ReLife Player

[Windless Day (20)]

Shin Seo-young has regained consciousness.

The Uijeongbu reclamation division returned to Seoul a few days after she regained consciousness.

No one welcomed them back.

The only good news they brought was the meager result of reclaiming Hoeryong Station.

It did more harm than good.

Of the more than 4,500 players who participated, fewer than 2,500 survived, including the wounded.

Moreover, the reclamation forces had lost four Twelve Seats.

Five of the Twelve Seats were vacant, including Nam gung-seong, who had effectively resigned from the Twelfth Seat for recuperation.

Even Shin Seo-young’s return to the Twelfth Seats was uncertain.

Public opinion heated up. The angry people did not hesitate to criticize the Fairy government and the return of the forces.

Public opinion didn’t change even after Moon Joon, the leader of the Twelve and Minister of the Mana Management Organization, bowed his head, and Fairy Im Gaeul admitted her mistake and expressed her apologies.

[‘Editorial’ Who Is Responsible for the Failed Reclamation of Uijeongbu?]

There has been growing support for the argument that the government system should revert to a presidential-centered one and that fairies should be managed as tools to protect humanity.

In the midst of this, a political figure made a controversial statement, announcing that if he became the president, he would establish cocoons in the regions that supported him.

The politician’s rhetoric foreshadowed what the ruling party would do with the Fairy Godmother once the government reverted to a presidential system.

It was argued that the ruling party could end up like the Chinese Communist Party, which turned the cocoon into a tool of fear politics.

In this way, public attention shifted from the failure to reclaim Uijeongbu to the form of government.

As if waiting for the moment,

[‘Exclusive’ <Queen> Shin Seoyoung, Leaves Changhae Clan!]

[‘Exclusive’ <Queen> Shin Seoyoung, «I confess that I was once a sub-lord of the Changhae Clan.»]

While hospitalized at Alice Hospital, Shin Seoyoung announced her intention to leave the Changhae Clan.

Furthermore, she confessed the corruption and atrocities of the Changhae Clan, as well as the clan’s ties to the regime.

Public interest flared up anew.

People couldn’t believe that she, once hailed as a hero before the recapture, suddenly declared her departure from the clan and even exposed the clan’s corruption.

Some criticized her, saying heroes should remain heroes, while others defended her conscience declaration.

All the while forgetting what they were angry about in the first place.

They surrendered to the flow.

The Silla Clan even helped her light the fire.

South Korea blazed with fury.

Changhae Clan countered that Shin Seo-young’s declaration of conscience was wrong, and Shin Seo-young shook the world with the exact explanation.

[Mana Management Organization, «There were troops who disobeyed orders and retreated during a mission»]

[ <Queen> Shin Seo-young, «I still can’t believe it, but Gil Sung-joon commissioned the murder.»]

[Changhae Clan Lord Gil Sung-jun in ‘Exclusive Interview’, «There is no such thing. Shin Seo-young’s confession is all a hollow lie»]

[Silla Clan Lord Kim Yoo-jin, «All the Clan Lords who were there saw it.» later claimed]

[What is the truth… Regulus Clan Lord Guyeounsu, «I will only tell the truth after careful consideration.»]

Furthermore, she ignited a new topic almost simultaneously with the Mana Management Agency.

While the Changhae Clan quickly released a clarification article, other clans, as if waiting, announced their stances.

The blame game shifted from blaming the Fairy Government for the failed reclamation to blaming the Changhae Clan.

From that point on, the media’s focus intensified.

Clans that understood the flow and quick-thinking corporations tried to shift all the blame onto the Changhae Clan. Politicians subtly stepped back, claiming that all the faults lay with the Changhae Clan.

Ultimately, it didn’t take long for the Changhae Clan to become public enemy number one.

«Do you know that I saved noona’s life? This is expensive.»

«What do you mean, how many times do you think I’ve helped you so far? Funny, this is robbery, kid.»

«But is the life of a Twelve Seat the same as the life of an elementary school student~»

«A human life has no weight.»

«And you think someone like that would throw away their own life to save others?»

«…….»

These were the words Eunha spoke as soon as he entered Shin Seo-young’s hospital room.

He hadn’t been able to visit her because she was in the media spotlight.

Eunha, who had finally gotten permission to visit after asking Min Jun-sik, was dumbfounded to see her sitting comfortably on the bed.

Shin Seo-young, who had welcomed him at first, was now watching him closely.

«You had a hard time getting here, didn’t you? Here, eat this. It’s a very expensive tangerine, honey.»

«A tangerine is a tangerine….»

She tossed a few tangerines from the basket to change the subject.

Eunha caught the flying tangerines without dropping a single one.

«…How far did you predict this?»

Finding Shin Seo-young’s hospital room, Eunha peeled a tangerine while listening to the news on television.

He handed her one of the halves.

«The whole thing.»

«Don’t lie.»

Eunha didn’t think he was encouraging the flow of events.

It was similar to the way someone he knew operated, diverting the public’s attention from the true nature of the problem.

He had a vague idea of who it was that had set it in motion.

«…The Fairy. I was just about to make a conscience declaration, but she wanted to make sure I knew where she heard about it.»

«That’s right…»

Once an actress, Im Gaeul was skilled in handling people and using the media.

She had used Shin Seoyoung to turn the crisis into an opportunity.

Perhaps she had seized the chance to transform the fairy into a tool for human protection, just as she wanted.

Eunha didn’t like the way she used Shin Seoyoung to sway public opinion.

However, Shin Seoyoung’s conscience declaration did not stop at exposing the corruption of the Changhae Clan, it led to the downfall of the second most powerful clan in the country.

The future has changed.

Clan Changhae was still alive when I entered the Abyssal Dungeon….

Before the regression, Changhae Clan Lord Gil Sung-jun had garnered sympathy from Shin Seoyoung’s death.

While the clans that participated in the reclamation of Uijeongbu were criticized, only the Changhae clan was able to escape the public’s condemnation.

Moreover, Gil Sung-jun rose to stardom as the love interest of <The National Heroine>.

Through the sponsorship of the Sirius Group and the Dangun Group, he stabilized the clan’s finances and made it the most powerful clan in the country.

Genesis Clan regained the throne with the recruitment of Ryu Yeonhwa, who would later become a Twelve, but it was only a temporary change.

Changhae Clan also recruited the King of Shadows, Han Chang-jin, who would later be promoted to the Twelfth Seat, and the <Braver>, Ontaeyan, who graduated from the Academy.

Ontaeyang, a leading member of the Golden Generation, was engaged to the direct heir of Galaxy Group.

It was a promising development that Galaxy Group, which had been sponsoring Genesis Clan, began sponsoring Changhae Clan.

Although Genesis Clan proclaimed themselves as the guardians of the fairy, corporations pursued profits.

Galaxy Group deemed that the benefits obtained from curbing the fairy were far greater than protecting the fairy, who faced opposition from politicians after the failure of the first Uijeongbu reclamation.

The second fairy, Ha Baek-ryeon, was under the scrutiny of politicians who had turned against her after the failure of the first Uijeongbu reclamation.

Furthermore, the top ten groups in the hierarchy, with the exception of the Eternity Group, which supported her government, and the neutral Alice Group and Pine Group, were pressuring her economically.

Her power is derived from the gift of <White Silver> and the Twelve Seats who follow her.

The clans and twelve seats sponsored by the groups pressuring her were forced to become passive in their support of her.

On the contrary, Changhae Clan and Dangun Clan openly resisted, saying they would not follow her will.

Since Changhae Clan, which resisted her, had fallen, one focal point had disappeared

Gil Sung-jun would be put on trial, and Han Chang-jin and On Taeyang would no longer be able to join Changhae Clan.

The future has changed drastically.

In this second life, the Changhae Clan was no longer backed by the Dangun Group, and they couldn’t make fun or use of Shin Seoyoung’s death.

Even the Sirius Group has taken steps to distance themselves from the clan, so it’s safe to say that there’s no way for the clan to recover.

«How are you feeling?»

«Much better. I can’t use my powers like I used to, but I think I can use them at the level of a B-class player.»

«That’s by Mana Management Organization standards, right, or by Changhae Clan standards?»

«I don’t know if we need to talk about Changhae Clan standards, but…, B- or C-class.»

Shin Seoyoung said, clicked her tongue in annoyance.

Before the regression, she had completely lost her life as a player in exchange for manifesting <Miracle>.

In this life, she hadn’t lost her life as a player. Although she couldn’t control the wind as she used to, she could still live as a player.

Now she could use other powers as well.

Eunha remembered the magic she had shown a while ago.

She had once controlled nature by manifesting <Miracle>, and she could now handle powers other than the wind freely.

Her abilities might have decreased, but she had gained enough power to compensate for that.

«What are you going to do now? Are you going to join another clan?»

«…No, I think I’ll quit being a player.»

«What?»

Eunha was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected her to say she wasn’t going to be player.

It was unexpected.

«I’ve been thinking about it, and I don’t think me and being a Player are a good fit.»

«Really?»

«Yeah, I think I’m going to make a life for myself now, though I’ll have to pay my sins first.»

Shin Seoyoung said, smiling awkwardly.

Eunha realized that she had changed a lot in the time he hadn’t seen her.

She used to live to protect others, and now she says she wants to live her own life.

Something must have happened in Uijeongbu that he didn’t know about.

He didn’t think it was a bad change.

Rather, it was a good change.

«Oh, but there’s one exception.»

«What exception?»

«Eunha, have you ever thought about starting a clan?»

What was she talking about?

Eunha furrowed his brows, looking at his noona, who was gleaming with excitement.

What was she talking about?

He didn’t even want to know.

Whether he said it or not, it seemed like she continued talking as if it were a good idea.

«I wouldn’t mind if you created a clan. Surely the clan you create will gather people who live their own lives like you, right? If it’s that kind of atmosphere… well, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to continue being a player.»

«What do you expect from an elementary school student? I have no intention of being a player, and I definitely don’t plan on creating a clan.»

«Well, I wonder if that will really go according to your plan?»

As if she was certain of the future.

Shin Seoyoung giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.

Eunha shook his head.

It would never happen, he insisted.

«Since you have the strength to joke around, I’m going to go now.»

«Why can’t you stay a little longer? You’re the first person I’ve ever seen come to the hospital because of the media control.»

«Who said anything about a conscience declaration?»

«Well, you had that ‘well-done’ expression earlier.»

«When was that?»

Eunha shrugged.

He was glad to think that the future would be better for Baekryeon, but he couldn’t be too happy.

Shin Seoyoung would not be immune to the corruption of the Changhae Clan.

No matter how involved she might be, there was no way she, as a Sublord, wasn’t involved.

The only saving grace was that she was currently in the limelight as a hero, and her sins would be mitigated by a declaration of conscience.

That person, Im Gaeul, wouldn’t just give up her <Queen> position like this.

Eunha hoped that Shin Seoyoung’s treatment wouldn’t be too bad.

«By the way, noona, you said that you defeated the Hundred Face, didn’t you?»

«Oh, that’s right, I definitely defeated it.»

«How do you know you defeated it when it has hundreds of masks?»

«I can’t explain it in words…. When I used the power of <Miracle> , I could just tell that I had defeated it.»

«So you defeated it, did you get the skill stone?»

«Kid, with Uijeongbu in that state, how could I even think about coming back to retrieve the loot?»

This was one of the reasons why the retreat was criticized.

The retreat from Uijeongbu Station was so hasty that there was no time to collect the loot.

The city may be in shambles now, but there must be a treasure buried everywhere.

Complete jackpot. Jackpot.

The first to set foot in Uijeongbu will get all the treasure.

Even I, a non-player, was greedy at the thought of all the treasure in Uijeongbu.

But did she really defeat the Hundred Face?

There was no doubt that she had defeated it with the power of a <Miracle>.

But I felt uneasy.

It wasn’t over yet.

Something seemed to say so.

«…I hope it’s not a cliché that something you think is dead comes back to life.»

«Huh? What do you mean?»

«No, it’s nothing.»

Shin Seoyoung demanded an explanation, but Eunha brushed it off, saying it was nothing.

It couldn’t be that way.

«Well then, I’ll be going now. Take care of yourself.»

«Sure, come by again.»

«Oh, by the way, Noona.»

«Yeah? What?»

Eunha peeked his head through the gap in the door.

Shin Seoyoung grinned.

«You’ve been through a lot all this time, haven’t you? Now, take a good rest.»

«… .»

«Live your own life as Noona said. Since you’re living, it’s better to live happily, right?»

«Eunha.»

«What?»

«I think I finally understand why girls follow you. Are you really just a kid?»

What nonsense.

Eunha made a dumbfounded face.

He demanded an explanation with a puzzled expression.

«If I was 20 years younger, or even just 10 years younger, I would have pursued you.»

«…Even if it’s 20 years, weren’t you a middle schooler then?»

«Love knows no age.»

«But you seem to need age….»

«…Heh, right. I thought he understood women’s hearts well, but it was just my mistake?»

What’s with this noona?

Eunha sighed.

He waved his hand with a baffled expression.

«Are you really my noona? Sometimes, I can’t even understand my own feelings. How can I understand someone else’s feelings?»

«Well… that’s true.»

«Don’t get involved in any weird religions out there. Especially, Manaism.»

«…Yeah, I’ll remember.»

Shin Seoyoung looked dumbfounded as if she had been hit.

She seemed to be lost in thought about something.

«…Anyway, take care of yourself.»

Eunha closed the door.

☆

Uijeongbu Station.

The station was completely destroyed.

There was no building that hadn’t collapsed.

It was a wasteland.

«…….»

A child was there.

Forced to the surface by the collapse of the groundwater, he stood still and looked up at the sky.

Then he lowered his head.

Something was glowing blue.

«…….»

Squatting down, he dug into the rubble.

A small, glowing stone.

He held it up to the sun.

A bluish glow colored his face.

The child swallowed the blue light.

«……!»

He collapsed as he felt something inside his begin to rampage. He rolled around on the floor, eventually foamed at the mouth, and passing out.

For quite a while.

When the child regained consciousness, he sat up.

Looking down at his hands, he wiped his face and looked through the puddle to see his appearance.

«Hey, kid, what are you doing down there? Where are you from? Get back here!»

The child turned his head in the direction of the voice.

An old man had emerged from a collapsed building and was waving.

«There’s a new village over there. I don’t know which village you survived, but let’s go to ours.»

«…….»

The child stared at the old man who held his hand.

«What’s your name, ah…, you must not have a name yet.»

The old man chuckled as he asked for the name of the speechless child.

A child does not receive a name until they pass the ritual.

There was no way a child who looked to be only five years old could have a name.

Or so the old man thought.

«…I do.»

The child spoke for the first time.

He looked at the old man and smiled.

«…I am… Yoo-in-hoo.»

«……!»

«─Call me In-hoo.»

A tentacle sprouted from the child’s back and pierced the old man’s body.