WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 308: Episode 58: Nexus of the Constellations (2)

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It took less than thirty seconds for all nine members of the infiltration team to collapse.

"Urgh..."

After sealing the pressure points of every groaning infiltrator, I dusted off my hands.

I checked several of them through [Character Profile], and I got my answer without having to investigate further.

"The Gyeonggi Alliance. What brings you here?"

Sizzle.

Some infiltrators had bitten poison pills before I could seal their pressure points. Their bodies melted away. It seemed they had been placed under a compulsion.

[The Constellation Assassin of the Black Wilderness is wary of you!]

[The Constellation Hunter of the Black Moon questions the fairness of the Scenario!]

I frowned at the empty air, and the messages fell silent at once.

I carefully examined the infiltration team's route and appearance. Beyond a broken window, I saw someone fleeing through the air. Judging by that flashy movement technique, I had an idea who it was.

I'd thought they were just an infiltration team, but one of the Ten Evils was among them.

The leader of the Gyeonggi Alliance, Jo Jincheol, one of the Ten Evils.

With a martial arts master of the previous generation as his Patron, he was originally one of the troublesome figures in the forty-fifth Scenario. Of course, that was according to the original story, and he wasn't someone I needed to worry about now. Even among the Ten Evils, there were ranks, and Jincheol was one of the small fry.

With my current Allies, there likely wasn't an Incarnation on the Korean Peninsula who could stand against them. America or India might be different...

"That's him! Chase him!"

Several people chased after the retreating Jincheol. Among them was Flying Fox, the Returnee I had brought along.

As the fugitive and pursuers raced after one another, a sweeping view of Seoul opened before me.

The Seoul I knew so well. And the industrial complex that occupied its center.

Through my contract with Secretive Plotter, the industrial complex had been transferred to an empty Seoul. Looking at the scenery, where reality and a novel seemed to have merged in a strange way, I could truly feel how much the world had changed.

The enormous words Yu Junghyeok-Kim Dokja Industrial Complex were engraved directly beneath the fortress.

...By the way, that bastard Yu Junghyeok's name was still first. I should change that later.

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel is looking at you.]

I looked up at the air.

Protector of Youth and Travel.

I knew the owner of that modifier.

"Raphael."

Raphael, the Archangel of the nebula Eden.

Sparks flew through the air, as if responding to his True name.

I'd figured Eden would contact me sooner or later.

"I was planning to visit anyway. I have something to return."

I thought of Gabriel's symbolic form, which should still have been inside my clothes. Jophiel's restraints should be losing their effect by now, so it was about time for Gabriel to wake up.

But then...

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel says Gabriel has already been retrieved.]

The lily inside my clothes was gone. Come to think of it, I remembered an Archangel's touch brushing past me while I was half asleep. Maybe one of Eden's Constellations had visited then. Since Jeong Huiwon's Patron was Uriel, she was the most likely candidate.

Come to think of it, what had happened to Uriel? Why hadn't I received an Indirect Message even though I was back?

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel says Uriel has not yet been granted permission to speak on the channel.]

Ah, so that was it.

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel expresses curiosity about you.]

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel says the Red Cosmos did not return.]

At Raphael's message, I hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"The Commander of the Red Cosmos couldn't return with me."

The Commander of the Red Cosmos, Jophiel. Without her help, I wouldn't have been able to return to the worldline of the third round.

"She wanted to remain in another worldline of her own will."

A fierce wind swept through the area.

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel disbelieves your words!]

Crackle!

It was Raphael's furious will.

I continued calmly.

"With your ability, you should know that I'm not lying."

Before long, the wind surrounding me gradually settled.

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel is looking at you.]

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel asks you for an explanation.]

"I intend to explain. The forty-sixth Scenario is coming up, so I'll likely be able to tell you in person soon."

I felt a subtle change in Raphael's gaze. That Archangel probably knew what that Scenario was too.

"I'll visit Eden as soon as the Scenario is over."

[The Constellation Protector of Youth and Travel replies that he will wait.]

Raphael's presence, which had filled the area, disappeared completely. The space that had been overflowing with Status was suddenly empty, leaving me with a bitter feeling.

I'd become quite strong after accumulating countless fables. I now possessed enough Status to suppress low- and mid-level Historical Constellations, and it would be nearly impossible to find an Incarnation stronger than me. Even so, an Archangel's Status was still distant and lofty.

Raphael, Protector of Youth and Travel.

The Archangel who had defeated the powerful Demon King Asmodeus.

「Kim Dokja repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist in silence.」

I still had a long way to go. There was no need to rush, though. I was doing well enough already.

Come to think of it, what had happened to Asmodeus... no, Manager Han? So much had happened while I was gone that I had more questions than I could count.

First, I checked the system messages.

[You have a missed dokkaebi communication.]

[Sender: high-level dokkaebi Bihyeong]

It was a message from Bihyeong.

I'd thought it was strange that Bihyeong hadn't made a fuss about my return. Was he trying to get away with just sending a message?

I opened the message window. It was long, but its contents were simple.

Sorry I couldn't come see you.

A few things are keeping me busy.

I'll come see you once they're done.

It was a long message that basically said that.

- By the way, what the hell are you doing instead of taking proper care of your kid?

Then, only at the end did it mention what I had wanted to know.

- The snot-nosed baby dokkaebi is with me. Well, she's my kid too. You left her in front of the dimensional gate, so she nearly got taken by the Hunchbacks.

I'd been worried because Biyoo hadn't appeared.

- I'll make you repay this childcare debt for years to come. That said, yours truly has an incredible talent for childcare too. You won't recognize her when she gets back. Look forward to it.

That was the end of Bihyeong's message. Something about it bothered me, but at least Biyoo was with Bihyeong instead of another dokkaebi, so I felt relieved.

Then, should I get moving?

After piling the fallen infiltration team members together, I decided to find my Allies first.

...

A little over ten minutes later, I was still lost.

Was the Factory always this large?

I scratched my head and looked around, but I couldn't get a clear picture of the building's layout. I was starting to think it wasn't too late to buy and learn skills like [Map Reading] or [Pathfinding].

"Hello? Is anyone here?"

I had a tendency to get lost in buildings I was visiting for the first time. When I first entered elementary school and middle school, when I was first assigned to my unit, and when I joined Mino Soft...

Come to think of it, that was also why I'd first started talking to Sangah.

「Kim Dokja thought, 'Where the hell is the emergency exit?'」

I had never properly looked around the Factory while I was in the Demon Realm, so I had no idea where anything was. The layout even seemed different from before.

I decided to open the suspicious rooms one by one.

Sssssk!

The moment I opened the door, small tentacle monsters and frogs turned to look at me. Some were inside test tubes, while others wandered freely around the room.

A frog cocked its head at me.

Shoot!

Its tongue lashed out. Startled, I shut the door.

Wait, that room couldn't be...

As I tried to check the nameplate on the door, I heard voices nearby.

"Hey! How'd you get out?"

"Dokja-ssi?"

Lee Hyeongseong and Han Suyeong stood there with trays of food.

* * *

"So, Dokja-ssi, in the thirty-fifth Scenario..."

Hyeonseong recounted all the Scenarios he had gone through, tears streaming and his nose running.

As I listened quietly, I closely examined his body. His chest muscles were more developed than before, and the Mana of steel connected every muscle fiber. Hyeonseong's [Steel Transformation] had now reached the level of mastery. He was strong enough to begin the forty-sixth Scenario immediately without any trouble.

It was moving, in a way. Even while I was gone, my Allies had faithfully continued training according to the guidelines I gave them.

Suyeong stared at me with an unhappy look.

[Midday Tryst is active.]

[The Incarnation Han Suyeong is currently participating in the conversation.]

It was fortunate that I could meet Suyeong first.

Scenario preparations could never begin too early. To prepare quickly, I needed someone who could provide the most accurate information efficiently, and there was only one person suited to that.

"Where are Jang Hayoung and Sky-Splitting Divine Dog?"

"They left for another Scenario area with Sky-Splitting Sword Saint and Kyrios. I think they went to receive a Transcendent-only Scenario."

"What about Han Myeongoh and Pildu Gong?"

"They're in North Korea. Pildu went to carry out a North Korean Scenario while checking out the land, and Myeongoh got dragged along as an extra after cautiously watching the others' reactions."

North Korea. It was about time for the North Korean Incarnations to start making trouble.

By now, quite a few formidable Constellations would have gathered in North Korea. Most of them would be Historical, but some could rival fabled-grade Constellations.

For example, the Great King.

"Where have you been all this time?"

"The worldline of the 1,863rd round of TWSA."

Suyeong's eyes widened.

"What? Really?"

"You were there too. I don't know which one was the main body, though."

"Main body? What kind of bullshit is that?"

Just as I was about to answer, someone stepped in front of us.

"Dokja-ssi."

It was Huiwon.

"Thanks to you, I slept well."

Huiwon looked at me with a complicated expression. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but also like she wanted to hear what I had to say.

Huiwon slowly turned her gaze to Suyeong.

Was I imagining it? For a moment, sharp sparks seemed to fly between Suyeong and Huiwon. Huiwon glared coldly at Suyeong before turning away.

I spoke first in the awkward silence.

"Right, there were intruders earlier, in front of my room..."

"I ordered them dealt with. If you're awake, go see Sangah-ssi. We'll talk about the details after that."

Her voice was much colder than before. I almost wondered if this was really the Huiwon I knew. Beside me, Hyeonseong watched Huiwon walk away with a strangely sorrowful expression.

After Huiwon disappeared around the corner, I asked Suyeong, "What was that?"

"What?"

"What's going on between you and Huiwon-ssi?"

I grew a little frustrated as Suyeong pouted. I didn't know what had happened, but this wasn't the time for the two of them to fight.

"Did you forget that the forty-sixth Scenario is coming up? You..."

"You weren't here for three years. If you don't know, keep your mouth shut."

With that, Suyeong spun around and walked away.

That left only Hyeonseong and me.

Seeing Hyeonseong's drooping shoulders made me feel depressed too. This clearly hadn't happened just once or twice.

During the three years I had been gone, there seemed to have been conflicts among my Allies that I didn't know about. I didn't have to ask to know how much the socially awkward Hyeonseong must have suffered. I lightly patted his shoulder. It was clear what I had to do to understand the situation.

"Hyeonseong-ssi, where is Sangah-ssi?"

"This way."

I didn't miss Hyeonseong's expression darkening for the briefest moment.

After following Hyeonseong for a while, I came to a small door finished in plain white paint. Unexpectedly, Huiwon and Suyeong, whom I had just parted from, were standing in front of it too.

What was with these people?

I was about to speak to them, but their expressions were a little strange. Huiwon was one thing, but it was the first time I had seen Suyeong make that expression.

「Kim Dokja thought, 'Not a single thing is ea sy.'」

Shut up, you punk.

With a quiet sigh, I put my hand on the doorknob. It felt like I had to meet Sangah before anything could be resolved.

After a brief knock, I began to open the door. Sangah's voice came from inside.

"Who is it?"

"It's Kim Dokja."

Then an unexpected reply came back.

"Go back."

Footnotes:

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