Chapter 32
The thunderous applause made me quickly forget about that strange notification window that had flashed.
At that moment.
Poof!
The lights went out unexpectedly.
“Huh?”
“A power outage?”
“Oh no! Since the lights are out, I’m afraid we’ll have to end the dance battle here! Thank you all for your wonderful participation!”
We ended up being the final act.
The music’s melody also slowed down, as if signaling it was time to part ways.
“That was fun, human!”
“Your dancing was very…unique, human!”
“Ah…haha.”
I awkwardly laughed and headed back to the kitchen.
When I asked the deer-headed manager what was going on, he casually shrugged.
“Haha, it happens a lot. Part of that island life, you know?”
Surprisingly, not just the staff but even the guests all seemed to share that casual attitude about it.
‘If the lights went out suddenly in a luxury hotel back home, it would cause a huge uproar.’
It was certainly a laid-back, resort-like atmosphere. Looking around, I saw everyone casually heading to the beach to stargaze.
For some reason, I envied their easygoing vibes.
“You really worked hard today. Get home safe. I’ll go start up the generator…”
“Ah, wait! Pay me my wages!”
I stopped the deer head trying to slink away and insisted until I got paid.
“Alright, here’s 700 geln for you two to split.”
<Notice> You have received 400 coins!
Considering I made over 200 cocktails, it was a measly reward.
No wonder the staff keeps quitting, damn it.
<Notice> Quest complete!
You resolved the resort crisis with cocktails.
Rewards: 500 coin, 300 reputation
If I didn’t get those quest rewards, I would’ve grabbed a pitchfork myself.
Cursing the deer-headed manager, I walked towards the beach. It would be a shame to leave without seeing the ocean.
The beach was vast enough that I could stargaze without crossing paths with other guests.
“Wow…..”
The tranquil crashing of waves drowned out all other noise. The inky night sky was dotted with twinkling stars like embedded jewels.
With the power out and lights off, the starry night sky was on full display.
“I know of an even more beautiful starry view.”
Chris, who had been following me from a distance, spoke up.
“Where is that?”
As soon as I asked, Chris closed the gap and grabbed my wrist.
“Return.”
But nothing happened. Chris had simply become the one futilely uttering the return command, just as I used to do before.
“It’s not working?”
“Haha, the command only works for me. Return.”
Having had enough stargazing by the ocean, it seemed Chris’ goal was to head back, so he returned us. Instead of the fancy resort, we ended up in my humble cocktail bar.
“So, where is this beautiful starry view you mentioned?”
“Follow me.”
Chris opened the door and stepped outside.
It wasn’t some other dimension, but right here where my cocktail bar was located.
“Where…?”
Without a word, Chris simply pointed his finger upwards. My gaze naturally followed up to the sky.
“Ah…”
In this world containing nothing but my rundown, abandoned cocktail bar, a single star shone brilliantly, outshining everything else.
They say the darkest place is under the candlestick. Why had I never thought to stargaze here before?
If light devoured stars, there could be no more perfect place than this.
‘That’s right. I never came out at night because it was too dangerous.’
I would get irrationally scared and lock up as soon as nightfall came. But tonight, for some reason, I felt reassured.
‘Maybe because I’m not alone.’
Even though Chris can be annoying at times, I knew he would protect me if needed.
After a brief hesitation, I laid down on the ground. The soft grass made a perfect bed.
As I relaxed, the fatigue I had been suppressing washed over me. I forced my drooping eyes open.
The pitch-black sky was densely packed with twinkling stars, flowing like a river of galaxies.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I don’t see what’s so great about stars.”
“You have the eyes to find beauty in the stars, yet fail to appreciate their value.”
“Hey now, don’t give me that pitying look.”
As we chatted idly, I suddenly remembered I had the right to change the bar’s name.
“Mirinae (미리내)….”
Mirinae. It means “Milky Way” in pure Korean. The mystical sound of it felt just right.
“Changing the name to… Milky Way Lounge…. would be….. nice….”
<Notice> The cocktail bar has been renamed to ‘Milky Way Lounge.’
The eyes I had been fighting to keep open finally drifted shut.
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“Hey.”
No matter how many times Chris called out to Sena, there was no response.
“Boss? Hello, Lee Sena?”
Chris waved a hand in front of Lee Sena’s face. Instead of a response, he heard the sound of her steady breathing.
She had fallen asleep in that brief moment.
“Hey.”
Chris gently shook Sena, but only confirmed she was in a deep slumber.
This was an extremely disadvantageous trait. If she was ambushed at night, she may never wake up again.
‘Well, this is a peaceful dimension, so that shouldn’t happen.’
Unlike the dimensions Chris journeyed through.
So it was safe for her to just sleep out in the open like this.
“…Must have been tired.”
Chris stood up and scooped the sleeping Sena into his arms. No need to camp outside when they had a perfectly good home right there.
‘She’s really light.’
She curled up perfectly into his embrace, weighing practically nothing.
“She seemed so annoying when bossing me around, but sleeping like this… she’s kinda…. cute….”
Chris swallowed hard in the middle of his mumbled thoughts as he climbed the stairs.
Sena burrowed into his chest, seeking warmth. Startled, Chris looked down at the defenseless, sleeping Sena.
His gaze traced her round ears and slender nape, usually obscured by her hair, before quickly averting his eyes.
“Geez, what am I saying?”
Thump thump. He hurried his steps.
His destination was the bedroom upstairs. More specifically, the bed.
“There we go.”
Chris gently laid Sena on the bed and tucked the blanket up to her neck.
“Falling dead asleep while I’m right here? Don’t you see me as a man?”
Chris grumbled crankily, then impulsively reached for Sena’s luscious pink hair before withdrew his hand in surprise.
“Don’t act like a beast.”
Just as Chris was about to get up from the bed,
“Unnhh…”
Sena let out a pained sound and her body twitched slightly.
“What’s wrong? You okay?”
“No, give me…my coins back…”
“Huh? What are you on about? Having a nightmare?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Chris gently patted Sena’s shoulder.
Maybe some comfort would help, even a little.
“This girl’s going on about money even in her sleep. As much as she loves cash, she needs to rein it in. Inviting some stranger into her home so recklessly.”
Chris continued patting and muttering complaints under his breath.
Having participated in deadly games where he plotted how to kill those he encountered, this peaceful daily life was a first.
Chris realized that it was fortunate he had met Sena in a different dimension.
If they were from the same one, he would have had to kill her eventually.
In fact, he had intended to kill her at first.
When she saved his life after he took a fatal blow, he thought she could make a useful companion. But she kept acting in ways that threatened his survival.
She didn’t seem like she would be much help. Chris’ final judgement was to kill Sena and take over her place.
Some might condemn him for betraying someone who trusted him, but trusting others was originally a mistake.
Yeah. The fool is the one who trusts.
He had raised his axe with that mindset, but—
“Put that axe away. You’re blocking the sunlight. Don’t you know how precious sunlight is for someone who works all day long?”
“……”
“If you’re bored, go chop some firewood. You know it gets quite chilly in the evenings, right?”
But Sena had placed complete trust in him. Or rather, she simply never considered that he might try to kill her.
Even though this place wasn’t a dimension where you had to kill to survive.
Even though she barely knew him and he was pointing an axe at her.
So, he pretended to set a trap by the stove, showing a gap, but Sena still seemed completely unfazed.
Deep down, Chris felt utterly ashamed of himself.
The reason he had sustained a fatal injury and ended up in this dimension was his comrade’s betrayal in the first place.
And now he had tried to betray the person who saved him.
Now, it didn’t bother him now, but once, he had been deeply hurt by his comrade’s betrayal.
‘If I can’t find a way back…’
Would it be okay to just stay here at this cocktail bar?
He could handle the cleaning and cooking adequately enough to be helpful to Sena.
Living this peaceful life seemed like it could be enjoyable.
As Chris entertained that thought, a fragment of memory surfaced in his mind.
“Hyung!”
“Change into plain clothes and escape through the secret passage. Hurry!”
“No! I want to die honorably too!”
“Dying is not honorable. Run and survive. You’re still young. Now go.”
A memory he never wanted to recall, yet could never forget.
Clenching his teeth, Chris forcefully suppressed the welling emotions.
“Thinking about staying here…. What am I doing…..”
Chris knew he couldn’t afford such thoughts. He mustn’t forget the resolve with which he entered the death game. More than anyone, he desperately yearned for that miraculous wish—so much that his hands were stained with blood.
He couldn’t allow himself to get comfortable during this brief respite in the midst of a bloody struggle for survival.
“………”
Meanwhile, Sena’s ragged breathing had gradually calmed down. Thankfully, she seemed to have escaped her nightmare.
Confirming this, Chris got up from the bed.
“Sleep well.”
With his turbulent feelings, Chris went downstairs. Even after wrapping himself in a blanket, sleep eluded him easily.
Sena’s sleeping face surfaced in his mind, repeatedly overlapping with lingering afterimages of memories.
“……”
He forcibly erased them. The last thing reflected in the lens of his memories was what he had failed to protect. With that, Chris finally drifted off to sleep.
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Thank you for reading! ♡
