The day before the execution, my escape plan fell apart.

Because there was no longer any reason to escape.

After Auril Gavis left, all the discharge procedures proceeded smoothly as if water flowing downstream.

“My opinion is that you are well enough to return to society.”

The doctor judged me cured.

“Congratulations on your discharge, Hansoo.”

Team Leader Kang, who brought news from the police, didn’t say much either.

Of course, Hyunbyul and my mother showed signs of surprise at such a sudden change...

“That’s great, Oppa. Really. It’s so great.”

“Let’s go home... home, Hansoo...”

Both were happy, saying it was for the best.

And in just one day, the discharge was complete.

Finally out of the hospital where I had no idea how long I’d been locked up, I headed to my room with my mother.

“I tidied up a bit when I stopped by last time... It’s pretty messy, huh? If I’d known you’d be discharged so soon, I’d have cleaned everything in advance...”

“...You’re not leaving?”

“For a while, Mom will stay and help you... If it’s uncomfortable, I won’t sleep and just come and go—”

“Hah... That’s fine. It’s over two hours away. No need to come and go... Just stay here.”

Since it was only a matter of time before I would leave anyway, I judged it would be more bothersome to kick her out.

So I started living with my mother.

Still, having Mom around had plenty of conveniences.

“Hansoo, dinner’s ready...”

Meals would be served on time.

‘...How long has it been since I last ate?’

And the food suited my taste perfectly.

“I’m thinking of buying some laptops.”

“I’ll give you Mom’s card. Use it.”

Money copying was possible.

Well, I didn’t use it because it felt off.

“No, it’s not the card. I want to ask if you could drive me there.”

Anyway, after tidying the house, I immediately went to an electronics store and bought five laptops.

“The heck, Hansoo... Why so many laptops?”

“Yes. The game needs five computers running to play properly.”

“...Is that so?”

My mother made a confused face, but that’s just because she didn’t play the game.

The core of [Dungeon and Stone] is luck and grinding.

You have to retry constantly—how could one computer manage that?

‘If I use tools to run four accounts per computer... that’s twenty characters running simultaneously.’

I actually played like this for nine years in the past.

Since it’s a game that mostly doesn’t require detailed control, except in some situations.

I raised multiple characters, and if a particular stat or item popped quickly, I judged the chance to clear had come and focused on managing that character more closely...

“Okay, setup complete.”

Filling all twenty characters as barbarians, I began the game in earnest.

Click, click, click.

Tap-tat, tap-tat-tat.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Thud!

The first floor was hard to automate, so my hands were very busy.

I used the ESC skill here and there to adjust tempo and endured.

And then...

「Character recruited a warrior as a companion.」

「Character recruited an archer as a companion.」

「Character recruited an archer as a companion.」

「Character recruited a warrior as a companion...」

After the first return, recruiting companions one by one from the Explorer’s Guild made things a bit easier.

Well, I still had to monitor carefully.

“Yeah, in the early floors, warriors and archers are king.”

Maybe because I hadn’t played in a while?

Even the boring early floors were quite fun.

Of course, those times didn’t last long.

「Character stepped on a trap and died.」

「Game Over.」

Starting from the third floor, characters began dying one by one.

Raising twenty characters with a hardcore ‘if you’re gonna die, just die’ playstyle...

「Unbearable blow!」

「Character died.」

No regrets.

The game was impossible to clear by playing safely and steadily.

Survival of the fittest.

No, that’s not enough.

The pain of surviving where anyone would die only made you stronger.

Characters who miraculously survived going to places where everyone dies became stronger.

「Critical hit!」

「Character died.」

「Character died due to raider attack.」

「Game Over.」

「Character died due to troll.」

「Game Over.」

Faster than any other characters.

「The soul of the character is infused with [Troll’s Essence].」

「Character entered the Great Maze on floor 5.」

「New equipment equipped.」

「Character’s equipment total item level increased by +799...」

One week, two weeks, three weeks...

The time since I locked myself in this house passed like an arrow.

“Hansoo! Time to eat!”

My mother cared for me devotedly as I locked myself up all day playing games.

“Oppa, what’s this? Doesn’t look like a monster.”

“A human. I’m trying to raise this character by raiding.”

“Wow, so cruel.”

Hyunbyul sometimes came, sat on the bed, watched me play, and talked about the game.

Like a class president ordered to help a kid who couldn’t fit in.

“Oppa, then I’m off! I have work tomorrow. Bye, Mom!”

“Oh, okay Hyunbyul! Take care!”

Anyway, such days continued, and living with my mother became familiar.

At first, I locked the door tightly even to change clothes because I felt uncomfortable being seen.

Even when going to the bathroom, I took all my underwear and clothes with me...

‘But I’m going back anyway, why bother?’

Now, I live comfortably without much thought.

Still, playing games day and night without discomfort inevitably brought thoughts.

In short, I felt pointless dips in motivation.

[Unlike what you say, you seem to have grown fond of this place.]

What that old man said kept coming to mind.

The parts where I said I shouldn’t get confused kept flickering in my head.

‘Is this really a dream?’

Was the witch who told me not to come back just a hallucination from my subconscious?

I’m tired of worrying, but the thoughts kept coming.

So I organized them.

[Hansoo, no matter what you believe, this is unquestionably reality. Even if it’s different from where you came from.]

According to Auril Gavis, this place is a kind of parallel world.

[There is no ‘cheat mode’ in this world as you said.]

No cheat mode exists, so only I was pulled into Rafdonia, another world.

[If you want to go back, there’s no need to persuade you.]

Auril Gavis wants me to return to Rafdonia.

[That is the wish.]

The only way back is by wishing for it earnestly.

The reason I stayed a shut-in basement dweller playing games daily was this.

「You may not be able to return again.」

「Do you really want to enter?」

Seeing that phrase again.

If I could press ‘Yes’ then, my will and wish would prove true.

‘Maybe... it really is another reality...’

I no longer take the drugs that clouded my mind, but I’m more confused because of that.

More clear evidence catches my eye.

If this isn’t a dream world.

The warm home-cooked meals shoved down my throat like cattle feed make sense.

The over 60 X’s drawn on the calendar do too.

I’ve never seen a dream of the ‘Dreamfall Waterfall’ last this long.

And it explains the motive.

[Don’t open the Abyss Gate.]

Maybe the earth witch who said this to me wanted to send me away to another world before I could open the Abyss Gate.

Besides...

‘Even the unease I felt thinking this was a dream is explained.’

It’s not just about Hyunbyul and my mother’s kindness.

The police station and hospital were all unnatural in some way.

Unrealistic, you might say?

To summarize, that’s exactly the feeling.

But...

‘Auril Gavis.’

If that old man got involved, it also makes sense.

That old man made magicians make expressions ordinary people would make when seeing magic.

He might have influenced me from behind the scenes, or brainwashed me with magic to look out for my convenience.

Just like the doctor suddenly pronouncing me cured the next day.

‘If I believe this is a dream world, it’s a thank-you to him.’

Ah, of course, I only organized these thoughts because they kept coming to me during free time.

My goal hasn’t changed.

Even if a huge power intervened and I came to a parallel world’s ‘reality.’

So what?

Nothing changes.

No, it’s clearer than ever.

Friends and companions are all there.

I will live there.

Maybe someday I will have a family there too.

So...

Tap-tat, tap.

Click, click, click.

I move the mouse and press the keyboard to return to where I belong as soon as possible.

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

Die.

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

Die again.

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

Fighting the countless unfair losses [Dungeon and Stone] creates.

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

Using all my knowledge, I climb higher.

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

Of course, it wasn’t without stress.

“Ahhh!! Why are you giving him healing there!!”

I scream in a vacant room as my well-raised party is wiped out.

“Phew...”

Spending all my time on the game except sleeping, I found it hard to keep my sanity, sometimes cracking open a beer.

“Hansoo, maybe you should stop playing that game a bit...”

“There are people inside here!”

Those days went on, and I could clearly see my mother and Hyunbyul growing tired.

“Mom... this can’t go on, right?”

“But you said clearing the game would help you come to your senses.”

“Yes, that’s right. But I feel like I’m getting worse day by day... Maybe I should stop by the hospital and get some medicine...”

“I’m sorry, Hyunbyul... It’s all my fault...”

“No, Mom. I’ll help you well.”

Once I opened the door to go to the bathroom, I overheard their conversation in the living room and felt like I was truly broken...

But nothing changed.

Clench.

I just have to do what I have to do.

Like a barbarian.

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

「Character entered the Dark Continent on floor 7.」

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

「Character entered the Land of the Women on floor 8.」

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

「Character entered the Star Grave on floor 9.」

「Character died.」

「Game Over.」

「Character entered floor 10...」

.

.

.

.

「Gate of the Abyss」

「Do you want to enter?」

“Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Standing in front of the monitor, I yelled out loud.

Hyunbyul, lying on the bed reading, frowned and came over.

“...Why are you yelling suddenly?”

“I’ve arrived! I’ve arrived!!!”

“...You’re awake?”

When I nodded slightly, Hyunbyul’s expression became very strange.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Oppa this excited.”

“Well, of course I’m excited! I wasted months trapped in this room!”

She said nothing to my reaction.

“Oppa, you’re so cruel, calling it a waste.”

“...Huh?”

“Most people would call what I did a waste, Oppa.”

Uh...

“Of course, I never thought so.”

When the usually strong Hyunbyul made a weak face, even I had nothing to say.

She did help me in every way for months.

Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get attached during our talks—

“Don’t I have to press it?”

“...What?”

“That ‘YES’ button. Can’t I just... not press it?”

“Hyunbyul...? What do you mean? Don’t press it?”

Calmly I asked again, and tears welled up in Hyunbyul’s voice.

“You know. Oppa thinks if he presses that button, he’ll return to the real world.”

She never believed I entered the game, but maybe now, at this moment, she’s a little worried?

I thought that for a moment but was wrong.

“Do you hate us that much?”

Hyunbyul was sad.

About my choice.

“Do the times you spent with us just make you miserable?”

In truth, no.

I was somewhat happy and comfortable.

In a way, these days were my long-time dream.

No, to be exact...

‘Because it was once what I wished for.’

My dream had changed.

Something more precious appeared, and I had something I wished for more desperately.

So...

“We could just start anew here—”

“You have to go back.”

No matter how uncomfortable, I made my intentions clear.

“...”

A heavy silence fell.

“Hyunbyul, I’m sorry. If I go back, I’ll really help you... okay? Because if I’m to send you back over there, I have to go.”

I awkwardly smiled and joked; Hyunbyul sighed.

“...What are you saying, you fool? I don’t care anymore. Do whatever you want. I just told you not to press it because I’m annoyed.”

After that, Hyunbyul lay on the bed with a sulky face and opened a book.

I sat back in my chair and looked at the monitor.

And then...

Click.

Carefully pressing YES, another message appeared.

「You may not be able to return again.」

「Do you really ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ want to enter?」

From the player’s perspective, this seemed an unnecessary prompt.

But something felt strange.

“...”

Unlike before when I clicked without hesitation, my hand wouldn’t move easily.

“Why? Not going to press it? Worried I’ll be upset? Too late now anyway.”

Hyunbyul whispered in a sulky voice.

“What are you two talking about in there? Come out for dinner! It’s ready!”

The warm smell of food coming from the kitchen.

[Unlike what you say, you seem to have grown fond of this place.]

I now accept what that old man said.

But still, my hesitation didn’t last long.

The childish Hansoo who wanted to hold onto everything with both hands was all grown up now.

「You may not be able to return again.」

「Do you really want to enter?」

Click.

“Yes.”

It was time to wake from the dream.