00010 [Part 1] [Return] ------------------------------------------------------------------------=
[December 30
Please come back.]
"Ugh... I'm sorry..."
It could no longer be stopped. His emotions exploded. Tears began streaming down his cheeks. There was no one around. So he cried aloud. He had never imagined he would cry inside a game. The realization that he had cared for his comrades this much saddened him. He had lost comrades who had been so precious to him.
The diary ended on February 14 of this year. It had been only a month ago. What could that person have been thinking, waiting for over two years? Expecting Polaris to return to how it once was?
"I'm sorry..."
He wanted to find his comrades. He wanted to tell them he had returned.
But he couldn't bring himself to speak. How many people would welcome him back after two years? Could he look at them, lower his head, and apologize? And after apologizing, could he be forgiven?
Thinking that, he began to feel fear at the thought of finding his comrades. A bond he had assumed would be light. But a bond so heavy and precious. The thought that he had betrayed that bond and was trying to reclaim it felt unbearable. He, who had once been rank one, felt so fragile and weak. That was how clumsy he was with human relationships.
"I'm sorry..."
He couldn't meet his comrades. He wanted to meet them, but he didn't know what to do after meeting them. He felt like he wouldn't be able to raise his face. They would probably be angry. They probably wouldn't forgive him.
He felt like he wouldn't be able to meet that kid who had waited until the end, either. Beyond awkwardness, he couldn't figure out what to say here, either. He had never made such a grand apology even in reality. It was beyond him.
"I'm sorry, guys."
Karon exited the guild hall. In his hand, he held the guild journal. He looked up at the guild hall as tears streamed down continuously.
"I'm really sorry."
What words could he give his comrades? That he had returned, that he was sorry. Was there anything he could convey, even indirectly? The answer that came to mind at that moment was one.
"Guild management."
Calling up the guild management menu, he checked the items with a seriousness, as if making some kind of resolve.
[Would you like to disband the guild?]
"Yes."
[Do you have no regrets about this choice?]
"Yes."
[The Polaris Guild has been disbanded. We express our gratitude to all members who have been with us until now. May our bond not end here.]
[Ownership of the Polaris Guild Hall has been relinquished.]
[Quest Alert! "The Hall Hidden on Mireu Island!"]
For those who had left the guild, and for the person who waited until the end, this was all he could think to do. By disbanding the guild, he abandoned ownership of the Polaris Guild Hall. By abandoning ownership, he announced that the guild hall quest bearing the immortal attribute across the entire continent had been revived, effectively announcing the official disbandment of the Polaris Guild, and that among those who remained, only the master—Karon—could have done so.
"I'm sorry. I think this is all I can do for you."
He probably wouldn't be able to meet all of his comrades. Some would have quit the game, and some wouldn't want to meet. If so, how could he speak to them?
By disbanding the guild. Disband the guild with the meaning of not being bound by the past and moving toward the future. Disband the guild with the meaning that Karon had returned. Disband the guild to announce that Karon had effectively quit the game. Disband the guild to let those who had waited for him know they no longer had to wait.
Disbanding the guild contained many meanings.
"Log out."
Soon, Karon disappeared along with the sea breeze of Mireu Island.
☆
On the continent, people were making a fuss as they saw the quest that had suddenly appeared.
[Quest Alert! "The Hall Hidden on Mireu Island"]
"Huh?"
"There was a quest like this?"
"It's a quest to get a hall with the immortal attribute! Jackpot!"
"How come we didn't know about it until now?"
"Why do you think? Because some guild owned the hall all this time."
"Guild? Which guild?"
"What was it... Po, Po... Polaris, was it?"
"Polaris? Was there a guild like that?"
"I heard it was a famous guild in the past? Well, it seems all the people from that guild left and are making their own names..."
☆
[Quest Alert! "The Hall Hidden on Mireu Island"]
"Huh?"
The man saw the quest appear before his eyes while commanding guild members. He quickly read it and closed the quest window.
"—It seems that guy has returned."
The secretary beside the man spoke up, perhaps having seen the quest as well.
"Ah, you mean Karon, who founded the Polaris Guild. But from the fact that this quest appeared, it seems the guild has been completely disbanded. Perhaps he's not formally retiring..."
The secretary flinched and stopped speaking. Because the man was glaring at him with murderous eyes.
"That guy doesn't quit. He'll return, definitely."
☆
A boy who logged in late after hearing the news looked at the quest alert before his eyes.
[Quest Alert! "The Hall Hidden on Mireu Island"]
"So it was true. Then the guild has been disbanded."
Things were going to get interesting now. Famous guilds would probably wage a struggle to seize and clear this quest.
"Well, it seems the difficulty increased along with the level cap being raised. The admins wouldn't stay still either... I guess I'll just quietly watch the fireworks."
The boy smiled brightly at something.
"Karon hyung has returned, huh."
☆
[Quest Alert! "The Hall Hidden on Mireu Island"]
Latecomers and comrades who suddenly remembered each voiced their thoughts as they saw the quest alert before their eyes.
"It seems that guy has returned."
"Oppa has returned."
"A guy who left without a word needs to be punished, right?"
"What does he plan to do now that he's back?"
"...Bad guy. I'll find him no matter what."
☆
What was curious was that while people all thought Karon had quit the game, everyone who knew him asserted that he had returned to the game.
---------------------------= Afterword ---------------------------=
Finally, Chapter 01: Return is finished.
From now on, I'm planning to start the wizard story you've all been waiting for, but... midterms, midterms...
In the end, it'll be irregular updates as always ^^;
Anyway, the view count and bookmarks have increased noticeably. It seems to be ranked high in the Best Serialized Game section as well... Thank you!! I'll continue serializing it going forward.