"I know we can't change what's going to happen in the future, but I hope our future selves are careful," Lee Hyunsung muttered nervously as he watched the screen. "I trust Dokja-ssi's instincts on this."
While Kim Dokja appreciated the show of trust, he didn't want the rest of the group to permanently rely on him to tell them when something was wrong with a situation. They had to be able to notice and make those judgment calls for themselves.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is hoping to see a fight between the incarnations and the demon 'reinheit von djerba'.]
Dokja turns around when he hears a voice, and he notices a woman and her child come up to Heewon and thank her for saving them before. Upon seeing him as well, the woman also looks happy as she realizes who he is, leading Dokja to remember them from Geumho Station. Smiling kindly, the woman instructs her daughter to say hello after stating that she's never forgotten to be grateful that they saved her and her daughter. In thanks, she gives Dokja and Heewon a basket from the farm she's been working on, and refuses to take no for an answer.
As the two walk away, Dokja feels regret as the memories from Geumho Station flash through his mind. He wishes that he had been able to save more people, and he regrets comforting himself by saying that it was for the best like a coward. As the child turns and smiles at him once more, the guilt floods in again as his hypocrisy is undeservedly rewarded, and Dokja wonders if Heewon feels the same.
After seeing them off, Heewon congratulates him on his late resurrection. Dokja asks if she's not being too nonchalant, mentioning that Jihye and Gilyoung cried. When she asks if she should cry too, he retorts that he doesn't want it. After a moment, a complicated expression appears on Heewon's face, leading to her asking if they can talk privately for a moment.
Yoo Sangah's eyes widened sharply as she realized who had just approached Kim Dokja. She had spent far longer at Geumho Station than he had, and though Kim Dokja didn't know what had happened in the few days before he had escaped from the ichthyosaur, he wouldn't doubt that Yoo Sangah had interacted with them several times.
"I'm so glad to see that they've managed to survive this long," she sighed in relief, but it was tinged with sadness. All of them knew the horrors that those two must have endured until this point in the scenarios, and it was hard to accept that a child had gone through that without someone who had prior knowledge to help them.
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is approving of the gratefulness displayed by the incarnations.]
Shin Yoosung perked up, smiling at them as they gave Kim Dokja a basket of food. "They're so nice! Ahjussi, do you think we could be friends?"
Ah… it would be good for the kids to have other friends than the ones they were in a group with, right? At least, it wouldn't be a terrible idea.
"I don't see why not. She seems shy, though, so you'd have to be extra nice," Kim Dokja told her with a gentle smile.
Lee Seolhwa looked over at Kim Dokja with a frown on her face as he tried to politely reject the gift. "Getting fresh vegetables in the apocalypse… that's not something we should take for granted, Dokja-ssi."
Well, that was true, but he still felt bad accepting it. He hadn't intended to save them specifically back then, even if deep down, Kim Dokja wished that he could have saved more than he did. Still, he was only human. He couldn't have saved everyone, so…
Just as he was about to tell himself that it was for the best that everyone had to learn to be independent, his future self chastised himself for that exact thing. It hurt in ways that he hadn't anticipated, and the guilt welled up like bile in his throat.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is hoping that the incarnation 'kim dokja' is not too hard on himself.]
How could he not be? He felt called out by himself, and it felt like he was getting put on display more than ever. Kim Dokja hated this feeling, and he didn't want any more of himself to get laid bare in front of his friends and the constellations.
"Hey, you still did your best at the time," Jung Heewon told him firmly. "Could you have done something sooner? Sure, you could have, but it's too late for those kinds of regrets."
She was definitely only saying that to remind herself of the same thing.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is thinking that crying too much is annoying.]
It was definitely annoying. He understood why the kids did it—they couldn't help it—but Kim Dokja didn't like crying. Why would he want someone crying for him when he always felt like shit afterwards?
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is wondering what the incarnation 'jung heewon' wants to talk about.]
While the kids and Hyunsung look at weapons, Heewon explains her own arrival at Paradise four days ago after being the first one to clear the first floor. "On the first day, I refused to trust anything, and on the second I doubted everything. At the start of the third day, I was shaken, and then Dokja-ssi arrived today, on the fourth day. I suddenly thought about what meaning there is to continuing the scenarios."
Smiling, Dokja asks if she wavered too quickly, and she wonders if she has always felt that way. Their conversation is interrupted when some guards capture a thief nearby, leading to Heewon explaining all of the unbelievable perks and safety the place has before moving on to her own feelings, "... We don't have to live feeling like we're being pursued by the scenario anymore. We don't have to have nightmares because we killed someone."
Heewon's words get quieter as images of her looking lost after the killing spree in Geumho Station play in direct contrast to the bright scenes of Paradise. She then looks directly at Dokja as she finishes her statement "And finally, we don't have to lose anyone anymore."
"Oh those weapons look cool!" Lee Jihye exclaimed, her eyes shining excitedly. "My sword kinda got broken on the first floor, so do you think I can get a better one here?"
Yoo Joonghyuk nodded. "The weapons in Paradise are high quality, and they don't require challenging a hidden scenario. I'm sure you will find one that suits you."
[the constellation 'goryeo's first sword' is curious about the swords for sale.]
To Lee Jihye's dismay, the scene changed a moment later as Jung Heewon began detailing her own arrival on the second floor. Just as Kim Dokja had suspected, she had blasted through the place and arrived first. Of course, if Yoo Joonghyuk hadn't gone to the banquet and if he hadn't been going at his sister's pace, then he probably would have arrived at around the same time as her.
"That sounds complicated," Yoo Mia sighed, slumping against her brother's chest. "And you were all alone too, unnie."
Unlike the rest of them who had someone else to anchor them, or who hadn't even gone to Paradise in the first place, Jung Heewon had been required to contend with all these moral quandaries entirely on her own.
Jung Heewon looked down. "Ah… well, it's not like any of us actually want to be in the apocalypse in the first place, right? I mean, it makes sense to me."
"Can't say I blame you," Han Sooyoung muttered. "Fuck, I'd be chilling with some wine or something instead of risking my life if I could."
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' is praising the excellent taste of the incarnation 'han sooyoung'.]
"This place is safe, yes," Kim Dokja admitted, "but it's stagnant. That's fine for some people, but not everyone can live like that."
He had spent far too long before the apocalypse feeling like he couldn't move forward, and he knew it would be the same in that place too. Of course, unlike the others living there, Kim Dokja was also very aware that Paradise's time limit was slowly ticking down. For the time being, though, it wouldn't be a bad thing for some people to find peace.
"I think noona is right," Lee Gilyoung admitted. "I don't like losing people."
Kim Dokja let out a sigh, knowing that he was technically at fault for some of that. Well, not entirely. He had only explicitly planned to be killed that last time, and all the times beforehand he hadn't stayed dead for more than thirty minutes. He couldn't have given the kid issues that bad, right?
Lee Hyunsung nodded. "Please stop putting us in that situation unless there's really no other choice, Dokja-ssi."
[many constellations are agreeing with the incarnation 'lee hyunsung'.]
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is reminding the incarnation 'kim dokja' to take better care of himself.]
… Did they all really think that he had other choices all those times in the first place? He didn't want to die either, but sometimes it was necessary.
Judge of Evil, Jung Heewon. The sword that I crafted myself after coming into this world. The one who has been 'killing' everything so that I could go on 'not killing'. The hardest blade is the easiest to break—it's the hardest, so it's wielded the most, damaged the most, and loses its sharpness the most. That's why it will break faster than other swords.
A flash of her past plays before Dokja speaks up, telling her that she can stay if she truly wishes to as there likely isn't another 'safe haven' like it throughout the scenarios, and he isn't lying about it. His expression however, makes it clear that he won't be staying even before he states it, explaining that this place isn't the 'End', so he must continue to participate in the scenarios. Heewon's brows furrow as she asks what is the 'End' that he's thinking of, only for Dokja to refuse to tell her. She then demands to know if that 'End' is better than this and if everyone will be unhappy if they don't carry on with the scenarios.
Dokja doesn't answer, instead staring up at the sky without speaking. Internally, he wonders if the ending he wants could be a place more beautiful than Paradise, and whether everyone could be happy after reaching that ending. As he looks at the sky, he feels like there's something precious up there, but that he's forgotten what it was.
As Kim Dokja's narration began, he began to feel that guilt well up inside him again. All this time, Jung Heewon had been destroying herself and her morals to preserve his clean hands, and even though he had eventually dirtied them in the future, this version of him still hadn't.
"Heewon-ssi, I—" Kim Dokja began, but she held up a hand to stop him.
Looking back at him seriously, Jung Heewon frowned. "I knew what I was getting into, Dokja-ssi. I'm not incapable, and I'm not fragile. I don't think I want to give up on helping you entirely, either—I just need a break."
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is encouraging her incarnation to get some rest if she needs it.]
Lee Hyunsung also reached out to her, smiling gently. "And Heewon-ssi, if my shield can help reduce how fast you get worn down, then I'd be honoured to do that."
She smiled back at him and squeezed his hand. "A sword and a shield, huh? What a pair we make."
[the constellation 'master of steel' is feeling endeared by the current events.]
"You truly wish to reach the end of the scenarios," Yoo Joonghyuk spoke up, glancing at Kim Dokja for a moment.
Glancing right back, Kim Dokja raised a brow. "Did you think I was exaggerating when I said that was my goal? I'm going to get you there, don't worry. I already promised it, didn't I?"
Yoo Joonghyuk frowned deeply for a moment. "Why are you doing this again, Kim Dokja."
Doing what again? Had he said something wrong?
Clearly, the protagonist could see the confusion in his expression, and Yoo Joonghyuk's frown somehow got more intense.
"You said that you will get me to the end," he ground out, narrowing his eyes as he did. "That's wrong. You will get us to the end, you fool."
Ah… right. 'Us'.
He actually still wanted that? Even after the awkwardness caused by Uriel and the prophecy? Kim Dokja didn't know what to think.
Kim Dokja smiled. "Sure, whatever you say, Joonghyuk-ah."
"Hey, bastard," Han Sooyoung called suddenly, glaring in Yoo Joonghyuk's direction, "so who even counts under this 'us' of yours, huh? What about me?"
Yoo Joonghyuk didn't even think. "No. I don't trust you."
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is raging in the direction of the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk'.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is surprised by the common sense of the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk'.]
As Han Sooyoung muttered curses under her breath, the future Jung Heewon asked him whether the end he wanted to reach was better than this place. Kim Dokja didn't know. He had ideas of the ending he wanted, but he wouldn't be able to guarantee the circumstances until he got there. At the very least, he hoped that the ending wouldn't have a dark secret hidden beneath the illusion of peace like this cursed city.
"I think that Dokja-ssi will do his best to make the ending as good as possible, under the circumstances," Yoo Sangah said kindly. "So I'll decide to believe in the ending that Dokja-ssi wants to build."
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is wondering what the incarnation 'kim dokja' is looking for in the ending he wants.]
Kim Dokja let out a sigh as his future self looked up at the sky, but he frowned as he heard his thoughts. Something precious…? He couldn't think of anything that it could be. In TWSA, there was nothing in the sky other than the stars symbolizing the constellations. Why would there be anything precious among them?
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is scratching his head in confusion.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is wondering about many things.]
A while later, in the evening, Heewon leads him up a hill to a small cottage. Dokja's thoughts reveal that the quaint house belongs to Reinheit, his tone almost ironic as he remarks that the lord of the castle's residence is just a white house on a hill rather than anything luxurious. In the background, Dokja also takes note of another archangel beginning to pay attention to him—the 'Guardian of Youths and Travel'—and that this constellation seems to be on the same level as Uriel.
Dokja looks at the messages—realizing that Uriel, Sun Wukong, and the Abyssal Black Flame Dragon have all sent indirects as well—and he feels pleased by that. Absently, he thinks that if the Secretive Plotter sends a message too, then all four of his original supporters would have gathered. Sure enough, the Secretive Plotter messages to say that he's watching with interest, right as Dokja thinks about him.
He looks at the message, remembering that he hadn't been able to confirm the Secretive Plotter's face at the banquet, but is confident that he's a fable-grade constellation. Still, no matter how much Dokja thinks, he can't remember seeing that modifier before, and he begins to seriously wonder whether a constellation this strong somehow never appeared in TWSA.
Kim Dokja narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he followed Jung Heewon towards Reinheit's cottage. He hadn't expected to be speaking to the demon in person so soon, but he wouldn't be surprised if the guy had asked to meet him specifically.
[the constellation 'bald leader of the peasant's army' is approving of living humbly.]
Well, there was a reason that he lived all the way out here rather than somewhere else. He had a very important gardening project, after all.
Regardless, as another archangel began paying attention to him, Kim Dokja wasn't sure how to feel. What if Uriel had already managed to fill the other angels' heads with her bullshit…? What was that archangel expecting?
Well, in the end, he wouldn't be too bothered so long as he got donations out of it.
He did feel a bit warm inside to see that most of his original supporters were all still there and paying attention to his channel, though.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is overjoyed by the happiness of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is yawning.]
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is demanding to know where the incarnation 'han sooyoung' went.]
But there was still one missing…
Ah, speak of the devil and he shall appear. For some reason, Yoo Joonghyuk's brow twitched as he read what the future Secretive Plotter had sent in his indirect message, but Kim Dokja couldn't understand why.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is pleased to see that he is on the mind of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Lee Gilyoung scowled. "Right, all we saw was that picture that might have just been the sooty bastard in a bad costume."
"Gilyoung-ah, that's definitely not what was going on," Kim Dokja said quietly, "but it's true that I still have no idea what he actually looks like."
A fable-grade… although it made sense, Kim Dokja wasn't completely confident about that. Something wasn't adding up.
"Hey ahjussi, you said that Master killed all the constellations in the book, right?" Lee Jihye asked suddenly, confusing him. Just where was that coming from…?
Frowning, Kim Dokja nodded his head. She just grinned even wider. "So, if Master killed all the constellations before, then doesn't that mean that Master probably killed that guy at least once too, even if he was never named in the book?"
… Well, there were definitely regression turns where the sky had gone almost completely dark. There was definitely the chance that she could be correct, but Kim Dokja couldn't give a concrete answer either. All he could do was shrug, and Yoo Joonghyuk looked rather smug about it. He truly was a protagonist, wasn't he? He wasn't even shocked!
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is offended by the insinuation that the pitiful incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk' could beat him.]
Ah, so the Secretive Plotter could be arrogant like other constellations too. Kim Dokja couldn't even mentally reprimand the protagonist for glaring daggers at that message because he was also barely restraining himself from saying something stupid. As helpful as the constellation was, that didn't mean that Kim Dokja had any intention of standing between him and a vengeful Yoo Joonghyuk for any reason.
Heewon suddenly mentions that they've arrived, and as he walks closer to the house, Dokja sees Reinheit–who definitely doesn't have a different design from before, nope not at all–watering a brilliant white flower. For an instant, Dokja is astounded by Reinheit's beauty, remarking that he has a demonic beauty unlike Joonghyuk's handsomeness, and that he probably would have stopped breathing if he didn't have [The Fourth Wall].
Noticing him, the demon smiles pleasantly and explains that the flower gets shy around strangers. Having no plan for pleasant conversation, Dokja looks at the flower with an impassive gaze. "That's the 'Perpetual Motion'."
Reinheit's smile falters a bit when Dokja recognizes the flower, asking if the man knows of it.
The flowers of Paradise, Perpetual Motion. This flower blooms at dawn and bears fruit at night. The fruit falls before dawn, and the flower consumes its own fruit as a fertilizer to bloom again. The plant repeats that cycle endlessly.
"He's gardening…?" Lee Seolhwa wondered curiously as she carefully examined the flower he was caring for. "I don't think I recognize it."
[the constellation 'guam divine doctor' is also confused.]
Of course they wouldn't recognize it. There was no reason they would have ever encountered this plant before, after all.
As Kim Dokja's narration began commenting on Reinheit's appearance, Han Sooyoung stared at him in disgust.
"Okay, the protagonist was one thing, but this fucker!? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"What do you mean?" Kim Dokja asked, genuinely confused. He was just making an objective observation!
Yoo Joonghyuk glared viciously at him, clearly upset at having been compared to Reinheit in any way, and Kim Dokja slowly inched away from him.
"No, she's right," Jung Heewon remarked, glancing at him with an awkward expression on her face. "You're acting like he's so evil, but now you're talking about how good-looking he is?"
Lee Jihye nodded frantically, looking distraught. "He's nowhere near as good-looking as Master!"
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is vehemently disapproving of this companionship.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is declaring that the incarnation 'kim dokja' should forget about the demon 'reinheit von djerba'.]
How could he forget about the guy he'd have to fight soon enough?!
Yoo Mia levelled Kim Dokja with a stare, only making him more baffled than before. "Ahjussi, I can't believe you'd do this. First the prophecy and now this… you don't deserve my oppa."
What was she even talking about?
Whatever, he couldn't worry about this right now, not when he was confronting Reinheit about the flower.
Lee Seolhwa laughed slightly. "Of course Dokja-ssi knows what it is. The description sounds interesting."
'Interesting' was one way to put it, he supposed.
[some constellations think that the flower is pretty.]
Yoo Sangah listened to the explanation and nodded her head. "The name makes sense, if that's how it works."
When the demon calls Dokja's knowledge impressive, Dokja just states that the naming of the flower is wrong since if it really was in 'Perpetual Motion', watering would be unnecessary. Everytime that Reinheit tries to move towards polite conversation, Dokja just abruptly brings it back to the point in a cold voice, his dislike apparent. Reinheit however, keeps bringing his twitching smile back into place as says that he wanted to talk to Dokja properly. Eventually, Reinheit goes to introduce himself, only for Dokja to cut him off and complete his sentence for him, to his surprise.
In TWSA, he was one of the most famous of the 'Ten Evils'.
Smiling serenely as he opens his eyes, Reinheit declares that it's nice to meet him, cementing that he already knows exactly who Dokja is.
Yoo Sangah's cheeks flushed slightly. "Ah… I should have realized that it shouldn't need watering if the name was accurate."
Kim Dokja shrugged. "Don't feel bad, Sangah-ssi. For all you knew, he could have just been watering it out of habit."
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is entertained by the rudeness of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Every time Kim Dokja cut off the demon's words, Lee Gilyoung snickered just a bit more. Clearly, he was very amused, just like Sun Wukong.
It was kind of cathartic, if he was being honest. He had hated Reinheit in the novel, even if he understood the demon's motivations. Kim Dokja just believed that it was extremely cruel to promise safety built upon the foundations of suffering in secret.
"You really dislike him," Lee Hyunsung remarked in surprise, a bit taken aback by the way that Kim Dokja was speaking over Reinheit.
[a few constellations are surprised by the fact that the demon 'reinheit von djerba' is one of the '10 evils'.]
"Oppa, is he the one you wanted to avoid?" Yoo Mia asked, and her brother nodded once. So it really was his plan to completely bypass Paradise in this regression? Odd… he had definitely gone to Paradise in his third regression in TWSA… Well, that wouldn't be the case if Kim Dokja had any say in the matter anyway. There was no way he was going to fight Reinheit without the protagonist as insurance.
As Reinheit revealed that he knew exactly who Kim Dokja was as well, he had to restrain himself from cursing under his breath. Damn it, he wouldn't necessarily have the advantage of surprise, would he? Whatever, he'd just have to avoid fighting for now, just in case.
[the constellations of the nebula 'eden' are warning the incarnation 'kim dokja' to be cautious.]
Wasn't he always?