<How was it, using it? My beautiful fragment.>
“Hmm….”
I scratched my head.
“It was really cool.”
<Right? I’m glad it helped. I guess I’ll have to check out this episode of the CYB male idol division too. To think I carried the performance… so stylish!>
I could hear Geahrzimen’s lively laughter over the phone.
“By the way, that thing….”
I said while walking down the hallway.
“The description said it could construct a mental world. Your inner landscape is really something, Mr. Geahrzimen.”
Honestly, I was surprised.
The “Invitation to the Stage of Stars” that Geahrzimen gave me was an artifact with outrageous abilities.
The power to freely change the stage layout—I’d never heard of anything like it.
Not just in this season’s CYB male idol division—no contestant in previous seasons could’ve pulled off a performance like that.
<If even you say so, it must have looked great. I always thought my inner world felt like the fiery pits of hell, though.><Same here.>
The Star Hated by All muttered quietly.
<My, I just sensed some filthy mana. It seems His Majesty took offense to my words. How vile…>
<Hmph. I could obliterate your cheap guesthouse right this instant if I wanted to…!>
“Anyway, thanks. I’ll make good use of it. I called just to thank you.”
<How polite! I should be the one thanking you. If I were you, I’d have blocked me the moment I got my number.>
“Ha ha… you’re very aware of how awkward you can be, huh?”
<Of course. I’m a walking hellscape, after all.>
The scariest part is how fully he acknowledges that.
“Well, I hope your guesthouse business thrives. I’ll be going now—”
<Wait!>
Clap—I heard Geahrzimen snap his fingers.
<How’s Noeul doing?>
“Noeul?”
Why is he bringing up Noeul all of a sudden?
<He used to contact me often. But I haven’t heard from him at all these past few days.>
“Ah… that’s probably because I was too hard on him.”
I felt a twinge of guilt.
This performance was challenging in a different way from the third preliminary round.
Since it was a folk rock song restructured into EDM, the choreography had to balance out the arrangement, and all that pressure fell solely on Jeong Noeul.
<Ah, I see? If it were you, Eunyul, I’m sure you didn’t push him hard enough to kill him like the King of Hell might have. So no worries.>
Wow, he really does insult the Star so casually.
As I heard the Star Hated by All grinding his teeth, I let out a bitter laugh.<Please take good care of Noeul.>
Suddenly, Geahrzimen’s voice turned uncharacteristically subdued.<He seems to be dealing with a lot lately.>
“Ah… of course.”
We exchanged brief farewells and ended the call.
If Jeong Noeul is troubled, it’s probably because of Abrilah.
I remembered why he went to Geahrzimen’s guesthouse in the first place.
He wanted to meet a demon tribe member who had once worked with Abrilah.
It was all orchestrated by the “Traveler from Asteroid B-612” to help Jeong Noeul confront memories of his past life.
Of course, the Star had a hand in it too….
<In the end, it worked out well. You are the only human who understands the reincarnation of Abrilah. Do not take the weight of that existence lightly.>
Of course, I never intended to.
I don’t know how much influence I really have over Jeong Noeul, but it’s true that he seemed relieved through me.
‘But he also said that memories from his life as Abrilah are starting to resurface…’
There’s no doubt those memories will only grow clearer over time.
‘That’s why he reached out to Geahrzimen for advice…’
I should’ve been more attentive.
Thinking it would be best to talk to him sometime soon, I continued walking.
And I stopped in front of a door.
[J.H.A. Waiting Room]
An A4 paper with those words was taped to the door.
Thump—
My heart pounded.
J.H.A. had fought monsters alongside my father.
He must’ve seen sides of Dad that I never knew.
<Are you afraid?>
The Star asked.
“…Yeah.”
I nodded.
<What is it you fear?>
“My dad died. And it was a really painful death. Maybe because of that….”
I was scared of adding to the memory of someone who died in pain.
I was afraid that the pain I remembered from when he was alive would grow even worse.
That fear had grown monstrously large, proportionate to how much I loved my dad.
<Created being, death is not the end.>
The Star said.
<Even the vilest of sinners face an afterlife. Am I wrong? I, myself, prepare their punishment beyond the veil of death. And your father—was he not a good man? Then there’s no way his noble life ended with mere death.>
“Are you trying to comfort me?”
<Hardly. I’m simply stating facts.>
“Really?”
I laughed.
“Then you’re ‘factually’ comforting me, huh?”
<You… you’ve grown strong.>
The Star chuckled.
<Think what you will. If your thoughts are settled, knock on the door before you.>
“Okay.”
I nodded, swallowing hard.
Knock, knock.
Then I knocked.
“Mr. J.H.A., it’s Ryu Eunyul.”
As I spoke,
“Come in.”
Kim Bongcheol’s voice replied, as if he’d been waiting.
I opened the door and entered.
Kim Bongcheol was sitting on a waiting room chair.
“Have a seat.”
He gestured toward the sofa.
I gave a brief nod and sat down.
“The staff bought some drinks… want one?”
“I’m okay.”
“Really? I’m thirsty, so I’ll have one.”
He picked up a plastic bottle and sat across from me.
“Would’ve been nice if we could have a beer together.”
“I’m still a minor.”
Haha, I forced a laugh.
He looked at me fondly and drank deeply from the bottle.
“Phew. That hit the spot.”
He wiped his mouth and smiled refreshingly.
“Um….”
I started.
“I’d like to know what kind of relationship you had with my father.”
“Hm? Didn’t you already notice?”
He tilted his head.
“Your father saved my life. He changed the way I saw soldiers. He was a benefactor. That’s why I chose Afterlife—to honor him. I wanted you to stage that performance for me.”
So it was true.
I tried to hide my expression as I accepted the answer.
The moment I realized who he was, I figured the anecdote he shared during the meeting was related to Dad.
It wasn’t surprising.
I just needed to hear it confirmed.
“My dad… I mean.”
I shook my head.
“My father died after being tainted by magic released from a Gate. He suffered terribly. The state didn’t recognize his service—only after his death, after many others died alongside him, did they acknowledge it. What do you think about that?”
“Well….”
Kim Bongcheol looked troubled.
“That’s truly a tragic thing.”
“Is that your opinion as a former Hunter? Or as someone who owed my father his life?”
“The Boy A Incident….”
He muttered under his breath.
“Hm? Why the look?”
“It’s nothing….”
“If not for the Boy A Incident, the sacrifices of people like your father might never have been acknowledged. It’s shameful as an adult.”
“Isn’t that too irresponsible a remark? Former Hunters like you will be treated as heroes until the day you die. Doesn’t that feel disgraceful as someone who claims to protect humanity?”
“Haha….”
He let out an awkward laugh.
“When I first met you, I thought you were just a young man who loved music and had talent. But now I see there’s a sharp edge to you. Then again, maybe that’s why you were able to show me such a beautiful performance. I…”
He pulled a handkerchief from his jacket and wiped his forehead.
“I’m telling you the truth. I really am ashamed. Even Hunters—those who received the support of Constellations—are just humans. We all have weaknesses. I’ve spent my later years confronting my own weakness. In my exhaustion, I turned a blind eye to those like your father who needed help. I was that weak. And now, in front of you, I’m still trying to save face. My weakness surprises even me.”
“I don’t blame you for that. I mean that. Everyone had their own struggles.”
I sighed.
“But I still wanted to hear it directly. That’s all.”
“All right. I understand. Thanks to you, I feel lighter.”
He stood up.
Then opened a metal suitcase in the corner.
“This is something I’ve kept for a long time.”
What he pulled out was an envelope.
“There was no sender’s name. Just showed up in my mailbox one day. But once I read it, I knew immediately who it was from.”
He placed it on the table.
It wasn’t hard to guess—it was from Dad.
I reached out for the envelope.
“Wait.”
He stopped my hand.
“Are you strong?”
“Huh?”
“Are you strong enough… to bear the despair of someone you love for the rest of your life?”
“Haha….”
I laughed.
“You can’t ask me that while putting this in front of me.”
Feigning nonchalance, I replied, and he nodded.
“Of course. It was just a question. I truly believe you’re strong.”
He smiled.
“Don’t grieve for too long. I’m sure your father… has reincarnated splendidly by now.”
The letter was filled with despair.
It was a despair my dad never showed me.
His fear of living life with his wife.
That was a despair he probably never showed my mom.
His fear of raising a child.
That was a despair he could never show me.
He feared the magic that tainted his body might have affected my mother.
He feared that I, born with his tainted genes, might fall ill.
On that small sheet of paper, his despair was densely packed.
[Hunter,
I never wanted to be a hero.
I wanted to protect the world.
That thought of mine…
Surely it wasn’t wrong, was it?]
That’s how the letter ended.
I held the letter in my hand and sighed.
Sitting on the edge of my dorm bed, I blanked out for a while.
‘…Still, I wasn’t wrong.’
I remembered Dad’s last words.
Was it not a declaration, but merely a prayer feigning certainty?
Unable to express his feelings to me or Mom, did he pour them out to a Hunter who owed him his life?
<Are you not crying?>
The Star asked.
“Mom didn’t cry when Dad passed away.”
I answered.
“So I didn’t cry then either.”
<Is that so? Don’t humans usually cry when someone they love dies?>
“Only humans?”
<Hmm. The ones I loved never died.>
“Lucky you.”
<Don’t be jealous. The inability of loved ones to find rest is a curse.>
“Whew.”
I let out a long sigh and stood up from the bed.
“Looks like I won’t be sleeping tonight.”
I grabbed my coat.
Maybe a walk would help.
‘Reincarnation…’
Kim Bongcheol’s words echoed in my head.
‘Did Dad reincarnate?’
I’ve never truly felt the reality of an afterlife.
Even with the King of Hell beside me, heaven and hell still feel like far-off concepts.
‘And reincarnation…’
Feels even farther.
Is Dad now living a new life somewhere in this world, having forgotten everything about being my father?
‘Somewhere out there like that…’
I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.
Because the wish I wanted to make to the “Savior Who Is One and All” was—
Ding—!
That’s when it happened.
A translucent system window appeared before my eyes.
[Sudden Event Triggered!]
[Mom or Dad! Little One has a question!]
[Little One is asking you a question.]
Little Pink Starfish 
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