Episode 284 – Fable (1)
“■■, what’s wrong?”
uh?
A familiar voice woke me up. In front of you, you see a table with delicious food and white plates on it.
Along with that, a cold sensation felt from the palm of my hand. When I look at the fork I am holding in my hand, I feel something unfamiliar.
“…Do you not like it? “It’s been a while since I made this, so I’m honestly not confident.”
“I used expensive Korean beef, but if you don’t like it, it’s a problem.”
“Child, do I really have to say things like that until a day like this? “I did that before…”
“No! dad! “I was just thinking about something else for a moment!”
Again, father and mother start fighting like before.
I quickly stabbed the bread on the table with the fork I was holding. With a crunching sound, a hole appeared in the bread, and thick meat juice flowed out through the gap.
Attracted by that strong smell, I tore off the bread with my bare hands and put it in my mouth. It was so hot it felt like it would burn me, but it tasted so great that I couldn’t feel the heat at all.
“Are you obscene and eating with your bare hands? “What are you going to use the fork for?”
“how is it? delicious? Isn’t it awesome?”
After chewing furiously and swallowing, I silently raised my thumb.
My father smiled brightly when he saw that.
“I already received my gift. “Now it’s mom’s turn.”
“I know.”
“A gift?”
I was shocked as I was sucking on my finger to make sure no juice was left behind.
It was very rare for my mother to give me a gift. In the first place, after I was admitted to the hospital, it was difficult to even see my face. Because he was a famous actor, he was always busy.
“Mom gave me a gift?”
“That’s right. I have fun too…oh my. “I’ll go out for a moment.”
My father took his cell phone and left, leaving only my mother and I in the kitchen. My mother hesitated for a moment and then took something out from under the table.
The large box with an illustration of a machine resembling headgear was something I was familiar with. It was a VR device that was advertised everywhere. I absentmindedly accepted the gift my mother gave me.
“I asked the manager what was popular these days and bought it.”
My mother spoke in a slightly awkward voice, unlike usual. I couldn’t say anything.
“Things that aren’t even good are expensive…Are you crying now?”
“yes?”
Just as my mother said, I felt warm liquid flowing from the corner of my eyes. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, but the tears did not stop.
It’s true that I’m happy to receive a gift, but it’s not enough to make me cry. Why on earth are you doing this?
“Hey!”
I put down the gift and quickly ran to the bathroom. I could hear my mother’s voice sounding embarrassed, but I couldn’t turn around.
I locked the bathroom door and turned on the faucet.
Perhaps thanks to the sound of pouring water, my racing emotions gradually calmed down.
I think I know why you just reacted like that.
Having spent my childhood in the hospital, I dreamed of spending happy times with my family. Everyone sits at the table and eats in a friendly atmosphere. When that dream came true, I probably shed tears without realizing it.
I washed my face with water and looked in the mirror.
“huh?”
There was a small post-it note stuck to the corner of the mirror. You see a three-letter word written on a post-it note.
The moment my unconsciously extended finger touched the post-it note, the bathroom was plunged into darkness.
The water on my face turned into sticky mucus, and the clothes I was wearing became a stuffy cocoon, constricting my body.
‘What was that just now?’
All the visions I had seen through the cocoon so far were fragments of memories from the past.
But something was different this time.
In my memory, there has never been a time when the whole family ate together and laughed together. This is because both my father and mother were always busy. By the time I entered college, we were separated.
‘And the last one.’
That post-it note.
It definitely seemed like an important word, but I can’t remember it. It felt like that part had been completely erased, leaving out everything else.
‘…Will we be able to check again when it evolves into an adult?’
Every time I enter the cocoon, I see a vision and will be able to see it again later.
I tore the cocoon and came out.
As soon as I felt the cool air, what I saw was a container with its door wide open and a gryphon beast standing in front of it.
Heaven’s Mother was just biting into the apple in her hand when she made eye contact with me.
“…what? Why?”
She chewed on the apple, reacting like someone who had been caught trying to secretly cook and eat ramen in the early morning.
[Zuzuzuzu (Say it earlier)]
“I know what you’re thinking, so how can you do that? “You wanted to evolve as quickly as possible.”
She’s right.
After leaving the Dragon’s Nest, I traveled to various places and collected genetic essence. Now that the Megacorp Star Union rankers are aware of my existence, I don’t know when they will come after me.
Moreover, those who oppose me are all those who have the highest power in their own power. To confront them, I also have to become a Eucharist.
It was true that there was a sense of haste, so I couldn’t deny what she said.
[Zuzuzu (kids?)]
?I went outside with PS-111. “I want to watch it eat metal.”
[Zuzu zuzu zuzuzuzuzu (as expected, we’ve already arrived)]
For some reason, I couldn’t feel the slightest vibration from the inner walls of the ship.
The place where the ship landed is an unknown dwarf planet. Before going to attack Kesha Arma, I looked for a place where I could evolve into an adult without being checked by others.
This is a planet so far away from its star that little light reaches it. The planet’s crust is made up of ice and metal, and the atmosphere is so shallow that ordinary life does not exist.
Before going to Kesha Armah, I searched carefully to see if it was a suitable place for fire extinguishing.
And the result was passing.
On this small, dark planet, I will become an adult.
[Zuzu zuzu zuzuzu (Tell me when the kids come)]
?Without waiting??
[Zuz zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzu (I’ll be in the cocoon soon, so there’s no need to do that)]
I shake off the sticky slime. He got up from his seat. Its body size became larger than before, and its two long tails dragged along the floor. My body changed as I gained new unique characteristics.
‘It will become an adult soon anyway, so we can check it then.’
[Zuzu zuzu zuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu (Take care of the kids while I sleep)]
“Don’t worry.”
She had already eaten all the apples and was taking out the frozen grapes.
As I was about to leave her behind, I impulsively sent a wave to her.
[Zuzzuzu zuzu (I have something to ask)]
?Huh? What is it??
[zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzuzu zuzu zuzuzuzu zuzuzuzuzu (Did you see anything when you raised the level of apotheosis? An illusion or something)]
?An illusion??
When I actually asked her a question, I felt regret. There is no guarantee that others will go through the same thing I went through, so why did I ask? Moreover, the races are also different.
I was about to add that I didn’t have to answer, but she answered first.
“I saw it.”
[Zuzuzu (saw it?)]
“Yes. Memories of my time as a human. I guess you saw it too.」
[Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzu Zuzuzuzu (Yes, I see it every time I enter the cocoon)] To be ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
exact, except when it evolves into a fluid. I don’t remember seeing a fantasy like that before. It’s unclear whether I don’t remember or if it was just an exceptional case.
Anyway, just like me, she seems to see illusions every time she grows up. If so, other players may have had similar experiences.
“It won’t be a very pleasant experience. Oh, could it be different for you?」
[Zuzu zuzuzu (What does it mean?)]
She closed her mouth to my question.
She was fiddling with grapes with her golden fur-covered hands, and after a moment she opened her mouth.
“I’ve only had two visions so far. The contents were all the same.”
[Zuzuzuzuzu (same?)]
“Yes. I remember being bullied in middle school. “I tried to forget it, but it kept popping up.”
Her answer was unexpected.
Among the players I know, Heaven’s Mother was the only player who came to this world, adapted well, and even got married. Compared to me and other players, his personality and social skills were pretty good, with no flaws. Of course, I assumed that I would have lived a smooth life in real life, but I had no idea that this kind of pain would exist.
“There’s nothing to look at with eyes like that. Because it happened a long time ago.”
[Zuzuzu (I see)]
“What about you? “Seeing as you’re asking this, I guess your memory isn’t very good either.”
I didn’t answer her question right away.
When I was a human, I was asked countless times why my face looked like that. Every time, I had to explain why this was the case.
At most, the reaction I got after explaining it was always the same. awkwardness. distrust. Cheap sympathy.
Heavenly Mother might also react similarly to them.
‘no. She spoke of her pain first.’
So it would be fair for me to be honest with her too.
I explained to her about the visions I had seen and the major accidents I had experienced in the past. She listened to me all the way in silence.
When I finished my story, Heavenly Mother sighed briefly.
“…I didn’t know there was such pain.”
[Z(Yes)]
“Take this at least.”
She cut the grape branch she was holding and handed half to me. And he swallowed the remaining half in one go.
‘Is it a substitute for a drinking glass?’
Knowing what the intention was, I put the grape in my mouth just like she did. Regardless of the atmosphere, the refreshing yet sour taste tickled my entire mouth.
The moment of silence created by eating grapes was broken when she opened her mouth.
“I didn’t know that your mother was a great actress. Before I came here, I heard that you even won awards at foreign film festivals.”
[Zuzuzuzu (Well, right)]
“I guess being good at acting runs in your family?”
[Zuzuzuzu (Maybe)]
She told a short joke, but then her eyes turned serious. looked at me.
“This is my guess. Maybe the fantasy changes depending on the goal we set?”
[Zuzu Zuzuzu (What does it mean?)]
“You were aiming for ascension from the beginning. I was a little different. Because I liked this world more than ‘reality’.”
[Zuzuzu (right)]
“Unlike me, you saw an ideal future instead of negative memories. If so, wouldn’t you naturally become more ‘motivated’ than before?”
What she means is that the fantasy you see changes depending on the goal you set.
‘Illusions are related to goals.’
There are too few cases to say for sure, but her opinion was quite interesting.
A vision I saw while entering the cocoon to create the unique trait.
It was an ideal family that had never been experienced before. How to get that happiness in your hands? We need to return to reality.
‘Then why are you showing me this illusion?’
She said it’s for motivation, but that’s not all. There must be a reason why she and I had visions.
‘…I need to find out about this too.’
An illusion made up of memories. Maybe it has something to do with why we fell into this world. Apart from the final goal of ascension.
Since there was nothing more to know, the conversation with her ended there. Still, it was true that it was helpful, so I expressed my gratitude to her.
[Zuzuzu (Thank you)]
?You’re welcome. Just saying a few words is the big deal.?
[Zuz, zuzuzu, zuzuzuzu, zuzu, zuzuzuzu, zuzu, zuzuzuzu, zuzuzuzu (I always thought that. You don’t know how grateful I am to have you)] ?… Don’t say
nonsense. “Go out and get ready to be the Eucharist.”
She turned her head away, as if my sincere gratitude seemed awkward. I bowed my head towards her as she turned and crawled out of the ship.
A barren metal landmark greeted me. There was almost no light, so it was no different from the darkness of space, but I had an auxiliary organ.
I crawled towards the place I had known in advance. There is a crater not far away. I went into a huge hole created by a meteorite collision a long time ago and found a suitable spot.
‘then.’
?’Semi-adult’ – >’Adult’ evolution conditions have been met. Do you want to evolve?
I’ve waited a long time.
A semi-transparent text box that always asks for opinions using the same tone of voice.
My answer was always the same.
Even before the mucus that got in and out of the cocoon dries, my body prepares to move on to the next step.
I closed my eyes.
And when I opened my eyes, the sight I saw was a space filled with light and color instead of a black abyss.
What was in front of me was a familiar-looking iron gate.
‘Where?’
An old door with rusty hinges and a shabby handle. That was the door to my bedroom.
I could hear someone yelling loudly from inside.
“Fuck you! How dare you interfere with my evolution? “Know how to kill gracefully!”
That voice is very familiar.
As if possessed by something, I stretched out my hand and grabbed the doorknob. I feel a sense of déjà vu somehow. I think it’s been like this before, but I don’t remember.
The doorknob turns and the door opens.
On a bed in a corner of a studio with a bathroom. A man wearing headgear is lying there.
The physique looked normal, but the body was not. Perhaps because it was at home, he was comfortably wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts, so he was clearly visible. There were long burn marks starting from the right leg to the forearm, shoulder, and neck.
“How many times is this! Why do you always follow me around? “Am I that easy?”
He was yelling hard, as if he was not aware of my presence at all.
A man’s appearance and his actions. Everything is familiar.
‘Something is wrong.’
We need to get out of here right now. Contrary to my thoughts, my body moved as it pleases. The long wing arm took off the VR device he was wearing.
“Hey, what is this…huh?”
He escapes from the world of space survival and sees me. His eyes widen as if torn apart.
‘…crazy.’
He had burn marks on the right side of his face.
That’s the face I always see in the bathroom mirror every morning.
“Ugh! It’s a monster!”
The identity of the person screaming to be torn apart was ‘me’.
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