[You have acquired 150,000 coins in original work royalties.]

Watching the coins pour in in real time, the corners of my mouth twitched before I knew it.

Come to think of it, Kim Dokja had also once made money by selling off Han Sooyoung’s novel.

Had Kim Dokja felt like this back then too?

―Author-nim. Why are you grinning like that?

‘It’s nothing.’

It was a strange feeling.

I’d never imagined that <Star Stream> would actually settle something like “original work royalties”.

In reality, I’d signed all sorts of contracts, but I’d almost never received proper original work royalties….

―Feels good?

When I lifted my head, I could see the faintly swaying shadow of a dokkaebi high up in the distant sky.

―I’m asking if it feels good. I took special care with it this time.

I gave a wry smile.

So it was Bihyung pulling strings after all.

―I even finished negotiating with the ‘Recycling Center Head’. In exchange for borrowing your world view, they’re paying you an incentive……

‘I appreciate it, but shouldn’t you at least have gotten my permission before using it?’

―Huh? What are you talking about. We got permission.

Permission? No, it’s my work—who the hell did they get permission from?

In that moment, a certain name flashed through my mind. A being who, aside from me, could sell my copyright without authorization.

―Your backer constellation came by earlier asking if this could be converted to coins too and signed the contract.

That damned backer constellation.

―Anyway, that’s how it worked out, so buck up a little. I’m off again.

‘Wait a second! That’s your answer? Did my backer constellation sell anything else off?’

Unfortunately, Bihyung’s reply did not come.

I took a few quick breaths and adapted to the situation. Since things had already turned out like this, there was nothing I could do. If this too was my backer constellation’s arrangement, all I could do was make the best use of it.

I rapidly purchased the items I could use right away from the ‘dokkaebi bag’.

[Item purchase has been completed.]

Right then, a change occurred in the tide of battle as well.

[Kahahahahat! This is fun!]

The number of higher-grade demonfolk that had jumped into the battlefield had already increased.

There had been two earlier, but now there were four, five, no… six?

[Hey, we should share the tasty stuff.]

At present, the core armament of Gu Seonah’s team was the ‘Holy Lion Set’ and the holy sword ‘Light Wish’ that Gu Seonah herself was wearing.

The ‘Holy Lion Set’ was a mass-production item specialized in defense, and ‘Light Wish’ was a type of buff item.

In other words, they were in a state where they lacked items capable of dealing real damage to higher-grade demonfolk.

“Who the hell are these bastards? Why won’t they die!”

Flustered, Kim Namwoon swung his knife over and over, but unfortunately, the attribute of [Black Flame] couldn’t inflict a valid hit on higher-grade demonfolk.

To make matters worse, the durability of the ‘Holy Lion Set’ was starting to fall. When the higher-grade demonfolk, who had quickly synchronized their offense, unleashed a flurry of blows, cracks began to form all over the ‘Holy Lion Armor’, unable to withstand the impacts.

“It’ll be hard to hold out much longer!”

At Lee Hyunsung’s shout, Gu Seonah bit down hard on her lower lip. It was about time to make a decision. Would she accept sacrifices and run, or reveal their full strength and fight the demonfolk.

If it were me, there’d be no question—I’d choose the latter. Because although they were at a disadvantage in combat power, it wasn’t an absolute one.

Above all, her team had Jung Heewon, the ‘Demon-Slaying Judge’.

‘Demon-Slaying Judge’ was a trait that exerted absolute power against monsters.

Since ‘higher-grade demonfolk’ also fell into the monster category, of course the correct choice here was to actively deploy Jung Heewon.

“Jung Heewon. To the front.”

As expected, Gu Seonah pushed Jung Heewon to the front.

“Yes.”

At Gu Seonah’s order, Jung Heewon, wearing a Disciplinary Committee armband, stepped forward.

Watching Jung Heewon obey so obediently made my insides twist, but even so, this should resolve the crisis.

If they put Jung Heewon, who had activated [Hour of Judgement], at the head and the rest just supported properly—

“The rest of you head to the ‘Origin Point’.”

What?

“President. No! If we do that―”

“Lee Hyunsung. This is the best option.”

“We can’t leave a comrade behind. Then Heewon will―”

Even in the 41st round, Lee Hyunsung was still Lee Hyunsung.

But Gu Seonah’s voice was cold.

“That’s an order.”

Gu Seonah had made her choice. In exchange for abandoning Jung Heewon here, she would quickly eliminate the ‘73rd Demon King’.

From my perspective, it was a choice I simply couldn’t understand.

Jung Heewon was a damage dealer who would remain effective all the way up to the final battle of the scenarios. Even from a purely calculating standpoint, she was by no means a card you threw away here.

Then a thought suddenly occurred to me.

[Exclusive skill, ‘Character List’ is activating!]

Character: Jung Heewon
Potential: S
Core Setting: Disciplinary Committee (S+), Kendo Club (A+)
Description: The one responsible for the justice «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» of Class A. Basically obeys the student council president’s orders, but unconsciously harbors a sense of rejection toward his commands.
Sometimes has the habit of staring blankly out the window as if looking for something.

Only then did I feel like I understood why Gu Seonah had decided to discard Jung Heewon.

I see. If it was someone she couldn’t control, she’d decided it was better to throw her away here.

Gripping the sword ‘Mikazuki Munechika’ I had given her, Jung Heewon spoke in a voice full of resolve.

“Please go on ahead, President.”

[The trait ‘Disciplinary Committee (S)’ of character ‘Jung Heewon’ activates strongly!]

“Good work, Disciplinary Committee.”

Lightly patting her shoulder, Kim Namwoon moved first, and Lee Jihye followed behind him.

After hesitating, Lee Hyunsung screwed his eyes shut and turned his back.

“I’m sorry. I’ll leave things to you.”

It felt like a scene that couldn’t possibly make sense.

Only Shin Yuseung lingered near the end, unable to easily walk away.

“Ah, aaah.”

Just as Shin Yuseung, looking at Jung Heewon with a face that didn’t know what to do, reached out a hand.

Tzutzuzut.

With a light spark, the light in Shin Yuseung’s eyes went out. Right after, like a mechanical doll, the child began following behind Gu Seonah.

This confirmed it.

Gu Seonah had a skill that could control ‘characters’.

[Chase them.]

Three higher-grade demonfolk rushed after Gu Seonah’s team as they quickly retreated.

But the remaining three were tied down by Jung Heewon.

Two of them had just been too lazy to bother following. The last one seemed interested in Jung Heewon.

[You’re not a fragment, but you’re still quite an interesting one.]

It was the one holding Yu Joonghyuk’s spear, ‘Moon Halberd’.

[A brief diversion should be fine.]

Jung Heewon silently raised her magic power.

A confrontation with a higher-grade demonfolk.

For an ordinary incarnation, it wouldn’t have been strange for their mind to break the moment they faced it, but Jung Heewon was different.

Letting out a shout, Jung Heewon, who had activated [Demon Slayer] and [Swordsmanship], swung her sword toward the higher-grade demonfolk.

The demonfolk casually batted the sword aside with a sweep of Moon Halberd and laughed.

[Constellation, ‘Master of the Spear’ bursts into wild laughter.]

Goddamn it.

Of all opponents, it had to be that one.

‘Master of the Spear’ was a constellation from <First Murim> who had built up his fame by repeating thrusts for hundreds of years.

In other rounds he’d been a Great Personage-grade constellation, but here he seemed to have raised his tier to something close to Fable-grade.

Judging by the look of things, he’d inflated his grade by absorbing ‘Kim Dokja Fragments’.

Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu.

But since the opponent was wearing the guise of a higher-grade demonfolk, it wasn’t that Jung Heewon had no chance of winning.

[Character ‘Jung Heewon’ is requesting activation of ‘Hour of Judgement’!]

She was the ‘Demon-Slaying Judge’.

As long as [Hour of Judgement] activated, no matter who the opponent was, she had a chance.

[Skill activation has been forcibly cancelled!]

Startled, Jung Heewon looked up into the air.

[Demon-Slaying Judge] was a skill that could only be activated if a certain number of constellations in the channel provided Plausibility.

But the constellations occupying the channel right now were <Twelve Zodiac> and the Gourmet Association. There was no way a constellation who would take her side existed.

[Let’s see how you handle this.]

The storm of magic power rising from Moon Halberd poured down toward Jung Heewon. The ‘Holy Lion Armor’ she was wearing shattered, and sharp blades of magic slashed all over her body.

At this rate, Jung Heewon would die. This was no time to hesitate.

I activated [Wind’s Path] with all my strength and hurled my body toward Jung Heewon.

At the same time, an explosive web burst out from Ji Eunyu’s entire body.

[Wha―]

Caught in [Arachne’s Web], the legs of the three demonfolk, including ‘Master of the Spear’, were bound. I quickly rushed out of the bushes and hoisted up the Jung Heewon who had been flung away.

Jung Heewon’s eyes widened in surprise. Then a vicious light rose in her gaze.

“Put me down.”

Her body was already in tatters. It was the price of standing at the very front and facing higher-grade demonfolk.

“It’s the president’s order. I―”

A resolve to fulfill the order no matter what it took.

[The relevant person is currently under ‘Hypnotic Agitation’.]

So it was like that after all.

I’d suspected as much. At this point in time, the skills that could control characters were fixed.

「[Hypnotic Agitation] of Hypnotist ‘Christina Page’.」

Gu Seonah had already killed another reader and taken their skill for herself.

There were several ways to wake someone from [Hypnotic Agitation].

One of them was to rouse them with a verbal command more powerful than [Hypnotic Agitation].

「If it’s Cheon Inho’s [Agitation], it’s possible.」

Without hesitation, I activated [Agitation].

“Heewon! Wake up!”

[The relevant person is under a special ‘hypnosis’.]

[A stronger ‘Agitation’ than usual is required.]

What?

[Please select a ‘keyword’ that will deliver a great shock to the relevant person.]

Before I knew it, Jung Heewon, now wearing a serious expression, had pressed the blade of Mikazuki Munechika against my neck.

“Put me down.”

I thought about Jung Heewon.

What in the world could I say that would shock this person.

「“Inho was always kind of a weird person, you know. Saying weird things all the time.”」

A woman whose sword had protected Kim Dokja in the main story.

「“How did you end up becoming a writer, Inho?”」

I realized that the bond I’d built up with her already wasn’t short. We’d hunted ichthyosaurs together, cleared Geumho Station and Chungmuro, and the theater dungeon. We’d fought against the beggars of Seoul Station and beaten back the monsters of Gwanghwamun.

「“Inho.”」

Would those times someday become a tale? How much history had to pile up for a story to become a tale?

I didn’t know. All I remembered was a single sentence.

「“Don’t die.”」

Jung Heewon had always saved me with that one sentence. And now it was my turn to give that sentence back.

―Author-nim! I can’t hold them much longer!

Along with Ji Eunyu’s scream, I felt presences closing in behind me.

Still carrying Jung Heewon on my back, I ducked reflexively. A sharp spear technique grazed my hair and lodged itself in a tree.

There was nowhere left to run.

If I didn’t wake Jung Heewon now, we would all die here.

So I was sorry to Jung Heewon, but here, I had no choice but to say something she would hate to hear.

“Heewon, I love you!”

I thought this would do it.

Back in the subway too, I was sure her expression had worsened when she’d heard similar words―

[Character ‘Jung Heewon’ is strongly shaken by your statement.]

“You… what kind of bullshit are you suddenly spouting. In a situation like this….”

Her face twisted with anger, but her hypnosis did not break.

No way, this isn’t enough?

In the meantime, the higher-grade demonfolk spinning Moon Halberd like a windmill charged in.

I set Jung Heewon down on the ground and swung Unbroken Faith that I’d taken out. A heavy cracking sound burst out and pain shot through my wrist as it twisted.

[You’re―]

‘Master of the Spear’s eyes widened as he recognized me.

[You’re a very big fragment.]

A spear technique at such an exalted level that my eyes could barely even follow it moved.

Shit, was I wrong?

I took one of the items I’d bought earlier out of my coat.

[You are using the item, ‘Standard Signal Flare’!]

The signal flare exploded like fireworks. All I could do was hope my companion would see this signal in time.

“Heewon! Run!”

I shouted with all my strength toward Jung Heewon.

“I’ll hold them off here somehow―”

Desperately activating [Wind’s Path], I tried to dodge, but the unavoidable strike came. I felt the sharp spear technique rip into my abdomen.

Of course. In my current state, there was no way I could defeat this opponent.

[You’re laughing?]

Even so, I was gripping the spear shaft and laughing.

I almost felt like it was better this way.

“Heewon! Hurry―”

Why was it. There was no response from Jung Heewon.

I looked back. Jung Heewon was still there. She hadn’t run, just stood there, watching me.

[Character ‘Jung Heewon’ receives a great shock.]

Only in that moment did I realize.

The ‘keyword’ that could wake Jung Heewon.

“Ah―”

Seeing Jung Heewon’s expression, I strangely enough thought of my backer constellation.

「Demon King of Salvation.」

Only now did I understand why a man so clumsy at saving anyone was called the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.

[The mind of character ‘Jung Heewon’ temporarily collapses!]

Those who are saved by the Demon King are bound to receive an irreparable wound.

“Don’t die. You can’t die. You can’t die―”

Muttering like crazy, Jung Heewon staggered toward me.

Blood poured from the abdomen stabbed by the spear technique, and my consciousness grew dimmer and dimmer.

And as my consciousness grew faint, a strong conviction swelled up.

[A constellation who has not yet revealed their modifiers is watching you.]

Jung Heewon would not die.

[Your blurred consciousness is partially freed from the constraints of your body.]

She would suffer a wound horrible enough to die from, but even so, she would not die.

[Exclusive skill, ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ Stage 3 is being forcibly activated.]

And there would be the Demon King’s one-sided atonement for this one-sided salvation.

That was to read the stories of the people who had been wounded.

To read, and read, and read again.

[‘First-Person Supporting Role Viewpoint’ is activating!]

Until finally, you became that person.

「You can’t die.」

When I snapped my eyes open, I saw my incarnation body collapsing.

「No matter what happens, I’ll definitely save you.」

A higher-grade demonfolk was reaching out with greedy eyes toward my head.

I moved Jung Heewon’s hand and gripped Mikazuki Munechika.

[Activating ‘Hour of Judgement’!]

[Constellation, ‘Demon King of Salvation (Acting)’ has agreed to the activation of ‘Hour of Judgement’.]

At last, it was time for judgement.