Chapter 111
“Every iteration of… me.”
“Yes. You are the Kraken of every iteration. Remember how I said that whenever the world regresses, the Kraken recognizes your death and turns back time? As the Kraken turns back time, it detaches a new ‘you’ from itself and places it in the newly started world.”
“A new ‘me’…”
“Yes. Like… well, I’m not sure if I should say this, but… like giving birth.”
Parang’s voice sank.
‘I am… the Kraken’s… daughter.’
A being that comes into existence each time the world turns back.
A being separated from an incomprehensible, unknown phenomenon.
A being that both constitutes it and is constituted by it.
‘Someone like me…’
“No.”
Parang shook her head vigorously to clear her thoughts.
Hadn’t her friend just told her something like that?
‘I am human. It doesn’t matter what kind of being I am or where I came from. I will define myself as I want to. I won’t let some mere tentacle fragments or status window dare to give me a name.’
That’s right.
‘I am Yu Parang. A pure human being, living and breathing right here.’
She steeled her resolve. Even if she truly originated from a monster, she had lived as a human, was living as a human, and would continue to live as a human. Therefore, she was not a monster but a human.
Parang’s eyes held a brilliant light.
She looked at Alice with unwavering eyes, and Alice responded with a smile.
“This is why I suggested postponing our conversation earlier. To withstand the fierce waves that crash against you, you need a lighthouse to hold onto.”
“…Thank you, Alice.”
“Don’t mention it. I should be thanking you for handling it so well.”
“…Ah. Come to think of it.”
“Yes?”
“About that being that appears in my dreams. What exactly is it?”
“I don’t know either.”
“…Huh?”
“Really. I truly don’t know. Remember how I said I saw countless possible futures with the ability I got from the Kraken? Among them, there were futures where you asked me about the mysterious ‘Dream Parang.’ Around this very time.”
“Ah…”
“And this possibility existed not just once, but in almost every future. This isn’t something that could happen by mere chance. Either someone or something is maliciously trying to torment you, or it might be some kind of test given to you.”
Parang nodded slowly.
“What could it be…? Is it really me?”
“Well… It could be like a demon within you. Perhaps a fantasy created from your trauma or fears, or…”
Alice trailed off and looked at Parang.
“I really can’t figure it out. But one thing’s for certain: that being is definitely not beneficial to you. For now, it seems best to completely ignore it.”
“Yeah. I think so too.”
After some time passed.
“Next time… Well, thinking about it, it won’t be easy to meet again.”
“Because of that eyeball’s pursuit?”
“Yes. If I keep meeting with you and it discovers you, nothing good will come of it. But still… It’s not like we can’t communicate at all. If you catch any Capulus in the ocean and show what you want to say to its eye, I’ll send you a reply.”
“How will you send the reply?”
“I could send a Capulus with the reply engraved on it.”
“That’s more old-fashioned than I expected.”
Alice scratched her head with an embarrassed laugh.
“Hahaha… But what can I do when I can’t think of any other way.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Parang looked at Alice with a peculiar expression and approached the waiting Capulus.
“Write often.”
“…Okay.”
Then, thunk.
When she touched the Capulus’s eye, she felt herself being sucked in just like before.
“Hup…!!”
Parang instinctively closed her eyes at the sensation that she still couldn’t get used to.
Whoosh-!
When she opened her eyes, she was in the East Sea.
Right in front of her house. The service was impeccable.
With brighter eyes than when she had left, Parang gently rose toward the surface.
And so, at two in the afternoon.
She popped her head above the surface.
This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.
From her conversation with Alice today, Parang had gained a lot.
Though she had encountered many shocking facts and sometimes got headaches from the complex flow of conversation, there was one definite benefit.
She had lifted a great weight from her heart.
With lighter steps, she climbed up the dock’s ladder, heaving herself up.
Then she went straight to her gallery after entering her house.
Sitting in front of the easel, she picked up her brush and began to sweep it across the canvas.
In the quiet silence, only the sound of brush strokes against paper could be heard.
‘Maybe I should try doing an art stream later?’
She fell into contemplation, thinking about future broadcasts, her conversation with Alice.
She pondered about existence, and even tonight’s dinner menu.
Three hours later, she finally put down her brush and stood up from her chair.
‘I should order pizza.’
With extra pepperoni.
On the canvas was drawn the true form of the Kraken as she had seen it today.
Hundreds of Yu Parangs lined up in perfect order, looking just like tentacles.
And in the painting, Yu Parang was looking at the Kraken with a confident smile.
It was a beautiful smile filled with determination to never back down again.
That day, Parang had a bright day for the first time in a while.
Of course, it wasn’t like she had no worries at all. There were many great battles ahead, and even more trials that Parang would have to overcome.
But what filled her heart was confidence and responsibility rather than worry.
Right. What did it matter if she had a few tentacle fragments on her body?
Parang went to bed early, comfortable and quick.
Dreams could no longer frighten her now.
Whether the being in her dreams knew this or not, it didn’t even show its shadow that night.
Thanks to that, Parang slept soundly until morning and woke up feeling refreshed.
It was, quite literally, a miracle morning.
#
Meanwhile, in Alice’s cave after Parang left.
Alice sat cross-legged, quietly observing the Capulus that had just transported Parang.
Behind her, from deep within the cave, a human figure silently emerged.
Black hair with golden glowing eyes.
It was Hunter Han Siwoo.
Without turning around, Alice spoke to him.
“You could have at least seen her off. She was an old friend we haven’t met in a while.”
“Every time I see you, I’m amazed at your exceptional talent for ruining people’s mood with your jokes.”
“Oh? Thanks for the compliment.”
“What are you going to do now? Originally, revealing the Kraken’s true identity wasn’t part of the plan.”
“That was ultimately meant to prepare Parang anyway. She seems to have taken it well, so I think it’s fine. Actually, the future’s direction has changed quite positively.”
“While that’s fortunate, I hope you realize how dangerous the situation was.”
“Alright, alright. I’ll be more careful next time. I was just excited since it had been so long since I saw Parang in person.”
“Just in case, if you let emotions cloud your judgment and mess things up…”
snicker
“‘Letting emotions cloud judgment,’ you say…”
Alice’s eyes suddenly turned fierce.
“It’s laughable to hear those words from your mouth.”
Her voice turned ice cold.
Han Siwoo’s mouth snapped shut immediately. Not because of the tone of Alice’s words, but because of their content.
He stood still in place, biting his lip.
Alice lowered her voice even further and growled at him.
“Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t offer to cooperate with you because I felt any fondness for you.”
Her eyes were completely different from the bright ones she had shown Parang.
“If I could, I would have torn you apart and killed you right here and now.”
Silence fell between them. Though neither looked at the other’s face, their expressions were easy to imagine.
“…Is the plan progressing well?”
Han Siwoo quietly changed the subject, and Alice also calmed herself.
“Of course. It’s moving forward steadily in the right direction.”
“Why didn’t you tell Parang about the Kraken’s death?”
“Because there’s nothing to gain from telling her. The fact that the Kraken is already dead and this is our last chance with that eyeball… There’s no need to tell her now. It would only be a burden to Parang.”
“…I see. If you say so, then that must be it.”
Silence fell between them again. Alice, undisturbed by the frozen atmosphere, stood up from her chair and walked past Han Siwoo into the cave.
“You should prepare your last words. It would be quite ridiculous if you stumbled over your tongue in front of your old friend when you meet them for the first and last time.”
“…I know.”
Standing where Alice had passed, Han Siwoo could only stare at the ground, his fists clenched tight enough to break.