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“This way.”
The place with the gate was more than just a room – it could be described as a small hall. Yeon Ji-ho, seeing a proper gate for the first time, opened his mouth slightly.
There was an indescribable grandeur. A huge magic circle, large enough to fill an entire wall of a space bigger than most gymnasiums, was drawn, and the white gate flickered as if breathing every minute and second.
It was incomparable in scale to the gate drawn in the wardrobe of his home.
“Your Excellency, I’ll change the gate to one-way first.”
“Alright. Chronos, help Apophis. Shango, gather Isquis and Baal together.”
While Yeon Ji-ho was amazed, the beasts of Gorgon quickly moved to their respective tasks. Chronos, who had good insight although unable to use magic, disappeared behind the gate with Apophis for a moment.
Shango showed no signs of strain as he lifted both Baal and Isquis at once. As the two were laid side by side on the floor, Set stood in front of Baal.
“What are you going to do, Set?”
“I’m going to give Baal a sleeping herb.”
“Huh? A sleeping herb?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Set took out a blue leaf from inside his coat. Then, he grabbed Baal’s jaw, forced it open, and shoved the sleeping herb in.
“Even if he wakes up now, he won’t be of any help.”
“Ah, so that’s why…”
Is this really okay?
Yeon Ji-ho, having conversed with Baal before, now knew what he was like. As Set said, nothing good seemed likely to happen if Baal woke up in the middle of dimensional travel.
But it bothered him to keep forcibly putting the bloodied Baal to sleep… At that moment, Baal, with his eyes closed, began to chew and eat the sleeping herb in his mouth.
Gulp.
It was a very brief moment when he swallowed the sleeping herb without properly chewing it a few times. It seemed his desire for food was alive even while sleeping.
“Ugh…”
Meanwhile, Yeon Ji-ho approached Isquis, who was curled up next to Baal. Although Isquis had received proper treatment after meeting Apophis, it seemed the pain hadn’t completely subsided yet.
The massive wings that had once proudly displayed their presence were no longer visible on Isquis’s back as he now lay prone.
Yeon Ji-ho knelt in front of Isquis and slowly stroked his hair. A small whimper escaped from Isquis’s mouth.
“It hurts, it hurts…”
Just barely sixteen.
Isquis was far too young, and inadequate to endure everything. However, until now, Isquis had often acted so composed that it made one forget he was only sixteen.
He only expressed his pain after losing consciousness. Yeon Ji-ho, also breathing painfully, carefully reached out to tidy up Isquis’s tattered windbreaker.
“Ji-ho.”
Yeon Ji-ho looked up at the quiet voice calling him. Set was looking down at him.
“Time’s up.”
Yeon Ji-ho stared blankly at the large palm that approached him.
While wandering through this world he had thought was inside a novel, Yeon Ji-ho had often thought about wanting to go home. However, each time, what he imagined was returning together with Set and all the beasts of Gorgon.
Although his wish for everyone to return safely without injury hadn’t been fully realized, still…
Yeon Ji-ho grasped Set’s scarred hand tightly and stood up. At the same time, Chronos’s voice, who had gone behind the gate, was heard loudly.
“Your Excellency, we’ve completed all preparations for gate activation!”
Boom…
As he looked up, the gate, which had been flickering while enveloped in white light, began to move more dramatically with a thud. As it did so, the gate gradually expanded and grew larger.
“Shango, carry Isquis on your back. I’ll take Baal…”
Set’s voice, as he was about to support Baal, was cut off at that moment. An alien footstep sound reached Yeon Ji-ho’s ears.
“Oh my, everyone’s here?”
It was an exaggerated voice mixed with laughter. Looking up, they saw Hadad, leading another group of knights, slowly walking towards them with a broad smile. Right beside him was the magician boy, Merdin.
“…Hadad.”
“Yes, Set? Did you call me?”
“Why?”
A sharp sword bloomed once again in Set’s hand. In his place, Shango was holding both Isquis and Baal at once.
“Why did you let us go once? Why are you chasing us only now?”
“Ah, that.”
Hadad clearly had an opportunity to capture Set and everyone. Set was asking why he didn’t do so then and was only now coming to capture them.
Hadad’s head, facing Set, tilted crookedly. With a vibrant smile on his lips, Hadad asked Set:
“Set, I wanted to let you feel, just once, what it’s like to have things go your way.”
“…”
“How was it? Quite enjoyable, right? Don’t you feel like the world has chosen you?”
Hadad acted as if he knew that feeling very well himself. Unlike Set, who had already drawn his sword, Hadad, who hadn’t even reached for his weapon yet, spoke while clutching his chest like an actor in a comedy.
“I was certainly like that at first too. At first, it was so joyful and heart-pounding. But when it kept repeating, it became a bit boring.”
“…Boring?”
“Yes. Although my life is marked by hardships and adversities, in the end, everything flowed as I intended. That’s the fate of a protagonist. I found it terribly boring.”
Hardships and adversities, and the one who overcomes them all. The world called such a person a protagonist.
The doubts Yeon Ji-ho had held all became reality. Hadad knew better than anyone that this was a world inside a novel, and that he was the protagonist of this place.
“But what can I do? That’s the cliché.”
“Cli…ché?”
“Ah. Set, you probably don’t understand. But Ji-ho is different, right?”
Hadad’s eyes rolled to the side and settled on Yeon Ji-ho. He asked with a very kind smile towards Yeon Ji-ho.
“You already know, don’t you, Ji-ho? That everything surrounding you is somewhat of a classic cliché.”
Cliché. A commonly used plot development in stories.
At that moment, the journey from meeting Set until now flashed through Yeon Ji-ho’s mind like a series of images. There couldn’t be… any clichés surrounding me…
“Easily gaining someone’s favor.”
“…”
“Encountering lucky coincidences during urgent and critical times.”
“…”
“And above all, falling in love.”
The moment he dared to utter the word ‘love’, Hadad’s eyes shone terrifyingly.
Love?
Yeon Ji-ho’s shoulders began to tremble. He couldn’t believe Hadad’s words. What Hadad said shook the very foundation of Yeon Ji-ho’s feelings towards Set.
Perhaps,
Just perhaps.
Both this world where Hadad existed, and even the world Yeon Ji-ho came from…
“Ji-ho!”
The thought didn’t continue further. Set, who was beside him, grabbed Yeon Ji-ho’s arm forcefully and pulled him towards himself. The moment he saw Set’s odd eyes, Yeon Ji-ho snapped back to his senses.
“Ji-ho, don’t be swayed by his words. There’s no need to listen.”
“It’s hurtful when you say that. You see, I’m telling nothing but the truth to both of you, without a single lie. Protagonists don’t usually lie.”
Yeon Ji-ho covered his mouth with both hands, feeling like he was about to retch. Set, who was beside him, covered his ears to prevent him from hearing any more of Hadad’s nonsense.
During this time, Yeon Ji-ho could no longer hold back the nausea and ended up vomiting bitter gastric juices. Hadad, who was far away, stared intently at Yeon Ji-ho in this state.
For that moment, even Hadad’s lips were without a smile.
“Ji-ho, it’s okay. It’s alright… I’ll protect you, so don’t think about anything.”
Set’s gentle whispers to Yeon Ji-ho continued. Hadad’s gaze towards the two clinging together was extremely cold. Hadad, who had been standing still and staring at them, slowly opened his mouth.
“You might be curious. Why am I doing this when I’m already the protagonist?”
“…”
“Then I’ll answer like this.”
Yeon Ji-ho’s head, having found stability from Set, turned towards Hadad again. Hadad spoke too lightly, as if it were nothing:
“Just because.”
At that moment, Hadad’s hand went up. As he gestured towards the knights, the knights lined up behind him all rushed towards Set and the others at once.
Even amidst all the commotion, Hadad’s low voice clearly reached Yeon Ji-ho’s ears. The corners of Hadad’s mouth slid upwards.
“Just because I’m a bit tired of this place now. So I’ll hand it over to you, Set. As for Gliese, well, if you spend time together, won’t she come to love you?”
That’s right, Set.
I’m saying let’s swap Gliese and Ji-ho right now.
No, I’m saying let’s exchange my world and your world.
