Only I Am A Reader

'Something like that can actually happen?'

Leo had always wondered what happened to the Sword Continent after he left. Since he went back, he felt that his memory of it was slowly getting more distant and detached even though it remained completely intact.

This didn't even take place over the decade he spent in Murim, it happened during the little time he spent on Earth in between!

This weird suspension of attachment wasn't unfamiliar to Leo. It was something that he did once he finished a book, especially if it wasn't something at the level of a masterpiece. However, for his mind to do the exact same thing with a memory so important…

'It's likely some sort of defense mechanism.'

As much as Leo found it to be disheartening, he couldn't deny how plausible of a necessity it was.

After all, he had spent almost a decade there with his mind creating a whole new map of life that included goals, acquaintances, location memory… If everything stayed fresh, he might start confusing where he was at any given time.

Even then, having been Arthur as much as he was himself, Leo was still curious and worried about his other family's destiny, no matter how distant his memory had grown.

The thing he was afraid about the most was that the reality he would leave would scatter into nothingness, but…

'They are living their lives well!'

The sudden appearance of a few more pages carrying an additional chapter with the title of 'Side Story - After His Departure' had taken Leo by surprise!

It was already pretty strange how his whole life there had been written as a revised version of the story, but compared to everything he went through, it seemed like nothing.

However, this Side Story opened the door for many possibilities and the questions they entailed. Was the multiverse and parallel world theory true? Or was the source of Leo's mysterious ability powerful enough to create whole worlds for his sake and then keep them running?

The most likely scenario was that everything had already existed and he was sent there to fix or change things to some extent.

Within Leo's theories about the source of the novels he was sent to, this matched the possibility that the authors received some sort of transmission of thought through their ideas and dreams.

'... I'm truly glad that everyone's doing well.'

Although Leo's curiosity wasn't satiated, he read through the additional chapter one more time with a warm smile on his face.

Its content was truly no different than the majority of side stories that recapped the fate of important characters after a dozen years, but Leo couldn't help feeling as if it was a tribute made to him.

From the many times his second name was mentioned, all the way up to Ria's thoughts that were no different from a direct message to him, it made him feel as if he was almost there with them on that picnic.

The fact that Crane was actually a prince was a confirmation of one of Leo's guesses, but it was still a bit of a shock. Thanks to his help, almost everyone Leo knew had managed to fulfill their goals or were on their way to fulfilling them.

Everyone's character Arcs were perfectly concluded. Well… Not everyone.

'That Harem Yaro seems to never change though.'

Despite seeming to grow a bit more mature and accepting of everything around him. Ray's cluelessness when it came to relationships was almost still the same.

Leo wasn't sure if Ray was doing this on purpose to enjoy the collective attention, but he was equally surprised that Ray's love life hadn't reached its conclusion that far after the epilogue unlike most protagonists.

'Well, be well I suppose. Hopefully, none of them goes Yandere on him.'

Thinking about Ray's situation made Leo turn his gaze back to 'Murim Supremacy'. If something like a Side Story was possible, then shouldn't going back be also a possibility?

'Let's see, do I need to wait till I go into another book to find out?'

Considering that this was the first time he was met with this situation, Leo couldn't be sure if just enough time needed to pass or if he had to finish one whole 'True Reading' experience for it to appear, but he had confirmed that a Side Story was producible!

'Ah!'

Finally diving into Murim Supremacy's reproduction, directed by none other than himself, Leo thoroughly immersed himself in the events of his third life.

While the novel had moved to be more focused on him and Yeon than Geochin, he still got to read many scenes of Geochin that he didn't witness himself since the point of view of the narrator wasn't completely restricted to him.

He couldn't read minds, but whoever wrote this book was fully capable of grasping every part of any situation including the characters' thoughts, so he managed to truly analyze every situation he had been through and reflect on his right and wrongs.

'It's deeper than I thought.'

Despite sharing a half-psychic connection with Yeon, he confirmed that he hadn't been able to read everything. In fact, Leo wasn't even sure of some of his thoughts as the version of him who had experienced a very horrendous past.

The connection he and Yeon had ran much deeper than he perceived it, and the number of thoughts that she had about him was more than he recalled or expected.

Leo felt even more stupid about the mental collapse that he almost had before he left. He was confident that he wasn't a dense person, but he had misread how tight their souls were bound together, chained even.

'I don't mind.'

The distorted relationship that he had with Yeon was also a part of him, something that he would never reject. After reading the disheartening separation scene at the very end of the novel, Leo wished he could check out Yeon's situation. Unfortunately…

The Side Story wasn't out just yet.

Having experienced the absurd time difference during both his True Reading experiences, Leo wasn't surprised that over a decade had passed in the Side Story of 'The Sword Master's Second Life'.

Rather, he was curious about the way it worked. Had the passing of time there gotten slow enough that only slightly over a dozen years had passed after so long?

Or was it that the events of that chapter happened long ago but it was only released after he finished his second True Reading experience?

After all, thousands of years would have passed if he calculated it using the ratio that he was used to so far…

'I wonder if she will be okay for that long.'

Either way, both short and long durations in these instances were too long a time for Yeon to wait. If he let time slip through like that, Leo wasn't sure whether he would find someone to go back to despite eventually finding a way back to Murim.

'All the reason to get this done with.'

Turning his attention back to the last item on his list, Leo picked up the chilly Core that he put aside earlier. It was finally time to test out its productivity.

However, as soon as Leo sat down with his legs crossed while cradling the Frozen Plum Core over his lap…

'Of course.'

A light frown appeared on Leo's face. Everything had been going his way so far, but it wasn't all smooth sailing to the very end.