WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 301: Episode 56: Reader and writer (5)

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"What?"

"I'm not going."

It was such an unexpected answer that I asked again like an idiot.

"Why?"

"Because if I'm not here, those guys will all die."

I doubted my ears. I couldn't believe Suyeong could say something like that. A sudden resentment rose in me, and my voice came out more hostile than I intended.

"Didn't you say you wanted to create a world of your own?"

"I can make my own world later. Someone has to lead them."

"Then why all of a sudden?"

"Yu Junghyeok isn't a character anymore. What do you think that means?"

"..."

"This isn't a novel anymore."

Suyeong's words made my heart sink.

[The Fourth Wall has activated powerfully!]

"I'm not trying to be forgiven for everything through this, either. No matter how the story unfolds, a story that's begun has to see its proper end."

I couldn't clearly see Suyeong's face beneath the brim of her hat.

Before I could continue, Suyeong left the command room. Through the glass walls, I saw her speaking to the Allies, who listened closely.

I watched them for a long time.

* * *

There were still a few things I had to take care of before leaving.

One of them concerned Uriel.

I looked down at Uriel's doll, trapped in Jophiel's shackles. Though she was docile for now, the moment the shackles' effect ended, Uriel would awaken again as the Archangel of Flame. Then she would try to burn every living being around her.

Tzzzzt...

A constellation's declaration from Gabriel rang in my ear.

[What are you going to do about Uriel?]

"I'm thinking about it."

I looked down at Gabriel's drooping petals as they trembled. Gabriel appeared deeply shocked by the sight of this place. According to the original story, Gabriel was the sort to take good care of the other angels, so that was only natural.

[I'll stay.]

"You can't."

[Because I betrayed Eden here?]

I didn't answer. Gabriel pressed me as if feeling wronged.

[Why did I betray Eden in the first place?]

"It must have been a decision you had no choice but to make."

[Give me the details. What the hell happened? You know something!]

"I don't know exactly, either. If you're so curious, go back and browbeat Metatron."

There was nothing to be gained by interfering in this right now. If I leaked the wrong information, the third round's story could run into unexpected obstacles.

Gabriel's petals trembled violently.

[Won't I just betray them again once I go back? If that's going to happen, I'd rather stay here...]

"The future can be changed. We have to go back."

I spoke with certainty. This world wasn't our round.

[Then what about Uriel...!]

"Like I said, I'm thinking about it."

The best choice for now was to leave Uriel with Suyeong. Still, I couldn't be sure she could control the Archangel of Flame.

「The Fourth Wall says, 'Sh all I he lp?'」

There was also the option of telling Uriel the story of the third round. Yet as I'd said several times, there was no guarantee Uriel would react the same way Yu Junghyeok had after hearing the third round's story. The story of my worldline might even break Uriel's already unstable mind further.

If I really left Gabriel here, though, an even bigger problem would likely arise. Could Gabriel control Uriel without [Shackles of Good and Evil]? Maybe I should stay longer and help Uriel...

[I'll stay, Gabriel.]

The petals of the red cosmos trembled. I instinctively lowered my head, and Gabriel cried out in surprise.

[...Jophiel?]

[It's best that I stay.]

It was an unexpected declaration. Even I was dumbfounded. Not just any angel, but Archangel Jophiel wanted to remain here?

[I made this decision after careful consideration. I can control Uriel through the Shackles of Good and Evil. Therefore, it's right for me to remain here.]

"Jophiel, if you don't return now, you might never be able to return to your original worldline."

[There are several ways to cross worldlines.]

"There are. And all of them will require an enormous price."

[I don't mind if I can't return.]

[Jophiel!]

Jophiel didn't back down, even at Gabriel's cry.

[This worldline has that much value. Also, I thought it would be better to investigate this worldline myself instead of relying on that sly bastard. I have a duty to learn why Eden in this place was destroyed and what will happen in the future, then inform the original worldline.]

It was a rational statement befitting Jophiel. This world was very different from the original 1,863rd round, and it would certainly help if the events to come could be sent to the third round.

[Wait, Jophiel! Why are you making such a decision on your own...]

[I won't change my mind, Gabriel.]

A brilliant light burst from the red cosmos, then turned into pure white shackles that settled over the white lily. [Shackles of Good and Evil]. Gabriel's flower drooped as if asleep.

Jophiel spoke to me.

[Please take care of Gabriel.]

"Why are you going this far?"

[Uriel in our worldline needs Gabriel. And Gabriel, too... They're both unstable.]

It struck me again that this was exactly like Jophiel. Eden was a nebula created by Archangels like Jophiel coming together.

"What about you?"

[I don't trust you, but I have one request.]

After hesitating, I nodded.

[When you return to the original world, I want you to visit Eden. Then tell the Scribe what happened here. You can do that much, can't you?]

"All right."

That wasn't a difficult request. I had planned to visit Eden anyway.

Before long, Jophiel's cosmos also drooped its head. It looked as though Jophiel had fallen asleep from exhaustion. I changed the water in the plastic bottles holding the two flowers.

Some stayed, and some left.

No matter what they chose, everyone would eventually reach their own ending.

* * *

The next morning, the Allies saw me off. Despite everything that had happened, they had dragged themselves out to see me off. More precisely, it looked like Hyeongseong had forced them out.

When I turned my head, Suyeong was glaring at me with her usual displeased expression. I handed her a crumpled notebook.

She asked bluntly, "What's this trash?"

"Information you need right now."

I had spent the whole night selecting and organizing a few more pieces of information from the original TWSA that would be useful in the 1,863rd round.

Tzzzzt...

Faint sparks leaped from Suyeong's body. I had a vague idea what they were. Those sparks were probably related to Suyeong's Characterization.

"Don't throw it away. Look through it whenever you have time."

Suyeong looked down at the notebook I gave her for a moment, then asked, "...Are you all right?"

"About what?"

[Exclusive Skill, Fourth Wall, has activated powerfully!]

Suyeong studied me as if she were trying to read something from my face, then shook her head.

"No, forget it. It's nothing."

What nonsense.

Hyeongseong, who had been listening beside us, spoke.

"It's unfortunate that we couldn't carry out a Scenario together."

Hyeongseong, who had at least grown close to me, was the first to say goodbye. Then Namwoon, who had been glaring at me from the back, said,

"Hmph. Hurry up and get lost. Give my regards to the other me, too."

Of course, that wouldn't happen. To give my regards to Namwoon of the third round, I'd have to go all the way to the afterlife.

Just as I finished saying goodbye and turned to leave, someone called out.

"Hey."

Something soft and heavy flew toward the back of my head. I hurriedly turned and caught it. What landed in my hands was a white coat. More precisely, it was the Infinite Dimensional Void Coat.

"You didn't get to collect the clear reward, did you? Take that with you."

It was the coat Suyeong had been wearing.

I said in disbelief, "After coming all the way to the 95th Scenario, taking only something like this..."

Suyeong looked at me as if I'd said something utterly pathetic. Then a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

This bastard, don't tell me...

The moment I blankly slipped my hand into the coat's inner pocket, Suyeong asked,

"Can I finish the question I couldn't ask yesterday?"

"...Go ahead."

"Why did you say you wouldn't return to the third round back then?"

It was an unexpected question. Suyeong continued.

"You're obviously playing my role over there. If you hadn't gone back, that world would've been destroyed. You knew that well, so why..."

"Who knows? Maybe it wouldn't have."

"What?"

"Even without me, the third round would've held on for a long time."

"How can you be sure?"

Suyeong gave me a suspicious look, and I answered.

"Because you're there, too."

Suyeong's expression stiffened at my words. The corners of her startled eyes trembled faintly.

"I believed in the version of you in the third round."

Suyeong glared at me for a moment, then sharply turned her head away.

"Hurry up and get lost. I can't stand the sight of you."

"I'm leaving. Live well."

I turned around and looked up into the air.

[The Demon King Demon King of Salvation looks up at the night sky.]

[Secretive Plotter! Please keep the terms of the covenant.]

Then a pitch-black portal formed beneath my feet. As if something were pulling me in, the scenery of the world began to collapse.

The world of the 1,863rd round was gradually fading.

A world that had changed from the original story I knew.

Though I had only been there for a short time, many things had happened.

Hyeongseong waved his hand, while the Allies saw me off with complicated expressions. Just as Yu Junghyeok had, just as I had, they would live in a world different from the original story I knew.

I didn't know whether those worldlines would ever meet one another. Even if they never met again, though, there was no doubt that this world existed.

Just as TWSA had existed for me.

The world turned to darkness. Amid the dizziness, I heard the voice of an Outer God from somewhere.

【On ly mea ning less sto ries wi th no be gin ning or en d wi ll re main】

Whoosh.

The floor fell away, and I was sucked into the portal. The metaphysically distorted passage narrowed and expanded repeatedly.

I closed my eyes and entrusted myself to the flow of immeasurable time.

I hoped too much time hadn't passed in the third round.

A little later, with the sound of something spitting me out, I fell to the floor.

[Otherworld Covenant has been completed!]

[Calculating rewards.]

More precisely, it wasn't a floor. The galaxy of the Star Stream, which I had seen before, stretched wide around me. My body floated in the emptiness of space. As I groaned and blinked, I saw the hem of a black cape trailing along the floor.

【You've arrived.】

It was Secretive Plotter.

Footnotes:

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