By Zephyria 
When did I get this far?
The moment he came into view, the fluttering anxiety in his heart began to scratch at his chest. What should he say? That he could finally go back? That he was happy and asked to be sent away? …Was this really something to say to this child? Was it what he actually wanted to say?
Before his parched lips could even part, a large hand suddenly snatched his wrist.
“…!”
The child’s temperature, which had always been cool, now constricted him violently. Tae-un, who had clung to him and kissed him desperately but had never once used his strength to force him, now gripped him so hard it felt as if he would break his bones—as if he would not let go even if he were torn to pieces.
Though his brow furrowed slightly from the pain, Kim Si-baek couldn’t say a word. Looking down at him, Tae-un wore a face that seemed unaware of how much strength he was using to hold Kim Si-baek.
His bloodless, pale face was expressionless and cold, as if his emotions had been excised.
“Un-ah.”
Since this was sudden, the shock must have been great. Even more so than for himself.
When Kim Si-baek raised his free hand to gently caress the boy’s face, the three-hundred eyes—with their distinct boundary between black and white—seemed to deepen like an abyss before distorting in pain.
However, the child, who had not known how to vent his sorrow and thus could not cry even in that semi-basement room, did not shed tears or lament his pain this time either. He simply pulled Kim Si-baek into his arms with all his might, hugging him as if to crush him, rubbing his cheek roughly against him, and held on with a trembling voice.
“…You can’t go, Hyung.”
“….”
“Not now. Not now… you can’t leave like this.”
“….”
“Hyung, please…”
The desperate whisper, thinning out before snapping, brought back a memory from long ago. The child who had saved him when he intended to end his own life after checking his younger brother’s ledger; the blood covering those tiny hands; the sorrowful voice claiming they would die together.
〈Hyung, don’t be sick… I hate it when you’re sick… If you leave me like Mom and Dad did, I’ll kill myself too…〉
The only tears the child had shed in his memory.
A child who had wept not for his own sorrow, but for Kim Si-baek’s.
What had he intuited then? Had he not known that as long as this child called out to him and didn’t forget him, he would be unable to die? A feeling similar to that moment swept through Kim Si-baek’s chest.
As long as this child called for him, he would not be able to return alone. Never.
“…Alright.”
Kim Si-baek raised his arm and slowly stroked Tae-un’s back. Then, he repeated it.
“Alright.”
Just as Tae-un said, it wasn’t now. Not now.
If not now, then when? Would he ever be able to make the choice to return readily? Kim Si-baek grit his teeth. The moment of return he had vaguely imagined descended upon him as a pain far greater than he expected when it collided with reality.
Kim Si-baek hugged Tae-un tightly and patted his back. As he stroked his back in a steady rhythm, Tae-un’s breathing gradually calmed, as if melting away.
While still holding Tae-un, Kim Si-baek turned his gaze and met Gloiuken, who was rubbing the back of her neck with a troubled expression, and Nasluik, who couldn’t keep up with the situation.
‘Ah, right. Nasluik won’t understand what I’m saying.’
Gloiuken was a priest serving the same god, so she understood the Korean he spoke, but Nasluik did not. In Nasluik’s eyes, it must have looked like some man suddenly appeared, said something to Kim Si-baek, and then hugged him. …Does that look a bit suspicious?
[Death and Beauty says generously that they understand my apostle’s decision. Furthermore, they harden their resolve.]
He didn’t know what resolve it was, but he was grateful that they understood his selfish decision. Kim Si-baek calmly composed himself and looked back at Gloiuken.
“Gloiuken, please return first with Lord Biyendwe.”
“Pardon?”
To the wide-eyed Gloiuken and Nasluik, who were shocked that he intended to stay, he explained the circumstances.
“You’re saying that if the quest is carried out to the end, not only will the destruction of this world be prevented, but a way to return to mak slechtro will be found?”
Nasluik seemed confused. Perhaps the cause of that confusion was Tae-un, who was gradually regaining his original composure, nuzzling against the back of his neck.
On the other hand, Gloiuken was easily convinced. This was because her god affirmed it.
“I shall follow Your Excellency’s decision. I wish you good luck, so I and my sib—”
“Wait a minute!”
The baby crow spread its wings wide and cut her off.
[Death and Beauty declares that your god shall also remain on Earth.]
“What are you saying! Please go back.”
[Death and Beauty shouts boldly that they cannot return alone, leaving my apostle in this world. And they strongly insist that for my apostle to fully exert their divine power, your god must also be here.]
“That may be true, but…”
Contrary to the forceful tone, Biyendwe’s legs were visibly trembling. Kim Si-baek’s heart twinged at the resolve of this timid, young god to stay in an unfamiliar world for his sake. However, being moved was one thing, and reality was another. He pinched the back of Tae-un’s hand as it wandered from his waist toward his buttocks and tried to persuade them a few more times, but Biyendwe remained adamant.
“Your Excellency is also correct. We cannot simply let the place where you were born be destroyed.”
Unlike the serious Gloiuken, Nasluik’s eyes would not leave Tae-un, who was clinging to Kim Si-baek as if to show off. Because of this, when Kim Si-baek asked, “Do you understand the situation?” he didn’t realize it immediately.
“Gasp, I’m sorry… To think I would lose focus in front of Your Excellency…”
“It’s alright. Since things have turned out this way, I’m sorry, but it seems only you two should return.”
Some might dismiss it as a futile effort to have crossed dimensions, but Kim Si-baek was happy. He was happy that they hadn’t forgotten him in mak slecht and had done their best believing he would return, and he was happy to be able to meet his missed loved ones again.
[Death and Beauty advises my grand warrior to return without worry, as your god has been exceedingly brave until now.]
Biyendwe also puffed out his chest toward Gloiuken.
Gloiuken pulled the shoulder of her sibling, who was now blatantly staring at Tae-un. The two exchanged glances, and Gloiuken spoke without hesitation.
“My sibling and I shall also remain here to assist Lord Biyendwe and Your Excellency.”
Before Kim Si-baek, who never imagined they would stay as well, could stop them, Nasluik raised an arm. The auxiliary calculation device on the wrist emitted light, and a large three-dimensional magic circle appeared behind them. Then, compressed characters were engraved into the magic circle, and the circle vanished as if closing.
Nasluik said triumphantly.
“I have sent word that due to certain circumstances, the God of Death and Beauty and Your Excellency will be escorted back later!”
“…You closed the portal?”
“Yes!”
“….”
Many words swirled inside him, but the milk had already been spilled. It couldn’t be helped. Kim Si-baek smiled bitterly and tried to pat Nasluik’s curly hair, but suddenly Tae-un grabbed his waist and lifted him high into the air.
“Hup.”
Then, he slid him to a distance where Kim Si-baek couldn’t reach Nasluik even if he stretched his arm. Wondering what this sudden action was, he looked up to find Tae-un murmuring nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened.
“Section Chief Gwak’s workload is going to increase.”
“Ah.”
The practical problem finally hit him. While it was a reliable help that these siblings were staying to assist, and he felt sorry for them, what kind of excuse was he supposed to make up this time?
Just then.
An inexplicable sense of incongruity sharply scratched his mind. A chilling dissonance, as if something that should not exist, something contrary to the laws of nature, had unnaturally occurred.
But before he could dwell on it, a more troublesome problem arose.
As the situation seemed to be wrapping up, Tae-un and Nasluik pointed at each other almost simultaneously and raised their voices.
“Hyung, who the hell is this bastard and why is he acting so close to you?”
“Your Excellency! Who is this man that he clings to you so obscenely?”
“….”
For some unknown reason, he felt certain that the relationship between these two would not be good in the future.
[Death and Beauty closes their eyes, as the meeting they feared has finally arrived.]
While even Biyendwe became distressed, only Gloiuken calmly disarmed herself.
“Ah, I see. It seems he’s roughly the same type as Nasluik.”
[Death and Beauty explains that the one my apostle spoke of as ‘Un-i’ is that person.]
“…By any chance, is the definition of a cute, dainty, adorable, and infinitely lovely pretty boy different in this world from ours?”
[Death and Beauty laments that, according to my apostle’s standards, that definition is exactly the same.]
“Your Excellency is truly in a predicament…”
Due to the boisterous commotion, Kim Si-baek missed the opportunity to retrace the momentary sense of incongruity that had flashed by.