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Chapter 27
The saying goes, “When strange things happen in world history, aim at England, and you’ll roughly hit the mark.”
Kim Sunwoo studied internet memes more than world history, so he knew the meme even though he didn’t know the reason in detail.
From Ivan’s perspective, he knows that a similar meme is also widely spread in this pre-modern world.
In the original world history, if something strange happens, you can roughly guess by pointing to elves.
Elves are a race that is basically full of a sense of superiority, arrogant, proud, and think that racism is common sense.
The only reason elves were able to belong to the United Kingdom was that, from their perspective, demons were more disgusting than humans. (Unfortunately, dwarves were a non-discriminatory race, so they sided with the demons.)
“There is a theory in the academic world that humans could be evolved monkeys. In most cases, they are not much different from monkeys, but at least they show some traces of intelligence. Don’t think too negatively. It’s a compliment.” (Veolgrin)
“Oh my goodness, a human is talking back? How is the world going to turn around…?” (Veolgrin)
“Magic… ? You’re trying to give too grand a name to playing with magic power. Humans. Are you not too young to cast magic?” (Veolgrin)
The above quotes are words that Veolgrin, who was considered to have the best personality among the elves, directly said to Ivan.
Ivan still clearly remembers that moment.
All members of the hero party are crazy, but Veolgrin is one of the highest quality crazy people.
What’s more surprising is that Veolgrin actually had no ill will.
In other words, those words were just a natural statement from his perspective.
Even at this moment, when the population, which was already small, has been cut again due to the war with the demons, and the time has come to open the gates to preserve the national body.
Elves are basically scum.
“A ‘volunteer club’?” (Eugene)
“Yes.” (Ivan)
“Me?” (Eugene)
“Hmm.” (Ivan)
“Why?” (Eugene)
Ivan had already secured the approval of the saint and assassin of the hero party, the heads of theology and knight departments respectively. And even the head of the magic department. Although it was not compulsory, it was at least possible to persuade them to take some time out for the sake of their dignity.
But instead, Ivan was stroking the handle of his axe, contemplating. It was a historical truth even the Demon King acknowledged that it was faster to kill an elf than to persuade one.
“Brother, I’ll take care of this!” (Eugene)
At that moment, a young man rose up indignantly beside Ivan and shouted.
This is the story of how he suddenly acquired a younger brother.
“I’m Korean, and it would be wonderful if you were too, Man. Meeting someone from your hometown is always a pleasant experience. So, is there any reason for us to feel awkward? The Bible suggests that words have the power to resolve any problem in the world.” (Eugene)
The possessed person, who had been kidnapped from the theology faculty campus, started talking like this as soon as he came to his senses.
Ivan was somewhat taken aback. It was not only that he had revealed his identity too easily, but also that he was surprisingly good at talking.
“Is your name Ivan Petrovich? Man, even the name is cool. Eugene. How about that? Pronunciation is difficult from the Korean perspective, and it’s annoying to memorize. Oh, why did you suddenly fall into this world? Oh, by the way, are you from the post-Stalin era? Actually, the Soviet Union collapsed.” (Eugene)
This guy was pouring out questions without being asked.
Ivan listened to Eugene’s long speech while stroking his chin, and then suddenly stopped.
“How did you know I was Korean?” (Ivan)
“Why. You have conducted I have status window, right? In fact, the concept of a status window is only common in Northeast Asia. Character sheets appearing in novel texts are mostly seen in Korean web novels and Japanese light novels! It’s still a somewhat unfamiliar concept in other countries, although it’s gradually appearing…” (Eugene)
“And?” (Ivan)
“The only countries that pronounce the name ‘Eugene’ accurately phonetically are Korea and the English-speaking world! So, since the only common point is Korea, I took a guess! Hehehe.” (Eugene)
The three countries of Northeast Asia are all part of the Chinese cultural sphere, but their pronunciation rules differ. This means that the same Chinese character can be pronounced differently.
In Japan, the name is pronounced with a long vowel sound. In China, tones are used. The only way to pronounce the name “Eugene” as a single syllable is in Korean.
‘That means he did all that deduction during the time he was being dragged away. Was it his survival instinct, or was it the help of the status bar?’
Even if we consider those factors,
‘This guy is more capable than I thought… ?’
Ivan nodded.
“So, you say you can see the status bar?” (Ivan)
“Yes, of course! Do you, too? Man, when it first appeared in front of me, I thought, ‘This is it, my life is going to change!’ But it doesn’t give me anything, it doesn’t take anything away, it just suddenly gives me a quest and then cancels it. This thing is not a status bar, it’s a shit-spear. Is yours like that too?” (Eugene)
“I don’t have one.” (Ivan)
“Oh my God, I’m so jealous of you, man! I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but in the four years since I came here, the status bar has never helped me with anything! Man, whenever I try to do something, it just keeps giving me warnings!” (Eugene)
Eugene was talkative, more than just competent.
“Oh, by the way, man, how many years did you live?” (Eugene)
“Thirty.” (Ivan)
“Oh…” (Eugene)
Eugene sighed at Ivan’s words.
Thirty years without a status bar… ? And that period of time was even before the demon war… ?
“By any chance, when you came over from Korea, what year was it?” (Eugene)
“It was 2021.” (Ivan)
“Oh! I was in 2022! Man, does a one-year difference in our hometown mean a thirty-year difference here? Then it’s been four years since I came here… It hasn’t even been a few months!” (Eugene)
“It’s hard to think that way.” (Ivan)
Among the stories the saintess had told him about “the possessed of the distant past,” there were things that could only be thought of as modern artifacts.
It is difficult to think that the time on Earth and in this world must be proportional. Perhaps a person from the future could have been possessed in a more distant past than himself.
What kind of criteria would there be? What were the conditions for possession?
“Oh, by the way, what did you do before you cross over? I was wondering if we had anything in common, the two of us.” (Eugene)
“I was a college student.” (Ivan)
“Oh, I was an office worker. This is it, I’m older! Can I call you ‘Big Brother’?” (Eugene)
“…???” (Ivan)
Ivan stared at the madman in front of him, his mouth shut.
Eugene, who had been talking animatedly about all sorts of things, trembled as he felt Ivan’s gaze. He quickly continued.
“But age doesn’t really matter, does it? I mean, you’ve been around for over 50 years, taking into account your Earth and here experiences, right? 20 years on Earth, 30 years here… That makes it appropriate to address you as Big Brother, doesn’t it?” (Eugene)
“…” (Ivan)
Ivan pondered for a moment.
He himself had never really thought deeply about his age.
But somehow, that didn’t seem right.
“Uh… Well! Um! Can I call you ‘Big Brother’?” (Eugene)
Shit.
Ivan cursed his own mouth and sighed at this awkward silence.
Why did he say that? Has he gone crazy?
Ivan looked at Eugene and thought.
This guy is kind of interesting.
He has talent in swordsmanship, enough to use side-angle detection, and is taking a regular course in theology. He also has a status bar and is good at talking…
He could be useful. At least more than Dmitry.
“If not, then there’s no other option! Instead of ‘Big Brother,’ why don’t I simply address you as ‘sir’? Would that be more comfortable for you?”
“Do as you wish.”
“…Yes, big brother!”
Ivan nodded as he looked at Eugene, who was laughing like a con artist.
“Let’s forge a strong camaraderie.”
At that point, when he had analyzed the profiles of all students at Saint Jan’s University, there were a total of three people suspected of being possessed. Eugene, Yuri, and an elf named Oswald.
It was possible that only this guy was possessed, and the others were just ordinary people from this world who had been unlucky enough to be on the suspect list.
But it was always best to be sure. There was no problem as long as the saintess had approved.
If we could gather all possible possessed people, and then narrow them down, and analyze their commonalities.
‘What is my story? What is the story that remains in this world?’
There could be at least some commonalities that could be inferred.
The conditions for being possessed, the commonalities of possession, and the existence of an ‘ending,’ for example.
Since experiments are guaranteed to produce meaningful results only when the control group is large.
“Yes, big brother! Leave it to me!!”
***
Isabel, Yuri, and Ecdysis have been eating together every day since the start of the semester.
This is the result of a number of conflicting interests.
First, Isabel. She instinctively pays attention to the gazes of the people around her. It was a skill she had acquired after a long life in the palace. She could perceive the “hypocrisy” of others.
It was too well-known that she was the daughter of a hero, so anyone who approached her had to be aware of her background. That was one of the things Isabel hated the most, so she became a voluntary outcast.
On the other hand, Ecdysis’s case is a little different. As she once recalled, she is attending college with her uncle.
As a freshman, she was too delicate to easily build friendships with Ecdysis, who was closely monitored by her muscular uncle. So she became an unintentional outcast.
As for Yuri, there was no need to say anything more. She was an orphan, and even though the times have improved, most of those who can afford to pay college tuition are naturally nobles.
She is a person who scratches the pride of the nobles with her skills, which are far ahead of those of the nobles, even though she is a war orphan. Therefore, she also became an outcast.
As these three loners were comforting each other’s wounds and writing a high school drama together,
“Hey! Uncle!”
Isabelle put down the sandwich she was eating and waved her hand happily at something.
Yuri, who was eating a sandwich together, suddenly turned her head and dropped her sandwich with a thud.
A gardener with a towel around his neck was walking straight towards her.
‘Gold Sun has been added…?!’
With a young nobleman who was laughing like a villain by his side.
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