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Yeon Ji-ho clutched his throat, which was so choked up that even his breath could barely escape.
Set was dying right before his eyes.
His whole body trembled, and his teeth chattered uncontrollably. He’s dying. The person he loved would soon be gone.
Yeon Ji-ho resented God, no, the author who created this novel. If it was going to be like this, if they were going to take him away so easily, they shouldn’t have let them meet in the first place.
Set’s breath was gradually scattering. In contrast, the sword aura he had trained his entire life was pouring out of his body. Yeon Ji-ho instinctively knew that the moment Set stopped breathing, that sword aura would explode.
There was only one thing left for him to do. Yeon Ji-ho, with his eyes red, removed his hands from Set’s wounds and stood up.
“…Hadad.”
“Hm?”
Hadad, who was again shaking the blood off his bloodied sword, turned his head at Yeon Ji-ho’s call. The gleaming light in his eyes, wet with blood, was no longer that of a protagonist. Yeon Ji-ho, clenching his fist, spoke to him.
“You said you wanted to get the ending, right?”
“And if I did?”
“To get that ending, you need me.”
Hadad, furrowing his brow at Yeon Ji-ho’s words, slowly nodded. It was then that Yeon Ji-ho suddenly moved.
Yeon Ji-ho ran and stood at the edge of the rooftop. There was actually no railing there, with only a few half-broken wardrobes barely serving as a barrier. Yeon Ji-ho stopped at a precarious spot right next to one of these wardrobes.
“I’d rather die than that.”
“…Hey, Ji-ho.”
Yeon Ji-ho clutched his stomach and squeezed his eyes shut. He apologized to the child in his womb before anyone else. It was in danger of dying before even seeing the world, having met inadequate parents. The child was innocent of any wrongdoing.
But when Yeon Ji-ho opened his eyes again, there was no regret in his gaze. Gritting his teeth, Yeon Ji-ho spat out.
“Choose, Hadad.”
He had no intention of living comfortably alone in a world without Set.
“Either die here with me.”
“……”
“Or slowly go mad alone in this boring world without Set or me.”
Hadad’s expression, devoid of any smile, hardened. Quietly looking at Yeon Ji-ho, he approached him, dragging Arondight in his hand.
Yeon Ji-ho didn’t flinch even as Hadad approached him. He watched him approach without blinking. The moment Hadad finally stood right in front of Yeon Ji-ho.
Thud, clang, roll…
Hadad dropped Arondight, which he had been holding, to the floor. In the moment Yeon Ji-ho hesitated, Hadad reached out like lightning and grabbed his throat.
“No, Ji-ho. You can’t die.”
“Gak, keak…! Let, go…!”
Hadad’s red eyes gleamed as they scanned Yeon Ji-ho’s entire body. He dared to speak of death in front of him. After all he had done to obtain him.
Yeon Ji-ho, caught in Hadad’s grip, struggled to break free. But he gained nothing, and eventually went limp like a doll. Yeon Ji-ho’s face turned pale white due to his oxygen-deprived brain.
“You must live to entertain me.”
Hadad, fearing Yeon Ji-ho might die, soon loosened his grip as Yeon Ji-ho’s resistance subsided. Freed from his grasp, Yeon Ji-ho collapsed to the floor.
Meanwhile, Hadad turned around and headed towards the fallen Set. He had heard about the explosion of sword aura. The explosion of the Sword Master Set’s aura was troublesome even for Hadad. Hadad, who fully understood this world, knew well enough that if that happened, it would be impossible to live comfortably here.
Hadad walked slowly, intending to deal with Set before his breath was completely cut off.
Meanwhile, Yeon Ji-ho, who had collapsed behind, fell while tightly wrapping both arms around his lower abdomen, worried about the impact on his belly.
“…Huh.”
At first, following Set’s words, he had intended to buy time here somehow and die together. However, Hadad was already moving as if he had figured out Set’s final wish, and Yeon Ji-ho had no strength to stop him.
…No, did he really not?
Yeon Ji-ho’s mind raced. It was a continuation of the thoughts that had been briefly interrupted before coming up here.
If he was the protagonist as Hadad said, why was he so incapable?
Hadad, the protagonist of ‘The Star of Hadad’, had great abilities in swordsmanship and growth. The same was true for Gliese. She had the ability to prophesy, which could help Hadad.
But why did he, the protagonist of this place…
At that moment, Set’s words to him flashed through Yeon Ji-ho’s mind.
‘Ji-ho. This time too, I crossed over to this world through the wardrobe.’
Yeon Ji-ho was the coordinate of that gate in the wardrobe, and it couldn’t be opened unless Yeon Ji-ho opened it.
Before leaving for the hospital, Yeon Ji-ho had left the wardrobe door open, just in case, when he went for admission. Because of the expectation that Set might come through here.
Rustle, rustle.
The pages in Yeon Ji-ho’s mind turned rapidly. Even further back. It was a story from not long after meeting Set.
‘It’s a gate that can’t be reached unless opened by a designated someone.’
‘…It seems you are the coordinate of this gate, Ji-ho.’
Set and Apophis had called Yeon Ji-ho the coordinate of this gate. At that time, he didn’t know anything and just let it pass, but now Yeon Ji-ho was curious. So who on earth created the gate in his wardrobe?
Who on earth created the gate in the wardrobe and designated Yeon Ji-ho himself as the coordinate?
The more his thoughts continued, the more violently Yeon Ji-ho’s breath caught. Something… something felt like it was about to fall into place but didn’t quite. If he could just think a little more, the answer…
“Set.”
His thoughts were interrupted by Hadad’s low call. Hadad, who had approached the fallen Set, was looking down at him, who had lost consciousness.
“I’m really sorry. No, I guess apologies are useless now.”
Hadad was holding a sword made of red sword aura, not Arondight. The moment he saw it, Yeon Ji-ho held his breath. He’s going to cut off his breath.
At that moment, Hadad and Yeon Ji-ho’s eyes met. He smiled and said.
“Ji-ho, watch closely. Your love ends now.”
Hadad raised his sword high. It was then that Yeon Ji-ho moved, crawling on all fours, as if the sword would plunge down at any moment.
He didn’t care about the debris on the rooftop floor scratching his knees. Yeon Ji-ho moved like a madman, barely able to think properly. However, the direction he ran wasn’t towards Hadad and Set.
Eventually, Yeon Ji-ho stopped in front of a broken wardrobe.
“……”
Although the top of the broken wardrobe was damaged, both doors of the wardrobe were still intact. Without hesitation, Yeon Ji-ho firmly grasped the handle of the wardrobe door. He took a deep breath.
“It’s okay.”
I can do this.
In truth, he still didn’t know. He had no certainty at all. This wasn’t an action taken because he was sure he was the protagonist or that he had abilities. It was just that this was all he could do, so his body moved before his mind could make a decision.
Yeon Ji-ho, who had closed his eyes deeply and then opened them, spoke.
“Help me.”
It was perhaps a plea to God.
“Anyone will do, please help.”
Please…
Yeon Ji-ho’s lips, which had been slightly parted, closed again. He could feel Hadad’s gaze watching him from afar, but he paid no attention.
His hand gripping the handle tightened. And it was trembling just as much.
It was then.
Clunk.
Clunk, clunk, clunk.
The wardrobe, which seemed useless and broken, began to move as if alive. Some unknown noise burst from inside the wardrobe. Yeon Ji-ho, his eyes wide open, unknowingly applied force to his palm and pulled the door.
And at that moment.
Like stagnant water pouring out, figures sprang out from inside the wardrobe. Yeon Ji-ho fell backwards trying to avoid them falling on top of him. He would have been seriously injured if he had fallen like that. If someone hadn’t caught his body.
As he slowly raised his head, he saw the one who had steadied him.
No, he saw those who had caught him.
“Your Excellency!”
“Ji-ho sir?!”
“…!”
“Ouch, my tail! Don’t step on my tail!”
The beasts of Gorgon had arrived.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
