I cautiously called out my sister’s name.
“Jung Eunseo……?” I sounded like I just woke up. It was unbelievable. It had been so long that I had called out her name to look for her that my nose started to tingle and my heart felt stiff. I pulled up the familiar blanket and took in a deep breath. I had a thought at the same time.
‘Is this part of the guardian spirit’s test too?’
Maybe there was nobody beyond that door and this was just an illusion inside my mind.
‘Being stabbed was just all part of a mental torture……’
“What is it? Are you hurting somewhere? I’m coming in!”
Flinch. I heard a clear voice outside the door. I got chills down my entire body and my body hair went stiff. This was an unexpected development. Eunseo did not wait for me to answer and immediately opened the door.
This was very much like her.
– Click!
“……”
‘Ah……’
“You look fine though?”
It really was Jung Eunseo. It really was my sister.
“Do you have a fever? You have a blank look on your face.”
My sister, the one I desperately longed for during the past year, the one I was scared that I would never get to see again.
My world.
“What’s wrong with you? Should I call eldest bro over?” I didn’t say anything and the little kid’s face turned serious.
Beyond the room door was a morning presence that I had been dreaming about. Click, siiiiiizzle…… The sound of my brother frying eggs on the pan. The smell of fresh rice and the crows of the magpies. The faint sound of the 8am news on the TV. The noise from a moving company’s ladders going up. This memory-like environment with all those things happening around me.
“……”
I blankly stared at my sister. I could see her short hair that she could barely tie up in the back. Her favorite chick-colored hooded t-shirt and her elastic jeans. The cheap spotted socks we bought at the mart squirmed. I chuckled like an idiot after seeing her eyes that were swollen from crying before she went to bed.
Like a creature underwater rising deep from the sea… It came out extremely slowly.
“……Here.”
The little twenty year old baby who looked so much like my older brother.
“Huh?”
“Come here.”
“What the hell? You’re scaring me. Are you really sick?”
I motioned with my hand and called out to her in a hoarse voice, making my sister have a disgusted look on her face. I was grateful and thought she was such a good girl for still coming over.
I slowly hugged Eunseo once she came up to the bed. I couldn’t put any strength into it because I was scared she would break or disappear.
“Ew! Why are you being so disgusting?!” My sister screeched. But she didn’t push me away and just lightly punched my back a few times.
I had never hugged Eunseo since she turned about ten years old. I thought she might be uncomfortable having her adult brothers hugging her. But I didn’t have the time to think about those things right now. Her small bundle of warmth spread throughout my body. I felt relieved and my eyes started to feel warm.
This was real. My throat tightened and the tension released once I had that confirmation.
“Sooob……”
It was not a dream this time. It was for real.
“Second bro, are you crying?”
My head slowly lowered. A flustered Eunseo tried to look at my face but I did not manage to raise my head. My sister patted my back and urgently looked for my brother.
“Eldest bro! Second bro is sick! He’s even crying!”
“He’s crying?!”
I heard a surprised shout. My brother ran into the room carrying a spatula.
I rushed to hug him too. My throat was wide open and I could not speak properly. I could only make sounds like an animal.
“Sob, sob, ugh……”
“Jung Yeseo, where does it hurt? Should I call 911? Huh?”
“I think he needs to go to the hospital. He’s never done something like this before!”
Eunseo and my brother took turns looking me over. I could see the pattern on my brother’s apron in front of me despite my hazy vision. I couldn’t help but chuckle after making eye contact with the familiar pink pig. I heard it was bad to start laughing in the middle of crying, but I could not stop either.
The two of them frantically discussed the ER or whatnots. I hugged the two of them for a long time. I did not let go of them until my arms went numb.
“Second bro, did you have a nightmare? Is that what happened?”
“Sob, sob, sooooob……”
I had returned home. But I was not fine.
It had been one year.
*
The night at the desert was burning in ruby and gold. It looked like the end of the world was coming.
– Ruuuumble……!
– Baaaaaaaaaang!
“Aaaaaaaaaak!”
Intense vibrations shook the Temple of Boundaries. Scared shrieks and screams could be heard all around. Craaaaaack! The ancient and sturdy wall cracked and the chandeliers in the ceiling looked ready to fall at any moment.
The commotion that had started underground seemed to be quickly spreading to the surface. The Vatican knights turned pale and started to move. One wrong move could lead to a large number of casualties.
“Get out! Everybody get out of the temple now! Hurry up!”
“Don’t scatter! Maintain formation as you move!”
– Booboboboooooooooom!
“Aaah!”
“Over there! Evacuate the residents outside the building!”
“You guys come with me to escort the Cardinals!”
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!” Orders and shouts chaotically piled up on top of the screams. The soldiers were pale as they ran around. The area was chaotic with tears and shock.
Vicarius Generalis Ronald Rupert, Imperial Crown Prince Cédric and crown princess Elise had all not managed to get out of the underground area. That group was naturally stuck down there as well. But this was not the time to think about rescuing those important people. They could not do that. They were the ones who had caused this issue.
“Our child! Our child is on the upper floor!”
“No, Bishop-nim!”
“Please! My child is in there! My daughter!”
“We cannot let you in because it may crumble!”
“No! No! Please!”
One of the bishops was being held back by soldiers as she shrieked. Everybody understood the desperation she was feeling. But they could not let her inside. They did not know when the temple might crumble. It was a dangerous ticking time bomb, a magnificent yet ferocious beast.
It was a painful and unbelievable time for people who never believed something like this could happen.
“Please save her! Please help my daughter!”
“I’m sure your daughter will make it out, Bishop-nim!”
“She’s three years old! She needs me, she’s three! Aaah!”
The people who had evacuated with her covered their mouths after hearing that the child was three years old. They could only tap their feet with nervousness because they did not dare to sigh in front of the mother.
Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuumble! Babang! The white pillars underneath the black branches of the World Tree started to break like chips. It could not withstand the intense impact that shot up from underground. The crowd let out cries of pity.
It was at that moment.
– Babababang…… Baaaaaaaaaang!
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”
A large explosion happened at a spot on the roof. The thick marble roof cracked like sugar. The group covered their heads with their arms and crouched down to the ground. Some of them gathered the courage to take a look. Their jaws dropped in shock.
Cutting across the dark night sky……
– Riiiiiiip!
“My goodness……!”
They saw a shielding sundew the size of a house. Its black and brown vines were as thick as the temple pillars. One of the soldiers pointed and shouted.
“Boss! Look over there! There are people stuck to it!”
“My goodness!”
– Shhhhhhhhhhhh!
On the large crescent-moon shaped leaf were long fuzzy sepals. The people, who had gathered like clouds, blinked in disbelief. Dozens of people were stuck to the sticky sepals, being brought down to the ground. Temple staff, caravan workers, everybody was safe.
The teary bishop shouted in a coarse voice. “Over there! It’s my daughter! My daughter is over there!”
“Ahhh……!”
“Oh Almighty God! A holy being has helped us!”
Applause and cheers filled the area at the surprising miracle as if they had never despaired. The thick vine soon landed in the safe area in front of the temple. The people dangling on the leaves extended their arms toward their family and friends and cried. The group hugged each other in relief. The elderly and children came out of the largest leaf. The bishop, who had been looking for her daughter, ran through the sand while barefoot.
The soldiers on guard opened their eyes after seeing some unexpected faces.
“They are……”
They were guests from the Empire. Viscount Rambouillet, his wife, their daughter-
– The powerless should move farther back. This is still too close.
A majestic voice came out of Isabelle’s mouth. The knights looked at her in surprise. Her eyes, which had turned bronze, were glowing mystically.
The woman withdrew the rotten vine and calmly continued.
– The Archbishop of fire has overloaded in the Holy Room.
“Excuse me?!” Everybody turned pale.
The rest of the Viscount’s group were hugging divine beasts in the back, crying. The sulking little animals weren’t moving at all as if they were dead. A priest with a blank look on his face and a young noble had plopped down on the ground. The sand became drenched despite it not being a rainy night. The feelings flowed silently like a river.
‘Bababang!’ The explosions and the rumbling continued by the temple.
– The Cardinal of fire is holding him back but neither are showing signs of withdrawing. The Archbishop of water and the Cardinal of air have entered the fray as well.
“Gasp……”
– I also saw the Vicarius Generalis using his healing powers. Someone is alive, but he will not fully recover.
“Then, then soon-”
– The chances of stigmata being used is high.
Some of the residents gasped. The knights immediately turned around and scattered in perfect order. They then stood apart at set distances so that everybody could hear. Loud warnings soon echoed through the desert.
“Stigmata! Stigmata! Stigmata!”
“Stigmata! Stigmata! Stigmata!”
They just repeated that word without explaining anything else. But that was enough. The crowd underneath the faint moon urgently packed their stuff. They consoled crying children and quickly got in line. There seemed to be around 1,000 people.
Viscount Clément Rambouillet stepped up saying he would volunteer his carriages and wagons. Lady Marise went to look for the fastest horse and its rider. The situation was turning more dire by the minute.
“You must go to her Majesty, do you understand?! You must go to the Empress Palace!”
“Yes, madam! Hut!”
– Neeeeeeeeeigh!
Clack, clack, clack! Baaaaang! The clacking of horse hooves and dreadful explosions mixed together. The temple was now burning up like a torch in the middle of the desert.
Isabelle, no, Hanan Rumayyan, looked back at everyone and held back a sigh. She had not awakened from her long slumber to experience such a tragedy. She did not come out of her tomb to get swept up in such a headache.
But this was the reality that could not be changed.
“…Your Majesty.”
Joanne called out to her in a teary voice. Hanan looked down at the pitiful girl. Her swollen eyes were completely drenched.
“What about our prince’s body? We will be able to recover it, right?”
“……”
Despite having spent 1,000 years in this world, she could not answer anything with certainty.
– Babababang!
The clouds of war were swarming this young era.
*
A few minutes later, I awkwardly grabbed my phone. It was on speakerphone so the sound was very loud. My brother and Eunseo had me standing at the center of the living room, while they sat on the couch waiting for the results.
I couldn’t help but bitterly smile.
‘Since when have I been so helpless against them?’
“……Yes, team leader-nim. I will do so. I’m very sorry.” I calmly answered.
Everything around me seemed so abnormal and magical. I had only spent one year in a different world, but the things that had been around me my whole life seemed so weird.
I teared up a bit after hearing my team leader greet me a bit earlier, because I was so happy to hear his voice. We didn’t have that close of a relationship, but he had always been good to me, so I had thought of him from time to time in the other world as well.
– Sorry for what? Don’t just say meaningless words and message me if things are too hard. This is why I’m always telling you to use your PTO when you have a chance. We’re pretty relaxed these days. Attorney Kim is saying the same thing next to me.
– Yettorney! (TL: Was Yeseo in legal? Seems like a nickname for Ye(Seo) Attorney) What do you mean by a half day off? Just take the whole day off!
“Hahaha……. Thank you very much.”
– Okay. Make sure to take your meds. Rest well.
“Yes, Thank you very much. I’ll see you later, sir.”
– Tsk! We said see you tomorrow. Bye!
“Yes sir. Enjoy your lunch, sir.”
– Yeah. You enjoy lunch too, Yettorney!
The rowdy call ended with a click. I saw some numbers pop up in white on the screen.
‘March 19th.’
It was the day after Eunseo cried so hard over the death of Jesse Venetiaan. Basically, everything I had experienced had happened over one night in this world. It didn’t sound real. I helplessly smiled and looked at my brother and sister.
Both of them scowled at the same time. ‘Wow, I missed that too.’
“You should listen to your team leader and take the day off. Your condition seems terrible today.”
“……Should I do that?”
I said that and Eunseo pointed at me while gasping at my brother. The way she was looking at my brother seemed to imply the following:
‘See, he’s not normal! I told you he is sick!’
“See, he’s not normal!”
“Hahahaha. What can I do when he says he is fine? He doesn’t have a fever either. As for you, you need to go to school. You said you start in second period today.”
“No, I think I need to stay home because I’m too worried about second bro. What if he faints or something? Eldest bro, you need to write so I need to look after him.”
“Not at all? If he faints I’m going to call my PD and go on hiatus? Are you trying to skip school?”
“Ah! Stop pushing me with your foot, ah!” Eunseo laughed and scowled at the same time before getting up.
My brother and I chuckled like idiots while seeing her off. Even the few steps to the door felt new and emotional. I was so happy to see my sister’s face that I wanted her to skip school. I wanted to be with her all day. But I could not do that. It was just a normal day here.
“Go.”
“Watch out for cars and be careful of people. Don’t read QNW while walking either. Don’t follow people who say they’ll give you something delicious.”
“What if it is a 5-Star Hotel Buffet?”
“Then call us over and take us with you.”
“Ahahahahahahaha!”
My brother and sister. Mother, friends, work buddies… Nobody knew about what I had experienced.
– Clunk!
The door closed with the usual morning banter between my siblings. I headed to the bathroom before eating a late breakfast. I told my brother I was going to wash my face and he made fun of my swollen eyes, saying, ‘okay, big eyes. Make sure to use cold water.’ I couldn’t help but scoff. A large mirror welcomed me once I turned the lights on and entered.
My heart thumped for a moment. I saw an extremely familiar face that I had not seen for a long time.
It was me.
“……”
My brown hair that was frequently grabbed by my teacher outside the school gate. My brown eyes. The memory of explaining that this was my natural hair color and my natural eye color all throughout freshman year quickly flashed through my mind. I slowly raised my left hand. The me in the mirror greeted me back with his right hand. I then pinched my cheeks. I scowled because it hurt. The me in the mirror seemed to be in pain as well.
“Ha……”
I grabbed the sink and lowered my head. I didn’t forget to turn on the water because I was scared of my brother hearing outside.
—
Translator’s Comments
So sad for Yeseo.