By now, my main concern wasn’t even figuring out why those guys had crossed over into reality, but rather why they were tormenting me.
“So, which country should we pick?”
At Gongi’s words, we naturally put our heads together and started brainstorming.
“How about the UK? It’s a constitutional monarchy, and they have a king, right?”
“But wouldn’t that make the king feel a bit too sidelined? Since he doesn’t have any real power. Maybe a communist country would be better?”
“Is that so…… Hmm, Germany’s Biedermeier era is fine too. Or periods like our country’s Japanese colonial era, or the late Joseon Dynasty.”
Gongi and Ian started tossing out various ideas. I was also pondering what kind of background would be best when Cedric spoke up.
“A revolutionary period would probably be best. That way, we can utilize all the roles—legal professional, journalist, politician, and citizen.”
As expected of an emperor.
His insight was exceptional.
I nodded in agreement and chimed in.
“Then what about France? It was legally a constitutional monarchy from the 16th century, but the revolutions kept happening. And even from Ludger—I mean, the professor’s perspective, France might resonate more than Korea.”
“Great! Let’s go with that!”
Gongi exclaimed cheerfully.
“Now we need to split the roles, right?” Gongi said, snapping her fingers.
“The legal professional…… Cedric is obviously going to do that, right?”
Cedric nodded without a word.
That left the journalist, citizen, and politician. I naturally realized I was completely screwed.
“……I’ll be the politician.”
“Hooray, I love you, Yoon Seohyun!!” Gongi shrieked, lifting both arms straight up into the air.
As I shook my head with a dry laugh, Ian lowered her eyebrows apologetically and said,
“Sorry, you two ended up taking the hard ones.”
“You guys have different majors, though. Seriously, why are an economics major and a visual design major even taking Political Science and Diplomacy?”
At my words, Gongi muttered with a look of total resignation.
“……It’s a double major.”
“And I’m taking it as a general elective because of design dealing with social messages,” Ian added indifferently.
So in the end, the one suffering the most in this team project was me.
As I buried my face in the table in sheer agony, someone tapped me gently on the forehead.
“Why, hurting again?”
……And Cedric, too.
I shook my head.
Perhaps due to the rather heated debate, I found myself absentmindedly stirring the iced americano where all the ice had already melted, before suddenly asking,
“When did you guys watch the movie? It just came out in theaters recently, didn’t it?”
“We watched it as soon as it premiered,” Ian said casually, and I nodded without much thought.
At that, Gongi collapsed onto the table and let out a long, heavy sigh.
“Haa…… There’s so much to do, and now we have to write a report too.”
“Economics has a lot of assignments too, right? Must be even more brutal since it’s a double major.”
“Yeah, well.” Gongi gave an ambiguous smile.
Then, as if trying to change the subject, she stealthily turned her head toward Cedric.
“Cedric, you’ve got it made. Since this movie is law-related, getting an A on the report is basically guaranteed for you, right?”
To that, Cedric replied unbothered and indifferently.
“I’ll have to see, but probably.”
……Such an unlikable bastard.
I narrowed my eyes into a flat gaze and let out a soft huff.
Just as I was about to look away, I spotted Gongi and Ian staring at Cedric with the exact same expression.
…I wasn’t the only one who thought he was unlikable.
I suddenly felt a lot better.
With the roles roughly decided and research tasks assigned, we agreed to meet up again later.
As I shifted my weight, massaging my stiff shoulders, Ian and Gongi stood up from their seats first.
“I’ve got some work to do, so I’m going to head out.”
“Ugh—me too. I have way too much to do. See you tomorrow!”
Ian waved lightly, and Gongi whined as she stretched her arms.
I nodded and urged them on.
“Make sure to upload your research notes to the group chat.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Gongi said, winking playfully and snapping her fingers with a mischievous grin.
I glanced at her departing figure, then sucked up the remaining drink through my straw.
The melted ice at the bottom of the cup shifted lightly.
As I leaned my head back to stretch, I suddenly realized something.
I was left alone with Cedric again.
It should have been awkward, but strangely, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
To begin with, Cedric didn’t treat me with any heavy distance, and talking to him actually turned out to be better than I expected.
I casually shifted my gaze to look at Cedric.
He was quietly writing notes on a piece of paper.
Unflinching posture, neat handwriting, cautious gaze.
With the face of a typical ‘protagonist’ and a personality that wasn’t overly bubbly yet strangely affectionate.
But…… if Cedric became Kim Semo, where on earth did the real Semo go?
Where the hell did you evaporate to, Kim Semo?
“Yoon Seohyun.”
“Wh-what?”
I snapped out of it at the sudden call.
Cedric spoke calmly, his eyes still fixed on the text.
“For the politician part you’re taking charge of in the team project, we need to sync our pacing, so I’ll organize some of it for you.”
……At this point, shouldn’t I just accept that Cedric is Kim Semo?
I swallowed an absurd laugh and muttered inwardly.
‘Semo, you were a truly good Semo…… No, a good friend.’
Just as I was silently offering a requiem in my heart, out of nowhere—
“Did you go to the department store yesterday?”
“Eek—!”
A scream almost flew out reflexively.
Cedric was staring straight at me, and his unexpected question left my mind completely blank.
……Yesterday? Department store? Ah, no way—that?
Flustered, I opened my mouth.
“You mean when I met Adrian?”
“……Adrian?”
Fucking hell, was that wrong?!
Cedric’s expression hardened in an instant.
It was an unexpected reaction.
“You call him so familiarly.”
His voice dropped subtly. I instinctively scratched the back of my head.
Was it because I got used to calling him that while playing the game?
Right then, Cedric suddenly went quiet.
Staring at me for a moment, he hesitated before opening his mouth.
“……By any chance, do you know something weird about that?”
“Huh?”
“Did you know? That me and Adrian Krause. Are brothers.”
I blinked at those words.
“……I knew.”
“Since when?”
Since it’s been a year since the game started, so…… a year ago?
Gulping as I stared into the crimson eyes right in front of me, I frantically scrambled for an answer in my head.
“Uhm…… recently.”
“How?”
Cedric slowly narrowed his brow.
It felt like he was putting pressure on me.
[“You mean when I met Adrian?”]
BRO how did that even come out of your mouth??? T^T im starting to think whatever sorcery has taken over your world is beginning to control your mouth too …