Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint – Side Story - Chapter 1
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Chapter 1: The World After Completion (1)
“This is a story about the unread despair.”
After receiving that interesting note yesterday, something remarkable happened to me.
I wrote the first sentence of the extra chapter.
I can’t reveal what the first sentence is—it’s both a spoiler and not particularly impressive.
However, it might be more meaningful someday down the road..
Just like when I wrote the first sentence of Jeondoksi.
All the stories begin around lunchtime today, with the sudden visit from Ji Eunyu, my dedicated editor.
“Author, let’s go somewhere.”
Unexpectedly, after grabbing my collar, we took a taxi, and within an hour, we arrived at our destination.
We finally reached the theatre in Chungmuro.
It was a place that had been used as a setting for Jeondoksi.
I glanced at the placard attached to the entrance of the theatre.
Looking at the name, it was clear that this event was related to Jeondoksi.
Suddenly, I remembered the note I received from ‘Kim Dokja Representative’ yesterday.
“Tomorrow at 7 PM, there’s a small fan event. It would be great if you could come and enjoy. I’m planning to donate the entire entrance fee in the name of Kim Dokja to an orphanage.”
Could this be the event from yesterday?
I asked Ji Eunyu.
“How did you know about this place?”
“The event organiser contacted us. They want to get permission to host a paid event, and in return, they promise to donate the entire entrance fee to an orphanage under the name of Kim Dokja. Just to be safe, I’m here to supervise.”
So, it meant the entrance ticket was paid.
I nodded exaggeratedly and said.
“That’s a great thing. But why am I—”
“The readers. They asked where you are.”
It seemed I had some curious readers.
I belatedly remembered yesterday’s phone call with Ji Eunyu.
She mentioned that there were readers waiting for my novel, and I asked where they were.
I turned my head again to look at the cinema.
Inside, there were the readers Ji Eunyu talked about.
Suddenly, I felt a rush of blood to my head, and my heart pounded.
“Is it okay if I go in?” I hesitated.
Ji Eunyu smiled and said, “Why not?”
“I’m the author.”
“It’s okay. Han Suyoung wrote that part.”
I laughed along with Ji Eunyu’s playful response.
“Right.”
Well, what kind of writer is someone who hasn’t written for three years?
Today, I wanted to pass all the burdens to Han Suyoung, whom I had never met.
I wanted to believe that the reason I couldn’t write the spinoff was because Han Suyoung didn’t write the manuscript in the distant universe, and Yoo Junghyuk didn’t deliver it.
I wanted to believe that.
At the entrance of the cinema, there was an exhibition of the characters from the completed novels.
Judging by the design, it seemed to be based on the art style of the once serialized webtoon version.
It was of such high quality that it elicited admiration.
As I admired the drawings, I recalled the names of each character one by one.
Kim Dokja, the Demon King of Salvation;
Yoo Junghyuk, the Emperor of Despair;
Han Suyoung, the Black Flame Empress;
Yoo Sangah, the Ruler of the Moonlit World;
Jung Heewon, the Judge of Annihilation;
Lee Hyunsung, the Steel Sword Master;
Shin Yooseung, the Beast Lord;
Lee Gilyoung and Kim Namwoon, the Insect Lords;
Gong Pildoo, the bald headed one;
Lee Seolhwa, the righteous one;
Even minor characters like the fake protagonist Jang Hayoung…
“To be honest, it’s better than what we created,” Ji Eunyu even commented.
I smiled and added, “Even if real webtoon artists drew it, I’d believe it.”
The quality was outstanding, but what truly moved me was the dedication put into it.
With a smile, I added,
“I’d even believe it if real webtoon artists drew it.”
“Did real artists draw it?”
“No way. After that incident, everyone left.”
There was a time when ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ was also adapted into a webtoon.
It started well because amazing artists were in charge of composition and drawing.
Unfortunately, before the 10th episode could be serialized, lightning struck the studio, causing a massive fire.
Unable to cope with the aftermath, the company went bankrupt.
Combined with management’s financial difficulties, the ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ webtoon concluded abruptly at the 11th episode.
“I don’t know yet, author. If the spinoff does well, there might be a webtoon reboot.”
Ji Eunyu still maintained such optimistic remarks.
“I stopped having such expectations a long time ago.”
After the webtoon’s failure, strange incidents plagued all kinds of secondary creations related to ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.’
If a movie was contracted, the production company went under.
If figures or merchandise were produced, the factory went bankrupt.
With such occurrences repeating several times, there were no more offers coming in now.
I spoke after a brief pause,
“Somewhere, there must be a world line where ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ didn’t fail.”
Surely, in that world line, the webtoon thrived, the movie succeeded, the drama prospered, and perhaps even an animation was made.
Though it wasn’t this world line, sometimes I dreamt of such possibilities.
“We haven’t failed yet.”
With Suyoung Eunyu grumbling beside me, we looked back at the remaining character displays.
The array of characters was quite extensive, ranging from our leads to somewhat unconventional figures like Han Myungoh.
However, at the end of the character displays, there was an unfamiliar person.
Who is this?
He was a man with distinctive eyes, but I couldn’t quite figure out who he might be.
Did a character with real eyes appear in ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’?
If only the name was displayed, I could know…
I considered asking Suyoung Eunyu but decided against it.
Still, a writer has his pride.
“Two people,” I said.
“Please write your nickname on the name tag and attach it to the left side of your chest,”
the guide instructed.
Having received our entrance name tags through the guide, we entered the theatre.
Fortunately, no one recognized me as the author of “전독시.”
[PR/N: We have decided to not change this to english so that it’s more immersive, anyway what the tag reads is Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, which ‘Lee Hakyun’ is the author of]
It was to be expected since I hadn’t written “전독시 author” on the name tag.
I glanced at Suyoung Eunyu’s name tag.
[Genius Editor]
“Ms. Suyoung Eunyu.”
Ignoring my words, Suyoung Eunyu pretended not to hear and took a seat a bit further back.
From this position, I could see the chaotic backs of fans who had taken seats here and there.
It was truly astonishing.
All these people were our readers.
In reality, they might be the ones Ji Eunyu had recruited.
Looking to the side, I saw Ji Eunyu squinting her eyes.
“There are more than thirty, roughly?”
Thirty people.
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It might seem like a small number, but it meant that there were at least thirty core fans who took the time to come here.
Suppressing the rising emotion in my throat, I nodded.
Well done, Kim Dokja.
As the event hadn’t started yet, I could hear the murmurs of fans chatting in the front rows.
“Do you have ‘Shinfa’? It was really hard to get that.”
“Oh, I have it.”
“Awesome. How about ‘Ble’? Did you buy it?”
“I bought it right away.”
“No way, then what about ‘Dokpi’?”
“I have it, but… strangely, my ‘Dokpi’ makes my head spin a bit.”
I couldn’t understand what they were talking about.
It seemed like they were exchanging jargon known only to hardcore fans.
Sitting side by side, Ji Eunyu and I listened in on the conversation among the seasoned fans.
“It’s already the twelfth time.”
“The organizer said today is the last, right?”
“Yes.”
“There were really a lot of people before. It’s a bit too quiet now.”
“That’s true. People are gradually disappearing.”
Listening to their conversation, it seemed that this mysterious Kim Dokja gathering was already the twelfth.
Surprisingly, there used to be even more people.
I thought there were already enough gathered now…
“Sorry, but is it okay if I sit here?”
I turned my head at the sudden voice.
A large man, similar to Lee Hyunsung in stature, stood beside me, pointing at the seat next to mine with a shy expression.
I nodded,
“Oh, yes. Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you…”
Hanging on the man’s chest was, of course, a name tag.
[Judge Heewon]
He seemed to be a fan of Jung Heewon, the Judge of Annihilation.
It felt a bit tense having a stranger sit next to me after a long time.
Maybe sensing the awkward atmosphere, Ji Eunyu spoke first,
“Seems like you’re a fan of Heewon.”
Judge Heewon nodded casually,
“Yes…”
And then, silence.
Perhaps noticing that something needed to be said, Ji Eunyu nudged my arm as if urging me to start a conversation.
Usually, in such situations, she would bring up some topic.
Not having talked to a stranger in a while, I struggled to come up with the first words.
Thinking about what Kim Dokja would discuss in this situation, I opened my mouth,
“Heewon is great.”
“Oh, yes!”
It was just a simple remark, but looking at the man who smiled brightly, it felt as if we had already made an important connection.
We nodded together as if we were comrades who had sworn an oath and continued to think about Jung Heewon.
Jung Heewon.
A good character.
I created him.
While Judge Heewon was gazing intently at my nickname on the name tag, he asked,
“Your nickname is amusing.”
“Thank you.”
“By any chance, is there a favorite character…”
“Well, I…”
After a moment of thought, it seemed challenging to choose just one person.
As the silence grew, Judge Heewon hastily added, perhaps thinking he made a mistake,
“Oh, it could be an allcharacter situation, but I made a mistake…”
While I wasn’t precisely sure what an “allcharacter” meant, I could roughly guess.
I slightly nodded in response,
“Except for someone like Cheon Inho, they’re all good, I suppose.”
In case anyone has forgotten, Cheon Inho is the name of an early extra villain who dies in the beginning of “전독시.”
Judge Heewon seemed to know Cheon Inho, lowering his voice with a dark expression,
“Cheon Inho, that bastard.”
“A bad guy, indeed.”
“A guy to tear apart and kill.”
“Uh… is that so?”
“A guy to burn to death with hellfire.”
That was the end of our conversation.
A host appeared on the stage of the theatre.
The host was wearing a black suit with a white coat.
There was a light cheer from the audience.
Even though he covered his eyes with sunglasses, the outfit looked quite similar to Kim Dokja’s.
Was it handmade?
Even that had a considerable quality.
Soon, as light illuminated the theater screen, the event began.
Soft background music played, followed by the font of “The Fourth Wall.”
“And everything was recorded on the fourth wall.”
Then, slowly, comments left by readers started appearing on the screen.
Comments from Prologue to Episode 551, personally left by the readers.
“Wow, that’s what I wrote!”
A girl fan in the front row whispered softly.
Everyone in the theatre was enjoying these comments together.
There were comments that received many likes, amusing or innovative ones, and even some containing heartfelt sentiments.
“Is this when Kim Dokja first died?”
“Ah, don’t look at my comment! Please take it down quickly!”
“This is a memento of my dark history.”
Reading those old comments, my heart, too, itched.
Two years of serialization for “전독시” and three years after completion.
Over the span of five years, the history accumulated by the readers in this world.
For a long time, I watched the story unfold, almost like listening to a myth told in the depths of darkness.
Photos from the fan planned exhibition, subway ads celebrating the birthdays of the characters—
All these memories flooded back.
Looking at an illustration of Kim Dokja meeting the gaze of the audience, someone whispered softly,
“It’s Kim Dokja’s birthday.”
“On that day, it really snowed in Seoul.”
On the white screen, the words of the readers piled up, creating a mosaic of their stories.
Amidst the lines, traces of the footsteps they had taken together remained.
“You did well coming here.”
At Ji Eunyu’s words, I nodded without realising it.
“Perhaps, I’ve been writing all those sentences not to see this scenery.”
It was once again a heartbeat inducing sensation.
If I had the qualifications, I wanted to say something to these people.
I wanted to write sentences for them without running away or giving up.
I wanted to challenge this story once again.
“But can I do it?”
The voice of the host echoed at that moment.
“Now, next, we’ll hear a few words from the author who joined us for this event!”
The audience exchanged glances, buzzing with excitement.
I was momentarily dazed but quickly snapped back to reality.
“Author?”
Bewildered, Ji Eunyu whispered to me.
For a moment, my mind became complicated.
Could it be that Ji Eunyu secretly planned this fan meeting?
But Ji Eunyu seemed just as clueless, judging by the look in her eyes.
Looking towards the stage, the host was smiling and glancing in our direction.
I felt compelled to stand up.
I cleared my throat awkwardly, and Ji Eunyu whispered,
“What’s happening?”
As I rose, suddenly a face appeared on the screen.
“Ah, ah.”
Tear Shaped moles on pale skin.
A neatly tied up Sakaman haircut.
Even without explaining who she was, no one here could be unaware of her.
The true author of ‘전지적 독자 시점’ was present. (Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint)
Author’s Message:
Hello, it’s Sing-Shong.
I’m delighted to be able to greet you again.
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