Chapter 139. < Latecomer. (1) >
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Translator: thursdays Editor: Yahiko PR: LightBrin
1.
The protagonists living inside stories sparkled like constellations.
I had no interest in the constellations that shone in the night sky. My stars were the characters. Their stories were my resplendent constellations. Ah. There were countless stars in space and infinite stories in the universe.
-I want to see the stories a little more.
Thoughtlessly, I touched the light of the stars.
-Just a bit more.
That was all.
2.
Silence settled in the library.
The Great Library of All Things. A place where each book contained a world. Countless people lived in countless worlds, and each of them had a story. Here, two characters from one of the books, [The Epic of Lefanta Aegim], were present.
“……”
The Constellation Killer quietly looked down at the director.
“Did you say you are one of the people who killed me?”
“Yes. Kim Yul-ssi.”
“What a strange thing to say.”
The Constellation Killer’s voice was dull.
“My death was recorded 153 years, 7 months, and 9 days ago. The name of the one who killed me at that time is the Sword Emperor.”
The Constellation Killer pulled out an old notebook. That diary was the last stop that [Kim Yul] ever reached, a vow that he would only leave behind the traces of his past but never remember his past himself.
“The features of the Sword Emperor as recorded in the diary are different from yours.”
Just like how my skeletons would never let go of their daggers after being swallowed by the Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation, the Constellation Killer only had one old notebook.
“Are you the next generation of the Sword Emperor?”
“……”
“From my understanding, the Sword Emperor is not the type to apologize to anyone. He is not the type to seek an apology, either.”
The director must have realized.
“I judge that you are not the next generation of the Sword Emperor and you are not someone who has killed me. You have no reason to apologize to me.”
That he was already late.
“Therefore, I do not accept your apology.”
“……”
“Firstly, my name is Lefanta Aegim. My epithet is the Constellation Killer. You looked at me and called me Kim Yul. However, nowhere in the diary is it recorded that I was ever called Kim Yul. Have you mistaken me for someone else?”
“Kim Yul-ssi.”
The director’s voice was shaking.
“Kim Yul is the name you had before you were called Lefanta Aegim. It is a name from long ago, before you obtained the diary. The world that you used to live in was…”
“It is no use.”
Someone came to my side and muttered. It was the Librarian. He whispered to me so quietly that the Constellation Killer and the director could not hear it.
“It’s a touching scene. I can admit that. On one side, the victim sealed in time. On the other, the bystander frozen by time. Ahh. The scene is as beautiful as a painting…”
I looked at the Librarian.
[The Corner Librarian rejoices but also despairs.]
He was wearing a peculiar expression. He seemed sad yet also happy. While his eyes woefully looked down, his breath was flush.
“However, Death King, Too many things happened too late. The Constellation Killer can never be saved.”
“……”
“It doesn’t matter if he accepts an apology now. The Constellation Killer remembers nothing. His appearance and mindset are completely different from those of Kim Yul. How can he receive an apology for something he does not remember? How can he forgive someone for something he cannot recall?”
“You,” I said quietly. “You know that I’m a regressor, right?”
The Librarian smiled.
“Of course.”
“How? Do you regress whenever I do?”
“No, that is not how it works. In particular, your [Returner’s Clockwork Watch] skill is so special that even a Constellation cannot easily approach its dignity. But I, like other Constellations, have a clever power.”
The Librarian flicked his finger. Snap! Then, a book flew at us.
+
[The Tale of the Ascending City]
+
The book was the one that the Constellation had shown us when we first set foot in the Great Library.
“Remember this? It’s the book of your world. We cannot call it an Apocalypse because it has not perished.”
The Librarian’s eyes perked up.
“Now, guess. Whom do you think I would designate as the protagonist of [The Tale of the Ascending City]?”
“……”
It was obvious.
“Me.”
“Right. That’s correct!”
“Is everything related to me recorded in that book? Do you know what skills I have, when and how I regress, and all?”
“Ahh.”
The Librarian smirked and flipped open a page of [The Tale of the Ascending City].
“The kiss of time that you shared with Raviel Ivansia… The love and intimacy were truly sweet! You resolved the situation in a completely unexpected way. It became one of my favorite scenes.”
“……”
“Of course, the ‘trauma’ you experienced this time is also in this book. That is why I allowed that person to enter the library though he does not have an epithet.”
The Librarian was referring to the director. Even now, the director was desperately trying to explain to the Constellation Killer who he was and what had happened. However, the Constellation Killer’s expressionless face did not change.
“You’ve worked hard, Death King,” said the Librarian.
“You made an attempt. You tried, and you did your best. But it’s already too late for the Constellation Killer. It is a rule that the best ending is difficult to reach, no matter how hard the characters try. This is the normal ending that is allowed for the Constellation Killer.”
The Librarian was sad, but… He seemed even more happy.
“Except for the bad ending, it is an acceptable ending for the Constellation Killer to reach. Though, sadly, the Constellation Killer won’t know it himself. Your efforts, the orphanage director’s regrets—everything is futile. Ahh. The Constellation Killer will remain as a weapon that slaughters Constellations. Forever…”
“No matter what move I make?”
“Yes. No matter what you do.”
The Librarian slowly began to put [The Tale of the Ascending City] in his breast pocket. At that moment, I reached out and grabbed his wrist. The Librarian flinched.
“If you’re that confident…”
I looked straight down at the Librarian.
“The two of us. Shall we make a bet?”
“A bet…?”
“I can connect Kim Yul’s timeline with the Constellation Killer’s. Just as Kim Yul became the Constellation Killer, I will make the Constellation Killer become Kim Yul. Then, he’ll be able to receive the apology from the director.”
“Don’t be thoughtless. Did I not tell you? It’s simply impossible…”
“That’s why.”
I gripped the Librarian’s wrist tighter.
“Let’s make a bet.”
“……”
“You said he’s one of your favorite characters. The Constellation Killer. I’ll bring back his memories by any means possible. You should help, too. Well, you don’t have to do too much to help. Just as much help as you gave to send me to [The Epic of Lefanta Aegim].”
“Hmm.”
The Constellation’s eyes narrowed.
“What if you fail even after I help? What will I gain?”
“You can do whatever you want with me for ten years.”
The Librarian faltered.
“You said you wanted to pluck my eyebrows and keep the hair? You can. I think you wanted to cut my nails. Do that, too. I’ll let you do everything you want, so you can play around to your heart’s content for ten years.”
The Librarian’s eyes shook.
“Anything, you say?”
“Yes.”
“Y-you’re saying something very scary. Death King, I have been very polite before you so far. If I do whatever I want, I would do something magnificent and grand. Just look at the bookmark maids…”
“The bet. Will you, or won’t you?”
The Librarian’s lips quivered slightly. For a moment, his eyes were stained with greed. Like the Constellation Killer, I was another character he loved. The Librarian looked at me like a snake would its prey.
“I must adhere to the principle of non-intervention.”
The Librarian gulped.
“But it’s a different story if the character asks first. That’s why I granted the butler’s wish in [The Tale of Sormwyn Academy].”
“……”
“All right. Death King, I will assist you. However, if you fail to connect the Constellation Killer with Kim Yul… I will take your ten years and enjoy it well.”
Okay.
Still holding the Librarian’s wrist, I walked toward the Constellation Killer and the director.
Click. Click. Footsteps echoed in the area of the library where everyone else had left.
-Hey. Hey! Zombie. Are you crazy? Why are you making this bet?!
Bae Hu-ryeong was making a fuss.
-Are you betting ’cause you’re 100% sure you’ll win? Huh? You think that social recluse will support you because you’re his fave or whatever, but that guy’s also a Constellation. A Constellation. Not only that, but he’s a high-class perv! You don’t know what’ll happen if you entrust your soul to that bastard!
‘It’s all right. I’m completely confident I’ll win.’
For a long time, I’d been thinking about why the Tower existed.
It wasn’t that something needed a reason to exist, but to me, at least, the Tower seemed to have been built for a definite reason. Because of the Tower—thanks to the Tower—those who had turned their backs to the outside world were able to start their lives again.
To live life once more.
Some may call it rebirth, and others may call it reincarnation.
“Constellation Killer.”
For some, it meant reunion.
“Director.”
And thus, the halted times resumed.
“Film a teen movie with me.”
The Constellation Killer and the director stared at me.
The first to open his mouth was the Constellation Killer.
“What does that mean?”
“Constellation Killer. You cannot accept the director’s apology because you lost your memory. You don’t even think you need it. But if you could accept it, you’d want to.”
“Mm.”
The Constellation Killer opened his diary and nodded.
“That is true. We have only talked for a short while, but the person kneeling before me is very kind. He is principled. I judge that it is not principles with which he was born but ones he acquired by suffering through life. If it is possible, I would like to accept his apology.”
“Director.”
I looked at the director. He was still kneeling on the floor of the library.
“If you could apologize to Kim Yul-ssi…”
“Even my life.”
The director responded immediately, not waiting for me to finish my words.
“I would gladly give up my soul for it.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
I grabbed the director’s hand and pulled him up. His hand was old and stout. I remembered then that it had been a long time since I last held the director’s hands. I remembered building a tower of sand on the playground with the director a very long time ago.
‘Director, this story became possible thanks to you.’
Because he did not forget, I was able to be raised in an orphanage.
‘If even the director forgot Kim Yul, like everyone else did, this moment would never have occurred.’
The life of Kim Yul wove the life of the director. The director’s life created my life.
Now, my life had reaped the life of the Constellation Killer, and the three of us managed to find a place here.
The three of us were connected.
‘I’ll never… allow this to all be in vain.’
It may be a little late, but the time had come to give back to the one who had raised me.
“Librarian.”
I grabbed the director’s hand tightly and turned to face the Constellation. The Librarian smiled like he was sure he would win the bet.
“Speak, Death King! My beloved Hunter.”
“Me, the Constellation Killer, and the director. I’ll challenge the next stage with these two.”
“Oho!”
The Librarian’s eyes twinkled like he was intrigued.
“That’s quite commendable. You intend to build relationships between you three again, even if it’s a bit late? Oho. Well, that’s one possible ending. It’s kind of an open ending! With something like, ‘Our story begins now…’”
“No.”
I reached out my free hand and took a book from him.
“It’s not like that.”
[The Tale of the Ascending City].
A book in which I was the main character.
“I choose this book for the next stage.”
“Hmm…?”
The Librarian tilted his head back and forth, confused.
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand. [The Tale of the Ascending City] is happening in real-time already. There is no point in making it into a stage and challenging it.”
“You said it before. I was chosen as the protagonist of this book. So, everything I’ve gone through has been recorded.”
“Yes, but…?”
“Send the three of us to one of the events I’ve gone through.”
“What event do you mean?”
“The trauma.”
“……”
Suddenly.
The smile dropped from the Librarian’s face.
I looked calmly at the Constellation in front of me.
“You just said it.”
『Of course, the ‘trauma’ you experienced this time is also in this book.』
“That trauma ended in tragedy. The world was destroyed. It may have only been an illusion, but it was swallowed up by the Void, and all of the stories of every character came to an end. Librarian, by your classifications, that trauma is indisputably an [Apocalypse].”
“Ah…”
The Librarian opened his mouth.
He looked up at me with eyes filled with astonishment.
“Death King, you can’t possibly…”
“Send the three of us to the Shinseo Middle and High School Apocalypse. Of course, the Constellation Killer is Kim Yul, and the director is the class president. I am the bully.”
If he can’t accept an apology, if he can’t forgive because of his lost memory…
“And allow [immersion].”
…it’ll be enough to bring back those memories.
Like how the Heretic Questioner was immersed in the Lady of the Golden Silk and became her character.
Like I was immersed in the butler and gained more and more of the butler’s memories.
If the Constellation Killer becomes immersed as Kim Yul… then Kim Yul’s memories will be grafted to the Constellation Killer.
The Constellation Killer will be able to remember his days as Kim Yul.
“Librarian. No, Hamustra.”
That was right. We were a little late.
But nothing was over yet.
“Open the book.”
The Librarian stopped breathing.