Although Guseul had practically thrown me out, I didn’t feel much of anything.
The light quickly washed over my body, and then a sudden sharp sensation hit my navel.
At the same time, my vision spun wildly as everything around me began to shift.
The cooling breeze that had been soothing me vanished in an instant, replaced by the emptiness of the void brushing against my skin.
When I opened my eyes, a vast, magnificent universe stretched out before me.
A colossal tree trunk, so enormous it was hard to take in all at once, stood at the center, with countless branches sprawling endlessly around it.
I had unwittingly arrived in the multiverse.
— So, you’ve finally come…
A heavy voice echoed in my ears.
For some reason, it sounded weary, as if burdened by exhaustion.
I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
“Could it be you’ve been waiting all this time?”
— If answering ‘yes’ makes you feel even a shred of guilt, then yes, I have.
There was a hint of reproach in the tone, and I couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle.
“So even a being like you gets tired. That’s surprising.”
— What you did was beyond all reason.
“I was just trying to help a little.”
— Look at the results of that ‘little help’ for yourself.
My head was suddenly spun around.
Being forced to move by someone else was hardly pleasant.
But the moment I saw what lay before my fixed eyes, I was left speechless.
The rift in the world I had entered was glowing.
At the same time, its shape was changing.
Like a well-coiled whip snapping sharply, the tangled, twisted branches began to straighten out from the glowing point.
They stretched out in straight lines, extending farther and farther until they vanished into a distant light, just like the branches of other worlds.
I stared quietly at the completely transformed branch of the world.
What had happened?
— The future of the world has changed. More precisely, from the moment you interfered, the future of that world was completely altered.
“…”
— In this world, there was no choice for you to intervene in any branch. But regardless of your intentions, you chose to interfere in the multiverse. By doing so, you created a situation that should never have existed.
“…”
Honestly, I didn’t understand a word of what was being said.
— When there is no choice, the world inevitably changes according to your interference…
“By the way, where are my brother and Jegal Haesol?”
At that moment, I thought I felt the formless Zero Code waver.
Or maybe it was just my imagination.
My head was about to burst, so I cut off the conversation.
“Even if things have changed, they probably changed for the better, right?”
— …So you believe ‘what’s good is good.’ You’re lucky to be so carefree.
The sigh in the voice suddenly reminded me of Ansol’s face, smiling brightly and shouting, “What’s good is good!”
And somehow, I began to understand Zero Code’s mood a little.
— Whatever. The two you mentioned have already returned to their original world. No, I sent them back. Now it’s your turn.
When I heard “your turn,” my vision shifted again.
Looking down, I saw the branch of my own world, perfectly restored.
It was a relief, but it seemed they were really eager to send me back.
As I was pushed forward and took a step, a flicker of doubt stirred inside me.
Should I go in like this?
Would it be okay to end it here?
One thing I gained from traveling to other worlds was a clearer understanding of myself.
I had thought I had changed.
At least, I believed I was more human, more humane than before.
But I was wrong.
When facing demons, I could at least make excuses.
I could justify it by saying I would never forgive them.
But Yuhyeon was different.
Just seeing her irritated me, and every word she spoke made me want to crush her.
That feeling had manifested in forcing an alliance.
My attitude toward the sacred queen was the same then as it was now.
Yeah.
Looking back on those few days in that world—
I hadn’t changed at all.
I was just pretending to be different, hiding behind a facade.
All to meet everyone’s expectations.
If that was deception, then so be it.
— Kim Suhyun?
I stopped and closed my eyes quietly.
The turmoil in my chest hadn’t faded.
One step.
Just one more step, and I could return to my original world.
Everyone would be worried and waiting, knowing the circumstances.
But was there really any need to solve this problem now?
“If you apologize sincerely, they’ll accept it. I’m sure of it!”
…Yuhyeon…
— Why aren’t you going?
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
“What if—”
— What if?
“What if I interfere with the past of my world from this multiverse?”
— Hmm.
Zero Code fell silent, as if frozen.
I didn’t wait for an answer and started moving.
Turning my body toward the direction of my past.
As I slowly turned, the path I had walked flickered briefly before my eyes.
How much time had passed?
— Wait! Don’t tell me you’re going to start the third cycle?
Suddenly, I sensed someone rushing up behind me.
The third cycle.
Indeed, there was no better way to reset everything.
“No way.”
But I dismissed it firmly.
I had come too far to start over now.
Honestly, I was still unsure if I had to do this at all.
But after much thought, I reached a conclusion…
“My father once said.”
I paused and looked down at the rift.
I didn’t know where this branch path began or ended, but scenes from my memories were clearly passing before me.
In a desolate place, I struck down with a sword without hesitation.
A woman stood before me, head bowed in resignation, tears falling silently.
I took a few more steps forward and finally stopped.
Then I said,
“If you want to grow, you have to face your weaknesses first and fix them.”
— No way.
Zero Code seemed to realize what I was about to do.
“So what happens then?”
I looked back again.
Though I had entered the previous world by force, this time I wouldn’t do that.
I planned to listen carefully to Zero Code’s words.
— Well, there will be a time difference… but unlike the previous world, you won’t exist as two separate beings.
Unexpectedly, Zero Code answered readily.
“Because this world is my world?”
— Yes. If I had to put it simply, it’s more like assimilation.
“…”
— There will be more changes than you can count.
Zero Code’s voice was subtle.
I clenched my fists tightly.
I knew.
If I changed the past here, the future would also shift according to the interference.
What I had experienced might disappear or be erased.
No matter how good the outcome, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.
Now I understood why Zero Code had spoken with such reproach earlier.
But despite everything, I felt strongly that I had to do this.
Because if not now, I might never get another chance.
— If you want, I’ll help.
Then, an unexpected voice pierced my ears.
“What?”
— You tend to ask meaningless questions sometimes. It’s not like you didn’t hear me. Anyway, if you want, I’ll minimize the impact of your interference. I’ll do it myself.
Zero Code emphasized the word “myself.”
Well, if that’s the case, I couldn’t ask for more.
“Really?”
Why the sudden change?
“You were jumping around just a moment ago.”
— I wasn’t jumping around.
Zero Code retorted, slightly annoyed.
— I can’t fix the problems you caused in the world of reversal phenomena, but this time it’s different. This branch is both your world and mine. That means I have authority here.
It was a subtle difference, but I understood what it meant.
“I never dreamed you’d offer to help.”
— That’s because by making this choice, later on…
Zero Code suddenly stopped, as if realizing it almost said too much.
— Oops. Almost spilled the beans.
What was that about?
I wasn’t trying to lead it on.
I hadn’t even looked into the future on purpose.
— If you’re really going to do it, I’ll go with you.
It felt like a change of subject, but I decided not to dwell on it.
Maybe, as Seraph said, it was some kind of plan to “erase a debt.”
Anyway, if a being of the Ten Thousand exists is offering help, there’s no reason to refuse.
— Ready to go in?
I hesitated only briefly.
Then I nodded firmly.
I would face my greatest weakness in the past and change it.
Only then could I truly change.
Muttering to myself one last time, I slowly stepped into the rift, like dipping my foot into a stream.
After a moment, a sudden pull swept over me, and familiar darkness engulfed my vision.
When I came to, the world before my eyes was painted in pale shades of gray.
It flickered and spun faintly, making it hard to focus.
Even setting aside the blurry vision, the slight throbbing in my forehead was surprisingly distracting.
This was definitely a different experience from entering the previous world.
Is this the assimilation phenomenon Zero Code mentioned?
As the flickering in my sight gradually slowed, the world began to regain its deep blue hues, like a traffic light running out of power.
But I closed my eyes.
Checking my body’s condition, I summoned magic to assess my surroundings.
The silence was eerie—so quiet I could hear my own rough breathing.
The deep blue light I saw just before closing my eyes told me it was late at night, near dawn.
What touched my skin wasn’t the armor of the Heavenly King Chiwoo I usually wore, but the soft fabric of the Celestial Glory.
I could also sense the energy of the Zero Code that had followed me closely.
It seemed I had arrived properly… but still…
“I know.”
It was then.
From the eerily silent front, a voice suddenly spoke.
“Nothing will change now, no matter what you do.”
The tone was deeply sorrowful.
Yet, the voice was familiar.
“Still… I just want to ask one thing.”
Before I could even process what was happening, the woman in front spoke softly.
“Did it really have to end in death?”
My eyes snapped open.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Sorry for the delay.
I left a comment early yesterday morning, but as soon as today’s lecture ended, I rushed home to finish the remaining chapters and update the story.
I was pretty out of sorts yesterday because of a group project. ^^;
There’s just one side story left now.
Once I post that last chapter, Memorize will finally be heading toward its conclusion.
I’ll share more about the things I couldn’t cover today in tomorrow’s note.
Until then, I hope all my readers have a peaceful evening. (__)