The Investor II
The story of Cocktail Bar 'Mori' was based on a true-life documentary.
While a guest was deep asleep enjoying the dream cocktail bar...
"B-BGM should be the jazz version of the Ghibli animation OST!"
...beside the real-life bed, the promoter—who was actually a writer—was diligently tweaking the dream.
"We need to emphasize that this place is run by a Japanese man! Plus, the weather is too mild! Let's make it rain!"
"Whoa, this guy is sneakily dropping in informal speech. It makes me want to check the adhesive strength between his head and neck..."
"We agreed to split the commission! Hurry!"
"I didn't know it would be this much of a pain. I regret my past self for getting into this..."
The writer sat beside the guest's bed all night, fine-tuning the dream.
The bartender's dialogue, family relations, the patrons' life histories, the ambiance of the place, sounds from outside, and mysterious visitors at around 1 AM (agents of the National Intelligence Service)—everything was meticulously crafted.
In essence, what the tutorial fairy had been offering people was merely the game's core, the vanilla version. The writer began selling 'mods'—enhanced versions of these games.
As a once-famous exploiter of geeks on Earth once said, "People don't know what they want until you show it to them." Indeed, even in the apocalypse when the capitalist economy had completely collapsed, this adage hit the mark.
"I want to go to Mori too!"
"Why don't you expand the cocktail bar? How can you only accommodate ten people when there's such demand?"
"I'll pay 1,000 won per person, no, 3,000 won! Please, let my friend and I visit too!"
Writer A was happy. And a happy writer naturally followed a typical path.
That is, he started bragging to other writers about how awesome he was.
"What's going on all of a sudden? You've booked the entire grill restaurant... It's expensive here."
"Don't worry, don't worry! I've been doing well lately! I thought we'd have a drink tonight, just the old writer gang! It's all about the camaraderie among writers! Normally, others would have come too, but now it's just us left in Busan."
Their ears perked up as they gathered in groups of threes and fours in the stew restaurant. Their clothing was shabby, as expected.
Naturally. Writers are typically mentally fragile, lack social skills, envy their peers, anonymously slander others online, crave adulation, and have poor physical health, with creaky backs and joints. Simply put, they lacked any real advantages. They were among the worst types of people to survive the apocalypse. The fact that they had managed to settle down in Busan was proof that they were elite in their own right.
Therefore, regardless of Writer A's long-winded speech, his colleagues only really heard one sentence.
"I've been doing well lately!"
The ex-writers exchanged glances silently (a basic skill for any writer).
They started by making small talk. Yeah, we used to make good money. We should be grateful just to have survived. I heard from a Japanese writer friend that it's really bad over there.
As time muddled along with alcohol and chit-chat, finally, someone started the real talk.
"So what have you been doing lately that you're doing so well?"
"Huh?" Writer A tilted his head as if he didn't understand.
His insufferably pretentious demeanor struck a fleeting sense of humiliation in the other writers.
Friendship among writers? Nonsense. This drinking session was clearly arranged to show off!
However, they endured this brief humiliation with the help of alcohol. Since even the alcohol was paid for by Writer A, they could bear it again.
"You said earlier you've been doing well. What, did you awaken some ability and join a guild? I remember that guy—what was his name, that hack writer who turned his life around after becoming an Awakener."
"Oh, him? That guy wasn't really a writer. He just switched from writing to being an Awakener. I'm still living as a writer!"
Their ears gradually morphed into those of elves.
"Still living as a writer? Are you still writing? Are there actually readers out there who pay for your work?"
"No, I'm not exactly writing. We Unawakened can't even access SG Net. There's no platform for us. But that doesn't mean I've stopped creating. Even during wars, there are writers who create. For people like us, being a writer isn't just a job. It's our heart. If the heart stops beating, we die."
Writer A should have been grateful for the delicious stew served tonight. If it were old times, gossip would have already proliferated throughout the industry.
"Anyway, what I've been doing lately―"
It took about two hours from the start of the drinking session before he got to the point.
"―So, I thought, Ah! If I can just shmooze up the tutorial fairy, I could tap into this market! But what would be good? I know a lot about cocktails, and I can speak a bit of Japanese. Ah, let's go with a Japanese cocktail bar theme!"
"Wow..."
"That's impressive."
"But why a cocktail bar? I mean, it's nice, but isn't it a bit small-scale? Wouldn't it be better to start with a more exciting setting from the beginning?"
"Oh. That's just thinking from a writer's perspective. As much as we used to be big shots, right? Now we're beginners, beginners! I haven't typed on a keyboard in over five years, and this is my first time creating in this format. A new platform. A new form. We need to get used to it!"
"Wow..."
"That's impressive."
"It sounds a bit like a TRPG."
"Yeah? Yeah. That's the problem with writers. They become too arrogant too easily. You have to approach it humbly, you know? Learning. And yes, that's also true. People who like alcohol usually have a group—a drinking buddy group. If you make one customer a regular, they'll bring others. That's how you have to approach it, with a business mindset, you know?."
"Wow..."
"That's impressive."
"What's the revenue split with the tutorial fairy? 80–20?"
"Ahh, crap. Do you think that would work? It's 50–50. That's the contract ratio back from when web novels were just starting. I could complain all day and night about this, but I can't do business without the fairies, so what can you do―?"
"Wow..."
"That's impressive."
While Writer A noticed that his colleagues' responses had become mechanically repetitive, their questions had become incredibly detailed.
However, he didn't pay attention. Because he was drunk.
The other writers weren't sober either. But they had an 'ideal' and 'reality' that helped them overcome the intoxication.
As mentioned earlier, writers lack social skills and... have creaking spines and joints.
But if that's the case, isn't it strange? How have these vermin survived until now?
There was only one reason.
'I'm doing better than that bastard!'
'Fuck, I write better than that guy!'
'That one's problematic because he lacks artistic integrity, that one because he lacks commercial appeal, that one because he lacks backbone, and that one because he's too stubborn.'
It was an overwhelmingly competitive environment, enough to shock even the depths of hell! This competitive spirit was the only driving force for writers.
For example, Tolstoy was arguably the kindest human among all writers in history. This Russian's novels were always filled with love, consideration for others, and respect for nature. Even he couldn't help but diss Dostoevsky whenever he had the chance.
Because somehow, love, consideration, and respect didn't apply to fellow writers.
In essence, Wall Street in America minus the money was exactly like a community of writers.
"Wow..."
"That's impressive."
In some sense, the purpose of the drinking session organized by Writer A was successful. Everyone gathered here was able to feel the 'affection' among old writers.
Thump.
The 'snake hearts' that had been sealed away even as the apocalypse destroyed civilization began to stir.
A few days later, the labor market in Busan lost about seven workers. Since they were low-quality labor, no one at the worksites really cared. Instead, seven new signs appeared at the entrance to the Dream Casino.
Former Web Novel Writer! From a major platform with 100 million views! Specializing in contemporary fantasy and fantasy. Become the ultimate awakened hero and explore medieval dungeons!
Specialist in business and conglomerate stories. 'Embark on a legendary journey by getting a job at a brokerage!' - Only 1,000 won per night
Romance/Beautiful Girls specialist. Has experience with drama adaptations. Graduate of Yonsei University's Department of Psychology. For detailed consultations, please contact the writer directly. Absolute confidentiality assured.
Former Web Novel Writer / 200 million views from a major platform / Numerous webtoon adaptations / Animated adaptations / If you've ever read novels back in the day, here's your chance to hire that person as your personal writer! - Will tailor the world to your preferences.
Former Web Novel Writer / 29 million, 30 million, 50 million views, never took a break from posting / TRPG Mastering Experience: Roll20 8,500 hours / Promises to consistently provide stable quality.
"What the hell is this?"
On that day, Writer A, the founder of Cocktail Bar Mori, was shocked as he headed to work. His former rivals from last week, whom he had treated to stew, were nonchalantly holding up signs!
The former writers... no.
The 'Returning Writers' said sheepishly:
"Well, yeah."
"We were inspired by your story."
"Yeah, it really moved us. Like you said, a writer should indeed live off his creations."
"Right, right!"
"It kind of reignited my creative spirit, haha."
The writers laughed as if they were simply moved by his words.
Writer A felt humiliated by their blatantly insincere behavior.
'Inspiration, my ass. It's plagiarism! But still...'
Professional Writer A bit his lip hard.
This situation was too ambiguous to simply call 'plagiarism'! If any of them had specifically used 'cocktail bar,' 'bar,' 'izakaya,' or something similar, perhaps he could have challenged them to a duel, but the writers had cunningly taken only the genre of the business, while completely changing the content.
Just like the old days when a new genre became popular in the novel industry, everyone rushed in and 'creatively' reinterpreted it...!
'Th-this familiar feeling! Could it be?!'
'Yes.'
The eyes of his colleagues, laughing innocently and purely, also twinkled darkly.
'It's time for a publishing competition again, rookie.'
'Ah, it's been a while. This chilling sensation. It feels like when I used to constantly check the bestseller rankings every two minutes after launching a new work.'
'Oh, no! Can't you forget that hell, you guys!'
'Yep. Your hell seems more livable than our reality.'
'I always liked the fires of hell. I used to run up to three series simultaneously.'
Again, exchanging glances without words was a basic skill for writers.
Finally, Writer A belatedly realized his mistake. Why did he commit an act he would regret for just a night of pleasure?
(Because he's a writer, of course.)
- Uh? What? Why are there so many signs?
- Did Mori finally expand its business?
Murmur, murmur.
But Writer A had no time to regret.
As the end of work hours approached and the crowd at the Dream Casino swelled, the inevitable fate of all writers, 'publishing time,' was upon them.
'No, stop! My guests! My readers!'
Contrary to Writer A's worries, there was no stealing of customers.
"...Huh?"
Nor was there any mishap of other writers failing to attract new customers.
Although there were some variations, Writer A, along with the other seven writers, managed to attract enough customers.
"Huh?"
The next day. The day after that. And the day after that.
Even as the number of signs increased from one to eight, and then from eight to twenty, there was never any loss of customers among the writers. In fact, the business of selling dreams went better than ever before, and even after expanding the cocktail bar's capacity from ten to twenty people, it always reached full capacity.
Then the writers realized.
"Ah."
A word long forgotten since civilization had collapsed.
Blue Ocean.
This was not a sea of blood where one must kill competitors to survive.
The place they had newly discovered, rolling around on the labor market, was a golden El Dorado―
A bonanza.
-x-X-x-
The Investor III
Tuning guests' dreams became the definitive task for the new generation of writers. Consequently, their titles evolved significantly.
"DM! I had another fantastic dream last night! Honestly, I enjoy life more when I'm asleep than awake!"
"Ahaha, I'm glad you had a restful sleep."
These authors eventually shed their traditional title of "writers" and became more commonly known as Dream Managers, or DMs for short.
"Well then, have a great day at work, sir. I'm off to sleep..."
"Oh right, DMs sleep during the day! Sleep well!"
While others slept, DMs worked, and while others worked, DMs slept, embracing a nocturnal lifestyle that didn't bother them in the least. Having always been more nocturnal than diurnal even during their writing careers, this shift was hardly a concern.
"Undertaker, have you heard about this DM trend?"
It happened around this time when I heard about the latest fad among writers through an image titled 'recent_writers_updates.jpg' from Dang Seo-rin. As I was always on the move, I was the last to catch on to what was trending among the general populace.
"DM? What's that?"
"Simply put, they're sleep managers. They add a touch of flair to the dreams provided by the fairies."
"Hmm..."
"Anyway, it's all the rage right now. Good DMs are worth their weight in gold and hard to come by."
"What a strange turn of events."
"Right? I even hired a DM myself recently. A huge Harry Potter fan, and we clicked because he prefers the current generation over the old."
Old generation? Current generation?
Bombarded by jargon, I was momentarily puzzled. "So, you've hired a regular person as a personal manager to manipulate dreamscapes, and even granted them access to yours? Isn't that a bit risky?"
"Don't worry. DMs can't do anything without the tutorial fairies. As long as the fairies don't betray us, it's unlikely DMs can get up to anything nefarious."
"Hmm."
I shrugged it off at the time, but in reality, Dang Seo-rin's comment was hiding a bombshell.
As you know, Samcheon World is one of the most prestigious guilds on the Korean Peninsula. Only the best—validated by integrity, loyalty, and talent—are admitted, not just any riffraff. (Except for Yu Ji-won, who sneakily got in through a Latin special admissions program.)
For ordinary people, even dreaming of applying there was out of reach. Yet, a mere civilian not only secured a job there but was hired as a full-time employee? Moreover, as the personal manager of the great witch herself, sharing power with Noh Do-hwa in Busan? Just a regular person?
The writers' community was abuzz.
"Oh, Teacher! I hired a DM too!"
Cheon Yo-hwa poured fuel on the fire. Always a trendsetter among senior high students, she couldn't bear the thought of being outpaced by Dang Seo-rin.
"Oh? Yo-hwa, you too?"
"Yes! I hired a zombie-themed DM, an exorcism-themed DM, and even a cult-themed DM. I've been enjoying dreams about succeeding as a cult leader in a zombie apocalypse for a week straight!"
"..."
If anyone asked why she'd enjoy such dreams, they'd be missing the forest for the trees.
While Dang Seo-rin had hired just one DM, Cheon Yo-hwa had employed three, a critical detail given the intense rivalry between the 'economic capital' of Busan and the 'spiritual capital' of Sejong.
-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Recently revisited The Little Prince and was struck by a thought. Despite the world having ended once, the tendency to judge everything by numbers persists.
-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Where has the determination gone to cross even deserts to find that one fox waiting just for me?
└[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: Wow! You only have one fox waiting for you?
└[Samcheon] WitchJudge: ?
└[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: I have three in my desert... It seems like you weren't very popular! >_<);;
Dang Seo-rin promptly promoted her personal DM to 'chief DM' and hired eleven specialists in architecture, food and nutrition, and education to manage different departments. She even employed six parody writers to fine-tune the settings of her Harry Potter-inspired dreams.
Hogwarts in her dreams neared perfection.
Yo-hwa, not to be outdone, focused on quantity. She indulged in fantasies of every genre—fantasy, modern, romance, martial arts—hiring experts in each field to enjoy whatever genre she fancied each day. The number of personal DMs she employed reached an impressive twenty.
-[Samcheon] WitchJudge: Dream Diary Entry 31. Finally got the hang of the geography at the Academy. Made a few friends and impressed the professors. Was praised during divination class as 'the greatest talent since the Academy's founding,' though that might be an exaggeration.
-[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: Dream Diary Day 20! Finally crushed the boss zombie's head today >_<)!!
As these two juggernauts continued their subtle sparring on SG Net, their respective guild members rushed to comment whenever their leaders posted a dream diary. Why? Because they battled over which dream diary received more views and comments.
Surviving in a large corporation was no small feat.
-OldManGoryeo: LOL the level of Korea's top awakeners LOL
-OldManGoryeo: How pathetic must reality be for them to resort to fighting in dreams LOL
The only one who truly thrived was the villain OldManGoryeo.
Thus, as the sole individual who could possibly mediate this farcical standoff, what had I, the Undertaker, been up to all this time?
Nothing at all.
'Why bother? They'll fight over who's on top and who's beneath no matter what.'
In my view, this was arguably the safest way for them to release stress. At least nobody got hurt.
It seemed, however, that others saw it differently.
"Uh...?"
"Given this, we really need to do something..."
As two great whales thrashed, the squids and shrimps quietly going about their fishing—that is, the leaders of the minor guilds—found themselves in an awkward position.
If Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa employed twenty DMs, then other major guilds had to hire at least twelve. A moderately established mid-sized guild leader would need at least six DMs, and even fledgling small guilds should employ three.
Why? No reason was needed.
Traditionally, in this land, one's social status has always been determined by the price of their car and the size of their house. The same tradition simply morphed into 'how many and how good the DMs you employ are.'
In the Renaissance, Italian nobles flaunted their wealth by patronizing artists. Similarly, the guild leaders on the Korean Peninsula now competed through their possession of DMs. The Renaissance nobles didn't necessarily possess profound artistic sensibilities, just as the guild leaders lacked substantial literary acumen.
Nonetheless, both groups triggered significant effects on employment. Moreover, DMs had several advantages over Renaissance artists:
① Low barrier to entry. Becoming a DM required no initial capital. Just fine-tune dreams to the client's taste, and you could make a living.
② Sustainability of the business. Once established, DMs had a steady influx of work. People dream every day and prefer entertaining dreams.
③ Connections with power. While it's incredibly difficult for ordinary people to get close to guild leaders, DMs with top-tier skills can easily become intimately connected with them. In fact, DMs are often the first person a leader sees upon waking and the last before sleeping.
Easy to enter, a bright business outlook, and even a chance to gain fame and influence?
"Mom! When I grow up, I want to be a writer!"
"Being a writer is like being a god!"
A literary storm swept across the Korean Peninsula.
Indeed, as previously mentioned, a sudden golden age of literature had dawned.
This age of great literature was marked by countless incidents and accidents. There was even a massive strike by tutorial fairies who claimed they couldn't take it anymore. But in this story, I'll focus solely on one incident, one untouched by any monsters.
As promised earlier, today's focus is squarely on 'ordinary' people, and who better to represent them than the very person who has been front and center from the start of this episode?
"I've been feeling burnt out lately..."
"Huh?"
Writer A. The very same individual who has appeared from beginning to end in this story.
Just for clarity, I didn't receive permission to use Writer A's real pen name in my tales, which is why I reluctantly refer to him as Writer A.
He's extremely timid by nature, and his pen name ends with the sound 'A'.
Anyway.
"What are you talking about, DM? Your cocktail bar is booming. You've even expanded to accommodate fifty patrons and hired up to five bartender NPCs. Oh, and that new bartender NPC you hired last week is getting rave reviews!"
"DM, DM, that damn DM..."
"Huh?"
"I am a writer! A writer! And writing, creation—it's not like this!"
Crash.
Writer A smashed a wine glass in front of his assistant writer.
It seemed only yesterday that they couldn't even afford water and were forced to drink what rain they could collect, yet here he was, already adopting bourgeois affectations now that he had found some success.
"Look at what I've been reduced to! Greeting guests with 'irasshaimase', mixing cocktails all day, fussing over the looks and backstories of newly hired bartenders... Is this what being a writer is? Is it?!"
"But you're making a million won a day without breaking a sweat—"
"The bleak yet beautiful worldviews! Vibrant characters! The saga of defeat and victory, the schemes and plots, a midnight ball where some dance and others walk the scaffold—that's what I want to write! Aaaaargh!"
"..."
For those unaware, let me introduce 'new-work-itis', a chronic disease that strikes any writer who has serialized the same work for over 18 months. There's also 'remake-itis', 'suspension-itis', 'relay-novel-itis', 'competition-itis', 'my-writing-sucks-itis', 'my-writing-rocks-itis', and 'can't-write-unless-it's-about-the-heroine-itis', among others—diseases that manifest only in writers.
It's astonishing that such flawed creatures have managed to survive on Earth this long. If you're not shocked enough yet, I apologize, but there's more.
"But alone, I could never create such a perfect dream..."
And here, Writer A made a distinctly writer-like, which is to say foolishly human, decision.
First, he gathered the seven colleagues he had once shared a stew with. Now they had become the pioneering elites of this industry, having risen to such status that they now held gatherings in pork belly restaurants, not mere stew joints.
"Honestly, you're all tired too, right?"
"Well, um..."
"The great witch is fine for the most part, but her requirements are just too demanding... Sometimes, she says something in the dream isn't historically accurate, but honestly, that's not my fault. The original author herself was inconsistent..."
"Exactly!" Writer A slammed down his rice wine glass with a bang. "Let's create something together!"
"What?"
"Each of us will take on a few main characters and develop their profiles. Then we'll combine it all. Let's also build a world together. You're good at political intrigue, so you handle that, and you write war stories well, right? So, balance the interactions between fictional nations!"
Writer A declared, "We are the first writers in human history who can manipulate dreams! How long will we timidly tinker with the dreams of the powerful? Guys! Let's create an MMORPG with unprecedented freedom, a perfect 'virtual world'!"
"...!"
Yes.
Writer A and the supreme eight had sadly contracted the most dreaded of all writerly diseases, simply uttering its name causes one's entire body to shudder: the scourge of all evils.
Group·Project·Itis.
-x-X-x-
The Investor IV
The writers of Busan decided to pool their creative forces.
"My creative power is 150. Yours is 150. That's a total of 300 creative power! Let's create a perfect masterpiece!"
"Such a clever idea indeed."
This was the so-called collaborative project. More than two writers came together to produce a work, a concept as bizarre as teaming Hitler and Stalin and marveling at their combined demagoguery and purge capabilities.
We all knew that no matter the process, this scenario would end with a nuclear explosion. The probability of these writers' collaborations succeeding was about 500% less likely than a college group project receiving a standing ovation from students and professors alike.
"Of course, when we simply combine our strengths, we'll end up with a result not of plus 300 but minus 22,500."
Writer A wasn't naive enough to overlook this. He presented his PowerPoint at the pork belly restaurant where the supreme eight had gathered.
"Hence, we need to set up a strict hierarchy among the writers involved in the project. I'll be the lead writer, and while I'll respect your opinions, the final decision rests solely with me."
"What?"
Murmurs filled the room as the other writers exchanged looks that varied in droopage of eyelids and eyebrow thickness but that were united in their disbelief.
'Who do you think you are?'
Despite their incredulous stares, Writer A remained undeterred, even smirking. "Let's face it, I pioneered this DM market, and you all just hitched a ride. No matter what you think, objectively, you all owe me one."
"..."
"No one here can lead without issues. And equal participation? Bullshit, that'll just end in chaos."
"Maybe..."
The writers exchanged glances, expressions now changing to ones of reluctant agreement.
Writers have always been susceptible to compelling nonsense. If they were truly rational, they wouldn't have chosen such an illogical career.
"Let's say you do lead. How exactly will you coordinate our opinions?"
"We'll divide responsibilities among the writers." Flipping through his makeshift PowerPoint, Writer A revealed, "I haven't told you this, but over the years, I've made a secret pact with the fairies to observe your DM work."
"What?"
"You all started your DM businesses without paying me a commission, it was fate. Now, deal with it. Thanks to this, I know where each of your strengths and specialties lie."
'This is crazy.'
While the other writers contemplated how much it would cost to cover up his murder, Writer A calmly distributed the roles. "Here, roles that I think best suit your strengths."
1. NPC Management: Known since his web novel days for writing punchy, flavorful dialogue. As a DM, his characters are lively and have received rave reviews.
2. Map Management: Ingenious in designing 'stages' and 'gimmicks' during his web novel days, secretly participated in indie game development, responsible for level design.
3. Quests, Items, Training Sites: Always wrote engaging scenes where the protagonist gains new skills or trains. As a DM, became popular by letting clients experience becoming powerhouses.
4. Main Event Management:Skilled in writing about national strife or political faction fights during his web novel days. As a DM, provided intense political dramas that were highly praised by guild-level clients.
5. Worldview Management: Known for beautifully crafting fantasy world settings, offered adventures that were realistic yet thrilling as a DM.
The role of 'Historical Authenticity' was also tacked on.
Each writer's expertise was detailed in these documents, handwritten by Writer A.
"..."
The writers went deadly serious. They were always susceptible to sincerity and dedication, values they pursued all their lives.
Writer A laid down the paperwork. "I've bought a villa near Haeundae with the money I've made from being a DM."
"A villa?"
"Yeah. You guys are all single, right? Move in. Let's work there until the project is complete."
"..."
"You know we could die at any moment."
The age of anomalies.
"Let's create one last work before we go, guys."
If there was anyone who could be moved to tears by the mere sound of the word 'guys,' regardless of the era, that person was destined to be a writer.
From the lips of a bard, to the fingertips of nobles, to the palms of workers, to the shelves of university libraries, to the empty spaces in rental shops, to smartphone screens, to the dreams shaped by fairies, this truth remained unchanged.
The writers were ready to sing of humanity once more.
"Hey, Undertaker. I've been invited to act as a consultant by the DMs. Would you like to come too?"
Dang Seo-rin, always keeping me connected to the world, dropped this on me three years later.
"Consultant?"
"Yeah. The DMs are embarking on some joint or collaborative project. They're creating a massive fantasy world."
"Oh ho."
"They said wizards hold tremendous power in this dream world, and since I'm associated with power and magic, they invited me as a historical consultant."
"I might provide detailed consultations on executions and monster dissections, then."
"Huh? What?"
"Nothing. Anyway, I'll come along. As an expert on the Three Kingdoms, I can offer practical advice on strategies and intrigues."
Dang Seo-rin grimaced, probably hoping not to drown fantasy with the Three Kingdoms.
We set a date and headed to Haeundae.
If you're from Busan, you might know about Dalmaji Hill and Dalmaji Road in the area. The writers' dormitory was located in a villa with a clear view of the sea. The guards, who were Awakeners, froze upon recognizing us.
I exchanged a few pleasantries with the guards before whistling. "Quite the affluent bunch."
"They're among the top DMs in Busan, probably some of the wealthiest civilians around."
"And they have to collaborate closely with the tutorial fairies, so no dodging taxes. Noh Do-hwa likes DMs too."
"Really? I heard she's never hired a DM."
"True. She hardly ever asks the fairies to ensure she sleeps soundly. Says she doesn't see why she should see monsters even in her dreams."
"Hmm…"
Just then:
-You fucking idiot!
A roar shook the villa's windows.
Dang Seo-rin and I paused just as we were about to ring the bell (not an electronic bell but one physically attached to the door handle).
-How can a law passed by the kingdom's assembly apply retroactively?! That would invalidate hundreds of years of inter-species marriages. Does that make any sense?
-It makes perfect sense! Damn it! That's why I've been emphasizing how crucial this marriage law is both in the world and the main events!
-No, dumbass! What about taxes? If married and unmarried people were taxed differently, and all sorts of laws applied differently, would you apply those retroactively too? Is the chancellor an idiot? Would they really want to triple their workload overnight because of such a stupid law?
-The chancellor is an idiot, that's why the kingdom is going to hell!
Dang Seo-rin and I glanced at each other.
'Are you sure we had an appointment today?'
'Yes, it's supposed to be now.'
'The leader of the Three Thousand Worlds Guild is gracing them with her presence, and they're bickering inside instead of waiting by the door. Are they even human?'
'I don't know. Maybe they're monsters.'
Luckily, Dang Seo-rin and I naturally resist privilege. We often disguise ourselves to go on culinary tours.
Thump.
I knocked on the door.
-I can't understand this idiot... Oh? Wait. Someone's here?
-Wait. Who is it?
Dang Seo-rin cleared her throat. "Hello. I'm the Guild Leader of the Samcheon World."
-Samcheon... Oh? O-oh!
Crash! Bang!
The villa erupted into echoing chaos.
'You insane bastard!'
'Why didn't you say something?'
'I thought it was tomorrow—'
'Motherfucker! Die! You moron, just die!'
'Put on some clothes! How many times have I told you not to walk around shirtless?'
and so on.
In other words, complete pandemonium.
Much later, in the next story, it turned out that the mistake with the date wasn't on the writers' part, but Dang Seo-rin's. However, even in the 205th cycle, she was unaware of this fact.
"Uh..." Lacking a sense of privilege but enjoying actual privileges, the supreme dignity of the Samcheon World felt slightly bewildered. "Oh. Sorry, Undertaker. I didn't know this was the kind of meeting I was walking into. I was just introduced by my personal DM three years ago. I thought you might be interested in novels and writers since you like the Three Kingdoms..."
"Isn't this the first time we've taken a walk together in a while?"
"Huh?"
"I enjoyed the walk. That's all that matters. You don't need to apologize for every little thing."
"..."
"Isn't it interesting?" I grinned. "Imagine a startup that somehow brings Warren Buffett and Bill Gates to their office, but then forgets the date and leaves them standing outside the door. Completely insane. When else would you experience something like this?"
"Right. Yeah, it isinteresting." Dang Seo-rin's usual light smile returned as the awkward air between us relaxed.
While we waited at the villa's front door, we continued to chuckle and discuss the dinner menu. The mere 30 centimeter gap between us was filled so tightly that there was no room for any resentment about status or pride as guild leaders.
"―I'm sorry!"
"We're terribly sorry!"
Dang Seo-rin chuckled softly. "It's okay. I was also introduced by Mr. Moru DM. Seems there was a mix-up."
"No, we're truly sorry! It was our fault!" The writers remained prostrated, not daring to lift their heads.
During this time, I took in the interior of the villa.
"Whoa?" a voice called. Firstly, fairies were floating around the living room. At least five of them. "Secretary General Undertaker? What brings you here?"
"I could ask the same of you?"
"We've been dispatched here for a joint-business endeavor!"
Startled, the writers' heads shook again at the sound of my conversation with the fairy. Roughly,
'The Undertaker?'
'The hero from the Ten Tribes and Meteor Shower Raids?'
'Why would such a hero visit this place?'
But it's too cliché to describe such reactions in detail. If I did, each episode would be filled with the same content.
After the mood settled, Dang Seo-rin finally spoke with the historical consultant DM.
Meanwhile, I had a chance to chat with Writer A, the project overseer.
"So... um, we're creating an autonomously functioning dream world, The Kingdom Project."
"Autonomously functioning?"
"Yes, well. For example, there's a count in the dream world's kingdom. We've detailed his past, the scars he bears, his thoughts on those scars, and the events he's currently embroiled in..."
Writer A glanced at the fairy.
"We share these settings with the tutorial fairies. Then, even if we DMs aren't actively hosting guests, the fairies can operate the dreams somewhat realistically..."
Writer A wasn't particularly eloquent or quick-witted. Thus, I felt the need to summarize his words into a more direct slogan.
"So, if you're the game creators, the fairies act as operators?"
"Yes, yes, exactly." Writer A hesitated. "Of course, there are details too complex for the operators to handle alone. In those cases, the fairies can exchange real-time feedback with us..."
"Oh ho."
"We've had beta testers go through it up to the sixth round..."
"And everyone was satisfied?"
A fairy peeked out from the side. "Statistically, compared to dreams we provide alone, this Kingdom Project has given participants over 2000% more satisfaction!"
"2000%? Twenty times more?"
"Yes! That's why the Fairy Rights Commission is lending our full support and advocating for participation in the Kingdom Project's development!"
I surveyed the villa's interior. Walls plastered with plot settings. Maps. Personal details of hundreds of main NPCs. Threads in red, blue, and yellow crisscrossed between these settings, illustrating their interconnections.
Meanwhile, the fairy continued chattering, munching on a sausage.
"Especially since the Secretary General banned tutorials, the fairies were getting a bit disheartened. But the Kingdom Project has revitalized them! In dreams, we can run dungeons just like tutorials, legally slaughtering humans as much as we want—!"
"Hold on." I whipped around and grabbed the fairy's shoulder. "What did you just say?"
"We're happy because we can legally kill humans?"
"No, the other part. About running dungeons like tutorials in dreams?"
"Yes, that's right!"
"And, naturally, if people die in the dreams, it doesn't really affect their real lives?"
"Of course. There might be some mental trauma, but since everyone knows it's not real, it's fine!"
"..."
I felt as if I'd been struck on the back of the head.
Why hadn't I thought of such a simple idea until now?
During the 205th cycle, I established the Dream Casino to provide joy and circulate currency through the dream standard. I had only approached it from the aspects of welfare and economy. However, the DM ecosystem built through the Dream Casino contained potential far beyond 'welfare and economy.'
"Mr. DM." I looked at Writer A. "Do you not need detailed data on the Ten Legs and Meteor Showers?"
He looked at me questioningly.
"I can provide you with detailed information on hundreds, even thousands of anomalies. If you wish, I'll invest whatever it takes."
Yes.
The massive virtual world built by the DMs.
It could provide an endlessly 'realistic' 'practice' for both civilians and awakeners―
It was, in every sense, a 'Tutorial Dungeon.'
Footnotes:
[1] Dogeza(土下座) is an element of traditional Japanese etiquette which involves kneeling directly on the ground and bowing to prostrate oneself while touching one's head to the floor. It is used to show deference to a person of higher status, as a deep apology or to express the desire for a favor from said person.
-x-X-x-
The Investor V
When reading regression stories, you sometimes encounter a scenario like this:
- "Mage, your true talent is actually in swordsmanship."
- "That makes no sense! Me, someone born into a prestigious family of mages... and I'm actually a swordsmanship genius?"
- "And a martial genius to boot."
- "Hmm, are you saying that what I just did is the 'Perfect Squat of the Forgotten Era'? But I was only standing up after sitting down?"
This is the so-called 'Our Child Has Changed' cliché.
In the previous cycle, due to prejudice, discrimination, poverty, and bad luck, these talented people couldn't fully blossom into their true potential. A regressor provides one-on-one personal training to these side characters, and as a result, they would be reborn as true experts.
I, too, as a fully-fledged regressor and PT trainer, have nurtured quite a few outstanding members. In fact, in this specific area, I secretly pride myself on being better than any other regressor.
However, we need to approach this with the brain of a scientist rather than the heart of a humanities student.
So, what exactly does "quite a few" mean in this context?
- Saintess, Seo Gyu, Dang Seo-rin, Cheon Yo-hwa, Sim Ah-ryeon, Lee Ha-yul, Yu Ji-won. Let's go.
How could this be? It's only seven people at best!
Of course, depending on the cycle, you could add or subtract about five people from this list. But even then, it doesn't exceed 15 people.
Most regressors, as I see it, are fundamentally mistaken. How do they expect to change the world with just a small elite group? Sure, changing the lives of 15 people is impressive. But in the end, that's on the scale of a small or medium-sized business owner. Apple, for example, has over 150,000 employees. If you're just scratching off winning human lottery tickets with guaranteed potential after a regression, that's just basic. It's like buying Bitcoin—'a must-do.'
Ultimately, the crucial thing is the social system. You need to readjust the massive pool of human resources in society to be healthy enough to support a select few experts. This is what could truly be called the lifelong mission of a regressor.
"I'm going to invest heavily in the
After returning from the writer's retreat at Dalmaji Hill, I immediately convened the Regressor Alliance.
Noh Do-hwa, whose life is basically one long night shift, received me with a face tired from exhaustion.
"DMs? You mean those casino hustlers who make fairies match them up with dream partners so they can fuck in their dreams...?"
Good grief. Is this really the perception held by the ruler of the Korean Peninsula?
"Ahem. Please refrain from such defamation of the only industry currently growing in the market."
"Has your brain rotted from dreaming about Romance of the Three Kingdoms a few too many times? Why the sudden frenzy to invest in DMs in the middle of the night...?"
I calmly explained the potential of the
"...Hmm. So, if you strip away all the talk about DMs and Tutorial Fairies, it's essentially a virtual reality world."
"Exactly."
"I see. And one can freely build up a wealth of experience defeating anomalies and traversing the void there... Hmm. That sounds feasible enough..."
[Isn't there a big risk?]
It was the Saintess, who was participating in the video conference from Yongsan, who asked.
[The Ten Legs or the Meteor Shower really existed as anomalies in reality. If you transplant their data directly into virtual reality, it would basically make the entire other world vulnerable to the void, just like our reality. I think this would have the side effect of expanding the range of activities available to the anomalies. Besides, there's a very good chance that new anomalies related to 'virtual reality' will be generated.]
"That's true. There will 100 percent be side effects." I nodded. "But the advantages far outweigh the resulting disadvantages. First, we must attempt it, and if the side effects become unmanageable, we can stop in the following cycles."
With Warren Buffet's heart for Coca-Cola stocks, I decided to invest in the
The very next day, we began managing the 'risk' the Saintess had pointed out. The most foolish risk of all is human risk—man-made disasters.
I summoned Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa to the café hideout 1,200 meters deep to discuss solving this human resource problem.
"Huh?"
"Ugh."
The two arrived with light steps, but upon spotting each other, they openly frowned.
The air in the room froze. It was a battle of pride between mages representing White Magic and Black Magic, Cursed Song Incantation and Necromancy.
I intervened. "Stop fighting, you two."
"Fighting? What do you mean, Undertaker? I don't have the leisure to fight with people. If I do fight, and even if the opponent appears human, aren't they probably an anomaly?"
"Aha, well. I heard that in Busan, people of all ages walk around wearing witch hats. I suspect that might be some sort of cosplay anomaly. You should be careful too, teacher!"
Don't worry. This level of tension is just playful banter. If these two guild leaders were serious in their killing intent, turning someone into minced meat would prove to be no issue.
"Seriously, stop fighting. The personal DMs you two employ alone add up to 46. That's too much. Are you planning to start your own novel platform?"
"Hey, she's the one who―"
"Hold on. Sorry to cut you off, but let me speak first. I'm not here to judge right from wrong. I'm telling you that I desperately need the DMs you two have employed."
"...Huh?"
Both Dang Seo-rin and Cheon Yo-hwa blinked.
Like Noh Do-hwa, the two quickly grasped the point when I calmly explained. The tense atmosphere where they seemed ready to fight bare-handed (and where Cheon Yo-hwa, a close combatant, would win) eased a bit.
"Dang Seo-rin, how many personal DMs do you really need to manage your dream?"
"Well..." Dang Seo-rin glanced at Cheon Yo-hwa out of the corner of her eye and said, "I think four would be enough."
"Good. Yo-hwa, is four a little short for you too?"
"...Hmm. No, that should be sufficient. After all, my preferred DMs are already set, and the others are just peanuts for idle time."
I nodded. "Once the
"Hmm."
"Oh."
"Naturally, competition between guilds to recruit these talents will intensify. So, we will implement a draft system, giving 'priority' to guilds that have exterminated more anomalies and voids in reality each year."
"...!"
The light in their eyes changed once again. Earlier, they seemed to be accommodating because of 'Undertaker's face,' but now, they had the bold, clear demeanor of cold-blooded leaders.
"Currently, the National Road Management Corps is requesting guilds to submit reports on the extermination of anomalies and voids. But compliance isn't great, is it?"
"Hmm, yes. It's because it's considered know-how. Honestly, I feel more comfortable giving it to you than the National Road Management Corps... We only report just enough to not offend them."
"Thank you. But if reporting exterminations to the National Road Management Corps brings tangible benefits, it will be a different story."
"...So we'll get the first pick of talented rookies. Rookies who have been tested countless times in the dream simulation."
"Exactly."
Samcheon World and Baekwha Girls' High were the most proactive in exterminating voids among all the guilds. Naturally, they would be given priority in the draft.
"How about it? Does this provide enough reason and benefit to reduce the number of DMs?"
It did.
Once the two major guild leaders made the first concession, their subordinates followed suit. The medium and small guild leaders hurriedly reduced the number of personal DMs. The DMs who suddenly found themselves unemployed were re-employed by the National Road Management Corps and assigned to the
The number of personnel was a staggering 120. All of them were skilled enough to be hired by guild leaders and had enough 'social skills' to sustain such a lifestyle.
It was a miracle, a perfect storm, gathering every top-tier talent that could be extracted from the Korean Peninsula.
"We will cover all personnel costs. Don't worry about rent or anything. Consider the newly added DMs as subordinate employees, not fellow writers, and use them accordingly."
"U-uh..."
Writer A, though bewildered, accepted my investment.
"Th-thank you. I never dreamed something like this would come my way..."
"If anyone dares to disrespect your authority as a manager, feel free to contact me. I will personally take care of it."
"Huh?! N-no! I couldn't possibly bother you with something like that...!"
But it happened.
Some DMs caused trouble, and I personally intervened with violence and threats to firmly establish the hierarchy among the DMs. Regardless of how successful they were before the apocalypse, Writer A was now the project leader.
Two years later.
Solid muscles and delicious flesh clung to the skeleton that had already been completed for the
[Explore a kingdom on the brink of ruin and save humanity from the void!]
[Organized by the National Road Management Corps. A dream project created in collaboration with 36 major guilds, including Samcheon World and Baekwha Girls' High!]
[Anyone can freely enter the 'Kingdom' by consulting with the Tutorial Fairy.]
[Season 1 Raid Boss 'Ten Legs' Emerges!]
Numerous billboards were erected at the Dream Casino, and countless advertisements were posted on SG Net.
"What? What's that?"
"One hundred thirty DMs participated in the production?"
"Wait, I was wondering where that DM disappeared off to. So they were making this."
"You can dream with just the fairy and no DM? Won't that make it less fun...?"
The dream simulation created by the writers' dedication, the regressor's experience, and the guild leaders' assistance—
The launch of the 'Kingdom.'
The public's reaction to the kingdom was explosive.
- Anonymous: No lol the kingdom is fucking amazing lololol
└LiteraryGirl: Is this the DMs' 'true intentions'...? This is terrifying...
- OldManGoryeo: Seriously, no joke, if you're an Awakener who's only dreaming of the kingdom while taking sleeping pills, big thumbs up lolol
- Anonymous: No, if they had this ability, what the hell was missing from Korean game companies before the Void Arrival that they couldn't make a GOTY title? If this had come out back then, it would have fucking destroyed all the other games!!
└Anonymous: 'Tutorial Fairy'
└Anonymous: Ah.
Even Awakeners, those the frontline experts fighting anomalies in real life, acknowledged the 'realism' of the kingdom and were giving rave reviews.
Of course, they did. Who provided the data?
- Anonymous: Kingdom bastards! The Ten Legs appeared in the southwest beyond the mountains!! The Ten Legs is insane! If you don't unite your armies to fight Ten Legs, you're seriously fucked!!
└Anonymous: Yep~~ only the country bumpkins will die~ I'm safe in the royal capital~~
- Anonymous: Why does this unfamiliar medieval kingdom seem oddly familiar??
-dolLHOuse: The kingdom is on the verge of collapse, and it's hilarious. But the funnier part is that it's still better than our reality.
└Anonymous: Ah...
In the dream simulation, humanity hadn't yet been destroyed by the void. It was just on the brink of collapse.
Even in this situation, the kingdom's NPCs were wasting time arguing about who was right, whose house prices were safe, whether ambitious provincial leaders were suspicious, whether one was a pure human and others were filthy demi-humans, engaging in all sorts of political bullshit.
- Anonymous: Crazy kingdom bastards, even in this state, pure races and demi-humans are still terrorizing each other lol
- Anonymous: 'There are already seven rebel armies in the provinces. No matter how strong the anomaly Ten Legs is, if we leave it alone, it'll just exhaust the rebels.' (Something actually said)
- Anonymous: Ah, I'll never share a table with demi-humans, even if humanity goes extinct~~
Simulation participants, living in a world where all countries had already been destroyed by anomalies, were naturally fully immersed.
Kingdom NPCs lamented the politics of the nation, calling it the worst era. But the simulation participants knew it better than anyone. They knew that this was the last golden opportunity to save humanity.
- Anonymous: Breaking news: Ten Legs annihilated the southwest and is advancing north over the mountains
- Anonymous: Participated as a mercenary in the southwest county and got wiped out after two tentacle attacks. I'm taking a quick break to spread the word before dreaming again.
- Anonymous: This time, I plan to create a new character in the capital and join the fight. Good luck, everyone.
└LiteraryGirl: Don't respawn just anywhere. There are nobles in the capital who seriously consider the Ten Legs a threat. They're also running around trying to convince other nobles. Respawn as a citizen in the capital and lend them your strength.
└Anonymous: Oh, thanks, thanks
Even though it was a medieval fantasy kingdom they were experiencing for the first time, the simulation participants could clearly see the fate of this kingdom. They knew the future. They knew the ending and how to deal with it. In this sense, the people participating in the kingdom's dream were practically 'regressors.'
That's right.
In the training ground of the virtual reality created by the DMs, people were rapidly leveling up as 'pseudo-regressors.' A system so complete that I didn't need to personally mentor or tutor anyone.
"Teacher!"
After the first season of the kingdom ended, Cheon Yo-hwa came running, her face flushed red. "The new recruits this time... They're incredible!"
Finally, the power of the Korean Peninsula began to grow at a terrifying speed.
-x-X-x-
The Investor VI
Perhaps some of you are expecting a twist like, "However, a monstrous virtual reality simulation hypothesis suddenly appeared, causing the world to end...!" and, indeed, such things have happened quite often, but that is not the topic of today's story.
As I mentioned before, I want this story to focus on ordinary people, a part I have left relatively neglected until now. Besides, iIf an anomaly were to suddenly appear here and steal the spotlight, wouldn't I have to film another one of my endless Undertaker hunting sprees? Even if I didn't like it, that's an endless tale I have to tell 365 days a year, so let's save it for later.
"You are heroes who have advanced the world."
I wasn't like an NBA star who would have a fit if I weren't treated like the protagonist in every game. Instead, I was a player who definitely made the pass when necessary. And my 'passes' seemed a bit grand from the perspective of the DMs.
"Uh, uh, uh..."
The DMs were invited to the podium set up in front of the National Road Management Corps headquarters at Babel Tower Square. Team-level managers stood below the square, standing at attention.
"On behalf of the citizens of Busan and others who were too busy to attend today, we would like to extend our gratitude to you."
I bowed my head, the team leaders responded by bending gracefully at their waists. Yu Ji-won was even among them. In other words, powerful figures who wouldn't bow to anyone else respectfully greeted the DMs.
While I quickly straightened up, the other Awakeners had to show off their hip flexibility while I conversed with the DMs.
"No... Undertaker, this is, this is too much..."
"The
"Uh, um..."
The DMs looked stricken, but I personally didn't trust their facial muscles. No, I trusted their life experiences.
To those who lack money, give money; to those without friends, give friendship; to those without power, give power; to those without honor, give honor. That was the most basic principle of a 'reward.' Why do you think soldiers are happy when given leave as a reward?
The DMs were the same. The people standing in front of me earned a fair amount of money, both in the past and now. But did they really have power and honor? Have they ever experienced influential figures lining up and being polite to them, just like gangsters bowing to their elder brothers?
They hadn't. And they wouldn't in the future either.
Such 'treatment' was a rare commodity I alone could offer the DMs. As a consequence, in their hearts, the Undertaker's position acquired unique value. Through rewards, my relationship with the DMs solidified.
'And if they get swayed by the trickle-down power, they're not people I can use for long.'
After the event ended, I clapped my hands. The Awakeners, who had been bowing all the time, stood up and joined in the applause. The DMs awkwardly left the venue, looking relieved that it was finally over.
Though they seemed relieved, from the regressor's perspective, this was just the beginning.
'I wonder how many will remain from there.'
With time, some DMs became completely addicted to the sweet juice of power, gradually losing interest in the
As the DM profession gained explosive popularity among ordinary people, DMs with 'achievements and fame' were quickly scouted as teachers. It didn't take long before they retired from active duty.
Of the eight, four were eliminated.
Of course, it was only an elimination from my perspective. To them, it was a wise and successful life.
In contrast, the DMs who remained in the company and diligently worked on the kingdom simulation―in my view, those who foolishly stayed in the field and continued working were the real successful ones.
'Only half remain.'
Another cycle passed.
This time, I approached Writer A first and proposed the
"Oh my... Y-you're saying you'll entrust me with such a tremendous project?"
"Yes. The National Road Management Corps has already completed about 20% on their own." I handed over some of the world settings that the four eliminated people had created in the previous cycle to Writer A.
Writer A was impressed as they went through the materials. "...Amazing. It's really like it was written by a professional... Ah. But there's no main events, serendipities, or major NPCs at all. The world setting is sophisticated, but..."
"Yes. That's why I am proposing this to people who used to be writers before civilization collapsed. Will you participate?"
"...Yes, yes. I definitely want to participate!"
Writer A didn't have to go through the trouble of gathering colleagues themselves. I found the colleagues who stayed with the company until the end of the previous cycle and brought them to Writer A.
Temptations visited them.
-Hello. I'm secretly visiting after hearing from the leader of the Samcheon World guild.
-Could you create a super account for the project you're making?
-We came from Baekhwa Girls' High. Could you get an item for our student council president...?
-The compensation will be more than satisfactory.
The 'more than satisfactory' compensation was 60 billion won.
The
Of the four, two were eliminated.
'Again, half of the half.'
Another cycle passed.
Out of the seven colleagues who had started the project early with Writer A, only one remained by their side. However, there wasn't much work to be done.
"Ah... With this, it will be quick once the main events and major NPCs are completed."
There was a lot 'already completed' by the National Road Management Corps.
"Hmm. Other parts have almost no flaws... No, really almost none. Who are the people who made this?"
"That cannot be disclosed."
"Ah. I see... I know a few writer friends. I wondered if it might be them..."
Starting from a more relaxed point than before, the
Meanwhile, one of the fellow DMs flooded their account with irrational equipment and items. They crossed the line as an administrator and roamed around as if they were the true protagonist of this world.
Why didn't they do this in previous cycles but did it now? It was hard to know the exact reason.
One person eliminated.
"Wow! Th-this is—!"
And then the next cycle. The 208th cycle.
Writer A's hands trembled as they received the blueprint of the
"This is truly amazing! Really, I've always had thoughts like this, but it's even better than what I imagined... How did the management corps do this?"
There were all sorts of temptations and traps. There were countless tests that ordinary people couldn't withstand and didn't need to withstand.
Despite all that, Writer A never abandoned the
"Author."
"This is really, wow, ah. Yes?"
"I want to entrust this project to you."
"Yes? Yes? Really? Wow, th-thank you so much! I only read two pages of this, but my hands were itching...!"
"...What?"
We had a drink together.
Writer A's eyes, drunk on makgeolli, stared at the ceiling without truly seeing it.[1] "It doesn't make sense. How could I have created this work with those guys..."
"Why doesn't it make sense?"
"Because it's so well-made. Damn. Ah, sorry for cursing..."
"It's okay. We're meant to drink here, after all. By the way, mysterious donations are secretly flowing into the other colleagues' accounts like annuities every cycle, so you don't have to worry about their circumstances. Thanks to the merits of their previous lives, they'll be able to live leisurely for hundreds of lifetimes."
"Thank you..."
After hearing the whole story, Writer A's expression was subtle. They seemed proud, intrigued, and somewhat competitive.
"Author, the reason I am sharing this information with you is that I have a special interest in the
"Uh... Interest, you say...?"
"I want people to develop a step further through the dream simulation called the
"Ah. You mean copying the anomalies from reality to raise people's overall level? That seems quite possible..."
"That's right. But that's not all."
I got to the main point—my true intention, brought out after four cycles. A regressor was, by nature, cautious about whom they reveal their true feelings to.
"As you know, the problems weighing down our reality aren't just the void and anomalies. There are also absurd ideologies like Awakeners' supremacy."
"Ah, true..."
"The reason people get swept up in such ideologies is that the reality divided into Awakeners and ordinary people feels too close. I want to take a step back from there, giving people a sense of distance to view the situation calmly and embrace others."
A question mark popped up above Writer A's head. It was an eloquent speech, but they didn't understand why it was being said to them now.
"Being able to observe one's life from a distance is not an easily acquired sense of detachment. But what if people could live their lives multiple times?"
"Uh, I'm not sure what you mean..."
"Please implant harsh ideological conflicts in the world of
Writer A's eyes widened.
"There are pure races and demi-races in the kingdom. Please escalate the conflicts between them. Make the racial and religious conflicts of our world seem trivial compared to the intense hatred and disgust spreading through the kingdom. Terror. Rebellion. Violence. Let all evils occur."
"Uh. Uhhh...?"
"And let people dreaming of reality feel it. Ah, compared to the kingdom, the conflicts between people in this reality are truly nothing."
Writer A closed their mouth. Intellect and imagination that couldn't be concealed by the intoxication sparked and flickered in their eyes.
"Uh... B-but, to people dreaming, it's just someone else's story, isn't it? Even if we hear about a lot of racial conflict in America, we never really feel it as our story."
"Yes. That's a valid point." I nodded. "So 'during the dream, they must not realize that it's a dream.'"
"...!"
"Until the previous cycles, the kingdom simulation operated like an online MMORPG. But from now on, it will be different. It will become a solo-play RPG, and the participants will completely 'forget' that they were different people in the original reality."
"Forgetting reality and truly becoming a member of your kingdom...?"
"That's right."
I snapped my fingers. Then, from under the table, the Tutorial Fairy peeked out.
"Eeek!"
Writer A was startled, but the fairy did no harm. It merely climbed onto my lap and sat like a quiet cat.
"This is my dream."
"..."
"From now on, we will advertise to people that using the
"One lifetime every night you sleep..."
"Yes. Naturally, it sounds incredibly enticing to people. And we will tell them."
While you are dreaming. In other words, while living in the
"But."
After waking up from the dream, you will be able to 'remember' the life you lived in the dream.
"...Ah."
"Every time they dream of the kingdom, people will become demi-race terrorists, a pure-race store owner who curses such demi-races every day, a slave wielding a pickaxe in the mines until death, or a noble lady who has never even heard of the existence of maniacs."
"..."
"And each time they wake from the dream, they will collect these lives they have lived one by one, becoming beings capable of thinking from the perspectives of terrorists, small merchants, slaves, and nobles. Surely, it will lead to a better world than now."
"..."
"Essentially, everyone, not just me, will become regressors. Author, this is my dream. I want to invest my dream in your dream."
Writer A slightly parted their lips. "My kingdom becoming something like that..."
"Whoa! The memories we provide aren't that clear!"
At that moment, the Tutorial Fairy bounced on my lap and said, "From a human's perspective, it will only maintain the clarity of recalling a past more than ten years old! Whoa, human memory is overly unstable!"
Writer A was silent for a long time, but their eyes said all the words their mouth would not.
"I will do it.," they said eventually. "No, please letme do it. If my work could become someone's dream, that would be the best outcome as a writer."
However, Writer A added, "...Listening to you, Undertaker, the name
"What title are you considering?"
"
There is a brief epilogue.
The stories related to the
You can already guess why Awakeners' abilities soared as they moved away from the initial cycles, and why I insisted on establishing the canned hotel in the 555th cycle to train writers.
Yes, half the reason for the hotel's establishment was to improve the writers' skills, which would later be used in the
(The other half was purely my desire to read interesting web novels.)
Separate from those stories, let us focus for another moment solely on Writer A, who was an ordinary person.
"I also want to live in my kingdom."
One day, Writer A said thus.
"Do you?"
"I mean, others are all living their lives in the kingdom every day, and yet I, the creator, am living in reality... It feels a bit unfair."
"Didn't you say last time, Author, that it would be risky if you, as a creator and administrator, lived in the kingdom and lost your objective perspective?"
"Ah, yes. So... Hmm." Writer A hesitated. "Can I pre-create my avatar just in case I die?"
"Yes?"
"I mean, I want to create an NPC that resembles my personality and way of thinking. So if I die... Could you tell the fairies to add that NPC to the kingdom settings... Oh! Of course, I don't mean reincarnating as an NPC with memories of reality. I just wanted to say I'd like to become a kingdom being with the same personality, but as a different entity."
That was a request I could fulfill anytime.
"I understand. But we are truly ensuring your safety, so you likely won't pass away."
"Ahaha... Still, If I do meet you in the next cycle, please tell me how I lived and died in the kingdom."
In my 1,000 cycles as a regressor, there were several instances where Writer A met a tragic end. At those times, I accessed the 'kingdom' and visited Writer A's avatar.
Surprisingly or unsurprisingly, the NPC with a personality identical to reality was also acting as a writer in the kingdom. I had a brief chat with them, but the NPC naturally knew nothing about 'reality.' The NPC was born in the kingdom and grew up thinking this was the only world—a typical resident of the kingdom.
Then, by chance, I obtained a paper book published by the NPC in the kingdom and read it. The novel contained this passage:
...That world had no such thing as magic like ours.
Ships made of steel sailed the sea, mysterious gears turned endlessly, people's lives were taken by metal fragments shot from rods, and the spires of cities were always shrouded in a smoky haze.
There were no races there. Considering we've repeated massacres and reprisals for thousands of years based on the number of legs, horns, or snakeskin someone has, that was the true magic of that world.
I want to share with you the story of having visited such a magical world...
I chuckled.
'Indeed. Perhaps my reality is also someone's simulation.'
Of course, that possibility was extremely low. To set up someone like me to live the same life 1,000 times in a row, how incredible a world must the creator have wanted to bring to life?
After reading the NPC's paper book at the bookstore, I looked at the genre classification of the bookshelf where it was placed. The paper book was categorized like this:
Footnotes:
[1] Makgeolli is a milky, off-white, and lightly sparkling Korean rice wine.
-x-X-x-
The Wicked One I
I've been going on about writers for quite a while now, but to be honest, all of that was just a prologue.
If the word "prologue" doesn't sit well with you, perhaps calling it something like dicing vegetables before diving into the main dish would fit better.
Since I've shown you an example of a 'great writer,' the contrasting example I'm about to present will stand out all the more.
It happened around the 600th cycle. Maybe the 700th.
It didn't matter which cycle you picked, actually. In every cycle, the SG Net novel serialization board was filled with notices like these:
[LiteraryGirl] This is Oh Dok-seo… (5 minutes ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Delay notice (1 day ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Notice on tardiness (3 days ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Hiatus announcement (4 days ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Change in serialization time (8 days ago)
And so on.
[LiteraryGirl] Serialization frequency irregular due to the author's health (1 year ago)
[LiteraryGirl] The author's statement on recent serialization (1 year ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Today's hiatus (1 year ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Transitioning to 3.25 chapters per week for the time being (2 years ago)
A total of 1,019 notices.
It was like the inbox of a primitive person who had never learned the concept of organizing emails, all marked as 'read.'
Out of curiosity, I clicked on the message that had arrived in my inbox just five minutes ago.
[LiteraryGirl] This is Oh Dok-seo…
Sir, I'm sorry, but I feel I should inform you that I won't be able to publish today's chapter on time. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I hope you still trust that I'm always doing my best, and that's why I'm writing this. Here's my excuse. There's not enough time lately.
"Hmmm…"
I propped my chin on my hand. Not because I found it particularly puzzling or surprising, but because I was impressed by how Oh Dok-seo mirrored the rhythm in the last line.
'Not bad,' I thought.
Indeed. Oh Dok-seo's delay notices were practically an art form.
Imagine if one side were late to a summit meeting between world leaders. Of course, it would be a serious 'mistake' and a 'breach of protocol.' But if the lateness happens a hundred times? It would be lauded as 'Putin's political strategy.' That's how the world works.
Oh Dok-seo's tardiness had reached that level of chronicity. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her a master of hiatuses. If the Constellations truly existed in this world, Oh Dok-seo would undoubtedly have earned the [Achievement Unlocked: Author Who Posted 1,000 Hiatus Notices] title by now.
I'm not sure what effect such an achievement would have. Probably something as insignificant as a bug.
Unfortunately, Constellations didn't truly exist in this world, and since Oh Dok-seo belonged to the Regressor Alliance, deceiving her with fake Constellations wasn't an option. Thus, I flexed my fingers and sent her a realistic reply.
[ZERO_SUGAR] Dok-seo.
I read your message. Don't worry too much. Writing never goes exactly the way you want it to. As someone who's seen many authors, I understand that well.
Why not take this cycle off entirely? The you in the next cycle will do better.
Wait.
To prevent any misunderstandings, let me clarify something.
I am not Noh Do-hwa, the Vulgar Craftsman. In other words, I wasn't born with a tongue that rotates 360 degrees, spewing twisted sarcasm with every word. If I say something in a conversation, take it at face value. There's no need to embark on a linguistic excavation to find hidden meanings.
But writers, by nature, are the kind of people who read between the lines, between paragraphs, even when there's nothing to read. They have this occupational disease that makes them proudly declare, "This is the hidden meaning of the work!"
And rather unfortunately, Oh Dok-seo was a writer.
"Sir! How could you say something so cruel to me?"
Bang!
Oh Dok-seo burst through the door of the café hideout. She swung her arms and legs at me wildly, like Nobita's windmill technique from Doraemon, which she had apparently mastered.
"Huh? You're saying this cycle is a bust! A bust! You're saying this cycle's me is hopeless! I don't care if you're a regressor with no blood, tears, or hair follicles! How could you say that?"
"Dok-seo, my hair follicles are just fine. They just got a bit shorter while searching for a Walther PPK."
"You're saying I'm not even a writer anymore? That this cycle's me isn't worth your expectations, so you're going to give up on me? Huh?"
"No, that's not what I meant at all—"
"I want to write. So. Badly!" Oh Dok-seo grabbed my collar and shouted, her head hanging low.
For some reason, that peculiar barrier of youthful drama surrounded her. Even Jeong Daeman from Slam Dunk would have acknowledged the sheer desperation in this scene.
"If only my hands were a little faster! You've already gone past the 800th cycle! I swore I'd write your story for you―me in the previous cycle, me in the cycle before that. Why? Whycan't I write better than this―?!"
Pause.
Let me explain the method behind our Prophet's creative process—in other words, how my biographical novel is made.
1. First, I tell her a story. Since both Dok-seo and I live in the Inunaki Tunnel, I can tell her stories whenever we're bored.
2. Based on my story, Oh Dok-seo writes. Let's call this draft the 'first version.'
3. Then, I hand the 'first version' over to the Oh Dok-seo of the next cycle. Thanks to my Complete Memory Ability, I can upload every letter of it.
4. Oh Dok-seo continues writing from where the 'first version' of the previous cycle left off.
5. Since writing alone is hard, she changes the names of the characters and proper nouns slightly, pretending it's a 'fictional story,' and serializes it on the SG Net novel board. By the way, the title of the serialized novel changes with each cycle, but in the 888th cycle, it was
In short, it's a relay novel. And in every cycle without fail, after reading the 'first version' of the previous cycle, Dok-seo always leaves the same comment.
'Why was I only able to write this much?'
And she was ignored every time.
'Wow, don't worry, don't worry. The previous cycles' Oh Dok-seos were trash who couldn't write, but I'm different this time around.'
Scorned.
'Let's get to work then… Writing might be a laborious task to those without talent, but to someone who has it, it's just a simple hobby like chewing Denver bubble gum.'
Confidence.
That's one set.
And before long, my inbox would be overflowing with messages like 'This is Oh Dok-seo…' One might call it the rare case of bubble gum ripping out human teeth.
Logic had it, then, that this chronic serialization disease was almost certainly the curse that the 'Admin of the Infinite Metagame' cast in the end.
Honestly, it's the only explanation that makes sense. Only 200 chapters or so had accumulated across hundreds of cycles. If that's not an anomaly, then what is?
"Dok-seo, I'm fine, really," I said as I took off my barista apron. It had become soaked with the Prophet's snot and tears. "No writer in this world wants to take a break from serializing. Every writer would love to charge forward with their story, pulling off six or ten chapters a day. But when they can't do that, they shrink back, and if they keep shrinking, their heart shrivels up too."
"..."
"Don't be too hard on yourself. I really am okay—"
"It doesn't matter whether you're okay or not! That's a secondary issue!"
What?
"I'm! Not! Okay!"
"..."
What was I supposed to do with that?
Fortunately or unfortunately, it didn't seem like Oh Dok-seo had sought me out for answers. She chewed her nails (I've told her to stop countless times, but she never listens) and muttered to herself, "This won't do. It can't end like this… I have to find a way… No matter what… By any means necessary… I have to speed up my writing…"
And looking like Light Yagami after being cornered by L, she stomped out of the room.
Everything went quiet, like calm after a storm.
Let me remind you, this was in the 1,300-meter deep section of the café hideout. There weren't many of them, but we definitely had a few customers present, and among them was Ha-yul.
As a witness to the youthful drama, Lee Ha-yul said the obvious line.
"Oppa, aren't you going to follow her?"
"It's fine. She might wander a bit, but she'll pull herself together soon enough. Instead of chasing after her and worrying over every little thing, I'd rather believe in her and wait."
"You're just too lazy, right?"
This is why I don't like sharp kids.
So, it had been the usual routine for Oh Dok-seo to write a few chapters, then toss the first version over with a message saying, "Sorry! Next cycle's me, do something with this…!"
But surprisingly, in the 888th cycle, a new route emerged, one even I hadn't anticipated.
[LiteraryGirl]
It was nothing short of a miracle.
To help you understand the gravity of this miracle, let me explain further: Oh Dok-seo originally serialized three days a week. But now, her rate had increased to daily serialization.
Have you ever seen such a thing?
You haven't. And you probably never will. Once an author's serialization frequency decreases, it's like the balance of a bad credit holder's account—it never increases again.
Yet Oh Dok-seo did it.
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 273 (1 day ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 272 (2 days ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 271 (3 days ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 270 (4 days ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 269 (5 days ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 268 (6 days ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 267 (7 days ago)
Not even a minute late—perfectly on time.
And there was something even more chilling.
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 276 (5 minutes ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 275 (5 minutes ago)
[LiteraryGirl] Regressor's Epilogue Chapter 274 (5 minutes ago)
At least once a week, she'd drop three chapters in a row! Sometimes, she'd even go as far as releasing ten chapters at once.
Naturally, the SG Net novel board was buzzing. Readers, who used to eagerly await the delay notices so they could mock them, were now busy commenting.
- Anonymous: Hey, what's going on lately? Why isn't LiteraryGirl late anymore??
- Anonymous: She even does batch releases now; she's gone mad;;
- Anonymous: She awakened lmao
- Anonymous: Oh Dok-seo<< tbh if you also think they're outshining OldManGoryeo, big thumbs up lolol
└OldManGoryeo: Big thumbs up lololol
└Anonymous: ?
The readers of SG Net entered an unexpected LiteraryGirl worship week.
But not everyone joined the worship.
-[Baekhwa] SixthGrader: Guys, guys; don't you think LiteraryGirl's writing has gotten a little weird lately? >_<);;
Every now and then, you'd see comments like this.
- [Baekhwa] SixthGrader: If her writing used to be punchy and edgy >_<);; lately, it feels like LiteraryGirl's writing has lost its unique flavor… it's like it's become flat as Earth >_<)!!
└Anonymous: Flat-earther caught
└OldManGoryeo: Typical Joseon Hell Guild standard lolol[1]
└Anonymous: You too? I've gotten that same feeling, like LiteraryGirl's writing has gotten really shallow lately.
└Anonymous: For real, it was so good when the chapters released whenever, but now I'm thinking of dropping it.
└Anonymous: The writing's kinda weirdㅇㅇ;;
I tilted my head in confusion.
'But Dok-seo's writing isn't bad?'
Lately, I had been holding off on reading Dok-seo's novel. I didn't want to stress her out by making it obvious that I was keeping up with it.
'Did she sacrifice the quality of the writing in exchange for a regular serialization schedule?'
If so, unlike the readers on SG Net, I actually thought it was a good thing. Oh Dok-seo was a little too obsessed with the quality of her writing. It would be better for her mental health to let go a bit and focus on the daily task of writing, instead of fixating on perfection.
'She's probably stressing over the negative comments again, so I should bring her some coffee to show my support.'
And so it was that, in addition to being a café barista, I volunteered as a delivery person.
I carried a coffee tray on one hand, loaded with an espresso for Oh Dok-seo's tired brain and a café mocha for her youthful taste buds, as I walked toward her room. Just then, I noticed that she had left her door slightly ajar and was typing away on her laptop.
'She's working so hard on her serialization!'
Moved by a sense of admiration, I was about to knock on her door, but then I froze.
Through the crack in the door.
My vision, enhanced by my aura, caught sight of Oh Dok-seo's laptop screen at just the right angle.
>> Please enter a prompt…
※GPT-MSYH can make mistakes. Double check important info.
A question mark popped up in my mind.
Before my brain could answer that question, Oh Dok-seo's fingers danced across the laptop keyboard in a rapid-fire tatatatak. With the grace of a pianist, her fingers typed the following words into the blinking prompt on the screen:
>> Protagonist: The Undertaker, Regressor, 300th Cycle, Starts at Busan Station, Strange Story
Oh Dok-seo clicked enter. Moments later, the laptop screen began to spew out sentences.
The Undertaker let out his 300th strange sigh as he donned the black suit he bought at Busan Station.
The 300th strange story of the regressor, The Undertaker, at Busan Station was about to begin.
"Phew." Oh Dok-seo wiped her forehead. "Worked hard today! Serialization done!"
"..."
Uh.
Dok-seo…?
Footnotes:
[1] Derived from "Hell Joseon" (헬조선), a slang term used by some South Koreans to criticize their own country, implying that living in South Korea is like living in hell due to various social, economic, or political pressures. Joseon refers to the Joseon Dynasty, a historical period in Korea, often used in a modern context to refer to Korea in general.