Three days passed after the ‘Tiger Who Eats Rice Cakes’ retreated.

[Due to the upheaval of the scenario, the starting date of the ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’ is adjusted.]

[The ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’ will begin in 12 hours.]

[Currently, 71% of the beastfolk belonging to District 13 support you.]

[In order to participate in the ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’, you must secure an additional 9% support.]

Even though an enormous number of beastfolk died in the process of defeating the ‘Tiger Who Eats Rice Cakes’, our support rate actually went up.

“I never imagined there would be an incarnation who could stand against <Twelve Zodiac>…”

Some placed their hopes on us.

“Because of you guys, District 13 ended up attracting attention.”

Some blamed us.

“At this point, how about just leaving District 13?”

There were also those who advised us to give up District 13.

It was the crane owner of “The Fox and the Crane.”

“If it’s you, anywhere in <Twelve Zodiac> would welcome you. There has never once been such an outstanding incarnation appearing in District 13 of the ‘Recycling Center’.”

According to Bihyung, the tale of us subjugating the ‘Tiger Who Eats Rice Cakes’ had been widely spread across all of <Star Stream> through the Center Head.

[Your new tale spreads widely across all of <Star Stream>.]

[Some constellations were deeply moved by your tale.]

[You have received 18,000 coins in sponsorship via the ‘Recycling Center’.]

As proof, messages were still coming in in real time even now.

[A small number of nebulae wish to be with you.]

[Nebula, <Hongik> invites you.]

[Nebula, <Tamna> invites you.]

[Nebula, <Samyo> invites you.]

……

Medium and small nebulae, who had been watching the mood because of the great nebulae, were sending me messages to recruit me.

There were even <Hongik> and <Tamna>, nebulae of the Korean Peninsula, among them.

They were nebulae that hadn’t properly appeared in the main story, so I was curious, but I had no intention of hastily choosing a nebula here.

We were still trapped in the ‘Recycling Center’ to be drinking kimchi soup in advance, and the scenario related to <Twelve Zodiac> was still ongoing.

[Faction ‘Monkey Shen’ invites you to the ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’.]

[Faction ‘Dragon Jin’ invites you to the ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’.]

Maybe word had spread that I had refused the tiger’s invitation, because some factions of <Twelve Zodiac> were sending invitations to me as well.

“I have no intention of entering <Twelve Zodiac>.”

But I hadn’t come all the way here just to join some animal alliance.

“I will attend the ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’ without receiving anyone’s sponsorship.”

For that, I needed the support of beastfolk amounting to eighty percent.

And that was the reason I was meeting with the crane owner right now.

“Many beastfolk, including myself, already support you.”

The crane owner, who already knew my situation, let out a light sigh and continued.

“But not once has there ever been a representative from District 13 whose support rate exceeded eight-tenths.”

“Saying it has never happened doesn’t mean it’s impossible, does it?”

“The only ones left now are some beastfolk including the bears. But it will be hard to gain their support.”

All the nearby beastfolk were in a situation where they supported me. The only exception was the bears who had followed the tiger, and their subordinate forces.

But there was no way to persuade them no matter what method we used.

“They no longer have any tales left that you can repair.”

The beastfolk who could be persuaded all had “forgotten tales.”

We revived those tales through “Stageification” and spread them through <Star Stream>.

In return, the beastfolk supported us. But in the case of the bear beastfolk, that was impossible.

“Is there no method?”

“To be honest, there isn’t. Unless you were a constellation like the ‘Master of Fables’ or something. You can’t very well grant each of them an individual tale, can you?”

If it was the Master of Fables, that would indeed be that constellation who wrote “Aesop’s Fables.”

“That’s true. And we’re short on time.”

“They’re not the sort who’ll listen just because you threaten them with simple force either. Especially the ‘Bear Who Lets You Live If You Play Dead’ is a proud constellation.”

He looked down at Yu Joonghyuk, who was lying on the bed sleeping soundly, then added.

“Unless there exists some ‘tale’ that could sweep them all away at once, that is. More than that, could you help me with this for a moment?”

I helped the crane owner raise the sleeping Yu Joonghyuk and fed him a little soup. It was a special soup that even contained the tale of “The Fox and the Crane.”

He was a brat who would never eat anything made by others, but for now, it was a relief that he had rather lost consciousness.

After I fed him soup for a while, a bit of vigor returned to Yu Joonghyuk’s pale complexion.

The crane owner let out a soft sigh and said.

“Still, this fellow’s gotten small again. He was really terrifying when he cut down the tiger…”

“It’s a relief he’s small.”

“In any case, take good care and rest. I’ll come again.”

With those words as his last, the crane owner left the room.

I ate a few spoonfuls of the soup the owner had left and looked for a while at the sleeping Yu Joonghyuk.

Ever since that incident three days ago, Yu Joonghyuk had been sleeping the whole time.

Maybe because of the side effect of [tale engraving], Yu Joonghyuk had once again become little Yu Joonghyuk.

He wasn’t as small as the little Yu Joonghyuk I had seen on the snowfield, but at any rate, he would be like this for a while.

For the ‘Yu Joonghyuk’ in front of my eyes, the 41st round was the last round.

He had transmitted his experience to his past self via Shin Yuseung and exited from the record of “Extermination Method.”

I’ll say it again, but no one knows what happened to him after he exited.

Did he stop regressing in some way, or did he disappear from the record forever in a way I don’t know?

If he disappeared from the record, did he finally achieve his wish?

“Don’t worry too much.”

I murmured as I pulled the blanket over the sleeping little Yu Joonghyuk.

“This round won’t fall apart that easily.”

The one who starts a story bears the responsibility not to abandon the story.

I had made a promise to Yu Joonghyuk.

[Tale, ‘Recorder of Things That Will Vanish’ responds to your oath.]

This story will not become 『Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World』, nor will it become 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』, but even so, it will surely reach a proper ending.

Now it was time to go see the end of this episode for that ending.

An hour after that, I gathered the bear beastfolk and the beastfolk who had not declared their support.

At my sudden summons, they seemed both flustered and confused.

Some even showed hostile reactions.

[Why did you call us.]

Their representative was the constellation who had invaded this place—the ‘Bear Who Lets You Live If You Play Dead.’

[If you called us so we’d support you, you’d better give up.]

“Why?”

[Because we have no intention of supporting you.]

“So why is that?”

[I have no reason to explain that.]

“Of course you don’t.”

I squatted down where I was and let out a deep sigh. Then I looked up at them.

“But you guys… are you really fine with just staying like this?”

No matter what I said or ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) how I said it, they would not be persuaded by me.

The reason was obvious.

They did not need my help.

What should one do for those who have lost their tales?

Maybe I had been pondering this problem for quite a long time.

Some extras found their own stories by themselves. Like Bang Cheolsu of Geumho Station. Like the Emotionless Mother and Daughter. Like the crane owner.

But not everyone could do it like they did.

Some people find their own tale, while some live and die without ever even knowing what their own tale is.

For example, like the bears in front of my eyes right now.

“To be honest, whether you support me or not, I don’t particularly care. I have my ways to climb up anyway.”

[Then why did you call us?]

“To give you a last chance.”

I know that not everyone can purely cheer for me.

Kim Dokja knew that too.

No matter what he did, some stars hated Kim Dokja’s story.

Kim Dokja carved out his life while fighting against those gazes, and in the end, that also became his tale.

But for me, it wasn’t easy to accept that.

Probably because I am a “writer.”

I wanted to write some perfect story that Kim Dokja never got to read, that he didn’t know.

[Tale, ‘Recorder of Things That Will Vanish’ responds to your emotions.]

But it was impossible.

Going through Geumho Station, Chungmuro, the theater dungeon, Gwanghwamun, and again the Washington Dome and the Recycling Center, I barely realized it.

There is no story that all the stars in the world love.

All the more so if it is the story of a “round that has been forgotten by everyone.”

So I accepted it.

It’s fine even if not all beastfolk support me. It’s fine even if they hate the tale I will write.

“This really is your last chance. Your chance to choose me of your own will.”

I will only write the story.

[What do you mean by that?]

“I don’t think I have any reason to explain what I mean.”

[Constellation, ‘Bear Who Lets You Live If You Play Dead’ is indignant!]

Even a constellation who has lost all their rank still has their pride.

[How dare a mere incarnation, just because you’ve got beastfolk at your back—!]

But he judged wrong.

“A mere incarnation, huh.”

I grinned and looked at him.

Until just a few days ago, his power had been threatening. I had thought he was an enemy I would be hard-pressed to defeat without using “Stageification.”

But.

“Have your eyes degenerated so much you’ve forgotten how to read tales?”

His rank no longer looked impressive to my eyes.

I slowly rose from my place.

[You are currently acting on behalf of the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.]

[The rank of constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation’ fully descends upon you.]

As the tales of my entire body exuded a majestic force, brilliant light began to flow from my incarnation body.

Sensing my rank, some of the beastfolk grew frightened and bowed their heads.

“C-constellation…!”

Even the ‘Bear Who Lets You Live If You Play Dead’ was looking at me with shocked eyes.

When I lightly placed my hand on his shoulder, his knees slowly began to buckle.

He shouted as if in desperation.

[No matter what you do, it’s useless. We will never accept your request—]

“Ah, did it sound like a request?”

A way to persuade those who had lost their own tale, their memories, and in the end even the way to read.

“I’ll say it again. The ‘option’ given to you is only one.”

The crane owner had said it. Those who have lost their own tales will just be swept away like rapids by other “tales.”

So the only way to persuade them is also “tale.”

[Tale, ‘Agitation’ begins its story.]

So the method I would choose was decided.

[Support me.]

For me to become the “story” that would sweep them all away.

[You’re scared to jump into a scenario again, aren’t you. I know. That’s why I’m saying this.]

I could see the beastfolk, swept up in confusion, one by one looking up at me. A faint fragment of emotion flashed in the dead pupils of their eyes.

[At least for as long as you support me, I’ll become your ‘tale’. I’ll fight in your place, and I’ll become the laughingstock of the stars in your place.]

My persuasion was not persuasion.

My words would not reach their ears. They were merely being overwhelmed by my tale, merely being crushed by the rank of the ‘Demon King of Salvation.’

Therefore, their choice right now,

[Just support me. Then at the very least, through me, you will be able to see the end of this world.]

was in fact not a choice.

[Your support rate begins to rise.]

[Your support rate has reached a certain level.]

[Currently, 83% of the beastfolk belonging to District 13 support you.]

It was an easy and clear conclusion.

[Constellation, ‘Black Flame Dragon of the Abyss’ scolds you, asking why you didn’t do this earlier.]

[Constellation, ‘Dragon Who Lies Down’ says that sometimes a decision like that of the ‘Adventurer Who Stood an Egg Upright’ is necessary.]

[Constellation, ‘One Who Brought Ten Sheep’ looks at you with pity.]

And, as always, the refreshing cider-like clarity,

[Constellation, ‘Bear Who Lets You Live If You Play Dead’ rejects your agitation.]

[Constellation, ‘Bear Who Lets You Live If You Play Dead’ loses his tale and chooses annihilation.]

had a bitter aftertaste.

[You have obtained the right to attend the ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’.]