WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 521: Epilogue 1: The Zeroth World (5)

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Han Suyeong's dagger grazed Kim Dokja's shoulder. Dokja reflexively clutched it, and Suyeong didn't miss the sight.

「An Avatar doesn't bleed.」

With the system's power weakening, even Constellations spilled blood instead of fables when injured. If that Kim Dokja was real, he had to bleed.

"Have you lost your mind? What the hell are you doing?"

"Mister!"

A horrified Shin Yuseong rushed toward Dokja. Hyeongseong and Jihye did too.

Dokja staggered, clutching his left shoulder.

「If Han Suyeong was truly right.」

Then, very slowly, Dokja's hand fell away from his shoulder.

"I'm fine. Don't worry."

No one knew who drew in a breath first. Still, all the Allies saw it clearly.

「Blood was flowing. Bright red blood.」

Suyeong saw it too. But...

"Wait. It isn't over yet! Some Avatars bleed too."

Suyeong wasn't wrong. She had created an Avatar like that herself.

「An Avatar given many memories will bleed.」

In the distance, Junghyeok was cutting something into thin strips. He didn't even move his lips, as if he couldn't see what was happening here. The sight irritated Suyeong.

Perhaps that was why she said something she shouldn't have.

"We'll know if we cut off his head. An Avatar keeps moving even after being decapitated."

"What did you just say?"

Only when she saw Huiwon's face turn icy did Suyeong realize she had made a mistake.

The aura of [hellfire inferno] flickered around the [Sword of Judgement]. Uriel's Stigma, which hadn't activated even once since the Scenario ended, stirred.

Huiwon said fiercely, "If you try something like that, you'll be the one whose head gets cut off."

Looking at the [Sword of Judgement] pointed at her, Suyeong slowly began gathering the power of [Black Flame] as well. She knew things were spiraling out of control, but she couldn't restrain herself. Seolhwa tried to stop her, and when Suyeong saw Yuseong and Gilyeong glaring at her from behind Huiwon, something inside her snapped too.

「Maybe it was a miracle that we had made it this far together.」

Suyeong knew she didn't belong with them. She had once been the "King of the Prophets," called the "Fake King." She was no more than a villain in the grand story Dokja had created.

Eating pizza and drinking cola with everyone by the Han River had never been an ending that suited Suyeong.

Rumble...

As the standoff between the two opposing flames continued, a clear, refreshing voice broke the tension.

"What are you all doing? I bought beer."

Jang Hayoung stood there with plastic bags in both hands.

"Is this some hidden-camera prank because I'm late?"

The unease in her voice brought the Allies back to their senses, as if they had finally remembered why they had come here.

Then the man who hadn't said a word until now spoke for the first time.

"That's enough."

The Status of transcendence radiated from the Black Heaven Demon Blade embedded in the cutting board. The killing intent that had filled the park vanished as though washed away.

"It's dinner time."

The smell that replaced it stirred the hunger they had forgotten. Seven pizzas and chicken were set out on plates before them.

Jihye sighed at the sight.

"Master, really..."

Seeing Junghyeok's serious expression, the Allies looked at one another as if they had no idea how to react. The first person to rush toward the food was Hayoung.

"What are you all doing? Hurry up and come over!"

Pildu let out a wry laugh. As the mood began to ease, Dokja spoke as well.

"I'm fine. I understand why Suyeong had no choice but to doubt me. Honestly, my memory has been getting worse lately. A lot of the time, it feels as if entire chunks of important memories have disappeared..."

Without taking her eyes off Suyeong, Huiwon said, "Dokja-ssi, this isn't something we can just brush aside..."

"Let's eat first and talk afterward. It isn't often that Junghyeok cooks for someone."

Huiwon frowned and let out a deep sigh. One by one, the Allies settled onto the picnic mat. But one person was missing. Huiwon finally lost her temper.

"Seriously..."

Suyeong was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

The faint sound of fireworks came from far away.

Suyeong watched cold water stream into the bathroom sink and bit down hard on her lip.

'I messed up.'

It wasn't like her. She didn't know why she had become so worked up. She considered pulling herself together, going back, and trying to explain. Yet she had no idea where to begin or how to make the Allies understand.

「Was it right to call an Avatar given shared memories 'fake' in the first place?」

A soft vibration came from her pocket.

- Suyeong-ssi.

It was a message from Sangah. Suyeong put her phone back into her pocket. Then it vibrated again.

- Han Suyeonf.

"Seriously."

- Haha, typo.

Just as she was about to reply, she sensed someone behind her.

"Stop sulking and come back."

Long white fingers pressed down on her shoulder. Suyeong shook off the hand and turned around.

"Forget it. I'll only ruin the mood if I go back."

"You won't. Everyone will understand."

"I told you to forget it..."

"Is that what you want me to say?"

Sangah's expression slowly changed. Suyeong frowned.

Through the open gap, the Allies could be seen in the distance.

With Sangah standing as if guarding the scene, Suyeong felt a strange premonition pass through her mind.

"You..."

Sangah's expression hadn't been one of someone trying to stop her.

Maybe Sangah...

"Dokja-ssi said something like this once. If the cause of this world is the Oldest Dream, what would happen to this world if we got rid of that person?"

"What?"

"What would happen to a world that no one watches?"

Suyeong grabbed Sangah by the collar and shoved her against the wall.

"Tell me everything you know."

As she looked into Sangah's still-calm eyes, Suyeong slowly realized the truth.

「Yu Sangah had once served as a librarian of [The Fourth Wall].」

She was the only Ally who had entered Dokja's inner world. What had Sangah seen in that library filled with countless books?

"Tell me! You saw something in there! What the hell was that bastard thinking?"

"..."

"Why didn't you stop him? Why did you let things get this far? Why..."

"Because I have no right to."

For the first time, Suyeong fell silent at Sangah's words.

"Dividing himself in half to protect the world. One becomes a 'reader' to watch over the world, while the other becomes a 'character.'"

Suyeong knew it too.

Maybe that was why that Dokja bled.

On the day everyone was freed from the Scenarios, perhaps the other Dokja was still aboard that train. On the day she and Junghyeok looked back, perhaps the Dokja who hadn't gotten off the train was watching this side.

"If that was the choice of someone who knew this world better than anyone."

"Why are you talking like that?"

Her trembling hand tightened around Sangah's collar. Sangah gently raised a hand and held Suyeong's.

"This is my choice."

"You're just like Dokja."

"Suyeong. Do you really think the other Allies don't know?"

It felt as though Suyeong had been struck.

"Do you think people didn't find it strange that Dokja-ssi never talked about TWSA? Really?"

"Then..."

"Most of the memories he had with us are held by that Dokja over there."

The Allies sat on the picnic mat, talking together. Huiwon smiled while Hyeongseong poured beer. A drunken Pildu sang as Seolhwa clapped. Hayoung stood up and recounted her exploits in the Demon Realm in an exaggerated voice.

The Dokja each of them remembered was different.

To Suyeong, Dokja was a "reader." To Yuseong and Gilyeong, he was a "parent." To Hyeongseong, he was a "shell casing," and to Sangah, he was a "coworker." To Jihye, Huiwon, Hayoung, Seolhwa, and Pildu as well...

"That person is Dokja-ssi too. No matter how much of Dokja is in him, he's undoubtedly Dokja-ssi. He's the Dokja-ssi who was with us."

Festival fireworks colored the sky in the distance. The children's eyes sparkled. The time they had lived through was fading away. Suyeong stared blankly at the sight.

Dokja was laughing among the Allies.

That was undoubtedly the sight Dokja had wanted.

「The story of Kim Dokja Company ended here.」

Sangah was right.

Dokja had chosen, and the Allies had chosen to accept that choice. They had already been hurt too much, and no one wanted to be hurt any further. This was their conclusion.

Sangah asked, "Does it matter which one is real?"

Just as it was meaningless to label one Junghyeok among countless rounds as the "real" one, it was meaningless to say which of the two Dokjas was real.

Suyeong released Sangah's collar and spoke.

"I'm not trying to decide which one is real."

Sangah's eyes trembled. Suyeong's own face was reflected in those trembling eyes. Surprised that she could make such an expression, shaken by the fact that she was saying these words, Suyeong continued.

"What matters is that Dokja is still there."

Maybe hardly anyone needed that Dokja. Maybe no one anywhere wanted that lunatic who cared only about TWSA.

But. At least one person...

"Mister!"

An urgent cry came from afar. A commotion had broken out on the picnic mat where the Allies were sitting. The cold scent of blood drifted through the air.

By the time Sangah and Suyeong realized something was wrong and reached them, Yuseong was crying with blood all over her hands.

"The blood... it won't stop."

Dokja, who had been fine just moments ago, had collapsed unconscious. Suyeong's hand, still holding the dagger, trembled faintly.

Could it be...?

"This isn't from the wound earlier. This..."

Seolhwa's face stiffened as she checked Dokja's pulse. Dokja's body wavered unsteadily. Blood flowing from his shoulder rapidly turned the gauze red.

Then, the blood absorbed into the gauze began to vaporize.

Crumble...

The blood droplets crumbled away as though a fable were disappearing.

Seolhwa shouted, "Take him to the industrial complex. Quickly!"

Footnotes:

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