[Cthulhu World] is a game of excessive branches and a structure that’s complicated to a fault.
“Was it the chicken first after all?”
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
Did a game exist first, and then a world modeled after that game get made?
Or did a strange world exist, and then a game modeled after that world get made?
As a game, the [Cthulhu World] I played had too many problems.
“Why did I even play that game so hard in the first place?”
Absurd difficulty and shattered balance, developments with no plausibility, a punishing story that provided nothing but stress, obstacles designed so the player could never win.
Bugs so severe progress became impossible, and elements that felt half-built.
“Even so, a game of this scale being this much of a wreck—wouldn’t it have blown up for some other reason? Right?”
“You want to say they weren’t game characters?”
I ask myself—and more precisely, one of the other personas in my head answers.
“Hey, you skipped too many steps there.”
But it hits the point.
“Isn’t there too much that’s strange for that?” “You saw it in Ansan.” “I mean Jang Hyundeok.”
Mass-produced NPCs, spun up or dumped as needed.
“...”
“Even if it isn’t a game, it doesn’t change much.” “Can you call them the same humans as us?” “It’s easier to think of them as game characters.”
“You’re going to escape this world anyway.”
My voices echoing through the wide basement.
“Yeah. Right. I’m leaving this world.”
Not a great line of thought to be entertaining right now.
I force myself to clear the thoughts crowding my head and move the fingers of my right hand.
“All right, zip it. Let’s check the [Larkrex Tome] again.”
[vmmmmmm—]
A magic circle forms with dazzling light. A ward to exclude hazards. Mana-stones and several kinds of artifacts fly in to assist me.
And toward the center of the circle flies...
“Th-that’s th-the [Larkrex Tome]?”
“It is.”
“T-that’s the [Mirror of Wisdom], though.”
Yeah, that’s the [Mirror of Wisdom].
“That’s right too.” “We saw it last time, remember?”
“L-last time I was a-asleep...”
The density of talking-to-myself is high today. Is my focus slipping? Or is there some unease in my heart?
The Larkrex Tome is one of the proofs that [Cthulhu World] isn’t a proper game.
“It was a junk item.”
Not even normal junk.
A grimoire that appears no matter the route or branch, but its pages are blank. No special ability. No interaction possible. No related events.
If at least the word “Larkrex” connected somewhere, I could have called it symbolic—but—
The word Larkrex doesn’t appear in this game—nor in the [Cthulhu Mythos].
“I took it as leftover scraps of an unfinished event...”
Maybe it really is.
After finishing the prep to operate the [Mirror of Wisdom], I speak.
“The [Larkrex Tome] was inside the [Mirror of Wisdom].”
“T-there’s a b-book stored in there?”
“Somebody shove him in there and put him to sleep, please.”
“T-that’s too m-mean...” “Pahaha, then keep your mouth shut and sit still.” “Everyone hush. You’re breaking Sinhwa’s concentration.”
“Good grief...”
The [Mirror of Wisdom]’s detailed status reads as follows.
[Mirror of Wisdom (L-grade magical device): A magical device that contains the knowledge of the ‘Source of Life’. It looks like a round mirror, but does not reflect real light. Closer to a tool for rites or ceremonies.
Abyssal Knowledge: You can acquire special knowledge. What you receive varies with the owner’s viewing authority.
Thought and Desire: Maximizes the effects of magic or sorcery. Efficiency varies with the owner’s faith.
Proxy of Rite: The rite to invite the ‘Source of Life’ triggers automatically. As long as you possess this mirror, you will desire this.
Radiant Love: The owner receives the love and attention of the ‘Source of Life’. Great love shall dwell by your side.
Mirror of Desire: Reveals a subject’s heart and magnifies that desire...]
As expected of a set-piece artifact paired with the [Blade of Flesh], it carries similar penalties.
“That damned ‘love’—I’m sick of it.”
Anyway, the penalties that don’t even function can be skipped. What matters is this [Abyssal Knowledge].
“Just in case... want to try once more?”
“You’re doing that again?” “It’s probably better to just check the [Larkrex Tome] now.”
“Quiet. One more try.”
I extend mana toward the [Mirror of Wisdom] floating in the air.
[vmmmmmm—]
[The unique function ‘Abyssal Knowledge’ of the L-grade magical device ‘Mirror of Wisdom’ activates.
// Abyssal Knowledge: You can acquire special knowledge. What you receive varies with the owner’s viewing authority.]
The surface of the old bronze mirror begins to ripple, and small beautiful hands start budding like flowers.
[chitter-chitter—] [squirm-squirm—]
A wreath made of uncannily beautiful white hands creeps toward me.
Hands unfolding between hands, and more hands from between them. Hands repeating like a fractal.
A miniature of the sickening sight I saw, to exhaustion, in Busan.
And at the end of that repulsive wreath hang two hands.
The two palms, joined like a flower bud, open—and carefully reveal—a jewel-like, beautiful—
Eyeball.
Set upon the lovely palm, the eyeball wriggles of its own accord—watching me.
[System: Viewing authority confirmed.]
For the record, it used to spit out [No authority.]. A few days ago I used [Recognition] to force-acquire access.
[System: Input the desired information.]
“Tell me everything about [Feast’s Offering].”
[System: Transmitting information per request.]
[shhhrrr—]
[67mE67CA7J207KeA66Gx4pmh]
A sigh.
“As expected—no? Try again. Tell me what the Abyssal Beings are planning.”
No matter how many times I repeat the question, the same output returns.
[67mE67CA7J207KeA66Gx4pmh]
“Letters and numbers...”
“It’s not an ancient script, so what is it?” “Might be game data?” “See, told you this is a game.”
Is it really a leak of some game data? If so, maybe I need a separate output device to parse it.
“Or the problem is the hacking—no, the access I force-acquired via [Recognition]?”
I don’t know what’s wrong.
I try a few more different queries, but generally get the same reply.
“Tell me everything about Kim Sinhwa.”
[67mE67CA7J207KeA66Gx4pmh]
“Sinhwa, this method won’t work.”
“Seems so.”
“Maybe finish what does work first?” “Yeah, I’m sick of looking at that ‘67m-whatever’ string.”
“Agreed.”
That doesn’t mean the [Mirror of Wisdom] is a useless tin can.
For example, this is something it can confirm.
“New request. Output the main text of the [Larkrex Tome].”
[System: Transmitting information per request.]
[Larkrex (Larkrex)
Category: Grimoire
Author: King of Larks
Year of creation: Unknown
Language: Lark’s song
A book compiled from the chirping of ninety-nine larks (Lark). Larks, who watch over lost souls, guide wanderers drifting through time and space so they can find the way back to their homeland.
Further study is required to verify the book’s true value.]
“S-so that’s what it meant? T-the [Mirror of Wisdom] contains the c-contents of the [Larkrex Tome]?”
“Right. What should be written in the [Larkrex Tome] is stored here.”
Maybe the reason the [Larkrex Tome] was blank is that the text that should have been inserted as its body was diverted to this side.
“Or, as always, it could just be a bug.”
Whatever the reason, it’s convenient for me. If there’s an e-book, there’s no need to cling to the physical copy.
Copy this content anywhere and that becomes the [Larkrex Tome].
While producing a copy of the [Larkrex Tome], I start decoding it in parallel.
It’s not the look of someone taking notes with a pen or riffling through volumes. It’s hand-gestures into the air and mana-lines linked in all directions.
I drag [Parallel Thought] and [Accelerated Thought] up to the maximum—mental work happening simultaneously on multiple tracks.
[flutter-flutter—]
Movements that would look more convincing with holograms or a giant monitor repeat several times, but what I’m interacting with is that grotesque artifact of innumerable hands—
And a staggering number of notebooks and grimoires floating around me.
Materials pulled from Heo Joo’s library. Memos I’ve kept. Research notes. And [Blueprints of the Ancients] that record the language of the elder races.
Empty notebooks filling up with various lines at once.
“By the way, ‘King of Larks,’ huh...”
Who’s that supposed to be? There’s no Abyssal Being by that name.
“Just a metaphor?”
In my head, the [Spell Mastery] trait tosses me a few occult tidbits about larks.
[Larks symbolize sunrise, transformation, and new beginnings.]
[Larks were believed to have the power to tell wanderers how to return home.]
“Kim Sinhwa, that metaphor suits you.”
Yeah, because I’m going to escape this world.
“Are you really going?”
“What?”
What kind of nonsense is this?
“Do you not remember what I’ve gone through all this for?”
“You’ve gained one more option worth considering.”
I let out a short laugh.
“Abyssal Being? You believe in that?”
“Wh-why not believe it? A-all kinds of things are happening.” “Divine—no, literally becoming a god.” “An Abyssal Being, Kim Sinhwa. [King of Magic], [Lord of Destruction], [One Who Craves Blood].”
They’ve even polished the epithets in the meantime. What a luxury of time.
Ignoring their whispers, I speak.
“Not interested. It’s a vile option.”
“Vile?” “Why vile?” “Doesn’t sound bad to me.”
“More power. More knowledge. Greater influence.”
“You saw that ridiculous ability the [Predator in the Mountains] showed us.”
“I can become something greater.” “It’s what everyone wants, isn’t it?” “That I could become a god.” “Power to know everything and do anything.” “Endless, unceasing pleasure and an undying, unfailing mind. Abilities that advance without limit.” “Power to kill death.” “Authority that makes even fear afraid.”
There are too many light sources thanks to the glow pouring out of the circle.
My shadow on the basement wall looks like dozens of people.
I avert my gaze from them—no. No. No!
They’re just shadows.
It isn’t the shadows talking. It’s my split-off selves, parasitic on my mind, borrowing my mouth to speak.
“I decided yesterday. I’m human. I’m not becoming a monster. My choice is escape.”
Saying that, I gesture toward the notebook floating in the air.
[flutter-flutter—]
Entries pile up at an even faster pace. The [Larkrex Tome] is nearly complete.
But the shadows that mimic my gestures— for some reason they look like people reaching their hands out toward me.
“Abandon everything?”
“Everything you got here, everything you were given here—are you throwing it all away?” “Even without becoming Abyssal, here you’re already a powerful wizard, and you’ve gained wealth you couldn’t earn in generations where you came from. You’re going to abandon all that?” If I get even stronger, maybe I can perfectly solve my friends’ troubles? Maybe I could save the people I pity...
‘Couldn’t I just gain a god’s power and stop this world’s ruin?’
“Shut up!”
[rrrraaaaaaam!!]
A thunder-like tremor rattles the basement walls.
[flash!]
Magical light bursts from my body.
“Haa— haa— whew...”
Cold sweat slides down.
I press my head and look around me.
Because of the light pouring out—no shadows remain on the walls.
Silence.
How many of them were talking just now? I really was talking to my split-offs, right?
“No— from the middle it felt... off...”
[shrrr—]
Hallucination? I hear a sinister rustle.
[shrrrrrr—]
A feeling like some cold, legless, nasty thing crawling over my skin. The sensation of scales—soft enough to be chilling—
“U—uwaa!?”
I yank aside the [Night Shroud Cloak] and look down at myself, but there’s nothing there.
“Haa— haa— damn it, this is noisy! All of you, shut up!”
No answer. As if no one were here in the first place.
No, no. No. No one was here in the first place, right?
Clutching my head with my right hand, I speak.
“There’s no one. It’s just my thoughts. No— not thoughts. It’s my voice, yeah, but that means they’re those guys’ thoughts, right? Hey! You bastards! Why’d you suddenly clam up? Say something!”
I look around—no one. As if no one had been here from the start. Enough. That’s what I said earlier.
“Calm down. Let’s calm down.”
[vmmmmmm—]
I make more light until there isn’t a single shadow left.
I look around—no one. As if no one had been here from the start.
“Good. That’s better.”
Suddenly—I realize there’s still a pitch-black, abyssal shadow at my feet, but I ignore it and keep working.
“There’s nothing. It’s just my thoughts.”
I will figure out how to escape this horrible world.
