Chapter 33
“But things have gotten quite out of hand.”
Someone spoke as they pulled out a sack-like object.
“Weren’t we originally just going to make that boy go berserk?”
“Do not decide the higher-ups’ orders on your own.”
The woman narrowed her eyes and continued to glare fiercely down at Ilwon.
“Put them in.”
“Yes.”
“!”
They tried to stuff both me and Ilwon into the two sacks that had been prepared.
Ilwon shouted,
“Leave her alone!”
But the people didn’t even smirk.
“No, I won’t let you!”
“Argh!”
Terrified, I managed to bite the hand of the person trying to put me in the sack.
“This little brat!”
“Ah!”
But in retaliation, I was shoved even more roughly into the sack.
“What is happening?!”
It hurt, it was humiliating, and fear made tears prick at my eyes.
Only then did a thought occur to me.
“Where is the Administrator?”
Usually, they’d interfere even when it wasn’t needed—so why are they silent now?
I tried to endure it, but in my baby body, it was impossible to overcome such fear, pain, and despair.
Sniffling while holding my jaw, I got hit once more, being told to quiet down.
“It hurts…!”
And that was the exact moment.
[How dare they touch my baby!]
‘Ad-Administrator!’
As soon as that thought struck, the ground shook with a rumble.
“What… what is this!”
“Changer-nim!”
The woman called “Changer” shouted sharply.
“Stop making a commotion!”
[You speak correctly.]
A chilling voice echoed harshly in my ears.
[Do you think you should make a fuss over something like this?]
The people couldn’t hear the Administrator directly, but still, trembling in fear, they spoke with shaking voices.
“Could it be… a Named Monster nearby? There’s no other way such a massive presence could be felt…!”
“Why would a Named be here!”
[You will receive a golden command.]
Through the slightly open sack, caused by the people’s commotion, I could clearly see it.
Something that looked like shadow… or tentacles… crawled over the people, covering their eyes.
“I-I can’t see anything!”
“What on earth is happening!”
The shadow wriggled and slithered into their ears.
“Ahhhhh…!”
The kidnappers screamed in pain.
Their bodies convulsed, and within less than a minute, they collapsed unconscious onto the floor.
‘W-what…?’
At the same time, there was a click, and the restraints fell to the ground.
‘…Administrator?’
No answering voice came.
While I was still stunned, Ilwon crawled out of his sack and hurried over to lift mine.
“Are you okay?”
“Y-Yeah…”
“…”
A storm of emotions swirled in Ilwon’s dark eyes: worry, guilt, self-loathing, faint relief.
I couldn’t take my eyes off those desperate, almost watery eyes.
I suddenly thought,
‘Since when has he been looking at me like that?’
[Since when? I clearly warned you, didn’t I?]
At that moment, the Administrator spoke in a bleak tone.
[If you save that guy, it’ll be troublesome!]
[system] Warning! Intervention exceeding today’s workload has been detected!
The system cannot handle the load. Rolling back operations exceeding computational speed.
This process will take several minutes.
[system] I can’t even protect my own contractor, complains the world’s Administrator in irritation!
[system] Tired of having to repeat the same name, ■■■-■–■—.
I stared dumbly at the fading notification window, unable to understand what was happening.
‘Administrator?’
I called again, but there was no response. Anxiety crept in.
‘The warning messages… and the fact that the Administrator helped me—could that be what caused this mess?’
I worried if my contract might be cut off or something.
‘Administrator!’
I called again and again, but no reply came back.
“What should I do…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay now.”
Ilwon, unaware of why I was so distressed, awkwardly tried to comfort me.
Perhaps because I had subconsciously relied so much on the Administrator, the void left by their absence felt enormous.
That emptiness was frightening and sorrowful, making my body tremble.
[system_papa] Ah… ah. Testing message output.
…What is this?
[system_papa] It seems a little better now, says your contractor, clearing their throat awkwardly.
[system_papa] How about the new name? Your contractor subtly urges feedback.
“Papa…?”
[system_papa] I didn’t mean you had to call me that, says your contractor, speaking words they don’t mean.
While I blinked, trying to comprehend the situation…
BANG!
The warehouse door blew open with a deafening crash, the middle of the wall caved in as if kicked.
Suddenly, light poured in, and someone shouted,
“Ayun! Ilwon! Are you there?”
“!”
It’s Uncle!
“Ta-Tamton.”
My voice choked, barely coming out.
[system_papa] Strange… your contractor suspects the emotions overflow more when you call that fool than when calling me.
Whatever.
“Ayun!”
“Tamton!”
I ran crying to Uncle Shin-jae, who hugged me tightly and patted my back.
“It’s okay. Our Ayun is okay now.”
His words filled me with a deep sense of relief.
‘It’s okay now.’
But I barely had time to savor that relief.
“A-Ayun? Ayun?”
My vision blurred.
And I lost consciousness just like that.
