A Horror Novel’s Supporting Character Wants to Live as a Human

Chapter 218

"How should one go about sowing discord between very close people..."

"Why are you plotting such schemes here of all places? It's burdensome. What about Anutara?"

"I'm not that child's nanny. There's no need to always be by his side."

"Still, please don't think of such wicked schemes here. I feel like I'll get dragged into it too."

Shan, who replied expressionlessly, was digging the ground steadily.

Listening to the regular sound of digging made his heart feel at ease.

Though he had been provided with living space after coming to Shambhala, that was all.

Since he didn't need to eat food, he didn't need to cultivate fields to obtain provisions,

And unlike others, he didn't need to engage in productive activities like making clothes or picking fruits.

If he woke up in the morning and fetched some clear water from the oasis, his daily tasks were finished.He could visit Yurik in his free time, but Yurik had quite a lot to do as Shambhala's 'Anutara.'

Not wanting to disturb him, he wandered around the village and somehow ended up at Shan's house.

Shan's house was on the outskirts of the village,

And since no one came to visit him, it was perfect to visit when bored.

Of course, Shan seemed a bit annoyed.

"I wasn't saying I wanted to drag you into it too. I was just thinking about various things and suddenly became curious."

"I can't imagine what kind of thoughts led you to worry about such things. I just hope the target isn't the Shambhala people."

"Of course not."

Shan stopped his stone pickaxe work and finally straightened his back.

Sweat droplets hung from his forehead and chin.

"Consult with Anutara. Even if you spend time here, I can't even provide conversation."

"I wasn't hoping for conversation. Besides, Anutara seems quite busy."

"He's been away from Shambhala for a long time."

Yurik seemed to have been very busy while he was sunk in the mud.

Researching and cloning on his own, migrating, meeting snake-people.

He had even stolen magic and spread it to Shambhala, but compared to before encountering Yog-Sothoth, nothing had changed about him.

Self-improvement was difficult too.

"About what you were saying before. That Anutara and I are different."

"Ah, that."

Shan, who had been leaning against the pickaxe handle for a moment, looked at him quietly and explained in his slow tone.

"Do you know why all the Shambhala people respect Anutara?"

"Well, he played a big role in establishing Shambhala... and because he raised the Arahan, isn't it?"

"That's right. He's certainly worthy of respect for his achievements alone. But another reason would be the fact that he doesn't let anyone close."

What!

When Yurik's narrow social circle came up, he unconsciously became a bit sharp.

"What does that matter? Are you saying Yurik, no, Anutara has no friends? He's always been somewhat like that. Having no friends doesn't interfere with living."

"No. It's not that, how should I put it."

"If it's not that?"

"Why do you think stars are beautiful, Yesung?"

What was this about?

Why did stars suddenly appear?

"Because they twinkle."

"Then what about sand? It sparkles when hit by sunlight. It's golden and very beautiful."

"Isn't sand too common? You can grab a handful just by going to the desert."

"That's it. We yearn for stars because we can't easily catch them. To us, Anutara is like a star. He's someone we can only keep in our eyes because he's beyond our reach. He doesn't confide intimate stories to anyone and doesn't rely on others. Inevitable loneliness follows others' respect. Put differently, someone who isn't lonely doesn't shine like a star."

Shan's gaze suddenly turned toward him.

As usual, there was no tension whatsoever, but only his blue eyes were as deep as the ocean.

"That's why I recognized you, Yesung, as a different person from Anutara. At that time, your appearance looked more miserable than someone who had been lost in the desert for a week-"

"No, was it that bad?"

"-but you showed no resistance to mingling with people. You're someone accustomed to living ordinarily."

That was probably right.

He had been a 21st-century working person and had tried not to inevitably cause trouble in human relationships.

But wasn't that true for most people?

"Of course, maintaining such ordinariness while having lived as long as Anutara is also remarkable. Don't we seem like completely different people to you?"

"No, well, not to that extent..."

"That's probably why Anutara thinks so highly of you, who is different from himself."

After finishing his words, Shan began digging the ground again.

His words had somewhat riddle-like aspects that he couldn't completely understand,

But it seemed like the story was that Yurik thought specially of him because he could treat people ordinarily.

Thinking about it that way, it might not be entirely wrong.

In the cycle before last, villain Yurik had said he felt alienated from himself and ordinary people for a long time.

Everyone has a desire to be understood.

But not everyone can be understood.

Yurik's only misfortune was being placed in an environment where he couldn't be understood.

And destruction was brought about from that fact.

Of course, one could criticize "Are you destroying the world over just such a thing?"

But Yurik simply did so because, unlike others, he had the power to destroy the world.

Then could he see a different ending since this cycle's Yurik had him?

No, he shouldn't think so complacently.

No matter how much he tried, this worldview's extreme hard difficulty would never change.

Then he too had to prepare as much as possible.

He would give Yurik someone who understood him.

Even if they couldn't live as long as him, he would find someone who could understand Yurik's unique nature.

Of course, he shouldn't neglect Leandros, who was Yurik's only counter.

If he just connected Yurik and Leandros well, couldn't they become good friends?

Since both were too individualistic, that might have the opposite effect.

Yurik and Leandros were like two different supernovas,

Each could shine in their own position, but the possibility of them not being able to harmonize was higher...

"Ah."

He finally thought of it.

The method to chase away the detestable Ig's main body.

Shan looked back puzzled, but he ignored that, got up from the shade where he had been sitting, and dusted off his buttocks.

"The conversation was enjoyable. Then please take care."

"What? Yes. Go carefully."

Shan's gaze full of questions followed the back of his head, but he didn't have time to worry about such things.

Moving his feet quickly to the oasis, he knocked on the door of Yurik's house right next to it.

As if he happened to be inside, Yurik opened the door, saw him, and tilted his head slightly as if asking what was wrong.

"Did something happen?"

"Not that. Want to do some work with me?"

"?"

The first method to chase away Ig.

It was the Myeongdong Station Exit 8 'Do you believe in the Way?' operation.

*

It was a thought that suddenly occurred while talking with Shan.

Two intensely shining stars cannot mix with each other.

If that was true for people, what about gods?

"Ig has been afraid of having his territory invaded for a long time. Not just his own dwelling place, but he must be worried about his subordinate snake-people too."

"I know that. They're subordinates Ig created himself. Though it seems a bit different from the relationship between me and the Shambhala people."

"That's the key."

In the house that still had no furniture, they sat on the bare floor.

Gathering the sand accumulated on the floor, he used it as paper and drew pictures with his finger.

Ig, snake-people, and Yurik and Shambhala.

"Ig had a purpose in creating the snake-people. It's not just to use them as soldiers to expand his territory."

"Snake-people offer sacrifices to Ig. Like when they tried to tear me apart and offer me to Ig after Yesung was swallowed. The snake-people species itself was created to devote themselves to Ig."

"Right, Yurik. That's exactly it. Ig can't take root on this planet without snake-people. Even if not to that extent, it would become difficult for him to stay. Then what does Ig provide to the snake-people in return?"

"Safety."

"Right."

A bidirectional arrow was drawn between the pictures representing snake-people and Ig.

"Just like Shambhala people run to you when they have difficult problems, snake-people also rely on Ig when things happen. Since Ig is the only support for snake-people, they naturally offer devotion."

A new symbol appeared at a distance.

An arrow formed between the new symbol and the snake-people,

And the arrow that had connected Ig and the snake-people was erased.

"What Yesung is saying now is to make snake-people believe in other guys to make Ig isolated, and then take advantage of the confusion to do whatever, right?"

He had felt it many times, but Yurik and he really resembled each other a lot.

Even now, he found it fascinating how they could read each other's thoughts so precisely.

"Right."

"That's all fine. I don't mind. Whether we kill Ig or connect snake-people with another being. But I have one question."

"What?"

"Yesung's plan needs two things. First, a new being comparable to Ig. Second, the benefits that come from believing in the new being."

Yurik's long, pale hand pointed to the symbol meaning 'new being.'

"For the new being, there are stories Ig babbled about long ago, so let's say that's settled. But what about benefits? Snake-people are accustomed to Ig, and Ig also gives special treatment to snake-people. So would snake-people really try to leave Ig and believe in someone new?"

"Normally they wouldn't."

"Switching from Ig to a new guy involves risks for snake-people too. Do you think Ig would just leave alone snake-people who started believing in someone else?"

"Of course he wouldn't leave them alone."

"Great risks must come with great rewards. Can we prepare such rewards? Or do you have another idea?"

Yurik's criticism was logical and reasonable.

Even when switching smartphone carriers, people considered benefits like free gift certificates or OTT subscriptions,

And at this scale, a few E-mart gift certificates wouldn't even come close.

It was natural for Yurik to worry.

But who was he?

"Of course I have another idea."

"What idea?"

"We don't need to offer bait to snake-people first. Before we even go looking for them, they'll want protection from the new one first. We just need to wait a bit and appear at the right time."

"The reason?"

He was a regressor and someone who had once owned the grimoire Pnakotic.

And he was also a reader who knew the background of this world to some extent.

The card he currently held was,

"Snakes are weak to cold."

It was a story about gods who had not yet set foot on this land.