Chapter 11: Chain and sunshine.

Chapter 10 – Chains and Sunlight.

God’s Prank.

My beloved MMORPG.

Of course, that game also had a story.

However, the game’s story was quite famous for being incredibly grim.

If you look at the Warrior’s story, which has the brightest atmosphere, it begins with villagers being abandoned by nobles in a country rotting with corruption, and then, simply because they found them unpleasant, the entire village is burned alive.

The story then follows the surviving warrior, who wraps their full-body burns in bandages and embarks on an adventure to seek revenge.

Since this is the brightest story, you can probably guess the state of the other classes’ stories.

Moreover, this game has a wide variety of classes, and my class, ‘Chain,’ is one of the most grim among them.

“…”

As I sat alone in the counseling room, quietly waiting and recalling my character’s story, I felt something strange.

‘It feels like I directly experienced the story.’

Of course, it’s true that I was incredibly immersed while playing the game, but it’s a strange feeling, as if I truly went through Eun-wol’s past.

The Princess of Paradise.

In the game, Eun-wol is born into a royal family of a certain nation and, after awakening a special ability, does something that causes the nation to be called ‘Paradise’.

In the game, it was the beginning of all calamities, but as with any game, the goal is ultimately to resolve it.

But…

A throbbing pain—

“…”

Every time I recalled the game’s story, my chest ached.

As if it were something I had truly experienced…

‘Is this also a sense of disparity between reality and the game?’

I sighed inwardly and gazed at the teddy bear in front of me.

After the counseling session ended, I returned to my hospital room, but the counselor, Lee Su-hyeon, placed the doll on my bed and left.

‘I’m not interested in dolls, though.’

During the counseling, I was asked about my favorite foods and animals, but honestly, I don’t know what foods or animals exist in this world, given that I don’t know how similar it is to the world I lived in.

I’d prefer it to be the same if possible, but since this is a world with Gates and demonic beasts, I expect there’s a lot I don’t know.

I closed my eyes and lay in bed, recalling the counseling session I had just had.

“Then, is there anyone you’d like to see? For example, your mom or dad…”

It was one of the questions the counselor asked me, and as soon as I heard it, I thought of my trash-like parents and answered.

“No, there’s no one I want to see.”

I wondered what it would feel like to have someone you wanted to see, but I hoped to find such a person in this life.

Ding.

“!”

At that moment, a very familiar notification sound reached my ears, and I instinctively opened my eyes.

It was the notification sound I heard almost every day in the game, and now a window appeared before my eyes.

[QUEST: Leave the hospital room and take a walk.]

“…”

Another quest window had appeared.

I didn’t understand why this quest was appearing in reality, and neither the rewards nor the penalties were clear.

In fact, during the counseling session, a quest titled ‘QUEST: Tell the Story of Paradise.’ had also appeared.

The story of Paradise, which was central to Eun-wol’s narrative in the game.

I didn’t know why such a cryptic quest was appearing, but I instinctively felt I had to complete it, so I naturally brought up the story of Paradise to counselor Lee Su-hyeon.

‘I didn’t expect to talk about my in-game nickname either, but…’

Anyway, seeing the quest window appear before my eyes again, I felt compelled to follow this quest, and eventually, I got up from my seat.

‘I probably shouldn’t leave the hospital room arbitrarily…’

Clink—

I hesitated for a moment at the door, but ultimately, I dragged my chains and stepped out of the hospital room.

“Where are you going?”

“!”

At that moment, Ms. Ha-yeon, who hadn’t been there a moment ago, spoke to me from the doorway.

I was momentarily flustered but replied casually.

“I felt like I had to go somewhere.”

“?”

I couldn’t say I was leaving because of a quest, so I spoke vaguely, and as expected, Ms. Ha-yeon, puzzled by my strange answer, thought for a moment before speaking.

“You want to go for a walk, don’t you? If it’s alright, can I come with you?”

“I don’t mind.”

The quest didn’t say I had to go alone, so I readily nodded.

[Giggle.]

“?”

“What’s wrong, Eun-wol?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

It sounded like I heard a strange noise just now, but it was probably just my imagination.

****

After Eun-wol’s counseling session ended, Choi Tae-seok and his companions were reviewing the counseling notes provided by counselor Lee Su-hyeon.

They knew the child’s condition was far from normal, but a new problem had arisen.

“Paradise and the Princess of Paradise… huh.”

“Perhaps it’s where Eun-wol lived before the Crow Guild found her at the Gate?”

“Though we lack sufficient information, circumstances suggest that’s where Eun-wol became like this.”

As Ryu Se-jin calmly analyzed, Choi Ha-yeon spoke, as if she didn’t understand.

“But there’s no such place in this world.

Moreover, the Gate where Eun-wol was found is in our Korea.

If she was caught in a Gate, there should be a place called Paradise nearby, but there wasn’t.”

“Perhaps she’s not from this world.”

Choi Tae-seok, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, stroked his beard and spoke.

“The phenomenon of Gates is something we know less about than we do know.

There’s even a hypothesis that the places connected by Gates might be entirely different dimensions to begin with.”

“Isn’t that just science fiction?”

“But each Gate has different environments, states, and even rules.

It’s not impossible.”

“Indeed, the abilities that child possesses are truly alien.”

“…”

As Ryu Se-jin said, Eun-wol’s abilities were unlike anything any other Hunter in this world possessed, with no similar or comparable powers existing.

However, the idea of that child being from another world felt too distant for Ha-yeon to grasp.

“The child would know the details, wouldn’t she?

Through a conversation with the counselor, information about a place called Paradise…”

“Wait a moment.”

Ha-yeon noticed the child moving in Eun-wol’s hospital room, visible through the surveillance camera, and spoke.

The child, who had done nothing but sleep like a doll until then, suddenly got up alone and was about to leave the hospital room.

“I’ll go check.”

“Wait a moment, how about we observe what she does?”

“…”

Ryu Se-jin’s suggestion might indeed reveal more about Eun-wol, but Ha-yeon shook her head and said.

“I don’t want to leave the child alone.

What if… what if Eun-wol is from another world…”

Ha-yeon recalled the sight of herself getting hurt so casually and spoke.

“Then she’d be completely alone, wouldn’t she?”

With those last words, Ha-yeon simply vanished.

Seeing her move to Eun-wol’s hospital room in that fleeting moment, Ryu Se-jin sighed and said.

“Is it really alright to entrust that child to her?

Hunter Ha-yeon is acting uncharacteristically emotional towards that child.”

“…”

Choi Tae-seok was already aware of his granddaughter’s uncharacteristic behavior, but more than that, he was concerned that Ha-yeon might be reminded of her own trauma by Eun-wol.

However…

“No, precisely because it’s Ha-yeon, it will be fine.

For both the child and Ha-yeon herself.”

“If the Association President says so, then I understand.”

“I need to focus on Association matters for a while.

I’ve been too focused on this matter recently, causing other tasks to pile up.”

Choi Tae-seok was considerably bothered by Eun-wol’s situation and wished to personally uncover the truth of the incident if possible, but he couldn’t put off his duties as Association President indefinitely.

“If possible, focus on the child’s recovery rather than gathering information.”

“Understood.”

****

Meanwhile, Ha-yeon, who had gone for a walk with Eun-wol, slowly strolled along the hospital’s walking path.

As Eun-wol, who was outside for the first time, stared blankly up at the sky, Ha-yeon spoke.

“It’s a nice day for a walk, isn’t it?”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen direct sunlight…”

Ha-yeon was greatly surprised by the remark that it had been a long time since she’d seen sunlight, but she managed to smile casually and continued their walk.

However, she thought seriously to herself.

Because not seeing sunlight seemed to imply she had been imprisoned somewhere all this time.

‘Eun-wol’s chains, indeed… they must signify being bound and imprisoned somewhere.’

She had been confined in a small box even within the Crow Guild, so her attempt to come out for a walk alone made sense.

Therefore, she decided to make the walk as enjoyable as possible for Eun-wol.

“Alright, let’s go.”

As Ha-yeon took Eun-wol’s hand and walked, Eun-wol spoke, seemingly unused to holding someone’s hand.

“?”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s my first time walking while holding someone’s hand, so I was a bit surprised.”

Ha-yeon, feeling even more pity for Eun-wol who spoke so casually, barely suppressed the urge to hug her tightly and continued their walk.

“Look over there, Eun-wol! That bird is called a pigeon.”

“I see.”

“That’s the resident cat of this hospital.

Isn’t it cute?”

“It is.”

They walked, with Ha-yeon introducing animals that Eun-wol might not have seen before, but Eun-wol still showed no interest in anything.

Ha-yeon grew sadder at her unchildlike reactions, but she became even more determined to change things little by little.

Just then, not far away, a small child was walking with what appeared to be their parents, holding an ice cream.

“…”

Eun-wol was watching the scene with interest, unlike how she reacted to animals, so Ha-yeon spoke as if a good idea had struck her.

“Would you like to try some ice cream? It’s a cold and sweet treat, and I’m sure it’ll be delicious!”

“?”

“Just a moment, please.”

There happened to be an ice cream shop nearby, so she let go of Eun-wol’s hand for just a moment.

She pondered which ice cream Eun-wol might like, and finally, with chocolate and strawberry ice creams in both hands, she turned back around.

HONK—

“Huh?”

The loud horn of a large truck blared nearby, and in front of it, the child Eun-wol had just been watching had fallen on the crosswalk.

“!!!”

It was a massive cargo truck, and even if the brakes were applied, it was already too late to stop.

She immediately threw away even the ice creams and ran at full speed to save the child.

But no matter how fast she was, it was already too late to save the child who was far away.

Just as the child was about to be hit by the accident right before her eyes.

“N-no!”

Clink—

Along with the familiar sound of chains coming from somewhere, a chain that flew towards the child connected to the fallen child.

And then.

“Location Shift.”

With a small voice, the child before her eyes transformed into Eun-wol.

“Huh…?”

SCREEECH—

CRASH—