Novelist Running Through Time
Chapter 38

TL: KSD

「Imperial Calendar, year 1415.

Seirennoia Plains.

A mountain of corpses, a sea of blood.

Bodies piled up like mountains, blood forming seas.

Atop the hill, shrouded in the sound of crows, sat a man, his sword plunged into the ground. It was a demon sword, swirling with an eerie aura.

Even the sky seemed to wail sorrowfully, the sunset as red as blood, and the man, whose eyes mirrored the crimson sun, looked up at the sky with a somber face.

From beneath him, someone let out their last breath. He squeezed out a voice mixed with the sound of grinding metal.

“Demon sword…!”

A nameless soldier with bloodshot eyes was looking up at the man. The man looked down at the nameless soldier with an emotionless gaze.

Originally, the nameless soldier was just one of the many who were effortlessly swept away by the man, not even daring to meet his eyes while alive.

But life and death are equal to all. Only at the moment of death did the nameless soldier manage to boldly speak to the man holding the demon sword.

With the last of his life’s energy, the nameless soldier sneered at the man with all his might.

“Someday you too, will receive the retribution for the murders you’ve committed…”

“…”

“You will gnaw on dirt at your father’s grave, and you will be powerless even in the face of the death of your loved one, you, the dark elf wielding the demon sword. Remember this well. The curse of those you’ve killed will eventually lead to your destruction…”

To this, the man holding the demon sword replied.

“It has already happened.”

But no response came back. The eyes of the nameless soldier had already become as murky as a corpse’s.

“…”

The man with the demon sword gazed into the eyes of the soldier who had already died.

He had seen such eyes before.

It was around the time when all this had begun.

A long,

Very long time ago.

It was a story that began in the northern snowfields…」

EP 3-Magic Sword~nim, please control me!

“This isn’t a web novel aaaaaah-!”

Min Hyo-chan was engulfed in madness, as if he had seen something that shouldn’t exist.

“This can’t be! Web novels can’t be like this aaaaaah-!”

Web novels.

A form of novel that started to become popular after the 2010s, serialized on websites and read via smartphones or computers.

They have their genre roots in the new martial arts novels that started to bloom in Korea, inheriting from the wuxia of the 20th-century Chinese novels, and the Japanese light novels that were popularized in Korea through the opening up to Japanese mass culture at the end of the 20th century.

However, if we consider it from the business model perspective, the direct ancestor of web novels is the book rental shop market, an offline business that rents out simple comics and novels for light reading.

Thus, both in terms of genre and business model,

Web novels are a form of literature aimed at casual consumption-

In other words, ‘snack culture’.

“So!”

At the end of his lengthy proclamation, Min Hyo-chan declared firmly.

“This isn’t a web novel!”

“Hmm…”

This wasn’t his first attempt at writing a web novel.

A web novel he had written ‘back in the day’ still lingered in his mind.

He had casually shown it to the club members, but he hadn’t expected to face such fierce criticism.

Not only Min Hyo-chan but Kim Byul and Gu Yu-na also expressed their reservations.

“This is a bit… suffocating right from the start?”

“It’s a cut from the year 1415 of the imperial calendar”

Writers are not usually of the amiable sort, and I am no exception.

Being criticized like this right from the beginning of the novel, I was starting to get irritated.

“And how well do you guys think you know web novels to say that?”

Gu Yu-na and Kim Byul subtly avoided my sharp gaze.

Even if I knew that Gu Yu-na is secretly writing Japanese otaku manga fanfics behind her dad’s back at this time.

But what about Kim Byul?

“Kim sunbae, do you read web novels?”

“What?!”

Kim Byul flinched, her shoulders shaking.

Caught red-handed.

“Do you read them? Or not?”

“Well, a bit…?”

“What do you read?”

“Why would you ask something like that?!”

“5-, 4-, 3-, 2-”

Eventually, Kim Byul shouted, her face turning red.

“Actor stuff novels! I sometimes read novels about becoming successful actors for vicarious satisfaction! Happy now?!”

“Such tastes…”

Although nobody had said anything, Kim Byul defended herself as if a thief who gets cold feet.

“I haven’t read that much! It was just to kill time in the car while moving between shooting locations! There’s no way I, Kim Byul, would use web novels as an escape from reality! I’m Kim Byul! An active actress! My life is more splendid than any web novel, so why would I…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

As everyone silently looked at her, Kim Byul’s face became empty, as if she had lost something precious inside her heart.

Then, she quietly hugged Gu Yu-na like a comfort doll and slumped down on the sofa. Oh dear. She seemed completely devastated.

That’s when Min Hyo-chan stepped in. As if to demonstrate his point, he came out from the corner, performing a strange tap dance into the center of the clubroom, confidently stepping forward. Tap, tap!

“The web novel expert, has arrived.”

“Min… Min……”

“Min Hyo-chan.”

“Do you know a lot about web novels, Min Hyo-chan sunbae?”

“Of course!”

Min Hyo-chan began a lengthy introduction. Basically, he said he had been a web novel fanatic since he was young.

“If you don’t know much about web novels, I can help! In return, just appear on Rapid Boys’ YouTube once, please!”

“Are you saying… you’ll help me with my novel?”

“Yes! Just collaborate with us once!”

Then, the pure literary scholar sleeping inside me shouted.

-Dare! How dare some idol main rapper, whose name I can barely remember, try to teach ‘literature’ to me!

However, Moon In-seop from New Light Spring Orphanage stepped forward to retort.

-Be quiet. You’re just trash. The honor and benefits you’re enjoying now are all because you traveled back in time. Do you think this is all because you’re great?

The inner pure literary scholar fell dramatically. He had collapsed before when money was tight, apparently a weakling. Maybe it’s because he wasn’t eating well.

After a brief internal struggle, I declared.

“Alright! I’ll accept all advice. Given the situation, I’d rather try something new than be trapped in the past. I need everyone’s help from our pop culture… whatever club this is.”

Gu Yu-na tilted her head.

“Are you suggesting we publish a doujinshi?”

Min Hyo-chan flinched.

“Doujinshi…!”

I clicked my tongue and explained.

“Not the adult stuff. I mean a literary doujinshi. A book made together by several people.”

“I, I didn’t think anything weird…”

Kim Byul gave Min Hyo-chan a disgusted look before speaking.

“Now that I think about it, I am the club president, and I was called by the club advisor the other day. There’s a club presentation in a month, and even though our club isn’t much, we still need to produce something, they said? I should have told you earlier but I forgot.”

“This works out well then, Kim sunbae. Let’s publish a magazine under the club’s name. We’ll have four co-authors…”

“Is that really okay? You’re a star author.”

“The quality of the writing is more important than the name. This opportunity will be a good experience, to learn and gain more experience, which will be beneficial for us.”

Kim Byul seemed pleased with my professionalism and nodded with a satisfied smile.

“Okay…! Let’s do that!”

As things progressed, Min Hyo-chan, as if he had been waiting for this moment, rushed in with his pink hair fluttering and started to write.

“Academy! Academy! Academy!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Start with a school story! Don’t start with the year 1415 and all that nonsense!”

“That’s a bit harsh. The year 1415 was the time of the Battle of Agincourt, a period where the Middle Ages and the Renaissance intersected, a battle symbolizing the end of chivalry. It’s a necessary device to metaphorically represent the disappearance of old values in the story…”

“Shut up!”

“Uh…”

Gu Yu-na, pretending to be uninterested, sneakily approached and adjusted the structure of the writing.

“Starting with a framed narrative makes it too loose. Web novels, especially fantasy ones, should be an epic about one character, progressing step by step from their childhood. Don’t you know that?”

“So, you think the rest is okay?”

“Yeah…”

Kim Byul also joined in the conversation, adding her insights. She was an expert in understanding the general tastes of the masses – a true scholar of common sense.

“A story where an ostracized protagonist encounters a special opportunity and succeeds. It never fails. How about setting the demon sword as a stroke of luck that comes to the protagonist?”

“But… The original theme of this novel ‘The Demon Sword’ is about the protagonist’s internal conflict as he gradually loses control over his life…”

“Write a drama like that, and you’ll starve to death.”

Once the conversation started, the advice kept flowing.

After all, middle schoolers tend to be fascinated by such extraordinary experiences.

“The title is also strange. The Demon Sword? Is that a web novel title? Change it to a sentence form. Just change it! Don’t ask why!”

“Make it so that the demon sword can speak. That way, you can explain the setting through dialogue, not just narration.”

“Starting with a school story is too cliché. Include school violence. It’s a safe start. Since it’s obvious that they’ll get their comeuppance later, it actually builds anticipation…”

* * *

Josef, a failing student at Carusvein Academy, had another name.

“You kkamdungi!” (TL Note: The word used here when translated means ‘Ni**er’ which is offensive for some so after some feedback from readers I have decided to use romanized version of the korean word 깜둥이. Or if you want to you can think of it as ‘Blackie’ or ‘Darkie’)

“Eek!”

Josef’s mother was a Dark Elf slave, and he inherited his mother’s ebony skin.

That black skin had been the cause of bullying for Joseph ever since he entered Carusvein Academy at the age of five.

For a full 10 years.

“Haha! How pathetic.”

“Get up! This is sparring! You’re knocked out by just that? You kkamdungi!”

Every time he was subjected to a group beating disguised as sparring, the most resentful thing for him was his fate.

If only he had inherited the white skin of his father, Count Ferdinand, none of this would have happened…

If it weren’t for my dark skin, I could have been friends with everyone.

Of course, he knew it was an absurd thought.

“Calen, is this kkamdungi pretending to be dead?”

“Hey, did you die from a wooden sword hit?”

“I’ll get up! Please, don’t hit me.”

Curling up like a bug, Josef looked around cautiously and stood up as Calen and Sergil watched.

Carusvein Academy, which gathers young talents to educate them until adulthood, had been the place where Calen and Sergil bullied Josef for 10 years.

Ten years is enough time for a person to change. Especially the ten years of childhood, which form a person’s character, determine everything about them.

Now, Josef had become a puppet, unable to refuse any demand from Calen and Sergil.

“Hey, Josef.”

“Ee, eek!”

“Why are you trembling so much? We’re friends, aren’t we?”

As soon as Calen’s hand landed on his shoulder, Josef trembled and crouched down.

Fortunately, Calen’s hand only hit the back of Josef’s head before quickly retreating.

“Scaredy-cat. Anyone would think we’re bullying you. It’s because you look like that you have no friends. You know?”

“I, I’m sorry.”

“If it weren’t for us, who else would spar with you? This is all to improve your skills.”

“…”

As Josef bit his lip without responding, Calen and Sergil’s laughter turned malicious.

“Not grateful, huh? We even spared you a special sparring session.”

“Hey, not going to answer?”

“Th, thank you!”

“Right.”

Calen and Sergil casually threw their wooden swords at Josef, who they were using, and left the sparring area.

Josef put away the wooden swords and protective gear in the storage room and then ran frantically to the classroom where his class was held, his white hair fluttering.

He was just about to be late. Calen and Sergil had timed their bullying so that Josef would just make it.

Students who saw Josef running through the corridors covered in dust whispered disapprovingly.

“How undignified.”

“I’ve never seen that Dark Elf keep clean.”

“Senior, who is that person running in the corridor?”

“Oh, him? He’s the failing student known as ‘kkamdungi’ in the Knight Department. No need to treat him as a senior, just avoid him.”

From the sparring area to the main building 1 and 2, and even to the central magic tower stairs.

The students who saw the half-Dark Elf running pell-mell sent him looks of ridicule, pity, or contempt.

Josef, who had been bullied for a full 10 years, was a well-known figure to everyone, albeit not in a good way.

Naturally, the professors were aware of this situation too, but in a school where three to four students died every year due to dueling or magical experiments, bullying wasn’t considered a major issue.

After all, wasn’t Carusvein Academy originally founded as a military academy during the times of the great war? The weak were simply weeded out.

Therefore, all Josef got when he arrived late to class was the professor’s cold glare.

“You’re late. That’s a deduction of points.”

And the quiet snickers of classmates he had known for 10 years since he was 5.

“…Tsk.”

Among them, what pained him the most was seeing Princess Aendeliven of the Elf Kingdom, whom he once played with like childhood friends, quietly clicking her tongue at him.

Princess Aendeliven of the Elf Kingdom, with her noble lineage and corresponding talents, was the one who prevented Josef from being called ‘Elf ears’.

Insulting a talent earmarked by the Emperor as the Crown Prince’s future wife could jeopardize not only one’s standing at Carusvein Academy but also one’s very life.

In the midst of his classmates’ sneers, the look in Aendeliven’s eyes as she observed Josef contained a raw emotion, as if looking at a stone once mistaken for a jewel.

Josef, staring blankly at her, remembered Princess Aendeliven’s cheerful voice when they first met at age 5.

“Hello? Are you an Elf too? I’m an Elf! Nice to meet you!”

* * *

That night.

With moonlight seeping through the window and the sound of crickets filling the serene night air, Josef lay in his dormitory bed, reminiscing about the past. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ N0ᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

When he first entered the academy, although he was ostracized for his black skin, his relationships with the other children weren’t as twisted as they were now.

“Hey! Kkamdungi! Hurry up!”

“If you’re late, we’re leaving without you!”

His classmates always mocked Josef for lagging behind, but they waited for him to catch up, and even Calen and Sergil, though mischievous, were considered friends.

And then there was Aendeliven.

A political hostage from the Elf Kingdom and the future Crown Princess.

Such political importance and the honor of her lineage had no effect on the friendships between the children.

Feeling lonely in an empire filled with humans, Aendeliven had welcomed Josef, a half-Dark Elf, as a fellow elf as soon as she saw his long ears.

Holding the soft hand of Aendeliven and running around the academy grounds was one of Josef’s most cherished memories, shining brightly in his soul.

However, as time passed, Josef fell further behind, became isolated, and was bullied.

Precious memories faded, and layers of dark pain accumulated in his heart.

The agony turned into sorrow and flowed from his eyes.

“…Sob.”

Every day was like hell.

Tears flowed, but making any noise might wake up Calen and Sergil in the next bed, bringing even greater pain.

What a miserable situation he was in.

He wanted to go home. However, his mother’s last instructions before managing to enroll him in the academy kept him there.

“Remember, Josef. The safest place for you is Carusvein Academy. Never come back to the Count’s territory, even during vacations.”

“Why is that, Mother?”

“Because your many half-brothers and sisters are just waiting for a chance to kill a child of a concubine.”

He endured each day like hell just to survive.

That was all there was to it.

* * *

On days with practical training, Josef would wake up early to prepare Calen and Sergil’s gear.

Treated worse than a servant by Calen and Sergil, Josef would hurriedly finish his preparations and follow them.

“Are you ready, gentlemen?”

“Yes!”

Fortunately, he wasn’t late today.

One-legged Sir Valdemin was a war hero, a sword master, and the head of the Knight Department at Carusvein Academy.

Sir Valdemin stood before the students, his voice booming as he commanded the training.

“It’s a mock battle! Split into teams and enter the forest! The more flags you capture from other teams, the more points you get, and you can also score by hunting monsters released in the forest!”

“Yes!”

“The forest is enchanted to jumble you up, so never stray from your teammates!”

“Yes!”

Whenever there was a team-splitting exercise, Calen and Sergil would approach Josef kindly.

“Josef? We’re in the same dorm, so you’ll be with us, right?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Of course, as soon as they entered the forest, Calen and Sergil kicked Josef in the behind, sending him tumbling forward.

“Oops, my mistake!”

“Hyek!”

“Ha! He says ‘Hyek,’ that kkamdungi.”

“This is all to make you stronger!”

With Calen, Sergil, and their friends’ laughter echoing, the world turned upside down for Josef.

Tumbling down a sloped hill and crashing into a tree, Josef realized he had somehow ended up isolated in some part of the forest.

“Huff, huff.”

Shivering, he barely managed to walk when he heard murmurs from beyond a tree. Josef’s elongated ears perked up.

‘What happened to the kkamdungi now?’

‘Who knows? Probably got eaten by a monster.’

‘Guys, but what if he actually dies?’

‘Let him die. My dad was killed by a Dark Elf in the Great War. Why is a kkamdungi even attending the academy in the Empire?’

“Ah, that’s because his mom was a spoil of war-”

Upon catching the gist of the conversation, Josef didn’t join them but ran away without looking back.

The saying that allies can be scarier than enemies isn’t without reason. And from the moment ‘mom’ was mentioned, he was too afraid to continue listening.

“…Sob.”

Suddenly,

Or rather, as always.

Josef felt so pitiful about his situation that he lost all energy. He was so drained that he leaned against a tree and dozed off.

The forest’s breeze rustled the branches, and the leaves danced, singing a rustling song, accompanied by a chorus of birds chirping cheerfully.

The sensitive hearing of a half-Dark Elf picked up the sounds of nature much more richly than humans could. The refreshment that came from these sounds was also doubled.

“Sigh.”

He couldn’t remember when he last had such a break. At the academy, whether in the corridors, classrooms, or even the dorms where he should have been resting, nowhere was safe.

The irony that he felt more at ease in a forest, a combat training ground with monsters roaming, than in an academy equipped with unimaginable defensive magic, brought tears to Josef’s eyes today as well.

But he couldn’t just stop here. Despite the bullying, he had to survive each day. If his failures increased, he might be expelled.

With that resolve, Josef gathered his strength in his legs and roamed the forest.

Then, he heard the sounds of battle from afar.

Josef approached with quiet steps.

“That bastard is using magic!”

“Hey, you coward!”

“If you’re jealous, take a double major too!”

Over ten students were fiercely fighting to snatch each other’s flags.

Ironically, Calen and Sergil, who had kicked Josef away, were also there.

As Josef pondered whether to join the fight, a sharp scream pierced the air.

“Ahh-!”

Aendeliven! Aendeliven’s cheek was deeply cut, bleeding profusely.

Josef’s eyes flipped, and he charged into the battlefield.

“Aendel-!”

Josef shouted Aendeliven’s childhood nickname as he burst out of the bushes, swiftly knocking down two who had surrounded Aendeliven.

Though they were teammates gathered by Calen, he didn’t have the mind to care about that.

He needed to set off a flare as quickly as possible to stop the exercise and treat Aendel’s injury.

“Aendel, are you okay?”

The moment Josef turned to look at the deeply cut Aendeliven, Aendeliven shattered like glass struck by a hammer.

It had been an illusion spell.

“Ah.”

The battle did not continue any further.

Calen’s team was flustered by the sudden appearance of an enemy, and Aendeliven’s team had to identify who the unexpected ally was.

And anyone could easily tell who had intruded into the battle just by looking at the dark skin.

“…Josef?”

The moment Aendeliven, unharmed, called out Josef’s name in confusion, Calen burst into laughter, having figured out the whole situation.

“Hahaha! Hehe. Hahahaha!”

“What’s going on? Why are you laughing?”

“That kkamdungi! He jumped out to protect Aendeliven! Betraying his own team in the process!”

Calen jeered at Josef with a snicker.

“Hey! You’re a real knight, Josef! Jumping in to betray your comrades for a lady? But what now? The one you tried to protect was just an illusion!”

As everyone grasped the situation, they erupted into laughter like Calen, and Aendeliven’s face flushed with an indescribable mix of shame.

“Ah, a-ah, Josef, that was…”

“Princess Aendeliven! Won’t you thank your ‘dark’ knight?”

Amidst the pouring mockery, Josef, trembling as if he had committed a crime, eventually ran away from there.

* * *

After running for a while, Josef suddenly stopped, wondering what the point of it all was.

Nearby, there was a lakeside, so Joseph washed his sweaty face and hair in the water.

After washing up, the stilled lake surface reflected Josef’s face like a mirror, and for the first time in a long while, he truly looked at himself.

“…”

Black skin and white hair. And a feminine face resembling his mother’s. His body was twisted and malnourished from not eating properly since childhood.

Worse than that were his eyes and expression, devoid of any self-esteem or courage.

Truly, it was a day when he hated himself.

That feeling turned into tears, dropping into the lake.

A single tear from a half-Dark Elf created ripples on the lake’s surface.

That was the moment.

[Why do you weep?]

Josef’s reflection in the lake spoke to him.

“Hyaek!”

Josef let out a strange scream, but the lake’s Josef opened his mouth with a calm smile.

[Well, why you cry isn’t what’s important. What matters is that you’re already crying.]

“Who, who are you?”

[Curious about who I am? Do you not want to cry helplessly anymore? Do you wish for the strength to prevent it?]

If Josef had attended basic summoning magic lectures in the magic department, he would have known never to casually converse with a being from another dimension.

But as the lake’s face poured out curious questions, Josef unwittingly nodded.

“…Yes.”

[Good.]

The contract was established.

The Dark Elf reflected in the lake reached out towards reality. A being from another dimension interfered with reality.

“What is this!”

Thud, a black hand grabbed Josef’s hair and pulled him into the lake.

“Hyaek!”

With a strange scream, Josef fell into the lake.

However, the place Josef headed was not the lake’s bottom but beyond dimensions.

* * *

“Ugh, ugh.”

An unfamiliar ceiling. Upon regaining consciousness, Josef found himself lying on a hard stone floor.

Strange. He was sure he was by the lakeside in the forest just before.

“Ack!”

He remembered. His own reflection reaching out to grab his hair was the second most terrifying experience of his life.

He was even dragged into the water!

But where was this place? It certainly didn’t look like the bottom of a lake.

“H-h-holy mother.”

Getting up, Josef trembled as he drew his sword to scan the surroundings.

The place looked like an ancient temple.

Statues not described in the holy scriptures lined up, and on the walls, figures holding dark-red swords were depicted slaughtering numerous people.

In the center of the temple, there was a stone altar, and stuck in it was a black sword engraved with red runes along its blade.

Josef knew what this object was.

Many legends sang of its bloodied history.

“The Demonic Sword!”

The moment he looked at the sword emitting a fiery red magical aura, a strange voice was heard.

[Come to me.]

“Eek!”

[Draw me.]

“Who, who are you?”

The Demon Sword sealed in the rift between dimensions whispered.

[I am power and truth. If you possess me, you will have the strength to cut down tens of thousands and the wisdom to rule over hundreds of thousands, but if you become intoxicated with that power, I will end up wielding you.]

“You would wield me?”

[Do you desire power? If you offer a trivial sacrifice-]

“Demonic Sword~nim, please control me!”

[Huh?]

* * *

Pink-haired Min Hyo-chan clenched his fist and cheered.

“That’s it! Exactly!”

“Wow.”

Even Gu Yu-na, who normally had a stoic expression, showed a rare interest.

However, Kim Byul crossed her arms and tilted her head in confusion.

“I did say to include school violence, but isn’t this too dark? The descriptions are disturbingly detailed…”

Min Hyo-chan immediately countered.

“It’s a crucial part. It’s the sweet potato part that makes the refreshing ‘cider’ moment stand out later.”

The writer was curious why suddenly there was talk of cider and sweet potatoes while discussing the novel but didn’t dare to ask. (TL Note: If you are new to Korean novels then ‘sweet potato’ (고구마) and ‘cider’ (사이다) are Korean slangs where ‘sweet potato’ means something frustrating and ‘cider’ means the opposite i.e. something refreshing. If you want to know more google it as otherwise it would turn into a lengthy explanation. Also they are relatively new slangs that is why Moon In-seop doesn’t know about them but didn’t dare to ask about them too.)

It felt as if all energy had drained from his body.

His fingertips began to tremble slightly.

It wasn’t a physical issue, but a mental one.

“Good heavens…”

Even now, in the monitor, a farce between the Dark Elf and the Demon Sword was unfolding.

-Please control me! Please live my life for me! Demon Sword~nim!

-Wh-Why are you doing this all of a sudden. Calm down. Treasure your body and soul more!

-With the power to cut down tens of thousands and the wisdom to rule over hundreds of thousands, Demon Sword~nim! Please control me! Anyone would live my life better than I do! Please! I beg you!

As a purveyor of pure literature, such a scene was utterly unacceptable, but,

The most painful thing was,

This scene was born from his own fingertips.

Good heavens.

“What kind of terrible hybrid have I created…”

****

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