It was Sunday.
Even as the weekend passed, the research on Toegye [pen name of Yi Hwang, a prominent Korean Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty] continued relentlessly. It had to.
I had to examine everything thoroughly, even if I skimmed, and I had to address anything I didn’t understand.
I took notes in my notebook until my hand was tired and saved them separately in a cloud memo.
This made memorization easier and eliminated the risk of losing the files.
Whenever thoughts of my friends made my chest tighten, I opened the window and took in the outside air with Dduk-sim.
The late March weather in Seoul was cool. The sun was dim due to the fog, though.
…How much time had passed there?
“I spent a year there, but it was only one night here. I fell asleep on March 18th and woke up on the morning of the 19th.”
-Bbeeep
“But it’s already the 22nd. Three days means…”
‘Three years have passed on their side?’ I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence and fidgeted with my pen.
Dduk-sim, who had nested on one side of the desk, beeped seriously.
As always, it was hard to understand. My calculations could be right or wrong.
There was only one case to go off of.
Perhaps time had stopped completely on the other side. Conversely—
Decades might have passed.
“…I still have to go.”
-Bbirrrr!
Dduk-sim looked at me with a surprised expression.
I gave a bitter smile and tickled his belly.
“What, do you think I can’t leave because of Hyung [older brother or close male friend] and Eun-seo [younger sister]?”
-Bbi…
“That’s true. I wish I could come back. I love my family a lot.”
I said in a very small voice. Then the wren’s eyes became moist.
Why are you trying to cry?
“I also want to use the Ether I got on Mom. Of course, such a difficult illness… would be tough. But I can try. I want to see my aunt and uncle too. I haven’t even properly messaged my friends here on KakaoTalk [popular Korean messaging app] yet. Ah, I have to buy my army juniors a meal.”
-…
“There are so many places I want to go with Hyung and Eun-seo. I used to be most comfortable playing at home, but after going to the continent, I realized that traveling is quite enjoyable. I knew it originally, but the circumstances were—”
The sentence was abruptly cut off. I scratched the tip of my nose listlessly.
There was no need to tell such stories to a little bird.
“When Eun-seo has her vacation, should we book a seaside pension [rental cottage]? I was thinking about that yesterday.”
-…
“But. Still.”
My voice seemed to tremble a little. I smiled, biting the inside of my cheek slightly.
“I can’t live like this.”
-…
“Even if it was just a novel, it would be an unforgettable experience, but it’s not a novel. You’re here.”
The wren hopped over and buried himself in my palm. The small warmth was a great comfort.
The fingers stroking his feathers trembled pathetically. I raised the corners of my lips and whispered.
“I want to go back.”
-…
“I’m worried. I’m sorry. I want to apologize. If something’s wrong, I want to solve it together. Even if it’s very late, I want to do that.”
-Bbiibii…
“I don’t want to pretend I don’t know. I can’t do that.”
The world that relies on me is without me. The original author, Toegye, has gone on a long hiatus.
Having been kicked back home, I no longer know the situation there.
In a corner of my heart, fear and guilt were steadily building up.
I was anxious and couldn’t sleep every night.
The fire was clearly growing uncontrollably, or had already grown.
In the worst case, a war would have broken out, and everyone, including Christel and the Crown Prince, would have been swept away.
How hard must it be for them? Emotional wounds and horrific battles.
The tragedy of countless people dying and being injured. War was a disaster that could never be ignored.
If it broke out because of me, it would be even harder to ignore.
“Hyung and Eun-seo would have thought the same way as me. Our whole family.”
-…
“So they’ll understand. Even if…”
‘Even if I can’t come back.’ I decided not to say such a sentence.
Words have power, and I didn’t want to think about a bad ending from the start.
I tried to manage my expression and turned my gaze to the phone screen.
The familiar letters of Toegye’s writing were visible.
Pressing a cool glass of omija tea [Korean traditional tea made of dried magnolia berries] against my cheek seemed to clear my head a little.
I deliberately moved my lips to thoroughly digest the sentences.
「…Numerous nobles were already gathered in the Mute Viscount’s salon.
There were also those who had come from expeditions outside the capital to see the alchemist’s skills.
The atmosphere was generally excited, thanks to the wine that had been circulating.
The young people lounging on the sofas exchanged subtle glances over their fans.
As for Christel, she wanted to kick Cedrick in the joints and leave.
Every time she thought about what the Crown Prince had said in the carriage, her blood pressure soared.
‘You will be able to see through the essence of a lowly con artist.’ That was definitely not a compliment.
Rather, it was a roundabout way of criticizing her for being ignorant of palace etiquette and lacking refinement.
How could she not know that after several years of social life? She was burning with a desire to get revenge.
But the incident that occurred when she last kicked something was suddenly falling into a different world and becoming this fiancé.
So she had to endure it.
While she avoided murder (not a murder license), a laboratory was set up in the middle of the salon.
Soon, the back door opened.
A old man wearing a red, round hat walked out with a straight posture.
His collar was trimmed with expensive-looking animal fur.
It was the con artist who had turned the capital’s high society upside down, the ‘Alchemist’.
“It is said that when very powerful Ether gathers in one place, amazing things happen. It is said that when desperate hearts are attached to it, miraculous phenomena occur.”
She opened her mouth like a musical host. It was a mysterious voice.
The young nobles were excited and sparkled their eyes.
“Also, when very evil Mana gathers in one place, terrible misfortune occurs. There is a legend that a golem is born when ugly malice permeates it. ‘The Judge of the Gods!'”
The alchemist raised her arms as if to scare them.
‘Kyaa!’ The surprised young masters and ladies screamed. The adults gave gentle smiles.
Only Christel and the Crown Prince were expressionless. Do lovers resemble each other?
“But I am here to show you a completely new miracle—」
“Huh?”
I stopped the lips that had been reading mindlessly. Just now, overly important information had passed by.
Dduk-sim, who had been dozing off, opened his eyes wide. I quickly scrolled up.
“Wait a minute, here.”
「It is said that when very powerful Ether gathers in one place, amazing things happen. It is said that when desperate hearts are attached to it, miraculous things occur.」
“When very powerful Ether gathers in one place, when very powerful Ether…”
I read that line repeatedly like a madman.
At the right time, a voice like a revelation echoed in my ear.
-My tomb was a swamp of highly condensed Ether for a long time. The spatial distortion you mentioned must also have been the work of Ether.
…Hanan Lumayan and her ancient tomb. My mouth slowly opened.
My eyes widened and goosebumps ran from the back of my hands to the soles of my feet.
Next, my head turned as if it were broken.
Dduk-sim, who received my gaze, flinched and fluttered his wings.
At that time, Hanan had clearly said that.
The reason we wandered in the king’s tomb, and the reason the time inside and outside the tomb was different, was because Ether had ‘twisted space-time’.
The divine power that exceeds a certain level also bears mysterious fruit.
But the con artist in the original work added another word to this.
「It is said that when desperate hearts are attached to it, miraculous things occur.」
“So… So that’s why she told me to jump? From the 12th-floor apartment balcony?”
-Bbippooo—
Dduk-sim cried as if complaining. I was dumbfounded.
From the beginning, he knew that this was the only way for me.
The Ether of the five divine objects left on the balcony itself, plus the Ether possessed by me and the wren.
On top of that, breaking the Cardinal’s and Archbishop’s sacred stone beads would cause a truly enormous Ether explosion.
But pushing through with force alone would obviously lead to nothing.
To control it perfectly—
‘The moment the staff recognizes the prince, you will gain amazing Ether control. Even if the adjustment is already excellent, it will become even easier.’
Whack! I quickly bent down and looked under the bed.
The Staff of Darkness was emitting a faint light. That’s it.
The staff that my teacher gave me would be able to turn an ordinary explosion into something incredibly special.
I had never done it before, but I was sure.
He is a highly respected cardinal and one of the strongest priests in the continent.
“Besides, that’s made from the ‘root of the temple’. The World Tree.”
The guardian spirit said so.
The World Tree is the source of life and the only being that protects the world line.
In other words, the only being that can make a hole in the world line may also be the World Tree.
“Gather all the Ether I can mobilize now. Amplify and fuse it with the Staff of Growth. Of course, it’s all for nothing if the Staff of Growth doesn’t recognize me, but let’s assume it does. At the same time, to instill a desperate heart?”
-Bbiibbii!
Ha…
“…That means I need a literally extreme environment. If I don’t succeed, I die. If I can’t cross over, I’m done for. That’s the kind of mindset I have to approach it with.”
-Bbirrrr!
“Shh, shh.”
I quickly calmed Dduk-sim down.
I was nervous that Eun-seo or Hyung might have heard the noise from outside the door.
I looked at the door for a few seconds, but fortunately, there was no sign. Phew.
“Let me ask you one thing, Jung Dduk-sim.”
-Bbit?
I whispered. The coffee bean [referring to Dduk-sim] tilted his little head.
“What happens to my body if I go over there?”
-Bbitbbit
“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me. Hey. What happens to it?”
He suddenly started grooming his feathers busily.
It was cute in a way that didn’t fit the situation, but I tried to keep a straight face.
This was a problem that I really needed to be sure about.
“My body has to be safe. You can’t give Hyung and Eun-seo any wounds. Absolutely. They’ve experienced that a lot since they were young.”
-…
“I have to be able to come back healthy at any time. Huh? You have to help me. Dduk-sim, you can do it. You brought the Staff of Growth in the Gaga Bag when you came over here. I’m begging you like this.”
I followed his head and pleaded earnestly.
The wren, who finally met my eyes, stared at me intently. Please!
-…Bbiibiippooo
“Thank you!”
It was the nth deep bow.
The little bird strutted around, puffed up with pride.
Seeing that, I smiled foolishly. But time was running out.
I had to hurry every minute and second to make the most of the Ether left on the balcony.
I didn’t know for sure, but it would be disappearing little by little.
It would be weaker today than yesterday, and weaker tomorrow than today.
Damn it. My head is finally turning a little!
-Knock knock!
Flinch!
“Little Oppa [term used by younger sister to address older brother]! Are you busy on the weekend? Let’s watch a movie while eating Honey Combo [popular fried chicken flavor]!”
“Oh, I’ll be out in a minute! Sounds delicious.”
I hurriedly supported Dduk-sim with both hands, put him under the blanket, and opened the door.
My sister, who was fiddling with a delivery app right in front of me, was visible. For a moment, my heart ached.
I held back the weakening heart. So hard that it left a mark.
*
-Kwaaaang!
“Ahahaha! Are you crazy!”
Eun-seo, sitting under the sofa, burst out laughing while tearing off a chicken leg.
Even Hyung, who was picky about humor, was quite enjoying it.
The movie was a comedy that Netflix had recommended according to my sister’s taste.
I thought she would dislike historical dramas with dresses and balls, so I deliberately suggested watching something light, and it seemed like I did well.
The living room, which was dimly lit with indirect lighting, was like a small movie theater.
I really liked this time every Sunday.
“The acting is unnecessarily good, so it’s so funny, heog [Korean interjection indicating amusement].”
“Oh, he really poured his soul into it. Isn’t it just his own story?”
“Euhahaha.”
The three of us sat huddled together, eating delivery food, watching a time-killing movie, and chatting about trivial things.
A simple family that talks about Eun-seo’s school when the screen shows a school, talks about our company when the screen shows a company, and talks about Hyung when the screen shows a freelancer.
A time to forget about tomorrow’s work and relax.
I would have been like that normally.
“Ah, I finished all the cola.”
“I’ll get it. Keep watching.”
I immediately got up from my seat. I wasn’t able to concentrate anyway.
“Jjang [Korean slang for ‘awesome’]!”
Jung Eun-seo sparkled her eyes, raising her thumb. Pig.
After scolding her to drink only a little, I went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator that she and I used.
Perhaps because my mind was confused, the cola didn’t come into view quickly.
In fact, even though it had been three days since I came home, the refrigerator felt unfamiliar.
“There’s a small one in my refrigerator.”
“Surprise!”
Hyung, who had approached silently, opened the refrigerator right next to me.
I grabbed my startled heart and leaned my head against the cold door pocket.
Hyung looked at me and clicked his tongue as if I was being dramatic.
‘She has a lot of drinking parties these days, so she needs to cut down on carbonation.’ He said something so carefree.
What is he, a paladin? Make some noise!
“It felt like you took a year off my life.”
“I’ll probably live to be 120 anyway.”
When I grumbled, Hyung immediately retorted. I was dumbfounded and laughed in vain.
I took out Eun-seo’s exclusive mug from the cupboard and poured the cola that Jung Hyun-seo handed me—
“Jung Ye.”
“What.”
“You’re not thinking about anything weird, are you?”
“Huh…?”
I felt a strange feeling and raised my eyes. Hyung was looking at me with a very serious expression.
The light under his rimless glasses was vaguely sharp. What’s wrong?
“What are you thinking about?”
I felt uneasy for no reason. There’s no way he could have found out about my plan to jump later.
Did I look nervous?
“…Don’t quit your job. Go to work diligently. It’s not easy being a freelancer.”
“Ah, I thought you were Hyung. I’m too timid to write a resignation letter.”
When I gave a small rebuke, Hyung chuckled aimlessly and took Eun-seo’s glass.
Standing in front of the island, I could see the living room clearly.
Hyung, sitting on the sofa, handed Eun-seo the glass, and the youngest gave him a chicken wing in thanks.
‘The legs?’ ‘It’s Little Oppa’s turn this time.’ ‘You have a good memory.’ Trivial conversations and glances were exchanged.
I stood there like a prop, staring at the two of them.
Now I can easily take pictures or videos, but somehow, I wanted to put this moment in my memory drawer.
I wanted to keep it in my eyes, not my phone camera.
“…I’ll wash some fruit. For dessert!”
“Jjang! Jjang!”
Jung Eun-seo sent another perfunctory thumb. I hurriedly opened the refrigerator door and hid behind it.