Chapter 45: Chapter 37: Kim Dokja, King in a Kingless World (10)

A/N: I posted something on my profile, so for people who haven't seen, I didn't update for the past two weeks because of midterms, other tests, and assignments. The problem is, I'm still busy...;-;

"Can you stop dragging me around everywhere?" Jung Youngho complained as we were making our way to Chungmuro station after establishing a promising future alliance with the Beauty King.

If things went well and Min Jiwon got the crown, then the non-aggression pact was pretty much set in stone.

But only if things went well.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Jung Youngho called me.

I retreated out of my daze.

"Sorry, could you repeat that?" I said as a reflex.

Jung Youngho clicked his tongue at me. "I say, you've been like this ever since leaving that woman's place. What, are you scared of them?"

"No." I replied, despite feeling the tremors over my nerves.

Although I had got out in one piece and performed better than I thought I would, my body started showing signs of discomfort as we got farther away.

An irregular heart beat, shaking, a tightness in my chest and sudden feeling of a parched throat.

I'm nervous.

That was what my body was telling me.

It made me feel incredulous that I was so calm during the performance.

"If not scared, then what?" Jung Youngho rolled his eyes.

"Just nervous." I gave my honest reply. "By the way, why did you act out back there?"

"Act out?" Jung Youngho didn't appear to know what I was talking about.

"When you smashed the cup on the desk and started insulting Min Jiwon, that's what I'm talking about." I was getting a little worked up now that I recalled his fiasco.

"If I hadn't done that, anything after that wouldn't have worked, dumb*ss." Jung Youngho irritably spoke.

"What do you-" I spun on him, and fell silent.

His words might be true. After all, Min Jiwon immediately agreed after Jung Youngho revealed his identity. He did break the  initiative Min Jiwon took during the conversation. And, thanks to him, I could get my head clear.

"Hm?" Jung Youngho arched his brow cockily.

"..." I didn't respond, not sure of how to respond, or how to think of Jung Youngho.

My perception of him was changing again.

Did he intentionally help me? If he did...

...why?

Why did he help me?

Did I....seem similar to that boy in Jung Youngho's memories?

The thought that came out of nowhere, but it was always lurking around somewhere, until the time it was excavated.

 All of a sudden I wanted to ask,

Who do you see me as?

But instead I kept quiet, keeping this question locked in my heart as I looked at Jung Youngho's figure, since it could all be a false conception on my part.

In this awkward silence, I was saved by a silhouette up ahead waving their arm in greeting.

"...Do you have that much memory and magic power to waste, making so many avatars like this?" I roasted the person with schadenfreude at first contact.

 A small tremor still remained in my body, so I hoped that it didn't seep into my voice.

"Aw, 'cmon, I'm showing you sincerity by showing you my real body." A rather short female with a bob cut rebuked.

However, she was able to pull off the bob cut with style, and the mole under her eye crinkled along with her long eyelashes.

She was a natural beauty alright.

I merely looked at the person, not believing their words one bit.

"Do you expect me to say, 'I'm not touched at all, b-baka'?" I coldly stated.

"Now that's what you yourself are imagining." The presumed 'real body' winked and twirled her finger. "Anyway, I'm sure these pleasantries are not all that you wanted to talk to me with?"

"...no."

Jung Youngho looked back and forth between us with an interested expression.

"But well, who is this? Introduce me to them. I thought we had agreed you would come by yourself?" The 'real body' gestured to the person beside me.

"When did we agree on that?" I grumbled, sarcasm dripping in my voice.

Jung Youngho wasn't expecting to be dragged into the conversation all of a sudden.

Still, he looked happy enough, clearing his throat for a more dramatic effect.

"I am known as the legendary Magic King." Jung Youngho coolly introduced, attempting to strike a cool pose to go along with it.

[Great King Heoncheon Hongdo Gyungmum is displeased with his incarnation's self introduction.]

Well, as a constellation with the mind to use Jung Youngho to become his (constellation) vessel, he (constellation) must have not liked what Jung Youngho said.

As for the 'real body' -

"..."

She gave a particular stare at Jung Youngho and made no comment on his boisterous self-introduction.

"Well, it's fine even if you have a tag-a-long." The 'real body' waved dismissively and changed the subject rather quickly as she gestured for us to get a move on.

Jung Youngho seemed like he had something to add onto that comment, but ultimately didn't say anything.

With a slow pace along the subway's empty passage, she kept giving assessing glances at me, as if she were trying to figure out something about me that I didn't know about.

It was starting to pluck my nerves, so I took action.

"What are you looking at me for?" I gave a straight ball question.

On the other hand, the 'real body' didn't seem fazed at all at being called out directly for her actions.

"Since you've caught me, you can at least satisfy my curiosity on a few things, right?" She smirked, raising her hands harmlessly.

"No-" I wanted to give a strong retort, but there was something serious on her face that made me pause for some odd reason.

"And if you don't answer my questions, who knows if I'll answer yours in the future? It's a fair trade, right?" The 'real body' gave me a wink.

She appeared to have a winking habit.

"...fine." I concluded with. After all, I could just answer vaguely to her questions -

"Hey, are you sure you read [Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World]?"

You are reading story (ORV Fanfiction) 3 Ways to Survive in a Ruined World at novel35.com

[The constellations are surprised at the sudden censoring.]

[Great King Heoncheon Hongdo Gyungmum is curious about what you are talking about.]

...her question caught me off guard already, and had me more wary than before.

"Is that a yes or a no?" She gave me a side-eyed glance.

"...and why do you ask this question?" I avoided answering.

"Because it's strange. I can't figure it out. Whether you read it, or didn't read it."

What are these cryptic words?

I frowned.

"Well, never mind. It seems you don't know yourself." The 'real body' waved her finger dismissively, a disinterested expression resting on her face at my confusion.

"Of course I-" I wanted to refute her, but stopped myself, on guard. "...did not."

Whether or not she believed me was another thing.

"There's a second thing I can't figure out, and why I came to meet you in person." The 'real body' continued.

I continued to listen.

"Who are you?"

This question again? I felt like I kept running into these questions, again and again.

"I'm me. Who else can I be? You?" I gave a quirky reply, a little dumbfounded at the weird questions the 'real body' were asking.

"Hm...it just feels like you're a puppet."

Now I just straight-up looked at the 'real body' akin to what a person would look at a person with a few screws loose would, though that wasn't far from the case.

"Automated with commands being put in. Then again, maybe we're all puppets in this world in the end? Still, you are the closest to being one." The 'real body' pointed at me.

I couldn't help but turn to look at Jung Youngho, the only other person with me.

At this point, Jung Youngho couldn't follow what was going on either. He may or may not have been listening, instead looking at the surroundings like they were more interesting specimens on our walk.

That's what I observed as I tried to find a companion to make sense of the 'real body's words together.

"And why are you asking these questions?" I tried to be civil about it instead of bursting out in confusion.

The 'real body' just smiled at my question.

"Who knows? Maybe it's because of one author's intuition to another fellow author?"

And what does that mean? I scrunched up my face.

"Well, even though you didn't answer any of my questions, I've confirmed a few things." The 'real body' shrugged.

"Are you ready to fulfill your side of the deal now?" The 'real body' smiled.

"...What deal?" I couldn't help but vocalize my inner thoughts.

"Obviously, if you've come here, you've agreed to a deal in exchange for information." She snapped her fingers.

Why is this person so weird? I was frustrated at being led along through this conversation. It made me feel like I was losing, and I didn't like it.

“We never agreed on that.” I spoke through clenched teeth.

“Well, even if my avatar missed out on a few details, will you agree or not? If not, then goodbye, I won’t be telling you anything.” The ‘real body’ smiled mischievously.

Oh, I’m going to blow my top.

"Fine, what do you want?" I sighed, trying to smooth out my attitude. It didn't do me good to be swept up in my emotions.

"Simple. Just stay by my avatar's side for this day and don't attack anyone, no matter what. That guy included." The 'real body' pointed at Jung Youngho and gave a small laugh that made me feel uneasy.

"So by your side?"

"No, didn't I tell you this is my real body, not an avatar's?" She looked at me, appalled at my question.

"...Sure, whatever you say. But what about the information you promised?" I pressed.

"I won't be telling you until you fulfill the conditions. If you break it, I won't be telling you anything."  

This feels like a trap. Everything about this didn't seem right.

I looked at the 'real body' to gauge her intentions.

"Hm?" She tilted her head at my stare.

"Well, if that's all, I'll be off now. Remember the instructions." The 'real body' told me as she took out a cap and righted it on her head.

"Hold up! Jung Youngho!" I called Jung Youngho who was standing by idly, telling him to block the 'real body'.

I wasn't about to let them go like this. Not when I didn't get any answers.

Jung Youngho hadn't reacted yet when the 'real body' passed him, but I was already giving chase.

Even if this 'real body' was agile, I still had a higher agility stat.

However, just as I was about to get a hold of her, the 'real body' took out a set of daggers of her own and threw them at me.

 I dodged out of the way, but that was enough time for her to disappear around a corner.

When I turned the bend to catch up, only an empty subway greeted me.

I lost her.

"Darn it." I muttered.

No wonder she was so confident to meet me alone. She was assured I couldn't catch her.

"Gone?" Jung Youngho calmly strode after me.

I pulled my lips into a thin line in reply. 

"So what are you planning next?" Jung Youngho continued to calmly pick his ear, evidently not bothered by the fact that the 'real body' had left.

"We'll go along with their conditions for now. If it looks unfavorable, we'll abandon it at any time." I decided.

Jung Youngho snorted.

Just as I was about to turn around, a paper fluttering down caught my attention.

Catching it, a line of handwritten words popped out on the white background.

P.s. My avatar is in Chungmuro Station.

Reading the line again, I closed my eyes in exasperation.

I had the urge to curse right now.

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