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I entrusted Puring with the snow globe that Sora gave me to pave the way to the outside world.

To bridge the absolute gap between this world and the outside world, it was necessary to create a way to travel between the two.

Moreover, if that happened, I hoped to find out exactly what kind of place this world was.

While I was away, Puring discovered that the snow globe was a tool that acted as a passage between the two worlds.

Of course, I already knew that much.

But Puring also found out that this snow globe was one of the “cores” of this world.

“This is truly an amazing discovery!”

I had to calm down Puring, who was jumping around holding the snow globe, and I broke a sweat.

Especially since she kept pestering me about where I got the snow globe, making it difficult to dodge the question.

Clearly, during the academic festival, Puring had said that if we could find the core of this world, we could theoretically go outside. And since I brought her that core, she must have been surprised.

I, too, was surprised. I had only thought of the snow globe as a simple passage, never imagining it was an object corresponding to the core of this world.

Moreover, I had no idea that there was more than one core in this world, which doubled my surprise.

What I was curious about was whether, like Sora, I could communicate with the outside world through the snow globe.

And Puring’s answer to that question was… “It’s possible.”

Without being asked, Puring even figured out how to interfere with the outside world through the snow globe.

But that alone wasn’t enough.

What I wanted wasn’t interference, but to build a bridge that would allow free travel.

I holed up in the workshop for several days and started my research. I involved not only Puring but also Albert, a master of magical formulas, in my plan. To be safe, I even brought in the sage Myohail.

Of course, both Albert and Myohail were intrigued by the outside world reflected in the snow globe.

They were natural researchers who couldn’t rest until they figured out the nature of what piqued their curiosity.

When Sage Myohail shared his impressions through telepathy in my head, I relayed them to Albert and Puring as if they were my own knowledge, and we discussed them.

As the four of us immersed ourselves in research…

We finally found a method that might allow us to go to the outside world.

However, this method absolutely required the help of someone from the outside world.

Someone I could trust, who would believe in me and join this plan.

I sifted through my regained memories.

The countless people who had passed by my side… Among them, one person came to mind first.

Yes. Let’s ask Assistant Manager Park Se-hee.

She was a precious connection I made while working at Stella. When I struggled to adapt to the company, she was the one who helped me the most. She would surely help me.

No, I had to make sure she helped no matter what.

Because if not her, there was no one else in the outside world I could turn to for help.

I successfully located my former senior, Park Se-hee, through the snow globe.

One reason I chose to ask her out of so many people might be that I had few friends…

But Park Se-hee is a straightforward woman who can’t stand injustice.

Above all, she was the only one who treated me without prejudice, even though I was a convict for killing my father.

As expected.

She had been looking for me, who had disappeared from the company. It seemed she had even filed a missing person report for me, who had no family except for Sora.

Seeing that, I felt both regretful and grateful.

On the other hand, I wanted to stop her from looking for me any further.

Because the mastermind behind my situation was the CEO of the company she worked for.

Stella’s CEO Park Joon-hyuk… Under the guise of giving comatose patients a chance, he committed horrific acts, and he might harm Park Se-hee, who was searching for me.

So, I approached Park Se-hee in the outside world through the snow globe.

If she could do this properly… I might be able to travel between this world and the outside world as I had longed for.

However, since this was the first time, there might be unforeseen variables. If I went to the outside world alone and couldn’t return here, it would be quite troublesome.

Ultimately, I needed a companion.

Even though it was uncertain whether we would succeed or fail, I had to take someone with me on this first outing.

Preferably someone with ample magic power and exceptional skill in handling magical formulas…

So, who should I take with me?

“…Ji-hwan.”

-Yes. Go ahead, Assistant Manager.

Assistant Manager Park Se-hee asked towards the laptop screen.

“Really… Just in case, I have to ask… This isn’t some new voice phishing scam or a cult, is it?”

-Come on. No way.

As if answering her question, the chat window automatically typed out.

Even though it was text and not a voice, his sly tone was somehow palpable, making her laugh incredulously.

-Assistant Manager. You don’t trust me?

“No… Ji-hwan. Look at this. Ji-hwan, who disappeared overnight, suddenly hacks into my laptop and makes a strange request. Do you think I wouldn’t be suspicious?”

-…You have a point.

“Right? But this looks like something straight out of black magic.”

Park Se-hee commented as she looked at the A4 papers printing out from the printer.

What she was printing was a mysterious drawing that Ji-hwan had spent hours drawing on Paint.

It was only a few days ago that Ji-hwan, a colleague who had suddenly disappeared, sent her a message.

At first, she thought she might have seen a ghost due to exhaustion, but her laptop kept pouring out messages.

Thinking it might be a hacker, Park Se-hee was on alert, but there were no financial demands.

Moreover, the mysterious message seemed genuinely sent by Ji-hwan.

-Do you remember when I almost spilled coffee on you at the cafe in front of the company?

Above all, mentioning an event between them was decisive.

But that joy was short-lived, as he abruptly asked Park Se-hee to print out a suspicious pattern with the printer.

“So, when are you going to explain? Why did you suddenly disappear without a word, and how did you hack into my laptop?”

-That’s….

“Especially the hacking. That’s clearly a crime. You know you have no excuse if I report this to the police, right?”

-…Yes.

Honestly, there were mountains of questions she wanted to ask him.

But for some reason, he hesitated to answer.

“Ji-hwan. Just be honest. I need to know what’s been going on to help you.”

-I’m sorry.

The firmness was conveyed even through text.

Feeling a bit disappointed, a few more words appeared in the chat window.

-At least for now, I can’t tell you. I want to let you know what’s been happening, but you probably wouldn’t believe me. So….

After a brief pause, he said.

-I’ll meet you and explain everything.

“……”

Se-hee finally sighed.

Since he was being this insistent, she couldn’t press further.

“Alright. If you say so, I understand.”

-Thank you, Assistant Manager.

“But stop calling me that.”

-Huh? Then…?

“Calling me ‘Assistant Manager.’ You’ve quit the company now. You don’t need to call me that anymore. Right?”

For a moment, the typing stopped.

Park Se-hee could vividly imagine Ji-hwan’s awkward expression and laughed inwardly.

It’s just a request to call her by her name, why is he overthinking it…

But the answer didn’t take long.

-Alright. Se-hee.

“Good.”

Park Se-hee printed out the drawing Ji-hwan made on Paint onto A4 papers and pieced them together on the floor.

The drawing was too big, so she had to print it in parts.

It felt like putting together a giant puzzle.

‘Am I going crazy…?’

That’s how the situation was.

Se-hee was following the commands of a man whose whereabouts were unknown, through her laptop.

And she was piecing together a bizarre pattern that looked like it belonged in black magic, on her living room floor.

If it were anyone else, she would never have done it, but for some reason, she complied with his request.

Of course, part of it was because she was happy to see him after searching for so long, but more than that, she could sense his desperation through the chat window.

The man she knew wouldn’t make such a request like this.

It must be that he was truly in a desperate situation to resort to this method.

‘Well… I’ll interrogate him thoroughly later.’

Several hours later…

“…It’s done.”

As she replaced the printer ink, Se-hee finally completed the complex drawing.

The living room was filled with a circular drawing that must have been over 5 meters in diameter.

Whether it was an ornate and luxurious Arabian carpet or a magic circle for sacrifices, it filled her living room.

-You’ve worked hard. Assistant Manager… no, Se-hee.

“Alright. But you’ll explain everything when we meet, right?”

-Yes. Of course.

“Sigh… I don’t know when that will be, but you promise?”

-I promise. I’ll explain everything. Right now.

“Alright. After making me go through all this… Huh? Right now?”

Her question was met with silence in the chat window.

“Ji-hwan? Can you hear me? Ah!”

Thud!

Suddenly, an unknown tremor shook the floor, causing her to fall.

An earthquake?

She quickly crawled under the table, following earthquake safety tips she had seen before.

They say Korea isn’t safe from earthquakes either…

As Se-hee crouched under the table, wrapping her head…

“Huh?!”

The living room floor was faintly glowing.

No, the mysterious pattern she had made with A4 papers was emitting a mysterious light.

The sudden anomaly left her speechless.

“Ah!”

A bright light, as if lightning had struck, blinded Se-hee.

And as her vision recovered… She heard a dazed voice.

“Ugh, ugh…”

In front of her, blinking…

“A… maid?”

Where did she come from?

A maid with big eyes was sitting on the magic circle with a pale face.

But it wasn’t just the girl who had suddenly appeared.

“Are you okay, Wendy?”

“Ugh… Count… I… I feel sick…”

Next to the girl stood a handsome man, as if he had stepped out of a painting.

With jet-black hair and cold eyes, he was dressed in noble attire and a coat, standing in her living room.

The man exuded an arrogance that looked down on everything, along with an unapproachable dignity.

But something strange happened.

Se-hee felt his face wasn’t unfamiliar.

No, if she wasn’t mistaken, he was someone she knew.

Although he had lost a lot of weight and his aura had changed, making him look like a completely different person, it was undoubtedly him.

‘C-could it be…?’

Se-hee barely managed to squeeze out his name.

“…Ji-hwan?”

Hearing the name, the man turned his head and looked at her.

At that moment, the man’s cold eyes softened, and he smiled gently.

“I came… to keep my promise.”

 

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