SSS-Grade Cafe in Front of The Dungeon - Chapter 179

Translated by cabinfourtranslations.

I didn’t understand everything that had happened, but I knew that Ash had sacrificed himself for me, and because of that…….

Because of that, it was horrifyingly clear to me that he was no longer there.

Did he intend to do this all along? Did he come with me this far with the intention of doing this?

I felt a pang of sadness in my chest. I want to blame Ash, but there’s no one around to hear my grievances. I felt foolish for believing that things would be okay now that the future had changed. How could I have ever believed that when I couldn’t save either Ki Yoohyun or Ash?

A pure white light exploded in front of my eyes, and my consciousness drifted away, then gradually became clearer.

I opened my eyes, wet with tears. Somehow, I had to find a way to get the others back safely.

“……?”

But the surroundings were unfamiliar.

I felt like I was floating with the sound of the door opening earlier. Was this beyond that giant door? Had Ash sent me here?

There was no one else in sight.

“Oppa! Shinhee! Kwon Mieum, where are you?”

I called out, but as expected, there was no answer. I must have come in here alone. I slowly looked around, wondering where I was and how to get out.

The first thing I saw was a huge tree.

‘……World Tree Yggdrasil?’

It was very similar to the coffee tree in our space, but much bigger. The tree was too big to take in at first glance, with long branches draped overhead.

All around me was a night sky full of stars. Left alone in the air with no ceiling and no floor, it was like being in outer space.

It’s beautiful.

At the same time, I felt like my existence was nothing. I was in solitude, alone in the vastness of the universe.

‘What is that?’

Tiny stars were clustered at the tips of the branches. I reached overhead and touched them, and a message flashed before my eyes.

《How to receive up to 30% tax refund when exchanging large amounts of Ruby》

Category: 100 Legal Ways to Save Taxes for Hunters

Hunter A wants to exchange 2000 rubies earned from dungeon farming. In this case, the tax withheld is…… [Read More]

…..Huh? That’s pretty mundane information for something that came up when I touched the beautiful and mysterious starlight. Why did something like this appear?

I also touched other starlights.

[Clear the dungeon without being spotted by the Cave Black Bear]

[Introduction to Crafting Equipment Items ~Armor~]

[Record of the First Rift]

etc…….

From things that happened in the past, to the ecology of strange mythical creatures, to miscellaneous life information. Every time I touched the mysterious starlight, incoherent information flowed into my head.

This is just like that. You know, the dictionary that has never been helpful so far. The name…….

Yes, it’s Ether-Wiki.

But I didn’t know why these little stars contained information.

Then.

【I’ve been waiting for you, The Eligible.】

【I finally get to meet you here.】

A familiar voice called out. I turned my head in the direction of the sound.

A white light shone in the space where no one had been present just moments ago. A woman stood there, her golden hair shining brighter than the light of countless stars. Her flowing dress was reminiscent of a fantasy RPG.

It’s the Saintess.

【Fufu, it’s been a while.】The Saintess looked at me with a bright smile.

I’ve met her many times before in times of crisis, so it’s no surprise that she’s appeared before me again this time.

But there was something more powerful about her than before. She had an overwhelming presence that could not be dismissed as a mere vision. Behind her white body, bathed in a soft light, was a deep purple bubble. Just looking at the bubble seemed to disturb my senses. Maybe that bubble was her true form.

【You’ve got a good hunch, as expected.】

【I finally met you, not as an illusion, but as a real entity.】

“No way ……. am I dead again?”

Before the regression, I met the Saintess in a strange space after my death, and she regressed me.

‘Will something like that happen again?’

……I don’t like that. I thought of the people I met in my second life after the regression. That time, those memories. The thought of rewinding time again and making it all go away struck me with an instinctive repulsion.

Fortunately, the Saintess shook her head, denying my suspicions.

【That’s not true.】

“Then where am I? What happened to me?”

【This is a library that stores the world’s memories.】

【A place where information about the past, present, and future gathers.】

【A treasure trove of all knowledge.】

【Among humans, only you have the authority to access this place.】

I thought it might be a mysterious place, but it was far beyond my expectations. The scope of all the knowledge was so vast that it seemed unreal.

However, the Saintess added these words, 【You may be more familiar with the name Ether-Wiki.】

“….What?”

You mean that Ether-Wiki, the one that never helped me when it mattered? That Ether-Wiki was this great thing?

I didn’t dare say it out loud, but as if she had read my thoughts, the Saintess added with a wry smile.

【It was to protect your mind.】

【Knowledge is not always good good. Knowledge that is too much for the human body to handle will only cause the mind to collapse.】

“Is it okay now?”

【Yes, because a defense effect has been applied to you.】

At those words, I looked again at the system notification flickering in the corner of my vision.

[The buff effect of Dalgona Cream Cold Brew is applied.

Effect: You will remain sane no matter what happens.]

Did that buff mean I wouldn’t go insane if I came in here?

It’s too coincidental that the best buff the system gave me just happened to fit this situation. How much is coincidence and how much is planned? Goosebumps ran down my spine.

The Saintess blinked slowly at me. There was a momentary glint of regret in her azure eyes.

【I had hoped you would gather the Causality and search for more knowledge.】

【But you weren’t really interested.】

Uh …… sorry.

I didn’t know it was so important……

***

The starlight twinkled in the vast void that resembled the night sky seemed mystical.

I touched the stars again with my hand. A variety of knowledge flowed into my mind, from the trivial to the incomprehensible. Some starlights contained a person’s entire life, so much that I pulled my hand away in surprise.

It’s the memory of the world. Then, could there be memories of people I knew in it?

The Saintess, who was quietly looking at me, spoke again.

【It is safe for you to read the information here.】

【It’s not just because of the power of coffee.】

“….Really?”

【Even if you have been given the mission of the Key, you cannot cross the 《Ultimate Gate》 from the beginning.】

【Your soul had to grow sufficiently.】

【You have become stronger and more mature through the events that have happened.】

【And the final step to open the door was your relationship with that child.】

I turned my head towards the saint, stunned. I couldn’t read any expression on her radiant white face.

No way, the ‘that child‘ she just mentioned was…….

【That child is an imperfect incarnation of the Demon God ████. It was originally supposed to be destroyed, but due to unexpected events, it still survived until now.】

“……What?”

【But since you have reached here safely, the child has fulfilled its mission.】

The Saintess stood, still looking as breathtaking as ever. The transcendent’s eyes seemed to be looking into the distance.

I felt a stab of repulsion.

Somehow, those words just now…….

…..sounded like Ash was meant to be dead.

According to the whole story I learnt later, Aeon was the one who tried to kill Ash in the Yongsan incident. If Ash hadn’t run away and been found in front of our store, he would have been drained of his power and died.

However, the Saintess spoke as if Ash’s survival was an unexpected accident. As if Aeon was meant to kill him.

I thought of all the things that had happened since my regression. How much of it was Ion’s doing? All to get me to this point?

I bit my lip and looked at the Saintess. She was unfamiliar.

Who was she in the first place?

“…….”

【Fufu, you look like you have a lot of doubts.】

【It’s okay. We have plenty of time, I’ll answer all your questions.】

【After you hear my story, you will understand everything.】

The Saintess waved her hand into the air. A large sofa appeared in the space where there was nothing. When I didn’t move, she sat down on the sofa opposite and motioned for me to sit down quickly.

“But before that, I want to ask you something. What about the others? Are they okay, the ones who were with me?”

【They’re safe. See.】

The television showed the figure of Ki Yoohyun, who was the first to fall to the ground. His body was lying unconscious, unmoving, as if the Demon God that had devoured him had fallen asleep.

I also could see the others. I couldn’t hear their voices, but they seemed to be safe for now.

[Gate of The Demon God ████

Time Remaining until Full Summoning 00:04:15]

The time remaining in the system window was frozen at 4 minutes and 15 seconds. I glanced at it, but the number didn’t move.

“What happened to the quest?”

【That child temporarily blocked the Demon God.】

【It’s the after-effects of the incarnation’s body being destroyed, and it’ll take a while to reboot the system.】

【Don’t worry, the quest will not proceed until you leave this place.】

“…….”

I bit my lip tightly. I was relieved, but at the same time, my heart sank with a deep sense of sorrow.

【Then, let me tell you now.】

“Don’t talk in circles, just tell me the conclusion.”

【You have arrived here, in the Library of Omniscience, as the sole key.】

【You must reconstruct the world.】

“……What?”

The Saintess in front of me smiled brightly.

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Translator’s Corner:

I got a surprising notification from WordPress today : D

5 years! So much things happened in the last 5 years, since I suddenly became alone with no family because of COVID and all … but I am glad I still have this blog with me 😀 It’s nice to have something that belongs to me … hmm, please do not repost guys, what will I do if this blog suddenly got taken down….

ANYWAY thank you for still staying this far with me 😀 reading the comments here always make me less lonely~