The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me

Chapter 208 … My body is dead? “When the soul leaves the body, it begins to decay.” I didn’t need him to say more to understand what had happened to my body. His black eyes, filled with sorrow, spoke volumes as he explained. “…So, I never had anywhere to return to in the first place.” “But, senior, you hated that other world. If you knew you couldn’t return to Korea, it would’ve only caused you more pain.” “So all of this… was for my sake?” He remained silent. I was horrified that he had created this fake world for me. And to lie about being able to go back? Unbelievable. You lunatic. Truly insane. “Then why did you tell me to kill the transcendent?” “That is the condition. Even if I created another space, you couldn’t leave that world without killing the transcendent.” I was speechless.So everything I had done… “Was just to end up in this fake world?” Perhaps Shi-eon’s intention was to keep me from thinking that this place was fake. “Are you still deceiving me?” You’ve been deceiving me this whole time?” Even my mother’s keepsakes, even the columbarium… “They’re real.” Shi-eon, who noticed what I was thinking, answered right away. “… Those are things I brought from Korea.” “…….” Somehow, I felt a sense of relief amidst the chaos. At least something was genuine. Why is Shi-eon doing this? “How did you get this power?” “… Would you believe me if I said I met a demon?” “So you really are a demon?” “Not exactly a demon myself, but I met one.” What kind of life had he led? “And I received its power, so I suppose calling me a demon wouldn’t be far off.” His expression made it clear he wasn’t eager to share this part of himself, but at this point, what was there to hide? “At this stage, what does it matter?” I scoffed. “But, senior, you’re an apostle, and I’m… a demon.” “And what does that have to do with anything?” “Doesn’t it matter?” His persistence baffled me.At this point, what was he still worrying about? Perhaps, long ago, I might have been shocked to hear all of this.But after everything I had experienced, none of it fazed me anymore. “By the way, Lee Shi-eon.” As I listened to his story, I suddenly had a question. “If you’re different from me, can’t you return to Korea?” If he gained this power by meeting a demon and creating this space, then surely he could go back. “I can’t go back either.” “Why not?” He let out a small laugh.Why are you laughing all of a sudden? “Someone once told me.” “…….” “That people are meant to reincarnate. That’s how they cross worlds, by dying and being reborn.” “…….” “Except for you, senior. You’re the exception. Normally, when someone dies, they reincarnate and move to a new world.” “The things coming out of your mouth are utterly bizarre,” I muttered. Nothing about his story made any sense. “So what about you?” If Shi-eon hadn’t reincarnated, why was he here, looking just as he had in Korea? “How did you end up here? “…For me, it’s a little different. But I suppose you could call it something similar to reincarnation.” “And your appearance…?” “Changing appearances is easy enough, isn’t it?” …Is it? I wasn’t entirely convinced, but I nodded slowly. And then, for the first time, I felt my stomach drop. A horrifying thought struck me. “Don’t tell me you died just to meet me?” “It was an accident.” Should I feel relieved? Or not? “Just before I died, I got lucky and met the demon.” Finally, I could piece together his story—or at least some of it.Though, honestly, it was the most insane thing I’d ever heard. “So, you met a demon before dying, gained its power, and created this space. Is that right?” “That’s right.” “Then why did you shackle my leg?” “…Because I was afraid you’d run away.” This was a space he created, yet he thought I might escape? With many of my questions answered, I lay back down.Not long ago, it had been nighttime, but now the sky was a vibrant blue. Crack– Then a familiar crack appeared in the sky. Was this proof that this world wasn’t perfect? “Senior, there’s a chance Yurtha Herthas is still alive.” “What?” “The world I created is perfect. But the fact that the cracks keep coming is that the other world is trying to pull senior back.” “…….” “You might not have completely cut off the transcendent’s tenacious lifeline.” Maybe it’s better if he is alive. There was a time when I hated Yurta so much that I wanted him dead, but not anymore.. “But if we stay here, Yurtha Herthas will die on his own.” “… Why?” “As your senior know, Celine cast a ‘magic’ on him to keep him from revealing her death. But now that he’s broken that curse, he’ll slowly wither away.” My chest felt tight. I couldn’t shake the pressure that it was all because of me. “… Is there any way to save him?” “There is. You’d have to stay by Yurtha Herthas’ side.” “…….” “But you’d hate that even more, wouldn’t you?” A connection I never wanted to see again, and the only way to save him was to stay by his side. How cruel could this get? I shut my eyes tight. “So what will we do now?” He didn’t answer. He probably doesn’t know either. Of course, he wouldn’t know. His plan had been to live with me in this fabricated world, pretending it was real. “Let’s go back.” “…Senior?” “Let’s return to that other world.” For a while, he didn’t answer. The only sound was the rustling of grass in the breeze. “…Why?” he finally asked softly. “You hated that world.” “Yeah, but I can’t stay here.” “… You can do anything you want here.” “All I want is to be in the real world.” “…….” “Come with me.” The truth was, the only place I could truly be was that other world. “…Alright. Let’s go back.” Before I left, I grabbed the radio my mother gave me and the ashes. Then I took Shi-eon’s hand. The small world around us shattered like glass, and we stepped into the other world. It was ridiculously easy. The world I lived in as Rose. Familiar pink hair fluttered across my chest. I’m back. “Extra! Extra!” The sight before me was one I hadn’t seen in a long time. The grandeur of towering skyscrapers was replaced by the quaint charm of low, old-fashioned buildings. Now, I would have to start anew in this world. Unlike when I first set foot in this world, I felt strangely unburdened now. “Let’s go.” Then Shi-eon handed me the robe. Where did this come from? Then again, if he could create entire spaces, crafting a cloak was probably child’s play. “Since your face is well-known, it’s better to keep it covered,” he added. As he said, I covered my face with the robe. “…So, it’s come to war,” muttered a man nearby, glancing at his newspaper with a troubled expression. Another man beside him nodded grimly and said, “The Evantes family is joining the fight, I hear.” “That fallen paladin…” What do you mean by all that? “Lee Shi-eon, let’s buy that newspaper.” “Okay.” I need to know how things have been going on in the meantime. I immediately read the newspaper that Shi-eon had bought. The men’s conversation wasn’t hard to find—it was front-page news, written in bold letters. “This is…” I hurriedly checked the date on the paper. More than half a year has passed since I left this world. And for half a year… “Richard’s gone mad, started rampaging, and now a war is breaking out to stop him?” “Seems that way,” Sion said nonchalantly. He’s lost it. And Lee Shi-eon, why are you answering so casually? “Didn’t you see this coming?” he asked. “…How could I have predicted this?” “When you left, Richard said he’d destroy everything.” “…He meant that?” The man was crazier than I’d thought. I finally made it back, only to find the world on the brink of collapse. What was this mess? “There’s a solution,” Shi-eon offered. “… What solution?” “You just need to meet Richard.” “…….” That sounded like a death wish. “He did all this because of you, didn’t he? If you’re by his side, he’ll calm down.” “…….” “And senior have the power to deal with the transcendent.” “…….” “Or you could help kill a transcendent and claim the credit,” he added with a smirk. I let out a sigh. …Should I really go meet Richard like he said? This world was mine to live in now, and I couldn’t ignore the impending war. “Hey, senior, look over there.” “Huh?” I turned my head in the direction Shi-eon was pointing. “Can you see it? It’s an Evantes carriage.” Damn it. Evantes’ carriage? Before I could think further, my body moved on instinct—I sprinted into an alleyway. “…Senior!” Bewildered, Shi-eon screamed in surprise and followed me. I didn’t stop running until I was far from the street where the carriage had been. “Hah….” I ran out of breath because I squeezed my limits. Behind me, Shi-eon was chuckling. Was this funny to him? “Ah… Sorry, senior. You running for your life was just too funny.” “…….” Of course I ran—getting caught by Argen would be the end of me. I sighed and turned to Shi-eon. “Let’s go to Richard.” “You’ve decided to face him after all?” “…If a war breaks out, where are we supposed to live?” “We?” Sion asked, sounding surprised.  “Then if we don’t live together, who will I live with?” We had fallen into this strange world together. Sure, it wasn’t entirely unfamiliar, but still—it wasn’t like I had anyone else.Besides, hadn’t we already lived together for three months in fake Korea? “I’m honored you chose me.” At that subject, Shi-eon’s black eyes sank darkly. A dry wind blew past Sieon. Crack- At that time, Shi-eon’s face cracked like glass. I looked at him, speechless at the strange sight. “Ah.” Shi-eon touched his cracked face. Then, he smiled.“It’s nothing.” …Nothing? “My body isn’t adjusting well to this world. It’s because I’m different from you.” “… Really?” “Really.” His explanation was far from convincing, but I nodded reluctantly. “I know where Richard is.” “How do you know that?” “We’re connected.” What does that even mean? That’s so weird. “Shall we go?”  ***** Richard lay like a corpse. Like someone waiting for the day to die. There was an unhealed hole in his chest.Once, it had been the absence of lost memories. Now, it was the mark left by the woman who had cruelly abandoned him. I missed the scent of that woman I smelled a long time ago. “… Ah.” Richard opened his eyes. Someone had entered his domain—how dare they. As his once-pure power darkened and turned black with corruption, he saw her. A woman with familiar, lovely pink hair stood before him. “It’s been a while, Richard.” Ah. Richard laughed in delight. And then, instinctively, a thought took root in his mind: Break her wings. Shatter her ankles so she cannot escape.