Chapter 19.1
Chapter 19.1
This isn’t life. It’s a novel. Existence instantly becomes a role.
“Hey, don’t overthink it right now.”
Perhaps noticing Adeline’s darkening expression, Luce clapped loudly. It pulled her from her spiraling thoughts, but a tightness lingered in her chest, a heavy weight settling upon her.
“Nothing’s certain yet. Let’s figure things out slowly as we go. Honestly, I’m proud of myself for even surviving this far.”
‘I thought I was going to die,’ Luce added after swallowing a segment of orange.
“If you thought you were going to die, why did you come out? It’s not like you.”
“Something like repentance.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it.”
Finished eating, he flopped back onto the bed behind him. He was the Luce she knew, the always amiable, playful Luce Gradel. The contrast with his anxious demeanor in the labyrinth warmed her heart. A faint smile touched Adeline’s lips.
“Hey, you know you’ll become a pig if you eat and sleep all the time…”
“It’s fine. I don’t gain weight easily.”
“So annoying.”
“Hey, remember that time you came back from training and your strawberry cake was gone from the fridge? You went ballistic, threatening to kill everyone.”
“Oh, I remember. I think I beat someone to death.”
“That was me.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“…You pulled my hair, too.”
“Couldn’t help it. Damian bought it for me.”
“Damian. Damian… You really landed a good husband. The fact that I even made it this far is thanks to Damian.”
“….”
“Now that I think about it, Damian might actually be alive too. Even if he died, if this is a game, wouldn’t there be something like resurrection?”
A brief silence fell. Adeline stiffened at the name, an unwelcome memory surfacing. She hadn’t told Luce yet.
How should she even begin? Damian appeared, but he wasn’t Damian. People said he wasn’t human. No matter how she started, she felt like she would crumble by the end. Adeline was afraid of that. Since coming ‘out,’ she’d been meticulously striving to maintain her composure. To assess the situation accurately. To think. To act.
“Still, I’m so glad you’re here, Luce. Thank you. And I’m sorry. All those injuries you got… it’s all my fault.”
“What’s this all of a sudden? So cheesy. They’re all gone without a trace anyway. The healers here… our district doctors would all starve if they came here.”
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to about this stuff. I’m a bit shy with strangers.”
“That’s surprising.”
“Hey, don’t flatter yourself. You’re not my type.”
“Neither are you!”
Luce grimaced, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse.
“You should get going. You have that meeting or whatever, right? Oh, speaking of which, you should ask for money or something. I heard you asked that frosty guy to fight with you?”
“Yeah. He looked strong.”
“What’s so important about that?”
“It’s important. There are survivors.”
The memory of the massacre over a decade ago was inevitable. If there had been more people like Damian back then, perhaps more lives could have been saved.
“Even so, to those people, it’s just a game… Ah, whatever. Do what you want.”
“Yeah. You get some rest.”
“It’s my first day off in a while, so I plan to.”
Adeline chuckled, walked out, and reached for the doorknob. That’s when it happened.
“Hey, Adeline.”
“What?”
“Can I borrow that book?”
“Book?”
“You know, ‘Escape.’ I’m bored. And I feel like I might learn something if I keep reading it.”
Adeline shrugged and rummaged through the army bag tucked in the corner. In the most concealed spot, within a hidden pocket, lay ‘Escape,’ safe and sound.
“Make sure you put it back.”
“Yeah.”
Their farewell was brief. That was the kind of relationship they had. Not quite in the same group, but close friends. The kind who could tease each other lightheartedly whenever they met.
And for that, she was even more grateful. For not being alone in this strange underground world.
***
Twelve guilds in total participating in the raid.
The objective, simply put, was to reclaim District 11, known as the starting zone. With a bit of embellishment, it was the restoration of humanity’s pride.
From Leon, it was just Geto and her. Eric, claiming to be swamped with work, would join later. Truthfully, Adeline should have come alone today, but after Eric’s bombshell announcement, both Bruja and Geto had insisted on joining the raid.
Eric had firmly stated that he wouldn’t allow officers to participate. However, he couldn’t stop Geto, a warrior who loved the battlefield, from attending what was essentially a preordained feast.
Adeline surveyed the vast hall. The participating guilds were seated at their respective tables. A tense atmosphere permeated the air.
“As expected, my guild is like family. Shade himself showed up.”
Geto’s excited voice boomed above her.
Adeline looked around. No matter how much she scanned the hall, she couldn’t see anyone who looked overwhelmingly powerful.
“Shade? That world number one? Where is he?”
She asked, recalling her conversation with Woo Yune. Was it level 240 he’d mentioned? Seeing her searching, Geto let out a hearty laugh.
“You won’t find him like that. See that guy over there in the corner, sitting alone with his robe pulled over his head?”
Only then did she notice a lone figure sitting in the far corner of the hall. The man, shrouded in a jet-black robe, wasn’t particularly large.
“Ah, that person over there. He’s… very inconspicuous.”
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