Chapter 61: The Overseer’s Request

#61

Passing through the long corridor, Han Dokyeom made his way to the swimming pool, which now felt like home. Through the transparent glass, he could see the expansive pool, and Agon, floating on its surface with eyes closed.

Their sharp profile brought to mind a pale moon. Even their light-colored hair, fanned out in the water, made it seem as if they might simply drift away.

Everything about them was beautiful, and as serene as it was, it was equally cold.

‘Had he missed something?’

With communication so scarce, Dokyeom couldn’t pinpoint where his thoughts had gone astray. Agon remained reserved, at times feeling as though they concealed more than necessary.

While they didn’t seem displeased by Dokyeom’s ‘skill attempts,’ neither would they feign defeat and accept it.

This, Dokyeom realized, was likely Agon’s subtle form of ‘rejection.’

Dokyeom watched them for a long moment before shaking his head and heading to the changing room. For now, scouting the surrounding areas was his top priority.

****

Only a few hours after that thought, Dokyeom found himself lying on a hotel bed, staring blankly at the ceiling with hollow eyes. Information, connections, none of it mattered; an E-class nobody like him could only go so far.

With the story not even truly begun, the main characters possessed ridiculously little information. Tackling the Red Gate alone was an utterly preposterous endeavor.

How to lure the Red Gate’s boss was one problem, but the greater problem was the complete absence of a suitable location nearby for such a massive creature to rampage.

“…This is driving me insane.”

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ subtly opens the door and tiptoes in.]

“Oh, right. Go back out.”

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ tiptoes back out the door. Then, they peek their head in and gaze at you.]

“So, you’re finally home after gallivanting around? Why don’t you just live outside? You’re completely out of control, aren’t you? Huh? You little rascal.”

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ scratches the back of their head and smiles innocently.]

‘Oh, for crying out loud.’

The Red Gate was set to erupt in less than a week, yet that demon seemed to have nothing but playing on their mind, constantly exploring the outside world at every opportunity.

Of course, the Gates and ‘Historical Reenactments’ that manifested in this world were beyond the demons’ control.

This was because they were overseen by ‘Overseers,’ who did not participate in the ‘Mythical Resumption.’

‘Overseers’ were selected from among the Constellations on a rotating basis. Once chosen, a Constellation could not participate in the game whatsoever. To ensure fairness, they isolated themselves from other demons and angels, dedicating all their efforts solely to overseeing the game.

Therefore, neither demons nor angels knew when or where a Gate would appear or a ‘Historical Reenactment’ would occur. Naturally, the location of an Authority was unknown to all except those with astrology or precognition.

This ‘Mythical Resumption’ was entirely a stage for a grand comedy, created by the power of the ‘Holy Relics.’ The ‘Overseers’ temporarily drew upon the Holy Relics’ power, causing strange phenomena and spawning Gates, adding every possible embellishment for the game.

The ‘Holy Relics’ were the conduits imbued with such power. They were also the ultimate reward of this ‘Mythical Resumption.’

“If things go wrong… it might be less than a week.”

Days from now, the world would be turned upside down, yet it remained as peaceful as a spring afternoon. People believed simply blocking Seolleung Station would solve everything, but that was a grave misconception.

When the Gate Break erupted, an earthquake would strike the area, creating a massive sinkhole near Seolleung Station. Monsters would then emerge into the world through that gaping maw.

In the original story, the Red Gate incident couldn’t be prevented, ultimately forcing Korea to request aid from overseas. With help from nearby Japan and China, the disaster finally ended, but only after countless sacrifices.

It was Japan, in that process, that acquired an ‘Authority,’ leaving Korea deeply indebted.

Of course, this was a setup for a satisfying development much later, but at the time, the author had faced a barrage of criticism from readers. He’d received messages and emails repeatedly asking, ‘Are you Japanese? lololol,’ and the memory of nearly dying from sheer terror was still vivid.

Just thinking about that time made his blood pressure rise…

Regardless, this time, he wasn’t in a position to concede. He absolutely had to reclaim the Authority.

“No, so how do I reclaim it…?”

*Thump!*

Dokyeom twisted his body and tumbled off the bed. The loud thud echoed sharply through the room.

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ dashes over in surprise, practically barefoot!]

Agon, who had been in the bathroom, also rushed out, their eyes wide as they quickly assessed Dokyeom. Dokyeom lay on his side in the position he’d fallen, supporting his head with his arm, chewing on his lip, lost in thought.

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ fusses over your body, asking if something is wrong.]

“Don’t sneak in; just leave. Or, you can take some mental training from me.”

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ boasts about how capable they are, then massages your shoulder, declaring they will now live for you.]

‘Go on, put some spit on that lie.’

*Whoosh- Swish-*

Agon, who had quickly approached, blinked and scrutinized Dokyeom’s body from head to toe. Gazing into Agon’s captivating eyes, Dokyeom broadened the scope of his thoughts.

During this Gate Break, nearly all the hunters from guilds across Seoul would be mobilized. The Association, as well as military hunters, would be deployed en masse.

That bastard Ju Uiryeong would also show up, eager to redeem himself from the previous incident, and naturally, to snatch an Authority. He couldn’t possibly stand by and let himself be blindsided… Wait a minute.

Ju Uiryeong.

Dokyeom abruptly sat up from where he lay. Agon and Orias each took a step back. A faint clue was beginning to form. Dokyeom, deep in thought, recalled a phrase he had written long ago, almost in passing:

[Gate Breaks sometimes left behind bizarre, inexplicable phenomena before vanishing.]

It was a form of aftermath. Rarely, but inexplicably, strange phenomena would occur at the site where a Gate had opened. And these were on par with natural disasters, impossible to prevent.

Dokyeom immediately looked up, staring at the empty space where Orias likely hovered.

“Orias, I need to ask you a favor.”

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ states that due to regulations, they cannot grant skills for the time being.]

“No, not a skill.”

After all, the skills Orias could grant were limited. He had already acquired two of the best, so any skills that might manifest later were unlikely to be as good.

Rather than that—

“Go find something out for me. Ten minutes, no, five minutes will do.”

There was something Orias could investigate. While Dokyeom could do it himself, Orias was far superior in speed. Besides, it was quite a distance from here.

“You have a chariot, don’t you? Go get some fresh air and come back, alright?”

As Dokyeom smiled coaxingly, Orias fell silent, flustered, like a mute who had swallowed honey. They were caught between their guilt, making them wary of refusing, and the suspicion that this ‘favor’ was no ordinary task, making them uneasy.

As if seeing right through them, Dokyeom smiled innocently.

“Why the hesitation, my dear Lion? It’s a perfectly wholesome task, wholesome indeed. If you find it, I’ll consider this past incident forgotten, so at least make a show of agreeing.”

Orias, who had been glaring at him with narrowed eyes, finally rose with a disgruntled expression after a long pause.

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ grumbles, shakes their mane, and rises.]

That was Orias’s own way of saying they would look into it. Dokyeom pulled out his phone, searched for something, and thrust it toward the space where Orias presumably was. Orias’s eyes widened, and after a moment of pawing the ground with their hind hooves, they powerfully burst through the door and sprinted out.

Of course, they didn’t forget to leave a message before going.

[‘Orias,’ the demon of ‘Lemegeton,’ earnestly urges you not to fall asleep, promising to return swiftly.]

From somewhere far off, the snorting of a horse, intertwined with the clatter of chariot wheels, echoed. The sound passed by quickly, like a fleeting breeze.

The chariot would likely carry Orias soaring into the distant sky.

****

9:00 AM, Sahyeon Guild.

Perhaps due to waking up bright and early, Dokyeom washed up quickly and casually headed to the guild. After pushing Agon into the guild’s swimming pool, he proceeded to the meeting room floor, one level above.

He didn’t have any particular business there; his intention was simply to grab a can of coffee from the vending machines lined up in the meeting room lobby and quench his thirst. The fact that all drinks were free was an added bonus.

As he walked, Dokyeom happened to hear voices emanating from a tightly closed meeting room door. Perhaps a briefing was scheduled for the morning, as muffled chatter echoed through the quiet corridor.

‘Is it the Association today?’

Every day, countless officials frequented the Sahyeon Guild, wearing out its threshold. Simply put, they were requesting cooperation; in more detail, they were relentlessly hounding the guild to come up with good ideas to resolve the Red Gate incident.

Dokyeom approached the vending machine next to a chair, immediately selected a can of coffee, popped it open, and took a refreshing gulp. He didn’t forget to grab a few extra cans as well.