Chapter 418 (End)
After completing the second grand quest, I somewhat expected that this kind of crossroads would appear before me.
When I finished the first grand quest after ten years of suffering, God said He would grant me one wish.
At that time, of course, my wish was to regain my original body and return to the real world, but it was impossible due to a system error.
That's how I returned with the body of this crown prince.
Now that Seir has been defeated, God's system is functioning normally again.
'...What I really wish for.'
Now all paths are open.
I can stay here and help rebuild the world, as God said.
I can return to my original body, as I originally wished.
Or.........….
The temple became quiet for a moment.
I slurred at the crossroads God had spoken of.
I had thought about returning to my original body, that is, 'Han Ji-hyeok'.
I also found out that all traces of Han Ji-hyeok had disappeared from the real world I returned to.
I also wondered how I could go to the world line where I was originally born.
However, there is one important thing..........
All of these thoughts are from the past.
'I don't have to think about the past.'
My original body is naturally familiar to me.
I've lived my entire life in that body, and I've built everything in that world line.
But that's it.
While living as Han Ji-hyeok, I've never received help from anyone.
I don't have a proper family.
There was no one who gave me the strength to endure my difficult life.
However, all of this changed when I started living as Karis von Walden.
Now, the Crown Prince's body has become familiar and comfortable as if I've been using it my whole life.
And there are people I want to protect even if it means risking my life.
There are fans who give me the love I've never received in my life. There are people who believe in me more than anything.
It's definitely not bad to go back to my original life and body.
But if you ask me if I want to go back even if it means losing everything I've gained so far.
"...Of course not."
"Hmm? What did you just say?"
"No. I was just talking to myself."
I came to a conclusion without realizing it.
Yes, I already knew.
The memories of the past few years of living as Seleste can't be exchanged for anything in the world.
And the guys who gave me the will to live can't be replaced by anyone else.
"I've already made my decision."
"You look confident, stranger."
The god spoke to me while stroking his long beard.
At first glance, he looked like a warm-hearted grandfather in real life, but his eyes sparkled as if they contained extraordinary energy.
"Yes, tell me what your conclusion is. I want you to tell me clearly in your own words what decision you will not regret no matter what happens."
I turned my head and looked at Durandal stuck in the floor of the temple.
I had stuck it in a similar spot last time.
The holy sword that had almost never been separated from me since I came to this world.
It was my one and only partner who had overcome countless adversities and fought the last Demon King, but now it seemed time to say our final farewell.
My footsteps echoed in the quiet temple.
I gently grabbed Durandal, which was standing proudly, emitting a soft light.
"You have worked very hard."
There was no way the Holy Sword could hear the human words.
Nevertheless, Durandal must have understood my mind, for I felt a faint vibration through my palm.
'I will never see you again, but you will be remembered forever in my heart.'
The god must have read my mind, and smiled slightly regretfully.
"I secretly hoped you would stay here. I guess that was your will."
"I think you are right. Humans are never weak."
I smiled confidently.
Just as I would have wished for the Crown Prince to be here.
"The empire will be rebuilt without me, and a new leader will surely emerge. The past should remain as the past glory. I just need to pray for their safety from afar."
Everyone has a place to be.
For me, that place is not here.
I am just a possessed being from another world brought by God for a moment. The place where I should be is the real world.
God smiled kindly as if he realized my true intentions.
"Your wish has changed in the end, stranger."
".........It is as I said before. The old things should remain the old things."
I took a deep breath.
"The time I lived as Han Ji-hyeok is over. If you ask who I am….......…. The answer is simple."
I am not the crown prince of another world.
I am a member of Seleste, who is moving forward toward a bigger dream with the members.
"I fought the Demon King to see those guys' faces again. I have fought until now to enjoy life with those guys more. I think that the reason I came to this world and was possessed by the body of the crown prince was ultimately to meet those guys. So, I want to go back to where I should be now."
The moment I said this in front of God, the promise I made to the Crown Prince came to mind.
I don't know if you're watching me right.
I kept my promise.
I will save this world until the end and return as you wish.
"I understood your intentions well."
God waved both his hands. Then, the gears of the system that were invisible to my eyes appeared. I felt the space-time around me wriggle little by little.
"I will now begin the transfer of Karis von Walden to the real world. And with the completion of all the grand quests, I will officially declare the mission of the possessed 'Han Ji-hyeok' complete."
I felt the hairs on my body stand on end.
There was an incredible weight in God's voice that hadn't been there before.
"Savior of the world, from now on, this world line will be separated from the world you live in forever. You will not be able to return to this world line. Is that okay?"
".... Okay."
"Everything related to this world will be disconnected and disappear. However, as you wish, that body will be bound with you forever. Also, the people who crossed over will remain there."
I nodded slowly.
It is now time to say goodbye to this world.
All the work I have accomplished here, the countless memories I have accumulated in my heart will be remembered forever.
However, as the god said, I will never come here again.
The air vibrated even more violently.
The god's system emitted an even more splendid golden light.
I closed my eyes as I felt the transfer magic enveloping my entire body.
Just before time and space were completely distorted, the god's warm voice reached my ears one last time.
"...Thank you."
***
My head feels slightly dizzy. My whole body feels sore.
"Um.........."
I blinked my eyes and slowly moved my body.
When I took a breath, the first scent that entered my nose was none other than the fragrant smell of slightly cooled chicken.
At that moment, I came to my senses.
My sore body reacted immediately as if it had never happened.
I raised my head and looked around hurriedly.
"This is.........."
This is my studio.
The studio that I used very occasionally while doing
A place I had hardly visited since debuting as Seleste.
And the place where I called Owen over and had dinner.
'Owen, Owen, how did-!'
I turned my head in a hurry.
Memories surged into my mind, which had been dazed for a moment immediately after awakening.
The final battle with the Demon King in the world of
The final conversation with God, and the subsequent transfer process.
God had clearly said that those who had already crossed over to the real world would remain, but my mind couldn't remember that for a moment.
"Ugh...."
Fortunately, Owen touched his forehead and struggled to get up.
He was right next to the refrigerator, in front of where I had collapsed.
"Hyung-nim.........? What the hell happened?"
"...Owen. Is it really Owen?"
"Yes?"
Owen blinked a few times and looked at my face, which was brimming with emotion.
"Hyung-nim? Why were we collapsed here.."
I hugged Owen before I could even hear him.
Yes, this is definitely Owen. A living person. Not data from a game, but a real, living, breathing person.
This is definitely my one and only brother.
"Hyung, hyung-nim? If you suddenly hug me so tightly, I can't breathe-!"
".........I'm so relieved. Really."
"What the hell is our situation.........."
At that moment, Owen's eyes widened as if he remembered the past.
The demon king's spirit took over his body.
The sudden attack and strangulation.
Owen immediately touched my neck as if he didn't know what to do, as he remembered all of that.
"Hyung-nim! Hyung-nim, what the hell did I do rudely! What the hell is this. Are you okay!"
"It's okay. My neck doesn't hurt. It's all over now."
"I committed a mortal sin, Hyung-nim!"
Owen buried his head in front of me with tears in his eyes.
"I don't know the Demon King's spirit is sleeping inside me and I put my hyung-nim in danger. I'm ashamed to face you. I swore to protect you with these two hands, but I don't deserve forgiveness for doing this!"
"No. You really helped me so well. So don't blame yourself anymore, Owen. It's all over now."
I told Owen everything that had happened.
From defeating the Demon King to meeting God and returning to this world.
When he heard that Seir had finally died, my brother still beat his chest and blamed himself.
"You had to shoulder all the burden. If only I had fought the Demon King........"
"You don't have to blame yourself anymore, Owen. You don't have to worry anymore. The Demon King is gone from this world forever, and there is no one left to threaten us anymore."
I smiled as I hugged Owen again.
"It's really over."
***
The flow of time was definitely different in the real world and the other world.
I was definitely trapped in
After finishing the conversation with Owen and comforting my still-crying younger brother, I sent him back to the dorm.
It wasn't easy to comfort Owen, who blamed himself until the end, but Owen listened to me well, so he was able to stop crying.
Now it was time for me to go back to the dorm.
Not long after I sent a message that I was done, my manager arrived in a car to pick me up.
"You finished earlier than I thought? What did you eat?"
"I just had chicken."
"Hey, chicken. The kids must be upset. You ate chicken alone without them."
"I think they ordered chicken on their own."
"Really? Is that really true?"
It was the face of the manager I saw every day, but I couldn't be happier to see him.
I smiled and made a suggestion.
"Don't you usually bet something in this situation? Would you like to make a bet with me?"
"Oh, it's interesting, but I'd like to decline."
".........Are you scared?"
"It's okay to bet with other people, right? But I can't because I'll definitely lose with you. It's scary, it's scary."
"That's too bad."
I wanted to bet that the members ordered something to eat, but the manager refused because he said it was scary to make a bet with me, so it fell through.
While heading to the dorm, I checked a few things.
First of all, everything related to
The system I received from God also disappeared.
I had grown attached to it while going through thick and thin together, but now I felt regretful that I wouldn't be able to see that golden effect.
Second, just as I promised God, things related to my body didn't disappear like the system.
The crown prince's body was the same, and even my speech and habits were the same.
And in this battle with the Demon King, I felt the importance of the system with my whole body.
Strangely, even though the system was gone, my body felt as strong as usual.
'Is it true that only the system has disappeared and all the stats stored in my body are still there?'
Is this also a gift from God?
I looked up at the night sky outside the window.
It was very similar to the sky of the Arcadia continent seen from the temple.
"Well, we've arrived."
"Thank you for your hard work late at night."
"Hey, it's not even 9 o'clock yet. What's late? Go in quickly and rest."
"Yes."
After greeting my manager, I stood in front of the door of the dorm that I always went in and out of.
......... My heart was pounding strangely.
It was a door that I always opened without thinking.
Is it because I still haven't completely come to terms with reality?
I even felt anxious as if no one would be there if I opened this door.
'That's not going to happen.'
I took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob.
And to see the scenery I like and cherish the most, I opened the door wide.
"Huh?"
"What! Why is he here so early?"
"Uuuuuuuup!"
"......... What is this situation?"
I looked at the members who were crowded in the living room with a nervous expression.
The smell of various foods wafted from the entrance.
On the living room floor, there were all kinds of delicious late-night snacks, from chicken to pizza and pig's feet.
Kang Si-yoon, who made eye contact with me, got up right away and ran towards me.
"Hey, why did you come so early! I was surprised."
"What does my early arrival have to do with this late-night snack party?"
"You went out to eat delicious food alone, so we also had a party while Karis was gone."
"You're saying that proudly, Si-yoon."
"Yeah!"
Kang Si-yoon nodded with his characteristically cheerful expression.
"We've already been caught, so why are we hiding it! Ahaha!"
"I really don't understand."
"Hey, Kang Si-yoon! Where would you say that straight out!"
"That's right! Are you saying you're going to survive alone?"
Perhaps he had just said that he wanted to keep this a secret among the members.
The moment I saw Song Hyung-bin and Yoo Min-ha getting up from their seats in a fit of anger, I burst out laughing without resistance.
"Hahaha!"
"Hey, we're in big trouble. Karis is starting to laugh."
"I'm the most scared when that hyung laughs like that!"
"...."
Why was my laughter so ominous? Chae Eun-gyu and Heo Yu-bin were floundering around with their mouths full of food.
On the contrary, Ji Yoon-chul suddenly stood up with a chicken leg without saying anything and stood next to me.
"Hmm? Why, Yoon-chul?"
".........I'll give you this."
"Hmm?"
I had just eaten chicken so I didn't really think much of it, but Ji Yoon-chul, who couldn't have known about it, put the chicken leg in my mouth with his own hands.
Then he looked at me with his bright eyes.
"...You won't be upset, right?"
"No, why did you think I would be upset in the first place?"
"Because we threw a party without telling you... Oh, but it was Si-yoon hyung's idea. We're not guilty."
"Hey, Ji Yoon-chul! Wow, look at this guy? He's selling me out right away?"
"You said you'd live alone too."
"I didn't mean to do that!"
"What's wrong, Kang Si-yoon!"
As usual, the dorm was once again a noisy mess.
For some reason, I was standing in the middle of that chaos and I couldn't help but laugh.
Yes, this is the atmosphere.
The atmosphere that I feel the most comfortable and like the most.
I'm the happiest when I'm with these guys.
"Seriously, what did I say from the beginning? I told you not to eat because Karis can come at any time."
Song Hyung-bin, who now freely displays his leader's abilities without worrying about what others think.
It feels like yesterday when I first saw him and when I first learned of his complex. Now, he's become one of my strong supports.
"Ah, seriously! Stop running and just eat, hyungs! Karis hyung is fine too!"
Yoo Min-ha, full of passion.
He's more passionate about everything than anyone else, more sincere to idols than anyone else, and loves the members more than anyone else.
If he weren't here, we wouldn't have this comfortable atmosphere.
He's a younger brother that I can't leave out of Seleste and my life.
"Guys, you're making dust. Everyone, stop, stop!"
Chae Eun-gyu, the eternal eldest brother of Seleste.
Sometimes he encourages the members with words worthy of an eldest brother, and sometimes he shows us his sloppy charm, making us laugh out loud.
I just hope that the word 'debut' that must have been a painful memory for him will be covered up with good memories as he spends time with us.
Chae Eun-gyu is someone who deserves to be happy.
"Eun-gyu hyung, you don't have to stop them. Just eat it. Those hyungs will get tired anyway."
Heo Yu-bin, who has natural talent.
He couldn't properly use that talent because of his timid personality and bad childhood memories, but he cracked the egg perfectly before he knew it as he laughed and cried with the members.
He's still a younger brother that I want to cherish, but now he's gained the confidence to confidently make his name known to the world without anyone's care.
"You always do that to me! You always do that to me!"
Kang Si-yoon. Well, is there anything else I can say?
He's always serious about teasing me, and whenever something weird happens, he's always the first to be singled out by the members.
However, his serious side, which contrasts perfectly with his playful side, and his meticulous attention to each member are hard to find in other people.
If Kang Si-yoon hadn't been there, I might not have the personality I have now.
My one and only friend of the same age.
"...Hyung, do you want to just go to our table and eat? The other hyungs are too noisy."
And Seleste's eternal youngest, Ji Yoon-chul.
I wondered if I could really become close with Ji Yoon-chul during the survival show.
Not only did we have no connection, but his extraordinary aura from my first impression was overwhelming.
However, after learning about Ji Yoon-chul's true story and his true personality, he was a strange youngest who had new charms the more I saw him.
Sometimes he beats up all the hyungs, and sometimes he's just like a high school student.
I looked at the seven members one by one.
As the smile on my face continued to spread, Kang Si-yoon, who had been running away from Song Hyung-bin, stopped by the sofa and gave me a strange look.
"Why are you still laughing? What's wrong with you? It makes me nervous!"
"Hahaha, no. It's really nothing."
"They say that people who hit with a smiling face are the scariest, but you're trying to do that."
"That's not true."
The same daily routine.
Members moving forward toward the same goal.
Could there be a happier reality than this?
I said with a big smile.
"I was craving a late-night snack, so I thought it was good. Let's all eat together."
"Hey, Heo Yu-bin! Karis hyung is really weird! You're saying this to eat a late-night snack that you don't usually eat?"
"That's right. Are you okay, hyung?"
"Karis can be moody too. Why are you all like that~?"
"Oh, Ji Yoon-chul took the chicken leg I had reserved, so I only have one."
"...I'll eat the leftovers too."
"Hey man!"
Seleste will be seven in the future.
And I can say this more confidently than anyone else.
I will remain one of those seven forever.
一完一