Chapter 120: Retreat (7)
- Click.
The lights inside the dormitory went out.
After the incident with Jin Dallae, I was in no condition to drink. I had to leave the drinking party a bit early.
The clocks hour hand was near 11 PM. A perfect time to fall asleep.
Ugh
I collapsed onto the bed like a corpse, groaning.
The supreme softness comforted my dizzy mind and body.
.
Lying there and looking at the ceiling, todays events flashed through my mind like a series of pictures.
Jin Dallae.
Her tear-streaked eyes and the smile she hadnt wiped away all evening were etched in my mind.
Right Its unlikely for things to go smoothly for me when it comes to women.
Even in my previous world, I used to hear complaints from my girlfriend. The problem must be with me.
Yet, Jin Dallaes behavior today was quite shocking to me.
-Ill be by your side forever.
Why would she go to such lengths for someone like me?
Her words, promising to dedicate her life, felt more like a burden than a gesture of affection, perhaps because they were spoken with genuine sincerity.
-Am I not attractive enough?
Its not that she lacked charm.
But seeing Jin Dallae as a woman seemed forced.
If it had been any other ordinary woman, it might have ended with a casual fling that day, but Jin Dallae was its hard to explain the feeling.
I wish she wouldnt worry about me and just be happy. Something like that.
I prided myself on knowing quite a bit about Jin Dallae from attending the academy.
Its not like living together with Cheondo or Baekdo, but still, sharing conversations and daily life, I probably know her better than her family.
Jin Dallae has been incredibly busy since taking over the authority of the Jinmok Group.
From establishing childcare facilities to solving incidents occurring in various places, she generously invests in helping others, something probably only I know from the academy.
Yet, she tried her hardest not to doze off in class, straining her eyes open. Seeing faint dark circles under her eyes, I couldnt help but feel a pang of sympathy.
-Katalk!
How did such a diligent person end up like this?Updated from novelbIn.(c)om
My face, with a bitter smile, was reflected on the phone screen.
[2 seconds ago]
Jin Dallae: I havent given up.
Oh dear Dallae.
They say if you couldnt get a girlfriend in your previous life, youll have luck with women in the next.
It seems Ive carried a big grudge from not dating women in my past life.
-Katalk!
Jin Dallae: Youre reading this now, right?
Jin Dallae: Sorry, I guess I got ahead of myself.
Jin Dallae: But I meant it.
Before I could finish reading the previous message, another one arrived.
Her typing was so fast the emotion in each sentence was palpable.
Getting ahead of myself thats what I said.
The world went dark as I pressed the power button on my phone.
I needed to wash, but my body wouldnt move well.
Ever since coming here, Ive been feeling increasingly fatigued.
My arms and legs were tingling, and I desperately needed a drink of water.
What to do.
There was so much to resolve.
Overwhelmed by an indescribable feeling of frustration, I slowly closed my eyes.
Ugh.
She wiped her tears and blew her nose with a tissue.
The pent-up tears of frustration finally burst forth, and I could do nothing about it.
Youre so kind, so kind.
.
Shiheon has no eye for people.
Guseul gently tapped on the back of Jin Dallae, who was curled up on the bed.
With her face flushed from drinking, she wiped her tears with a tissue.
Dont badmouth Shiheon Its my lack of charm.
Oh, so now youre blaming me for trying to comfort you.
Im not over it yet.
Being rejected was one thing, but theres still time.
Her stubborn resolve to try again was already her ninety-fourth attempt.
Muttering her love confessions repeatedly would easily make a hundred.
They say a naive girl changes drastically when she first experiences love; Guseul couldnt help but stick out her tongue in disbelief.
The one who waits wins.
Dallae, youre obsessively attached
Is that a problem?
Nope~ no problem~ Shiheon is lucky. Ugh, here, drink some water. Right, right.
Jin Dallae gulped down the ice water Guseul offered.
Her eyes were sore from crying too much, but the tears wouldnt stop.
Trees.
Even in my sleep, I was dreaming of trees.
Two stumps, one tree almost toppled.
Already gloomy from yesterdays events, seeing these unwelcome trees, even in my dream, soured my mood.
I approached the tree and spitefully stepped on the roots protruding from the ground.
[Ouch!]
A womans moan rang sharply in my ears.
As the root moved, I stumbled and fell backward.
There was no pain, perhaps because it was a dream.
I lay there, eyeing the tree suspiciously.
I had just heard a voice from that tree.
What are you?
A talking tree was a World Tree.
To me, World Trees were harmful.
Therefore, this tree was harmful, too.
[.]
The World Tree that invaded my consciousness remained silent, infuriatingly so.
Only when I focused my eyes did it slowly start to speak.
[I am quite different from what you know.]
Who are you?
[Do you truly not know? The tree you toppled?]
I had only ever killed a withered, twisted old tree named Ent.
I adjusted my posture to sit cross-legged and looked around.
I thought it was a dream, but it seemed like a dream under heavy external influence.
The King of Tree Spirits?
[You know, I see.]
Yes, one of the likely culprits in ruining my life.
The World Tree of Resentment and the King of Tree Spirits.
They were entities deeply entangled with me.
Just thinking about them filled me with stress to the brim. I scratched my head vigorously.
Theres so much to think about, and now Im dealing with this.
[You seem different. Your memory is unstable Are you the inheritor of the next generation?]
I dont know. How would I know that?
[]
The conversation halted, and silence lingered.
It seemed like there was something to be said. For now, I was distinctly different from the King of Tree Spirits in this world.
Even if I were the next in line, its useless; we just ended up frustrating each other.
This tree couldnt extract any information from me.
The World Tree of Time.
[You know well.]
Ive been feeling unusually tired since I got here Is that your doing?
[It was an unavoidable procedure to bring you here.]
It must be the World Tree of Time if its the one killed by the King of Tree Spirits.
Today was full of oddities.
Despite my physical abilities, I shouldnt have been this tired, yet I fell deep asleep on the plane and in the car. I was about to strike down the stump in front of me but stopped midway.
Right The World Trees are selfish enough to summon me here without asking.
Its not even funny anymore.
Ive been dragged around too many times.
But the difference between the past and now is that I have the power to resist.
Afraid of dying, so you pulled me into a dream?
[Not afraid. This body will perish in a week anyway. I came to ask for a favor as someone who has faced the power of your predecessor.]
My eyebrows twitched.
I didnt know anything about that predecessor, but it looked like I could extract some necessary information.
Let me ask one thing.
[What is it?]
I was willing to share what I knew.
But first, I needed to know this.
What am I in this other world?
The World Tree remained silent.
The rotten branches on the ground began to disintegrate into particles, slowly vanishing.
Time must be up. I could tell just by looking.
As the World Tree faded away in the dream, it left its last words.
[I will tell you everything I know as long as its within my knowledge. Please come to any temple here; the specifics dont matter.]
Postponing the answer, it seemed.
It wasnt a difficult request, so I nodded in agreement.
Yesterdays events were already in the past.
Lying down on the disappearing ground, I muttered a curse.
Damn it.
Human relationships, and now my identity.
Rejecting that confession seems to have been the right choice in this damned world that leaves no room for even a hint of lingering thoughts.
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