Even for the most stoic and emotionally barren individual.
Hearing the voice of a long-missed friend, a person is bound to become a little emotional.
‘Why does my heart feel so heavy?’
Indeed, the phrase ‘diminished capacity’ (TL Note: A legal term referring to a state of mental impairment that reduces criminal responsibility) even came to mind.
My emotions were in a turmoil.
Before I could even gather myself, Kozmo smiled seductively.
“You’ll never meet someone like me again, you know?”
They haughtily crossed their legs, then brushed the dirt from a pile of grimy debris with a flick of their hand.
Still maintaining the appearance of my first love, Kozmo sat down and propped their chin on their hand.
“I don’t even know your real face, and I’m not sure if you’re even human.”
The thought that there could be a ‘괴이’ (TL Note: A supernatural entity or anomaly, often monstrous or uncanny) in the gallery crossed my mind.
f*ck, if there’s a ‘괴이’, wouldn’t it be someone like this bastard?
Even if they’re an Awakened and this is someone else’s dream, is it really human to change like this so casually?
“With so much suspicion, how do you expect to live in this world, huh?”
Their constant crossing and uncrossing of legs was irritating.
“Are you a man or a woman? Just pick one.”
Having enlisted in the military early, my ties with women had been completely severed.
Consequently, the women in my memories were still young students.
Whether that was the reason, or something else entirely, I couldn’t say.
“You’d prefer me to be a woman, wouldn’t you?”
The gesture of sweeping their hair back.
The timing of biting their plump lower lip.
And even that pose, looking up at me.
This bastard is bewitching.
It felt as though, if a Gumiho (TL Note: A nine-tailed fox from Korean folklore, often depicted as a seductive shapeshifter) ‘괴이’ existed, it would undoubtedly be this entity.
“So that means you’re a man? Aren’t you having Sage Time (TL Note: A Korean slang term, ‘hyeonja taim,’ referring to a moment of post-clarity or disillusionment after an intense experience.)?”
“No one knows that, do they? No one knows my gender yet.”
I couldn’t comprehend what nonsense they were spouting.
“You’re talking crazy. If you were trying to fill a favorability gauge (TL Note: A game mechanic where performing actions for a character increases their ‘favorability’ towards the player), you’ve failed miserably.”
At the mention of “favorability,” Kozmo furrowed their brow slightly and replied.
“Hmm… let’s think about it this way.”
Suddenly, Kozmo began to unbutton their clothes.
The naked body of my first love was gradually revealed.
‘This bastard…’
I was so dumbfounded that I instinctively stepped back for a moment.
And then, I witnessed an utterly absurd sight.
Like a Barbie doll, visible joints marked every limb, and the crucial areas were completely devoid of anything.
As I watched them progressively ‘devolve’ into a doll-like form, a chilling sense of uncanniness crept over me.
“See? Your brain can’t perceive me as lewd this way. Are you greatly disappointed?”
They asked if I was greatly disappointed, but I found the entire situation simply bizarre.
To be conversing with a gallery user (TL Note: ‘고닉’ refers to a user with a fixed ID on a Korean online gallery or forum, often implying a regular or well-known member) in the guise of my first love, all within my own nightmare.
Even in a novel, something like this wouldn’t appear.
“Could you, please, just change your face?”
“But, what if I do this?”
Slowly, the joints vanished, and the awkward texture of the skin gradually gained a lustrous sheen.
The other parts followed suit.
Their hair grew more lustrous, beginning to cascade softly.
Their fingernails gradually lengthened, making their fingertips appear sharper.
And then.
Oh, f*ck, my God.
“Were you expecting something? I won’t show you!”
Just as the contours were ambiguously beginning to appear, they precisely covered themselves with a hand.
Sticking out their tongue impishly.
“…Are you a crazy bastard? What are you doing?”
Covering their chest with one arm, twisting their body to precisely conceal themselves—their skill left me speechless.
Nor could I fathom the mental state required to perform such an act.
“How about now? Have you developed some favorability?”
If a slightly faster heartbeat and quickened breath could be described as favorability?
f*ck, as a man, of course I would.
Moreover, I’m someone who’s been rotting away in the military and is now seeing something like this.
“Favorability, you see, is truly trivial.”
Kozmo.
As a blonde beauty.
As a haughty idol.
As an influencer with captivating, sultry eyes.
One after another, they instantly began to transform their appearance.
“You’re merely swayed by appearances. How trivial is that?”
‘Swayed by appearances,’ they say.
Did they mean that I was excited by the appearance of my first love, and my reason was shaken by the appearance of a friend?
If that was true, then this bastard was remarkably adept at sarcasm.
“Whatever it is you want to say, just put some clothes on.”
Kozmo chuckled softly and replied.
“There’s a saying, ‘Love is lust.’ It’s like that.”
Watching their body transform back into a Barbie doll-like state made my stomach churn.
Was this the uncanny valley (TL Note: A phenomenon where humanoid objects that imperfectly resemble real humans elicit feelings of eeriness and revulsion) or something similar?
“Don’t miss out on this immediate opportunity and regret it later, all for something as trivial as favorability.”
Kozmo had now completely transformed into a wooden puppet.
*Click, clack.*
The sound of wooden pieces rubbing together filled the air as they steadily approached me.
“You’re good at that, aren’t you? I’ve never seen such a rational human like you. Always suspicious in every situation, and your mind hasn’t completely shattered despite such a past.”
“So, you want to make a contract?”
“I’ll treat you well. How does that sound?”
All those performances—if I could even call them that.
In any case, they all pointed to one thing.
That I should enter into a contract with them.
“Why?”
I posed a fundamental question.
Since they themselves had said not to consider favorability, it couldn’t be that they were doing this because they liked me.
“What do you want, then? If you don’t tell me, there’s no way I’m signing any contract.”
They clearly wanted something.
But I simply couldn’t fathom what it was.
No matter how I looked at it, whenever I tried to imagine what this crazy bastard wanted from me… only negative outcomes came to mind.
‘They probably want to devour me, using some loophole in the contract…’
My immediate suspicion was the benefit Kozmo would gain by killing me.
Two pieces of information: that bastard is also an Awakened.
And killing people raises one’s level. These were the facts.
Killing people seemed to grant experience points.
So, what would happen if an Awakened killed another Awakened?
‘Even though I haven’t been rolling in this world for long, the conjecture is simple.’
In a world where Awakened individuals grow stronger by killing people and ‘괴이’.
Would there truly be a disadvantage in killing an Awakened, who are treated as rare entities?
‘It seems they intend to nurture me, then devour me.’
No matter how I looked at it, I could only conclude that this was the sole reason for this bastard’s obsession with me.
In a slightly better scenario, they would likely enslave me.
Considering they started by gaslighting me from the very beginning.
It seemed only natural that such thoughts would cross my mind.
“Hey… do I have to undress again? Will that clear your distracting thoughts?”
As the wooden puppet raised both arms, making a gesture, the sound of creaking planks emanated from them.
‘Extremely suspicious. Even more so when they act like that.’
I tried my best to compose my emotions and organize my thoughts.
Just as I lowered my head to the ground to ponder the situation myself.
A murmuring sigh reached my ears.
“Seriously… they just won’t stop suspecting.”
“…! You f*cking read my mind?!”
I was utterly startled.
Was this bastard reacting like that because they were reading my thoughts?
I had been forcibly maintaining a neutral expression for a long time, despite my suspicions.
And not betraying emotions through my expression had been one of my specialties since childhood.
However, as if to deny it, the wooden puppet waved their hand and said.
“I can sense the general intention (TL Note: ‘의념’ refers to one’s thoughts, intentions, or mental state, often implying a deeper, underlying will rather than mere surface thoughts). You’re clearly harboring wicked suspicions about me right now.”
Since it was true, there was nothing I could do.
Given that they could read ‘intentions’ or whatever it was, it was highly likely they could also discern lies.
So I kept my mouth shut.
‘This is one dangerously fucked-up bastard.’
If they could read intentions, didn’t that mean they would instantly know if I felt hostility?
I remained silent.
“Excuse meee… Hmm.”
After a moment of consideration, Kozmo asked.
“I wonder if threats would work on you?”
On the blank face of the wooden puppet, a crescent-shaped smile etched itself.
“What, you bastard?”
“How about I kill the elf outside? What was her name again?”
Their tone was utterly nonchalant.
At the mention of killing Eldras outside, my mind momentarily went blank.
Because saying they would kill her immediately also implied that they could manipulate my physical body.
“……”
If they were to kill her…
What would I think then?
I wasn’t exactly a good person.
But she was also a benefactor who had saved my life.
‘Right.’
After a brief pause to collect my breath, I spoke with defiance.
“Go ahead.”
The wooden puppet creaked briefly, then adjusted its posture and replied.
“Do you think I can’t do it?”
With the wooden puppet’s utterly expressionless face, I couldn’t discern their thoughts at all.
I wondered if that was why they had changed their form.
Thinking that made them seem even more sinister.
“Do you think you can’t kill her?”
I scoffed and said.
“You talk about favorability being trivial and all that, but you’re even more trivial.”
“…What do you mean?”
“If we’re going to write a contract, at the very least you should match my mood for me to even consider it.”
Whether it’s a contract or anything else, even if I stand to gain from it.
There has to be at least some favorability, right?
How many people in this world act maliciously just because they’re in a bad mood?
Even if I’m not that type, if someone tried to kill my friend, I’d certainly be willing to become that kind of person.
Of course, if the contract terms were absolutely outstanding, I might consider it.
“Still not close enough with that elf, huh?”
“We’re close.”
It was the truth.
“Then, are you provoking me by saying ‘go ahead,’ even if I might actually kill her?”
It was a judgment made by reason.
“You can’t kill me.”
“…You know that?”
Though I felt a slight flicker of anxiety, it was as expected.
Kozmo wanted something from me.
That must be why they were chatting with me like this.
It seemed they would be in trouble if I died.
However, I had no intention of staging a suicide show.
Nor did I have any desire to save someone else by holding my own life hostage.
Instead, I had this thought.
“If I’m lucky enough to survive by avoiding you, and even luckier to grow stronger, and unbelievably lucky to meet you again.”
No matter how I considered it, this was my answer.
“I’d consider revenge.”
“…You’d *consider* it?”
“If I’m weaker than you at the moment we meet, I wouldn’t be able to get revenge, would I?”
“And if you’re stronger?”
“What benefit would I possibly gain by telling you that now? It seems like nothing but a disadvantage.”
Even if I were to kill them, this bastard would harbor hostility towards me, which would be a disadvantage.
And if I didn’t, they’d likely find a flaw in my intentions or something else, also a disadvantage.
I crossed my arms without answering.
Should they, on a whim, kill my friend.
It meant I would take any necessary measures.
As for those measures, I left them to their imagination.
“I see…”
Then, the wooden puppet creaked, beginning to transform back into a human form.
*Creak, creak… snap.*
“So, it’s that form again.”
Having come full circle, Kozmo, back in the guise of my first love, smiled sweetly.
They tapped their toes against the ground.
“I’ve decided. It’s 1 for me, 9 for you.”
“…?”
“That’s the ratio of benefits you’ll gain from the contract. It’s also compensation for my little prank.”
“Tell me just a few of the immediate benefits that come to mind if I agree.”
As they suddenly extended a hand, I took a step back and asked.
The air around me was growing increasingly murky.
“I’ll give you the right to ask me one question per month. It’s incredibly valuable.”
“A question, my ass… You’re the one—”
“I’ll only answer every question with the truth. I can prove it with my skill.”
…They only read intentions, right?
Somehow, having my words snatched away like that left a truly unpleasant feeling.
Regardless, Kozmo continued their explanation.
“And I’ll guarantee you a possibility… one that differentiates you from others.”
“A possibility?”
Uttering the word ‘possibility,’ Kozmo’s lips parted.
They shrugged their shoulders for a moment, then, with an expectant tone, said this:
“The possibility of escaping this world.”
That, perhaps, would become my ultimate goal.
Before I could even ask again.
Kozmo licked their lips and said.
“I know, you see. How to escape.”
