a light bulb on the ceiling, with no light coming in, Jia waits for the man hanging from the wall with chains to wake up.

I’m starting to feel out of breath and my body is trembling… but it hasn’t stopped. I have to hold on.

Because while Hyunseok and Yeonseo are away… I have something to say to you two.

” Are you sure you’re okay? Should I call someone? ”

” Haa… It’s okay. It’s okay… ”

” But your face is redder than before! And you’re breathing heavily…! ”

” This is… a side effect of purification, so it’s okay… ah. But more than that… ”

He slowly raised his trembling hand and pointed forward to the woman standing next to me, worried about me.

In front of him, there was Yoo Ji-seong, slowly moving his head as if he had regained consciousness and looking at Jia…

” Ji…ah…? ”

” Oh…bro?! ”

Yoo Ji-ah approached Yoo Ji-seong and lifted his face to check, then hugged him with tears in her eyes.

” Thank goodness! I’m so lucky! ”

” Phew, how on earth… I’m sure it’s me… ”

” Charlotte over there… cured my brother. Seriously… I didn’t know it was possible… ”

” Charlotte? ”

I slowly moved my trembling legs toward him as he called my name.

‘Ugh… Ah… No… I can’t stop… Right here… ‘

From the moment my feet touch the floor… a faint pleasure… is eating away at my body.

To the two of them who didn’t know about this situation, I looked… I don’t know if I should be thankful that I looked tired…

” Ah… hello… huh… ”

” First of all, thank you. For treating me. More importantly, are you okay? ”

” It’s… okay. Just, a little… yes. ”

” I saw your brother wake up, so you should go and rest now. ”

In response to Jia’s words of concern for me… I thought that if not now, then there would be no chance…

” Before that… I have something to say to you two, no, to both of you. ”

” What on earth do you want to say with that body condition…? ”

I handed over the wristwatch from my bosom to the two people who looked at me as if they didn’t understand.

Ji-ah, who received it, was surprised and showed it to her older brother, Yoo Ji-seong. Yoo Ji-seong, who had just regained consciousness, also opened his eyes wide in surprise and looked at me and the watch alternately.

And before Zia, my brother asked me. In a very low voice… What was contained in it was longing, anger, and bewilderment.

” How did you do this…?! ”

” That’s… ‘My watch’… ”

” What?! Don’t make me laugh! How is this!!! ”

Jia tried to grab me by the collar as if it was ridiculous, but Hyung stopped her and asked.

” Ji-ah. Calm down. So you’re… my little brother who suddenly disappeared…? ”

” Yeah. It may be hard to believe, but… ”

” Oppa! Don’t listen to me! And you! I appreciate you treating me, but… this… you shouldn’t have done this…! ”

” I… what? I just…! ”

” The owner of this watch is ‘Second Brother’. He’s a man! Not a woman! Do you understand? ”

” That… That’s it! ”

I forcibly held onto my trembling body and stopped shaking… and looked at the two.

‘I guess… you don’t trust me…? It’s just… I met them after a long time…’

As I thought that she didn’t trust me and didn’t accept me, I felt something flowing from my eyes.

Tears flowed slowly, drip by drip. And then I held back my sobs, holding my trembling right arm.

My brother, who had been quietly watching me like that, slowly opened his mouth.

” Hoo, Jia. What that kid said seems to be right. ”

” What?! Oppa, what are you talking about?! ”

Her brother spoke calmly, holding her back from getting angry.

” You know that, right? Some people who go to another world come back with their gender… switched. And that behavior.

The act of holding back tears by holding onto one’s right arm as if it were unfair… As far as I know, it’s only ‘that guy’. ”

” Brother… ”

” Don’t you have anything else to prove to us? ”

” Actually… I don’t remember much… ”

” What?! Haa, should I believe you when you say you don’t remember anything?! ”

” Ha… But! That…! I know that…! My brother… took money out of my wallet and ate chicken by himself… ”

” Okay. That’s my brother! ”

Jia looked dumbfounded at his sudden mention of her sister.

” Brother! What are you talking about?! Why do you believe such nonsense?! My brother earned money and bought me chicken or ate it with me. My second brother never… ”

” That’s it… I always took it out of my wallet and ate it by myself, but then I got caught… I told you I ordered it to give it to you… ”

When I said that, Jia looked at her brother in disbelief, and her brother turned his head to meet Jia’s gaze…

” Brother…? ”

” Ahem. Hmm.! ”

” This is crazy…! Is this real? ”

” Okay. I know you’re my little brother. Can we talk about it later? I just woke up and I’m tired. ”

Seeing his shamelessness in looking at me and speaking without paying attention to Jia’s gaze… I thought it was my brother.

Seeing him like that, Jia continued to look at him in disbelief and asked me.

” Haa, are you really my second brother? Then do you remember anything about me? ”

” That… That… I don’t know for sure… But I think there was a similar case… Like when you held my hand and walked through a crowd of people earlier… ”

” Really…? ”

Jia thought slowly to herself and then looked at me as if she understood.

” Okay. Me too… I’ll believe you for now. But, if not… No, let’s talk about this later. Are you tired? Go ahead. ”

” Okay… Then I’ll go first… ”

I could hear my younger sister’s voice behind me, getting angry and asking my older brother questions, but my body was burning too hot to pay attention to it.

I left the room where the two of us were, contacted Yeonseo, and asked her to come pick me up. Then I just sat down on the spot.

I sat down, shaking… and waited for Yeonseo to come.

In the meantime, I hope no one sees this place…

Because water was already slowly flowing out from somewhere and forming a puddle around where I was sitting…