The World Does Not Exist for ■■

Translator: FenrirTL
Editor: ford53
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< Chapter 28: A Different Choice, a Different Path, a Different Name (3) >

The market at dawn was always bustling with watchful eyes.

Merchants moved about busily, food stalls prepared for the morning rush, and porters hauled goods… Seti and Dung Beetle avoided their gazes as they circled around the market towards Jangman’s tavern.

Because of their detour, they arrived at the tavern when morning was more present than dawn.

“We’re late.”

Standing at the entrance of the tavern was an unfamiliar man.

With short hair, dressed in a structured, old military uniform, with a handgun at his waist, he looked every bit the soldier.

“Do you have any concept of time? Not just an hour late but a whole day. A day! Or do you not care about punctuality?”

It seemed he was already acquainted with Seti, glaring at her with visible irritation.

It was an overt threat. Dung Beetle held the dagger hidden within his clothing, but Seti stopped him. Without flinching, she replied in a calm, cool voice.

“What about it?”

“…What?”

“Did I ask you to wait? It was you who said you would wait.”

Seti’s voice was starkly different from when she spoke with Dung Beetle; it was deadly serious.

“Draw your gun if it annoys you.”

…

“If you’ve got nothing to say, then don’t block the door and move aside.”

The man glared at Seti and Dung Beetle in turn. After a tense silence, he clicked his tongue and stepped away from the door.

“…It better be worth the time we wasted.”

“That’s for Granny to decide.”

Leaving behind the man in the military uniform who had the last word, the two entered the tavern.

Inside, the tavern hadn’t changed much since Dung Beetle left. The gouged floor and the broken ceiling were all the same. It was fortunate that there were at least a few chairs and a table.

“Have you arrived?”

At the table, Jangman was tilting a glass of alcohol, and a gaunt white-haired old woman in what appeared to be a wheelchair sat beside him…

‘A wheelchair?’

Dung Beetle’s brow furrowed slightly. A wheelchair with no trace of dust on its wheels.

As he relaxed his expression and looked up, his eyes met those of the elderly woman in the wheelchair.

A face covered with dark spots, protruding cheekbones, and a long, hooked nose, she looked like a witch straight out of a fairy tale.

“Seti, is this the person you talked about?”

“Yes, she is. What do you think, Granny?”

“…Interesting. His mana is as pure as an elf’s.”

The woman’s serpent-like gaze swept over Dung Beetle.

“How can a human body be like this? It’s a strange phenomenon. I would have regretted not coming to see for myself.”

With that, the old woman reached beside the wheelchair and pulled out a few documents along with a glasses case.

“Don’t just stand there. Come sit with me, will you?”

Without hesitation, Dung Beetle pulled up a chair and sat down at the table. Seti positioned herself behind him.

“Shall we start with business, then?”

“Yes, let’s.”

“Good. Let’s start with…”

The old woman with the hooked nose, now wearing glasses, spread out the documents.

“What name have you thought of using? Any aliases in mind?”

Dung Beetle glanced at Seti’s expression and then, looking back at the old woman, replied.

“Dawn. If I were to change my identity, I think using the alias ‘Dawn’ might be suitable.”

“…Dawn? Not a bad name. And the surname?”

The answer to this question came from beside Dung Beetle.

“The Cheon family. If we’re attaching a surname, Cheon would be best. Cheon Yeomyeong. It has a nice ring to it.”

The attention shifted to Jangman, who continued to sip his drink.

After a brief silence, the old woman with the hooked nose looked at Dung Beetle for confirmation.

Dung Beetle nodded. He had no choice but to agree. The name Cheon was none other than… the surname of their work team leader.

“Cheon Yeomyeong, not bad at all. I might not know fortune-telling, but I can tell it’s better than Dung Beetle.”

…

Was it that much better?

Dung Beetle searched for a retort, remembering everyone who had heard his name recently had similar reactions, and chose to remain silent.

“Shall we move on to the next matter? Dawn, what do you plan to do with this fake identity?”

“Do I need to tell you that much?”

“Of course. I’m going to be your guarantor.”

Guarantor? Dung Beetle looked at Seti with a puzzled expression, and she seemed equally confused.

“…Granny? What are you talking about?”

“What do you mean? I mean just that. I’ll become this lad’s guarantor. That should keep the government off his back.”

“Wait a minute. That’s…!”

“Seti.”

The atmosphere between them grew cold. The old woman with the hooked nose narrowed her eyes and stared at Seti.

“Where were you planning on sending this boy? To the academy? The Special Management Bureau? It wasn’t either of those, was it?”

…

“Did you really plan to turn him into nothing more than a mercenary or a hunter? Am I wrong?”

As if the old woman had struck a nerve, Seti’s expression twisted noticeably.

“…So what if I did?”

“It’s a pity. It’s a real pity.”

“You know my plan? Have you heard it?”

“No need. Whatever it is, it’s bound to be crude and dangerous.”

After her pronouncement, a harsh silence filled the space between them.

Unable to stand the tension, Jangman picked up his glass and fled the table as if escaping.

Suddenly alone between the two, Dung Beetle—now Dawn—withdrew quietly. He pulled his chair back to give himself distance from the table, then observed both parties.

“May I ask a question?”

As he spoke, two sets of eyes locked onto him.

“What are you two really discussing?”

“…Nothing of consequence. Granny’s just being nosy.”

“Nosy?”

“Granny’s a big shot. If she vouches for you, some governments would fight to recruit you, that’s how significant she is.”

“That means…”

“It means she wants to recruit you. What else?”

The old woman with the hooked nose remained silent as Seti spoke.

Finally, after Seti’s words, she spoke slowly.

“Dawn. I don’t know what this girl promised you, but it would be wise not to follow through.”

…

“This is sincere advice. Walk the bright path. Following her will only waste your talent.”

It was a sure declaration. Seti glared at the old woman with a look of disbelief, and Dawn, recalling Seti’s past, asked,

“…Are you two actually related by blood?”

“We are connected by blood. That’s why I don’t stop her from calling me Granny.”

There was a contempt in the old woman’s voice that was hard to believe was aimed at her own kin.

“…Connected by blood.”

Father a drug addict, mother a prostitute.

Dawn recalled Seti’s harsh description of her parents. The phrase ‘connected by blood’ took on a different meaning.

As he was silent, the old woman spoke again.

“Dawn. Are you aware? That child is a flesh puppet created by the Korean government?”

“…Flesh puppet?”

“Granny!!”

Seti shouted, but the old woman just smiled grimly.

“Born in a lab without love, just a piece of meat. And with a leash tied to the government, she’s no different from a puppet.”

…

“Would you entrust your future to her? Your youth and talent are too precious.”

The old woman extended her hand towards Dawn. Emitting mana similar to Pyangyeol from her hand, as if feeling some kinship.

“Take my hand. I will lead you onto a bright path.”

Dawn gazed at the woman’s hand silently. Then, turning to look at Seti, shaking with emotion, he looked back at the old woman’s hand.

“Ma’am, may I ask your name?”

“People call me Siri.”

“…Siri.”

Dawn paused for a moment and then accepted Siri’s hand.

“I knew you’d make the right choice…”

In the next instant, he pulled out the dagger and swung it.

He meant to slit her throat, but his unfamiliar left-hand swordplay only made a long cut. It was indeed a fake after all.

Blue powder spilled from the sliced neck instead of blood, composed of mana.

“…I thought you knew nothing about magic?”

As Siri’s body dispersed into particles, Seti blinked in surprise.

“I don’t.”

“Then how did you notice the illusion magic?”

Dawn faced Seti, pondering what to say.

He had felt something was off since the conversation with the soldier at the entrance.

The wheelchair wheels were too clean.

And above all, the mana felt off… Instead of explaining all that, he simply summarized.

“Instinct.”

At that moment, the tavern door burst open, and the soldier stormed in.

“Instinct? Instinct? You sensed my magic by instinct?”

The soldier looked at Dawn, his expression mirroring Seti’s surprise.

He strode up to Dawn and grabbed his wrist, channeling mana into Dawn’s arm, but the superhuman’s body rejected the external mana.

A feat only a superhuman could accomplish. The soldier’s face contorted.

“…You’re really not a magician?”

…

“Unni, what is this guy? Is he a case like us?”

“…Unni?”

As Dawn echoed the question, the soldier began to dissipate into particles.