Novelist Running Through Time - Chapter 77



Only Krnovel

EP 3 – Demon Sword! Please control me!

“This isn’t a web novel!”

Min Hyo-chan was overcome with madness, as if he had seen something that should not exist.

“This can’t be happening! Web novels can’t be like this!”

Web novel.

It is a type of novel that is read through a series of articles posted on a website on a smartphone or computer, and is a newspaper novel that has become popular since the 2010s.

The genre has its roots in the new martial arts that began to bloom in Korea as a successor to the old martial arts in the Greater China region in the 20th century, and in the Japanese light novels that were popularized in Korea through the opening of Japanese popular culture in the late 20th century.

However, from the business model perspective, the direct ancestor of web novels is the book rental market, which is an offline company that rents out simple comics and novels that can be enjoyed lightly.

So, both in terms of genre and business model,

Web novels are easy to read and enjoy –

It is literature aimed at the so-called ‘snack culture’.

“therefore!”

After a long tirade, Min Hyo-chan made a firm declaration.

“This is not a web novel!”

“hmm···”

This was not my first web novel challenge.

The web novel I wrote back in the ‘old days’ was still in my head.

So I showed the outline to the club members, but I had no idea that I would face such strong criticism.

Not only Min Hyo-chan, but also Kim Byeol and Gu Yu-na expressed their disapproval.

“That’s a bit… breathtaking from the start.”

“It’s a cut from the year 1415, Imperial Calendar.”

Writers are not naturally the type of person with a good personality, and I am no exception.

From the beginning of the novel, I started to feel jealous because it was like this.

“So how well do you guys say you know web novels?”

Gu Yuna and Kim Byul quietly avoided my harsh gaze.

At this time, I knew that Gu Yuna was writing Japanese otaku manga fan fiction without her father’s knowledge.

What on earth does Kim Byeol have?

“Senior Kim, do you ever read web novels?”

“What?!”

Kim Byeol shook her shoulders in shock.

It just caught on.

“see? “Don’t you see it?”

“Uh, that’s right… a little…?”

“What are you looking at?”

“Why are you asking such a thing?!”

“5-, 4-, 3-, 2-”

In the end, Kim Byeol blushed and shouted.

“Learning material! I sometimes get vicarious satisfaction from reading novels about successful actors! Are you done?!”

“That kind of taste…”

Although no one said anything, Kim Byeol protested as if a thief had his feet numb.

“Well, I haven’t seen that much! I watched it in the car every time I went to the filming location to kill time! There’s no way I could escape reality by reading something like a web novel, right? I’m Kim Byeol! Byul Kim! An active actor! “My life is more brilliant than a web novel, so why am I like a web novel…!”

“……”

“……”

“……”

As everyone was silently looking at Kim Byeol, her face became vain, as if she had lost something precious in her heart.

And then he quietly hugged Gu Yuna like a love doll and sat down on the sofa. this. It looks like it’s broken.

At that time, Min Hyo-chan came forward and spoke. Thinking it might not be a dance class, he sat in the corner and did a strange tap dance before coming out to the center of the club room and confidently stepping on the steps. Thump, thud!

“Web novel doctor appears.”

“Min… Min…”

“Min Hyo-chan.”

“Do you know Min Hyo-chan’s web novel well?”

“then!”

Min Hyo-chan began a lengthy self-introduction. Roughly speaking, I was obsessed with web novels since I was young.

“I guess you don’t know much about web novels, but I can help you! Instead, please come on Rapid Boys YouTube just once! please!”

“Now… will you help me write my novel?”

“then! “If only we could merge once!”

At that time, the student of pure literature sleeping inside me shouted.

– conflict! Is an idol’s main rapper whose name is obscure even trying to teach me ‘literature’?

However, Moon In-seop, a student at Saebitneulbom Orphanage, came forward and refuted the claim.

– Quiet. You are a piece of trash. All the fame and profit I enjoy now is because I went back in time. Do you think this is all because you’re so good?

The student of pure literature in my heart fell violently. In the past, he collapsed when he ran out of money, so it seems he was a weakling. I think it’s because I didn’t eat well.

After a moment of internal conflict, I declared:

“great! Let’s take all the advice. Rather than being stuck in the past, I will take on a new challenge. “We need help from everyone in our popular culture club.”

Gu Yuna tilted her head.

“Are you planning on publishing a doujinshi?”

Min Hyo-chan was shocked.

“Doujinshi···!”

I clicked my tongue and explained.

“Not anything dirty. Is it a literary fanzine? “It’s a book made by many people together.”

“I didn’t think anything strange…”

Kim Byeol looked at Min Hyo-chan with disgust for a moment and then said.

“Now that you think about it, I’m still the manager, so I was called in by the club teacher last time, right? There’s a club presentation in a month, and I know our club is a mess, but you said we still have to put something out there? “I should have told you in advance, but I forgot.”

“It just worked out. Senior Kim. Then, let’s publish the newsletter in the name of the club. “There are four co-writers…”

“Is that okay? “You are a star writer.”

“The writing is more important than the value of the name. “If I use this opportunity to have a good experience and learn more things, it will be more beneficial.”

It was probably a comment that resonated with Kim Byeol, who values ​​professionalism, and she nodded with a satisfied smile.

“good···! Let’s do that!”

When things happened like this, Min Hyo-chan ran in with her pink hair flying and started writing, as if she had been waiting.

“Academy! Academy! Academy!”

“What is that?”

“Start with academy material! From the beginning, it’s 1415 Imperial Calendar, don’t be crazy!”

“You’re being a bit harsh. 1415 was the year of the Battle of Agincourt, a battle that symbolized the intersection of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and the end of chivalry. It is a necessary device to metaphorize the background of the story in which the values ​​of the old world are disappearing…”

“shut up!”

“Sseu-eup…”

Gu Yuna also pretended not to be particularly interested and sneakily approached me to edit the structure of the writing.

“···If you start with a frame-style composition, it becomes too loose. Web novels, especially fantasy novels, have to be epic stories about a single character, so they are laid out in cascades starting from childhood. “You don’t even know that?”

“Are you saying everything else is okay?”

“huh···”

Kim Byeol also joined in and added his words. She was a more knowledgeable expert on common sense than any of us.

“A story about an alienated protagonist who meets a special opportunity and becomes successful. It never fails. “How about setting the magic sword as good luck for the protagonist?”

“But… Originally, this novel ‘The Magic Sword’ was mainly about the internal conflict of the protagonist who is gradually losing his identity in life…”

“If you write dramas like that, you’ll starve to death.”

Once I started speaking, the advice never stopped.

One way or another, children around middle school are naturally fascinated by this special experience.

“The title is also a bit strange. Demon sword? Is this the title of a web novel? Convert it to sentence form. Just change it if you want to change it! “Don’t ask why!”

“Set the demon sword so it can talk. “That way, you can explain the background of the story through dialogue rather than description.”

“It’s obvious if you start with academy material. Introduce school violence. It’s a good start. Since it’s obvious that the payback will come later, I’m actually looking forward to it…”

* * *

Josef, a failure at Karusbane Academy, has another name.

“You nigger!”

“Huh!”

Josef’s mother was a dark elf slave, and he inherited her ebony-black skin.

That black skin appeared after Josef entered Karusbane Academy at the age of five.

It was the cause of group bullying that lasted for 10 years.

“haha! “It’s pathetic.”

“Wake up quickly! This is sparring! Did you just hit this and get stretched out? “You nigger!”

Every time I suffer from a group assault under the pretense of sparring, the thing I resent the most is my own luck.

If I had inherited the white skin of my father, Count Ferdinand, this would not have happened…

If it weren’t for my dark skin, I could be friends with everyone…

Of course, I know this is nonsense.

“Kalen, this nigger pretending to be dead?”

“Hey, did you die after being hit with a wooden sword?”

“I’ll wake up! “Please don’t hit me…”

Josef, who had been curled up like a bug, stood up while looking at Kalen and Sergil.

Karusbane Academy gathers young talents and teaches them until they become adults, so it has been 10 years since Kalen and Sergil harassed Josef.

10 years is enough time for people to change. Moreover, the 10 years of childhood, when a person’s personality is formed, determines everything about that person.

Now Josef was a doll who could not refuse any request from Kalen and Sergil.

“Hey, Josef.”

“Hee, hee hee…!”

“Why are you dropping like this? “We’re friends, right?”

As soon as Kalen’s hand came up to his shoulder, Josef trembled and crouched.

Fortunately, Kallen’s hand quickly withdrew after hitting Josef on the back of the head.

“To be scared. Who would think you were harassing me? That’s why you have no friends. know?”

“I’m sorry…”

“There’s no one else to spar with except us, right? “This is all about improving your skills.”

“……”

“What?”

As Josef bit his lip without answering, the eyes of Kalen and Serhil, who were laughing heartily, turned grim.

“Aren’t you thankful? “I sparred with you specifically?”

“Hey, aren’t you answering?”

“Thank you!”

“That’s right.”

Kalen and Serhil roughly threw the wooden sword they were using to Josef and left the sparring hall.

Josef put his wooden sword and protective gear in the storage room, then ran frantically to the classroom, his white hair flying.

It was just before I was late. Kalen and Serhil bullied Josef based on that perspective from the beginning.

The students who saw Josef running down the hallway covered in dust made displeased faces.

“Without dignity…”

“I’ve never seen that dark elf walk around cleanly.”

“Sir, who is that person running in the hallway?”

“Oh, that guy? “I’m a failed student in the engineering department who is called a nigger. There’s no need to treat me like a senior, so just avoid me.”

From the sparring hall to buildings 1 and 2 of the main building, and to the stairs leading to the central magic tower.

The students who saw the half-dark elf running hastily looked at them with ridicule, pity, or contempt.

Josef, who suffered from bullying for 10 years, was a famous character that no one knew about.

Of course, the professors knew about this situation, but bullying is not such a big problem in a school where three or four people die every year due to sparring or magic experiment accidents.

In the first place, wasn’t Karusbane Academy a military academy established long ago during the Great War? The weak will simply be eliminated.

So, all that came back to Josef, who arrived late in the classroom, was the professor’s cold gaze.

“You’re late. Points will be deducted.”

And there was only quiet ridicule from classmates who met when they were 5 years old and stayed together for 10 years.

“…Tsk.”

Among them, the most painful thing was the sight of the elf princess Aendeleven, who had once been like a childhood friend, quietly clicking her tongue while looking at herself.

class

* * *

After this, Josef, completely exhausted both physically and mentally, quietly returned to the dormitory.

Although the Academy prohibited discrimination, private rooms were only given to high-ranking nobles, so Josef, who was born to a count’s concubine, had a triple room.

“Are you here? “Nigger?”

“huh…”

Kalen and Serhil were waiting for Josef in the triple room. And five or six juniors from the Knights’ Department who follow them.

Josef automatically crouched as a mixture of ridicule and contempt poured out in an instant.

But fortunately, today Kallen seemed to want to chat with her gang rather than tormenting Josef as a toy.

Kallen opened her mouth with a crooked smile.

“hey.”

“I’ll buy bread…!”

“That’s right.”

Josef’s body now responds on its own.

Josef arrived at the academy store in an instant with the speed of a half-dark elf and picked up bread according to the number of people.

However, when he opened his coin pouch to pay, Josef found that all the pocket money his mother, who was the count’s concubine, had sent him was gone.

“Ah, ah…”

“What, no money?”

The bearded merchant glared at Josef with suspicion.

Actually, it wasn’t that serious. Josef, sensitive to his aggression towards himself, panicked and stuttered his words.

“Oh, no, that, that, that…”

At that time, a cold voice intervened.

“I will calculate it for you.”

“Oh, yes, princess.”

Princess Aendeleven of the Elven Kingdom, with her honorable lineage and matching talent, she was someone who prevented Josef from being called a ‘ghost’.

The moment the emperor insults the talented person he had chosen to be the crown prince’s wife, not only his life at Karusbane Academy but also his lifeline will be affected.

Josef lowered his head awkwardly, unable to look straight at the face of Aendeleven, who had paid for the bread on his behalf.

“Thank you, thank you-”

“Say it straight. “Don’t stutter.”

“I’m sorry-”

Aendeleven responded coldly and left the store without even listening to Josef’s answer.

Just before leaving the store, Aendeleven looked back at Josef,

The emotions of looking at a stone that was once thought to be a gem were clearly expressed.

As Josef stares blankly at the back, the bright voice of Aendeleven, whom he first met at the age of five, flashes through his mind.

‘hi? Are you an elf too? I’m an elf too! nice to meet you!’

* * *

That night.

A quiet night, with moonlight seeping through the window and the sound of crickets echoing through the night air.

Perhaps because it had been a while since he had talked to Aendeleven, Josef, lying on the bed in the dormitory, was reminiscing about the past.

When I first entered the academy, I was ostracized because of my dark skin, but I didn’t have this kind of distorted relationship with the kids.

‘hey! Nigger! come fast!’

‘If it’s late, I’ll throw it away!’

Although his classmates always laughed at Josef for falling behind, they waited for him to catch up, and even Kalen and Serhil were children who fell into the category of friends, even though they were mischievous.

And Aendeleven.

A pawn sent from the Elven Kingdom to the Empire and the next Crown Princess.

Such political importance or lineage honor had no influence on the children’s friendship.

As soon as Aendeleven, who was lonely in an empire full of humans, saw the long ears of Josef, a half-dark elf, he was happy to call him his compatriot.

The memory of running around the academy campus holding the hand of soft Aendeleven is the memory that forms the brightest part of Josef’s soul.

But as time passed, Josef fell behind, became more isolated, and suffered from bullying.

Precious memories fade away, and black pain piles up layer by layer in my heart.

The pain became sadness and flowed from the eyes.

“…Huh.”

Every day felt like hell.

Tears flow, but I can’t even make a sound because if I wake up Kalen and Serhil, who are sleeping in the bed next to me, I will experience even greater pain.

What a miserable situation this is.

I wanted to go home. However, the last words of his mother, who had somehow managed to get her into the academy, made him stay at the academy.

‘Remember, Josef. The safest place is Karusbane Academy. Never return to the county even during vacation.’

‘What’s wrong, Mother?’

‘That’s because your numerous older brothers and sisters are just looking for an opportunity to kill their concubine’s children.’

We endure hellish days in order to survive.

That was all.

* * *

On practice days, Josef wakes up early and prepares Kalen and Serhil’s weapons.

When Kalen and Serhil, who regard Josef as inferior to a squire, receive the weapons and head out, Josef hurriedly prepares and follows them.

“Are you ready? “Gentlemen!”

“yes!”

Fortunately, it wasn’t too late today.

Sir Waldemin, who had no legs, was a war hero, sword master, and head of the knightly department at Carusbane Academy.

Sir Waldemin had the students stand in front of him and gave them training instructions in a loud voice.

“It’s a mock battle! Divide into groups and enter the forest! “The more you steal another group’s flag, the more points you earn, and you also get points by hunting monsters released in the forest!”

“yes!”

“There is a magic in the forest and it will mix you up. So, never be separated from Jo Won!”

“yes!”

After practice dividing groups like this, Kalen and Serhil approach Josef kindly.

“Joseph? “We’re in the same dormitory, so of course you’ll do it with us, right?”

“Uh, uhm…”

Naturally, as soon as Kalen and Serhil entered the forest, they kicked Josef’s butt and pushed him away.

“Oops, mistake!”

“Huh!”

“haha! “Hehehe, you nigger.”

“This is all to make you stronger!”

With the laughter of Kalen, Serhil, and their friends, the world turned upside down.

After rolling down a sloping hill and crashing into a tree, Josef realized that he was alone and stranded somewhere in the forest.

“Huh, huh…”

As I barely managed to walk, trembling, I heard a mumbling sound coming from the other side of the tree. Josef’s long ears perked up.

‘What happened to the nigger now?’

‘I don’t know. It must have been bitten by a monster.’

‘Guys. But what if he really dies?’

‘Die. My father was also killed by the dark elves in the great war. Why is a nigger going to an academy in the Empire in the first place?’

‘iced coffee. That’s his mother’s trophy-‘

As soon as Josef confirmed the content of the conversation, rather than joining, he ran away without even looking back.

It is not for nothing that an ally is more fearsome than an enemy. And from the moment the word ‘mom’ was mentioned, I became so afraid to continue listening to that conversation.

“…Huh.”

suddenly,

No, as always.

Josef felt sad about his situation and lost energy. He didn’t even have the strength to walk, so he leaned against a tree and closed his eyes for a moment.

The forest breeze shook the branches, and the leaves on the branches danced and sang a pass song. There’s even a chorus of birds chirping refreshingly.

Half-dark elves’ sensitive hearing allows them to perceive sounds of nature in a much richer way than humans. The refreshing feeling that came from there also doubled.

“Whew…”

Now that I think about it, I don’t know how long this break has been. At the academy, the hallways, classrooms, and even the dormitories where one had to rest were not safe places.

Josef cried again today because he felt more secure in this forest, where monsters roamed around as well as a combat training center, than in the academy, which was equipped with defense magic beyond imagination.

But we can’t stop here. Even if it’s painful, you have to get through each day. If you fail more, you may be expelled.

With that in mind, Josef strengthened his legs, got up, and walked around the forest.

At that time, the sounds of battle were heard from afar.

Josef approached with quiet steps.

“That bastard uses magic!”

“Hey, you coward!”

“If you ask me, why don’t you double major too!”

A little over ten students were fighting fiercely, trying to take each other’s flag.

Ironically, Kalen and Serhil, who kicked Josef, were also seen.

Just as Josef was wondering whether he should join the fight, a sharp scream was heard.

“Ugh-!”

Aendeleven! Aendeleven’s cheek was deeply stained and red blood was pouring out.

Josef’s eyes instantly rolled back and he jumped into the battlefield.

“Aendel-!”

Josef suddenly jumped out of the bushes, shouting Aendeleven’s childhood nickname, and instantly struck down the two people surrounding Aendeleven.

These people were gathered by Kallen, so they were part of the same group, but they don’t have the spirit to care about that.

We had to set off the flare as quickly as possible to stop the practice and treat Aendel’s injuries.

“Aendel, are you okay?”

The moment Josef looked back at Aendeleven, whose face was deeply cut, Aendeleven shattered like glass hit by a hammer.

It was fantasy magic.

“ah…”

The battle did not continue any further.

Kalen’s group was embarrassed by the enemy that suddenly appeared, and Aendeleven’s group had to check who the suddenly appeared ally was.

And anyone who entered the battle could easily tell just by looking at their dark skin.

“…Joseph?”

The moment Aendeleven, who appeared unscathed, called Josef’s name in embarrassment, Kallen, who understood the entire situation, burst into laughter.

“ha ha ha! Hehehe… Hahahahaha!”

“what. what’s the matter?”

“That nigger! I came out to protect Aendeleven! By betraying our group!”

Kalen grinned and shouted to Josef.

“hey! You are a true knight, Josef! Are you going to betray your allies and jump in for the sake of Lady? But what should I do? “What you were trying to protect was an illusion!”

Only then did those who understood the entire situation burst into laughter like Kalen, and Aendeleven’s white face turned bright red with an emotion that was unknown whether it was shame or something else.

“Ah, ah, Josef, that is…”

“Princess Aendeleven! “Why don’t you even thank your ‘black’ knight?”

Josef, who was trembling like a guilty person amidst the pouring ridicule, eventually ran away from the scene.

* * *

Josef, who had been running for a while, suddenly stopped in place, wondering what the point of all this was.

There was a lake nearby, so Josef washed his sweaty head and face.

After washing his face, the lake whose waves had stopped reflected Josef’s face like a mirror, and Josef looked at himself for the first time in a very long time.

“……”

Black skin and white hair. And a feminine face like her mother. His body is thin and twisted due to not being able to eat properly since he was young.

What was even more pitiful than that were the eyes and facial expressions devoid of any self-esteem or courage.

It’s a day when you really, really hate yourself.

Those feelings once again turned into tears and fell into the lake.

A drop of the half-dark elf’s tear fell on the surface of the lake, creating a round wave.

It was that moment.

[Why are you crying?]

Josef’s face reflected in the lake spoke to me.

“Huh!”

Josef let out a strange scream, but Josef of the lake opened his mouth with a calm smile.

[but. It doesn’t matter why you cry. The important thing is that you are already crying.]

“W-Who are you…?”

[Are you curious about who I am? Don’t you want to cry helplessly from now on? Do you want that kind of power?]

If Josef had taken a lecture on basic summoning magic at the Faculty of Magic, he would have been taught never to casually engage in questions and answers with beings from beyond the dimension.

As the face of the lake asked a curious question, Josef nodded without thinking.

“···yes.”

[good.]

The contract was concluded.

The dark elf reflected in the lake stretched out its hand toward reality. A being from beyond the dimension interfered with reality.

“What is this…!”

Suddenly, a black hand grabbed Josef’s hair and dragged him into the lake.

“Huh!”

with a plop.

With a strange scream, Josef fell into the lake.

However, the place Josef was heading to was not the bottom of the lake, but the other side of the dimension.

* * *

“Ooh, ooh…”

It’s a strange ceiling. When I came to my senses, I found myself lying on the hard stone floor.

weird. It was definitely by the lake in the forest…

“Huh!”

I remembered. Seeing myself reflected in the lake, reaching out and pulling out my hair was the second most terrifying experience in my life.

They were even dragged into the water!

But where is this place? No matter how you look at it, it doesn’t look like the bottom of a lake.

“Stand, stand, Virgin Mary…”

Josef stood up, trembled, drew his sword, and looked around.

This place looked like an old temple.

Statues not described in the Bible were lined up, and on the walls were drawings of people holding dark red swords slaughtering countless people.

In the middle of the temple was a stone altar, where a black sword with red runes engraved along the blade was stuck.

Josef knows what it is.

Many legends have sung about the bloody history.

“D-demon sword…!”

The moment I looked at the sword that was emitting flaming red magic power, I heard a strange voice.

[Come to me…]

“Huh!”

[Pick me…]

“Da, who are you…?”

The magic sword sealed in the gap between dimensions whispered.

[I am strength and truth. If you have me, you will have the power to cut down tens of thousands of people and the wisdom to command hundreds of thousands, but if you are intoxicated with that power, I will wield you…]

“You… are swinging me around…?”

[Do you want power? If you offer a small price-]

“Please control me, Demon Sword!”

[uh?]

* * *

Pink-haired Min Hyo-chan cheered, clenching his fists.

“yes! This is it!”

Gu Yuna, who has a neutral expression, was also impressed with her interesting insight.