Waiting For Your Reincarnation

When we re-entered the forest, the Sly’s were happy to see me and came running up to me in a pack.

 

It seemed like only a few hours had passed since we’d been separated, and they reacted as if they’d been reunited with a long-lost family member.

 

Vomit filled my throat because of the teleportation but I managed to choke back the nausea and say hello.

 

The Slys looked a lot alike, but now I could tell which one was which.

 

The Slys who had fought over the fruit earlier had also come to greet me. 

 

Of course, the Slys avoided Ryu Won as if in defense and gathered around me.

 

With a gentle touch, I patted the Slys near me.

 “How are you? — Uh, who are they?” 

Ryu Won jerked his head in the direction of a strange pole that looked like a telephone pole.

 

Three employees were gathered around the pole, talking. Several unidentifiable machines were attached to the pole.

 “They’re the support team from the center. They’re probably checking on Qi Dong and the reincarnated souls one last time to make sure they’re okay. Let’s go over there.” “Huh? Team Leader Han, over here, over here!” 

The support team waved their hands in the air as soon as they saw Ryu Won and me.

 

A woman with round glasses and half-bun hair stepped out and extended her right hand. Despite her neat and calm appearance, she introduced herself with a loud and bubbly voice.

 “Welcome, I’m Zhang Yuri from the support team of the Soul Protection Center!” “Hello, I’m Kim Yeon-young.” “I heard that you applied for reincarnation very quickly, so you’re of interest to our support team because you applied for reincarnation as soon as you arrived!

”

 

I could only smile awkwardly as I felt her energy level rise.

 

Obviously, I had just come from the center and everyone on the support team already knew about me.

 

Yuri pointed to the nub of her little finger.

 “I only have a second’s memory. I barely remember one thing, and that’s already pretty impressive.” “Honestly, I don’t know if it’s really impressive having a memory from when I arrived.” “Tanato may seem peaceful on the outside, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. Maybe you’re just another one of them. Anyway, I’m rooting for you. I wish you a successful reincarnation.” 

Yuri grabbed my hands and shook them vigorously up and down.

 Shhh— 

A light breeze blew from behind me and Yuri was pushed back slightly by the wind.

 

When I turned my head to where the breeze was coming from, I saw Ryu Won standing there nonchalantly. Yuri puffed out her cheeks to show her displeasure.

 “Ah! Team leader Ryu Won, why are you pushing me?” “Because it’s ugly.” 

I waved my hands horizontally in disbelief, but it didn’t work.

 

Yuri didn’t seem bothered and said it was okay and went back to her desk, saying she had to get back to work.

 

The support team clearly knew what to do.

 

One employee brought in what looked like a stun gun and attached it to Qi Dong, while another held a face-sized bead and stared at it.

 

Yuri didn’t do anything, but she watched what everyone was doing and directed the team as the team leader.

 

I watched as she sat in the field.

 “You’re so organized.” “It’s been a long time. It’s not often that a phantom comes here, let alone reincarnates.” “So that strange pillar was actually very important?” “That pillar is called the “Pillar of Iris”, it’s the center of this forest and this world. It’s where all the mystical power comes from.” 

With a humming sound, light intermittently entered and exited the geometric gate patterns carved into the pillar.

 

It felt mysterious and beautiful, like a lighthouse shining in the dark sea at night, the only one of its kind.

 

Looking at the pillar made her feel relaxed. I had a feeling of déjà vu because it was a familiar scene that I had seen in my dreams.

 

I took a deep breath of fresh air and let it out. My heart was racing.

 “It’s beautiful.” “More than you ever want to let go of.”

Yuri added.

 

I was stunned and moved away from Ryu Won. 

 

Hearing the unfamiliar sound in broad daylight made my ears red to the point of bursting.

 

If I had a heart in my chest, it would have beaten loudly. 

 

Ryu Won didn’t blink. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of a chaotic conversation. 

  ***  

Ryu Won and I chatted for a while and when the inspection was finished, the support team put the things they were carrying on the ground.

 “No problem here!” “Everything is fine here as well.” “Then let’s get started right away!” 

With the enthusiastic support team reporting in, Sly’s reincarnation began.

 

Yuri picked up the orb the support member had been looking at earlier.

 

It was a solid purple sphere of a slightly opaque material, like syrup. 

 

As Yuri placed it on the ground against part of the surface of the pillar, the geometric pattern on the pillar glowed yellow, and the light slowly enveloped the entire pillar.

 

As the light faded, the column slowly began to become transparent from below. Inside the transparent surface of the column was a tangle of yellow wires.

 

I wondered how I was supposed to tell the difference between the Slys, which all looked the same except for their size, but it didn’t take long.

 

As the support team finished setting up, a mark appeared on the surface of one particular slide, like a stamp.

 “That’s the center mark,”

he said.

 “Okay, one at a time.” 

Yuri carefully picked up the closest Sly and pushed him into the pillar.

 

Apparently, when he had first fallen here, the surface of the pillar had been hard enough for his teeth to sink into.

 

But now that it was transparent, it sucked Sly in as gently as a vacuum cleaner suck in dust.

 

Sly’s soul was sucked into the pole, into the wires, and up.

 

The reincarnation was fast.

 

By a quick count, there were more than a dozen Slys to be reincarnated, and the end was already in sight.

 

As Ryu Won watched, he spoke softly to me.

 “Yeon-young, what was your past life like?” “My past life?” “Yes. Were you happy? Or do you remember anyone?” “Well… I guess it wasn’t an enviable life in the eyes of others because I was an orphan and had to endure many hardships from a young age. There’s nothing I haven’t done even at that age.” “Then why reincarnate right away? You don’t know what will happen and you might end up in the same situation again.” 

I clenched my fist and showed the living muscle on my arm. Ryu Won didn’t even look at my forearm muscles, uninterested.

 

He put his hand on my shoulder. His grip was tight, but it didn’t hurt.

 

He looked desperate for some reason, and I looked away, feeling my heart ache at the sight of him.

 

It was all because of the dream.

 “Well… If I stay here, I can only stay here, but if I reincarnate, I don’t know what I’ll do. Like Mr. Ryu Won said, “It might repeat itself, but it might change,” so I have to believe in hope.” “Ms. Yeon-young, you can come forward now.”

Yuri called out.

 

Ryu Won’s pupils twitched at the mention of hope.

 

Beyond his gaze, I could read the complex emotions he felt. The hand gripping my shoulder gradually lost its strength.

 

Finally, Yuri called out to me again, down to her last shred. 

 

I was the only reincarnated soul left in the forest. 

 

I slowly approached the pillar.

 

Standing in front of the mysterious pillar made my whole-body tense.

 “Yeon-young!” “Yes?” 

She heard an urgent voice and turned around to see Ryu Won running towards the pillar calling out to her.

 Swish— 

Ryu Won blew a gust of wind towards her. It was a cozy, warm wind, just like the one he had given to the Slys earlier.

 

Instead of blowing away in one direction, the wind stayed close to her, warming her like a coat.

 “It is a wind of happiness, a gift. You’ll be happier in your next life because you took the wind with you.” “Ah! Thank you. I’ll take it.” “Next time don’t give up. This is really the last time I’ll wait.” 

A pitiful voice touched his ears. Ryu Won leaned down and carefully rested his forehead on my shoulder. 

 

A weight that was neither heavy nor light. I raised my hand and stroked his broad back.

 “I’ll see you again, but not as soon as this time.” “I’ll be waiting.”

I replied.

 

Ryu Won’s answer of waiting was so unique that I smiled from the corner of my eyes. 

 

He raised his head and slowly walked away from me.

 

Unlike Ryu Won, who had a bitter look in his eyes, Yuri skillfully went about her business, saying that she was nervous with those fluttering eyes.

 “I’m so nervous because this is the first time I’ve seen a phantom reincarnate in all my years as a support team leader. You can move freely, so we don’t have to put you in. Just place your hands on the pillar and step forward slowly as if you’re entering the room. Good luck!” “Okay. Okay.” 

I stretched out my arms, placed my hands on the pillar, and took a slow step forward.

 Thud! 

I didn’t make it inside and my head hit the pillar hard.

 

Feeling a dull pain, I shook my head.

 

Wondering if something was wrong, I walked towards the pillar again but couldn’t get inside.

 “I can’t get in. What is this?” “Uh-huh?” 

Suddenly, the pillar began to return to its original color. I heard voices behind me, but no one came to help me.

 

No, it wasn’t that they didn’t want to help, but they’d never seen this run before. 

 

Yuri turned to her teammate, who had never seen anything like it.

 “What’s going on?” “The reincarnation door is closing, so…” 

I rubbed my hand over my sore forehead and turned around with a cool look in my eyes. Yuri looked at me as if I hadn’t been reincarnated.

 “So, what’s the problem?” “In a word, Yeon-young, you can’t reincarnate because the Pillar of Iris won’t let you.” Visit my Ko-fi for discounted advanced chapters!!