How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 297 - (Epilogue) Return

“During the 5 years you were gone, I did my best to investigate that amulet. I gathered all kinds of scholars.”

Carlyn and Erendil talked about what had happened during the 5 years after their reunion. Of course, Erendil was the one doing most of the talking.

For Carlyn, it was just waking up from a long sleep. Their conversation continued past midnight.

“And some archaeologist found a nameless book deep in the imperial archives.”

“Was there any mention of the amulet?”

“It was a legend and a myth. It was about the creation of this continent, which has now disappeared. They say it was designated as a forbidden book long ago.”

“What was written in it?”

“It said that there was a world Lu Nuada created before creating this world. You could call it an experimental work.”

Erendil said this and looked at Carlyn with an awkward face.

“It’s absurd, but I had no choice but to dig into it, since you were trapped there. But the more I looked into it, the more convincing it seemed.”

Erendil’s following words were quite convincing to Carlyn as well.

“The problem with that world was that it corrupted the souls Lu Nuada himself created. So he created this current world.”

“That’s content worthy of being designated as a forbidden book.”

“Yes. It states that the god we worship created a world that sucks in souls.”

“It seems to be true.”

Carlyn recalled the Great Devil’s words. He had said, ‘This place is Lu Nuada’s…’ At the time, he wasn’t curious, but there was a connection.

The fact that mental power was gradually drained, driving one mad, also matched with the idea that the world corrupted souls.

One questionable point was that he had endured longer than the Great Devil. He could understand that it took 5 years for the Great Devil’s soul to disappear.

But it was difficult to explain how his own soul had endured. Because the density of souls differs for each being.

‘Even just thinking about Terka, the stronger ones lasted longer.’

Carlyn suddenly thought of the reason. He was a being with two merged souls. Perhaps that’s why he could endure longer than the Great Devil.

Well, either way, the Great Devil would have died in the end, but in a way, he was lucky.

It was because the Great Devil had to die for him to be able to escape from that place. He thought that perhaps the Amulet of the Season That Doesn’t Exist might have been the only solution.

If not that, then reaching the realm of Sword Lord with a battle value system rather than strategy.

“Is that so?”

Carlyn talked about his conversation with the Great Devil and his thoughts. Erendil also listened intently with a serious face.

“It sounds plausible, but it’s a bit irritating.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can’t know where or what that so-called god is doing, can we?”

Carlyn couldn’t know that either. Whether it’s the god believed in the East or the god believed in the Empire, they weren’t around even in the founding emperor’s era.

It was the same in the game. In a world where magical mana exists, there was no divine power.

There were several questions. Who sent Carlyn himself here? Was it Lu Nuada? Is this world really a game? Or did it use the game as a medium to select people?

As the contemplation deepened, Carlyn shook his head. It was no longer relevant.

This world had long since become reality for him. And more important than Lu Nuada or whatever was Erendil in front of him.

“You’re right.”

“How was it for you?”

“As I said earlier…”

“I know that. I just want to hear about the time from when you regained consciousness until you came to meet me. I have many questions for you.”

***

What awakened my submerged consciousness in the broken world of the non-existent season, the world of nothingness, was a system message. It was a notification I hadn’t heard in a long time.

Glowing letters appeared in the pitch-black darkness. That was all I could see.

My thoughts were functioning normally. Although it felt like waking up from a long sleep, I felt refreshed instead.

However, I had no physical sensations. It was as if only my mind was floating. Only sight and hearing existed.

I stared blankly at the message for a moment. I needed time to assess the situation.

[You have killed the Great Devil. You have achieved the challenge ‘Eternal Peace’. Congratulations.]

To be honest, I was a bit taken aback. It’s not that I had forgotten that the world I entered was inside a game. I recognized that it had become my reality, but I clearly knew my past.

I had even thought that I might be able to return to the original world after killing the Great Devil, so my bewilderment was for a different reason.

I had encountered system messages quite often. But this was the first time for a challenge achievement. It felt out of the blue, you could say.

Naturally, I felt a sense of déjà vu. It was right after the achievement notification when I first entered this world. The message updated.

[Continue Valhǫll]

[Return to original world]

This was one of the scenarios I had been thinking about for a long time. In fact, it was hard not to think about it. When everything ended, there were three possible situations:

Just being left here, just returning to Earth, or being given a choice.

In the past, I thought I would definitely choose to return to Earth. I had no choice. Back then, this world was too dangerous for me.

There was no hope of seeing the end. I just hoped that a message asking if I wanted to return suddenly would pop up tomorrow, the day after, or someday.

And I didn’t expect the connections I made in this world while spending time here to deepen this much.

‘I’m not sure.’

The funny thing was that even now, when everything was over, it was still difficult to make a decision. I had many connections here, but it wasn’t much different on Earth. In fact, the connections on Earth should be considered greater.

And before that, there was another part I was worried about. Because “Continue Valhǫll” could mean two things.

‘I won’t be trapped in this world of nothingness if I make the wrong choice, right?’

It was a sudden doubt. The possibility is low. After dealing with the Great Devil, surely they wouldn’t keep me trapped here. But I couldn’t overlook it.

Hmm, or am I thinking too deeply? Actually, the system messages had always helped me, never leading me astray.

Except for when it first put me into this game. I recalled what happened before my consciousness submerged. When I was trapped here with the Great Devil.

At that time, I thought the season that doesn’t exist was another world. That’s why even the Great Devil couldn’t escape immediately.

‘Continuing Valhǫll probably means sending me to the world of Valhǫll.’

I decided not to think too negatively. The remaining concern was one. Which world to return to.

There was a side I was leaning towards. There was just regret and lingering attachment. I worried about the future.

Could I live normally, as I used to, if I returned to Earth again? The divine doctor said my soul was in a merged state.

The fact that I had changed somehow was something I had suspected since coming to this world.

Given the life I had lived for the past decade or so and who I am now, life on Earth wouldn’t be peaceful. And honestly, too much time had passed.

As my soul merged, my emotions towards Earth became diluted, like water mixing in. They were fragments of memories and emotions.

Rational values remained, but this was the world where I had lived, clashing and risking my life with a merged soul. My goal had been to survive.

Therefore, the place closer to me and where I had lingering attachments was Valhǫll. There was another reason too.

‘If it weren’t for Erendil, I would have agonized more seriously.’

It would be a lie to say there was no difficulty or regret in the decision. It wasn’t an easy decision. I hesitated a bit more.

However, what held me back was the look in Erendil’s eyes at the last moment.

-Don’t get hurt.

-…I’ll try.

Our brief conversation in the season that doesn’t exist contained implications disproportionate to its length. Erendil told me to come back.

I said I would try. It was a promise between person and person, and between an emperor and her knight.

Now that I was given a choice, I had to keep my promise to Erendil and follow her orders. I made up my mind. There was no need to say it out loud.

As if reading my thoughts, only the message [Continue Valhǫll] remained before my eyes.

And something sucked me in. No, rather than being sucked in, it felt more like being pulled out of water.

“Huh?”

When I opened my eyes, I was on the Romanek Plain. The black and white plain that had been soaked in blood back then was now full of green vegetation.

The darkness was gone too. Probably disappeared when the Great Devil met its end.

I was the same. Just as I was when I moved to the season that doesn’t exist. Moonlight was in my hand, and my side was torn.

The only difference was that the wound that had been bleeding profusely was now clean as if naturally healed. Of course, a scar remained.

-…The darkness! The darkness is gone!

-Sir! Sir! The darkness has disappeared!

Noise carried by the winds came from afar. It seemed imperial soldiers remained. It was quite noisy. As I turned my gaze in that direction, I couldn’t help but be surprised.

The place where the imperial army was stationed looked so different from what I remembered.

The army that had filled the plain in a line back then was gone, and only a small outpost remained. There weren’t many soldiers either.

As I narrowed my eyes and looked in that direction, I could infer one fact.

‘It seems some time has passed.’

Well, time often flowed differently in the season that doesn’t exist. It wasn’t a huge difference, but it was slightly different.

Moreover, since the season that doesn’t exist had collapsed, it wouldn’t be strange if some time had passed.

I was a bit worried, but seeing the imperial army still here like this, I thought there wouldn’t be a big difference. Even from the conversation, they said the darkness that had covered the plain just disappeared.

I headed in that direction. The outpost became noisy once again as they saw me walking steadily from the middle of the plain.

-A, a, an unidentified person is walking this way!

-Lo-Lord Rudehrn!

Well, I thought it was understandable to be surprised. Of course, there would be a commotion when a person walks out from where the Great Devil disappeared.

I didn’t mind. From the conversation, Rudehrn should be there. And when they see my face, they’ll know it’s me.

“Schurtafen?”

“Sir?”

However, when I faced Rudehrn, I couldn’t help but be a little surprised. Even though a Sword Master ages slowly, they don’t reverse time.

And as a Sword Master and spy, I have quite good eyesight.

The Rudehrn in front of me looked older than when I last saw him. It was hard to explain with just 1 or 2 years.

“H-how on earth…?”

“By any chance, how much time has passed?”

Rudehrn was speechless for a moment. (+) ^[1] TLN: Originally, it’s not Rudehrn but Schurtafen. Since I think it’s the author mistake, I changed it to Rudehrn.

“It’s been 5 years since you disappeared.”

And then it was my turn to be speechless. 5 years? 5 years? My mind was in chaos. It was an unexpected amount of time.

Did the time difference get very tangled when the season that doesn’t exist collapsed? Or did time flow similarly, but I just can’t remember?

The latter possibility seemed quite high. Because all I remembered was the feeling of floating without even being able to think.

If it was the latter case, it meant the Great Devil endured for 5 years. Well, that wasn’t important.

“H-Her Majesty…”

My voice trembled as I spoke. Rudehrn gave a faint smile.

“She’s waiting for you.”

Hearing those words, I realized I didn’t have time to be like this. I turned my body. It’s time to run west.

Of course, the sprint didn’t last long. Rudehrn flew over on a dragon carriage from behind.

The plain where darkness hadn’t disappeared was still under surveillance for 5 years, even though nothing happened.

I sheepishly got on the dragon carriage.

***

I couldn’t talk about Earth or the game. Erendil, who heard the story after it went through one filter, burst into laughter.

“Did you run so urgently?”

“I heard Her Majesty was waiting.”

I felt heat rising to my face in embarrassment.

“It seems you wanted to see me too.”

“…I was thinking of running to Chenarus without resting or sleeping.”

“It’s fortunate then, as I would have seen you in poor condition.”

I smiled faintly, but Erendil narrowed her eyes and looked at me as if something was lacking.

“However, what I want to hear isn’t such roundabout words.”

“I missed you.”

Fortunately, I could blurt out the right answer immediately. Erendil smiled and looked out the window. It was the night view of the white city.

“I came a long way to hear these words.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Do you know that you’re the frustrating person I was talking about?”

“I knew.”

“Then that’s fine.”

I took a sip of wine. My thirst was severe.

“It’s late.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll withdraw for today. Please retire to bed.”

“Withdraw? I have no intention of sending you away yet.”

“It’s because I’m tired.”

At my words, Erendil widened her eyes and leaned forward.

“Are you hurting somewhere? Why didn’t you say so?”

“…That’s not it.”

Emotions were rebelling as much as the time they had been suppressed for so long. It was hard to control, feeling like they might burst at any moment.

Erendil looked at me and nodded. She seemed a bit dissatisfied.

“It’s alright, I feel the same.”

“Still…”

“Are you going to be a frustrating fool again?”

Erendil tilted her glass and swirled it.

“Schurtafen, it might feel short to you, but it was 5 years for me. It means the size of the emotions I’ve endured is much larger.”

I had no words to refute. Slender fingers stroked my cheek.

“But not yet. Let’s talk a bit more for now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I grabbed those fingers and put her small hand in mine. That warmth felt so hot it could burn.

• 1. TLN: Originally, it’s not Rudehrn but Schurtafen. Since I think it’s the author mistake, I changed it to Rudehrn.