Chapter 1202. The Demon King of Sunset’s Castle (22)

“

Pwaaaaah!

”

“Lee Ki-Young. Lee Ki-Young!” Woo Hyo-Yeol shouted.

“

Haa... haa... haa...

” I panted.

“Wake up,” he said.

“

Haa, haa...

”

“You idiot! How many times do I have to tell you?!” Woo Hyo-Yeol yelled.

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young! Mr. Lee Ki-Young... are you okay?” Nam Goong-Seon asked.

“They’re coming! Block them, Nam Goong-Seon!” Woo Hyo-Yeol ordered.

“O-Okay!” Nam Goong-Seon answered.

“How much holy power do you have left?” Woo Hyo-Yeol asked.

“I’m almost out...” Nam Goong-Seon replied.

“

Haa... haa... haa... haa...

”

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young... Mr. Lee Ki-Young!” Lim Chae-Ryeong shouted.

“Melody of Protection!” No Dam-Hye cast.

Kaboooooooom!

“Shiiit...” I mumbled.

“What was that? Mr. Lee Ki-Young! Mr. Lee Ki-Young!” Lim Chae-Ryeong yelled.

“

Oof... bleeergh!

”

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young is acting strange! Hyo-Yeol oppa! Oppa, are you listening to me?!” Lim Chae-Ryeong yelled.

“Damn it!” Woo Hyo-Yeol yelled.

“Hyo-Yeol oppa! Mr. Lee Ki-Young is strange!” Lim Chae-Ryeong repeated.

“I know that,” Woo Hyo-Yeol said.

“

Uh... uh!

”

Naturally, I realized what happened to me while I was away.

They had a meeting before the Elf Queen Elena Raid. After talking to the party members, they proceeded with the battle. The expedition members moved forward while burning the demon plants with holy power.

They were just about to reach their destination, but they couldn’t move forward because the path was blocked. The images popped into my head like a panorama. I almost lost consciousness from the sudden influx of information, but my mind was clearing up.

My senses were still dull, but the pain and my throbbing head told me that I had returned to reality. The stench of blood and the filth in the forest stung my nose, and the voice I heard sounded extremely real.

‘Did I get the memories of the next guy?’

I had no idea whether they were injected into me or I absorbed them naturally, but I accepted the fact that I was him and he was me. The data was successfully moved into me, so I couldn't help but remember that previous incident.

"Looks like this is as far as you can go."

“...”

"Ah! Oppa! How many times has it been already?! I told you that this was going to be a problem! It’s because Kasugano stirred up some unnecessary trouble... and why the hell were you there—wait..."

“...”

"This bastard is fuckin’ smart! Do you know what would’ve happened if I hadn’t implanted the hint?!"

The voice clearly belonged to Lee Ji-Hye.

"I’m going to reset it."

‘Bastards.’

Based on the situation, I was sure that they had already performed a reset. I couldn’t figure out why the being that ought to have been discarded regained control, but I knew what I experienced.

I also knew what was going on with me.

‘I was a dummy.’

I didn’t want to admit it, but I had to do so. It wasn’t just because of Lee Ji-Hye's words. The things I saw clearly showed that I was one. The so-called hint was probably when I contacted her the moment I started having doubts, or when I started denying the truth.

‘It’s probably the former.’

That was what I thought...

Despite knowing that I couldn't say anything, I still asked, and I couldn't understand why I did that.

‘Kasugano... how is she involved in this?’

The answer was pretty obvious because she couldn't really make a move. Even as I was putting together the puzzle pieces in my head, I was feeling worried.

The thought that Lee Ki-Young and Lee Ji-Hye were probably aware that I had returned kept on disturbing me. When I recalled that scene, I realized that thinking this way wasn’t even allowed.

Anyway, any negative thoughts toward them or plotting a so-called coup would be relayed to them. I also got a bit scared that perhaps they could read my thoughts...

“Damn it...” I mumbled. Obviously, I couldn’t stop thinking. My head was overflowing with things I hadn't seen or heard before.

I wanted to ignore them, but I couldn’t. Despite remembering that they were watching me right now, the things I saw in the ocean remained in my head.

If they were watching me right now, why weren’t they interfering?

Could it be that they couldn’t interfere?

Or were they testing to see how far their experiment could go?

This wasn’t strange for Lee Ki-Young and Lee Ji-Hye. It was not an exaggeration to say that they enjoyed watching their experiments. Were they interested in seeing how far I could go, or could it be that they simply wanted to watch?

Were they interested in seeing how much their experiment could struggle? If they really knew everything about me, then they were probably observing me in order to get data they could use in their experiments later.

The mixed memories were gradually taking shape, like a puzzle coming together. Just a moment ago, I couldn’t move at all, but now, I was able to wiggle my fingers. It felt as if my mind and body were synchronizing.

The entity that was supposed to have been discarded was undoubtedly taking over this body.

“Lee Ki-Young... damn it!” Woo Hyo-Yeol shouted.

“Oppa! Reinforcements! It’s reinforcements!” Lim Chae-Ryeong yelled.

“Mr. William! He’s here! Mr. William...”

“Break through them!”

“Saint Lee Ki-Young! Is he okay?!” William asked.

“A little more! A little more!”

‘What did I see before coming up? Did I really see what I think I saw?’

“Defense formation around Mr. Lee Ki-Young,” he ordered.

What I remembered the most was, of course, the sea of data, but the memories from before that were unclear. My mind was foggy—no, it was glitching, as if there was an error, but I could understand the voices of the data.

‘They’re probably things that happened in Dummy World, right?’

They were things that hadn't happened in my memories.

I was aware that I was a dummy, but the memories in my head clearly belonged to Lee Ki-Young.

I analyzed the dummies’ lines using Lee Ki-Young’s memories to figure out the overall timeline.

As always, I wasn’t certain... but I was sure there was some kind of deal.

After the continental dungeon incident, Dummy World was neglected, so they ran out of resources. Had the dummies demanded a contract with Lee Ki-Young when they realized that they were running out of resources?

Obviously, Lee Ki-Young had no memories of that. Information about who contacted first, the timing, and the details of the contract were all locked. I simply organized the memories I had seen in the sea of data.

The pieces I got from that place were the only things I could rely on right now.

"Don’t go, Hye-Jin."

‘So Dummy Hye-Jin... probably came here as well. I was wondering why she was suddenly acting that way...’

"We can overcome this. It’s a fair deal."

‘We held out surprisingly well despite not having an administrator with real authority. Unfortunately, that was when Dummy World started falling apart.’

"I beg you with all my heart, please consider this trade."

‘In the end, the trade was a success.’

The fact that I was here was the biggest evidence.

Of course, I didn't really feel out of place. However, just what kind of situation was this? I had Lee Ki-Young’s memories, but I still had to consider myself as a dummy... Why couldn’t I remember memories of Dummy Ki-Young, then?

The conversations between Dummy Hyun-Sung, Dummy Ki-Young, Dummy Hye-Jin, and Dummy Ha-Yan that I heard in the sea had no effect on my emotions.

Even if I knew the events that took place in the Dummy World, I couldn't empathize with nor understand them. It was a burden I had to carry, but I was unaware of it. I could guess why this kind of setup was made, but I needed a more concrete reason.

Perhaps...

‘Returning wasn’t part of the contract...’

Locating and fixing Flower Ki-Young was probably a necessary process to make me the admin of Rohen. If my memories as a dummy were retained, Dummy Ki-Young would certainly choose his hometown over Rohen...

Perhaps that was the reason they sealed my memories... to prevent that.

“

Haa... haa... heuk...

” I panted.

“Lee Ki-Young... Lee Ki-Young!” Woo Hyo-Yeol yelled.

I was not sure whether I could support that argument, but right now, Flower Ki-Young was clearly at ease.

‘I’m back.’

“Lee Ki-Young! You bastard!” Woo Hyo-Yeol shouted.

‘I’ve returned to where I’m supposed to be.’

In Lee Ki-Young's eyes, Rohen was more important than the Dummy World, at least right now.

Lim Chae-Ryeong was shaking me vigorously while crying.

Woo Hyo-Yeol and William were creating a path while cutting down the vines charging at them. No Dam-Hye was playing her music, while Nam Goong-Seon was squeezing out every last drop of her holy power.

The moment I realized the Blue Guild wasn’t mine, I became obsessed with those idiots.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to describe it as a sense of defeat. I was aware of the information related to Dummy Ki-Young and Dummy World, but as long as I had Lee Ki-Young’s identity within me, it was hard to empathize with those mere blocks of data.

‘Damn it. I’m getting a headache.’

“

Haa... haa...

”

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young? Mr. Lee Ki-Young!” Lim Chae-Ryeong shouted.

“What are you doing, Lee Ki Young?!” Woo Hyo-Yeol yelled.

‘What do you mean... I’m doing this to help you guys.’

A wreath of light appeared on my head.

I stood up shakily and extended my hand to channel my holy power.

“Sir!”

‘This looks like the chapter where the priests can get some experience points...’

At this rate, they wouldn't make any progress.

The flower petals of light that flew out from my fingertips created a path.

The grotesque plants melted and screeched. The tentacle-like vines, flowers with hundreds of teeth, and the plants that kept spewing out gray smoke from the mountain peak disappeared instantly.

“Mr. Lee Ki-Young... any more and you will!”

‘I’m fine.’

“

Haa... haa...

” I panted.

This was probably all I could do.

When the encroaching plants dwindled in numbers, William and Woo Hyo-Yeol gritted their teeth and cleared the path. I was sure we were close to Elf Queen Elena’s shelter, and they knew that I squeezed out everything I had to make a path for them, so they definitely knew that they had to reach Elf Queen Elena.

‘Are we done here?’

After capturing Elena, she would most likely give us a reward that would boost the priests' strength. We would then be one step closer to the Demon King of Sunset’s Castle.

I took a deep breath.

‘What are you going to do now?’

“What... are you going to do now...” I mumbled.

‘They’re probably watching.’

They probably saw everything and figured out the errors...

‘What now, damn it?’

Their twisted experiment was probably by over...

‘I wonder if they’ll reset me again.’

They could easily do that.

The return of Flower Ki-Young... was like a miracle to me, but in their eyes, it was probably just a small bug. It was nothing more and nothing less than a small incident that could actually happen, and they had a button that could delete me anytime...

‘If only I realized it a bit sooner...’

When that ridiculous thought popped into my head...

[The Boy Adorned With Earrings of Truth is sending you a secret message.]

‘Uh...’

[The Boy Adorned With Earrings of Truth smiles while looking at you.]

The fact that I returned from that place was probably not a coincidence.

I had no idea which one it was, but one of the wastes managed to complete his mission.

‘But...’

“...”

‘But why are you a boy, you heartless jerk?’