Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World Chapter 83

“Mr. Origin, you’re the one who created it, right?”

 

[ What do you mean by that? ]

 

Despite Hwashin’s question, the Origin asked back in a flat, monotone voice.

 

Hwashin shrugged his shoulders.

 

“The number of souls that can exist in a single dimension is limited. That’s why I entered the dimension where Cha Jaeha is instead of Riel, right? There, I entered Yoo Hwashin’s body and gained his memories. But there was one thing. A part that didn’t make sense.”

 

Thanks to obtaining the memories, he had been able to adapt much faster.

 

But there was something he couldn’t know.

 

Yoo Hwashin’s family, his friends, his origin, his past.

 

Even though he could access all the information about this dimension, there was only one thing missing.

 

He knew absolutely nothing about Yoo Hwashin’s past. Far from having related memories, the only thing he could glean through the body was information about the world itself.

 

But it’s strange, isn’t it? To have all the information to understand the world but possess no memories of oneself.

 

“Yoo Hwashin’s body was like a doll. A doll prepared solely to provide information.”

 

The character named Yoo Hwashin didn’t exist; he was created. Specifically to house a dragon’s soul.

 

[ Interesting. But can you be so sure just because you lack memories of a past? ]

 

“As someone loved by destiny, I can be certain. The flow and total amount of destiny are immutable laws, Mr. Origin. I know this as well as you do.”

 

Hwashin opened his hand and then clenched it tight.

 

“Creating a physical vessel to belong to a dimension wouldn’t have been a simple process. To make that body belong to a dimension, it needs a suitable background.”

 

His expression was unreadable, but the Origin spoke as if amused.

 

[ …..Go on. ]

 

“To create the vessel, you would have sculpted the character named Yoo Hwashin from beginning to end. Naturally, a past and a narrative would have been created along with it. But by the time a new soul is inserted, this character’s past must not exist. If it did, there would be two Yoo Hwashins. So, you removed that past entirely to prevent the total amount of destiny from increasing, right?”

 

The Origin’s expression remained unreadable. In the first place, there was no way to even verify if its face was actually attached to the top of its head.

 

Elric kept his legs crossed and maintained a smiling face.

 

“But a variable occurred during that process. I entered the place where a dragon was supposed to go. At that time, you showed tolerance for the first time, and you probably didn’t expect that tolerance to lead to this. There was no precedent. Ah, I’m not particularly blaming you. It worked out well for me.”

 

For the first time, it sounded like the Origin let out a sigh.

 

[ You are right. ….However, I’m starting to regret it. I shouldn’t have put you in instead of the dragon. Putting in a soul with a ‘name’ made the total amount of destiny quite ambiguous. Not that I told you to die, though. Why on earth did you go and die? You’ve distorted so many things that it’s become a nuisance. ]

 

Hwashin grinned widely at the answer he had been waiting for.

 

“We just have to put it back.”

 

[ Young mage, you are already dead. In both dimensions. ]

 

“But the place where I died was a different space within that dimension.”

 

[ ….Child, being reckless for a hundred years is enough. ]

 

“In that dimension, ‘Yoo Hwashin’s’ soul died. The status window said so. The person named Yoo Hwashin is dead.”

 

[ Yes. I’m telling you, you’re dead. Do my words sound like a joke to you? ]

 

“No, I’m saying I’m not dead.”

 

Hwashin pointed at his own face.

 

“I’m Elric, not Yoo Hwashin.”

 

The cluster of light flickered as if flustered.

 

[ …..What? ]

 

“Back when I was in the place where the dragons lived, Riel always called me Elric. Why do you think that is? It’s because in their eyes, which can see souls, I am still Elric. In other words, the one processed as dead in that dimension was Yoo Hwashin, not Elric.”

 

[ Hey, you. ]

 

“This means that while the newly born Yoo Hwashin is dead, Elric’s soul is alive. What I want now is to return to that empty shell. This time, as the complete soul of Elric. If two souls entering at once ruined the dimension, and two souls disappearing simultaneously ruined the dimension…”

 

Hwashin’s eyes crinkled. He gave another bright smile.

 

“How about fixing it by putting me back, Origin?”

 

The Origin laughed heartily. Once the laughter died down, the Origin spoke in a low, heavy voice.

 

[ …..Do you think that will go exactly as you want? ]

 

“Will it not?”

 

[ At least beg me—. ]

 

“Please, I’m asking you. Put me back.”

 

[ ….Why on earth is my kid friends with a guy like you? ]

 

“Has your way of speaking changed slightly, Mr. Origin?”

 

[ Ahem. Anyway. ]

 

The cluster of light snapped its fingers. A book popped out of thin air. A familiar title was written on the spine.

 

[ As you say, it is actually possible to send you back there. But a price is required. Because regardless, to balance things out, the previous development must be completely changed. Think about it. The dragons told you, didn’t they? This book is not a novel. ]

 

“They said it was a real world.”

 

[ Yes, that’s right. Novel, dimension, causality—all of it is important. But the most important thing is that the characters living in that world must be convinced. Your resurrection. To create a situation where the reversal of destiny can be accepted requires great power. I am very tired as well. ]

 

“…..You’ve already ruined it all anyway.”

 

[ ….Regardless, you will have to pay a very heavy price if you want to have your way. ]

 

Darkness gradually descended upon the pure white world. Pitch-black darkness enveloped them. Only the Origin, made of light, shone. In the darkness where Hwashin couldn’t even see his own body, he only stared at the light before him.

 

[ You’ll have to experience it for yourself to know what that price is. Even so, do you still want to return to that world? ]

 

“Of course.”

 

The Origin couldn’t understand his nameless young dragon and this young magician. Why would they sacrifice themselves for others, for other races?

 

The Origin asked.

 

[ ….Truly. I want to ask the reason. You have no obligation to balance this dimension, and if you wish, you could live peacefully reading with your friend. So why do you insist on going back? ]

 

“Are you curious about the reason?”

 

The cluster of light spread out in all directions upon hearing Hwashin’s answer.

 

Even after hearing that answer, the Origin still didn’t understand him.

It probably never would.

 

Instead of understanding, curiosity bloomed. Suppressing an emotion felt for the first time in a long while, the Origin spoke calmly.

 

[ Fine. I shall tell you the way to return to your original dimension. But in the end, it is something you must achieve. I am merely showing you the path. Young magician, I hope your choice is the right one. ]

 

Whoosh—

 

The space gradually shrank and vanished.

 

Before long, Hwashin returned to where Riel was. Riel rushed over with his long hair flying, checking Hwashin from head to toe. The elder dragon, with his eyes wide open, also grabbed Hwashin’s shoulders and shook him.

 

“Why were you there so long?”

 

“Hey, young man! What kind of conversation did you have with the Origin?!”

 

“Everyone, calm down. Old man, your blood pressure is going to go up at this rate.”

 

“You’re the only one who would worry about a dragon’s blood pressure, you young magician!”

 

What was he supposed to do if the dragons were more frantic than humans? 

 

In any case, Hwashin had obtained what he wanted. The words the Origin left behind were hints. Yes, he already knew the way to cross over to that place.

 

The price he had to pay also naturally flowed into his mind.

 

“This body is weak to begin with, though.”

 

Rotating his stiff neck, Hwashin ignored one of the elder dragons clinging to his leg and looked at the books. The shelves were filled with books.

 

“You said I shouldn’t read these books, right?”

 

Following Elric’s gaze, Riel’s eyes also moved upward.

 

“….Well, you can’t read the books you appear in.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“In the first place, since you belonged to that dimension, reading the current <Your Hero Is Here> is no different from reading the future. The only books you can probably read are those that have nothing to do with you at all.”

 

“Alright, fine.”

 

Hwashin rolled up his sleeves. Riel couldn’t understand why he was unnecessarily pulling up his shirt.

 

“Riel. Take down all the books starting from over there.”

 

“….Why?”

 

Riel looked at Hwashin with a puzzled face.

 

“Because from now on, I have to read all of these books.”

 

***

 

“…..Does he not sleep?”

 

A middle-aged man, a dragon with bulging muscles, chewed on some jerky. Leaning back with a bored expression, he stared blankly at the guy who had been doing nothing but reading books for the past few days.

 

“That mage fellow is going to get a turtle neck like me at this rate.” 

 

“….Old man, that’s because you’ve been doing that for over 500 years. He hasn’t even hit 200 days yet.”

 

It was exactly 200 days since the magician had crossed over to this side. Claiming he would return, he had abruptly started reading every single book on the shelves.

 

Riel sat beside him, still reading <Your Hero Is Here II>, where Yoo Hwashin had disappeared. Originally, the pages turned easily, but recently, they hardly moved at all. Cha Jaeha had started traveling alone again, and Yoo Jian had gone on a leave of absence. All of this had happened in just a few pages of the book.

 

“Hey, progress isn’t being made because you’re not there, Elric. When on earth are you going to achieve the goal you mentioned? You’ve already read through half the shelf of bad ending books.”

 

Even at this moment, the pages were being filled.

 

Without even a proper time to sleep, Hwashin started reading the books as they came in. Randomly. All of them. But it was still not enough.

 

That. He just needed to find that one thing.

 

If he found that, he could return without any distortion. Of course, he might appear in a slightly unpleasant way, but now wasn’t the time to be picky. 

 

Flip flip flip—

 

Hwashin’s hand, which had been rapidly turning the pages, stopped.

 

Finally.

 

“….Found it.”

 

At Hwashin’s words, surrounded by a mountain of books, dragons from here and there poked their heads out.

 

“What?”

 

“Find what?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Let me see too, me too!”

 

“Old man, calm down.”

 

In the midst of the dragons’ fuss, Hwashin smiled and held up a single book.

 

Since the content of the dimension was so small, it seemed it had been difficult to find because it was included in an anthology. Furthermore, several pages inside the book had been torn out. Riel called such cases ‘terribly broken dimensions,’ which made Hwashin want to find it even more. No, he had to find it.

 

「Treasure Castle」

 

Through this book, the treasure-like moment Hwashin was looking for would be created.