SSS-Grade Cafe in Front of The Dungeon

Tap, tap, tap…….

The sound of footsteps faded away. Choi Yichan remained standing on the rooftop for a long time, even though Kwon Rieul’s figure was already out of sight.

“What?”

The King in Yellow, ██████, appeared.

“Is everything okay? You let her go?”

“…….” Choi Yichan stared at him without answering.

“My, oh my … have you lost your mind due to the shock of heartbreak? No, it can’t be. I told you exactly what to do. Stab her with that dagger.”

That’s right. Choi Yichan originally intended to stab Kwon Rieul with the artefact in his hand, a very ancient dagger.

“Were you afraid to stab someone? Were you afraid she’d get hurt? Tsk tsk tsk, that artefact doesn’t harm the human body. It only cuts their causality.”

“…….”

“A singularity that appears in this world that repeats itself endlessly. If that causality is not broken, all that awaits her is pain and ordeal.”

For Kwon Rieul, the countless chain of causality is stacked against her. The world is endlessly repeating itself, and she is the only key to escape this infinite spiral. However, in order to break the closed loop of time, she must go through a terribly painful process.

Choi Yichan sincerely hoped that Kwon Rieul would be okay. He truly meant it.

So he agreed to stab her with this dagger, because as long as she was okay, he didn’t mind what else happened.

“The world will repeat itself again, but so what? You don’t have to go into the future, do you?”

“…….”

“Cckckck … maybe you won’t get dumped on the next loop. You’ve been dumped once, you’ll be able to do better next time. You can win her heart.” The King in Yellow, ██████, urged Choi Yichan with a hint of impatience, “If she enters the gate, it’ll be too late. It’s beyond my power, you cannot enter it unless you’re eligible. Hurry up and chase after her!”

Up until that moment, when he grabbed Kwon Rieul’s hand, Choi Yichan had planned to stab her as ██████ had instructed.

But the moment he saw her face to face and saw the determination shining in her eyes, he questioned himself.

‘What am I doing right now?’

That’s the reason why he confessed the feelings he had never intended to reveal. He was desperate to know the nature of this discomfort, perhaps hoping she would stop him.

And now that Kwon Rieul had left, the sense of discomfort grew even stronger.

‘The rest of the world will be fine? Who am I to judge that?’

When he first became an S-Class, he was overwhelmed but happy. He always wanted to be a hero, to be strong enough to help others.

‘Am I worthy of being a hero now?‘

The question was answered with a bitter disappointment. There’s nothing heroic about a person who is willing to stab someone he loves with a dagger because he thinks this world is a fine place for them.

In the first place, why did he believe what this man said about stabbing Kwon Rieul? When he started to think about it, this strange god next to him seemed quite strange.

The King in Yellow, ██████, did not hide his frustration and urged Choi Yichan again, “Are you just going to hold onto that dagger?”

“……No.”

“Ho ho, yes, yes. Go after her!”

His head snapped clear. He now knew clearly what he had to do.

Choi Yichan stared at the King in Yellow, ██████, for a moment. Through the cracks in the mask that covered his face, he could see melted skin and cloudy eyes. How had he not noticed this before? The man in front of him was a sinister and unpleasant creature.

He acted impatiently, forgetting his usual carefree attitude, as if he had to catch Kwon Rieul right away or he would be in trouble.

Choi Yichan took a step closer to the hideous God of the Otherworld.

And without hesitation, he stabbed ██████ with the dagger in his hand.

Stab! No blood spurted out. Instead, there was a hollow sensation as if he had slashed through thin air. Black smoke rose from the stab wound. ██████ twisted his body in pain.

“Ugh! Why……. Why did you cut me……!”

“I understand now, I shouldn’t have listened to you in the first place, I’ve wasted too much time.”

He said that the dagger in his hand could cut through the causality. This meant that he could send back the God of the Otherworld, who was made up of a mass of causality.

As if to prove his point, ██████ ‘s body began to crumble.

“You ….. haaa ……. I saved your life……. have you forgotten……?”

“That doesn’t mean you get to manipulate me as you please.”

“You will regret … grrrr … that woman, you letting go…..”

“That doesn’t mean I have the right to interfere with Rieul’s wishes.”

Before long, ██████ had turned into a half-melted slime. Bubbles bubbled inside his yellow robe, and a muffled sound escaped from what was left of his mouth.

“Kkkkkk …. grrr …. regret it …. numerous worlds have already been destroyed … grr……”

He didn’t listen to the rest of the gibberish. Choi Yichan took a deep breath and adjusted his grip on the daggers. There was no hesitation as he plunged it into the creature that was no longer human.

Pooof! Bubbubble….

The bubble disappeared.

[The contract with The King in Yellow, ██████, has been cancelled.]

[Contractor: Choi Yichan’s status will be readjusted.]

[Choi Yichan (S) → Choi Yichan (E)]

Well, it can’t be helped. Choi Yichan swallowed his bitterness. Even if he became an E-class again, there would be something he could still do.

But then the system window flashed up again.

[Unbelievable achievement!

You have sent back The King in Yellow, ██████, in a mortal body.]

[██████’s influence has disappeared. Your status will be updated.]

[Name: Choi Yichan

Class: Hero (S) (Lv.50)]

Choi Yichan took a moment to brush his face dry. His eyes stung. He knew he had made the right choice, but it wasn’t without grief.

Kwon Rieul has gone to do what she has to do, so it’s only fair that he do what he has to do as well. The Gate was closed, the streets were restored, but the danger still lingered.

He removed his hand and raised his head. Then, with an unwavering expression, he moved on.

***

After coming down from the rooftop, I went back to the store with Ash. There was no danger anymore since Ki Yoohyun had repaired the streets, and I had some business at the store.

As soon as I opened the door and entered, I called out, “Mieum!”

I listened for a moment, but I couldn’t hear Mieum’s footsteps.

“Mieum-ah, I need to talk to you. Come out quickly and don’t hide!”

Again, no response.

“Do you want me to go catch her?”

Only after Ash said that, I heard a creak from the side.

“Miaaaw……”

Mieum popped out from inside the space and stretched out her body. She appeared very healthy and relaxed.

“Mieum, show me the way.”

“…….” The lazy cat looked at me wordlessly for a moment, then yawned lazily and purred, “Waeooong, what do you mean? How can a housekeeper cat give directions! Look at the map for directions!”

“You used to say you weren’t a normal cat, but an agent of the system!”

“That’s, actually ……. I’ve been fired.”

“What?!”

Did the cold wave of the harsh job market even reach my cat? The one who seemed to have embraced the life of a house cat lately was fired?

……That can’t be true.

I spoke after giving Mieum a good smack on her plump butt, “Don’t lie to me. The Saintess told me everything before.”

“Waeoolgh?! Who’s the Saintess?”

Oops, I’d been calling her that all along in my head.

“You know, the blonde woman who runs the system, the one with the meaningful speech. She said you would guide me.”

【Someday, you will reach the Gate. Your cat will guide you.】

I was convinced. The Saintess’ words referred to this moment.

The Great Dungeon had fallen and the gate was closed. But it was clear that this cat knew how to get inside.

“Waeong…..” Mieum let out a long sigh. Then she said with a reluctant tone, “Do you really have to go? The gate has already closed, and the monster has disappeared. If peace is what you desire, it can be achieved without having to face what’s inside the Gate.”

“I’ve already made up my mind.”

“Waeooong…….”

Mieum rose to her feet and headed towards the entrance of the otherworldly space that emitted blue light.

“I had hoped this day would never come. I hoped you wouldn’t find the path.” Mieum’s golden eyes took on an ethereal glow, “You have been a pretty good employer. I wanted to stay here longer, so I pretended to know nothing, but it was to no avail.”

“Mieum-ah….”

I pounded Mieum’s butt again.

“….waeoolg?!”

‘Was I reading it right when she deliberately pretended not to know whenever I asked her something? We’ll see.’

……It meant this.

You’ll be back. You’ve got the warmest seat in front of the heater, the right to choose the channel, and my Netflix ID is all yours, so why are you talking to me like that?

But Mieum turned her head away with an odd expression.

“This is my last duty. I’ll guide you, waeolg!”

Standing up on her front paws, Mieum touched the entrance to the otherworldly space, then closed her eyes and concentrated.

[Agent: Mieum has been identified.]

[The door is open.]

Fyaaaaaa━

The blue light emanating from the entrance of the otherworldly space changed to red. It was evident that the door led to the gate that Ki Yoohyun and the quest participants had entered.

Translator’s Corner:

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHAPTERS ASJDKHSKJF we finally reached here! 20 chapters left in the main story~