The Impact of the Author’s Intervention on a Blank Page - Chapter 42

[Dream Catcher]

The Dream Catcher, a characteristic he directly bestowed upon his brother as an apostle, was a kind of mental stabilizer. A method to take away the nightmares that tormented his brother and make him feel better.

But even that was just a temporary measure. Though his intentions weren’t malicious, he felt enormous guilt and anxiety about manipulating his brother’s mind. Moreover, since he had to do it without his brother’s knowledge, this characteristic had to be bestowed in a one-sided, private way that only he could see and his brother couldn’t. He had to deceive his brother.

Ja-hyun pondered for quite a while. In the end, with no other options, there was only one choice.

It was ultimately successful. After that, his brother improved. His unstable symptoms decreased significantly, and he rarely showed strange behavior anymore.

Somehow, his brother’s brighter and lighter attitude felt awkward compared to his original self, but that feeling was only temporary. After all, it didn’t mean his brother loved him any less.

However, they couldn’t continue living by repeatedly applying the Dream Catcher forever. While it might be fine once, they couldn’t know what side effects might occur if repeated multiple times.

Eventually, Ja-hyun found a fundamental solution to his brother’s problem repairing his brother’s soul.

It was fortunate that while searching for this method, the Administrator approached him with a good proposal. Although things were quite messy now, the contract itself was impossible to refuse. They would give him the worldview points needed to heal his brother as compensation.

Moreover, even if things went wrong, he could quit and return anytime. There was absolutely no reason to refuse such an offer.

Even in this situation, Ja-hyun couldn’t turn back. No matter how difficult it became, he couldn’t give up the contract by his own hands. He had to heal his brother.

But even an unusable escape button was better than none at all. Just having an emergency escape button provided comfort and reduced stress.

‘Though it’s problematic that the emergency escape button works in such a way…’

Ja-hyun hoped everything would be resolved well so he wouldn’t have to press that button. The method was rather unpleasant, after all.

The one way to forcibly break free from the restraints of an immortal body and return to the original world. The method to wake from the long dream in the white winter of the Northern Grand Duchy.

[Until the Curtain Falls (Special): You cannot die under any circumstances until the lifespan assigned to your role ends.]

[However, if you show the will to return, this characteristic will be temporarily suspended.]

A declaration of will related to lifespan.

In other words, it meant taking one’s own life voluntarily.

***

“Hah… hah…”

His breathing kept becoming rough without reason. Though he was clearly breathing, he felt dizzy as if lacking oxygen. Even as he curled up and panted, the pain only grew worse.

As if about to reveal the cause of these symptoms, an irritating system window tormented his optic nerves beyond his closed eyes.

[Insufficient modification points for maintaining the existence of the temporary supporting character ‘Raijin el Izatrix’.]

[Warning! Modification points needed for existence maintenance!]

[Warning! Random Phase 1 maladaptation phenomena occurring due to insufficient modification points for existence maintenance!]

[Current shortage of modification points: 200 points.]

Hah…. Ja-hyun sighed inwardly. If these points were so important, they should have warned him before they were automatically used. What was he supposed to do now that they were beeping for points back after letting them be used just because he had the authority?

Even when he tried to think of something else, his mind was helplessly drawn to the source of the pain.

There was nothing he could do now. He couldn’t breathe. Though he was breathing air, his instincts cried out for oxygen as if he were trapped in plastic.

“Huk… heok…”

His breathing quickened trying to draw in more of the insufficient air, and with each breath, his dizziness and pain intensified by the moment. He felt like a fish pulled out of water while still alive. He furrowed his brow and curled up. His eyes were unpleasantly damp.

“Haa, haa…. haa, heu…”

He was burning up. While he was shivering with cold, he was simultaneously hot. And yet he couldn’t breathe.

Then someone’s hand covered his wet eyes. He felt long, straight fingers wrap around his forehead above his nose. Ja-hyun, who hadn’t even realized someone was nearby, startled and placed his own hand over that hand.

The owner of the hand brought their lips close to his ear and whispered. It was a low, quiet voice mixed with breath.

“Shh… Stay still. I’m trying to help you.”

Even in his half-submerged consciousness, the familiar voice made his tension melt away. Though he couldn’t see anything with the other person covering his eyes, no other thoughts came to mind.

His oxygen-deprived brain couldn’t recall the complicated situation involving contracts, roleplaying, or his brother’s penalty. He instinctively called out to his brother as always, thinking his brother would comfort him like he always did.

“Br-brother…”

A brief but long silence fell at that call. Only after a moment did his brother give a drawn-out response.

“Yes.”

Another hand cupped his cheek and jaw, and then something soft touched his lips. Those lips met his own, which had been parted from his rough breathing.