Is That My Alter Ego - Chapter 94



Chapter 94 – The Realm of Imagination

I felt adrift in the cosmos. Who am I, and where is this place?

A sense of immense comfort enveloped me. It was as if I lay on soft clouds, eyes closed, basking in warm sunlight.

If it were to remain like this… I could spend a lifetime without growing weary.

As the gentle warmth of sleep began to creep in, I surrendered to it and let my eyes…

…close.

…please… close.

A familiar voice seemed to echo in the distance. Whose voice was it, after all?

…Cat ears? A friend…? What is this…

…help me.

“….Kali?”

My mind snapped back to clarity. It felt as if a path, once shrouded in fog, had suddenly cleared.

I had… squeezed out my last ounce of strength to save Kali. Now, all that I had forgotten rushed back to me.

And as I regained my senses, it felt as though a distant soul was returning. The lightness that had lifted me skyward began to settle, finding a place to rest.

From beyond the endless darkness, a small light began to approach. It grew rapidly, shining so brightly that it was hard to keep my eyes open.

And when I opened my eyes against the brilliance.

“……….”

I found myself standing somewhere in a vast forest. Warm sunlight filtered through the thick leaves, and the chirping of birds seemed to weave a beautiful melody.

The gentle spring breeze lifted my spirits, and the vibrant colors of the forest felt like gazing upon a living painting.

“Where on earth… am I?”

Surely… the last thing I remembered was approaching Kali, who had succumbed to beastification, asking if I dared to delve into her memories and emotions, despite the danger.

Kali’s memories and emotions. Based on those words, I could surmise…

The space I now stood in was a reflection of some corner of Kali’s mind. Something akin to the realm of imagination.

And that guess solidified as I pushed through the lush blades of grass, following the sound of children’s gleeful laughter.

When I beheld a small village bursting with joy, illuminated by bright light, I knew my assumption had been correct.

I see the beastfolk with cat ears going about their lives. Children frolic with bright expressions, free of worry.

The adults, too, were no different. Their faces bore no signs of concern or anxiety, only filled with happiness and warmth.

I walked toward the village. I opened the door of the sturdy little wooden fence that Kali had spoken of with a smile during our consultation.

Charming little houses clustered together. Though the ground was earthen, it felt all the cozier along the path.

There was something strange; I could see them, yet it seemed they could neither see nor touch me.

No matter what I did, they did not cast a glance my way, and even the beastfolk approaching me passed right through without colliding.

It seemed that, as I was now, I could do nothing but observe.

In the very center, where all the village’s scenery unfolded, I quietly gazed upon the nameless, beautiful village.

– Come on, Kali!

– Let’s hurry!

– Quick! If we’re late, we’ll have less time to play!

“…Okay, I understand…!”

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And there she was, a catfolk with red eyes, timid yet still smiling like the other children.

Her familiar brown bobbed hair, eyes as beautiful as if they held jewels. Though her current personality was a bit, no, vastly different, she was undoubtedly Kali.

“………?”

At that moment, it seemed Kali’s gaze, which had been rushing toward her friends, turned toward me. She tilted her head as if seeing something strange, then smiled again and dashed back to her friends.

It was such a peaceful and beautiful village. A place where every member cared for and loved one another, a nameless village happier than any other.

My heart warmed just from watching them.

I wished for nothing from them. I simply smiled, hoping this happiness would last forever.

Time began to accelerate swiftly. The green leaves turned a brilliant red, then fell, leaving behind white footprints.

The warm sunlight erased the footprints, and the green leaves grew anew, a cycle repeating.

Though time passed, the villagers did not change. Only their appearances shifted; their hearts, however, remained unchanged, growing ever wider instead.

Though they had to be self-sufficient for all their needs or occasionally rely on passing merchants,

they found joy in even the smallest happiness, having lived a hard life.

“………”

There is a saying, “Mureungdowon.” It refers to a peaceful and quiet utopia, often used when comparing to a paradise.

Could this nameless, small village not be a Mureungdowon?

Here, though there was little to possess or gain, it was a space where people lived happily and harmoniously, a true utopia.

– Kali, let’s go!

– What will happen today?

– Come on, let’s go!

“…Alright.”

In a flash, the childlike innocence shed away, revealing Kali as a full-grown adult.

This time, without casting a glance my way, she beams a generous smile and dashes off to join her friends.

How blissful it would have been if this scene, this peaceful village, could have lasted forever.

Auuu-!!!

Yet, nothing is eternal. One fateful night, the joyful village of Kali was met with a colossal wail that echoed not just through the streets, but resonated through the very mountains that cradled their home.

– Run… run away!!

– Kyaaah!

– Help me… help me…!

Grrr-! Growl-!

Crack, crunch. Snap.

An overwhelming misfortune erupted amidst the mundane rhythm of daily life.

Without warning, this sudden calamity descended upon Kali’s once-happy village.

Her friends, who had always played by her side, screamed as they were devoured alive by the monstrous wolves.

The kind beast-woman, who always shared her food, was torn limb from limb, crawling before being swallowed whole.

The village crumbled. Torches that had been set ablaze fell, igniting the very heart of their home.

“…Hii… Hiiik…!”

And there, Kali stood alone within the empty house, her eyes wide with terror as she beheld the horror unfolding.

Hands pressed against her ears, eyes squeezed shut, tears streaming down her face as she trembled in place.

It’s… your fault.

“……..!”

And then, a voice, all too familiar, began to echo in her mind. Her trembling body froze, eyes widening in shock.

Why… are you the only one left?

The voices of her friends, who had always played alongside her, now sounded hollow, steeped in hatred.

…This was a different tale than the one Kali had shared. What on earth was happening?

“…No… no…!”

Kali cried out through her tears. It wasn’t that she had abandoned them; she hadn’t wished to survive alone.

While we were left to die… why is it only you who remains?

The voices of the villagers overlapped, questioning why she alone had survived.

The resentment and hatred of the dead turn toward Kali.

“No…! I didn’t mean to…!”

…Then why did you let even our family die?

“………..!”

Always deep and silent, yet steadfast, her father’s voice condemned Kali.

Sister… why is it only you who survived?

“Kali… Leah…”

The voice of her younger sister, who had always shone with bright laughter and never uttered a word of disdain, was now steeped in sorrow.

Why only you… only you…!

Why? Why? Why??

The villagers, friends, even family. All gathered around Kali, who had crumpled to the ground, hurling accusations.

“Ah… ahhh…!”

Auuu-!!

An event that had never occurred before unfolds. No matter how tightly she covers her ears, their accusations pierce her mind. Even with her eyes shut, she feels the weight of their tear-stained gazes.

Outside, the howls of the wolf beasts echo still.

“…I think I finally understand.”

And in that moment, she grasped why such things were happening.

…Guilt. Kali felt guilt for having survived alone.

It was this guilt that twisted the words of the warm-hearted villagers into something they would never utter.

The guilt Kali had long ignored and hidden manifested in her mind in this form.

For someone as endlessly pure and kind as Kali… it was a reality far too cruel.

“Ah… no-!!!”

And then, at that moment, Kali began to change. No longer the Kali of the villagers, but the Kali I knew all too well.

Crack-!

Shaking off the villagers’ accusations, Kali smashed through the door of her home and stepped outside.

Grrrrr…!

Krrrraaang-!!

With a thunderous roar, Kali emerged, dozens of eyes fixated upon her. The wolf beasts drooled, their malice unmasked as they glared at Kali.

Tears streamed down Kali’s face as she faced the wolves. From within her, claws of hatred and fury began to sprout.

Auuu-!!

—

A wolf, larger than the others and bearing a deep scar across one eye, howled, and dozens of wolf beasts began to charge at Kali.

“…Come at me, you fucking b*stards—!!”

Kali surged forward to confront the terrors of the past. This fury, however, was not hers alone.

It was the collective resentment against those who had snatched away the villagers, who had shattered their once-happy home.

In seeking vengeance, she believed that another act of retribution would sever all grievances and hatred.

A grand delusion, yet she was convinced it was the only truth. She ran forth, driven by the need to unleash her current rage.