553 Prologue. Side Story Notice

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Everyone, thank you for waiting for so long.

Finally, we begin the side story of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.

I've started it, but honestly, I have no idea what to write. This story was never written with a spin-off in mind in the first place.

While I was taking a break, I read the comments fans left on the main story, and I was truly surprised.

You guys are geniuses. On the other hand, I can't seem to come up with a single thing. How thoughtless of me… In fact, I haven’t even decided on a main character yet.

When I was writing ORV, the words flowed smoothly, but now my mind is a complete blank—as if someone had struck me hard on the back of the head.

Nevertheless, the reason I am writing this notice is because I feel I should at least say something.

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After writing that much, I stopped typing and held down the backspace key.

Damn it, what am I doing? No matter how desperate the situation, this isn't how a professional writer should speak.

I bit my nails and tried to craft a new sentence.

How about starting like this?

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Come to think of it, I've never formally introduced myself. My identity was technically revealed in chapter 549 of 『Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint』, but I'm sure you've all forgotten by now.

To put it in Kim Dokja's terms, I am this kind of person:

Lee Hakhyun (李鶴翾).

My father, wishing for me to fly like a noble crane, paid a hefty sum of 300,000 won to a Philosophy Hall to give me that name.

The crane’s wings are spread wide¹. (학 학(鶴)에 날 현(翾).)

The Philosophy Hall² that named me went bankrupt shortly after. It was only then that my father discovered the parentheses hidden in front of the character “翾,” which means “to fly (lightly).”

In short, my life was defined by this: Lee Hakhyun, 33 years old, a (lightly) successful web novel author.

By the way, the name of my only hit is:

A long-form fantasy novel consisting of 551 chapters, 『Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint』—abbreviated as “ORV.”

I spent two years of my life on this story, from my late 20s into my early 30s…

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After writing that much, I hit backspace again.

I just introduced myself, and it felt even worse. What’s the point of introducing myself when I'm not even the protagonist of this side story?

Tsutsutsu.

That wasn't the sound of a probability spark. It was my cell phone vibrating.

I pressed the call button with a grim expression, feeling like Kim Dokja preparing for a massive storm of probability aftermath. Then, I heard the voice of the dokkaebi in charge.

―Author-nim.

This was currently my second most feared word.

“Yes.”

―Are you working on the side story?

And that was the first.

“No.”

The person sighing on the other end of the line was Ji Eunyu, my dedicated editor.

To be blunt, Ji Eunyu is a veteran producer in this industry. If I’m being honest, she’s the one who dragged me—a man who used to write pure literature—into this world. In that sense, she was a lifesaver.

―What do you plan to do?

I answered in a hollow voice.

“That’s the question. What should I do?”

―You’re not playing a game right now, are you? That new one that just launched?

“I only just installed it.”

―Then why are you showing as 'online' on Steam?

“It... launches automatically when I boot up the computer.”

―Really? Because I just got a notification that you started a session.

I quickly shut down the game as it was loading.

“Do you think I’m playing just for fun? I’m playing to gather ideas.”

―I used to believe that. I really did.

Ji Eunyu has a theory she’s developed over six years as an editor:

Writers who play games for 'inspiration' will keep playing long after the inspiration arrives.

Honestly, I couldn't argue with that.

―What about that idea you mentioned before?

“When I actually sat down to write it, it fell apart.”

―You said you wanted to connect it with your previous works. We discussed it briefly, remember?

I recalled the titles of my past failures one by one.

『The Orc Philosopher』

『Infinite Instructor』

『System Breaker』

『The Wizard of the Undying World』

『Method Master』

『How to Become a Star Writer』

…

No matter how I looked at it, there was no natural way to blend those stories with ORV.

Besides, 『How to Become a Star Writer』 was an absurd tale about a writer named Lee Hakhyun (yes, me) getting trapped inside a novel to become a “star writer.” There was no way I could use that for a collaboration.

And above all—

“Why would I collaborate with a failure?”

Most of those novels were axed before they even reached a paid model.

―I enjoyed them all, though.

“Hearing that doesn't comfort me at all.”

―You mentioned getting drunk on the rooftop once and having an epiphany. Can’t you try that again?

“I already tried.”

―Well... do you feel any tingling in the back of your head? Does Han Sooyoung appear in your dreams?

I sighed, caught between a laugh and a sob.

In the novel, Yoo Joonghyuk would hit me in the back of the head, Han Sooyoung would send me the manuscript, and I would write it all perfectly... but reality isn't like that. These days, I almost wish it were true.

―Ugh, I’m sorry.

I knew why she said it. Ji Eunyu was just as frustrated as I was.

The news is full of reports about the market downturn. I heard Ji Eunyu's management firm is also struggling financially. Employees are leaving, and their contracted writers are jumping ship or quitting the industry entirely.

I wondered if me writing a side story would even make a difference in a mess like this.

―Anyway, there are still many readers waiting for your story, Author-nim.

“Where are they?”

It’s embarrassing to admit, but “ORV” once held the number one spot on the platform’s free bestseller list. It had its glory days.

There were readers who genuinely liked my work, and discussions used to pop up in various communities.

Back when I was still serializing, I would secretly search for “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” and smile at the readers’ reactions.

But that’s all in the past now.

No one remembers my novel anymore.

―Stop being so cynical. They exist.

Then where?

I swallowed the question before it could escape.

“I’ll try my best.”

After hanging up, I decided I needed a drink.

I closed my laptop and headed to a nearby convenience store for a beer and some snacks. I reached for the potato chips, but hesitated, eventually swapping them for a protein biscuit.

Am I at the age where I have to worry about my health now?

As I sipped the beer, Ji Eunyu’s words echoed in my mind.

For the record, the single brackets (「」) are symbols I use when I’m having a significant thought. And I’m having one right now.

Are there really readers still waiting for me?

I finished the beer and logged into the web novel platform.

A mountain of notifications awaited me. System messages urging me to resume serialization, and notes from other writers announcing their new projects.

And then…

―I enjoyed reading this, Author-nim.

Messages from readers.

―I’m a 14-year-old in middle school this year. This was the first web novel I ever read ㅜㅜ…

Some were cute, others were deeply sincere.

―Reading this novel is the only joy of my life in the military…

They were fragments of stories left for me by those who had read my work.

Three years have passed since then.

The middle schoolers must be in high school now. The high schoolers are in college, the soldiers have been discharged, and the job seekers have hopefully found their way… I hope.

Either way, those readers moved on to become 'something' else, while I’m still here—a boring man choosing protein biscuits over chips.

―It was fun, Author-nim.

I felt a sudden pang in my chest and spilled a bit of beer.

A new notification light was blinking. It was a message that had just arrived.

Who would send a message to an author three years after a story ended?

―Sender: RepresentativeKimDokja.

As soon as I saw the ID, a memory surfaced.

RepresentativeKimDokja.

During the height of the serialization, there was a reader with that exact nickname.

―It’s been three years since ORV ended. Every year around this time, I come back to binge-read it, and I enjoyed it just as much this year. It’s strange; the novel feels different every time I read it.

The memories of three years ago felt vivid. They really did love the story back then.

That was what I wanted to say.

This reader had left comments every single day and sent messages of encouragement after every milestone.

In short, he was the living embodiment of the name “RepresentativeKimDokja.”

―I don’t know if you remember me.

Of course I do. I can still see the old messages.

I remember writing until the very last second of every deadline, then reading these messages and comments with an exhausted body before finally collapsing into sleep.

If it weren't for the people who endured that time with me, I never would have survived that loneliness. I never would have reached the final sentence.

I hesitated for a moment before reaching for the keyboard. This time, I wanted to reply not as a novelist, but with my own voice.

However.

―There will be a small fan event tomorrow at 7 PM. If you have time, please come. I’ve prepared a special gift for you as a thank you.

A gift?

―Sorry, but there is an admission fee for the event. I have to make a living too, after all.

At that moment, the prologue of ORV flashed through my mind.

In that prologue, Kim Dokja receives a message from the author, tls123, saying the epilogue will be released for a fee.

It seemed this reader was playing a small, nostalgic joke on me.

I started typing my reply.

―Thank you so much, Reader-nim. But I’ll accept the gift in spirit only. Also, if there's an admission fee… isn’t that a gift I’m technically paying for? (hahaha)

There was no way they had actually prepared a real gift, right?

Even if they had, I couldn't bring myself to accept it. How could I be so shameless when I haven't been able to write a single word of a side story in three years?

By the way, should I delete the (hahaha)? Do people still use that?

I was naively sipping my beer and worrying about trivial things like that, completely unaware of how my life was about to change the very next day.

Author’s Note:

This story is a spin-off of “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,” yet it does not exist outside the main narrative.

This is still the story of Kim Dokja, but it is not for only one Kim Dokja.

Thank you for waiting.

Once again, let us begin “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.”

(February 2023, Singsong)