Chapter 112: The Witch’s Hut Part 2

– Hee hee.

– Hee hee hee.

"…"

This was an eerie space.

As I navigated through the empty darkness, I formed a few hypotheses.

First.

I might be endlessly circling within this room without realizing it.

Second.

The hut might be connected to another place, and I could have fallen into a kind of "dark space".

Third.

"…"

I don't know.

In the first case, it's highly likely that I've been caught in a "mental spell". In such a situation, I would either wake up through an external shock or suffer from the spell until I starve to death. It was one or the other.

In the second case, things become more complicated. A wizard's or witch's personal "dark space" required the power of the owner or someone stronger than the owner to escape.

Perhaps Khalid might be able to help us in this case.

However, that method wasn't something I could rely on comfortably. If the witch who owned the hut was stronger than Khalid, then this method would be useless from the start.

So what should I do to get out of here?

"… I have no choice but to keep walking."

I could either wait for an external shock or search for a crack in the "dark space". These were the only two things I could do, but searching for a crack in the "dark space" seemed far more productive.

It feels like all my senses are blocked.

I didn't feel cold, hot, pain, or fatigue. Even the most basic human senses didn't seem to work, and I only felt like I was moving my legs mechanically.

This is when people start losing their minds in movies or dramas.

The solitary cell in a prison or the white room in a mental hospital. There were so many main characters who went mad after being trapped in such places without knowing how much time had passed. What if the same thing happened to me?

Just as I was thinking that.…

"Ah!"

I saw a flickering light in the distance. Could that be the "crack"? I hurriedly walked towards the light. It shimmered gently at an unreachable distance, almost as if it were teasing me. I grew frustrated and started to run. Huff, huff, huff, I was soon out of breath.

How long had I been running?

It felt like twenty minutes had passed.

The light really wasn't getting any closer. Damn it! No matter how hard I ran, cursing as my heart pounded, it never came closer. It was crazy. I collapsed from exhaustion, lay on my back and decided not to get up. Whatever happens, happens. Rest was the priority now.

Should I think positively?

When I was walking through the darkness, I didn't feel anything, but now I could vividly feel my pounding heart and aching legs. I lay there in a daze and kept panting for a long while.

"I don't know…."

I didn't know how to escape this place.

I thought a dark space was nothing special when playing a game, but….this dark space… Now that I've actually experienced it for myself, it was exasperating. Staring blankly into the darkness, I slowly closed my eyes. The darkness I saw was no different from when my eyes were open.

I'm so tired….

Maybe I should take a nap to conserve my strength. Hooo, haaaa…. I took deep breaths as if meditating. Gradually, my body relaxed, and drowsiness washed over me. It's amazing how the human body can feel sleepy even in a situation like this….

-Coo…

And just like that, I drifted off to sleep.

"Kang Tae-oh!"

A sharp, familiar voice called out my name. There was also the sound of a door being slammed open. Was it a dream? I turned over in the opposite direction of the noise. The sleep that held me was so sweet that I just wanted to sleep a bit more, not out of thought, but out of instinct.

"It doesn't matter even if it's the weekend, you should be up before lunch!"

-Swoosh!

The cozy blanket that was wrapped around my body was shaken with great force! Due to the recoil, I ended up landing on the edge of the bed.

"Ah, seriously! What are you doing…."

…Wait, bed?

Weekend? Lunch?

Kang Tae-oh

I was startled and tried to jump up…. but I ended up tumbling off the bed instead. My cheek hit the familiar wooden floor, and I came to my senses. I quickly got back on my feet.

"Aaah…."

It was a familiar sight.

A scene I've missed so much.

Since moving out, my room had been used as storage and the doodles I drew as a child remained on the door. Standing in front of that door was…

"…Mom?"

Mom.

How long had it been since I said that word out loud? I looked at her in bewilderment. With her curly perm and a slightly frayed apron, she was glaring at me with an angry face. It was definitely Mom.

"You came home after drinking like that yesterday, and you still haven't come to your senses. I can't live like this. You're just like your father, going crazy over alcohol!"

-Smack!

– Smack! Smack!

"Ouch, ouch!"

The smacks continued on my back. Even getting hit by an orc didn't hurt this much. I shouted and ran into the living room.

On the living room sofa, my father was lying down. He was half asleep while watching a long-running singing contest show with the remote in his hand. Was he sleeping or not?

"Dad?"

"Dad's not sleeping."

This was his usual line. I stood in the middle of the living room with a dumbfounded look on my face as I stared at my dad. That receding hairline… it was definitely my dad.

What on earth is going on?

Facing the perfect Sunday afternoon scene, my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. Thud. My dad opened his eyes at the sound and my mom started nagging again, "Look at you. How much did you drink last night?"….

"Dinner's ready, so come sit down! And you, get up now!"

At her words, Dad slowly got up, passed by me and headed to the dining table. I watched him in a daze before awkwardly getting up and sitting down at the table.

-Gulp.

Wow, how long had it been since I had seen a proper Korean meal…?

Glossy white rice, crispy seaweed with a hint of salt, and rolled omelet with carrots and chives. That wasn't all. Its perfect partner, the golden-brown X-ham, was piled neatly and gave out a greasy aroma. There were also stir-fried anchovies made with soy sauce and corn syrup, bright red stir-fried dried squid, and finally…

The highlight was, of course, the kimchi stew. Kimchi stew loaded with thick slices of pork belly! The whole pot was placed in the middle of the table to give it a hearty feel. Wow, my mouth was watering… How long had it been since I had kimchi stew? I carefully picked up my spoon. My mouth felt like it was about to drool any second.

"What's wrong with you?"

"It looks so delicious…"

"Well, last time you made a fuss about not wanting to eat lunch…"

Even though she said that, Mom smiled slightly as if she was pleased.

"Eat before it gets cold."

"Thank you for the meal."

Kimchi stew! Kimchi stew! I hastily scooped some into my bowl. Kimchi cooked to perfect transparency, large, tender pieces of pork, soft tofu, and the spicy stew!

"Ah…"

The taste was enough to make me tear up.

"Mom, your kimchi stew is really delicious."

Mom's touch.

-Chew, chew, chew!

I started eating like someone who hadn't eaten in days. I wrapped the stir-fried anchovies and rice in seaweed, popped it into my mouth, dipped the rolled omelet in ketchup, ate it, then washed it down with kimchi stew before taking a big bite of crispy X-ham with rice.

"Mahihuh…"

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Even Dad's stern scolding sounded like a trot song now. It made me want to dance with my spoon in hand.

I polished off three bowls of rice. Mom was surprised but pleased and she kept serving more. After nearly emptying the stew and side dishes, I patted my satisfied belly.

Wait, but…

Doesn't something seem strange?

Why am I eating with my parents at home?

"…"

On this relaxed and peaceful weekend afternoon, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu as I looked around.

It was my parents' ordinary house.

Right, I sometimes came to my parents' place on weekends. I'd arrive Saturday evening, spend the night, have lunch on Sunday, and then return to my apartment. And then I'd go back to work while waiting for the weekend to come again…

… This was my routine.

A peaceful and ordinary life.

No monsters or humans were out to get me.

Knights, wizards, elves, and dwarves existed only in novels and comics.

Of course, there's no such thing as druids either.

I quietly looked at my hands. I didn't feel any flow of magical power. They were just ordinary hands that touched a keyboard and mouse.

"…"

Was everything just a dream?

Becoming a druid, completing mercenary missions, clearing dungeons, clearing various quests, defeating demons, killing a hydra, rescuing the elf queen…

…Were all those things just a dream?

But it felt incredibly real. I clenched my fist tightly. I tried to use [Breath of the Forest], something I had used as naturally as breathing.

"…Haah."

As expected, nothing happened. Of course, I couldn't even feel the flow of magical power.

How stupid…

An adult clenching their fist and talking about magic and skills.

Was it really just a dream?

Before I could think further, Mom tapped my shoulder and handed me a fork.

"Tae-oh."

"Huh?"

"Eat some apple too."

"Oh? Ah, okay."

I dug my fork into my mom's signature, bluntly shaved apple and turned back to the television. A famous trot singer was performing an amazing song.

-Everything was~ a dream~.

_-A short~ yet~ long~ dream~~~~._

"The sound of Goo-ryeong is just incredible."

"I like Sam-joong better."

Listening to Dad and Mom's everyday conversation, I didn't want to think about Theodore or druids anymore. I scratched the back of my head and grabbed another apple slice.

"…The song is nice."

It must have been a dream. Just a dream.