noveldrama
Chapter 190
Chapter 190
The blank space where Uijae's role should have been filled him with an uneasy feeling.
*What’s the point of someone with no assigned role? Can I even stay here?* Uijae unconsciously tightened his grip on Sayoung's arm. Sayoung let out a small groan, and only then did Uijae snap back to reality, quickly releasing him. As if on cue, the electric sparks that had been flickering around Sayoung's body disappeared.
“Ah, sorry. Are you okay?”
Sayoung straightened up, brushing off his shoulders with a grimace. He grumbled, “Is this really a dream?”
“What do you mean?”
“The system enforces penalties, doesn’t it? Like just now—breaking the rules got me punished. It all feels too real.”
Now that he mentioned it, Uijae realized the same. Could a dream even be controlled by a system like this? Sure, Yun Gaeul had seen fragments of a ruined world in her dreams, but that was just passive observation. There was no system forcing physical consequences on her.
“Yeah, it definitely feels more like a dungeon,” Uijae admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
“When I watched the past through the watch, I thought this would be a dream too, like Gaeul’s. I didn't expect something like this.”
“Something that can impose physical penalties wasn’t part of your dreams, right?”
“No, I just watched them. Like I was sitting in a movie theater.”
“...”
Sayoung didn’t respond with a snarky comment, which was unusual. He seemed to be lost in thought, staring off into space. Then, without warning, he leaned his head against Uijae’s, resting his temple on Uijae's hair. Luckily, no penalty came this time.
*Does this mean acting like a younger brother is allowed?* Uijae grimaced as Sayoung mumbled.
“Well, I guess I’m playing the role of a ‘good younger brother.’ So, what’s your role?”
Uijae tried to keep his voice steady as he replied, “...I don’t have one.”
“Huh?”
“It was blank. I don’t have a role.”
“...”
Sayoung hummed in thought, then pulled away and straightened up.
“I’ve been thinking about it. A lot of things.”
“Yeah?”
“Whoever made this place is clearly out of their mind…”
*Self-criticism?* Uijae had to bite his tongue to stop himself from laughing. Fortunately, Sayoung didn’t notice his reaction and instead reached for the door handle.
“We’d better be careful… who knows what might come out,” Sayoung whispered, his voice hoarse with tension.
Click. The door opened.
A loud honk blared through the air as a sedan sped past on the road outside. A motorcycle zoomed by, leaving only the sound of its engine behind.
*Wait... a road?*
Instead of leading to an apartment lobby or hallway, the door opened directly onto a road.
*Who the hell designed this place?*
Sayoung, gripping the doorknob, stared out at the street with a baffled expression.
On the sidewalk next to the road, people walked by, listening to music on their headphones, looking at their phones, talking on the phone—normal everyday activities.
What was odd, though, was how detailed they were. Uijae could see their faces clearly, the way their mouths moved, their fingers typing, even the way their hair swayed with each step. Unlike the blurry, shadow-like figures he had seen in his past visions.
“They're way too vivid,” Uijae muttered.
“...”
“They look like real people.”
“Your dreams weren’t like this?” Sayoung asked, his gaze still fixed on the street.
Uijae nodded slightly. In the memories he had seen through the watch, the people were only vague shapes. Only a few key figures, like Honeybee, Jung Bin, and the Director, had clear faces and voices.
*I thought maybe only people important to past Cha Uijae were clear.*
But was that not the case? Uijae snapped out of his thoughts and answered belatedly, “No. Only the people connected to those memories were clear. The rest were just shadows.”
*Can a person really remember everything this perfectly?*
Memories are inherently unreliable, prone to distortion. Uijae turned to Sayoung and asked, “You don’t have some kind of photographic memory, do you?”
“If you’re asking if I can remember things this clearly… no, I can’t.”
Sayoung crossed his arms, scanning the movements of the people on the street. After a moment, he commented in a casual tone, as if noting the weather, “This is… unsettling.”
Unsettling? Uijae glanced at Sayoung and noticed his clenched jaw and furrowed brow. He looked genuinely disturbed. Sayoung motioned toward the street with his chin.
“Let’s move. Do you have any place in mind?”
“Seowon Guild?”
At the mention of Seowon Guild, Sayoung’s expression darkened, the lines on his forehead deepening.
“...Seowon Guild? Nam Woojin? Why there?”
“Well, when I saw the fragments of the future, it seemed like a base of operations. Maybe a refuge. Both of us went there a lot after the apocalypse, so we might find something useful.”
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Sayoung stepped aside, letting Uijae lead the way. Uijae stepped onto the sidewalk.
The chipped edges of the pavement, the small wildflowers and weeds growing between the cracks—it was all eerily lifelike, down to the tiniest details. Like a world meticulously recreated.
*I think I’m starting to understand why he said this feels wrong...*
Uijae walked deliberately, each step heavy with thought. None of the passersby paid him any attention, even though he was wearing a conspicuous black mask. If this were the real world, people would have flocked to him in no time. Instead, he felt like a complete outsider.
*Blank. An outsider.*
But Cha Uijae didn’t feel alone. The sound of footsteps behind him reminded him that he wasn’t.
After walking for some time, a familiar building came into view.
The Seowon Guild headquarters. The entrance was wide open, as if inviting them in.
Uijae glanced back at Sayoung, who still wore a sour expression. Their eyes met, and Sayoung gave him a small nod.
“It looks like they’re expecting us.”
As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by a long corridor. At the end, the faint outlines of bookshelves from a library could be seen. The scent of old paper and books filled the air the closer they got. Uijae stepped in first, his boots making soft sounds on the red carpet. The moment Sayoung's black boots followed—
A voice echoed through the library.
“Well, well, surprise guests.”
At the same time, a white system message popped up before their eyes.
---
**[You have 5 seconds to select the appropriate response.]
Q. Nam Woojin: Surprise guests, huh?
1. Get lost.
2. Shut up.
3. Die.
4. Thanks for the warm welcome.
Incorrect answers will result in a penalty.
Penalty: Reduced time in this world.]**
---
*What the hell are these options?*
*...Isn’t 4 the safest? It’s a bit sarcastic, but we didn’t come here to fight.*
Uijae, in the middle of quickly weighing his options, was cut short when Sayoung reached out and pressed one of the options without hesitation. His black finger pressed down on option 2.
“Shut up.”
“What?”
---
**[You selected the correct answer. Congratulations!]**
---
*Shut up was the right answer?*
Uijae turned to stare at Sayoung, wide-eyed. Their gazes met. Sayoung shrugged, as if to say, *What’s the problem?* Uijae couldn’t help but be impressed.
“You… have a good sense for these things, don’t you?”
*Maybe it's because he’s just as bad as them.* But Sayoung’s expression twisted in disgust, as if he’d just eaten something bitter. He gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath.
“I hope you didn’t mean that as a compliment.”
It *was* a compliment, but Sayoung’s icy response killed the moment. Just then, a chuckle echoed through the library.
“Ah, yes, yes. So, what brings you here today? It’s not your scheduled check-up.”
“I need information.”
“If it’s information you want, shouldn’t you be at the fish market?”
“Not that kind of information. I’m looking for something scholarly—about the system.”
“Hmm… I didn’t think you’d be interested in something like that. What a surprise.”
Through the gap between the bookshelves, a figure in a white coat appeared. Nam Woojin, holding an open book in one hand, approached them but didn’t look at Uijae, almost as if he weren’t there.
*Wait…*
*Can he not see me?* Uijae waved his hand in front of Nam Woojin’s face, but the man didn’t react. He even closed his book with a sharp thud, his attention fully focused on Sayoung.
Uijae reached out to grab Nam Woojin’s shoulder.
Or, at least, he tried to. His hand passed straight through Nam Woojin's body. Meanwhile, Nam Woojin tucked the book under his arm and smiled like a well-fed cat, his pale eyes glowing faintly.
“Good attitude. So, what’s your question?”
“...”
Uijae,
his hand now uselessly hanging by his side, looked over at Sayoung.
His expression had turned cold.
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TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!