Chapter 275 - Unexpected Encounter

"Oppa, oppa."

"What is it, Seo-eun?"

This happened some time ago.

I was working on my laptop in the living room, and Seo-eun was lying on the sofa reading a comic book with her legs resting on my lap.

"Do you know about parallel universes?"

"Parallel universes? I've heard of them. Why?"

"Well... according to parallel universe theory, there are supposedly other dimensional Earths out there."

Seo-eun was explaining this, probably because she'd read something about it in her comic book.

...As she spoke, I felt slightly uncomfortable since I had actually come from another dimension, though not exactly a parallel universe.

She soon closed her book, looked at me with a grin, and said:

"So! Somewhere in the multiverse, there must be a world where you're younger than me and I'm your older sister! A world where I call you 'Da-in~' and you call me 'noona'!"

She was so excited as she said this.

As she described a parallel universe Han Seo-eun who was over 170cm tall, I could only shake my head and tell her:

"Hmm... no, I don't think such a world exists."

"What? Why not! It could happen!"

"Well...."

As she stomped her feet in protest at my words, I found it rather awkward to explain.

Anyway, the conclusion was that while there might be completely "different worlds" that only resembled Earth—like the ordinary Earth I came from or the Moonlight Dimension crawling with monsters—I didn't think there were "parallel worlds" with only minor differences from this one.

This world clearly has just one timeline. At first, I vaguely thought parallel worlds might exist, but the more I learned about this world, the more I realized they don't.

...Yeah.

Anyway, I suddenly remembered playing with Seo-eun like that.

After the Moonlight Cult Leader's surprise attack made Stardust disappear somewhere, I recklessly entered a strange dimensional gate to follow her.

"Urrrgh."

Unable to open my eyes, feeling as if I'd fallen into a swirling zero-gravity space, I surrendered my body to the strange dimensional current and wondered:

...Where am I falling to?

And then.

A flash of white light appeared before my eyes.

And I lost consciousness.

***

"Ugh..."

How much time had passed?

Realizing I was collapsed on some kind of ground, I clutched my throbbing head and somehow managed to get up from the floor.

...At least I've arrived somewhere.

But where exactly have I fallen?

I staggered to my feet and opened my eyes.

And before me.

"Huh...?"

A pure white world stretched out in all directions.

"...What is this?"

Seeing this, I couldn't help but mutter those words.

A strange space with an endless flat white floor stretching infinitely.

As I stood there dumbfounded, looking at this bizarre world that seemed unreal:

"So you've finally awakened."

Suddenly, a man's voice came from behind me.

When I turned around to look, what I saw was:

"...?"

A man with long black hair reaching his waist, a sculptured face, dressed in white silk clothes.

Wearing something resembling a shrine maiden's outfit, he sat before what looked like a wooden table.

With a serene expression, not even looking in my direction, he continued writing something with a brush.

Seeing this mysterious man, I couldn't help but ask:

"...Who are you?"

At my question, he sighed softly and put down his brush.

Finally, the man turned to face me.

Our eyes met—his red eyes and mine.

As I tilted my head at the strange sensation I felt in that moment,

He quietly opened his mouth and spoke to me.

"...I am the Moon God."

"..."

His voice echoed through the white space.

"...Um, what?"

Confused, I could only ask that in response.

And this was the moment I first met another god of this world.

***

After the mysterious man with long black hair and silk clothes identified himself as the Moon God.

Seeing the confusion on my face, he sighed and spoke again.

"...Well, sigh. I'm still disoriented from just waking up. I was in a deep sleep when I was startled awake by the sensation of dimensional barriers collapsing."

Rising from his seat, he looked down at me with a complex expression and continued:

"...It's been thousands of years since I last spoke with a human. Anyway, when I woke up, I found you caught between dimensional cracks and rescued you. Child of the Star. Anyway..."

He paused briefly to think before speaking again.

"I've sealed the hole in the dimensional wall. Though my power has weakened and I couldn't do it all at once, the connections between your world and my dimension will disappear one by one as time passes."

"...Um, thank you?"

"No need for thanks. It was something I had to do. Anyway..."

After saying that, he quietly looked down at me again, then turned his head and said:

"...There's nothing good for a mortal to stay long in a god's space, so you'd better return quickly. I'll open a path for you. Well..."

"...Excuse me, wait."

"...Hmm?"

He looked down at me with sudden interest when I spoke.

I swallowed hard before him.

...A god. The Moon God, no less.

In the original story, he was only mentioned by name and never once appeared. He was just one of the three gods, described as the God of Knowledge who governed magic and dimensions.

So I knew almost nothing about him.

I already knew the gods were humanlike, but the Moon God's existence was unclear. The story only mentioned that he had severed ties with the mortal world, and he never appeared even until the end of the original work.

"...Do you truly intend not to involve yourself in human affairs?"

Yes.

That's the question I asked him.

Among the three gods in this world, he had the least presence.

Although he had taught humans the discipline of magic, even that had long been overshadowed by superpowers. Unlike the other two gods who showed great interest in humans, this god was truly indifferent. I never even saw him in the original story.

After a moment of silence at my question:

He quietly looked at me again and spoke.

"...I already concluded long ago that I would no longer interfere in the human world. Besides, I can't do much anymore due to restrictions."

"...I see."

"Yes."

After saying that, he was silent for a moment.

"Of course, that doesn't mean I want your world to perish."

He added that at the end.

Then, giving me a slight smile, he said:

"And, Child of the Star. You're already doing quite well."

"..."

I was at a loss for words at his statement.

No. How does he know what I've been doing...? Didn't he say he just woke up?

Whether he knew my thoughts or not, he continued:

"I'll help as much as I can... I didn't know that those who falsely claim to be my followers would connect the dimension of monsters I created for experiments to your world. I'll try to block that as much as possible and strengthen the dimensional barriers further."

"...I understand."

I decided to be satisfied with that.

After all, just realizing that the Moon God wasn't an enemy was a valuable insight.

...And somehow, he seemed to be showing a favorable attitude toward me.

"It'll be dangerous if you stay any longer. It seems it's time for you to go."

Sitting at the wooden table, he said this while pointing his brush in one direction.

A purple portal appeared in one part of the white space.

"Daughter of the Star. Didn't you come here looking for her? I've connected it to where she is, so head there."

"...Alright. Thank you."

I said that as I got up.

...Even before he mentioned it, I was already feeling dizzy and experiencing strange symptoms. Whether it was something the Moonlight Cult Leader had done, or as he said, the effect of being in a god's space, it seemed right to leave. ...The Moon God also didn't appear to be in a position to tell me more.

I stood up and headed toward the dimensional gate.

As I was about to step through the portal.

The Moon God, who had been quietly doing something without looking at me:

"...And."

His voice came from behind me at the last moment.

"Thank you for saving my daughter, Baek Eunwol."

I paused briefly at his words.

Then.

"...It was nothing."

With those words, I crossed through the dimensional gate.

Immediately, a somehow familiar dark, space-like scene unfolded before my eyes.

The difference from before was that, thanks to whatever the Moon God had done, I could see ahead without being swept away by the dimensional current.

As I moved forward, I saw a familiar yellow light somewhere in the distance, and I couldn't help but smile and mutter:

"...Right. Time to go back."

...Maybe because I was too tense from the unexpected meeting with a god, I'd used too much mental energy. Hah. It's about time to end this tiresome Moonlight Cult scenario.

Let's get Stardust and go back. To our home.

With that thought, I swam toward the falling yellow light.

To save her.