It can't be that the saint saved the lives of me, Kwon Jiwoon, and that... Supreme One, just because she is a philanthropist.
Then, what is the hidden intention?
【There isn't any. You are just supposed to live your daily life in your second life.】
"Lie."
【Yes, it's a lie.】
"......"
A surge of heat rose from within me.
Don't get angry. I am an adult, an adult... Think of this saint as a boring joke-telling client from a company.
They are the client, and I am the service provider. Since the saint holds Kwon Jiwoon's life in her hands, I have to endure, I have to endure...
【You are being too harsh. I saved his life without any conditions, and yet you say such heartless words.】
Huh, can she read my thoughts?
【One day, you will reach the door. Your cat will guide you.】
"Really?"
Is this about seeing Mi-eum's daily life? She seems to have perfectly adapted and is enjoying it.
【Ahaha, I just woke up from a long sleep and am excited. Please understand. I will properly fulfill the role of the seventh agent.】
"What is this door?"
【The ultimate door. The passage to the truth of the universe. The garden where the great master sleeps.】
I updated her explanation in my mind.
So meaningful...
A saint character in a fantasy RPG game who appears early on and speaks in mysterious terms but doesn't explain them clearly to the novice protagonist.
The pale light intensified, and the deep darkness rippled. This conversation seemed to be nearing its end.
"Who are you?"
【A saint, of course. I've never been called this before. I really like this character.】
"Are you the system?"
【Not exactly. I am a tool to interact with this world without violating the law of causality, which you call the system. Well, I did create it.】
She grew distant. Only her voice was clear.
【Let me introduce myself formally. I am...】
【One and the whole. The whole and one.】
【The observer of the three times.】
【The guardian of the door, and...】
An unpronounceable name brushed past my ear.
The light swallowed the chaos that boiled up from the depths of the darkness.
It's not over yet. There was something I had to ask.
I shouted urgently.
"One more thing! Why does the future change after I regress? Did such a big event happen just because I came back?"
【I'm sorry, I can't tell you. The law of causality is strictly applied to me as well. I cannot interfere with the actions of other gods. But today's events are not your fault, so don't blame yourself.】
"......"
【And what does it matter now? For now, rejoice in the return of your family.】
...
...
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the fierce waves of aether. And Kwon Jiwoon, lying on the ground.
"Vice Guild Master!"
"Lee Eul!"
A voice calling my name came from far away.
I slowly reached out and grabbed Kwon Jiwoon in front of me.
At that moment, the waves of aether swirling around us collapsed, and the translucent barrier shattered.
People outside rushed in but stopped in their tracks.
In the suffocating silence, his tightly closed eyelids slowly lifted.
"......?"
Seemingly unable to immediately understand the situation, Kwon Jiwoon looked at me with a dazed expression.
Ha, that cold-looking face really doesn't suit such a bewildered expression.
"Uh... Life flashing before my eyes...?"
I suddenly hugged the dazed Kwon Jiwoon tightly.
"Hey, Lee Eul, why are you here...?"
"Brother, I'm glad you're safe, sniff..."
Yes, what the saint said is true.
Let's be happy that Kwon Jiwoon is alive. Compared to that, other things are trivial.
Kwon Jiwoon doesn't have to be left alone and cry.
Just that, just that... I think the meaning of my time travel is justified.
* * *
Korea No.1 Hunter Community - Hunter Channel
Free Board
- Ranking, guild chases prohibited. Flame wars in dungeons.
[Chit-chat] Let's make a wish, Hunter Channelers (213)
Recommendations: 887 / Dislikes: 0
Author: Pink Jelly
(Picture)
Oh! You made eye contact with the holy long-tailed phoenix in the sky.
Press the recommendation button, and your wish will come true with the phoenix's blessing.
Healer Wanted: Please help me find a healer :(
Cherry Mandu: Yes!!
└Cherry Mandu: Chan!!
└Cherry Mandu: Dai!!!
└Cherry Mandu: Park!!!!
Anonymous: Wishing to enter the top 100 ranking this year
dlt***: Health first
mm: Please level up my skill to 10
Hunter Channel Jiki Mi: Please reduce the time I spend on Hunter Channel
└Anonymous: That's not something you should wish for here, just turn off your phone...
Slime Love Group: The ruler of the earth is the slime. I wish for a level 3 slime every day
└dlt***: Insane...
F-Class Cafe Owner: Please help me get some milk
Jeju Guild 1 Champ: But the picture turned out well, it's really well taken. I saw the long-tailed phoenix that day, it was really holy, it felt like my soul was purified
└Weak Champ: But you don't live in Jeju, do you?
└Jeju Guild 1 Champ: Yes, but I had a reason to come to Seoul. Someone called me
└Jeju Guild 1 Champ: My wish is for the skills of the people who stole my items to fail in the dungeon
└Anonymous: You don't seem purified at all...
Pweeng: Please help me get accepted into the Silver Guild!!! :((((((
└Love You Eunrang: Huh? Is the Silver Guild recruiting?
└Pweeng: Yes, the announcement was posted yesterday, check the recruitment page
└cdt***: Wow, what's going on? They haven't recruited hunters since Kwon Seokmin left
└Love You Eunrang: Are they recruiting tanks too? I might apply
└Anonymous: Your application might be rejected based on your Hunter Channel nickname
└cdt***: ******LOL
└Love You Eunrang: It's so unfair, my sincere feelings for Kwon Jiwoon...
└Anonymous: That's exactly why it's creepy...
* * *
The hunter community was in an uproar for a while due to the alien gate and the consecutive events involving Kwon Jiwoon's guild.
A few days passed.
Just as the fervor of the special news broadcasts and expert analyses on the incidents began to wane,
I faced a challenge.
"Mr. Kwon Lee Eul, please come forward."
"Ah, yes... yes!"
Oh. My left arm and left leg moved forward simultaneously.
Click, click, click!
As I climbed the stage with a creaking step, applause and camera flashes burst out.
A middle-aged man with a gentle demeanor said something, but I couldn't hear it well due to my nervousness. It must have been something nice.
I received the rectangular certificate held out to me and posed for more photos.
"Thus, we conclude the award ceremony for the 19th Hunter's Night."
Wearing a suit after a long time made me feel quite uncomfortable. I bowed with a creaking body and descended the stage.
It's over...
Kwon Jiwoon, in the front row, smiled and waved at me. My gaze naturally turned to him. I hurriedly took my seat next to him, feeling a bit embarrassed.
This is how it happened.
After Kwon Jiwoon woke up inside the barrier that day, I went back to the shop once to check on As, but soon headed back to the <Silver Guild>.
I had many conversations with Kwon Jiwoon.
Really, a lot of conversations.
Kwon Jiwoon explained that he had to keep his distance to protect me.
When I said I thought he hated me, he was surprised and denied it.
"Every time, I told you to live a normal life and not show interest in hunters."
"That's because... Hunters are arrogant and do as they please, and there are also scams targeting the families of high-level hunters."
"Couldn't you just say that?"
"But... Yeah, I guess it felt that way to you. I'm sorry."
I wanted to grumble a bit more, but hearing those words made my anger dissipate, and I had to pretend not to cry.
"Then, Lee Eul. I heard you awakened... What happened back then?"
"That is... Well, my class is a cafe owner."
"Oh, right. That's right."
I thought he would react smoothly, but it was only for a moment.
"Business is going well these days, right? Your coffee is delicious, so it will continue to do well."
It's definitely a compliment, but it feels like he's missing the point. An ambiguous reaction, as if he's not sure if it's soulful or not.
This feeling... It seems familiar. Specifically, it's like when I revealed my hunter class to Ki Yuhyun.
Kwon Jiwoon seems to have taken my words as a job introduction.
Why would he suddenly bring up my job?
I wish he could get rid of the stereotype of the hunter class. After all, there might be someone else besides me who has the class of a cafe owner, right? If not, at least a restaurant owner. Probably.
"That's not it. My hunter class is a cafe owner. An F-class cafe owner."
"Huh? Oh, right. ...What?"
I told him a rough version of everything that happened, except for the fact that I regressed.
I couldn't tell him about the regression due to the system's restrictions, and I didn't want to make him sad by mentioning that I had died once, even though it was now as if it never happened.
Leaving out the parts about the saint and the system's intervention made the story quite tangled.
"Well, roughly... That's how it happened."
It was good to have an open conversation with Kwon Jiwoon.
But maintaining a serious atmosphere for a long time is difficult, even among family. It feels itchy, awkward, and embarrassing. So, I was about to bring up another topic when Kwon Jiwoon suddenly said,
"If something like that happened, you should receive an award."