Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 752

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 752: Episode 31: Yu Junghyeok (4)

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* * *

Three days had passed since the Rice Cake-Eating Tiger retreated.

[Due to upheaval in the Scenario, the start date of the Twelve Zodiac Ball has been adjusted.]

[Twelve Zodiac Ball will begin in 12 hours.]

[71% of the beast people affiliated with Area 13 currently support you.]

[To participate in the Twelve Zodiac Ball, you must secure an additional 9% of support.]

Despite the enormous number of beast people who had died while defeating the Rice Cake-Eating Tiger, our support rate had actually risen.

"I never thought there'd be an Incarnation who could stand against the Twelve Zodiacs..."

Some placed their hopes in us.

"Thanks to you, Area 13 is getting attention."

Others blamed us.

"Why not leave Area 13 while you still can?"

Some even advised us to give up on Area 13.

It was the crane proprietor of the Fox and Crane Hotel.

"Someone like you would be welcomed anywhere among the Twelve Zodiacs. Never before has such an outstanding Incarnation appeared in Area 13 of the Recycling Center."

According to Bihyeong, the fable of our defeat of the Rice Cake-Eating Tiger had spread throughout the Star Stream through the center director.

[Your new fable is spreading throughout Star Stream.]

[Some Constellations have been deeply moved by your fable.]

[You have received sponsorship of 18,000 coins through the Recycling Center.]

Even now, messages were arriving in real time as proof.

[Some nebulae want you to join them.]

[The nebula Hongik invites you.]

[The nebula Tamra invites you.]

[The nebula Samyo invites you.]

...

Small and medium-sized nebulae, pushed aside by the great nebulae and left watching them warily, were sending me recruitment messages.

There were even Korean Peninsula nebulae among them, such as Hongik and Tamra.

I was curious, since they had never properly appeared in the main story, but I had no intention of rashly choosing a nebula here.

It was too soon to get ahead of ourselves. We were still trapped in the Recycling Center, and the Scenario involving the Twelve Zodiacs was still underway.

[The faction Monkey Shin (申) invites you to the Twelve Zodiac Ball.]

[The faction Dragon Jin invites you to the Twelve Zodiac Ball.]

Perhaps word had spread that I rejected the tiger's invitation. Some factions among the Twelve Zodiacs had also invited me.

"I have no intention of joining the Twelve Zodiacs."

I hadn't come all this way just to join some animal alliance.

"I'll attend the Twelve Zodiac Ball without anyone's sponsorship."

To do that, I needed the support of 80% of the beast people.

That was why I was meeting the crane proprietor now.

"Many beast people, including myself, already support you."

The crane proprietor, who already knew my situation, let out a light sigh and continued.

"However, not once has a Representative in Area 13 surpassed an 80% support rate."

"Just because it has never happened doesn't mean it's impossible."

"Only some beast people remain, including the bears. But winning their support will be difficult."

Everyone nearby supported me. The sole exceptions were the bears who had followed the tiger and their subordinate faction.

However, there was no way to persuade them.

"They have no fables left for you to mend."

Every beast person we had been able to persuade possessed a "forgotten fable."

Through Stage Transformation, we revived those fables and spread them through the Star Stream.

The beast people supported us in return. But that was impossible for the bear beast people.

"Is there no way?"

"Honestly, no. Unless you're a Constellation like the Master of Fables. You can't exactly grant every one of them an individual fable, can you?"

The Master of Fables probably referred to the Constellation who wrote Aesop's Fables.

"That's true. We don't have much time, either."

"They aren't the sort to listen just because you threaten them with force. Especially the Bear Who Lets You Live If You Pretend to Be Dead. That Constellation has a great deal of pride."

The crane proprietor looked down at Junghyeok, sleeping soundly in bed, then added,

"Unless there were a fable that could sweep them all away at once. More importantly, could you help me with this?"

I helped the crane proprietor sit up the sleeping Junghyeok and fed him a few spoonfuls of soup.

It was a special soup infused with the fable "Fox and Crane."

He would never eat something someone else had made, so it was fortunate that he was unconscious right now.

After he had some soup, a little life returned to Junghyeok's pale face.

The crane proprietor let out a quiet sigh.

"By the way, this friend has gotten smaller again. He was truly frightening when he cut down that tiger..."

"It's fortunate that he got smaller."

"Anyway, make sure he recovers properly. I'll come again."

With those final words, the crane proprietor left the room.

I took a few bites of the soup left behind and watched the sleeping Junghyeok for a while.

Since that incident three days ago, Junghyeok had been asleep the whole time.

Perhaps because of the side effects of Fable Engraving, he had become little Junghyeok again.

He was not as small as the little Junghyeok I saw in the Snowfield, but he would probably remain like this for a while.

For the Yu Junghyeok before me, the 41st round was his last.

Through Shin Yuseong, he transmitted his experiences to his past self and exited the record of TWSA.

As I had said repeatedly, no one knew what happened to him after he exited.

Did he stop regressing somehow? Or did he disappear from the record forever in some way I did not know?

If he had vanished from the record, had he finally fulfilled his wish?

"Don't worry too much."

I covered the sleeping little Junghyeok with a blanket and murmured,

"This round won't be ruined so easily."

Anyone who started a story had a responsibility not to give up on it.

I had promised Junghyeok.

[The fable Recorder of Things That Will Disappear responds to your vow.]

This story would become neither Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse nor Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, but it would still reach a proper ending.

Now it was time to see the end of this episode, for that ending.

* * *

An hour later, I gathered the bear beast people and the others who had not declared their support.

They seemed flustered and confused by my sudden summons.

Some reacted with hostility.

[Why did you call us?]

Their representative was the Constellation who had invaded this place, the Bear Who Lets You Live If You Pretend to Be Dead.

[If you called us here to ask for our support, you'd better give up.]

"Why?"

[Because we have no intention of supporting you.]

"Then why?"

[There is no reason for us to explain that.]

"Of course there isn't."

I crouched down and let out a deep sigh. Then I looked up at them.

"But are you really fine living like this forever?"

No matter what I said or how I said it, they would not be persuaded.

The reason was obvious.

They did not need my help.

What should be done for those who had lost their fables?

Perhaps I had pondered that question for a long time.

Some extras found their own stories, like Bang Cheolsu of Geumho Station, the mother and daughter, and the crane proprietor.

But not everyone could manage that.

Some found their own fables, while others lived and died without ever knowing what their fable was.

Like the bears before me.

"Honestly, I don't really care whether you support me or not. I'll find a way to move up regardless."

[Then why did you call us?]

"To give you one last chance."

I knew that not everyone could sincerely support me.

Kim Dokja knew that, too.

No matter what he did, some stars hated Dokja's story.

Dokja fought against those gazes, carved out his life, and that too became his fable.

But I found it difficult to accept that.

Perhaps it was because I was a Writer.

I wanted to write a perfect story Dokja had not read, one he did not know.

[The fable Recorder of Things That Will Disappear responds to your emotions.]

But it was impossible.

After coming through Geumho Station, Chungmuro, the Theater Dungeon, Gwanghwamun, Washington Dome again, and the Recycling Center, I barely came to understand.

There was no story loved by every star in the world.

Especially when it was the story of a round forgotten by everyone.

So I accepted it.

It was fine if not every beast person supported me. It was fine if they hated the fables I would write.

"This really is your last chance. Your chance to choose me yourselves."

I would simply write stories.

[What does that mean?]

"It doesn't seem like I have any reason to explain that."

[The Constellation Bear Who Lets You Live If You Pretend to Be Dead is enraged!]

Even a Constellation who had lost all its Status still had its pride.

[How dare a mere Incarnation, just because you have beast people at your back...!]

But the Constellation had judged wrongly.

"A mere Incarnation, is that it?"

I grinned at the Constellation.

Just a few days ago, its power had been threatening. I thought it would be difficult to defeat without using Stage Transformation.

But now...

"Has your eyesight deteriorated so much that you've forgotten how to read fables, too?"

Its Status no longer seemed impressive to me.

I slowly stood.

[You are currently acting as a proxy for the Demon King of Salvation.]

[The Status of the Constellation Demon King of Salvation fully dwells within you.]

The fables throughout my body radiated a majestic force, and bright light began pouring from my Incarnation body.

Some beast people noticed my Status, grew frightened, and bowed their heads.

"C-Constellation...!"

Even the Bear Who Lets You Live If You Pretend to Be Dead was staring at me in shock.

When I lightly placed a hand on its shoulder, its knees slowly began to buckle.

The Constellation cried out as if struggling desperately.

[Whatever you do, it is useless. We will never grant your request...]

"Ah, did that sound like a request?"

There was only one way to persuade those who had lost their fables, their memories, and finally even their ability to read.

"I'll say it again. You have only one 'choice.'"

The crane proprietor had said that those who lost their fables were merely swept along by other fables, like a rushing current.

Therefore, only a fable could persuade them.

[The fable Incitement begins its story.]

So the method I would choose was already decided.

[Support me.]

I would become the story that swept them all away.

[You're scared to plunge back into Scenarios. I know. That is why I'm saying this.]

I saw the beast people swept up in confusion looking up at me one by one. Faint fragments of emotion passed through their dead eyes.

[At least while you support me, I will become your 'fable.' I will fight in your place, and I will become the stars' object of ridicule in your place.]

My persuasion was not persuasion.

They would not hear my words in their ears. They were merely overwhelmed by my fable and crushed beneath the Status of the Demon King of Salvation.

Therefore, the choice before them now was,

[Just support me. Then, at least through me, you will be able to see the end of this world.]

no choice at all.

[Your support rate has begun to rise.]

[Your support rate has reached a certain level.]

[83% of the beast people affiliated with Area 13 currently support you.]

It was an easy, clear conclusion.

[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon scolds you, asking why you did not do this sooner.]

[The Constellation Reclining Dragon says that sometimes a decision like that of Adventurer Who Stood an Egg is necessary.]

[The Constellation One Who Brought Ten Sheep looks upon you with pity.]