NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18
Luka tidied her hair once more.
A feeling of emptiness. The unease that had followed her like a shadow her entire life.
Without hesitation, she articulated her intention once again.
“I want to go back. Because…”
“If I don’t return, I feel like I’ll forget something truly important…”
<<< Do you really want to go back? >>>
Luka. I’ll explain one last time. You cannot be happy.
That is your destiny. An inescapable fate.
This opportunity, given to you by the love of God, will be the only luck you may never encounter again in your life.
The proxy pointed to the mirror with light.
At the same time, the unhappiness Luka felt inside the mirror climbed up her body like mold.
It was truly a chilling experience. The sense of relentless misfortune choking her like a noose.
A strong chill ran through her, yet Luka endured. Courage was a virtue of children.
How long had it been?
The voice of the proxy echoed again.
<<< And this world is indeed the only response of the world to the requirements of God. This is the best way for you to find happiness. >>>
Upon hearing those words, Luka gazed into the mirror once more.
Yes.
That is me.
That must be my true self.
The poor child living like a beggar, unable to eat properly or dress nicely… that’s me.
“I understand.”
<<< Your happiness is the will of God, so I have no choice but to ask again and again. >>>
Even if it means suffering misfortune?
Luka slowly closed her eyes and then, as if resolved, slowly spoke.
“I will not evade my fate; I will accept it.”
<<< Is that your answer? >>>
From the words of the proxy, a feeling of bewilderment from witnessing an unexpected situation could be felt.
As if such a thing was outside the realm of expectation.
As if it was certain that Luka would choose happiness.
In fact, anyone, even someone else, would hesitate.
You will be unhappy for life now. Yet, God, in His love, has bestowed upon you the chance to be happy, even in a false world.
If you accept it, you will live happily for the rest of your life without even realizing that it is false.
If you refuse, you will fall into an irretrievable cycle of misfortune…
No one would hastily claim they would kick away happiness after hearing this story.
But.
“Even if it’s a life of misfortune…”
If there exists something there that makes me feel this nostalgic feeling,
I must go.
Even if what lies before me is the miserable sight beyond the mirror.
“Still, I will move forward. I will not flee; I will fight.”
<<< You are very determined, Luka. >>>
“Of course. That—”
—I am not mistaken, because God has said so.
Then my decision won’t be wrong either.
After hearing Luka’s final answer, the proxy fell silent for a moment, then muttered.
Indeed. This is not a statement addressed to Luka, but rather a word that slipped out involuntarily from an unknown entity that felt a kind of thrill.
――The words of God possess vitality.
<<< I see. Then I will act according to your will. If you wish to change your decision, now is the last chance. >>>
“No, it’s fine. I want to go back to my original world.”
No matter how many times asked, Luka’s mind did not change.
I must return.
To confirm what I’ve been forgetting. To check what is empty, I must.
And…
No matter what choice I make,
God is always watching over me from above.
Luka slowly closed her eyes.
What lay before her was the image of the maids who had been fixing her hair, and her mom and dad.
Her parents who always held her in love. Even now, when she closed her eyes, memories of her childhood, curled up in her mom’s embrace, vividly resurfaced.
Dad had said he wished I would never grow up. If that had been but an illusion, didn’t this world truly wish for my happiness?
Perhaps.
Now, she thought that she might be missing out on the “only way to be happy” that had rolled into her life thanks to God’s love—
But that’s okay.
Doing what my heart tells me to do… must be right.
God told me I am not mistaken.
“Goodbye. Dad, Mom.”
Even if they were false, illusory beings— I was really, really happy.
Thank you for showing me happiness.
Embracing the happiness you have given me, I will steadfastly continue on my path.
How long had it been?
The voice from God’s proxy faded away, and time passed again— a blinding white light swallowed the darkness to the point where opening her eyes seemed impossible.
That light soon engulfed “Luka de Poitiers,” who was now a vessel and the response of the world.
And…
* * *
On the dock, with the sunset casting a beautiful glow.
“Luka.”
Turning my head, a long-missed voice spoke towards me.
That voice dug into my heart like a shovel, yet it fit perfectly in Luka’s heart, which bore similar wounds.
“You didn’t forget.”
“…Yeah.”
Twenty-year-old Luka nodded slowly.
Father.
I’m back.
Luka knew this was a dream.
Nonetheless, she greeted him. Her one and only father.
The one who had been among the few blessings in her unfortunate life.
“You were right, Dad.
God has been watching over us.”
Her father slowly reached out his hand.
And with a bony hand, he gently patted her head—
“You will surely make it,” he seemed to say.
* * *
‘……’
How long had it been?
Luka awakened from her dream and carefully turned her body.
Warm sunlight shone through the window, and the chirping of birds could be heard.
I am… Luka.
Luka Hebnisian.
The name left to me by the director of the orphanage.
Memories quickly returned, piece by piece.
What had happened.
Father’s passing, entering the orphanage, receiving my name, enrolling in the academy…
And…
Luka slowly stood up from her place.
…And.
‘……!!!’
Finally, she realized the source of the unease she had felt on her head.
What she had long forgotten.
Why she constantly sensed emptiness.
“Luka unni! Have a safe trip! Here’s a gift!”
“This is……”
“You can’t let your hair get in the way during sword practice!”
“I didn’t steal it, unni! I saved my allowance to buy it. Hehe.”
A pang struck a corner of her heart. What was this feeling?
Family?
The white ribbon.
The one she always tied in her hair.
“Oh… Oh no…!!!”
Ah.
That’s right.
The reason her head always felt empty was—because she had lost the gift from her second family—
The ribbon wasn’t there.
Luka picked up the pristine white ribbon that lay on the table with trembling hands.
And, holding it tightly with both hands, she knelt and with a quivering voice—
“This is it….”
Yes. This was it.
What I had forgotten.
The identity of the unease that had continuously followed me.
No matter how many hair ornaments I adorned, it could not fill the void… this ribbon.
Luka cried for a long time while holding the ribbon, like a child.
“This is it, this is it, this is it…”
While weeping, she kept whispering that word over and over again.
And the more often she spoke that word—
—God’s boundless, immense love flowed through her veins, filling her empty heart.
* * *
Luka, with her hair tied up in a ribbon, checked the mirror.
Returning to her original world was good, but what should she do moving forward?
First, let’s go find the dean. Somehow, I’ll pay the fee and also… I must go visit the director’s grave.
The thought of the director reminded her of the tragic event, and tears threatened to spill again, but it was okay.
Luka’s eyes were no longer lifeless.
Though her heart was broken, it had once again wrapped itself around the threads of life.
―― It’s okay to be broken. I just need to move forward.
I am not mistaken. God is always with me.
In her eyes, there was a strength that only someone who had experienced a fall could possess.
The power to fight against the relentless misfortune that was her cruel fate.
What Luka had gained was a spirit stronger than mere resilience—a will to push forward, even if she stumbled.
As she organized her future plans—
There was a knock at the door.
“?”
What’s that?
Could it be the dean visiting? If I open the door…
“…Huh?”
“Sister!!”
“Luka unni!!!”
Though they had grown a bit, there stood a boy and girl with familiar faces.
“Amon…? Freya…?”
“Sister! I found you! I asked everyone just to meet you—”
“Wait a second… you guys, you were alive…??”
On the day the orphanage burned down… weren’t they supposed to have all died?
They had said everyone that day…
“Yes…! We almost died, but… the Saint healed us!”
“The miracle of the Saint is real!! That’s right, unni! I have something to tell you—”
—Suddenly.
“Kids…!!!”
Luka hugged Amon and Freya, crying loudly until the building could hear her.
At that moment, she had no thoughts.
Just one phrase, a single word kept circling in her mind.
I’m so glad you are alive.
Really, really glad…
*
With the power of 100,000 won, I could rewrite the Bible and alter the history of the world that contains the traces of God.
But for a single human to overcome trauma, resolve to fight destiny, and move forward, it requires sometimes more than the power to rewrite history—
This world says…
You can only bow your head and utter these words.
Long live the 300,000 won donation.
Praise the one true God who made all this possible for us.
Long live the 300,000 won donation.
Worship the great being that can resolve the imperfect answers of the world with just one word from God!
Long live the 300,000 won donation.
Once again, God Igguoqueden was right!
Long live Igguoqueden!
! ! ! Long live the 300,000 won donation! ! !
* * *
Clink.
I poured the cola from the can into a glass filled with ice.
With a satisfying fizzing sound, the refreshing carbonation rang in my ears.
Then, I gulped it down.
Ah!
“This is it!”
I deliberately made a noise to steady my emotions.
After all, this last scene always made my heart swell, almost to the point of tears.
But I shouldn’t cry. Isn’t it a time to be happy now?
‘What a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. Yes.’
I was so glad that Luka had decided to face her fate head-on.
From her perspective, she might have thought she didn’t want to move forward—
But in the end, she managed to overcome, so Luka did.
I wanted to see Luka—
A human, despite her painful past, shaking it off while steadily continuing on her path.
The phrase “You are not mistaken” held that meaning as well. She had walked this far without conceding to misfortune.
Thus, I was pleased with the current conclusion.
Luka’s image, bravely moving forward without blaming her unfortunate fate.
“Yes…! We almost died, but… the Saint healed us!”
“The miracle of the Saint is real!! That’s right, unni! I have something to tell you—”
[ God Igguoqueden: (Support / 8,000 won / If you’re not completely devastated, hurry and heal the kids from the orphanage) ]
‘Though I’ve spent more hoping for something good to happen immediately after Luka returned…’
I was glad there were children in the orphanage who hadn’t perished.
The author said that no matter how much you paid, the deceased couldn’t be revived.
Similarly, it seemed that sponsorship wasn’t just straightforward. There were some issues that couldn’t be resolved even with the miracle of revival.
Since it was a setting they chose, they could have changed it at any moment to receive more money, yet they kept these details so meticulously, I couldn’t help but be absorbed in it.
[ Please Give Me Money: Luka has gained the power to fight against her fate with 300,000 won. ]
[ Please Give Me Money: The overwhelming support of God has healed Luka’s broken heart. ]
[ Please Give Me Money: Perhaps with just 150,000 won, she would have merely created false illusions and would not have solved any real issues. ]
[ Please Give Me Money: All thanks to the incredibly generous support of God Igguoqueden! ]
[ God Igguoqueden: Hahaha, yeah, writer, this chapter was great! ]
[ God Igguoqueden: Let’s keep this up! ]
[ Please Give Me Money: However, Luka’s life ahead will be a thorny path. ]
[ Please Give Me Money: At the very least, in regard to her torturous fate, ‘the world’s response’ has indeed brought forth the utmost alternative, which is fact. ]
[ God Igguoqueden: That’s fine. ]
It didn’t matter whether Luka’s path was thorny or even worse than that.
[ God Igguoqueden: Because I will always be watching over Luka. ]
—God is always watching over you.
Luka was not mistaken.