Player who Returned 10,000 years Later

Side Story Chapter 24: Back To Normal Life(?)

"I can’t with you!" shouted Han Seol-Ah, her eyes red from tearing up.

Once she calmed down a little regarding Oh Kang-Woo staying out all night without contact, he told her truthfully that he had come across the Wikiholic and was sent to an unknown space.

’I wanted to keep it hidden, though.’

However, Kang Tae-Soo would report this incident to Kim Si-Hun. An emergency meeting would be held, and Seol-Ah would also attend it since she was a member of Guardians.

’It was never something that could be hidden.’

It was better to tell the truth himself than let his lie be exposed. Not only that, but the incident with the Wikiholic, Akart, and Rajang should not be hidden. Now that it had become certain that Akart had set his mind to destroy this world, they needed to share as much information as possible to prepare for it.

"I told you it was dangerous outside!"

Seol-Ah teared up even more and embraced Kang-Woo, who could feel her shoulders trembling.

He gently caressed her back and replied, "Sorry. I’m completely in the wrong this time."

Although he was only kidnapped by the Wikiholic because of Tae-Soo’s trolling, Kang-Woo also held responsibility since he had recklessly gone outside.

"I… can’t live a single day without you anymore…"

Seol-Ah sighed in relief as she hugged Kang-Woo tighter. Kang-Woo smiled and kissed her.

"More importantly, my king. Could you explain to us about the being known as Akart once more?" asked Lilith calmly as she listened in silence.

"To be honest, I don’t know much about the guy besides that he’s a Titan," answered Kang-Woo as he shook his head.

The Titan did not have any records about him in mythology like Gaia and Odin, nor had Kang-Woo met or spoken to him.

"All I know is that he’s a crazy son of a bitch."

"Well… there’s no question about that, considering he created that horrid temple."

Lilith shook her head in exasperation. One would need to be a special kind of crazy to randomly kidnap people and force them to realize a bullshit truth.

"For now, we should prioritize capturing the Wikiholic. If it is Akart’s subordinate, it should have some information about him."

"That’s true." Kang-Woo clicked his tongue. "But I don’t know if the Wikiholic will stay active now that I destroyed the temple."

The Wikiholic might no longer try to kidnap people since the prison to send them to had disappeared.

"Oh… you may be right." Lilith nodded in puzzlement. "Then, for the time being, we should…"

"There’s nothing much we can do until they make a move first," Kang-Woo replied.

They lacked far too much information. There was no way to gather reliable information about the Wikiholic in the first place, so it was impossible to gather information about Akart, who had not even made a move.

"Was it… Eve? Does the System not know anything about Akart?"

"Oh, I’m done with that bitch."

Riiing!

[I apologize.]

’Fuck off.’

[An erroneous message had been generated due to the broken Law.]

’Is that all you can say? If that’s all, then let’s just go our separate ways.’

[I-I will never make fun of you again! ฅ(⌯͒•̩̩̩́ ˑ̫ •̩̩̩̀⌯͒)ฅ!]

’The fuck? The System can generate emoticons? Should this be allowed? It kinda feels like the fundamental existence of Players is being denied.’

Kang-Woo dumbfoundedly stared at the blue message window. It felt like when watching a serious nature documentary, the narrator suddenly went "Did you hear about the emu that grew so big that it was shunned by the rest of its group? It was ostrich-sized."

"Well… alright, so do you know anything about Akart?" asked Kang-Woo dumbfoundedly, forgetting his rage for Eve due to the shock from seeing the emoticon.

[I do not know anything besides what I have told you either.]

Kang-Woo clicked his tongue as he swiped away the message window.

"Nothing, it seems."

"I see…" Lilith narrowed her eyes and nodded.

"For the time being, it’s enough knowing there’s an entity aiming for Earth. After all, they’ll make the first move."

"Are you sure it’s okay to do nothing besides that…?"

"It’s not like we can do anything else."

"That’s… true." Lilith nodded with a gloomy expression.

"Don’t worry, unnie. I will keep a close eye on Kang-Woo twenty-four-seven from now on," said Seol-Ah as she hugged Kang-Woo from behind and snorted excitedly.

’She’s kind of acting like Echidna.’

"My, I can’t leave such a nice task for you to take on by yourself," Lilith said as she hugged Kang-Woo from the front.

The sandwiched Kang-Woo drew out a slight amount of demonic energy and shook the two women off by gently pushing them away with it.

"I don’t need to be protected."

"Oh?!"

"My king…?"

Kang-Woo said to Seol-Ah and Lilith looking at him in shock, "I’m strong enough to take care of myself now."

"Wh-What in the world happened, Kang-Woo?"

"Have your powers returned?"

Unlike how he couldn’t escape from their grasp before, he could now get out of it with a simple motion. Kang-Woo shrugged and shook his head.

"A portion of it. I still have a long way to go before it all comes back."

However, he was now strong enough to no longer need protection.

"I… see," Seol-Ah said in dejection.

She should be happy that Kang-Woo’s powers returned when a powerful enemy was aiming for Earth, but she was disappointed for some reason.

"Hm? But why have you not grown?" asked Seol-Ah wide-eyed.

"Oh… My physical growth was postponed because of some bullshit about prioritizing the return of my powers."

"G-Gasp!" The dejected Seol-Ah brightened in a flash. She clenched her fists and shouted, "Nice!"

"Darling, this isn’t a good thing. My François will stay tiny at this rate."

"Hohoho," Seol-Ah giggled with her mouth covered. "That’s certainly a shame, but… I can’t give up on your cute appearance either."

She would not be able to see this appearance again once Kang-Woo returned to his original form. She wanted to enjoy him as much as she could until then.

"I… can’t figure out your tastes at all," Kang-Woo remarked.

"I’ll love you no matter what you look like," Seol-Ah whispered innocently in his ear without hesitation.

Kang-Woo smiled and replied, "Then what do you think about this?"

He recalled what he did with Choi Eun-Hee and lightly grabbed Seol-Ah’s hand. He then looked up at her with shining eyes and pulled on her clothes.

"I’m… so scared, Seol-Ah noona."

"Gasp!" Seol-Ah’s eyes widened and she covered her nose with her shaking hand, blocking her nosebleed. "K-Kang-Woo, where did you learn such a thing…?"

She trembled, unable to contain her overflowing joy.

"I mean… Ahem. I had to do something similar," Kang-Woo answered, slightly embarrassed despite saying it himself.

"I-It’s the best, Kang-Woo!!" Seol-Ah panted heavily as she hugged Kang-Woo tightly. She stared at him in passion and grabbed his shoulders tightly. "C-Could you keep calling me n-noona… just for today?"

"Huh? No, that’s a bit…"

"Please!! Please, Kang-Woo!!"

"..."

Kang-Woo’s expression filled with regret but it was too late to turn back.

’Well, as long as Darling likes it.’

He was willing to play along with her whims. He had already experienced mommy roleplay so this paled in comparison.

Kang-Woo hugged Seol-Ah and continued, "I’m hungry, Seol-Ah noona."

"H-Haaa, haaa. J-Just a second. I-I’ll make you something right aw—"

"Seol-Ah! Breakfast is ready!"

"Ah…"

Wearing a cute checkered pink apron, Echidna ran out from the kitchen as Seol-Ah was about to head there. Seol-Ah tapped her chin, reminded of something.

"Come to think of it, Echidna said she would prepare breakfast today…"

Seol-Ah’s shoulders drooped in dejection.

"Oh, what? Did you make it yourself, Echidna?" Kang-Woo asked.

"Hm! It’s the kimchi stew you love so much, Kang-Woo!" Echidna raised her head proudly with her hands on her hips. "I made it exactly like how Seol-Ah taught me! Am I a good girl?"

"..."

"S-Seol-Ah? Why are you making such a scary face?"

"Haaa," Seol-Ah sighed and shook her head. "It’s nothing."

She pouted and shook her head, not having expected she couldn’t make Kang-Woo breakfast at such a crucial time.

’It’s… okay!’

However, her dejection did not last long. Kang-Woo would be calling her noona for the entire day.

’I’ll enjoy it as much as I can!’

Her eyes shone, full of excitement.

"It’s the first time you made me something to eat, right, Echidna?" Kang-Woo slowly walked to the dining table where the kimchi stew was prepared, oblivious to Seol-Ah’s feelings.

He sat down, placed kimchi and pork on a bed of rice, and had a bite.

’Oh? It’s good.’

It was naturally not as good as when Seol-Ah made it but it was great for her first time making it. However, there was something Echidna could improve on for next time.

"It would be nice if the meat was cut a little bigger. It should be big enough so that it can just barely fit in the mouth together with the rice and kimchi."

"Hm! I’ll cut it bigger next time!"

Echidna snorted as she nodded. Kang-Woo smiled and reached for the kimchi stew again with his chopsticks.

"Oh my."

Seol-Ah, sitting next to Kang-Woo with eyes blazing passionately for some reason, placed her hand over Kang-Woo’s thigh. Kang-Woo flinched and turned to see Seol-Ah smiling seductively. She brought her lips close to his ear and blew on it.

She then whispered sweetly, "I like it just as much when I can fit the entire meat in my mouth."

"..."

’Yer killing me, noona.’

***

"Urgh."

Kang-Woo, who satiated Seol-Ah’s desires until late last night, stretched in exhaustion.

"Oh, come to think of it…" He recalled the woman whom he had not seen for a while. "I wonder how she’s doing?"

Kang-Woo took his smartphone and pressed the call button next to the name Cha Yeon-Joo.