From the next day on, the party reentered the scenario.

“Wearing the mask really does make my mind feel at ease.”

At Gyeong Sein’s words, Uncle Dansoo also nodded.

“It feels like I was naked and finally put on clothes.”

You might think it strange that just putting on a single mask would make them feel that way, but in fact, once they wore the masks, the party’s attitude changed noticeably.

[The character ‘Gyeong Sein’ regains confidence.]

I also felt glad that I was wearing a mask. Because I wasn’t confident I could hide my expression.

I slowly turned my head and looked at Uncle Dansoo.

[Character information about the character ‘Lee Dansoo’ is being updated.]

A cold sensation clung to my spine. Back at Gwanghwamun too, Ye Hyeonwoo had once received a message that he had become a “character.”

And now, after Gyeong Sein, even Uncle Dansoo.

Just what was the standard for “becoming a character”? What was the difference between a “character” and someone who was not a character?

Cha Yerin spoke.

“You hide inside a small tale. So you won’t be eaten by a huge tale.”

“Excuse me?”

“There are stories that you can only see objectively if you hide.”

A beat late, I realized she was talking about the “masks.”

Outside the window, I could see beastfolk busily coming and going.

The beastfolk without masks all had faces that were easy to read. Faces that were happy or sad, angry or tired.

Having become a part of the Recycling Center, they could now only make the expressions that the “13th District” forced them to make.

Gyeong Sein murmured in admiration.

“They said everything in <Star Stream> is a tale, right.”

These “masks” were the minimum tales by which we could protect ourselves.

The Recycling Center was telling us right now. That in order not to be swept away by a huge tale, you had to uprightly protect your own tale.

Just like Kim Dokja once did.

[You have understood the essence of the ‘Recycling Center’.]

[The Main Scenario is being updated!]

As if it had been waiting, the Main Scenario updated.

I immediately checked the message.

+

<Main Scenario #8 – 13th District>

Category: Main

Difficulty: S+

Clear Condition: Unite the beastfolk of the 13th District and challenge the throne of <Twelve Zodiac>.

Time Limit: 60 days

Reward: Entry ticket to the Twelve Zodiac Grand Ball, choose between 300,000 coins or 50,000 Recycling Coins, tale fragment 「Understanding of All Beasts」 acquired.

Failure: ―

* An “Additional Clear Condition” exists for this scenario.

+

Checking the rewards first, Gyeong Sein brightened and opened her mouth.

“Twelve Zodiac Grand Ball? Isn’t this like that ‘Feast of Constellations’? I really enjoyed the ‘Feast of Constellations’ arc.”

“Can we see Uriel or the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal there?”

“From the name alone, since it’s the Twelve Zodiac, it feels like only the Twelve Zodiac guys will come.”

The Twelve Zodiac Grand Ball.

It was the very event that “Tiger Who Eats Rice Cakes” had once mentioned.

I hadn’t expected that event to occur in the “Recycling Center.”

Come to think of it, the <Twelve Zodiac> in this round was a bit special. Originally, the nebula <Twelve Zodiac> wasn’t a group with proper cohesion.

But in this round, through the stage called the “Recycling Center,” they even possessed scenarios under the nebula.

In a situation where we didn’t know what other forms of <Twelve Zodiac> we might run into, the clear rewards for this scenario were quite alluring.

「‘Understanding of All Beasts’ is a tale fragment you must obtain in order to stand against <Twelve Zodiac>.」

A tale fragment that was even mentioned in “Annihilation Method” through Yu Joonghyuk’s recollection.

One way or another, we absolutely had to clear this scenario.

The problem was the clear condition.

[Checking the Additional Clear Condition.]

+

―To challenge the “Unification of the 13th District,” you must secure the support of the beastfolk.

―When more than 80% of the beastfolk support you, you will be elected as the “representative” of the 13th District.

―Upon being elected as the district representative, you may form a committee that will share responsibility for the 13th District with you.

[Currently, 9% of the beastfolk belonging to the 13th District support you.]

+

“Everyone checked the Additional Clear Condition, right?”

At Ye Hyeonwoo’s question, the party members nodded one by one.

“Let’s each say our approval ratings. Mine shows 3%.”

“I’m… at 0%.”

“Mine is 1%.”

After Gyeong Sein and Uncle Dansoo spoke, Cha Yerin also opened her mouth.

“2%.”

The last to answer was Killer King, who was wearing a meaningful smile.

“5%. Kim Dokja, what’s yours?”

“9%.”

Ye Hyeonwoo nodded.

“Let’s make Dokja the representative.”

*

After 「Three Little Pigs」, the crane owner of the inn changed the way he treated us. Not only did he refuse to take money for meals, he even changed our lodging.

“I don’t particularly want anything.”

That was what he said, but every time the crane owner saw us, he looked like he wanted to confide something.

“If there’s ever anything you’d like to ask of me, please say so.”

The crane owner spoke with a bitter smile.

“I think you’re truly brave. Just, don’t be too disappointed because not everyone can muster up courage like you.”

At his unexpected frankness, I hesitated for a moment, then added,

“It’s fine. That’s…”

“It was truly an astonishing sight when you broke that pig. I’m sure some beastfolk watched your feats and marveled. There must have been those whose hearts boiled. But.”

After a short pause, the owner continued.

“Not everyone can be that way. Looking at you, the beastfolk here will actually fear you °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° instead.”

At first I didn’t quite understand, but thinking it over, it made sense.

“They’re afraid of change?”

“Something like that.”

“But they can’t keep living like this forever. Even just with ‘Three Little Pigs’―”

“The beastfolk have stayed here too long.”

They had stayed too long.

The words gave me a strange sense of déjà vu.

Was it in the Demon Realm? Or in Paradise?

Somewhere, Kim Dokja had heard similar words before.

“Not everyone wants to have their own ‘mask’.”

The owner’s voice carried a peculiar fatigue. Suddenly, that thought came to me.

Perhaps the beastfolk here were not afraid of <Twelve Zodiac>.

To have a mask was to stack up your tale again.

They had become afraid of taking responsibility for their own stories.

After quickly finishing off the omurice the head cook had made, I went out to the empty lot and checked, one by one, the tales I had stacked up so far.

[A new tale is beginning to germinate within you.]

Except for “Persistent Martial Master” that I got from Dragon Turtle Heaven Divider, I had a total of four tales that I had built up myself.

「Recorder of Vanishing Things」 that I obtained at Seoul Station.

「Successor of the Eternal Name」 that I obtained by capturing an Otherworldly Divinity together with Han Sooyoung.

And 「One Who Rewrites Fate」 that I obtained while facing a great nebula together with the Demon King of Salvation.

And lastly, the new tale I would obtain this time.

Considering I had already finalized a Backer Contract, I couldn’t suddenly become a constellation just by filling out five tales, but even compared to the main-story Kim Dokja, it felt like I had been stacking up tales fairly steadily.

[A new tale is waiting for your new achievement.]

[Additional achievements are required for the complete blossoming of the tale.]

I had never heard a message like this before, but it wasn’t a bad situation.

On the contrary, it was good.

The longer it took to blossom, the higher the grade of the tale you acquired. If a high-grade tale blossomed successfully, the name “Kim Dokja” would spread even more widely.

[A minority of constellations of the nebula <Twelve Zodiac> display hostility toward you.]

As if they knew that fact, signs began to appear that the constellations of <Twelve Zodiac> were starting to keep me in check.

Even so, there were no stars that interfered directly with the 13th District.

I knew the reason they were hesitating to intervene.

【Hoju.】

It was because of this wolf.

【That is not how you do it.】

The Otherworldly Divinity who had struck down the pig constellations that had activated “Stageification.”

From yesterday, I had been learning [Wind’s Path] from him.

【I will show you again.】

[Wind’s Path], Kim Dokja’s main combat skill.

Even Kim Dokja had quite a hard time learning this skill.

【I do not understand why you cannot do it.】

“Well, maybe it’s because I don’t have a talisman from the household.”

Originally, [Wind’s Path] was a skill that only incarnations with the “Imunthar Talisman” could learn.

But since I hadn’t participated in the “Disaster Scenario,” I had no talisman.

【I am no longer a ‘guide’ of the scenarios, so I can teach [Wind’s Path] regardless of whether a talisman exists or not.】

“13th District is blocking skill use though. Maybe that’s why I can’t learn it―”

【That is why I am teaching it to you in the form of a tale fragment. A skill is a formalized stigma, and a stigma is a refined tale. In other words, if you learn how to handle tales, you can use [Wind’s Path] even without activating a skill.】

“I see.”

Yes. I am a talentless piece of trash.

【I will show you once more, so follow carefully.】

Lycaon slowly blinked, then inhaled—hoo—and spoke.

【In your left hand, the gale; in your right hand, the storm. Where the straight line and the curve collide, the path of the wind will open.】

A fierce wind split before my eyes, and [Wind’s Path] really did unfold.

A fresh wave of admiration came over me.

So that was the original [Wind’s Path].

It felt different again from the version the Demon King of Salvation used.

【Now, follow me. In your left hand, the gale.】

I hesitated and copied Lycaon.

“In my left hand, the gale.”

【Grr! Louder! In your right hand, the storm.】

“In my right hand… the storm!”

【Where the straight line and the curve collide, the path of the wind will open! Say it with more confidence!】

The kind of line you could get away with chanting like this probably only applied to Kim Namwoon or Yu Joonghyuk. The former was originally that kind of bastard, and the latter looked cool no matter what he chanted.

Since I was neither, I had to mumble like a coward.

“Where the straight line and the curve collide, the path of the wind will ooopen…”

[The constellation, ‘Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss’, likes [Wind’s Path].]

Naturally, [Wind’s Path] did not open.

Lycaon stared blankly at me and asked,

【Why can you not do it? I told you everything. Again! In your left hand, the gale!】

In the end, unable to hold back, I answered,

“That’s just shouting the words like that.”

【No. It is important to understand this ‘realization’.】

What realization was even in there?

【You must grasp the meaning contained in the tale.】

No, I mean, what profound meaning could possibly be in that gale-storm nonsense.

【Look at them.】

Lycaon pointed toward the party members who, a dozen steps away in the open lot, were practicing [Wind’s Path] just like me.

The first one to catch my eye was Cha Yerin.

“Left hand. Gale. Right hand. Storm.”

As she recited the incantation however she pleased, the energy of wind swirled around both her hands.

It wasn’t as grand as Lycaon’s, but it was unmistakably [Wind’s Path].

【Grrr! An incarnation with extraordinarily excellent Five Natures. She has properly understood the essence of wind.】

For reference, the time it took Cha Yerin to master [Wind’s Path] was a mere thirty minutes.

Curious about her secret, I asked, and Cha Yerin answered like this,

“I just… did it, and it worked.”

There are people in this world who are just geniuses.

I gave up on figuring out the secret and looked at the other party members.

In one corner, Uncle Dansoo, who had been repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fist for a while, let out a light sigh and said,

“As expected, once you get older, learning something new isn’t easy.”

For reference, Uncle Dansoo succeeded in learning [Wind’s Path] in five hours.

Next to him, Gyeong Sein, who was also practicing [Wind’s Path], added a word.

“You’re being too modest. You learned it a whole hour faster than I did…”

“Hrm, Kim Dokja said something like that, didn’t he. In this world, age and gender do not matter.”

“Wow, you even remember that.”

“I actually have a good memory.”

It really made me doubt whether this was the same Uncle Dansoo who had once mistaken the Secret Schemer for some shady schemer.

“Anyway, Hyeonwoo is late.”

“He went out on reconnaissance to test [Wind’s Path], so won’t he be back around evening?”

Ye Hyeonwoo, who had long since mastered [Wind’s Path], was flying around various spots in the 13th District.

For reference, the time it took Ye Hyeonwoo to stir up his first wind was three hours.

Within the party, it was the second-best record after Cha Yerin.

“Kim Dokja. Don’t tell me you still haven’t learned [Wind’s Path]?”

I smiled brightly at Killer King, who swaggered over. I never thought the day would come when that face felt welcome.

“Killer King, you haven’t learned it either, have you?”

“What nonsense is that? I mastered it long ago.”

Putting on an extremely confident expression, Killer King spread both arms wide and shouted in a booming voice,

“In my left hand, the gale! In my right hand, the storm!”

Come to think of it, there was another human besides Kim Namwoon and Yu Joonghyuk who could shout that incantation with confidence.

“…The path of the wind will open!”

With the incantation, I felt a faint wind move.

I stared silently at Killer King and asked,

“Isn’t that just you clapping your hands really fast?”

“This is enough training for now. I have grasped everything about [Wind’s Path].”

No matter how I looked at it, his back looked like someone giving up and running away, but from a distance, Lycaon watched Killer King and murmured in admiration,

【He succeeded.】

“That counts as success?”

【I can feel the faint grain of wind. Truly a tremendous hard worker. Amazing. No matter how I look, it seems he has completely failed to understand the essence of ‘Wind’s Path’ though…】

In the blink of an eye, I had become the only one who couldn’t learn [Wind’s Path].

Even so, I didn’t feel particularly bad.

I looked at the party members standing in a loose line, talking and laughing, and at little Yu Joonghyuk sleeping lazily on a bench.

Behind them, our small brick house stood tall. It wasn’t as big as the house Kim Dokja Company had wanted to live in, but it was still our first house.

【Hoju.】

“Yes.”

【You are the same even after reincarnating.】

Not long after being summoned, Lycaon had realized that I was Kim Dokja’s reincarnation.

It was only natural.

He was an Otherworldly Divinity, after all.

Lycaon must have quickly realized that the tales I possessed were different from the “Kim Dokja” he remembered.

Even so, Lycaon hadn’t changed his attitude toward me. Though I didn’t possess a talisman and couldn’t recall the memories I’d shared with him, he still treated me as the “Kim Dokja” he had known.

Perhaps it wasn’t me he was respecting, but the tales left behind by the Demon King of Salvation.

“Sorry. I thought since I learned it in my previous life, it would be easier this time, but I guess I really don’t have any talent.”

Lycaon looked at me with a strange expression.

A face that looked a bit sympathetic, a bit lonely, and perhaps quietly observant.

【Hoju never learned any skills in your previous life either. You only ever stole them.】

“Well… that’s true.”

My heart wanted to steal it again, but damn it, I didn’t have [Bookmark].

【Hoju, do you know why you cannot learn [Wind’s Path]?】

“Hmm.”

In my head, I called to mind the sentences about [Wind’s Path].

「‘When one wind meets another, a Taiji is formed, and when one wind meets another again, Yin and Yang are formed.’」

[Wind’s Path], which “Annihilation Method” had explained and Kim Dokja had read in turn.

「‘When four winds meet, they form the directions, and when another four winds are added to that, they form the mystery of the Eight Trigrams, and thus the wind exists everywhere and nowhere at the same time.’」

I remembered all the sentences about it.

Perhaps the problem lay precisely there.

【Hoju is a being who cannot understand [Wind’s Path]. To be more precise―】

Some kinds of understanding only arise when you throw away what you already know.

But I cannot do that.

【It seems [Wind’s Path] is already “recorded” in you, Hoju.】