Chapter 107

Song Hyuk-seo, who had been watching Ha-chan unleash red lightning with all his might, widened his eyes again, feeling a surge of determination reignite within him. He didn’t know why, but seeing Ha-chan, who had never given up from start to finish, made him realize the opportunity that had been created for him.

He had promised to return to Se-hee. Could he really give up here?

“Domiiiiii!!!!”

With a roar similar to Ha-chan’s, Song Hyuk-seo grabbed Ha-chan’s outstretched hand. The red lightning exploded, and Ha-chan slammed into the ground, but they were still a step short of reaching the entrance.

“Domii, you really!”

At that moment, red camellia petals scattered in front of them. Cheon Hong-ryun, with her red hair flowing, appeared and grabbed both of their arms, pulling them in.

*Crash!*

The three of them tumbled into the room, and Si-ho immediately closed the door. Nae-ki, who had been about to jump in, sighed in relief.

A brief silence followed.

Song Hyuk-seo tried to get up but ended up colliding with Se-hee, who had rushed over. He let out a pained groan but silently held his crying younger sister.

“Who said to give up! Who!”

“…Sorry.”

Meanwhile, Song Hyuk-seo noticed Ha-chan kneeling in front of Cheon Hong-ryun and Ha Si-ho.

“Didn’t I say I’d lock you up if you did something like this!!!!!!”

“…Manager, do you want to see Si-ho die?”

“Sorry.”

Both of them had horns on their heads, a sign of their recklessness. Ha-chan had jumped in without hesitation, even though he could have died.

For some reason, Song Hyuk-seo laughed.

“Is it the time for you to laugh?”

Se-hee, who was crying, scolded him, but he couldn’t help but laugh. It felt like he had regained something he had lost long ago when Ran, his friend, mentor, and love, had died.

It felt so warm that Song Hyuk-seo laughed, thinking he had finally returned home after his life had been turned upside down by dimensional movement.

—

After being scolded by Ayu and Si-ho to the point where I thought I might get beaten, I finally managed to get away after being reprimanded by Seol-hyang.

If I had been scolded any longer, I would have cried like a child. All three of them were terrifying when they were angry.

“It’s your own doing.”

When Baeksan said that, I felt disheartened. On one hand, I had saved Hyuk-seo, but I had just made a promise with Ayu, so I had no excuse. Ayu had been on the verge of locking me up.

Anyway, after that, Hyuk-seo had to be treated by the Saint due to the dimensional exposure from the dimensional rift. Fortunately, the Saint had researched dimensional exposure treatment thanks to records from Orzia’s former lover, Seiya.

The dimensional exposure in my body would also disappear quickly with the medicine the Saint gave me.

“I’ll just check this and then go. Wait a bit.”

“Haa, go ahead.”

The Saint sighed at Hyuk-seo’s stubbornness to see Eva’s results.

“Juk-sim, is it possible?”

[Leave it to me.]

Juk-sim, next to me, confidently spoke through TTL. She began preparing in front of Eva’s body.

As Juk-sim tapped the ground, a night sky began to spread from where Eva lay. It was a sight I had seen before, but it was still breathtaking.

As everyone held their breath, starlight began to rise from the night sky. At the same time, Juk-sim grew larger, resembling an astrologer.

She raised her staff and began to float into the air.

Simultaneously, starlight poured down onto Eva. For a moment, it was hard to see what was happening.

Only the sound of something rustling filled the quiet space. After about ten minutes, Juk-sim looked up at Eva.

The two had already discussed what to do, so Eva began to unbutton her shirt.

“Don’t look.”

“Don’t look.”

Ayu and Si-ho covered my eyes. I was going to look away, but now I wanted to see.

*Thud-*

The sound of Eva removing the talismans from her chest to bind her spirit was heard.

“It’s done.”

As Eva’s voice followed, an overwhelming starlight broke through even with my eyes covered. When the light faded, I looked forward.

The space was quiet. Eva’s spirit was gone, leaving only Juk-sim and Eva’s body. As everyone watched, Eva’s fingers twitched.

“Cough, ugh.”

Eva slowly sat up, coughing up black blood. Her body, restored, was dressed in her usual jeans and shirt.

She looked at us with her blue eyes and gently touched her cheek.

“Wow, damn, I’m alive?”

Her occasional swearing was a sign she was truly back.

“Song Se-hee!”

Hyuk-seo was the first to rush over and hug Eva. Though startled by his large frame, she patted his head as he trembled.

“Aren’t you embarrassed with everyone watching?”

“You’ve already shown enough embarrassing moments.”

“That’s true.”

Eva slowly smiled.

“Oppa, we’ve been through a lot.”

“…Yeah, I’ve had a rough time.”

“Let’s rest now. Both you and me.”

Hyuk-seo would now receive treatment and be detained. What would happen to him was up to the World Returner Association, not me.

Hearing Eva’s promise, Hyuk-seo nodded quietly. At that moment, Eva looked over at me.

Our eyes met, and Eva smiled slowly with her restored body.

“…Thank you.”

Hearing those tearful words, I remembered the world Baeksan had spoken of, where Eva had died, and Hyuk-seo had met a lonely end, unable to overcome it.

But that world no longer existed here.

This was a world where Hyuk-seo and Eva could reunite with smiles. That alone made me smile.

Happiness is more valuable when shared with others than when kept to oneself.

—

Revived.

Song Se-hee couldn’t grasp the reality. Only the warmth of her twin brother, Song Hyuk-seo, holding her, slowly made her realize it.

‘I never thought this day would come again.’

Se-hee touched her cheek and laughed. The warmth was so welcome, and that welcome soon took on another meaning.

‘I also wanted to live.’

Knowing she couldn’t live, Se-hee had given up on her life. Over time, the meaning of life had faded.

But hearing her heart beat, she realized she also wanted to live.

Of course.

Even as a Returner, she was still human.

Though the peaceful times with Ran and Song Hyuk-seo would never return, life on Earth wasn’t bad for her.

Not knowing when her life might end, she had lived Earth’s life to the fullest. And she never thought that life would connect to the bonds she made in the game.

She saw Ha-chan.

Her game friend who had vowed to save her and had done it.

The person who loved helping others in the game had done the same in reality, making her smile. Seeing the many people around him, she realized how precious his life was.

Somehow, she and Hyuk-seo had become part of his life.

“Let’s go get treated now.”

As the Saint approached and said that to Hyuk-seo, he staggered to his feet.

“Se-hee, remember Beom’s guild.”

“The guild where Oppa gathered the hunters from the other world, right?”

“Yeah, even the son from abroad is coming to Korea now. I’ll hand it over to you, so help Domi with whatever he needs. He might die from overwork.”

With that, Hyuk-seo pressed his head once with his large hand and slowly walked away.

It was the same back view she had always seen.

The back view she had seen in the dimensional war was always heartbreaking.

Hyuk-seo had lived for her, and after Ran’s death, he had gone mad, becoming Asura and fighting the world.

She had clashed with him as a spirit lord dozens, hundreds of times.

She had wanted to stop him.

She had wanted to stop him from living only for himself.

She had wanted to stop him, who had become a vengeful spirit, rampaging.

But she had never been able to stop him.

Because she was his twin sister.

Sometimes, there are things family can never stop.

So, returning to Earth, she thought she could protect her brother’s life this time.

But reality wasn’t like that.

Because Hyuk-seo was living for her again.

That fact always hurt her.

It was so painful that she couldn’t stop him even now.

But today.

The feeling she got from his retreating back was different—a sense of relief.

There was no longer a reason for him to sacrifice himself.

Because they had returned to a world where such a life was no longer necessary.

The long chain of misfortune that had started in the dimensional war had finally been broken today.

That fact made Se-hee happier than her own revival.

‘And it was all thanks to Domi.’

The person who had stopped her brother, whom she couldn’t stop in a lifetime, was none other than her game acquaintance.

She had received a debt she could never repay in her lifetime.