I Can See the Comments on the Doomed Novel - Chapter 171



The Conclusion of All Plans

After the brief match concluded.

We gathered back in the waiting room.

This time, Cain’s group was with us as well.

“Wow, that was quite the spectacular loss. I never imagined Yuri would possess such incredible swordsmanship.”

Cain said with an awkward smile.

He looked relatively lively for someone who had just fought.

Perhaps it was due to the technology or magic available here.

After all, this is Olympus, a place where one can even resurrect the dead if they set their mind to it.

Of course, that’s what the myths say, and who knows how it works here.

Still, both Cain and Eun-sol, who had been hit by the massive ship, seemed to be fine.

“Ugh! My yogurt robot is destroyed! That’s totally my superior version! How unfair! Best Driver is way too overpowered!”

Is she really okay?

Well, considering she was hit by a goddess’s ship, I suppose it’s a natural outcome.

Anyway, they say the robot will come back after some time, so it’s not a big deal.

Hyena and Eun-byul comforted Eun-sol, who was whining beside them.

At least it’s a relief that both of them look healthy.

I asked Cain, who seemed quite relaxed.

“So, are you really okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’re Apollo’s contractor, right? But you lost right from the first match.”

“What can I do? It’s because Apollo’s grace is lacking.”

Is that something the contractor should say about themselves?

In truth, Cain isn’t a person who is absolutely lacking.

It’s just that the opponent, Yuri, happened to be too strong.

At the very least, I’m willing to consider that just the fact of having ‘made a fight happen’ with the current Yuri is a mark of strength.

“Moreover, for some reason, my abilities haven’t been activating well these days.”

“Your abilities aren’t activating?”

“As you know, my power allows me to see the future. Of course, it’s not a perfectly convenient ability; I can only glimpse fragmented scenes or clues. But… these days, I can’t see anything at all.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it says. Even when I try to see the future, I can’t see anything. It’s as if there’s nothing beyond that.”

That… could be interpreted as quite dangerous, depending on how you look at it.

As I was worrying about that, Cain suddenly raised his glass.

“Well, it’s not like me thinking about how I lost so spectacularly to you and Yuri will change anything. For now, I’ll just enjoy the remaining festival.”

Saying that, he downed his drink.

When did he even prepare that?

Watching him quietly from the side, Shaomei frowned.

“Can you really drink in this situation?”

“Haha! We couldn’t drink at this grand festival just because we participated in a duel. Isn’t that a bit too lonely?”

“I couldn’t even step forward because you guys lost, you know? I lost the only chance to shine. Aren’t you a little ashamed of your defeat?”

“Shaomei, losing to a strong opponent isn’t something to be ashamed of.”

“Are you really saying that, you brat!”

Suddenly, Cain and Shaomei began to bicker right in front of me.

Seeing them flirt like that genuinely puts me in a bad mood.

“So, does that mean we can just relax like this?”

Suddenly, Yuri came over and asked.

“It feels like it ended quicker than expected, and now we have quite a bit of free time.”

“Oh, it’ll be fine. There’s still plenty of time until the next match. Let’s just take a good rest for now. Thanks to you, we managed to get through some pretty tough spots easily.”

“Hm~ That’s true. It wasn’t an easy fight.”

Yuri nodded and glanced at me.

“But is there really nothing? I fought hard to get here. If there’s no minimum reward, I might not achieve anything in the next battle.”

“Reward? What, should I just pat your head?”

“Am I a child?”

After a moment of thought, Yuri replied.

“…That might not be such a bad idea?”

“Excuse me?”

“As the youngest member of the Möbius Knights, I grant you permission to pat my head.”

“When did I become a member of the Möbius Knights?”

“Since I’m the only remaining member, I’m the leader now. So, it’s a leader’s authority.”

“Is the first thing you do upon becoming leader an abuse of power?”

“Just do it already.”

Yuri forcibly pulled my hand and placed it on her head.

Reluctantly, I moved and patted her head.

Yuri smiled a cute smile with her adorable face.

As we were doing this, Hena approached, her head held high.

“What’s this?”

“Huh? Since I won too, don’t I have the right to be patted?”

“Is that how it works?”

“That’s how it works.”

With a haughty expression, Hena closed her eyes and presented her head.

In the end, I gently patted her head as well.

Just then, Eunbyeol raised her hand and came over.

“Then I’ll ask for a head pat for no reason at all.”

“I demand a head pat by the authority of the goddess I’ve contracted with.”

From noble mtl dot com

“Come on, give me a break. I only have two hands, you know?”

It’s really difficult to know how to react in situations like this.

Just as we were enjoying a moment of leisure,

“Ugh!”

“K-Kain?”

Suddenly, a strange sound echoed from behind.

The cup Cain was holding fell and rolled away.

Blood was oozing from his wounds.

He staggered and collapsed onto the floor.

In our panic, we rushed over to him.

“What’s wrong? Is the injury worse than we thought?”

“N-no… it’s… that…”

Cain pointed at the wine glass with a trembling finger.

With a face as pale as death, he struggled to speak.

“I think… there’s poison in that.”

“I-I’ll treat you right away…!”

Eunbyeol and Eve hurriedly reached out their hands.

But Cain, in his state, stretched out his arm to stop them.

“Stop. No, you all need to conserve your strength as much as possible.”

“What the hell are you talking about? You’re the one who’s collapsed!”

“This isn’t aimed at people. It contains the power to kill gods. Damn it. I don’t know who prepared the poison, but it’s a meticulously crafted trap, designed specifically for gods. It’s meant to react right now.”

“What?”

“I don’t know what it is… but it’s not just a simple calculation. This is… truly dangerous.”

At that moment, a commotion suddenly erupted outside.

I hurried out to check.

What I saw was chaos in the Colosseum; spectators, fighting participants, even the gods themselves were all collapsed.

They were in the exact same state as Cain had just shown us.

“W-what is this…?”

Eve muttered in shock at the sight.

Everyone here possessed immense power—gods, no less.

To incapacitate such beings all at once?

Could there really be a poison that exists in this world?

No, denying what had already happened was futile.

“Jihoon…..”

“Hestia!”

I hurried towards her, trembling as she approached.

She, too, was in such a dire state that it seemed miraculous she could even move.

Even Hestia, the representative of Olympus and essentially a deity, was in this condition.

I could only imagine how the other gods fared.

“What on earth happened?”

“Poison…”

The same words as Cain had spoken earlier.

But I still couldn’t comprehend it.

What kind of poison could even affect a god?

‘No, even if that were possible, to poison this many people all at once? That’s absurd…’

Suddenly, my thoughts flickered to the drink Cain had been consuming.

It was said that everyone participating in this festival traditionally drank alcohol.

We simply hadn’t been able to partake because we had to join the competition right away.

What if the poison had been mixed into that drink beforehand?

‘It wouldn’t be impossible to poison everyone here. If it included not just the alcohol but other sources as well, then this scene…’

I suddenly recalled Hestia mentioning that there was a shortage of alcohol.

She had said it had mysteriously disappeared, and they needed to replenish it.

What if… it had all been planned from that moment?

Could it be that the disappearance of the alcohol was all part of the perpetrator’s scheme?

If so, it was clear that, as Cain had said, this was a thoroughly prepared act, one that had been in the works for a long time.

To deal with the gods… in the most definitive way possible.

“Hestia! You mentioned you found new alcohol. Where did you get it?”

“From the Destruction Shop… They suddenly offered to provide it after hearing the news.”

…Destruction Shop?

A name flashed through my mind at that word.

Always wearing a bowler hat, holding a cane.

I couldn’t understand what he was saying, nor could I grasp his thoughts.

But perhaps, more than anyone else… he might know the secrets of this world.

The Hatter.

– KWA-aaaNG!

Suddenly, a deafening roar tore through the air.

What appeared in the sky was an island floating in midair.

An island of such immense size.

Surrounding it were glowing white orbs, flickering like fireflies.

Anyone who had read “Gulliver’s Travels” might have thought of Laputa upon witnessing that fairy-tale scene.

Right in front of it stood a gentleman wearing a top hat.

He had spread his arms wide, as if to showcase his creation, while collapsing from the poison, oblivious to the gods around him.

I was the only one quietly observing that sight.

“Ladies and gentlemen! It’s a pleasure to meet you! I am your ever-kind friend, the Hatmaker! And thank you! For preparing this stage for me!”

The Hatmaker, wearing a satisfied smile, also looked at me.

His face bore a hint of disappointment, yet he nodded as if he had anticipated this moment.

In that instant, meeting his gaze, I realized something I didn’t want to acknowledge.

Two individuals sharing the secret of this world, both wishing for survival more than anyone else.

For me, and for him.

Ultimately, the nemesis I must confront in the end is this very opponent I am now facing.