Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Conflict [1]
Many days had passed since the 26th floor closed.
But even so, Hans still couldn’t get over that past.
All he did recently was lock himself in his room, let the darkness envelop him, and think about everything.
Sitting with his legs curled up, the protagonist muttered:
"How sad... How disappointing..."
Just imagining the scene of the people Hans had helped, the people who had sincerely thanked him, being killed before they had a chance to enjoy life always made his chest ache.
And then, thinking about how Kael had always kept everything from Hans really made him feel like he had no motivation to do anything anymore.
Right now, the protagonist was really just an empty shell.
"...Should I do something?"
He shook his head.
"No... Just sit here until I die."
At that moment, from outside, gentle knocks suddenly sounded.
Knock, knock, knock.
Slowly, Hans looked towards the door.
"...Who is it?"
"It’s Mom."
"Is there something wrong? If not, don’t bother me, I’m not in the mood."
Even though he was feeling really bad, the protagonist still forced himself to speak as calmly as possible to his family.
Hans didn’t want his mother and sister to worry about him.
"There’s a friend who wants to see you."
"...Friend?"
He raised his eyebrows.
Ever since his regression, the number of people he considered friends could only be counted on one hand.
"Could it be..."
A thought flashed through Hans’s mind.
"Kael?"
"That’s right. He wants to see you."
The protagonist paused, his lips slightly pursed.
Honestly, up until now, Hans still didn’t know how to face his best friend.
However, the protagonist knew that avoidance was not the best option.
It never was.
He should face everything as soon as possible.
"Mom, tell him to come in."
Click.
The door opened, and from outside, Kael, carrying light, walked in.
He really looked like a savior.
Just like the day the two of them first met.
***
"Excuse me."
Kael walked in, but instead of opening his mouth, he chose to slowly glance around, glancing at the place where Hans lived.
This was his first time coming to this place.
Kael had thought that with the protagonist’s personality, this room would be very lively.
Nevertheless, perhaps he was wrong.
Everything was shrouded in darkness.
The atmosphere was stifling and heavy.
Hans, who was sitting in the corner of the room, had an expression that couldn’t be gloomier.
"..."
This was not the image that the protagonist of Tower of Glory should have.
Kael had always understood that the moment he traveled to this place and affected the plot, everything, and even the characters, would change completely.
But, even in his dreams, he could never have imagined that Hans would be the one witnessing the biggest change.
"...What are you here for?"
Hans asked.
"I want to talk to you."
"About what?"
The protagonist’s voice was filled with sarcasm.
"Do you ever trust me? You always hide things from me. Sometimes, I really doubt whether we’re friends."
"..."
"Hey, tell me Kael, have you ever considered me a friend?"
Hans’s smile was unsightly.
"I consider you a friend, Hans. A close friend."
"Then why?!"
The protagonist roared, as if to release all the resentment that had accumulated from the beginning until now.
"Why do you always leave me out of everything, Kael? Why do you always have to hide things from me? Do you not trust me that much? Am I really that untrustworthy?"
"..."
"Answer me, Kael! Why did you do that!?"
The protagonist was exploding with anger.
That was what Kael had predicted the moment he accepted Erza’s plan.
Now, most of Hans’s trust in him was gone.
But, fortunately, he had the perfect solution.
Currently, the protagonist needed something to guarantee.
And nothing was more suitable for that role than Kael’s biggest secret.
’...I was thinking of hiding it for the rest of my life. But it seems that’s impossible.’
Sure enough, every lie would eventually be revealed.
Taking a deep breath, waiting for Hans’ interrogation to end, he slowly opened his mouth:
"...I don’t belong to this world, Hans."
"Huh?"
The protagonist paused, forgetting most of his anger from earlier.
"I... am a transmigrator. And this world, this Tower, you, everyone else, and everything, are just a part of a game. And I am the first one to complete that game."
***
To be honest, Hans had a premonition.
From the moment he was revived, and the moment he received that phone call from the hospital.
After all, the protagonist was a smart person.
He was brought back to life once again thanks to an Ability from the Tower.
And that meant Hans would be sent back in time.
But, in the past, the protagonist never received that phone call from the hospital.
To be honest, he had once thought that he was in a parallel world, and that the Ability he received from the Tower was faulty.
However, Hans quickly refuted that idea.
There was no way the Tower could have made such a big mistake.
If that was the case, then who was Kael?
Was he also someone who had been given another chance like the protagonist?
Hans had thought about Kael’s true identity many times, but, he could never expect that Kael was a transmigrator.
"Are you kidding? You mean all of this is just a damn game?!"
Kael silently nodded.
"And all the hardships I went through, all that happened to me was just part of the plot for your entertainment?!"
"..."
"Then what about my fate?! Was it all preordained from the beginning?! Then what difference do I make from a slave!?"
Hans laughed bitterly.
"...Say, Kael, this is a joke, right? You’re joking, right?!"
The protagonist tried to cling to his last hope.
"No, I’m not joking."
But, that hope was also gone.
"This is your second life, Hans, so you, more than anyone else, should understand that me, Kael Draven, shouldn’t exist, right?"
Yes.
Kael was right.
Moreover, no one could achieve MVP that many times, unless they had information about the future.
"...So from the beginning, we were just pawns?"
"You’re not a pawn, Hans. You’re my friend. Didn’t I say that before?"
The protagonist slowly glanced at Kael, his eyes no longer looking like he was looking at a friend.
"Friend? Or rather, something you can use?"
"..."
"See? You can’t even give me an answer."
"I..."
"Get lost."
Hans interrupted.
"Get lost right now!"
"..."
Kael understood that no matter what he said now, it would all be useless.
So, he decided to leave, leaving everything else to fate.
Kael had said what he should have said.
And now, time would give him a satisfactory answer.