TSS 02

⁜ Chapter 02….

 The Otherworld Debtor

Am I standing here dreaming?

First, I slapped my own cheek. It hurt—and I flinched.
What the hell… it’s not a dream. Then where am I? What is this place supposed to be?

No, wait. That’s not the important question. The real question is how I get back. I’m literally in pajamas right now.

But there was no way a door could exist in a field like this, or in a forest like this.

Should I try going into the forest?

After thinking for a while, I suddenly turned back and felt the ground with my hands. Maybe there’s something I can’t see but can still grab… hallelujah.

Something actually was there.

After groping around for a while, I felt a doorknob. The moment I grabbed it, I pushed it. Then, still feeling around, I crawled out like a duck walk.

As soon as I came out, light exploded in front of me again. And what appeared was Grandma’s house.

What is this?

When I turned around, I saw a fenced gate—closed.

Most people wouldn’t even realize there’s a door there.
Only someone like me, who used to roll around in this garden, would know. To everyone else, it would just look like a decorative fence.

Let’s check again.

I opened the fence gate and crawled inside. With my legs still outside, only my body was in—it was just a vegetable garden.

Do I have to go all the way in?

I crawled back out again. Only after doing that did I realize I had been crawling on dirt in pajamas after taking a shower.

“Damn it.”

I cursed, but if I’m going to wash again anyway, whatever.

This time I didn’t use the gate—I just climbed over the fence and entered the vegetable patch properly.

Looking around, it was just Grandma’s ordinary garden like I remembered.

I knew it. I went back out, opened the gate again, tied my pajama string to it, and carefully stepped out.

Then—FLASH.

Light burst again, and the land I had seen before appeared…

Why is it night now?

The moon was in the sky. What was shocking was how bright the moonlight was.

Wow… there’s almost no artificial light here, yet the moon alone makes it this bright?

Not exactly daylight, but I could see everything clearly without issue.

Suddenly I remembered a lecture I once took in college—about how Kim Jongseo was killed while reading a royal letter by moonlight, unable to see the attacker coming.

I had only remembered thinking, “How can you even read by moonlight?”

Ah… so that’s how it’s possible.

When there’s no artificial light, the moon really does feel that bright.

I turned around—and saw that my pajama strings were still connected to empty space.

Good. If not, I would’ve had to grope around again.

Now I know where the fence is. I should just go back, shower again, sleep…

Then suddenly, the moonlight hit me like a spotlight.

That’s the only way to describe it. Only the light shining on me became brighter.

[ Returner confirmed. Moving to immigration program. ]

Words appeared in front of my eyes, and then—just like when I passed through the gate—light exploded again.

When I finally opened my eyes, I was in a white space.

Up, down, all directions—completely white.
The realization hit me instantly: something is seriously wrong.

Ah… if I thought it was strange, I shouldn’t have come in!

Too late. I regretted it, but it was already done.

[ Activating immigration program for returner. ]

Immigration? What does that even mean? Like moving to another country?

Isn’t this Korea? Or somewhere else? Where am I?

The text floating at eye level melted away, replaced with a new message.

[ Do you not wish to immigrate? ]

“…Of course?”

[ Then would you like to switch to repayment program? ]

Repayment? I’ve only heard that word when friends talk about student loans.

Isn’t that for paying off debt? Why would I have debt? I don’t have any.

“I don’t have any debt.”

[ You are a soul from District 14. However, you were born in District 88 without proper procedures, so you must repay the processing fee. ]

What nonsense is this… What is District 14, and what is District 88?

[ However, if you immigrate to District 14, your processing fee will be waived for this case only. ]

“If I immigrate… what happens to me in District 88? No, wait—what even are District 14 and 88? Who are you? Where am I?”

[ The you in District 88 will be deleted. ]

I asked four or five questions, but only got one answer.

“Deleted… what does that mean? Where am I, and who are you? Please come out and talk to me. Why did you bring me here? My mom will be worried… she might call the police. Please send me back.”

My mom probably doesn’t even know I’m gone.

But still, she was the only person I could cling to right now.

Thinking of her made my eyes sting.

Please let this be a misunderstanding…

Am I supposed to verify this with my mom? Where the hell is this?

Then more text appeared.

[ “Deletion” means you will cease to exist, and no memory of you will remain anywhere. ]

I will become someone who never existed in my mother’s mind.

For a moment, I thought:

Would she be relieved? She never looked happy raising me anyway. Maybe it would be better.

But still… Mom, I…

I clenched my teeth and glared at the words. There was no person there, but this was the only thing I could glare at.

“I don’t want immigration or repayment. I just want to go back to District 88 and never come here again.”

[ Impossible. ]

“What if I refuse both?”

[ You will remain here until you choose. ]

Here?

I looked around again. This pure white space?

Staying here too long definitely won’t be good for my mental health. And they clearly won’t explain District 14 or 88.

Immigration and repayment.

If I have to choose one…

“How much is the fee?”

[ The fee is cleared by completing ten Revelations in District 14. ]

“Revelations?”

[ Would you like to select the repayment program? ]

The words were just text, but they felt incredibly firm.

“If I repay it… can I go back to where I came from?”

[ Yes. Your affiliation will be transferred to District 88. ]

So District 88 must be where I originally lived. Then District 14 must be here.

“…I’ll choose repayment.”

[ You have voluntarily entered the repayment program. Therefore, you will receive a “blessing.” The gods are in consultation. ]

Voluntarily?

You gave me only two choices…

I exhaled slowly.

Fine. Whatever this repayment is, I’ll just finish it and go back.

Let’s stay positive. Revelations or whatever, I’ll handle them.

In elementary school, my teacher once wrote this in my record:

‘Slightly unconstrained in methods, but helpful to friends, goal-oriented, proactive, and positive.’

Yeah. I can do this.

New text appeared again.

[ Three gods have blessed you.

God of Wisdom and Learning, Gerka, has blessed you. You will understand and remember everything easily, and will be able to uncover truths and secrets with less effort than others.

God of Medicine and Healing, Bamildo, has blessed you. You will be healthy. No poison or harm can affect you unless your neck is cut or your heart is pierced.

God of Luck and Prosperity, Attila, has blessed you. You will always be accompanied by luck. You will often win against others and easily gain wealth and power.

Remember these three gods. They constantly observe the blessed. ]

A warm feeling spread through me.

Some indescribable energy wrapped around my body.

But it didn’t feel entirely comforting—because the phrase “constantly observe” didn’t sound reassuring at all.

Anyway… I’ll remember them.

Gerka. Bamildo. Attila.

Judging by the names, this definitely isn’t Korea, China, or Japan.

[ You will now be integrated into another world. Remember: you must complete ten Revelations. ]

Revelations… aren’t those things gods give?

So those three gods gave me blessings and also assigned me quests?

I was about to ask more questions when—

The world filled again with blinding light. This time, it was golden.

For a moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of bliss. Something indescribable.

Like being submerged in warm water, my consciousness faded.

Warmth disappeared.

Instead, violent light poured in.

It felt like relaxing in a hot spring and suddenly being thrown into freezing water.

“Waaah… waaah—”

“…Huh?”

The sound coming out of my mouth was—

A baby’s cry.

It took me a moment to realize that the sound was actually mine.

Not because I was stupid—but because it sounded so distant, muffled like underwater.

Startled, I closed my mouth—and someone patted my butt.

Hey! That hurts!

“Waaah—!”

I cried again.

Someone picked me up.

I looked up—and saw a woman looking down at me with a gentle face.

Is she my mother? Was I born? So this “otherworld integration” meant reincarnation?

Aren’t I supposed to just possess someone and wake up dramatically? Why am I starting from being a baby?!

“I’m glad the young lady is healthy. Her crying is adorable.”
“Quick, let me see her.”
“Yes, yes, carefully now.”

The woman handed me over.

The man who received me was… hairy. A middle-aged man with a beard.

He shed tears while looking at me.

“Ah… finally, my child has been born.”

Why is he crying so much? And why haven’t you shaved? Your tears are literally stuck in your beard.

“We’ll name this child ‘Arian.’”

He declared my name with a trembling voice.

When I turned my head weakly, words appeared in the air.

[ God of Wisdom and Learning, Gerka, has delivered your first Revelation.
Before you turn twenty, marry Count Hamilkar. ]

Yep.

These gods are basically creditors.

I let out a laugh without meaning to.

Immediately after, “Father” said, “She must’ve pooped! Her face looks off!” and handed me back to the woman.

…This is absolutely insane.