Chapter 146: Side: Seoul City (2)

Skyscrapers towering as if to pierce the sky.

Vivid, colorful lights illuminating the streets and metal cans on wheels racing through the city.

People in unfamiliar clothing hurried along, staring intently at something in their hands.

Honk—!

A massive metal can blared its horn as it brushed past me.

It was an utterly unfamiliar sight, yet at the same time, deeply familiar.

The devices clutched in people's hands were called smartphones, and the hulking metal can honk its horn was a bus, a form of public transportation.

The cavernous underground where people emerged from was known as the subway.

While buses moved people above ground, subways transported them below.

Yes.

This was the world of my distant past—the world where the memories of my previous life lingered.

*

White lines stretched in neat rows between the lanes where cars raced by.

Ahead, a crowd of people stood, as if waiting for something.

A crosswalk.

This was the only place where pedestrians could safely cross the road.

Beyond the white lines of the crosswalk stood a woman who didn't quite match the modern urban scenery.

Beep-beep-beep— Beep-beep-beep—

[The light is green. You may cross now.]

Beep-beep-beep— Beep-beep-beep—

A beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair elegantly tied up, exposing her white neck.

A proud rose that never lost its dignity, no matter when or where.

I called her name.

"Christina."

In an instant, Christina's attire began to change as she walked toward me.

Her black dress turned into a crisp white blouse that revealed her neckline. Her skirt morphed into a knee-length blue skirt—or no, a black skirt.

Her medieval shoes transformed into casual sneakers, then into formal heels. Elegant gold earrings adorned her white earlobes.

Christina looked down at her changing outfit and smirked subtly.

"So, this is your taste?"

"Uh, well."

I scratched my cheek awkwardly.

"Seems like it."

This was a world created by my mental projection.

Whatever I subconsciously envisioned would be reflected in this space.

Christina's current appearance was the image I had unconsciously thought would suit her.

Since it happened unconsciously, controlling it wasn't easy unless I focused.

I need to be careful.

Any improper imagination could lead to... trouble.

"Are you saying all of this is an illusion created by magic?"

Christina looked around in amazement.

"It feels like a real world."

"My memories are quite vivid, that's probably why."

Even with illusion magic, there were limits.

Creating an entirely new world was difficult, even for a grand wizard.

Especially one as detailed as this.

But I was something of an exception.

"For some reason, my memories are incredibly clear."

I remembered my past life as if it had happened yesterday.

When I wasn't thinking about it, it stayed in the background, but when I focused, every detail—where I was, what had happened—came back with crystal clarity.

Like a photograph framed on the wall.

That's why I could recreate landscapes from another world so easily.

For others, it was like painting a picture. For me, it was just opening a frame to see a photo.

A unique gift granted only to someone with memories of a past life.

At least, that's what I thought...

"Are you homesick?"

Homesick...

"Yes, I think I am."

I agreed with Christina's observation.

This street, filled with exhaust fumes, this city full of car noise—I found myself missing it.

"I used to curse this place, saying it was hell."

Perhaps it was because I missed it that I couldn't forget it.

"When one's belly is full, one doesn't realize it."

"Heh, true."

Only after leaving that world did, I realize how good life had been.

At least it wasn't a world where a person's life could be decided over a single bite of food, unlike this one.

"Yes, I suppose I was privileged."

I looked around.

The bustling district of Gangnam, Teheran-ro.

This urban jungle held many of my memories.

When my family moved from the countryside to Seoul, we ran a small convenience store in an alley not far from Teheran-ro.

We weren't wealthy, but neither did we lack for much—a typical middle-class family.

My love for processed foods stemmed from those convenience store days.

For a kid who had grown up only eating my grandmother's simple Dried Radish Leaf Soup, the convenience store felt like heaven—a place where it seemed like all the world's foods had gathered.

My passion for developing processed foods wasn't just for my own enjoyment.

I wanted to share that experience with the people of this world.

In this harsh place where food scarcity was a matter of life and death, I hoped to bring the comfort of processed foods.

"I see. Living in a world like this, it makes sense that you'd create processed foods."

"There's still so much I haven't made. There are thousands of kinds of processed foods, you know."

"Thousands, you say?"

"Perhaps even more."

Processed food was just another form of cuisine.

The variety was endless, and there were countless things even I had never tried.

"Christina, shall we try that?"

"A fish-shaped treat? How peculiar."

"It's called Bungeoppang (Carp Bread)."

I pointed to a Carp Bread stand nestled in an alley.

It was a nostalgic snack, once a beloved staple of Korean street food, but over time it had become a rare sight.

If you stumbled upon it while walking, the joy would make you stop in your tracks.

It's been so long.

Even if this was just a projection of my mind, seeing the Carp Bread stand made me feel unexpectedly happy.

"Excuse me, may I have a bag of Carp Bread?"

"Oh, a foreigner speaking Korean so well. Where are you from?"

"I'm from another world."

"Haha, don't tease this old lady. Here, have an extra one, on the house."

I received a bag with four freshly made, warm Carp Bread and handed one to Christina.

"Be careful. It's hot inside."

Christina took a cautious bite of the head, her eyes lighting up.

"What is this sweet black filling?"

"It's red bean paste. Made by simmering red beans with sugar."

Blowing on it to cool it down, Christina continued to eat the Carp Bread carefully.

"How is it?"

"It's sweet—perfect as a snack."

"Exactly, it's meant to be a snack."

With its crispy outside and warm, sweet filling, Carp Bread was a beloved comfort food.

Even Christina, who had a discerning palate, seemed to enjoy it.

"It would be wonderful to have this in the Empire too."

"I was already thinking of making it."

There was nothing like a warm Carp Bread on a cold winter day.

The only hurdle was growing the red beans, a key ingredient, but with the elves' help, it seemed that could be resolved soon.

"I promise you'll get to taste it by next year."

"I'll look forward to it."

We chatted softly as we wandered the city streets.

"What is that thing everyone is holding?"

"It's called a smartphone. With it, you can communicate with anyone in the world."

"Oh, like a crystal orb, then?"

"Similar, but it has far more functions. You can even play games on it."

Christina, brimming with curiosity, asked countless questions, and I answered as best I could.

What surprised her most was learning that Earth had no magic.

"To achieve such a civilization without magic... It's astonishing."

"Instead of magic, we developed science. With it, humans even reached the moon."

"The moon, as in the one up there?"

"Yes, that very moon."

With half-eaten Carp Bread in hand, Christina's wide, crimson eyes made her look like a cute little rabbit.

Her usually composed demeanor rarely showed such surprise—it was a rare and delightful sight.

I wish I could capture this in a crystal orb.

Though there was no crystal ball in this mental projection, I resolved to etch this moment into my memory.

"Not just the moon. We're also exploring the sun and other stars."

"…Truly remarkable."

And so, I continued to share with Christina the marvels of Earth's civilization.

Her amazed reactions made me talk even more.

It was a joy to see her expressions change.

Perhaps, through Christina's eyes, this world truly seemed like a place of boundless wonder.

***

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