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“Ah, ah,” she was now able to speak as she wished and even move her arms and legs. “It’s different from when time was rewinding,” she said in a slightly astonished tone.

“It’s because this is the natural progression of things while the other one was the unnatural one,” Chi-Woo replied calmly, and Yunael gasped in understanding, ‘Aha.’

Of course, she didn’t truly understand what Chi-Woo said and just accepted it as fact. But truthfully, Chi-Woo didn’t know what was happening either and just said whatever was on his mind. He found Yunael quite simple-minded to have accepted his explanation just like that.

Silence passed between the two. Though time was fastforwarding, they had gone so far into the past and didn’t know how long it would take for them to return to their original time.

“…I think I get it now,” Yunael suddenly said after waiting quietly. “Sometimes, I couldn’t understand the reason behind your actions…but I didn’t imagine you would do something like this at all.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Things like this. Who would dare go back to the past and change what happened? No wonder there’s a difference in our growth.” Not all heroes were built the same; there were things one could do while another could not. Most heroes would have laughed at the idea of changing the future by intervening in the past, yet the man Yunael acknowledged as her boss was able to accomplish this unbelievable task and get favorable results. And thanks to being by his side, she was able to experience what most wouldn’t have even dreamed of.

“You really are amazing. Thank you. I’ll end up getting some merits thanks to you.”

“No problem.”

The two fell silent again. In the end, Yunael couldn’t bear it any longer, and after her lips twitched a bit, she broke the silence once more.

“You don’t have anything to say to me?”

“?”

“Hm, for example, your relationship with the legend? Isn’t it about time for you to tell me?”

“He’s my brother. What of it?”

“No, well. I was just curious,” Yunael said. “Don’t get mad and hear me out. I’ve been a hero for quite some time and experienced a good deal, but I’ve never heard of a hero named Woo.”

“Woo?”

“Yes, as a name and not the family name.”

It seemed that this idiot thought Chi-Woo’s family name was Chi while his name was Woo.

“Anyways, wouldn’t anyone be surprised if some hero no one had heard of popped out of who-knows-where and became one of the main pillars of this ruined world, all the while acting so close to the legend? Don’t you agree?” Yunael asked and suddenly looked a bit serious. “Wait. Since the legend didn’t recognize you, you guys must’ve met at a later time…” It seemed Yunael still didn’t think Chi-Woo and Chi-Hyun were blood-related.

After all, the situation still left room for misunderstanding to arise. Chi-Woo and Chi-Hyun had simply called each other brothers when conversing and never officially mentioned their blood ties.[1] This was because Chi-Woo had been acting cautiously just in case, and Chi-Hyun appeared to have also been minding his words, as the way he knocked Bael unconscious would indicate.

Chi-Woo thought about saying, ‘Why don’t you add Choi in front of Chi-Woo?’ but ended up dropping it with a smile.

“Well…he’s just someone I’m close to.”

“Yeah sure. I thought that’s how you’ll answer. I suppose you don’t want to tell me,” Yunael grunted and turned away.

Chi-Woo swallowed his laughter and looked back at Yunael as she grumbled. Then, he said, “Thank you.”

Yunael glanced at him. Their eyes met, and she tucked her hair behind her ears, not once, but twice. ‘Ha! Seriously!’ she murmured to herself.

“Ms. Yunael,” Chi-Woo called out to her with a smirk.

“…What?” Yunael seemed to not like the smile on Chi-Woo’s face, and her eyes narrowed.

“Do you know the meaning behind Seven Stars?”

Yunael blinked hard because she hadn’t expected the question. “What are you suddenly saying?” she asked, and Chi-Woo cleared his throat.

“When we return, we’ll be facing a modified present. Then, we’ll have to prepare for a future that’s on the horizon.”

“Well…” Yes, although they had managed to change the past as they wished, it was still too early to guess what would happen. They hadn’t done much but sprinkled a few drops of oil into the dying fire. “And if we manage to overcome the approaching future, don’t think everything is over then.”

Of course, they could see it as a huge achievement that they had opened up a new path forward, but there still existed far more paths to destruction and doom. While listening to Chi-Woo speak, Yunael was hit with a strange feeling. The Seven Stars leader she had seen until now was an oddball or an enigma. He was a mystical being who knew secrets others didn’t know and stopped their world from falling into ruins behind the scenes. Thus, it was a little puzzling for her to be thanked by a hero like that, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. It felt as if she had finally found her place in the center of this messy World.

“No matter how much I struggle with it…I think it would be difficult by myself,” Chi-Woo told Yunael. “Thus, I need stars.”

Yunael didn’t avert her gaze this time. Given his tone, she knew what Chi-Woo was trying to say and what the meaning of Seven Stars was.

“So, would you be my third star?” Chi-Woo asked without beating around the bush.

“Yes, that sounds good.” As if she had been waiting to be asked a long time ago, Yunael responded immediately. Chi-Woo smiled softly at her instant response, which bothered Yunael and made her glare at him.

“What? Why are you laughing?”

“Because I’m happy.”

Yunael flinched. “H-Happy about what?”

“To see you jump up and down at the chance of accepting my offer.”

“When did I…!” Yunael felt irked, but she soon calmed down by letting out a deep breath and crossing her arms. “Well, it’s true that I’m eager to accept it, and I’m glad I got the same offer that Aida got.” It appeared that Yunael was more interested in the menial details than the main deals.

“But—” Yunael was about to ask something when their surroundings brightened. Now that she looked around her, the environment had been changing while they were conversing. The Milky Way was flowing like a river with pitch-black darkness as the background.

Chi-Woo was traveling across the universe before he realized it, and then he found himself facing a familiar planet while Yunael was nowhere in sight. Surprisingly, the planet was no longer an ashy color. Soon, his whole view became white, and Chi-Woo felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was then the space around him stretched out sideways and swallowed him whole.

***

Chi-Woo didn’t know what had happened. He suddenly separated from Yunael and was sucked into another space. He was inside a library—the same library where he received his privileges. After making his way across the library, Chi-Woo found himself in a white place. It was a space of nothingness, and he was alone.

No, he wasn’t actually alone, and after a slight disturbance in his view, he saw something waver in the air in front of him. The wavering soon gained shape and morphed into a young girl.

“You…” Chi-Woo’s eyes widened. He immediately recognized her because they had met and conversed just before. The girl who appeared in full form was the World—Liber’s World who was almost extinguished by Chi-Hyun and had cried and pleaded for her life. Chi-Woo remembered this space. After looking around him for a while, Chi-Woo put his hands inside his pockets. Then, he pulled out a seven-sided die. Yes, this was where he had received the World’s Milestone.

“I see…” It was then Chi-Woo understood everything. The girl he had met here when he first came to Liber was the World, but something had changed. At that time, the girl’s body was covered in so many wounds that he couldn’t even bear to look at her. That part was still the same. Chi-Woo didn’t know what had happened to her until now, but her whole body was littered with injuries. Yet she wasn’t crying. She didn’t cry like a child who had lost her parents in the battleground like before, and instead showed a firm determination that wouldn’t waver amid the strongest storms. Furthermore, the girl looked a bit shy, like she was reuniting with her first love.

The girl hesitated and walked up to Chi-Woo. She took one step at a time until she was right in front of him.

—I’m sorry.

The girl apologized first.

—I tried to fight back, but…as expected, there’s a problem.

She sounded bitter.

—In the end, I couldn’t stop them.

Chi-Woo could grasp the situation somewhat. It appeared that the definite future where Sernitas targeted the problem-filled Liber and invaded it hadn’t changed.

—Honestly, it was hard.

The girl continued like a young child complaining.

—It was so painful and tiring. There were many times when I was brought down to my knees.

But Chi-Woo was fine with all this because he realized that there was another difference between the girl he saw in the past and now—he could hear the girl’s voice. That seemed to mean one thing.

—Still…I endured. It was so tiring that I almost resented everything. Sometimes, I even had the scary thoughts that it would be better if everything just fell to ruins…

The World was different from how she had been in the past, when she left only negative influences like her resentment on Liber. This World had protected Liber as best as she could and successfully endured, not forgetting her original duty.

—But I gritted my teeth and held on. Because I had hoped that you\'d come before everything was over.

The girl leaned forward. Then, she stretched her arms wide and hugged Chi-Woo.

—Thank you for keeping your promise and coming back.

Chi-Woo was speechless for a moment. Though it hadn’t been long for him since he last separated from the World, it must have felt like a very long time for her. When one was having an enjoyable time, one hour would feel like a minute; when one suffered, one minute would feel like hundreds and thousands of hours. The World probably felt like it’d been an eternity while she waited for Chi-Woo, yet she still endured because she simply believed his promise. Realizing this, Chi-Woo felt an emotion he couldn’t describe. He placed his hand on the girl’s head.

The girl looked up at Chi-Woo half-expectantly and half-worriedly. It seemed like she was asking if she had done a good job.

“I should be the one thanking you,” Chi-Woo said in a trembling voice and slowly patted the girl’s hair. “Thank you for believing in me and waiting for me.”

Hearing this, a bright smile formed on the girl’s lips. She felt as if she was being rewarded for everything she had suffered until now.

“Thank you for your hard work. I’m really grateful,” Chi-Woo said. The girl’s smile was so bright that it was as if spring had come early and was melting the snow piling on the ground.

“But…isn’t it too early to thank me?” Chi-Woo said while patting her head. “There’s still a promise I’ve yet to keep.” Though Chi-Woo kept his promise to come visit her again, that wasn’t the only promise he had made. Hearing this, the girl extended her thin hands and clutched Chi-Woo’s hand which was holding the die.

—Though there isn’t much power left…

The World’s Milestone glowed with a white light. It seemed that something was flowing into it and getting absorbed.

—I’m glad I’ve worked so hard to preserve it.

With this, the girl’s will was clearly passed onto Chi-Woo. Soon after, distance formed between Chi-Woo and the girl naturally, and they grew further apart.

—I’ll wait for you, my hero.

Then, unlike the time she disappeared as soon as she handed the die, he saw her bid him farewell by waving her hands. Time passed again, and Chi-Woo returned to his original time. His surroundings were just as he remembered. He was sitting on the chair while Yunael had both of her hands on the desk. Chi-Woo felt time gradually slowing down and inhaled deeply. He would soon face the modified Liber, and he wondered how much had changed. He closed his eyes as he fell out of the flow of time and combined with the Chi-Woo of the original timeline. As the series of processes finally reached their end, the past finished reflecting the revisions that had been made.

“!” While sitting on his chair, Chi-Woo’s eyes flashed open.

1. They’ve been calling each other ‘hyung’ and ‘dongsaeng’ which can be used by any man addressing an older or younger man even if they aren’t blood-related. ☜