RTN 14

chapter 14

[If safety is not secured within one minute, everything within a 100 km radius will be reduced to nothing.]

That absurd system message disappeared only after all signs of attacks aimed at me had completely withdrawn.

Moments later, researchers in lab coats rushed in and surrounded me. Their restraint wasn’t violent—but it was swift and precise.

My legs gave out, and before I could even think of resisting, I was dragged away and shoved into some room. The door shut behind me in an instant.

When I finally gathered my wits, I tried the doorknob, but it was locked tight.

A wave of fatigue hit me hard, draining every bit of strength from my body.

Leaning my back against the door, I looked around.

A smooth, metallic bed-like platform with a strange fabric spread over it. A nightstand. A small bathroom.

If not for the futuristic design, it could have passed for a simple one-person dorm room.

On the nightstand sat bottled water, canned drinks, and packaged meals. Hunger, long forgotten, suddenly surged back.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t eaten anything since we received water and energy bars on the transport ship. I desperately wanted to crack open a can and gulp it down—but I stopped myself. I couldn’t just eat anything.

On the transport ship, food was distributed among the group, and we could ensure its safety by sharing. But now that I was alone, I had to be cautious. Who knew what kind of drug they might have slipped into it?

Still, the thirst was unbearable. I went into the bathroom, turned on the tap, and drank handfuls of water. Maybe it wasn’t fit for drinking, but at least water from the pipes couldn’t be easily tampered with.

After drinking until my stomach was full and splashing water on my face, my head finally began to clear. And then, I knew what I needed to check.

Wiping my wet face, I looked up. A pale reflection stared back from the mirror. I took a deep breath and shouted,

“Status window!”

Nothing appeared.

“Come on! Show up! Help me! Guide window! Status window!”

Silence.

As expected, it only seemed to activate when my life was truly in danger.

I thought about banging my head against the wall—but stopped. The system wouldn’t fall for a shallow trick like that. It would only appear when I was really on the brink of death.

Even earlier, when cannons were firing at me, the window had stayed silent—because I was confident I could dodge.

The system only showed up when I had absolutely no way out. So a bit of self-harm wouldn’t trigger it.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side? Then help me.”

No response.

“What even are you? Why can only I see you?”

Water dripped slowly from my chin as I stared at my reflection.

“Why do you protect me?”

On the transport ship, I’d asked several people if they could see a system window. None of them had a clue what I was talking about. In fact, they started asking me questions instead.

“You can really see a status window?”
“Yes. I really can.”
“But you don’t see it right now?”
“No, I saw it when we were running from that monster at the gate.”
“Then it only shows up when you’re in danger, huh?”
“Seems like it. What did a status window do in games, anyway?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. It’s just… a system display. It’s normal for one to pop up in a game. But not here. None of us can see one. Looks like only you can.”

The conversation never went further. Even the man who had volunteered as a “pro gamer” in front of the soldiers said the system didn’t mean anything special.

That’s when someone had spoken up, cautiously.

“You heard what the soldiers said, right? That they’re looking for whoever copied this place and distributed it as a game? Called him a bastard? Maybe the fact that you can see the system means you’re perceiving this world like a game. Couldn’t that mean you’re the developer?”
“I’m not a developer. I’m just a college student.”
“Maybe someone close to you is connected, then. Your parents, maybe?”
“My parents are just office workers…”
“Think carefully. Nothing unusual around you? Maybe they’re trying to find the developer through you, and then kill them.”

Nothing came to mind. I shook my head, and everyone looked uneasy. But none more so than me. Why was I the only one who could see it?

Wait.

What did Baek I‑hyun’s parents do again?

My grip on the sink tightened. My memories were hazy, like a fog had rolled through my mind.

I could almost picture their faces—but they faded before they came into focus. I couldn’t recall their voices, their jobs—anything.

Were they in finance? Or IT? I wasn’t sure.

The realization that I couldn’t remember them at all shocked me deeply.

How could I forget Baek I‑hyun’s parents?

My chest tightened. This wasn’t normal forgetfulness.

Was this how memory loss started here?

Maybe ever since we crossed over, our memories of the original world were slowly being erased.

Starting with Baek I‑hyun’s parents… then my own… then Baek I‑hyun himself… until finally, I forgot myself.

I couldn’t breathe. I knew nothing about this place—nothing that could explain this creeping oblivion.

That’s when I heard a soft click from outside. My whole body tensed. I ran out of the bathroom—then froze.

A woman was standing in the doorway. Our eyes met.

She had delicate, doll-like features and a petite frame, almost fairy-like. She couldn’t have been older than her early twenties—around my age.

She walked in gracefully, the hem of her pale apricot-colored dress flowing across the floor.

Her outfit was unlike anyone I’d seen here before. The soldiers and researchers all dressed for practicality—but this woman seemed to wear her clothes and jewelry purely to be seen.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Yuwol Min Seorin.”

I thought she’d added an odd prefix to her name, but that wasn’t what caught my attention. What did was the bowl she carried in both hands.

A deep, smooth porcelain bowl—eerily reminiscent of the poison bowls used in historical dramas. The sight alone made my stomach twist.

I instinctively stepped back. “Uh… I’m Seol A‑yeon…”

“I know. Seol A‑yeon, right? I heard you brought out quite a lot of people from the gate this time.”

Min Seorin smiled sweetly. I glanced past her—the hallway was empty. The door slid shut behind her, locking us in.

“Are you looking for Major Baek I‑hyun?” she asked.

I looked back at her. She was still smiling.

“I heard you’re close with him?”

This time, my answer came easily.

“No. I mistook him for someone else.”

“Really? I heard you made quite a scene, claiming he was your friend.”

“It was just someone who looked similar. I got confused.”

“Is that even possible—with a face like his?”

True, he didn’t exactly have a common face.

“I know it sounds strange, but I think it’s just a coincidence. A namesake who happens to resemble him.”

“Did the Major tell you to say that? To hide that you’re from another world?”

“No. I really just mistook him for someone else.”

“I see,” she said softly.

Her tone was gentle—but I tensed again.

There was something strange about her demeanor. She knew exactly that I was trying to protect Baek I‑hyun. She wasn’t treating me like a liar like the others had—she was certain.

“You haven’t eaten, have you?”

Min Seorin set the bowl down on the nightstand. It looked like some kind of stew, thick with chunks of meat.

“I snuck this in. Security was tight, you know.”

Don’t eat it. My instincts screamed.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly.

“Don’t be shy.”

“No, really. I’m not hungry.”

“Oh, come now…”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, her voice turning silky and dangerous.

“Every word out of your mouth is a lie.”

Then—my head was yanked back hard.

Min Seorin had grabbed a fistful of my hair, forcing the bowl toward my mouth.

I clenched my jaw shut and grabbed her wrist. Her wrist was so thin it felt like I could snap it in half. I almost did—but stopped.

Wait… maybe this was my chance.

This was clearly a moment of life‑and‑death danger. Maybe this would make the status window appear again.

If I just pretended to give in, took a single sip…

As I hesitated, torn between choices—her grip on my hair suddenly loosened.

The sudden release made me stumble backward—but before I could fall, my body was lifted clean off the ground.

Instinctively, I grabbed the person’s neck for balance. A familiar scent—metal and blood—mixed with something I recognized.

I couldn’t believe it until I looked up.

Our eyes met—cold, sharp, unyielding, far too close.

My breath caught. I tried to push him away, pressing against his chest—but I couldn’t move an inch.

His arms tightened around me, and Baek I‑hyun spoke through gritted teeth.

“Are you out of your mind? Do you have a death wish?”