TSDSE 3

Chapter 3: Here One Second, Gone the Next (3)

Leaving the vacant lot behind, I made my way into the city center.

“……Choi Ji-hoon.”

My mind was entirely consumed with thoughts of how best to exploit him.

Choi Ji-hoon, a third-generation chaebol heir of the Suseong Group. A arrogant, spoiled rich kid who believed the entire universe revolved around him, just as expected from his behavior earlier.

‘Just you wait. I’m going to turn you into my personal item vending machine.’

I was in the middle of wearing that wicked grin when it happened.

“Excuse me.”

Someone suddenly called out, bringing me to a halt.

“Yes?”

Standing before me were two young women.

“Um… your face has blood on it……”

One of them reached out, offering a handkerchief.

“Ah.”

Only then did I remember the cut on my cheek. I had completely forgotten about it since it hardly hurt.

Scratching the back of my neck with an embarrassed smile, I took the handkerchief.

“Ah, thank you. I wonder when I got hurt.”

Wiping my blood onto someone else’s handkerchief was bad manners, but rejecting a kind gesture was even worse. I cracked a casual joke as I gently dabbed at the cut.

“Oh, my.”

The woman’s eyes went wide, and a faint flush crept up her cheeks.

While dabbing the blood away, I took a moment to glance at both of them. They were both breathtakingly beautiful. If I had bumped into women like this in my original world, I probably wouldn’t have been able to tear my eyes away.

“Thank you so much. To go as far as giving your handkerchief to a complete stranger……”

However, things were different now—for two main reasons.

“If you’re really that thankful, you could give me your phone number instead.”

Reason number one: As evidenced by these stunning women approaching me first, the ‘Kang Seo-yul’ of this world was a literal visual genius. In other words, I held all the cards here, not them.

“I’m sorry, but I already have a girlfriend.”

“Tch.”

And reason number two: As suggested by the World Tree rooted deep within the Korean peninsula, the South Korea of this world traced its ancestry back to the Elves. They said the motif was derived from being a nation of master archers. Thanks to that, Korea boasted the title of having the highest average standard of beauty in all of Asia.

“Hey, come on. Is a guy like him really in your league?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

So what I’m trying to say is…

“What else? You’re just a plain girl sitting squarely in Korea’s top 50%.”

“……You sneaky b*tch, hitting me with cold hard facts like that! I’d still be considered a top-tier beauty anywhere else in the world, you know?!”

“Sure, sure, whatever you say~”

…Women of this caliber were a dime a dozen in Korea. You could turn your head at any corner and see women who looked like top-tier celebrities casually walking the streets.

“By the way, how high is your Charm stat? Just how high does it have to be to get a face like that?”

“Well, I wouldn’t really know myself.”

I carefully folded the handkerchief back up and handed it back to her.

“Hmph, fine. Keep your secrets then.”

Pouting her lips slightly, she took the handkerchief back. She was kind of cute, sure. But honestly, now wasn’t the time for me to be thinking about romance.

“Well then, I’ll be taking my leave. I have an appointment to catch.”

I offered a small wave, turned on my heel, and walked away.

“……Seriously though, he is outrageously handsome.”

“Right? Even in Korea, the land of beauty, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy like that before.”

Hearing their compliments fade behind me brought an involuntary smile to my face. Didn’t feel bad at all. The sour mood Choi Ji-hoon had left me in had brightened up quite a bit.

After riding the bus through the downtown area, I arrived at a nearby department store.

My destination was the equipment store located inside. A quick search on my phone had revealed that this was the largest and closest one around. My goal was simple: browse and gather information. Before deciding on the gear I’d use, I needed to see the weapons in person.

Ding—

Fourth floor.

The elevator came to a stop, and the sliding doors parted.

“Welcome!”

A store clerk greeted me with a bright, refreshing smile.

“Is there a specific item you’re looking for today?”

“No, I’d just like to take a look around overall first. Would it be alright if you guided me?”

“Yes, of course! Right this way, please.”

The entire fourth floor of this department store was dedicated solely to equipment shops.

“First, let me guide you through our collection of sword-type weaponry over here.”

“Sure.”

Following the clerk, I soon spotted shelves lined with an assortment of polished swords up ahead.

Come to think of it, that sword from earlier seemed like a really high-quality piece. It had been light enough for even my feeble strength to lift with ease. I wondered how much a sword like that would cost.

“With a body type like yours, customer, I’d recommend a rapier or a longsword from this section. Ah, and regarding the prices or stats of the gear, you can check them directly by viewing their Status Windows. We’ve enabled public viewings for all items on display.”

I desperately wanted to do just that, but since my body wasn’t capable of opening a Status Window yet, I had no way of telling what was what. I inspected the weapons with a flat, indifferent expression.

“Next, moving on to this side……”

From there, we toured the rest of the shop. To be completely honest, they all looked pretty much the same to me, so I couldn’t tell a good sword from a bad one. Was this the sorrow of a man without a Status Window?

“It seems none of these items are quite to your liking,” the clerk remarked with a wry smile.

“Pardon? Ah.”

Perhaps it was because I had been wearing such a blank expression the whole time. She seemed to think I was disappointed. It wasn’t that I was disappointed, though. It was just that I couldn’t see any Status Windows.

“If it’s alright with you, customer, would you like me to show you our higher-tier equipment?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. That’d be great, thank you.”

I had neither the intention nor the money to buy anything, so if she was willing to offer that level of service, I certainly wasn’t going to complain.

“Right this way, then.”

After following the clerk for a short distance…

“Whoa.”

We arrived at a place that looked like a massive vault. The moment she pressed her palm against the panel beside the heavy entrance, the vault slowly began to rumble open.

“Is this really okay? Showing me a place like this so casually?”

“Yes, absolutely. Anyone can access this area upon request.”

“Aha.”

For a second, I thought I was getting special treatment because of my looks, but apparently not. That was a bit embarrassing.

“Truth be told, this area is practically a museum. None of the items here can actually be equipped by our customers.”

“……Are the equipment requirements really that brutal?”

“No, it’s simply because the conditions are biologically impossible to meet.”

The clerk raised her hand and pointed toward a specific sword—one that practically radiated elegance and grandeur at a single glance.

“Take this sword, for example. It has an equip requirement that specifies ‘Equippable only by the Dwarf race.’”

“Ah~”

I see. That was why she called it a museum.

“So the other items are similar?”

“Yes. There are artifacts belonging to the Elven race, the Dwarven race, and over there, items from the Beastkin race as well.”

“Aha.”

As mentioned before, the worldbuilding of this universe was rather unique.

What made it unique? Even though the ‘World Tree’ stood proudly right in the center of South Korea, there were no Elves. Even though Dwarven relics were scattered all throughout China, there were no Dwarves. Even though the heart of a Dragon Lord was designated as a national treasure in the United States, there were no Dragons.

Currently, humans were the only intelligent race left in this world.

“What do you think?”

“Yeah, it’s incredible.”

“Ehem, right?”

The era when intelligent non-human races like Elves walked this earth was roughly ten thousand years ago. Now, ten thousand years later, their existence survived as nothing more than legend, leaving behind countless artifacts as sole proof that they had once existed.

‘……Honestly, I could probably just raid this place later.’

“Pardon? Did you say something?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Of course, a setting like this didn’t exist for no reason. As the novel progressed, these non-human races would reveal themselves one by one before the protagonist, claiming they had hidden their existence due to circumstances.

“Wow, but seriously, these look amazing.”

“Right? Right?”

The room was filled with magnificent, flashy equipment you’d normally only see in games or webtoons. As I was admiring the displays with genuine awe…

“……Huh?”

My eyes caught sight of a lavishly decorated sword hanging awkwardly on a display rack. Whether it had fallen from above or the mount itself had broken, the sword was tilted precariously, looking as though a gentle breeze could knock it right off. Looking closer, unlike the other displays, its protective glass case lay shattered and scattered across the floor.

I reached my hand out toward the sword, intending to adjust it back into its proper place simply because it bothered my eyes.

“Ah, right. Also……”

The clerk, who had been explaining things ahead of me, turned around to add something.

“The equipment in this area is…… Ah, ahhh! W-Wait! Stop!”

Her eyes suddenly went wide with panic.

“Th-That! Don’t touch—!”

Zzzzzzt—!

In that split second, the moment my fingers brushed against the sword, violent sparks erupted from the point of contact.

“Whoa!”

“Eek! Kaaah!”

It was then that memory struck me like a bolt of lightning.

There was a setting regarding gear locked behind racial restrictions: Never touch them recklessly. The novel hadn’t described it vividly, but it had mentioned a severe rejection reaction.

You idiot! How could I forget something like that?!

I frantically pulled my hand away from the sword. Fortunately, the violent sparks died down almost immediately.

“Eeeeek…… Huh?”

The clerk, who had been screaming in terror, stared back and forth between me and the sword with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“A-Are you alright?!”

“Ah, yes. I’m so sorry! It was an impulse.”

“H-Huh? How……?”

I cursed my own thoughtless actions inwardly. Since I had pulled my hand back quickly enough, it seemed the backlash hadn’t fully triggered. But that was just lucky hindsight. It didn’t change the fact that I had done something incredibly foolish.

“……Anyway, I’m truly sorry. After you were kind enough to guide me all the way here, too.”

I bowed my head respectfully.

“N-No, it’s entirely our fault due to poor maintenance! I should be the one apologizing.”

The clerk still looked utterly dazed, clearly shaken by what had just transpired.

“I-I’ll be taking my leave for today.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Pl-Please go ahead.”

Offering a bitter smile, I turned around and headed for the exit.

After Kang Seo-yul disappeared from sight, the clerk stood alone, frozen in place for a long while.

“……That’s strange. During my orientation, they specifically told me never to touch that sword.”

Gazing at the weapon Kang Seo-yul had just touched—the ‘Vampire Lord’s Fang’—she recalled the warnings from her training days.

‘They said even the slightest touch would trigger a backlash that reduces you to ashes…… They warned us to be extremely careful…… They definitely said that.’

She stared blankly at the sword for a long time.

“Did my senior just say that to scare me?”

April 11th.

Over the past two days, I spent my time researching this world, double-checking if anything differed from my existing knowledge. The result confirmed that while there were things left unmentioned in the novel that I didn’t know, none of the settings I did know had changed.

And tomorrow was finally the Day of Awakening.

It was the day I would finally be able to see that damn Status Window with my own eyes—the one I had heard about until my ears bled over the last three days. It was also the day I would engage in my very first battle against an enemy.

“……Seeing it up close really is something else.”

That was why today, I decided to scout the location where tomorrow’s incident would take place in advance: World Tree Park.

“This is the spot.”

A scenic park featuring fancy cafe terraces and a grand central fountain. Tomorrow, at this exact time and place, a terror attack would occur. To awaken, I needed to be present at the scene.

“……It’ll be fine, right?”

I had never even been in a real fistfight before, so the sudden realization that I’d have to fight a terrorist brought a sudden wave of anxiety crashing over me. But as long as events unfolded according to the novel, there shouldn’t be any major danger. His ability wouldn’t work on me, after all.

I repeatedly reassured myself, centering my mind.

It was right as I was lost in thought.

“Excuse me. By any chance, have you seen anyone who looks like this?”

A voice as clear and beautiful as a soothing melody reached my ears. I turned my head toward the source of the voice.

Holy crap.

Standing there was a literal goddess.

Her radiant blonde hair caught the sunlight, gleaming brilliantly, and her facial features were so flawless that words couldn’t possibly do them justice. As I had noted before, Koreans in this world were generally beautiful across the board—but this woman stood in a league entirely of her own. So this was what people meant by a total scene-stealer.

“Um, excuse me?”

“Ah, yes! Sorry. What did you say?”

“Right. Have you seen anyone who looks like this man?”

She was holding out a photograph. It showed a sharp-looking man dressed entirely in black. I had never seen him in my life.

“No, it’s my first time seeing him.”

“Ah. Is that so……”

A look of disappointment settled over her face, yet even that expression looked like a painting. As I stood there dazed…

“Lady Zia. He’s not over on this side, either.”

A man appearing to be in his late thirties approached us.

Wait, did he just say Zia?

“……Still, we can’t be sure yet. Let’s search a bit more.”

That striking appearance paired with the name Zia. It was unmistakable.

Shin Zia.

A core supporting character in the novel, a kind-hearted woman who consistently aids the protagonist. Among her many character settings was the title of ‘Visual Genius.’ People used to say that if Kang Seo-yul was the pinnacle among men, Shin Zia was the equivalent among women. Looking at her face now, that title was more than justified.

But why was she here right now? As far as I recalled, Shin Zia and the protagonist weren’t supposed to meet until after school started.

No, wait. Today was an unrecorded day in the novel to begin with. It wasn’t strange for her to be here.

Just as I was rationalizing the situation—

“Eeeek! Aaaahhhhh!”

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed from a distance.

“!”

A chilling gust of wind blew past, sending goosebumps erupting across my skin. Shin Zia and I turned our heads simultaneously toward the source of the noise.

“Run for your lives!”

“Kyaaaaah!”

Panicked people were sprinting frantically from that direction as if fleeing for their lives.

BOOOOOOM—!

At the exact same moment, a violent explosion thundered across the park, shaking the very ground beneath our feet.

“R-Run!”

“It’s a terror attack!”

The surrounding area descended into complete bedlam in a matter of seconds.

A terror attack. Everyone fleeing was screaming the exact same thing.

The attack was supposed to happen tomorrow. Why on earth was it happening today?

“Lady Zia.”

“Yes, I know.”

Shin Zia’s eyes went icy cold.

“Pialle Allo. Today, for sure……”

With eyes brimming with cold fury, she glared straight toward the rising column of black smoke.

“Uncle, contact the security forces and the main house immediately.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll head ahead first.”

“Understood. Please, take utmost care.”

With those words, the two vanished from my field of vision.

Pialle Allo.

I knew that name.

“Why today of all days……?”

The very first villain to appear in Chapter 1 of the novel, and the mastermind behind the incident that triggers the protagonist’s awakening.

The event had been moved forward by an entire day.