Chapter 4 – Insignificant Supporting Character (2)
Strings of words suddenly appeared before Jeongjin in bright flashes, the words refusing to disappear even if he deliberately closes his eyes. It was as if it was enngraved into his eyes.
[Item Attribution: Promise
― Function use is limited for maintain low narrative intervention.
― Promise provides link between multiple dimensions. After entering the ‘last world,’ the basic functions for ‘Promise‘ has been activated. It gives the user infinite ether sensitivity.
―The first-level function ‘Memory‘ has been unlocked. All texts read during the user’s lifetime will be fully remembered thanks to the ‘Memory‘ feature.]
He remembered the bright letters augmenting before him back in the bridge.
It said something about a message or whatever…
He saw it cleary. It was after he checked the author’s email at the Dongjak bridge at an unearthly hour. It had said: ‘The message has been received.’
Maybe I saw it wrong. What was it?
Jeongjin looked carefully at the letters in front of his eyes, his confusion growing by the minute.
I entered this world, which then unlocked the function of an item… And it says I can remember everything I’ve ever read in my entire life? Even those I have read from a long time ago?
He thought it was absurd. Thus, he only laughed, dumbfounded.
This reminds me of the delusion I had in my senior years—that time when I couldn’t do math so I just memorized all the rules.
How on earth can such a thing occur even though it’s just a dream? Then, perhaps it would also help him remember the menu he ate for dinner yesterday, if it was between fermented soybean paste stew and kimchi stew…
A first impression cannot speak of the intelligence of a person. The mind of a thirty-year-old, overworked man couldn’t handle such an absurd setting.
It’s too much.
Whether Jeongjin was convinced or not, something else suddenly popped up in the air.
[You can re-read ‘Prince of the Albion Kingdom’ by using ‘Memory’ in ‘Promise.’]
Ah…’
At this point, Jeongjin had a wild guess.
So, I am inside a novel?
It was the latest fad in web novels that he frequently reads during his way to and from work. Such novels contained themes of characters who transmigrate into a book they read, liked or picked up by chance.
Isn’t it too much for this book? I’ve only read it in published stories… and this novel is still unfinished and is to be rewritten by the author.’
Moreover, it is out of the ordinary that the characters in novels had soul in them, and it was especially unnerving that his college ring was sitting on his finger.
Exasperated, Jeongjin rubbed the edge of the ring, as was his habit.
If this is Prince of the Kingdom of Albion, then what’s the name of this character?
As soon as Jeongjin tried to remember the ambiguous contents of the novel, his body sank into a strange, relaxed state.
Could ‘Memory’ be working?
Something inside his forehead turned hot and a roll of paper came to his mind.
The scroll, bearing the novel’s text, unfastened swiftly. The contents before him became clear as though he was re-reading it in seconds.
Jeongjin lay down the bed again.
With ‘Promise’, remembering Prince of the Albion Kingdom was a breeze, ending in an instant. But there was something off-putting after it…
The book doesn’t contain the name Clayo Asser.
***
Jeongjin was called ‘Clayo Asser’ by the red-haired girl at the river. She also referred to him a first-grade, a freshman. As such, they must be schoolmates.
After using ‘Memory’, he only found one crucial piece of information about this character.
There was only a brief event in the novel featuring Ishiel Kishion where she reports a death surrounding the river incident… and this character’s name wasn’t even mentioned.
An incident revolving around unidentified magic was recently discovered in school. With her frequent night patrols, Ishiel was able to retrieve a child who lost his life at the river. She then informed Arthur that the child, perhaps, could be part of the group plotting against him.
That’s right! Then that girl must have been Ishiel Kishion. Come to think of it, she spoke a different language when she interrogated me. No wonder that girl was so strong… and she had striking red har too.
Ishiel Kishion was labeled to be the second most important character in the novel. She played a key role in the story of Prince of the Albion Kingdom after the protagonist, Arthur.
As Arthur’s colleage and loyal friend, she learned various sword techniques from him.
Among the senior students only Ishiel was vested with the authority to handle complicated students during their school days.
If both Ishiel and Arthur were still students, then the setting must be more than five years before the war.
This magical event was a mere episode on the novel. Furthermore, Clayo Asser is just a supporting character who would soon disappear without a trace.
After reading the story again, Jeongjin found no response from his inquiries. The author intentionally did not write about this side character. Clayo is far less important than Arthur, the main character of The Prince of the Albion Kingdom.
Which leads to Jeongjin not having the slightest clue of the life Clayo Asser lived and why he had died.
But I will think about it later.
Perhaps he needed to rest, his weary mind signaled he had used most of his energy thinking.
Maybe I can just pretend I’ve lost my memory, like how everyone does it in novels. And it should be reasonable after the incident in the river.
The Royal Capital Defense College located in Lundane, the capital of the Albion kingdom, was described in the story as the country’s best elite school.
Whether it was of excellent abilities, wealthy clans, or talents, the school boasts of students of varying prestige and power.
If so, this guy Clayo must have been one of them.
Was his life worse than Jeongjin’s?
All right. Whether it’s a delusion I made up or the writer’s creation, it doesn’t make a difference.
Ever since he became an adult, rest was elusive to him. Despite it being his vacation or holiday, he would always receive work, and he also took this opportunity to earn money.
He has never traveled around the world like other people—he doesn’t even own a passport to his name.
For all he knows he could be lying in an intensive care unit, attached to a respirator in reality. The rough texture of the hospital gown the only thing he can feel.
What do I now? Maybe I should lie down for a bit. At the very least I can finally sleep properly in ten years.
Jeungjin comfortably rests his head on the fluffy bed. Far away from deadlines and demanding work, he could finally feel at ease in the blankets, as if he were buried in the clouds.
Only the ‘Promise’ fixed in his left hand glowed in the room. Finally succumbing to slumber, he was not able to catch the golden letters appearing above the ‘Promise’ ring.
[―The creation of Prince of the Albion Kingdom (Final High) begins.]
[―The author gets a new beginning to the ending.]
[―Rewrite existing characters.]