My body twitched before I knew it.

The only thought in my head was that I had to butcher the demonfolk in front of me right now and take that spear back.

What stopped me was the [Transmitted Voice] that sounded in my ear.

―Author-nim.

Startled, I turned around to see Ji Eunyu, crouched just like me.

―Please stay still.

Shaking her head desperately, Ji Eunyu added,

―I know that’s Yu Joonghyuk’s spear too. But that’s the spear Yu Joonghyuk ‘lost’, remember.

Only then did the series of events that had occurred so far play back in order.

From the moment we first entered the ‘Recycling Center’, Yu Joonghyuk had been in a state where he’d lost all of his items. Even the ‘battle boots’ he was wearing now had been given as a prize in the ‘Twelve Zodiac Race’.

―The ‘owner of the spear’ that higher-grade demonfolk said he took care of must be someone else.

Ji Eunyu was right.

I barely managed to let out a breath and suppressed the boiling rage.

Ji Eunyu’s gentle palm rested on my shoulder.

―Why are you acting so unlike yourself, Author-nim. Did you get hit with a status abnormality or something?

I wasn’t sure myself.

Maybe unconsciously I’d been carrying a sense of indebtedness toward Yu Joonghyuk.

Maybe because I’d promised to write his story.

Glancing at Ji Eunyu, I replied only with the shape of my lips.

‘I must’ve lost my mind for a second. Thank you.’

―You know we absolutely can’t beat those guys right now, right?

‘I know.’

Again, if I said it once: picking a full-on fight with the higher-grade demonfolk possessed by the Gourmet Association right now would be suicide. Maybe, if I at least had exclusive items from 『Infinite Wardens』 prepared.

[Hmm?]

Right then, one of the higher-grade demonfolk turned its head and began striding in our direction.

Cold sweat formed along my back.

Beside me, Ji Eunyu’s face had gone stiff as well.

In my head, I went over how many times I could still use [Smoke Human].

Should I burn the ‘mana cigarette’ now? If I drew their attention, could I buy Ji Eunyu time to escape?

Just then, when the bastard had come right up to our noses―

[Hey, a big fragment just got detected.]

The voice of the other higher-grade demonfolk, the one holding Moon Halberd, rang out.

The demonfolk’s expression changed as it turned its steps.

[Which way?]

[West.]

[Let’s go right away. It might be that ‘Kim Dokja’ bastard.]

Only after their figures disappeared did we finally let out sighs of relief.

Clutching her chest, Ji Eunyu spoke.

“I thought they were coming for us.”

“This isn’t a situation we can relax about yet.”

“Why not? They got far enough away―”

“They’ll have gone to other students.”

In this scenario, there were only so many people you could call ‘big fragments’.

At present, there were two likely candidates.

Nodding like she knew exactly who the two were, Ji Eunyu said,

“It’ll be either Gu Seonah or Ye Hyeonwoo.”

“Most likely.”

“You’re not thinking of going to save them, are you?”

“……”

“Author-nim.”

[The world view is looking at you.]

Startled by the faint sparks that flickered, Ji Eunyu switched the conversation back to [Transmitted Voice].

―Forgot for a second. You can just answer with your lips; I have the [Lip-Reading] skill.

When I nodded, Ji Eunyu continued.

―Saving one reader right now isn’t the issue. And it’s not like Gu Seonah or Ye Hyeonwoo are people who share our goals.

‘They’re ordinary readers too.’

―There’s no way ‘ordinary readers’ could’ve gathered that many ‘Kim Dokja Fragments’.

‘That’s…’

I started to say something, then suddenly lifted my head and looked at Ji Eunyu.

Kim Dokja Fragments.

Had I ever told Ji Eunyu the detailed story about them?

―With things this far along, how could I not know?

Letting out a light sigh, Ji Eunyu went on.

―I heard a bit from Miho King. They said fragments of the ‘Oldest Dream’ are scattered through this world right now.

Miho King. True, for a constellation of that level, it wouldn’t be strange to know about the ‘Kim Dokja Fragments’.

―You’re collecting those fragments too, right, Author-nim?

I hesitated, then nodded. There was no reason to lie to Ji Eunyu here. Still, admitting the truth stirred a faint dread.

―What’s wrong?

‘It’s just…’

―Don’t you have to collect those to bring Kim Dokja back?

‘Do you know how to obtain Kim Dokja Fragments?’

―It’s not like you’re going around killing readers and harvesting their souls. You’re gathering the ones from dead readers, or killing the monsters that ate them and collecting what they drop, right?

When I nodded, Ji Eunyu added, as if she’d expected that answer.

―Then there’s no problem. You get stronger the more you collect, don’t you? It’s safer for them to be in your hands than in the hands of bad people.

It was a grateful thing to say. Precisely because it was so kind, it was the kind of thing I couldn’t lightly reply “thank you” to.

―I know what kind of person you are, Author-nim. But if other readers are collecting them, that’s a slightly different story.

‘They’re not people who’d kill someone just to harvest fragments either.’

―Author-nim. You haven’t forgotten what our ‘first scenario’ was, have you?

‘……’

―I know you trust the readers, but everyone who’s survived up to now has experienced killing at least once. I’m no exception.

I knew. Among all those still alive, there wasn’t a single person who had made it this far without harming anyone.

But just because someone had committed a certain sin didn’t mean I wanted to judge their whole person by that one sin.

‘From what I’ve seen, Ye Hyeonwoo and Gu Seonah are by no means bad people.’

I thought of the little readers I’d seen in Asmodeus’s ‘theater’.

‘They’re just people who like novels.’

Pure eyes that had gathered in one place simply because they were curious about the next part.

‘If it hadn’t been for them, I wouldn’t have been able to pay the overdue rent on my one-room apartment. I wouldn’t have eaten proper meals. I wouldn’t have been able to keep writing. I wouldn’t have been able to continue the dream. I wouldn’t have been able to transcribe Han Sooyoung’s manuscript. So―’

I owed them a debt of life.

‘I’m going to save them.’

Watching me, Ji Eunyu pursed her lips open and closed several times, then let out a deep sigh.

―When you say it like that, well, I got my salary from them too.

‘Then that’s one more reason to save them.’

―You’re not going to rush straight there, right? You had a reason for taking this route.

‘This route?’

―You still have to find ‘Rotania’s Hilt’ and ‘Bilton’s Scabbard’.

For a moment, I spaced out, then asked,

‘How do you know about those, Editor-nim?’

―It’d be stranger if I didn’t.

‘You read 「Infinite Wardens」? But I wrote that before I signed with you.’

Face slightly flushed like she was offended, Ji Eunyu shot back,

―Of course I read all of it. What editor doesn’t read their contracted author’s novels?

Together with the grumbling Ji Eunyu, I rummaged through the nearby forest and found a tree trunk carved with an unfamiliar mark.

Exchanging a look, we began digging under the tree trunk.

Who knew how much earth we’d dug up.

We found an old skeletal arm and the broken hilt it was gripping.

‘Hilt of Saint Rotania.’

A weapon once used by a graduate of ‘Philia Hunter Academy’.

As expected, it was buried in exactly the spot I’d written down.

“There’s only the hilt. Looks like someone took the scabbard.”

“We’ll take this at least.”

The final combined item obtainable on ‘Ma Hyeonseong’s Farming Route A’ was ‘Holy Sword Ravebringer’.

Ravebringer was a ‘holy-attribute’ item that was absolutely necessary for facing greater demonfolk.

Taking the hilt, we immediately headed in the direction the higher-grade demonfolk had disappeared.

As we moved, Ji Eunyu and I made small talk about what had happened so far.

―Who would’ve thought we’d end up wearing school uniforms again.

‘Right?’

―It looks good on you, Author-nim.

‘It’s not me it looks good on, it’s Cheon Inho.’

―The face is yours, though.

We also shared information about the <Twelve Zodiac> assigned to each class.

―You fought incarnations belonging to the rats, snakes, and dogs?

‘Strictly speaking, I didn’t fight them; the Gourmet Association guys just wiped them out.’

―Mm, so they showed up like that after all. But my faction… I mean, the monkey side doesn’t seem particularly interested in this scenario. Miho King seems to have applied mostly out of boredom anyway.

True. It wasn’t like every <Twelve Zodiac> constellation was dead serious about this ball.

Especially the ‘monkey’ faction didn’t really have much to gain from participating in the ‘Twelve Zodiac Ball’. From the Recycling Center’s perspective, it would be a problem if a Sun Wukong-level constellation actually descended….

―But the other <Twelve Zodiac> are probably in a different position. Especially the ones who attacked you. And I think the ‘tiger’ and ‘ox’ sides are serious too.

Of course.

The tiger and the rats and snakes, the ones I’d defeated in previous scenarios, had had their grades drastically lowered.

If they didn’t somehow make up for it in this scenario, their very existence as constellations would be in danger.

‘It’ll be the same for the Gourmet Association.’

The Gourmet Association would be watching the flailing of those great-personage constellations.

The fact that they had joined the scenario as ‘higher-grade demonfolk’ meant they were ready to complete this scenario as a tragedy.

Of course, as long as I was here, things wouldn’t go the way they wanted.

“Ji Eunyu.”

“Yes.”

At our signal, we stopped and hid our bodies in the surrounding bushes.

The sound of the forest being completely shredded.

Through the leaves blazing red, I could hear the sharp clash of weapons.

Someone was fighting nearby.

But with each clash, the surging waves of magic power I felt were no joke.

“Block it.”

A cold voice rang out through the thick stench of blood.

“It’s Gu Seonah.”

Together, Ji Eunyu and I quickly grasped the situation.

Gu Seonah, the student council president, stood with her arms crossed, back to the forest. And around her, as if to protect her, the members of <Kim Dokja Company> had formed a defensive line.

Lee Hyunsung, Kim Namwoon, Lee Jihye, Shin Yuseung, and even Jung Heewon.

Pressing them hard were, as expected, the two higher-grade demonfolk who’d ambushed us earlier.

[There’s a whole bunch of tasty-looking ones gathered here.]

Saliva drooling, the higher-grade demonfolk released their auras and charged at the same time.

I wanted to shout at them to run away immediately. No, if they’d felt the grade of the ‘higher-grade demonfolk’ bursting out, they should have run even without me yelling.

But they didn’t run.

Kaaaang!

The jet-black blade swung by the higher-grade demonfolk ricocheted off a white light and bounced away.

Looking closely, I saw that everyone in Gu Seonah’s group was wearing silver-glowing armor and greaves.

I recognized their items immediately.

‘Holy Lion Set.’

Anti-demonfolk mass-production gear obtainable from ‘Ma Hyeonseong’s Farming Route D’.

I was wondering how they’d managed to get that already when―

[The ‘dokkaebi bag’ is currently selling 「Infinite Wardens」 collaboration items.]

With a sinking feeling, I opened the ‘dokkaebi bag’.

+

*Holy Lion Set ― Stock 0

+

I was speechless.

No, could this even be real?

+

……

*Standard Signal Flare ― 1

*Supreme Holy Water ― 2

*Holy Sword Light Wish ― Stock 0
……

+

Even the sword counted alongside ‘Holy Sword Ravebringer’ as one of ‘Philia Hunter Academy’s’ famed blades had been sold.

Scrambling to buy the items I needed, I flipped through the list. But unfortunately, the cost-effective items were almost all sold out.

The items that did still have stock were insanely overpriced to the point that right now I had no way to buy them.

Of course, if I really decided to, it wasn’t that I couldn’t buy them, but as the incarnation of the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, the price was beyond anything I could justify.

“We got played.”

I hadn’t expected to get blindsided like this.

I hadn’t thought the damn dokkaebis would release related items as products. It was the carelessness born from the arrogance of thinking I knew the world view.

To make matters worse, the problematic holy sword ‘Light Wish’ was in the student council president Gu Seonah’s hand.

[The item, ‘Light Wish’, greatly boosts your party’s morale.]

With the ‘Holy Lion Set’ and ‘Light Wish’ together, that was certainly a combination capable of dealing with higher-grade demonfolk.

It was unfair. No, when I was already at a disadvantage, if they even stripped away my author’s privilege like this, what was I supposed to live on?

Having my world view pirated wasn’t enough; if they took all the items too―

[Someone has purchased a ‘collaboration item’.]

[You have been paid ‘original work royalties’.]

With no benefit whatsoever to the original author….

[Someone has purchased a ‘collaboration item’.]

[You have been paid ‘original work royalties’.]

I stared quietly at the message floating before my eyes.

[Someone has purchased a ‘collaboration item’.]

[You have been paid ‘original work royalties’.]

Even after rubbing my eyes and checking several times, it was the same.

There was no mistake.

[You have been paid ‘original work royalties’.]

Opening the ‘dokkaebi bag’ again, I thought,

[Would you like to check the deposited ‘original work royalties’?]

How much was that item again?