WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS
Translator: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈
Chapter 835: Episode 43: Transcendence Alliance (4)
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Big House.
The fact that Flying Fox had used that word meant Flying Fox already knew I had come here to meet the Second Kim Dokja.
“I don't know if you remember, but we've met before.”
Flying Fox looked at me thoughtfully, as if willing to hear me out.
“The first time was during the Twelve Zodiac Race at the Recycling Center.”
【I see. But the Flying Fox who ran alongside you was not me.】
“I believe the one who spoke at the end was you, wasn't it?”
I still clearly remembered Flying Fox's final words.
「“Hmm. So this is how it turns out this time... I hope we'll have another chance to meet, young man.”」
Flying Fox blinked as if surprised by my answer, then nodded.
【I never expected you to remember that. Yes, those were certainly my words.】
“We met once more after that, on the Orient Express Carriage at the Recycling Center.”
Back then, I had used [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] on Uncle Dansu and encountered Flying Fox, who had boarded with us.
I clearly remembered what Flying Fox had told me then, too.
Flying Fox said I could not become a Recorder yet. That too many voices held me back, so I could not write what came next for the world.
【I've told far too many useless things to someone with such a good memory.】
“How did you become a Recorder of Fear? How do Recorders of Fear come into being?”
I thought of Lycaon.
Flying Fox had said they had seen “the end of the world,” but as far as I knew, Lycaon had never seen it.
And yet, both Lycaon and Flying Fox had become Recorders of Fear.
“What is your purpose?”
Lycaon had said their job was collecting records of twisted worldlines.
However, that work itself could not be their purpose. There was likely some greater purpose behind their collection of records.
【You have a habit of asking too many questions at once.】
“Is that question also part of the transaction?”
【In principle, yes. So hand over your interpretation. If you hand over only that, then as for questions like that, I can answer as many as...】
“Could I give you a different interpretation instead?”
【A different interpretation?】
Flying Fox tilted their head for a moment, then suddenly threw it back and laughed.
【What an amusing thing to say. You have barely entered the Fear Realm. There is no way you could have another ‘special interpretation.’】
Flying Fox was right. The other Fears I had interpreted, Alien Traffic Light and Tooth Fin, were Catastrophe-grade or Disaster-grade Fears. Fears of that grade would hardly draw a Recorder's attention.
But.
“Fears don't exist only in the Fear Realm.”
【What are you trying to say?】
“I'm talking about the oldest Fear in this world.”
The oldest Fear in this world.
The origin of this universe, which no one had interpreted, could interpret, or would ever interpret.
Flying Fox's expression stiffened slightly as they opened their mouth.
【Are you talking about the Oldest Dream?】
A faint spray of sparks flew, but no filtering occurred. I did not know how powerful a Recorder of Fear Flying Fox was, but it seemed Flying Fox was strong enough to speak that name without being filtered.
I nodded.
“Yes. I'll tell you about that one's identity.”
【You're amusing. Do you think there is a Recorder of Fear who does not know that?】
“That one's name is Kim Dokja.”
【I know. That is the name of the symbolic form referring to the current Dream.】
Flying Fox's tone did not change at all. Did all Recorders of Fear know that much?
Then how about this?
“Do you know what food Dokja hates?”
For the first time, Flying Fox's expression froze.
【Why would I need to know that?】
“Why would you need to know? Are you saying you aren't curious about the Oldest Dream right now? You, a Recorder of Fear?”
【No, that is not...】
“Are you saying this interpretation, which even the Great Plot you worship would not know, is unnecessary, useless, insignificant, and not even worth recording?”
【I never said that much! But...】
Flying Fox hesitated with a deeply confused expression, then seemed to make up their mind and gripped a pen.
【What food does Dokja hate?】
“Tomatoes.”
Flying Fox's eyes widened as they began taking notes in the air.
【Interesting. Why does he hate tomatoes?】
“From there, it is part of the transaction. Are you curious?”
It was quite satisfying to see Flying Fox's dumbfounded expression.
Their lips twisted as if I had landed a blow, and they asked, 【I see. What was it you were curious about earlier?】
“How are Recorders of Fear born?”
【I do not know exactly how Recorders of Fear are born. Every Recorder has different circumstances.】
Different circumstances?
【Some become Recorders after despairing at the end of a world, wishing to leave that despair behind in a Record. Some become Recorders to achieve an unfulfilled wish in another universe. And some...】
Flying Fox paused, stared directly into my eyes, and continued.
【After cursing the ending of a universe, some become Recorders in order to write a new ending.】
“That explanation is too vague.”
【But that is all I can tell you. After all, Recorders are those chosen by the Oldest Dream.】
Those chosen by the Oldest Dream.
【To become a Recorder of Fear means one possesses the potential for a Record the Oldest Dream can look forward to.】
“Is that your answer? I don't even understand what it means, and it has no value as part of a transaction.”
【Ha, you...】
“Then I'll ask one more question. What is your purpose? Why do you gather interpretations in the Fear Realm and collect records of twisted worldlines?”
【That is not one question.】
“You're going to gloss it over with vague, plausible words anyway, aren't you? Just hurry up and tell me.”
Flying Fox looked utterly speechless now. But Flying Fox wanted to know why Dokja hated tomatoes, so they had no choice but to answer.
【We collect records of twisted worldlines in order to write the one and only One Sentence.】
“More details.”
【Do you know what the first thing you must do to become a good writer is?】
“Well... read a lot, write a lot, and think a lot.”
Those were the basic qualities of a good writer.
Read widely. Write much. Think deeply.
Flying Fox nodded as if they agreed.
【Before the end of this universe arrives, every Recorder of Fear will be able to write their own One Sentence that will remain forever.】
A One Sentence that would remain forever.
【From the moment they are born, all Recorders of Fear live their entire lives for that One Sentence. They collect other interpretations and records of twisted worldlines for that sentence.】
Suddenly, I thought they resembled Constellations.
Just as Constellations built fables and carried out Scenarios to complete their ■■, Recorders repeated the same actions to write their ultimate One Sentence.
“The reason you want my interpretation is the same, then.”
【That is right. I thought I would need to refer to your interpretation in order to complete my One Sentence.】
“What happens once you can write that One Sentence?”
【That...】
Flying Fox smiled slightly and continued.
【I will tell you after hearing your answer. Now, tell me. Why does Dokja hate tomatoes?】
Just as you'd expect from Yu Junghyeok's source of clever ideas.
Flying Fox had no intention of telling me everything so easily.
【Hurry. Why does he hate tomatoes? Could it be because tomatoes remind him of blood?】
I had never considered that.
Perhaps Flying Fox saw it on my face, because they brightened and asked, 【Could there be another reason?】
“They just taste bad.”
Flying Fox looked blankly at me.
【That cannot be.】
“It is true.”
【Don't be ridiculous. How would you know? It isn't as though you asked the Oldest Dream.】
“I hate tomatoes too.”
【What does that...】
“I'm Kim Dokja too. Did you forget?”
Flying Fox opened their mouth as if they had taken another blow.
I grinned at Flying Fox.
“Then that settles the deal. If we get another chance, I'll see you again.”
[Recorder of Fear Fox Who Commands the Heavens' turn will end shortly.]
As Flying Fox's figure and the scenery around us slowly began to scatter, Flying Fox shouted urgently.
【You will not be able to evade things forever with wordplay like that! To reach the Big House you want, you must clear one of the layers we Recorders possess...!】
“If that was a condition, you should have told me first.”
Unfortunately, Flying Fox's figure was almost gone.
Flying Fox finished with a slightly sulky expression.
【If possible, it would be better to make a deal with me. The next Recorder will be far more devious than I am. Think carefully...】
With those final words, the martial arts inn vanished completely.
When I opened my eyes again.
[You have entered the room of Recorder of Fear Demon King of the Cinema.]
I was sitting in a cinema.
A long horizontal line ran across the screen looming through the darkness. It looked as though someone had torn it apart, then crudely pasted it back together.
Several small backs of heads huddled together as they watched the screen.
Because I knew where this was, I was not startled. I watched the screen alongside the Little Kim Dokjas.
「“Inho Cheon, that bastard.”」
The film on the screen was a story I already knew.
It was the story of a foolish Dokja Fragment who had possessed Inho Cheon out of all the countless characters.
【Why do you think it was Inho Cheon? Aren't you curious?】
When I turned my head, the Demon King of the Cinema was sitting there with his legs crossed, chugging a zero-sugar soda.
【No one would have expected a protagonist like that.】
Instead of answering, I drained the Zero Cola beside me.
Asmodeus lightly raised an eyebrow when I did not rise to his provocation.
【How does it feel to have been born as a protagonist like that?】
“Are you doing this because I wrecked your Theater?”
【...】
“Petty bastard.”
I kept firing back as I watched Asmodeus's eyebrows twitch.
“I can see exactly what you're trying to do. You'll show me a video like that again and start gaslighting me all over again. That I'm not the real Dokja, that people want a certain kind of protagonist, and so on.”
【...】
“Do I still look like someone who would be rattled into ruining his life just because you said something like that?”
【Oh? So you've grown.】
“I have. And I have no intention of making a deal with you, whatever you might think.”
【Then why did you come here?】
Perhaps they found our argument entertaining, because every Little Kim Dokja in the audience was looking our way.
I lightly waved to them.
“I came to see my readers' faces.”
I saw a Little Kim Dokja peeking out between the cinema seats. A name tag swayed lightly on the chest of the particularly young-looking child.
rlaehrwk37.
I knew who that Little Kim Dokja was.
“Have you been well?”
No Jiyoon.
Uncle Dansu's daughter.
“I'll definitely save you, so don't worry.”
As if Jiyoon understood me, her eyes immediately welled with tears.
Asmodeus muttered as if he found it absurd.
【When you put it that way, I sound like a villain who kidnapped the children.】
“Aren't you?”
For a moment, we glared at each other as if facing off.
【I must admit that your nerve alone makes you protagonist material. Still, I wonder whether you can keep running your mouth after seeing this.】
Asmodeus whistled.
The cinema lights came on brightly, and the Little Kim Dokjas whose eyes had shone in the darkness all lowered their heads at once.
【Allow me to introduce the new Dokja who has just arrived.】
At Asmodeus's signal, a Little Kim Dokja sitting beside him planted their tiny feet and stood up.
rlaehrwk244.
It was a name tag I had never seen before. It seemed this Dokja had recently been captured by Asmodeus.
Pure white skin. Eyes that shone like stars.
Like all the others, this little Dokja possessed Dokja's traits intact.
However, the child held a book in hand.
【Do you recognize who it is?】
The moment I saw the book's title, chills ran down my spine.
This was someone I knew.
Footnotes:
The usernames rlaehrwk37 and rlaehrwk244 are “Kim Dokja” typed on a standard Korean keyboard layout, followed by numbers.
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
