Chapter 92 – Worry (1)

The singing competition ended and the results quickly came out. Kim Hajin didn’t win first or even second place. He placed fourth. His choice of music and voice sounded great, but the judges still graded contestants based on high notes. However, everyone undoubtedly talked about his performance. Cadets had already uploaded it onto social media.

“Ah, it feels like I went to a concert.”

“Right? Who was your favorite?”

“Kim Hajin, Neilee, and Harim. Kim Hajin caught me off guard. I heard he goes out a lot. Maybe learned how to sing at karaoke.”

Rachel remained in the audience and eavesdropped on the other cadets’ conversations. She needed some time to organize all her thoughts.

Kim Hajin showed a good performance today. He didn’t confess to her like many people said he would. She had trouble sleeping lately because she had nightmares about it. She felt glad that it was over now.

However, the song that Kim Hajin chose kept bothering her. His voice felt sincere, and the lyrics said he wanted to grow closer, but feared rejection.

Perhaps he realized I kept avoiding him. Now that I think about it, I’ve been avoiding him too obviously these days. Did he notice?

Rachel felt sorry and sighed.

“What are you doing here?”

“…?”

A voice interrupted her thoughts. Rachel slowly turned and saw Chae Nayun.

“Aren’t you leaving?” Chae Nayun pointed to the exit.

Rachel finally noticed her surroundings. Everyone had already left.

“Ah.”

Rachel began walking towards the exit. Chae Nayun followed her with a strange look. It was already 10 and dark outside. Rachel looked worried as Chae Nayun glanced at her from the side. Then Chae Nayun joined up with her friends.

“Chae Nayun, where are you going next? Yaawn.”

“Back to my room.”

She briefly replied and looked around.

“By the way, where did he go?”

“Who?”

“Kim Hajin.”

“That person went that way. To the church,” Yoo Yeonha answered.

“Church?”

“Yep.”

Cube also provided religious facilities to support cadets from various backgrounds. Most religious cadets were Protestant, and some devout cadets even wanted to become priests.

“Why the church?”

“I don’t know. Does it bother you?”

“Oh please,” Chae Nayun replied indifferently as she glanced at Rachel walking towards the dorm in the opposite direction of the church.

“Well, I’m going to bed if you aren’t doing anything else. Yaawn.”

Shin Jonghak had participated in three competitions today: soccer, the dungeon speedrun, and duels. Chae Nayun waved her hand as if to say, I don’t need you.

“Yes, please go to sleep.”

“Hm.”

Yoo Yeonha watched Chae Nayun’s odd behavior.

“Nayun, what are you going to do?”

“Nothing. I’ll just go back and play some games before sleeping.”

“Mmm… you’re not going to the church, right?”

“W-Why would I go there? I’m not religious.”

Chae Nayun grumbled uncomfortably.

***

I sat on a worship chair as the wood creaked beneath me and stared at the cross in front of me. The moon shone through the stained glass as I looked at the colorful art and thought about this holy place for confession. I reflected in this huge chapel and waited for an unknown holiness to embrace me.

“… Well… there’s nothing special.”

I scratched the back of my neck. I didn’t have any grand reason to come here. Main characters often visited a church when they felt anguished. Then they would suddenly be enlightened.

“Yaawn”

It seemed that only occurred in movies. Or maybe I was just an extra and not the main character. The silence made me sleepy as I checked my smartwatch again.

[You might have to kill someone.] [But you will receive a hefty reward.] [You won’t have to worry about your identity. As Jeronimo Mercenary’s apprentice, we guarantee it will remain a secret. We can also extend this guarantee when you become an official mercenary.]

Boss responded when I asked, How much is the pay? I only asked to play along since she only knew how to appease people with money.

“Mercenary…”

Anyone could become a mercenary by law. They could even hold the position while working another job. Many heroes worked as part-time mercenaries for money. Around 50 to 100 Cube graduates, and probably half the dropouts, became mercenaries.

The Chameleon Troupe participated in huge events like artifact scrambles and the Tower of Dimension. I wouldn’t have to worry about straying from the main storyline if I joined them. Most importantly, I would be able to kill Chae Jinyoon without difficulty. The security around him should’ve grown lax after 5 years.

“Huu.”

However, the thought of killing someone weighed on my conscience. The Chameleon Troupe would continue to kill many people. The only difference between them and Evil Society was that they didn’t kill needlessly.

Could I commit such crimes? I felt uncertain. This world was no longer just a novel.

The door creaked open as I pondered with my eyes closed. I slowly opened my eyes as the footsteps came closer and someone sat next to me.

“Are you Christian?”

The voice echoed inside the church. I glanced to the side and grinned.

“No. What about you?”

“Hmm…”

Kim Suho looked at the cross as he responded, “No, me neither.”

Despite what he said, his eyes carried a hint of nostalgia.

“Then what’s up with that look?”

“Oh, I didn’t notice.”

“You looked like a devout believer. I would’ve believed you if you wanted to become the Pope.”

“Pft, it’s not like that. I just remembered something from the past.”

The past. Indeed, Kim Suho’s past was quite special. I smiled.

“You used to go to church?”

“No, but something like that.”

“Catholic?”

Kim Suho shook his head.

“Buddhism?”

He smiled without answering, which meant no.

“Mormonism? Zoroastrianism? Hinduism? Islam? Greek Orthodox? Confucianism? Taoism?”

“Hahaha, no, none of them. I was never a faithful believer.”

I nonchalantly threw out a sentence after listening to him.

“Then what, is it a religion from another world?”

“…”

For a moment, Kim Suho’s eyes widened. I threw a tiny stone into his heart, but pretended to be oblivious.

“Please.”

Kim Suho laughed and shook his head. He suddenly turned serious.

“But Hajin…”

His voice filled with longing.

“Do you think other worlds exist? You know, like Lord of the Rings.”

Tolkien died in 1973 around the time Outcall occurred. His work stood firmly in this world as a timeless masterpiece. I looked at the cross in front without meeting Kim Suho’s eyes.

“Outcall occurred 50 years ago. Throughout human history, no monsters had ever appeared in this world.”

I faced Kim Suho.

“Rather than saying monsters suddenly appeared on Earth, it would make more sense that they crossed over from other worlds.”

“…”

Kim Suho remained silent. I wondered what he thought. Honestly, we had similar circumstances. However, he came to this world at a young age and obtained another family. Unlike me, he wasn’t alone and probably only missed his original family every once in a while.

Kim Suho slowly spoke, “Then do you…”

“That’s part of the Otherworld Theory presented by Dr. Jerus.”

I shrugged and cut him off. Kim Suho laughed.

“Ah, is that one of the theories explaining Outcall?”

“Yeah. It’s criticized for being groundless, but I find it convincing. Outcall happened out of nowhere. It’s stupid to try and explain something illogical with logic.”

“I guess so.”

We became silent, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. Then I grew curious.

“Oh right, are you using Misteltein well?”

“Of course. I’ve been hunting monsters like you suggested. I feel it’s growing stronger.”

“Haha. Then let’s find better equipment together in the future. By the way, you don’t have an agent, right? I’ll introduce you to one.”

Kim Suho had to grow stronger even faster than in the original story. It didn’t have to be me. Even if I died, Kim Suho could continue and complete the main story.

Kim Suho interrupted my thoughts.

“An agent, huh. By the way, what could be better than Misteltein?”

“Who knows? The world is full of artifacts.”

I stood up since I had spent enough time worrying here.

“I’ll leave first.”

“Oh, okay. I’m going to stay a little longer.”

“See you later.”

I left Kim Suho at the church.

***

“Huu…”

[Victory]

I breathed a sigh of relief. I would’ve lost if Random Consolidation System had been just 3% lower.

— Wow, you’re amazing, hyung. I went all out this time too.

Jajangman messaged me.

— I almost lost. You’re growing stronger by the day. I might not win anymore after a couple of months.

I couldn’t sleep, so I put on my helmet to play a match or two. Jajangman happened to be up, so we ended up playing seven matches.

— True, I’ve been getting stronger lately.

Jajangman and I grew close enough to call each other brothers because I could act my original age (26) online.

— Why are you up so late?

I changed the topic. It was 3 A.M. on Saturday now. I had already beat him seven times and grew sleepy.

— Oh, well, something happened today and I can’t fall asleep.

— What happened?

— It’s nothing much.

Oh? It sounded like a relationship problem. Well, Jajangman was still a teenager. Half of his life should be about friends and the other half about girls. I felt slightly jealous. After all, I had to worry about killing someone or figuring out a way back home.

— Tell me. I’m 8 years older than you, so I have more experience.

— Well, it’s just that, um…

— Yeah?

— It’s like… you don’t want it, but you don’t want someone else to have it either.

Aha, I get it. This son of a bitch, he’s the popular type!

— So you’re the one on the receiving end?

— Cough, well, I can’t say I’m too experienced.

Why does he sound like a dick today? I smirked and replied.

— What happened so suddenly?

— Nothing, it’s just been on my mind recently.

— On your mind?

— Yes. A little.

— Well, you’ve gotta have a reason, right?

I started to grow interested.

— Yes, so um… that person sang in a talent show today. I think the song was meant for me.

— Whoa…

A girl appealing to a guy with a song? She must be quite assertive. Or maybe Jajangman was that handsome.

— Then can’t you just accept her feelings?

— No, I don’t think that’s right.

— Why not? What if someone steals her away? You might regret it later.

I spoke from experience. As a 26 year old, I knew girls who had crushes on me, but rejected them because I wasn’t interested. I always felt sour when I saw them dating other guys later. I even remembered thinking, That girl used to like me.

— Wow, you’re saying the same thing as my friend, but I don’t think I’ll regret it.

— Of course, you don’t feel that way right now, but you will later. Didn’t you say she was on your mind?

— Just a little bit. No, a tiny bit.

I could feel he was the prideful type who didn’t like losing. He was still too young. You had to lose once in a while to learn from your regrets.

— Doesn’t the fact that you’re staying up contradict what you’re saying?

— Yes? Uh… no… right?

— Trust me. I’ve been through the same thing. From today, you’ll suddenly only see her good points. It’ll be too late once she gets a boyfriend.

I waited for his reply for 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes…

“Did he fall asleep?”

Damn, I wondered what he would do.

I checked the time. It was already 3:40 and time for me to sleep. I took off the helmet and lay in bed.