Old People Don’t Hold Hands - Chapter 150



Only Krnovel

Episode 150, Survivors (1)

It was definitely at that moment that I came out of my hallucination.

Just then, the hall opened and a large number of spoiders began to storm in.

If that’s the case, then my welcome, the world I’ve been hoping for…

Well, that’s not wrong.

I quietly turned my head and looked around.

Although it was a ruin, the city I was familiar with was nowhere to be seen.

Because this place was no longer the Frost Queen’s hallucination, but the dragon’s nest.

“… … .”

Feeling strange again, I shook my head trying to shake it off.

If the hole was created naturally and not destroyed by a monster.

I think it may be that I am the one who is most obsessed with the welcoming body.

The other four probably wouldn’t even know where I came from, and wouldn’t even think that this world itself was an illusion.

As time went by, I would have just been playing games while still trapped in hallucinations.

Then I look at it and I… … .

In the end, it must have become a welcoming body.

As I thought about a rather eerie future, a question suddenly occurred to me.

Now that I think about it, if that world was my illusionary body, why did the hole appear?

First of all, how did the Frost Queen know about the Earth and even create hallucinations?

If you’re a character from EndWorld, you shouldn’t know anything about Earth…

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

The Earth that suddenly appeared in the Frost Queen’s hallucination, and the Hall that appeared on that Earth.

And to the people on Earth who deal with that hole realistically.

It was too realistic to be simply an illusion created by the Frost Queen.

Soldiers, their weapons, smartphones, and even helicopters.

Because they were all equally accurate as descriptions.

As if I had actually seen it happen.

“……haha.”

As I continued to think about this and that, I forced myself to stop thinking and let out a hollow laugh.

The erosion that should only happen in EndWorld would happen on Earth too.

It was ridiculous.

When I first started playing EndWorld, the Earth was in good shape, and above all… … .

At best, EndWorld is a world within a game.

Of course, it’s funny to say that now that I’m in it.

That was the truth.

As I suddenly burst into laughter, someone carefully grabbed my wrist.

I turned my head to check, and it was Diana.

Perhaps he has been watching me cautiously since a while ago.

“… … Mr. Declen, are you okay?”

I hesitated for a moment at Diana’s words.

He just nodded silently.

I guess it won’t be easy to tell Diana.

… … There’s no guarantee that you’ll completely believe what I say in the first place.

To talk about this, this is a world in a game called EndWorld.

I would have to explain everything, including that I am from another world.

… … To be honest, I wasn’t confident.

So, for now, let’s focus on what I can do.

The first key to solving this question I had was found through the Frost Queen.

I’m talking about that thing called ‘root’ that she was talking about.

Even I, who’s been playing EndWorld for 11 years, have never heard of this before.

That alone seemed worth looking into.

The problem, however, was that no one knew about this thing.

It’s something that not only the 5th Count Adventurers, but even the Demon Dragon has never heard of…

I had a feeling that getting the information would be no easy task, but there had to be a way.

Because there was one group we could contact right now.

If you ask them, you might be able to find out a little more.

Let’s find out about the ‘roots’, and the next problem is…

Nowen was lost in thought with a blank expression on his face for some unknown reason.

Judging from the fact that he always responds to our questions late and awkwardly, it seems like he’s lost in thought.

As someone who has been in similar situations several times, I couldn’t help but have a strong intuition.

I have a gut feeling that the reason Nowen is so worried is because it’s about us.

And if we look into it more closely, perhaps… … .

It must be about what happened with Nowen’s welcome party.

Hmm… … .

Because I think I know to some extent why that is.

If I just time it right, I’ll ask right away.

***

Let’s take a moment to reflect on what happened in the Frost Queen’s hallucination.

After a while I decided to go to sleep.

Of course, we decided not to stand guard separately.

Because almost no one sets foot in this dragon’s nest.

So we each found a room that was reasonably clean and tidy and settled in there.

I tried to sleep like that, but… … .

As expected, sleep didn’t come.

That’s why I’m just sitting there blinking my eyes in the dark.

A rustling sound was heard from the corner.

“Hmm… … .”

I checked to see who was making that noise and the small voice, and it was someone who hadn’t fallen asleep yet.

… … It was Nowen.

I glanced around to check, and there was Nowen, tossing and turning as if she was uncomfortable with something and groaning.

If you can’t fall asleep easily even though you’re this tired, you must be quite nervous.

Hmm, anyway, once I get out of here I’ll have to go straight to the 4th floor.

Even though Inogen had joined and strengthened their power, they could not leave their main force, Nowen, alone like this.

I carefully got up and approached Nowen.

“… … .”

When Nowen noticed that I was approaching, he stopped moving as if he had been sleeping soundly until then.

“Mr. Nowen.”

I wasn’t the type of person to fall for something like this.

When I quietly called Nowen’s name, Nowen awkwardly stuck his face out of the blanket as if he had just woken up.

… … Look, no matter how I look at it, it’s not a sleeping face.

“Wh, what’s going on?”

I looked at Nowen, who was asking nervously and stuttering.

I gestured slightly outside.

“If you can’t sleep, can we talk for a bit?”

“… … .”

At my words, Nowen looked at me with an anxious expression.

“Ah, ahem! I guess it’s late… … .”

“No, let’s keep it short.”

“That, that’s right… … .”

In the end, I couldn’t resist and was dragged out.

Nowen, who followed me, got up awkwardly. He didn’t say anything while following me.

I didn’t say anything either, but Nowen just kept coughing awkwardly.

The place I arrived at after walking like that was a place far away from the room where I was going to sleep.

It makes sense, since we came to the opposite area of ​​the sleeping area that was originally in the back.

I guess I came here because I thought I wouldn’t let other people hear about it.

Nowen just coughed awkwardly on his way here.

When we got halfway there, he asked me how far I planned to go.

“… … .”

After that, it became quiet again, as if he had guessed what I was going to say.

As I entered the room, I turned around and looked at Nowen.

When Nowen met my eyes, he asked if something was bothering him.

“Ugh, ugh!”

He coughed and turned his head away.

… … But I had no intention of letting it go easily.

First of all, this isn’t a city, it’s a labyrinth.

If we remain in this state of ignorance, we are the ones who will be put in danger.

“Mr. Nowen.”

“… …Why, why are you doing that?”

“Is there anything on your mind?”

When I asked directly, Nowen opened his eyes wide for a moment.

Soon, he just shook his head awkwardly.

“Ma, something on your mind? How could something like that be possible… … .”

“That’s because her behavior is suspicious right now, especially since she emerged from the Frost Queen’s hallucinations.”

“―… .”

As if to point out exactly what was going on, Nowen was silent for a moment before sighing.

“Oh, yeah… …! I think I’m a little disappointed in you.”

In the end, I ended up telling you this.

But… …, disappointment?

Let’s look at each other with our arms crossed as if we don’t understand.

Nowen looked straight into my eyes as if nothing had happened.

“I appreciate you saving me from the illusion, but are you really going to do the same thing if a similar situation arises?”

… … Ah, I see.

So I was wondering what you were so worried about.

So what happened at the welcome party was on your mind?

Well, looking at it this way, it’s not like I don’t understand why Nowen was disappointed in me.

Nowen is a welcoming body that values ​​justice enough to have such people come out.

He was a typical hero type of person.

Unlike that Nowen, I… … .

He was just an ordinary, if slightly bad, person who couldn’t do anything.

Perhaps if this were a real game and had a main character, it would have to be Nowen.

I think the difference in values ​​that occurs here can be acceptable, but if there is one problem, it is this.

Nowen was completely under the illusion that I was such a hero.

It seemed like he respected the fact that I, who was so weak to begin with, had become so strong.

… … Of course, if you find out how I got this power, you will be disappointed too.

“I knew that would be a problem, but it’s just a welcome gesture anyway, right?”

At my words, Nowen silently nodded.

“That’s true, but… …, didn’t you say that back then? Survival is justice.

“Yes, it definitely was.”

“If something similar happens in Kargon as it did in the hallucination, will you just survive like that?”

Whether the weak die or not.

And to the question of whether you will live only to survive, regardless of whether the world is destroyed or not.

I was silent for a moment.

“… … .”

Of course, it would be easy to answer no.

The answer didn’t come easily.

In the first place, there was no reason to lie.

Nowen, unlike Diana or Biella, was definitely not my comrade.

And I definitely… … .

I promised.

I’m determined to never lie about this stuff.

Of course, the person who made that pledge is no longer in this world.

“Probably so.”

“Now, you, how can you have such power and still think such thoughts… … .”

Before I could hear what Nowen had to say, I looked at him.

“Because it is a life worth surviving.”

“… …Everyone’s life is precious. But what does that mean?”

“Mr. Nowen, do you know how precious a life is when it is saved at the expense of someone else’s sacrifice?”

“……sacrifice?”

“Yes, sacrifice.”

When I said this, Nowen frowned and tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

After a moment of hesitation, I opened my mouth.

“You may have seen the wizard I used to hang out with.”

“Yes. It was definitely Homer back then… … .”

“Yes. I couldn’t tell you the truth at the time, but the truth is, Mr. Homer is dead.”

“… … !”

“And thanks to his sacrifice, we are all alive today.”

“How could something like that happen… … .”

I was about to continue speaking as Nowen answered awkwardly.

Eventually, I stopped talking.

I don’t know why, but I had to say this now.

Because it felt so heavy.