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Eunho didn’t immediately respond to the remark about his “son-in-law.”
No matter how wise Eunho is, there is no way he would’ve known that the watchman of the bridle of reincarnation is related to the Tiger Clan.
Eunho’s expression did not break, but he remained silent for a while.
“It would be hard to call him that.”
“Why? Why? There are three children between that child and the watchman!”
“I don’t deserve to be called a father, so the watchman can’t be my son-in-law.”
“That child understood your choice, Eunho! No wonder that kid’s name is…”
Ok Toyeon couldn’t finish her words.
Eunho was smiling as he looked at Ok Toyeon, but somehow she found it difficult to continue speaking.
Eunho got up from his seat.
“I have more questions to ask, but I’ll ask them through device messages.”
“You can ask them now, Eunho!”
Eunho shook his head.
“The sun has set. It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m sure the descendants are waiting in the main house. I heard you prepared a lot for the party.”
“Then wouldn’t it be better if those children see their blood relative, Eunho?”
“I want to spend Christmas with you, Eunho!”
At the mention of the descendants in the main house, Jeokho and Ok Toyeon agreed.
However, Eunho pushed them out stubbornly.
“How shameless would I be if I spent Christmas with those children after failing to be a father? Well, Baekho hyungnim and Euishin hyung are outside in the cold wind.”
Jeokho was disappointed but kept his mouth shut.
On the other hand, Ok Toyeon continued to whine as Ok Toyoon soothed her.
“Let’s go now, Toyeon-ah. You’ll be kicked out of the mansion if you keep acting like this. We should go see the kids.”
“But Toyeon unnie! Eunho is…”
It was only after long minutes of soothing did Ok Toyeon rose from her seat in tears.
Eun Seoho, Eun Iho, and Eun Jaeho have sent messages asking when the tigers were coming, making it harder to delay time.
The kids talked more and more to the alter ego that Hwangho left with them in the main house.
Eventually, all of them left the annex, leaving the young alter ego of Hwangho and Eunho.
Only after the surroundings became quiet did Hwangho take off his finger that was pressing on his temple.
“Don’t you have more questions for that damned moon rabbit?”
“I found out where Euishin hyung is going and who he’s going to meet through the conversation with Toyeon-nim. I’ve got enough clues.”
Hwangho’s statement was referring to the watchman, but Eunho deliberately left it off.
Eunho continued.
“Euishin hyung won’t move until midnight because he consumed a lot of energy waves. We have time to think before that.”
“Time.”
Hwangho’s expression turned dark at the mention of time.
“That damned moon rabbit once said that time in the world of death is slower than this world.”
“Then Euishin hyung is now…”
Hwangho looked out the darkened window.
Outside, the sun was setting and the winter wind was blowing in full swing.
The underworld where Jo Euishin went will be colder and darker than the winter night in the mortal world.
“I don’t know how long Jo Euishin will experience time there.”
***
Days, weeks, months have passed.
My sense of time was getting distorted as I lived alone in the underworld.
Thanks to Ereshkigal’s order, there were no residents, dead souls, or the gatekeeper who passed near me.
I think they were designated a place other than the door where I was waiting.
‘It’s dark.’
Compared to the darkness that covered the underworld, the light emitted by my device was extremely faint.
Maybe it was because of the surroundings, but it felt cold even with the straw mat given to me by Ereshkigal.
Nevertheless, it was not yet time.
‘My light skill hasn’t been reset yet. It’s not past midnight.’
Fortunately, my circadian rhythm still follows the mortal world, and I don’t feel hungry or thirsty.
I didn’t have to worry about starvation, but it was mentally exhausting to be in solitary for this long period of time.
There was one more factor that made me tired.
Sleep.
‘I’m sleepy because I’m tired, but I can stand it. I don’t get hungry even if I don’t eat. I’ll manage without sleep.’
At first, I was actually planning on sleeping.
I didn’t think there would be anything dangerous, but I closed my eyes in a sitting position with a detection item just in case.
But when I was falling asleep, the straw mat strangely felt heavy on me.
I tried to throw it off in my sleep, but I came to my senses and wore it again.
The straw mat that provided me comfort in my wake strangely felt uncomfortable when I tried to fall asleep.
‘Did I have this sleeping habit? If I fall asleep, I might break Ereshkigal’s words. I can’t do that.’
I usually wake up to a neat bed when I sleep, so I didn’t think I had any sleeping habits.
That might be a false assumption.
While awake, I tried to read the setting book through the “game library” function which I almost memorized.
But that didn’t last long either.
‘My head hurts. I can’t read. My mind’s been spent.’
It wasn’t just mentality.
My device was low on battery, my energy waves depleted.
There was nothing to do.
Still, I can’t sleep.
All I could do was think nonstop.
The first thing I thought about was the variables to be put forward.
Considering those, I made plans in my head and repeatedly reproduced them.
But that didn’t last long either.
Naturally, my thoughts turned toward those people left in the ground.
‘I wonder if my Christmas presents arrived well. I specifically included a message in my gift for Olmu.’
Our Olmu is smart, but I foolishly forgot that he doesn’t have a device.
I had to prepare a separate message for Olmu while making the reservation for his gift.
A voice-recorded message will come out when the Santa doll is pressed, and I hope it will be conveyed well.
Following Olmu, I thought of the tigers, my classmates, the people from school, and my playable characters.
Thinking about them made me feel warmer.
Time has gone so slowly.
‘My light skill has been reset, finally!’
I could tell without anyone telling me.
My light skill is available again, the same goes for the Fate of the Unknown.
Creaaaak!
The door to the underworld, which had been tightly closed, slowly opened.
A hazy light poured through the open door.
Ereshkigal was there again, completely covered in a straw mat.
Less than a day would’ve passed in the land of the living, but it seemed too long since I last saw her.
It was hard to see her, and Ereshkigal is a superior being I’ve only seen once, but I felt happy to see someone.
As I greeted her, she seemed to be looking at me.
[You kept my word and covered yourself with the straw mat. I don’t think you slept at all. I am proud.]
Can she tell that I didn’t sleep?
Perhaps my voice cracked since I hadn’t talked for so long.
Ereshkigal looked very satisfied.
Fwaaa…
Ereshkigal floated two items toward me with her energy waves.
One was nicely wrapped, while the other seemed like an ordinary water bottle.
Though, coming from a superior being, those items can’t be ordinary.
[Since I’m so proud, I can’t help but give you more gifts.]
“Thank you.”
I accepted it for now, but I don’t know what the items were.
I should open it later or check it from the card explanation.
‘Doesn’t the underworld take away the possessions of visitors? Why did I get a lot of stuff?’
Ereshkigal was speaking in a softer tone than when I first saw her.
Was she so happy that I kept my word?
Either way, it’s a good thing that I didn’t sleep.
[Can you walk? If you can’t, I will call a shepherd and a sheep that will carry you.]
“I can walk. Thank you for your kindness.”
My light skill is reset, and my energy waves and physical strength have managed to recover.
I declined because I had no trouble walking.
But wait, there are sheep in the underworld?
Perhaps the shepherd refers to Ishtar’s husband, Dumuzi.
Dumuzi passed through the seven gates and spent time in the underworld in place of Ishtar.
It is winter now, and winter is when Dumuzi is in the underworld.
[Then follow along.]
Ereshkigal exited the door and began to walk forward.
I walked after her.
Even though her steps weren’t very fast, I felt the scenery change rapidly as we walked.
It was just dark when I stared in this direction while I was waiting, and it was unimaginable that it connected to another place like this.
After we’ve walked for quite a while, Ereshkigal stopped.
A bright light came into view.
At first glance, it seemed like Ereshkigal’s underworld was connected to another place.
[We’re already here. I feel very good talking to a nice and polite child after a long time. I will give you some advice before we part ways.]
Ereshkigal, who kindly showed me the way, said a word before bidding goodbye.
[Remember, you are a living human being. Don’t stop breathing.]
That seemed obvious, but why did she feel the need to remind me?
I couldn’t figure out why, but her voice was serious so I decided to take her advice to heart.
[Go on. Walk and don’t look back. You should not look back until you encounter the watchman who protects the bridle of reincarnation. You can take off the straw mat when you do.]
I didn’t mean to look back, but hearing that made my head tickle.
I thanked Ereshkigal for showing me the way and walked to the light.
The surroundings changed faster than when I was walking with Ereshkigal.
I felt the bright and cluttered air.
I only took ten steps, but the traces of the underworld disappeared in an instant.
“Hi?”
Someone spoke up close.
I had no idea who was around me while walking, and I don’t know when I was approached like this.
My senses must’ve slowed down while I was in Ereshkigal’s underworld.
Judging from the circumstances, it must be the watchman who’s in front of me.
But I couldn’t conclude right away.
‘He’s the watchman? But he looks too young.’
The person with a clear face in front didn’t look much older than me.
We are of similar height, and he looked like a high school student at best.
I’m no stranger to people looking young for their age, but anyway, the impact of the visual information was considerable as I felt a sense of disparity.
However, the words that followed it cemented that feeling.
“So you’re the benefactor who saved my children. I’ve been waiting. It’s good to see you.”
There was no doubt.
The person before my eyes, the watchman who guarded the bridle of reincarnation, was the husband of the Silver Hero.
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