Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 417

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 417: Episode 79: Secretive Plotter (2)

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I studied the being before me. My heart raced, and my breathing grew ragged. Something had touched a box of memories that should never have been touched, and words began spilling from the box I had buried deep in the darkness.

「"Where is the Dragon-Slaying Sword 'Arondight'? If Lancelot's Incarnation body is here, you bastard must know."」

That was the first time he and I had faced each other.

Gripping me by the collar, he asked me that.

「"If you don't intend to answer, I'll have to find out by force."」

The same golden [Sage's Eye] shone there as it had before.

My head throbbed, and my vision blurred like an abstract painting.

That voice continued.

「"Does that world you showed me really exist?"」

「This individual is not a character.」

Everyone had memories they wanted to forget but mustn't, and perhaps my memories of that round were like that.

I couldn't save the Junghyeok of that round. Junghyeok, who had put on a white coat and left for a new round.

I had never forgotten the sight of his back as he freely departed in brilliant light, leaving the 1,863rd round's Suyeong and me behind.

"You..."

For a long time, I stared blankly at Junghyeok on the throne.

The scar on his cheek, his gaunt cheeks, his dark, subdued gaze.

Everything about him was the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round that I remembered.

Yet that wasn't the end of my surprise.

[The Constellation Secretive Plotter is watching you.]

Secretive Plotter?

Only then did I notice the ominous, wicked energy rising from Junghyeok's entire body.

It was evil unlike that of the demon kings.

It was chaos that couldn't be defined by the good and evil of the Star Stream.

Just as I was about to speak, something in my arms gave off a brilliant light.

[The Exclusive Attribute Scenario Interpreter has activated!]

[The Great Fable Season of Light and Darkness has responded to your attribute.]

As if it had been waiting, the fable was pouring out words.

Junghyeok stood there, confronting Secretive Plotter.

「【Go back. You can't save anything.】」

「"…Secretive Plotter?"」

Scenes flashed through my mind like a screen being fast-forwarded. The information was fragmented, but it was enough for me to understand the situation.

So that was what happened.

Little by little, I began to understand what was going on.

Then I saw Junghyeok falling, Jihye catching him, and the Ark leaving the Island. Fortunately, Kim Dokja Company seemed to have safely escaped the Island of Reincarnators.

[The Great Fable Season of Light and Darkness has stopped its story.]

I let out a small sigh of relief and looked up at the being on the throne.

Secretive Plotter looked down at me as well.

[The Fourth Wall has activated strongly!]

My heartbeat settled, and my reason slowly returned.

After taking a deep breath, I spoke.

"If your strategy was to rattle me by taking that form, I'll say it was a huge success."

【Didn't you use polite speech before?】

"You appeared in Junghyeok's form, so I'm only treating you accordingly."

Secretive Plotter moved his lips as if he found my refusal to be cowed by his presence amusing. I kept speaking regardless.

"Secretive Plotter. I propose the Sacred Three Questions."

【Why should I accept that?】

"You can't be the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round. That's impossible."

【Why do you think so?】

"You want to know? There are three reasons, you know."

【Three?】

Something flashed through Secretive Plotter's eyes.

"The Sacred Three Questions. Are you doing it or not?"

【A very interesting proposal, but not a fair one.】

Secretive Plotter watched me with quiet eyes for a moment. He looked as though he were thinking of something, yet also as though he were angry.

After some time, Secretive Plotter's left eyebrow twitched sharply. At that moment, a line from TWSA came to mind.

「When Junghyeok makes a serious decision, his left eyebrow twitches.」

Secretive Plotter spoke.

【I will impose one condition.】

"What condition?"

【You must be wondering why I brought you here.】

I nodded. Of course I was.

【But you cannot ask me that. I can't tell you. Some answers can only be found once you discover the question yourself.】

"What kind of Shakyamuni nonsense is that?"

【I will accept the Sacred Three Questions. From this moment, you may ask me three questions. However, you may not ask about the reason I brought you here.】

"That's the condition?"

【One more thing. When all three questions have been used, you must find out why you had to come here.】

It was such an unexpected statement that I was taken aback.

"What happens if I can't?"

Secretive Plotter didn't answer. He only slowly raised a long finger and lightly rested it on the armrest.

That alone sent chills down my spine.

「Could I win if I fought him now?」

I examined my fables one by one, from Legendary-grade fables to Great Fables...

"You'd be better off stopping that foolishness."

The one who said that was little Junghyeok [999], standing beside me.

I chuckled and looked down at him.

"Are you worried about me now?"

"I just don't want the bother of cleaning up your corpse."

"What exactly are you people?"

【Are you using one of your questions? Fine.】

"No, wait-"

Before I could answer, messages appeared.

―The Sacred Three Questions have begun.

―Both sides may exchange three questions and answers.

―Each side may refuse to answer once.

―The exchange will not end until all questions and answers have been fully exchanged.

―The right to ask the first question is being used.

Little Junghyeok [666] beside me smirked.

Those damn bastards.

Still, since things had come to this, I thought it wouldn't be bad to hear what he had to say.

【They are my dependents.】

"You're not seriously going to leave it at that, are you? Since you're telling me, tell me a little more. What kind of dependents are they? Are they like [Avatar], or are they the kind demon kings have? I'd appreciate a clear answer."

I rambled as carefully as possible so it wouldn't sound like a second question.

Little Junghyeok [777] sighed.

"You're awfully talkative."

"I wasn't asking you."

【They are beings who received my memories.】

―You have received the first answer.

"So they're like the [Avatar] skill."

【My turn. State the first reason you think I am not the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round.】

"If you really came from the 1,863rd round, you couldn't be wearing that white coat."

【Why not?】

"The Stigma 'Regression' only sends the soul into the past. It doesn't send the items you own with it. The coat I gave him vanished when Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round regressed. So if you really were from that round, there'd be no way you could be wearing it."

【Interesting.】

"And Junghyeok doesn't wear white much."

【...State your second question.】

―The right to ask the second question is being used.

Without hesitation, I opened my mouth.

"Second question. Are you the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round?"

Secretive Plotter's expression wavered slightly at my question.

【Are you trying to joke around?】

"No, I'm asking seriously."

【I was the Junghyeok who experienced the 1,863rd round.】

"That's past tense."

【Because now I am only Secretive Plotter.】

―You have received the second answer.

Unless an exception was specified, every participant had to speak only the truth during the Sacred Three Questions. Otherwise, they would immediately be swept up in a Plausibility Backlash.

Yet there was no sign of a backlash from Secretive Plotter.

【State the second reason I am not the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round.】

"There are too many contradictions if you're the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round."

【What is contradictory?】

"If you truly were Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round, why did you send me to that round and make me kill you? It doesn't make sense logically."

【Because that was the only way I could be created. It is a simple time paradox. I was the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round, and only when you killed me there could I be reborn as Secretive Plotter.】

"Sounds like you've prepared that answer for a long time. You said it very naturally. Still, even if what you said is true, your reaction after I succeeded in the mission was strange. You seemed very surprised."

【Ask your next question.】

"No, you go first this time. I'll ask mine last."

Secretive Plotter watched me for a moment before speaking.

【Fine. What is the final reason I am not the Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round?】

"I have a unique method known only to me. I have a skill that reads someone's inner self."

【So?】

"But Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round became someone I couldn't read."

I clearly remembered the moment Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round left for the next round.

At the very last moment, Junghyeok broke free from his role as a character and could no longer be read by my Exclusive Skill, [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint].

【You can read my inner thoughts?】

"No, I can't read you either."

【Then?】

"But the reason I can't read you is different."

[The skill activation of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint has been canceled!]

[Your understanding of this entity is woefully inadequate!]

[Your understanding cannot possibly keep up with this entity's Status!]

I quietly looked up at the messages floating in the air.

Secretive Plotter frowned.

【I can't accept that as a reason. You-】

"I'll ask my final question."

I continued without giving him an opening.

"On the planet where I lived, there's a novel called Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World."

The air around us changed in an instant. Secretive Plotter's expression had grown infinitely cold, his gaze cold enough to suggest he could butcher me at any moment.

I desperately resisted his presence and continued.

It was a question I had wanted to ask for so long.

"Secretive Plotter. Are you someone who knows the epilogue of that novel?"

* * *

Junghyeok dreamed.

It was a very old, worn-out dream.

He didn't know why, but he was wearing a white coat in the dream.

The Splitting the Sky Sword fit perfectly in his hand. Holding the heavy blade, he fought someone. When he looked closely, the being before him had the same face he did.

Junghyeok in a black coat.

He didn't know why he was having this dream.

'The 1,863rd round.'

Perhaps it was because he had met that bastard.

That must be why he was having this dream.

Junghyeok gritted his teeth.

The overwhelming difference in Status he had felt when colliding with Secretive Plotter remained vivid in his mind even now.

Regardless of Junghyeok's feelings, the memories slowly seeped into him. He became Junghyeok from the 1,863rd round and swung his sword.

「I die.」

「I regress.」

Whenever the swords collided, Junghyeok felt the despair and solitude of the 1,863rd round.

Strangely, it all felt so natural. As though those feelings had belonged to him for a long time.

Squelch!

At last, each sword pierced its opposing wielder's stomach.

「This story ends here.」

「Even so, everything begins again from the start.」

The black-coated Junghyeok scattered first, and then the white-coated Junghyeok's body began to scatter as well. The memories dispersed, and the emotions he had barely managed to understand left him. Junghyeok looked back with the last of his strength.

His vision had blurred so much that he couldn't see what was there.

Still, he felt as though he had seen a very bright, dazzling star.

「I became curious about the ■■ of that world.」

「In the next round.」

Beeeeep.

Junghyeok's eyes snapped open. His breath came in ragged gasps. A white hospital room ceiling came into view.

Then someone's voice reached him.

"The Sleeping Prince has finally awakened."

When he turned his head, he saw Han Suyeong and Jeong Huiwon.

Crunch.

Ptooey.

Suyeong bit down on a piece of candy, then spat the stick onto the floor as she growled.